She never changed a baby's gown or rolled a batch of cookies without a deep and genuine love for the task; she could not unbutton the twisted collar from a son's small neck without drawing his freckled cheek to her hungry lips for a kiss, or ask one of her black-headed, bright-eyed daughters to hang up a dish towel without adding: "You're a darling help to your mother!"
"Sisters"
Kathleen Norris
She began to unbutton her jacket.
"Nan of Music Mountain"
Frank H. Spearman
He drew from his pocket a document, his fingers trembling so he could hardly unbutton his coat, crumpled it in his emotion and resumed: First, I have arranged everything!
"The Salamander"
Owen Johnson