The St. Johns herald., 1922-12-07

IAAe1L SACAO was d41y S4AAAS lO pACNCnI3 but mercy, Herbert was so sudden. Lulu began to recite the resources of the house for a lunch. Meanwhile, since the first mention of picnic, the child Monona had been dancing stif1y about the room, knees stiff, elbows stiff, shoulders immovable, her straight hair Tapping about her face. The sad dance of the child who cannot dance because she never has danced. Di gave a conservative assent-she was at that age-and then took advantage of the family softness incident to a guest and demanded that Bobby go too. Ina hesitated, partly because she always hesitated, partly because she was tribal in the extreme. "Just our little family and Uncle Ninian would have been so nice," she sighed, with her consent.
 When, at six o'clock, Ina and Dwight and Ninian assembled on the porch and Lulu came out with the basket, 1t was seen that she was in blue cot ton house gown.
 Look here," said Ninian, "aren't you going?"
 "MeT' said Lulu. "Oh, mo-"
 "Why not?"
 "Oh, I haven't been to picnic since I can remember"
 "But why not?"
 "Oh, never think of such thing"
 Ninian waited for the family to speak. They did speak. Dwight said:
 'Lulu's a regular home body"
 And Ina advanced kindly with: "Come with us, Lulu, if you like"
 "No," said Lulu, and flushed. ''Thank you," she added, formally.
 Mrs. Bett's voice shrilled from with in the house, startlingly close-1ust beyond the window blind, in fact:
 "Go on, Lulie. It'll do you good. You mind me and go on."
 "Well," said Ninian, that's what I say. You hustle for your hat and you come along"
 For the first time this course pre- sented itself to Lulu as a possibility. She stared up at Ninian.
 'You can slip on my linen duster, over," Ina said graciously.
 'Your new one?" Dwight incredu- lously wished to know.
 ooh, now Ina laughed at the idea. "The old one."
 They were having to wait for Di in any case-they always had to wait for Di-and at last, hardly believing in her own motions. Lulu was running to make ready. Mrs. Betts hurried to help her, but she took down the wrong things and they were both irritated. Lulu reappeared in the linen duster and a wide hat. There had Been no time to tighten up" her hair; she was flushed at the adventure; she had never looked so well.
 They started. Lulu, falling in with Monona, heard for the first time in her life, the step of the pursuing male, choosing to walk beside her and the little girl Oh, would Ina like that? And what did Lulu care what Ina liked? Monona, making silly, semi articulate observation, was enchanted to have Lulu burst into laughter and squeeze her hand.
 Di contributed her bright presence, and Bobby Larkin appeared from no- where, running, with gigantic bag of fruit.
 ''Bullylujahi i' he shouted, and Lulu could have shouted with him.
 She sought for some utterance.
 "I do hope we've brought sand wiches enough" was all that she could get to say.
 They chose a spot, that is to say, Dwight Herbert chose spot, across the river and up the shore where there was at that season strip of warm beach. Dwight Herbert declared himself the builder of incomparable fires, and made a bad smudge. Min ian, who was camper neither by birth nor by adoption, kept offering bright ly to help, could think of nothing to do, and presently, bethinking himself of skipping stones, went and tried to skip them on the flowing river. Ina cut her hand opening the condensed milk and was obliged to sit under tree and nurse the wound. MonOna spilled all the salt and sought diligent- ly to recover 1t. So Lulu did all the work. AS for Di and Bobby, they had taken the pail and gone for water, dis couraging her to the point of tears But the two were gone for so long that, on their return, Dwight was hun gry and cross and majestic.