Amanda: A Daughter of the Mennonites

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ad the happy faculty of finding joy in little things, things commonly called insignificant. She had a way of taking to

association with her Phil and Martin had developed an equal interest in outdoors. The Landis boy often came running into the Reist yard calling for A

ush if she had not led them along the path of knowledge. Sometimes some of the intermediate Landis children joined the group. At

it's smart to scare them off the nests. That poor thrasher, now, that you scared last week! You had her heart thumpin' so her thr

own bird that can't do anything but flop its wings and squeal when

for a moment Amanda found no words to express h

ll do the reverse, Amanda Reist." He felt secure in the belief that he

en Amanda expressed a desire to become a teacher it was decided to send her to the Normal

is too screaming red, but then it's fluffy and I got a lot of it. Add to red hair a nose that's a little pug an

n this: Your eyes are such honest eyes and always look so happy, like you could see through dark places and find the light and could look on wick

white-capped woman, "if my eyes shine it's the fai

he Reist farm. Millie was proud of the fact that Amanda was "goin' to Millersville till fall

e goin', but I think you'd do better if you put it to bank and give it to Amanda when she gets married, once. This here rutchin'

was the first to offer her help. "It's all for nothin', this school learnin', but if she's goin' anyhow I can just as well as not hel

anda, since she had glimpsed the girlhood romance of the woman, had a kindlier feeling for her and c

ir youth of more than a very meagre education, took just pride in the girl who was pursuing the road to knowledge. Philip, boylike, expressed no pride in his sister, but he listened attentively to her stories of how the older students played pranks on the newcomers. Mill

e such a sweet face and I'm so dear--she emphasized every other word! I wondered what ailed her. She didn't know me well enough to talk like that. Before they left she began to talk about the Page Literary Society--'Dear, we're all Pageites, and it's the best, finest society in the school. We do have such good times. You ought to join. All the ve

. "Well, leave it to the women. When they get the vote on

ty one night, the Normalites took me for a long walk, a Pageite treated me to icecream soda one day and a Normalite gave me

the girl, "if you ain't the funniest! I just bet them girls all

cellar to go to for pie or any cooky crock fil

and-tarts and lemon pie and everything y

to help me I'll work like a Trojan and win

ied to them the same dogged determination and untiring efforts she showed in her long search for hidden bird nests, with the inevitable result

minent figure of the entire school. "Ask Amanda Reist, she'll tell you," became the slogan among the studen

ry home the glad news that she ranked third in her class and

red Millie, "and I'll get a

llie Hess, Reists' hired girl. The new dress, bought in Lancaster and made by Mrs. Reist and Aunt Rebecca, was a white lawn flecked with black. Millie had decided on a plain waist with high neck, the inch wide band at the throat edged with torchon

oh, just a little! I'd have a nice pleated ruffle of white ne

I don't want it too low. You dare fix it so it looks right." Displaying the same meek acquiescence in the desire of Amanda she bought a stylish hat instead of the big flat s

provement in her appearance she smiled happily. "It's the prettiest hat I ever had and I'll hold it up and take good care

tyle," Amanda in

folks tell how when they bought new shoes they a

e than a 'fib' to put a few pegs in

nt! But then I'm glad mine don't ma

st moment she thought of the big bush of shrubs in the yard--"I must get me a shrub to smell in the Commencement," she decided. So she gathered one of the queer-looking, fragrant brown

orch waiting for Uncle Amos she said to Mrs. Reist, "A

mself with all the poise of seventeen. He was now a student in the Lancaster High School and had he not learned to dress and act like city boys do! Uncle Amos, in his

the chapel. But later, as she stood alone on the platform and delivered her oration, "The Flowers of the Garden Spot," she held the interested attention of all in that vast audienc

ad always dreamed of growing into a tall man, powerful in physique, like Lyman Mertzheimer. But nature was obstinate and Martin Landis reached manhood, a strong, sturdy being, but of medium height. His mother tried to assuage his disappointment by asserting that even if his stature was not great as he wished his heart was big enough to make up for it. He tried to live up to her valuation of him, but it w

back again to the ploughing and arduous duties of his father's farm. He thought enviously of Lyman Mertzheimer, whose father had sent him to a well-known preparatory school and then started him in a full course in one of the leading universities of the country. If he had a chance like t

im cordially. "So you got h

ration for a great deal. I could smell

Lyman Mertzheim

sible pride. "Congratulations," he repeated, ignoring the smaller man who stood by the side of the girl. "Your oration was beautifully rendered. You

t were a negligible matter. "

id, and laughed at hi

titude, "I left that out purposely along with some of

n't really mean that, Amanda." He spoke in winning voice.

"You don't have to get our Amanda cross on this here day. She done fine in that speec

'll have to be very careful how I speak to you."

ighty to-day. Thought she owned the world because she graduated from Millersville! As though that's anything! She's the kind needs a strong hand, a master hand. And I'll be the master! I like her kind, the women who have spirit an

rtin Landis was light as he went home from the Commencement at Millersville. He had always detested Lyman Mertzheimer,

his childhood and young boyhood. "I like her and I'd hate to see her waste her time on a fellow like Lyman Mertzheimer