"If you bought a pattern," advised the clerk, "there wouldn't be any waste."
"But," said Old Captain, earnestly, "she needs a waist and a skirt, too."
"I mean, you wouldn't waste any cloth. See, here's our pattern book."
Old Captain turned the pages, doubtfully. Suddenly his broad face broke into smiles.
"Well, I swan! Here she is. This is her—the girl them things is for. Same eyes, same hair, same shape—"
"But," queried the smiling clerk, "do you like the way that dress is made?"
"No, I don't," returned Captain Blossom. "It's got too many flub-dubs. I wouldn't know how to make them. You see, I'm a teachin' her to sew."
Finally, by dint of much questioning, the girl arrived at the size of the pattern required and the number of yards. Then Old Captain selected the goods.
"Gimme a bluer blue than that," he objected. "You got to allow a whole lot for to fade. Same way with the pink. Now that there purple's just right. And what's the matter with them red stripes? And that there white with big black spots. No, don't gimme no plain black—I'll keep that spool to mend with. Now, how about buttons? The young lady's had one lesson already on buttonholes."
"We're having a sale on those, too. Right this way. About how many?"