THE LOST THIMBLE

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1929, Page 20

THE LOST THIMBLE

Mother Bundle was always losing somebody or something, and new just when all the 'children had come home for the holidays and there was ever so much mending to be done, she had lost her thimble. She searched high and she searched low, but she could not find it. She turned out all the drawers and cupboards, she took everything off the shelves and made the house in a most terrible muddle. None of the twelve children had seen it, neither had the cook or the nurse, or the little bootboy. Mother Bundle was such a determined person that she would not use anyone dlse’s thimble or go out and buy a new one —she would have her own. So, when she had turned the whole house - upside-down and inside-out, she went outside and searched in the garden. She was just sending the gardener for the spade when she saw Mr, Policeman turning the corner. She ran after him. “Oh, Mr. Policeman,” she said, “have you seen my thimble ?” “Ha, ha, ha,” laughed Mr. Police; man, “I should think I have. If you go down this road and take the first turning on the left, the fifth on the right, the third on the left and the ninth on tlie right, and then go straight on until you come to ' the place where twelve roads meet and take the one on the left marked ‘No Road’ and —”

“Stop,” cried Mother Bundle. “Who could remember all that?” She started to run along the road as hard as she could, saying to herself, “First on the left, fifth on the right—” She had not gone very far before she met Mr. Tortoise. “Oh, please, Mr. Tortoise,” she said, “have you seen my thimble?” “Eh?” said the tortoise. “Have you seen my thimble?” asked Mother Bundle again. “No,” said Mr. Tortoise, and he shook his head slowly from side to side.

Mother Bundle hurried on but before she had gone far the tortoise called out, “Hi come back.”

So Mother Bundle turned and ran back.

“Now I come to think of it,” said the tortoise, very slowly, “I believe I have seen a thimble, but it wasn’t; being used as one—in fact, it may not have been one at all —no —perhaps it wasn’t.” “Oh, dear,. oh dear,” sighed Mother Bundle, and she ran ca- down the road. She had not gone far before she saw a group of little beetles standing in the middle of the road. One or two of them saw her coming and ran up to her.

“Mother Bundle,” they cried, “come and see Bertie’s beautiful new hat,” and they dragged her along to the

centre of the group. There stood Bertie, looking as proud as a little beetle could look, and on his head was his beautiful new hat —Mother Bundle s thimble! . „ “Good gracious me!- cried Mother. Bundle. “Where did you find my thimble?” , “Thimble?” echoed Bertie Beetle. “What is a thimble?” , , r “Your hat is a thimble,’ said Mother Bundle, “and what is more, it belongs to me and you must give it back at once because I have all the children s clothes to mend.” ' Poor Bertie Beetle began to cry. “There, there.” said Mother Bundle, kindly. “I shall make you another beautiful hat.” She put on - her thimble, out of her pocket took a needle and some thread, sat down on the grass and picked a buttercup. Then she sewed the petals together, so that it made a beautiful little, yellow cap. All the little beetles stood round watching her. When it was done they all agreed that it was much more beautiful than the thimble, and Mother Bundle ran off home to put her house straight and do her mending. A TEA-TIME TRICK. Next time you have a little friend in to tea, try the following trick cu him. First place your cup and saucer on the table, about a foot apart fiom each other, then ask your friend to change '■ their places ■without their crossing each other. I do not suppose for a moment he will discover how to do it, although he may. try different ways. You then show him how it is done. Just stand with your back to the table, put your hands behind you, and pick up the cup in one hand and the saucer in the other. Turn round and place them back on tho table, and thus will you have changed their places' without making them cross over each other,