Mary Frances

“ As the Story Lady ceased speaking, the actors vanished from the magic circle into thin air.
“Oh, I wish I could learn to tell stories like that!” exclaimed Mary Frances.
“You can,” said the Story King, heartily; “for you have come to the home of good story-tellers.”
161 “Yes, you can, my dear, because you love stories,” said the Story Queen.
“And for that reason you will always be young,” added the Story King; “for good story-tellers never grow old.”
“It seems too good to be true; the Story Lady is so wonderful,” returned Mary Frances. ”

“ THE OLD WITCH AND THE IRON-CHAIN CURTAIN
“ARE my whiskers straight? Is my fur smooth? Is my face clean, please?” asked the cat without stopping, as soon as he saw her.
“You may see for yourself,” said Mary Frances, holding the pocket mirror before him.
“Ah,” he said, giving a sigh of relief. “I look absolutely scrubbed; I guess I’ll do!”
“Dear me!” said Mary Frances. “I do wonder how it will seem. Isn’t this a beautiful place? But I wonder why it looks so misty around the island. ”

“ THE minute Mary Frances saw her mother she knew that something was wrong, for she looked so white and worried. In her hand was a yellow envelope.
“A telegram!” exclaimed Mary Frances. “Mother dear, is—is it—about father?”
“Oh, Mary Frances,” said her mother. “I am so thankful to see you and Aunt Maria! I was just looking for Billy to send word for you to come.”
“Do sit down, child,” said Aunt Maria, “and tell us all about it. Mary Frances, bring your mother a glass of water, and here—here is my bottle of smelling salts.”
[56]
Mary Frances flew to bring the water. ”

“ Mary Frances, to her astonishment, saw great showers of electric sparks coming from the cat’s body.
“You look like a sparkler on the Fourth of July, Cat,” she said.
“Oh, isn’t that fine!” said the cat. “You see, it’s this way—the nearer we get to the story, the more sparklier my fur gets.”
“So we must be quite near,” said Mary Frances; “for I don’t see how you could get much more sparklier.”
“I forgot to tell you,” said the cat, “that after we find the story, the dolphin’s power to keep the pirate away is gone. We’ll have to race like a rocket to beat his boat.” ”

“ There she saw a bowl of beef tea, which she took to him. She fed him a little at a time with a medicine dropper which she had found in the bathroom.
At length he opened his eyes.
“Where is it?” he asked.
“Where is what?” asked Mary Frances.
“The lost story,” whispered the cat. “I carried it in my mouth. That is why I couldn’t answer you when you asked who was there.”
“I didn’t see it,” said Mary Frances.
“Oh, dear, oh dear!” exclaimed the cat. “It must be on deck! Let us look for it!”
“You are not able yet,” said Mary Frances. “Lie still! I will look! Was it a roll or a book?” ”

“ And making of clothes,”
sang Sewing Bird.
“She’s not only sweet,
But timely and neat”
“She certainly does, dear Magic and Mystery,” laughed Mary Frances. Then to Fairy Lady,―“and I shall need your help so much! I’m simply too excited [Pg 118] to tell you rightly about all the rest of my perfectly beautiful surprise―but I will try.”
Then she told of Mary Marie and her trunk.
“Bring in the trunk,―will you, please?” asked Fairy Lady, who had come at once, in answer to the magic word.
“I’m the
richest
Mother in
the world”
“Yes, indeed!” said Mary Frances ”

“ There was a wardrobe in a corner, and in it Mary Frances found the loveliest dressing gown of pink crêpe de chine, embroidered with sprays of light blue forget-me-nots, and white daisies with yellow centers, and pink roses; and a pair of light blue bedroom slippers and silk stockings, and a boudoir cap and nightgown, and a big steamer coat and cap—all just the right size.
“Just like a grown-up young lady,” she thought.
There were two more doors; one led to a pretty white bathroom, and the other to a little dining-room, lined with mirrors. ”

“ When Mary Frances opened her eyes, there sat the loveliest, sweetest little fairy lady on the edge of the table in place of Sewing Bird;―only Mary Frances noticed her lips looked very much like the bill of a bird. ”

“ I thought Billy was here. But she must have her lesson!"
Going into the kitchen, he took Mary Frances on his knee.
"Dear," he began gravely, "suppose the old tramp had not had kind thoughts. Suppose, when my little girl opened the door, he had hurt her, and had taken mother's nice things, or had stolen our dear little daughter——"
"But, Father," said Mary Frances, "he was a lovely gentleman! I feel quite sure he was going to [82] tell me a beautiful story about when he was little—maybe a hundred years ago——"
"Mary Frances, listen, child! ”

“ Fur-lined cape,”
sang Sewing Bird.
“Use
Jubey!”
“Oh, ho! Hee-hee!” laughed Scissors Shears. “I bet we’ll have to use Jubey.”
“What for?” asked Tommy Pin Cushion.
“For the fur,” said Scissors Shears.
“I guess not, I guess not,” said Mary Frances stepping into the room. “Use Jubey! I’d rather Mary Marie would never have a fur-lined cape, Magic and Mystery!”
“Of course,” said Fairy Lady. “Oh, of course! By the way,―where is that cat?”
“She’s down-stairs,” said Mary Frances, “hunting mice in the cellar. Grandma asked me to let her be there.” ”

“ During a lull in the conversation, Mary Frances asked the King, “Won’t you tell me where all the stories come from?”
“With pleasure,” he replied. “They come from all countries. The world is full of people who are doing brave and noble deeds, and when we hear of such deeds, we have them written down and pass them on.”
“Of course,” he added, “there are other people who are doing cowardly and selfish things, but we don’t bother with them, except to punish them as we did the pirate. We see to it that no good story is ever lost; that is why we were so concerned about the lost story.” ”

“ Oh! Oh!” she cried. “I know, Nanny dear, I know! Mary Marie is my dear new dolly. I do wonder what she will be like! Isn’t Mother too sweet and kind!”
“There’s the postman,” said Grandma, all laughter and smiles. “I wonder if he―” but Mary Frances was already at the door.
“A letter
from
Father!”
“Surely enough,” she cried. “A letter from Father. I’ll read it to you, Grandma―” tearing open the envelope:
Dear Mary Frances:―
Mother bought for you to-day the prettiest doll in San Francisco, and she is going to send it by express, as soon as she gets some shopping done for the young lady. ”

“ Mary Frances carried her into the sewing room, “to thank her kind friends who taught her mamma to make it,” which pleased them all very much.
When Mary Frances started to take the shawl off, Mary Marie cried, “’Oo tan’t hab my s’awl; I’ll be told,” so Mary Frances sat her on the table with the shawl around her, and gave her her doll to play with.
“Mary M’rie needs a nice ’ittle bonnet, to wear wif [176] ’iss s’awl,” said Mary Marie, looking up after a minute. “Mary M’rie’s ears are told.” ”

“ Fold back the bonnet band through the middle. (See dotted line on pattern.)
“My dear Thimble People!” exclaimed Mary Frances, after working a long while with the Needle-of-Don’t-Have-to-Try. “Never did a child have such lovely friends―never! Look at this dear little coat!”
“We love all children who are patient, and try to do their best!” smiled Fairy Lady. “So many are forgetful, or impolite and impatient.”
“I’m afraid I’m sometimes all of those,” said Mary Frances.
“But in your very down-deep heart,
You never think the things that smart ”

“ The Mary Frances Story Book is different from the other Mary Frances Books. They are part lessons and part story; they teach something about cooking and sewing, knitting and crocheting, housekeeping and gardening, and first-aid—and tell a story, too; but The Mary Frances Story Book is all story. ”

“ We think
or see”
“But you will finish them quite soon,” said Fairy Lady, “I feel certain.”
“You do believe in me, dear little Lady,” said Mary Frances.
“Faith in us
Makes us do, and be,
Far better than
We think or see,”
sang Sewing Bird.
“If she doesn’t get them done soon, Mary Marie will lose her bath,” whispered Tommy Pin Cushion, giggling, and he began to recite,―
“Oh, Missy, may I go in to swim? ”

“ We’ll make for a doll
We almost adore.”
“A pinafore”
“A pinafore!―Sewing Bird Lady,” exclaimed Mary Frances. “An apron for Mary Marie?”
“Yes,” smiled Fairy Lady, “a big apron which she can use as a dress until you make her some dresses―then she can use it as a ‘cover-me-up’ apron.”
“Oh, good!” said Mary Frances, “and, dear Fairy Lady, I want to tell you―I’ve a lovely surprise! My Aunt Maria is coming to see us.”
“Aunt Maria―oh, does she love sewing?” ”

“ Gee, I wish I were twelve years old, so I could be a boy scout!”
“We treat you just as if you were one. Let’s go over to the river bank,” suggested their patrol leader. At the signal, off they started over the hills of the sand-pile of Mary Frances’ playroom, coming at length to Painted River and Looking Glass Lake, on which floated the toy [57] ducks and swans which Mary Frances’ little friend Eleanor had given her for a Christmas present.
When they re-assembled at four o’clock, the assistant nurse was surprised at their appearance, for several swollen faces were plastered in blotches of mud. ”

“ Just as Mary Frances was going to suggest that ice cream might make a nice dessert, the cat began to tremble. It trembled so that the ship shook all over.
“Why, what is the matter?” asked Mary Frances. “Are you chilly?”
“Oh, dear, no,” replied the cat, its teeth chattering. “Oh, dear, no; but I forgot! The pirate will hang me! He will! He will!”
“Why will he hang you?” asked Mary Frances, quite bewildered, and a little frightened.
“Speak softly,” said the cat. “Come here, and I’ll whisper.” And behind his upraised paw, he told, “The pirate ordered me to eat the dolphin ”

“ IN the middle of the story, “The Cricket on the Hearth,” when everybody was so anxious to hear more, there came the sound of many voices, and then a loud scream. Mary Frances knew it was the voice of the old witch, who had been listening.
“Let me be!” she was crying. “I don’t want to go away! I want to find out who the old man was! I want to find out who the old man was! I want to see if Tackleton did marry May Fielding! I won’t go! S-so there! ”

“ As Mary looks up again further to question him, he stops her mouth with kisses.
“Let us leave all to the Queen-mother. She is wise, and governs for us while we are young. She loves not to be questioned. Sweetest, I am weary, give me a cup of wine; let me lie in your closet, and you shall sing me to sleep with your lute.”
“But, Francis,” still urges Mary, gently disengaging herself from his arms as he leads her away, “surely my uncles must be in great danger; a conspiracy perhaps means an assassination. ”

“ What queer table manners he has! I suppose his mother never taught him not to smack his lips when he eats—just to chew with the lips closed.”
“I chew all I choose!” exclaimed the dolphin. “My mother never sat at a table, you see.”
“Oh!” said Mary Frances, “did she stand?”
“Three feet high in her stocking feet,” solemnly declared the dolphin, which Mary Frances didn’t consider an answer at all; but was too polite to say anything that might be annoying to a guest.
“I wonder what I can give him for dessert?” she thought. ”

“ Fatty,” began Scissors Shears, “You―” then, seeing Mary Frances’ look, he added lamely, “Pretty is as pretty does, and beauty is only skin-deep. If you lost your skin, Tommy, we’d knock all the stuffin’s out o’ you!”
“Just be her own sweet self”
[Pg 226]
“Hush!”
whispered
Sewing
Bird
“Hush!” whispered Sewing Bird,
“Now, let’s to work,
Now, let’s not shirk,
But sew with purpose hearty!
With love and fun,
Work is begun
On the dress for dolly’s party!”
“Oh, thank you,” exclaimed Mary Frances, opening Mary Marie’s trunk. “What shall we use, Magic and Mystery?” ”

“ Many of you already know Mary Frances’ old friends, the Kitchen People, and have learned to love them. I hope all of you will do so in time.
This book tells the story of Mary Frances’ new friends, the Thimble People, who helped her spend a delightful summer vacation at her Grandmother’s. It tells how she met Sewing Bird, who was a real Fairy Lady, and the other Thimble People; and how they taught her a lot of fascinating secrets, and finally took her on a long journey to Thimble Land, and brought her back safely, after the most marvelous adventures. ”

“ You’re much more polite and kind than some people I’ve known!” glancing at the rooster.
“He means the boy that stoned him,” said Feather Flop.
“Excuse me, I did not refer to him,” said the toad; “but really, boys are terribly hard on us! [140] And think of all we do to help them. We eat the dreadfully destructive insects.”
“I wonder if my brother Billy ever—” began Mary Frances.
“No, not any more,” said the toad. “I’ve lived here in this garden five years and it’s over a year since he’s troubled any of us.”
“He never will again,” promised Mary Frances. “I shall certainly tell him your story.” ”

“ But you couldn’t fall in love with Frances Mary. She was too intelligent. A hollow laugh sounded inside Wilfred. What would be said of a man who uttered such a sentiment in a story?—But it was true just the same. Nature disregarded intelligence in the business of mating. Perhaps intelligence was too modern for Nature. It was a truism that a man’s man and a woman’s woman were the best types of each sex. What a ghastly joke anyhow, the whole damned business of sex! The peach-like Frances Mary doomed to shrivel, ungathered; and he to his Hell of base jealousy! ”