“Why, what in the world, my dear little girl? Where did all these lovely clothes come from?”
[Illustration: “Why, what in the world, my dear little girl?”]
[Illustration: “She spends hours in the sewing room.”]
[Illustration: Showed bundle of patterns]
“I made them, Mother,―I mean―I, and the Thimble People.”
“You made them!” exclaimed her mother; “not that lovely kimono and bath robe, and those cunning little bonnets, and that lovely automobile coat!”
“Every one!” cried Mary Frances, dancing up and down.
“Why, dear,” said her mother, “I cannot believe my eyes! I thought you did very, very well in the few sewing lessons by mail, but I never dreamed―”
“If the Thimble People hadn’t helped me, Mother, I never could have made them; and if you hadn’t sent me the beautiful goods, and my dear, lovely dolly, I couldn’t have done it! It had to be a secret until I finished the lessons―I couldn’t tell Grandma,―and I was crazy to tell you!”
“Who are the Thimble People?” asked her mother. Then Mary Frances told all about her new friends.
When she finished, she showed the bundle of patterns last given her by the Thimble King.
“We’ll make these together, Mother, dear―if you say so?”
“I certainly do say so, dear,” said her mother.
[Illustration: “Who are the Thimble People?”]
“I would like to take some lessons myself―such delightful lessons; will you teach me?”
“I’ll do my best,―and―I just believe the Thimble People will help!” said Mary Frances wisely;―and she thought she surely saw Scissors Shears wink at her.
[Illustration: “Now, you may look, Mother dear”]
2. There are many mis-matched double-quotes in the original book. These have been corrected in this eBook.
3. Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors.
4. Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.
5. ‘LIST of PATTERNS’ - Doll’s Nightgown page 130 corrected to page 127.