[Illustration: As Mary Frances looked up from her work, there was the empty chair]
“I’M Cross Patch, Cross Patch! Nobody dares to lift the latch! I’m Cross Patch, Cross Patch! Click―ety―clatch! Cross Patch!”
Mary Frances heard this outside the sewing room door.
“My,” she thought, “that sounds like the scissors―I really believe it is!” She peeped in, and this is what she saw:
Scissors Shears was strutting on tip-toe up and down the sewing table, closing up each time to take a step.
“Why,” said Mary Frances, slipping in, “can you talk, too?”
“Can I talk?” exclaimed Scissors Shears in a growling voice. “Can I talk? Yes, and walk, too! As if I weren’t years older than that Sewing Bird― Rip ’er up the back! Rip ’er up the back! That conceited thing thinks she knows everything,―why I could tell you all about how to cut out anything. Why, I know all about cutting things out! I can even cut myself!”
“Well, well,” laughed Mary Frances. “If that is so, perhaps Sewing Bird will let you explain some things to me.”
“It cuts me to the quick to be cut like this,” he started again,―then Sewing Bird began to sing,
“If anything you’d like to do, To prove yourself so very true― Immediately to work―don’t brag! Cut out
Cut bag twelve inches long, and five inches wide.
“What goods, what goods?” asked Scissors Shears, excitedly.
“Cut it out of that pretty calico on the table,” said Sewing Bird.
[Illustration: That pretty calico on the table]
“Hurrah!” shouted Scissors Shears, and dived into the calico.
[Illustration: “When you want me otherwise”]
“There!” he exclaimed proudly. “Isn’t that perfect?”
“That’s very even,” said Mary Frances gravely, trying to act as though she were an excellent judge.
“When you want me otherwise Than as a little bird, Put your hand over your eyes, And say this secret word:
Mary Frances did so; and there was Fairy Lady once again in the doll’s rocking chair, who smiled and said,
“Whenever you particularly want ‛this me’ to come, all you have to do is to put your hands over your eyes, and say to yourself quickly,
[Illustration: Magic and Mystery!” exclaimed Mary Frances]
“And if you want _me_ to turn into anything, you say as fast as you can,
said Thimble, looking up at Mary Frances with a comical smile.