“Each little lesson, one by one, Then, after each hard stitch is done, Remember―‘patience brings reward!’”
“What’s ‘patience’?” asked the little girl.
“Why, ‘patience’? Patience is Mary Frances’ middle name―Mary P. Frances,―see?”
“My, isn’t that a nice name! Mary Patience Frances. And what’s ‘reward’?” laughed the little girl.
“‘Reward’? Reward,” said Sewing Bird, “is Angie all dressed up in the things we’ll make.”
“Oh, I’d love to begin at once―can’t we?”
Sewing Bird gaily nodded her bright, shiny little head.
“Goody! Goody! Won’t Mother be surprised?” said Mary Frances. “I’ll run and get my little work-basket that Grandma gave me.”
[Illustration: ‘Reward’ is Angie all dressed up in the things we’ll make]
“Little fingers, thin and nimble, Fit to one, a little thimble; Right hand―finger, number two― Put the hat on,―that will do.”
Mary Frances put her thimble on the second finger of her right hand.
“I knew that much, Sewing Bird,” she laughed.
“What else do you know, If that much is so? Chur! Chur! Chur!”
sang Sewing Bird, hopping up and down on one leg.
“Why, I know how to thread my needle,” said Mary Frances, to whom the talking of Sewing Bird seemed just as natural as the talking of Tea Kettle and the other Kitchen People.
[Illustration: Sang Sewing Bird, hopping up and down.]
“I know, too, that you should put the end of the thread broken off next the spool through the eye of the needle, so that it will not kink.”
“Very good, And very true;― What in your basket, Pray, have you?”
Then Mary Frances answered, “These are the articles needed, my Grandma said,
1. Spools of cotton, white, Nos. 36, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80; also one of red, No. 50. One spool of basting cotton.
2. One little strawberry emery bag to brighten and sharpen needles.
7. A paper of ground-down needles, Nos. 5’s―10’s.
and, oh, look! here is a large piece of Java canvas, and a package of blunt tapestry or zephyr needles, No. 19, and some red D. M. C. working cotton, No. 8, that Grandma put in here yesterday.”
[Illustration: Zephyr needles and working cotton.]
“Oh, that is fine! Is fine, indeed! The zephyr needle Is what we’ll need.”
“Oh,” laughed Mary Frances, “I can thread that―you turn the thread over the needle, double, because a fuzzy end would not go through even this long eye. Then hold it tight between the thumb and finger, and push the needle over the double thread―this way. Mother taught me that.”