Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-04-22
Adventures
i'm Maff-in7Ony
At the Picnic.

We delivered Aunt Mary Fiske to
the minister and were considerably
entertained by her tart, matter-of-
fact comments on the way. She was
the efficient type of country woman
who is brimful of common sense and
useful wisdom. The sophistication Of
Aunt Mary Fiske's type is artless
and quite unlike that of her more
conventional sister in the city. While
even Aunt Mary's general air Of
benevolence was humorously sharp,
one never felt that ii lacked genuine
ness.
The white-haired old man proved
to be the minister. He was waiting
rather anxiously for us beneath a
tree, and his face cleared when he
saw Aunt Mary.
Dear, dear" he said, and Aunt
Mary's guilty face suggested to my
risibilities that she had eaten his pie.
Aunt Mary's Motherliness.
There were some explanations, then
the children Of the picnic descended
with a swoop and a yell upon Aunt
Mary.
What is there" / said to Mary,
dren recognize and love?"
Absolutely unadulterated mother
instinct" said Mary promptly, and 1
knew she was right. For from the
curve of Aunt Mary's capacious
bosom to the twinkle in her eyes there
was motherliness-a motherliness that
would be sharp generalship at times
but a motherliness that would never
fail.
From a shady spot beneath a tree
Mary and 1 idly watched Aunt Mary
heaving a bean bag about with con-
siderable enjoyment. II was plain
that the love of children would nerve
her to almost any sort of effort. But
presently when the prancing young
imps around her suggested tag Aunt
Mary rebelled.
Run along, every mothers son Of
youl" she said fatty. 1--WE got bone
in my leg"
This was unanswerable.
Mary" I said thoughtfully, Tn
wondering a lot. Aunt Mary probably
has very little of what she'd likely
term book learning. Yet why does she
give you so much more feeling OF
efficiency than many fashionably
dressed, fairly well-educated wom-
an?"
II don't know" said Mary. Isn't it
experience in hardships, probably"
Work Makes Character.
But" l protested, sit isn't likely
she's known many hardships-real
ones at least. Her home looked Won
derfully comfortable"
Suppose we say lack of luxuries
them" suggested Mary. Aunt Mary
has probably had to do all of her
work all of her life. She's probably
carried water at times and chopped
wood. She's lived a genuinely rural
life of efficiency"
''I have it!' 1 said suddenly. "Aunnt
Mary probably knows nothing at all
about economic independence, but
she is absolutely independent. She's
shouldered so per cent. Of the farm
problems. She's worked from morn
ing until night without any luxurious
pandering to the need of a maid serv-
ant If she's had assistance at all
it's been a raw boned hired girl, who
was her social equal, and ate with
the family.
Aunt Mary hasn't been bothered
with any doubts of the dignity of
woman-work. She knows it's essential
that the farm couldn't progress with
out her, and, therefore, she is as
acridly independent as any one. The
country instills a lot of wholesome
common sense into a woman's head. =
I'm other words" said my wife,
you recommend an existence of very
hard work as conducive to common
sense and wisdom"
Aunt Mary proves It," ] said,
she's given me more impression OF
common sense in our brief acquaint-
ance than so per cent. of the women
I've known In my life