The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-06-30
l'e',i',eStory
At ~ Picnic.

- didn't confess It to any
Not many girls DO confess
~ are oldish and not desir.
~o ase Invited to ricnjcs main
49, Of their willingness to
- 6lShes or set out the sand-
~ make the coffee or look
- children Of the small Sun
1ool classes. Josephine knew
- why she was invited. And
oeepted every invitation. be-
= = small town one would
t - . swallnower than stay at
~ tsip your mother make
DoDhlne didn't mind the Sunday
1 y1cuics 50 much as the mere
oo143 ones. There the nany chill
~ least gavo one chance to
- 70 be needed. The day
4G quickly enough. There was
g that dragging feeling-no
|<1 - be palrably wallflower.
- wns tail, oldish girl. One
~ have discovered on looking
I>o that tho wrinkles In her fore
1 came from worry and not from
(r1L and that shc had a well-shap-
nuGe. II her eyes were q pale
~ But the only people who look
~ Josephine more than once
o the old residents and her
oo1nakes, and they never thought
oticipg the shape OF her nose
W tho character of her wrinkles.
ohine TO them wcs no more
SnaAle than an old, worn chair.
Was handy with children. She
four or Ave younger brothers
ststers and by experience she
~ acquired 4 knack Of managing
1T ct tho Baptist picnic that
1nor she balked--not publicly; II
~ 3 private and g merely mental
~. All the while she wac deco
5rS1y sitting beside the creek. watch
~ That the two little Junkinsens
1.-The three little Petersons and
~ l1ttle Wilson's didn't fall In
80 they floated leaves, she was
Gklvely resolving che never would
oDG one again. Never! Well, not |
49, life In the meanwhile was so
lQSnhly dull that she had to 20 in
l1or selx-defense. Her eyes were
et14e bitter. lillian Peterson,
Id sister Of the three. and Helen |
- and lean Junkins. also elder
116d1 were strolling farther down |
~ crock. each accompanied by a
~ 0anuei pair Of masculine
l111ors.
~ course. she was not, compelled |
lG4 there and keep an eye on the
1ren. Josephine knew that. But
~ elee could she DO? Stand
Qn6 and listen to the elder wo-
x exchange "reminiscences or
- ar0und by herself? There was
|1l1n choice.
I'D Dtro1iing pairs came back. |
klne heard them planning a
n1iG4t picnic. She nurhed.
cfyen In town there were
138 pfcnics arranged, but
IRE never was invited TO them.
rx1r of masculine shoulders car
g the privilege Of being beside
ifOr N evening And moonlight
- are distinguished by seldom
ln8 wallnowers along. Such are
INVITED.
1ophine scowlei. Somewhere
- was . hitch. She didn't-what
ri that expressive word?-"mix.'
1o hed none OF that free-and-easy
lrck which enables enc to keep In
u toaeh with ones fellows. She
~ know whose fault II was
~ perhaps. She was the oldest
||n7~1nany oldcst-of-the-farily girls
= Into the habit OF being busy and
~ and too helpful to be orna-
|11EoL But she wished
8rposo abe finished the wish there |
~ = scream. She jumped up. A
|111yDon four-year- old was tumbling |
|1 the creek. Before she could
- toward him there were other |
I<ooxns. A Junkins followed: then
1Cfr u Petersons. Somehow the
- crowd went In. crying, sprawl
Y .sftugGling, until the creek at
i11 npot was . whirl Of chubby Tat
- Uhoed In pink or blue.
10 stroIling PAIRS came on run.
~ ol6er women raced. The minis
~ black coat tails few straight |
y a no sprinted. The minister's
~ grabbed heap Of coats as
WuHme flying.
4 Hoy nshed them out, not dam
~ except for the wetting, but
U1no. waiting crowd. Then every
- locked reproachfully at Joseph
~ why hadn't she taken better
" Of thernf Josephine flushed
70 almost cried. She knew, with
- those reproachful looks, that she
~ u blame, and she was fright
~. Suppose one had drowned!
Y&nldn't Il have been murder-and
& ~ door? Her eyes shrank from
" sninister's. from his wife's, from
~ various mothers. from the girls
-1tllian and Jean aud Helen--who
NJ hysterically kissing their
6nng sisters and brothers and help
- % rub them dry and calling for
" drinks and carriage TO take