The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-24

she brought him the water.
When Picnic went into the
kitchen there was a pan of potatoes
on the table to pare and some sweet
corn to husk for dinner. She sat
down by the big table and began to
pare the potatoes. Aunt Matilda was
straining her jelly and putting it into
the glasses; she had troubled look
on her face, and when Phemie asked
how many potatoes she should pare,
she spoke up in sharp way and
said, Il should think you'd pared the
potatoes long enough here to know
without asking" So the little girl
put what she thought would be the
right number in the kettle.
"Such bothering time as I've had
with the jelly" Aunt Matilda spoke
out, ''it's enough to try the temper of
saint. 1 never had such job of
it before in my whole life"
Somehow Picnic thought Aunt
Matilda meant that che was to blame
for it in some way, because it was
the first time she had ever been
there at the jelly making.
Uncle Jacob came in, but he did
not say much. Picnic had noticed
| that he never did when Aunt Matilda
had off days.
After the dinner work was done
up, Picnic went to her little bed
room, over the kitchen, and got her
doll. She had named her doll Sarah,
after her mother.
Sarah" she said, "we will go out
together and sit under the lilac
bushes by the parlor window. You've
been shut up here all day. l was
busy with the work or should have
taken you down before. Aunt Ma
tilda is in awful trouble about her
jelly"
1t was sunshiny place under the
lilac bushes; the lilac blossoms had
gone long before, but there were
some yellow artichokes in blossom,
and at the right hand side Aunt Ma
tilda's gay bed of phlox made the
place very bright.
"Pm very lonely, Sarah,' spoke
Picnic, in low tone of voice, $50
very lonely today. It's one Of Aunt
Matilda's off days, Uncle Jacob says,
and I mustn't mind it. | tried to do
everything could to please her, be-
cause off days, l suppose, is some
kind of sickness, and folks can't help
sickness. I'm glad Uncle Jacob
don't have that kind of disease,
though; if he had it, too, | couldn't
bear it here, Sarah, know couldn't.
1t don't seem to be catching dis
ease, and l am glad of il. l wouldn't
like to get it. Aunt Matilda seems
so unhappy when they come, those
off days. But we'll do the best we
can, Sarah, for this is the only home
we have on earth, now. Your know
Aunt Matilda made us both such
nice clothes to wear, and gives us
enough to eat, but you don't have to
eat, Sarah"
Then Picnic Rugged Sarah close
to her heart as she buried her face
in her dolls faxen hair, and said,
"Oh, what comfort you are to me!
1 love you just as Uncle Jacob loves
me; he never has off days."
While Picnic was talking to her
doll, Aunt Matilda was putting her
jelly away in the china closet near
the window. The blinds were closed,
but the window was open, and as she
stood by the closet shelf she heard
what Phemie said.
Aunt Matilda was really kind of
heart, but she was one of those per-
sons who unfortunately keep their
best feelings in reserve. 1t had not
occurred to her that she had off days;
she knew when upsetting things came
she felt much irritated. 1t was true,
she acknowledge to herself, that the
upsetting things overcame her, in
stead of her overcoming them. She
sat down in the large easy chair by
the fireplace. Living SO quietly she
had not given out love as she ought
to have done; she had lived too much
within herself. She began to realize
Phemie's loneliness, her sweet obedi-
ence and patient work in her new
home. 1t is love the child wants,
love that shows itself, and Aunt Ma
tilda quickly went out of the parlor
and opened the back kitchen door,
and called, "Phemie, Picnic, dearI
Where are you9"
Picnic jumped up in surprise.
"Phemie, dear" She had never
called her that way before, and she
spoke the "Phemie, DEAR" in such a
kind, loving tone.