“GOOD-BYE, dear,” said Grandma, taking leave of Mary Frances a day or two later. “You may play in the garden while I’m gone, if you want to.”
“I think I’ll stay in, Grandma, if you don’t mind,” answered Mary Frances, not quite daring to mention her sewing lessons, “I have a sort of an engagement.”
“Well! Well!” laughed Grandma, “so grown up already? You have been out every day lately―I think perhaps you’ll like to play in the sewing-room.”
“I hope you’ll have a lovely time, Nanny,” said Mary Frances as her grandma closed the door.
“I wonder if Sewing Bird will be ready for the lesson,” she thought as she skipped up the stairs to the sewing-room.
“Sewing Bird! Sewing Bird!” she whispered.
[Illustration: “I hope you’ll have a lovely time”]
“Oh, that’s the call I love to hear; I’m always ready― Never fear!”
came the sweet singing voice of Sewing Bird.
“I’m so glad you remembered, dear little bird,” said she. “Where are you?”
“Taking a rest, In my dear little nest. Chur! Chur!”
[Illustration: “Taking a rest in my dear little nest”]
“Of course,―the basket’s your nest,” laughed Mary Frances, carrying Sewing Bird to her place on the table.
“I asked Grandma if I could have the sewing-room for my play-room, and she said, ’Certainly, my dear, you may―anything to keep you happy!’”
“Twitter, twitter, twitter, twit,” sang Sewing Bird―and somehow Mary Frances knew she meant, “I’m so happy, too.”
[Illustration: “Twitter, twitter, twitter, twit”]
“I love to sit And sing and sing― But lesson time Is on the wing: Miss Never-Try Never can do; Miss Never-Begin Never gets thru.”
[Illustration: “I love to sit And sing and sing”]
“Oh, dear me! Sewing Bird, I want to begin right away,” said Mary Frances. “I hope to get so much done!”
“Well,” said Sewing Bird, “we will begin at once with that pretty canvas and Turkey-red working cotton (D. M. C. No. 8). You may cut some pieces of canvas seven inches long and one and one-half inches wide. Work on the sewing table―that will be easier.”
“Oh, I know,” guessed Mary Frances, “the Java canvas is to learn the stitches on.”
“Yes,” said Sewing Bird, “you use one of these pieces for each new stitch; the regular open spaces in the canvas will help us so much.”
[Illustration: “I want to begin right away”]