A Visit to Martin's Mother

"Ach, Millie, you make me mad! But I guess you don't know. Well, tell
me this--if somebody did something for you and you wanted to show you
'preciated it, what would you do?"

"That's an easy one! I'd be nice to them and do things for them or for
their people. Now you run and let me be. 'Bout half an hour from now
you dare come in for your half-moon pie. Ach, I most forgot! Your mom
said you shall take a little crock of the new apple butter down to Mrs.
Landis."

"A little crock won't go far with all them children."

"Ach, yes. It'll smear a lot o' bread. I'll pack it in a basket so you
can carry it easy. Better put on your sunbonnet so your hair won't burn
red."

[Illustration: The rhubarb leaf parasol] "Redder, you mean, ain't? But I won't need a bonnet. I'll take my new
parasol."

"Parasol," echoed Millie. "Now what---"

But Amanda ran away, laughing, and returned in a few minutes holding a
giant rhubarb leaf over her head. "Does the green silk of my parasol
look good with my hair?" she asked with an exaggerated air of grandeur.

"Go on, now," Millie said, laughing, "and don't spill that apple butter
or you'll get parasol."

With a merry good-bye Amanda set off, the basket upon her arm, one hand
grasping the red stem of the rhubarb parasol while the great green leaf
flopped up and down upon her head in cool ministration.