Amanda: A Daughter of the Mennonites

to Marti

ke they do in the stories about knights--knights always kiss their ladies' hands. Ach, I know what I'll do! I'll play Martin Landis is my knight and I'm his lady grand. Wish Mom wa

when the girl sought

, Mi

Amanda. "Now I know what you want--you smell the pies and you want a half-moon sample t

plomatically, "why, yes, I do want t

me for long. I got lots to do yet. I want to

ered, do you know an

I sleep

nd you read about, the men th

man I ever heard of wearin' a fea

Well, tell me this--if somebody did something for you and

and let me be. 'Bout half an hour from now you dare come in for your half-moon pie. Ach, I most

on't go far with

it in a basket so you can carry it easy. Better p

arb leaf

But I won't need a bonnet.

hoed Millie.

giant rhubarb leaf over her head. "Does the green silk of my parasol

hing, "and don't spill that app

hand grasping the red stem of the rhubarb parasol while the great

g to herself. "This here is a dandy parasol. Cooler'n a real one and lots nicer'n a bonnet

half-way between her home and the Landis farm, she paused

uet for my knight's mom." From the grassy roadside she gathered yellow and gold butter-and-eggs

now she'll be surprised. Mebbe I might tell her just how brave her Martin is and how I made him a knight. She'll be glad. It must be a satisfaction to have a boy a knight." She smiled in happy ant

e far from our place," she th

with a row of bricks placed corners up. On either side of the walk were bushes, long since placed without the discriminating eye of a landscape gardener but holding in their very randomness a charm unrivaled by any precise planting. Mock-orange bushes and lilacs towered above the low deutzias, while masses of zin

d flowers. "She's got so many pretty ones," she thought. "But, ac

to greet Amanda as she opened

by the gate," she sai

nnin' blackberries,

se, the two children clinging to her ar

as low a bow as the two barnacle children, the bouquet an

d? The children make so much noise I can't hear sometim

ou that Mom sent and I picked a bouquet for you," th

ght in." The woman held the sc

In spite of hard work she retained a look of youthfulness about her which her plain Mennonite dress and white cap accentuated. An artist with an appreciative eye

n her home, attracted by the baby--there always was one, e

you to pick the flowers for me! Sattie for both. I say still that the wil

ittle Henry, "dare I sm

ou don't m

yard. "What d'you think? Manda left her green parasol out

parasol--what--how?" sa

ry about it, Mrs. Landis," she sai

handle and Mrs. Landis went back to spreading thick slices of bread wit

in volume sounded from a roo

," said Amanda. "

Go rig

arkened side room where the smallest Landis was pu

's goin' to take you--see!" She raised the

use it was on my mom's last birthday in March that Millie said you had another baby and I remember, too, that Aunt Rebecca was there and she said, 'Wha

ll work tendin' babies. Put your chee

Why," she said, "ain't it soft, now! Ain't babies just too dear

g," said M

orrected her. "She owns two farm

-poor thing," rep

ked at her

money and yet be poor, and others can have hardly any money and yet be rich. It's all in what abody means by rich and what ki

nice children. But Martin now," she said with assumed seriousness as she saw him step on the porch t

began sternly. "Wha

e boy commanded, his face fl

f him! My dress caught fire and none of us had sense but him. He s

ry. "Mart's a hero!" while

Reist, next time--next time I'll--darn it, I'll just let you burn up!

"ain't he mean! I just wanted t

at you, he just don't like too much fuss made over what he done. B

ey're very modest even if they're full of pride." Mrs. Landis was too busy putting blackberrie

" said the small visi

ht, do,

own the road to her home. The rhubarb parasol gone, the sun beat upon her uncovered head but she was unmindf

nd I guess knights are queerer'n others yet! Wonder if Millie kept my half-moo