MRS. TIGGY-WINKLE'S nose went sniffle, sniffle, snuffle, and her eyes went twinkle, twinkle; and she fetched another hot iron from the fire.
"THERE'S one of my pocket-handkins!" cried Lucie—"and there's my pinny!" Mrs. Tiggy-winkle ironed it, and goffered it, and shook out the frills.
"Oh that is lovely!" said
Lucie.
"AND what are those long yellow things with fingers like gloves?"
"Oh, that's a pair of stockings belonging to Sally Henny-penny —look how she's worn the heels out with scratching in the yard! She'll very soon go barefoot!" said Mrs. Tiggy-winkle.
"WHY, there's another handkersniff—but it isn't mine; it's red?" "Oh no, if you please'm; that one belongs to old Mrs. Rabbit; and it did so smell of onions! I've had to wash it separately, I can't get out the smell."
"There's another one of mine," said Lucie.
"WHAT are those funny little white things?" "That's a pair of mittens belonging to Tabby Kitten; I only have to iron them; she washes then herself." "There's my last pocket- handkin!" said Lucie.
"AND what are you dipping into the basin of starch?" "They're little dicky shirt-fronts belonging to Tom Tits-mouse —most terrible particular!" said Mrs. Tiddy-winkle. "Now I've finished my ironing; I'm going to air some clothes."
"WHAT are these dear soft fluffy things?" said Lucie. "Oh those are woolly coats belonging to the little lambs at Skelghyl."
"Will their jackets take-off?" asked Lucie.
"Oh yes, if you please'm; look at the sheep-mark on the shoulder. And here's one marked for Gatesgarth, and three that come from Little-town. They're always marked at washing!" said Mrs. Tiggy-winkle.
AND she hung up all sorts and sizes of clothes— small brown coats of mice; and one velvety black mole-skin waist coat; and a red tail-coat with no tail belonging to Squirrel Nutkin; and a very much shrunk jacket belonging to Peter Rabbit; and a petticoat, not marked, that had gone lost in the washing —and at last the basket was empty!
THEN Mrs. Tiggy-winkle made tea—a cup for herself and a cup for Lucie. They sat before a fire on a bench and looked sideways at one another.
