The following Sunday at noon Martin passed the Reist farmhouse as he

drove his mother and several of the children to Mennonite church at

Landisville. After the service he passed that way again and noticed

several cars stopping at Reists'. Evidently they were entertaining a

number of visitors for Sunday dinner after the service, as is the

custom in rural Lancaster County. The big porch was filled with people

who rocked or leaned idly against the pillars, while in the big kitchen

Millie, Amanda and Mrs. Reist worked near the hot stove and prepared an

appetizing dinner for them.

Amanda did not shirk her portion of the necessary work, but rebellion

was in her heart as she noted her mother's flushed, tired face.

"Mother, if you'd only feel that Millie and I could get the dinner

without you! It's a shame to have you in this kitchen on a day like

this!"

"Ach, I'm not so hot. I'm not better than you or Millie," the mother

insisted, and stuck to her post, while Amanda murmured, "This Sunday

visiting--how I hate it! We've outgrown the need of it now, especially

with automobiles."

But at length the meal was placed upon the table, the guests gathered

from porches and lawn and an hour later the dishes were washed and

everything at peace once more in the kitchen. Then Amanda walked out to

the garden at the rear of the house.

"Ooh," she sighed in relief, "I'm glad that's over! Visiting on such a

day should be made a misdemeanor!" She pulled idly on a zinnia that

lifted its globular red head in the hot August sun.

"Hey, Sis," came Phil's voice to her, "he wants you on the 'phone!"

"Who's he?" she asked as the boy ran out to her in the garden.

They turned to the house, talking as they went.

"Well, Sis, you know who _he_ is! He's coming round here all the

time lately."

A gentle shove from the girl rewarded the boy for his teasing, but he

was not easily daunted. "Don't you remember," he said, "how that old

Mrs. Haldeman who kept tine candy store near the market house in

Lancaster used to call her husband _he_? She never called him

Mister or Mr. Haldeman, just _he_, and you could feel she would

have written it in italics if she could."

"Well, that was all right, there was only one _he_ in the world so

far as she was concerned. But do you remember, Phil, the time Mother

took us in her store to buy candy and we talked to her canary and the

old woman said, 'Ach, yes, I think still how good birds got it! I often

wish I was a canary, but then he would have to be one too!' We

disgraced Mother by giggling fit to kill ourselves. But the old woman

just smiled at us and gave us each a pink and white striped peppermint

stick. Now run along, Phil, don't be eavesdropping," she said as they

reached the hall and she sat down to answer the telephone.




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