"It doesn't look very sick," said grandma, laughing.
"Then what makes my mamma keep me in bed?" whined Flaxie. "I don't want to be in my nightie. I want to be in my pretty dress, and sit in your lap."
"She is very, very cross," said Ninny to grandma, with a patient smile, as they left the room.
"Perhaps we can amuse her," replied grandma; and next morning she gave her some bright worsted to make her doll, Miss Peppermint Drop, a scarf.
Flaxie was well pleased, for awhile, tying the worsted into knots and putting it over the needles; but it soon tired her.
"O gramma, the needles won't knit: they're crooksey needles," said she.
"Well, come sit in my lap, dear, and I'll tell you a story about a knitting-work party, that I had a great, great while ago, when I was about as old as Julia."
"That's a funny party, I should fink," said Flaxie, curling her head down on her grandma's shoulder.
"A knitting-work party, did you say?" asked Ninny, preparing to listen.
"Well, yes. You know girls in those times didn't have so many parties as they do now," replied grandma; "and I had been wanting this one for weeks and weeks before I even dared ask my mother about it. When I did ask her, she said,—