The visitor was effusive in her meeting with Martin's mother. "Dear

Mrs. Landis," she gushed, "it is so lovely of you to have me here! Last

summer while I boarded at Reists' I was so sorry not to meet you!

Of course I met Martin and some of the younger children but the mother

is always the most adorable one of the family! Oh, come here, dear, you

darling," she cooed to little Emma, who had tiptoed into the room. But

Emma held to her mother's apron and refused to move.

"Ach, Emma," Katie, a little older, chided her. "You'll run a mile to

Amanda Reist if you see her. Don't act so simple! Talk to the lady;

she's our company."

"Ach, she's bashful all of a sudden," said Mrs. Landis, smiling. "Now,

Miss Souders, you take your hat off and just make yourself at home

while I finish gettin' the supper ready. You dare look through them

albums in the front room or set on the front porch. Just make yourself

at home now."

"Thank you, how lovely!" came the sweet reply.

A little while later when Martin left her and went to his room to

prepare for the evening meal the children, too, scurried away one by

one and left Isabel alone. She took swift inventory of the furnishings

of the front room.

"Dear," she thought, "what atrocious taste! How can Martin live here?

How can he belong to a family like this?"

But later she was all smiles again as Martin joined her and Mrs. Landis

brought her husband into the room to meet the guest. Mr. Landis had, in

spite of protests and murmurings, been persuaded to hearken to the

advice of his wife and wear a coat. Likewise the older boys had

followed Martin's example and donned the hot woolen articles of dress

they considered superfluous in the house during the summer days.

Isabel chattered gaily to the men of the Landis household until Mrs.

Landis stood in the doorway and announced, "Come now, folks, supper's

done."

After the twelve were seated about the big table, Mr. Landis said grace

and then Mrs. Landis rose to pour the coffee, several of the boys

started to pass the platters and dishes around the table and the

evening meal on the farm was in full swing.

"Oh," piped out little Charlie as he lifted his plate for a slice of

ham, "somebody's went and threw all the spoons on the table-cloth!

Here's two by my plate. And Emma's got some by her place, too!"

"Sh!" warned Mary, but Mrs. Landis laughed heartily. "Easy seeing," she

confessed, "that we ain't used to puttin' on style. Charlie, that's the

latest way of puttin' spoons on. Amanda Reist did it for me."

"Amanda Reist," said Mr. Landis. "Why didn't she stay for supper if she

was here when you set the table?"




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