As Patty lay on the rug that evening while Aunt Pen sung softly in the twilight , a small , white figure came pattering over the straw carpet , and dropped a soft , warm ball down by Patty 's cheek , saying , as plainly as a loud , confiding purr could say it -- ` There , my dear , this is a lonely time for you , I know , so I 've brought my best and prettiest darling to comfort you ; ' and with that Mother Bunch sat down and washed her face , while Patty cuddled little Snowdrop , and forgot to cry about baby . Soon after this came a great happiness to Patty in the shape of a letter from mamma , saying she must have her little girl back a week earlier than they had planned . ` I 'm sorry to leave you , aunty , but it is so nice to be wanted , and I 'm all mamma has now , you know , so I must hurry and finish my work to surprise her with . How shall we finish it off ? There ought to be something regularly splendid to go all round , ' said Patty , in a great bustle , as she laid out her pieces , and found that only a few more were needed to complete the ` moral bed-quilt . ' ' I must try and find something . We will put this white star , with the blue round it , in the middle , for it is the neatest and prettiest piece , in spite of the stains . I will sew in this part , and you may finish putting the long strips together , ' said Aunt Pen , rummaging her bags and bundles for something fine to end off with . ' I know ! I 've got something ! ' and away hurried Lizzie , who was there , and much interested in the work . She came hopping back again , presently , with a roll in her hand , which she proudly spread out , saying -- ` There ! mother gave me that ever so long ago , but I never had any quilt to use it for , and now it 's just what you want . You ca n't buy such chintz now-a-days , and I 'm so glad I had it for you . ' ` It 's regularly splendid ! ' cried Patty , in a rapture ; and so it was , for the pink and white was all covered with animals , and the blue was full of birds and butterflies and bees flying about as naturally as possible . Really lovely were the little figures and the clear , soft colours , and Aunt Pen clapped her hands , while Patty hugged her friend , and declared that the quilt was perfect now . Mrs. Brown begged to be allowed to quilt it when the patches were all nicely put together , and Patty was glad to have her , for that part of the work was beyond her skill . It did not come home till the morning Patty left , and Aunt Pen packed it up without ever unrolling it . ` We will look at it together when we show it to mamma , ' she said : and Patty was in such a hurry to be off that she made no objection .
A pleasant journey , a great deal of hugging and kissing , some tears and tender laments for baby , and then it was time to XXXXX the quilt , which mamma said was just what she wanted to throw over her feet as she lay on the sofa .
come cried finish gave hurry laid sew show try want