Cheered by this success , Molly undertook a set of small shirts , and stitched away bravely , though her own summer clothes were in a sad state , and for the first time in her life she cared about what she should wear . `` I must ask Merry , and may be father will let me go with her and her mother when they do their shopping , instead of leaving it to Miss Bat , who dresses me like an old woman . Merry knows what is pretty and becoming : I do n't , '' thought Molly , meditating in the bushel basket , with her eyes on her snuff-colored gown and the dark purple bow at the end of the long braid Muffet had been playing with . Molly was beginning to see that even so small a matter as the choice of colors made a difference in one 's appearance , and to wonder why Merry always took such pains to have a blue tie for the gray dress , a rosy one for the brown , and gloves that matched her bonnet ribbons . Merry never wore a locket outside her sack , a gay bow in her hair and soiled cuffs , a smart hat and the braid worn off her skirts . She was exquisitely neat and simple , yet always looked well-dressed and pretty ; for her love of beauty taught her what all girls should learn as soon as they begin to care for appearances -- that neatness and simplicity are their best ornaments , that good habits are better than fine clothes , and the most elegant manners are the kindest . All these thoughts were dancing through Molly 's head , and when she left her cats , after a general romp in which even decorous Granny allowed her family to play leap-frog over her respectable back , she had made up her mind not to have yellow ribbons on her summer hat if she got a pink muslin as she had planned , but to finish off Boo 's last shirt before she went shopping with Merry . It rained that evening , and Mr. Bemis had a headache , so he threw himself down upon the lounge after tea for a nap , with his silk handkerchief spread over his face . He did get a nap , and when he waked he lay for a time drowsily listening to the patter of the rain , and another sound which was even more soothing . Putting back a corner of the handkerchief to learn what it was , he saw Molly sitting by the fire with Boo in her lap , rocking and humming as she warmed his little bare feet , having learned to guard against croup by attending to the damp shoes and socks before going to bed . Boo lay with his round face turned up to hers , stroking her cheek while the sleepy blue eyes blinked lovingly at her as she sang her lullaby with a motherly patience sweet to see . They made a pretty little picture , and Mr. Bemis looked at it with pleasure , having a leisure moment in which to discover , as all parents do sooner or later , that his children were growing up . `` Molly is getting to be quite a woman , and very like her mother , '' thought papa , wiping the eye that peeped , for he had been fond of the pretty wife who died when Boo was born . `` Sad loss to them , poor things ! But Miss Bat seems to have done well by them . Molly is much improved , and the boy looks finely . She 's a good soul , after all ; '' and Mr. Bemis began to think he had been hasty when he half made up his mind to get a new housekeeper , feeling that burnt steak , weak coffee , and ragged wristbands were sure signs that Miss Bat 's days of usefulness were over . Molly was singing the lullaby her mother used to sing to her , and her father listened to it silently till Boo was carried away too sleepy for anything but bed . When she came back she sat down to her work , fancying her father still asleep . She had a crimson bow at her throat and one on the newly braided hair , her cuffs were clean , and a white apron hid the shabbiness of the old dress .
She XXXXX like a thrifty little housewife as she sat with her basket beside her full of neat white rolls , her spools set forth , and a new pair of scissors shining on the table .
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