A SUNDAY WALK AND ITS RESULTS
Ruth was out-of-doors early the following morning, enjoying the sweet,
crisp breeze with its odor of dew-laden meadows. After sniffing
delightedly for a few moments, she skipped up and down the long veranda,
calling to the birds and snapping her fingers at some curious squirrels.
Sally heard the joyous child and came out to bid her a good-morning.
"Sally, what a beautiful farm Aunt Selina has! It looks lovelier this
morning than ever, but it makes me sad when I think that no one can
enjoy it except the folks that live here," said Ruth, in a tone of
regret.
"Ya'as, Chile, I feels sorry dat Miss S'lina had dem high board fences
put up to keep anjoyin' eyes from de propaty. An' den agin, I kin s'cuse
de little chillern dat sneak fru de back fences jus' to pick wilets an'
paddle in de brok up dere;" and Sally looked toward the inviting
woodland, whence came the sound of running water.
"If Aunt Selina is to be a really truly Blue Bird she will remove
whatever keeps others from enjoying what she has," commented Ruth,
seriously.
A bell, tinkling from an upper room, summoned Sally hurriedly indoors,
so Ruth sat down in a large wicker rocker to await her aunt's coming.
Sally soon came and told Ruth breakfast was ready and there sat Miss
Selina welcoming her with a cheery smile!
"Do you feel as happy and free as a Blue Bird, Flutey?" asked Ruth,
giving Aunt Selina a hearty embrace.
Unaccustomed to such healthy demonstrations of affection, she suffered
her lace cap to be pulled over one ear while her other was uncomfortably
doubled under Ruth's plump little arm.
"Yes, Fluff, I feel unusually well this morning. I slept like a babe all
night," replied her aunt.
"That's the way all Blue Birds sleep. Not one of us would stay in bed a
minute just because something tried to make us feel too tired or sick to
get up early in the morning! You know, the Camp Fire Girls receive
honors for keeping free from illness, and some day the Blue Birds expect
to join the bigger girls in their Camp Fires. So we begin to practice
good health now," explained Ruth.
The breakfast passed quickly with not a sound or sigh from Aunt Selina
about rheumatism. Sally was the most astonished of all, for it had
become second nature with her mistress to talk about her pains and woes
at all times.
"While I was waiting on the piazza, this morning, I planned to take you
for a nice long walk," said Ruth.
"Why, my dear, I simply cannot walk out of doors. I could hardly hobble
about the house this morning."
"Oh, I s'pose you couldn't walk very well, but I can walk and you can
ride in the wheel-chair. I will push it, and we will go down the meadow
path toward the summer-house," said Ruth.
Aunt Selina looked dubiously at Sally, but the latter was very busy
placing some of the family silver in the chest, and her back was turned.
After a few moments' hesitation she said, "I never take that chair off
of the porch, and I am afraid you are too little to push it."
"Oh, no, indeed I'm not. It won't hurt the chair, and even if it did,
your pleasure just now is better than ten chairs!" decided Ruth.
After several weak attempts to turn Ruth from her purpose, Aunt Selina
surrendered with a sigh.
As Sally left the room just then she chuckled to herself, "Dat chile
will shorely 'juvenate Miss S'lina!"
After breakfast aunt and grand-niece went out on the veranda and Ruth
soon had the chair down the steps and waiting for her aunt.
Aunt Selina felt a bit conscious at being wheeled like a baby, but Ruth
was too merry to permit anything but joy to prevail.
Ruth turned the chair into a path that ran along the brook, and chatted
merrily until Aunt Selina forgot herself in listening. At the end of the
path stood a rustic summer-house from which could be seen the wide
expanse of meadow and woodland. Having reached this spot, Ruth placed
the chair so her aunt could look about and admire her beautiful lands.
"Flutey, don't you ever go to church on Sunday mornings?" asked Ruth.
"The only church is so far away that I would have to drive for half an
hour to reach it; then, too, it is not a denomination that I approve
of," she replied, coolly.
But a little thing like a cold reply or a curt tone never daunted Ruth
when she was after any particular information.
"What is the difference between one denomination and another? I don't
exactly know the meaning of that word, but I know it means something
about churches."
"Well, some churches believe in worshipping God one way and some in
another. These different beliefs are called 'denominations.' Now, all of
our family were brought up to believe the Baptist manner of worship to
be the only true one, and this church at Greenfields is Presbyterian. Of
course, everyone knows that pre-destination is all wrong," said Aunt
Selina emphatically.
Ruth's eyes opened wider and wider as she listened, for she had been
taught a very simple faith. She had been told that to live and follow
the "Golden Rule" was the highest form of obedience, and that it was
true worship. So she answered quietly:
"I love Jesus, and I believe he taught everyone the same way, and I
believe he just loved everybody the same way."
"We will not discuss religion, Ruth. Just keep on thinking and doing as
Mother has taught you."
"Well, I was only going to say, that as we cannot go to church such a
lovely morning, we might sit here and thank God for all these fields,"
explained Ruth.
Aunt Selina looked about the land in the light of a new revelation.
"I was thinking," continued Ruth, "how I should love to have this farm
near Oakdale. I could come over so often to tell you what we are doing,
and then, too, you could use all of that wonderful woodland for Blue
Birds' Camps in the summer."
Aunt Selina looked across the fields and woods but said nothing, so Ruth
continued.
"When the two Ferris children came out to Mrs. Mason's farm, they were
so happy to see real flowers and grass that they soon got well and
strong. That made me wish that I had hundreds of farms just like it
where sick children could go and get well. That was one thing that made
the Oakdale folks help get the hundred city poor children out to our
country for a few weeks in August and the lovely time the children had
made everyone wish to do bigger things this next summer. Nothing has
really been planned yet, but everyone is trying to think of some way to
do something. This morning when I saw this wonderful farm and so few
folks to live on it, I just wished it was near Oakdale so a big crowd of
poor children could enjoy it next summer."
As Ruth concluded and looked wistfully over the fertile land, her aunt
sat thinking for a time, then answered.
"Fluff, I determined to be a Blue Bird with all of my heart and soul.
Now, we can't move this farm over to Oakdale, but the city children can
be moved out to this farm! You can do the planning from Oakdale, and I
can look after them when they get here."
Ruth gasped in amazement at the splendid idea, then jumped up and down
with delight while she shouted aloud.
"Oh, oh! Flutey! that is great! Why, just think of all the streets full
of poor children who can enjoy these wonderful woods!"
Aunt Selina winced at the word "street children," but she spoke with
determination.
"I suppose we would have to build some sort of little houses, or
temporary camps for them to sleep in, and a long shed in which to serve
the meals. It will need a lot of planning."
"Dear me, I wish we could run and ask mother about it," murmured Ruth,
impatiently. "Now, if you were only visiting me instead of me being here
with _you_!"
"If I had gone to you, you might never have had the idea of using these
woods for the children," ventured her aunt.
"No, that's so," admitted Ruth. "And we can go back to the house and
write all our plans down on paper and send them to mother, can't we?"
Aunt Selina consenting, Ruth wheeled the chair back to the house. When
they reached the steps the invalid felt so strong that she lifted
herself out of the chair and climbed up the low steps with only Ruth to
lean upon.
"Why, I never felt a twinge in my joints all this time! I never knew
rheumatism to disappear so quickly as it has this time," she said, as
she sank down in a low chair.
"Let's hope it won't come back again," added Ruth. "If it stays away
you could pack up and go to Oakdale with me, couldn't you?"
Aunt Selina, who never visited and seldom left her home, looked
horrified for a moment. But Ruth continued innocently,
"We could get all of mother's advice for the farm plans besides seeing
father and being home with him!"
Sally, who had seen Miss Selina coming up the steps without a cane,
thought some miracle had been performed. So, wishing to hear all about
it, she hurried out with the announcement that dinner was almost ready.
"Dinner! Why, Sally, we just finished breakfast. I'm sure I don't want
anything to eat so soon," replied Miss Selina.
"It's pas' one o'clock, Miss S'lina, an' you allus likes de meals to be
on time," ventured Sally.
"I'm sure I feel as if it was dinner time, 'cause I'm so hungry," added
Ruth, who always had a healthy appetite.
Aunt Selina laughed indulgently as she rose and limped slowly indoors.
Immediately after dinner Ruth hurried to the library and brought forth
a pencil and paper. Meeting her aunt in the hall she said, "Now, we'll
sit down and put all of our plans on paper."
The greater part of the afternoon was passed in this engrossing work.
That night Aunt Selina again sought her bed with a great sense of
gratitude that she could enjoy the rest without any pain. She slept all
through the night and awoke in the morning feeling strong and energetic.
Almost every trace of her lameness had disappeared.
The mail lay upon a silver tray beside her plate, and she smiled as she
handed two letters to Ruth.
"May I read them, Flutey?" asked Ruth, as soon as she had peeped at the
post marks.
Aunt Selina nodded, and Ruth tore open the one from the Blue Birds
first, saying in an explanatory tone, "I like to leave the best for the
last."
The Blue Birds had written her because they promised to do so, but there
had not been time for anything of importance to happen, so Ruth laid
aside their short note and took up her mother's letter. The first
sentence made her gasp, and at the second, she giggled outright. Aunt
Selina waited patiently to hear the news.
"Just think, Flutey, I didn't miss father, anyway--and just see all we
have accomplished by my coming here to you! Mother writes that she had a
telegram from father late Saturday night, saying the steamer was
detained at quarantine on account of some suspects in the steerage who
seemed to have symptoms of yellow fever. He is not sure when they will
get off, but he will wire mother each day they are detained."
Aunt Selina nodded understandingly, and Ruth continued: "Wish you and I
could be there to welcome father when he comes! Flutey, you are so well
this morning, _don't_ you think you could go with me in our automobile,
if we traveled very carefully?"
Her aunt was so aghast at the proposition that she failed to answer, and
Ruth continued, believing that she was thinking it over.
"You see, Flutey, we really need to get to the Blue Birds and mother to
talk over this fine farm plan, and I am sure the visit will do you a
heap of good, for I have heard folks say that a change is a great thing
when you have been sick and tired of the same things about you."
Still Aunt Selina said not a word, so Ruth returned to her letter to
read it aloud. As she did so, her aunt sent a covert glance at Sally's
direction to see what effect Ruth's invitation had had upon the old
servant. But Sally, the wise, appeared not to have overheard a word.
Later, as Ruth stood beside her aunt's rocker on the veranda, she again
broached the subject.
"Flutey, the air is so warm and balmy like it always is in Indian
summer, and our car is so comfy, you wouldn't know but what you were in
an easy chair. I don't see why you can't come home with me."
"Fluff, do you know, that I could almost say 'Yes, I will go,' for I
think I would like to see all of your little friends, but I really
wouldn't know what to do with the house if I went away on a visit," said
Aunt Selina.
"Goodness me! The house won't run away. What does it do when you are
sick in bed and can't walk about to look after it? It can go on just the
same when you are in Oakdale as when you are in bed," replied practical
Ruth.
Never before had Aunt Selina been brought face to face with the fact
that Sally was the actual manager. She began to feel a certain
resentment against her faithful old servant, and then she thought what a
relief it was to have someone upon whom she could depend.
"I never did ride in one of those machines, dearie. I have said that I
never would. I always use my victoria, or coupe," she observed.
"You never rode in an automobile! Why, Flutey, you have the treat of
your life waiting, then," exclaimed Ruth, surprised. "It only goes to
show how careful we should be about saying things we are not sure of;
now, you see, you are going to ride in an auto and so prove to yourself
that you were wrong."
Ruth took for granted that the visit and method of traveling had been
decided upon, and, after some more futile excuses, Aunt Selina was won
over to considering going the next day if it were clear.
"But the sky looks cloudy, Fluff, and your mother may not spare the car
to-morrow," she objected, making a last brave stand against the
persistent little girl.
"Oh, no, those clouds are not rain clouds--they are wind and mother
would borrow Mrs. Catlin's car if she had to go anywhere rather than
disappoint me by not sending Ike with ours," replied Ruth, very certain
of her mother's loving cooeperation.
"Well, I shall have to break the news to Sally and see if she can spare
me for a few days," sighed her aunt, tingling with anticipation at the
unusual event, but loath to forego the hope that her presence was
necessary at home.
"I'll run and ask her to come here at once, so we can telegraph mother
about the car," said Ruth, as she ran to call Sally.
One never had to go far to find Sally, for wherever Miss Selina was,
there would Sally be found hovering about, also. Ruth caught hold of the
plump brown hand and dragged her out to the piazza.
When the important question was put before her, Sally was diplomatic
enough to stand considering whether the household could possibly be
managed without the mistress. After some time, she said, "If it t'want
dat dis wisit is jus' what you need to put you on yer feet, I would
say, 'I don' see how we'all kin manage.' But, seein' dat all de fruit
is dun up an' de fall house-cleanin' not yet due, I adwise you to be
shore an' go an' fin' healin' in de change of air."
Aunt Selina was so pleased at Sally's answer that she told her to help
Ruth telegraph at once for the car. Sally bowed and hurried away to the
telephone where the message was sent to Greenfields to be wired to Mrs.
Talmage.
The rest of the day was spent in pleasant excitement, with Ruth and her
aunt wondering what to pack in the small steamer trunk, while the whole
household felt the unusual stir of their mistress' going away for a
visit.
That evening an answering telegram came saying that Ike would leave
Oakdale at dawn in the morning so as to get to Happy Hills by noon. If
they were ready to start back at once they could arrive at Mossy Glen
before night set in.
Ruth was so joyous over the happy termination of her visit that she
could hardly stand still long enough for Sally to tie her hair ribbon.
As for Aunt Selina, she looked from her bedroom windows before retiring,
anxiously scanning the sky for any possible rain clouds. She felt as
excited as a child over its first journey away from home. Seeing the
sky a deep blue with myriads of stars gleaming down at her, she smiled
and turned out the light.
Ike arrived earlier than expected, for he made record time from Oakdale.
"Ike, do the Blue Birds know I'm coming?" she asked.
"Sure thing, Miss Ruth," replied Ike.
"And Ned--did he miss me?" queried the little girl.
"Master Ned, he went 'round like a bear wid a sore head. He was just
lost without the head of the Blue Birds," grinned Ike.
"And mother--and Ike, father? Did father wonder why I left without
seeing him," half-whispered Ruth.
Ike dropped his wrench and stood up.
"Why, Miss Ruth, I forgot to tell you! Mr. Ta'mage ain't home yet. A
wire came late last night saying he expected to get off the boat to-day,
so they are looking for him this noon."
"Oh, oh, Ike! how could you keep such grand news from me all this time!"
exclaimed Ruth, racing indoors to tell her aunt.
When Ike said he was ready to start, Aunt Selina and Ruth were helped
to the comfortable seat and robes were tucked in about them, while the
servants stood in a semi-circle about the car, smiling and nodding
good-byes.
Ike honked the siren for the benefit of the servants, then started the
easy-running machine.
Aunt Selina felt so very comfortable that she admitted the fact to Ruth.
"I never knew these cars were so easy-riding."
After passing a stretch of bad road Ike put on more speed and Aunt
Selina leaned forward to admonish him.
"Don't go fast enough to be dangerous! Are we going about eight miles an
hour?"
Ike smiled to himself as he heard the question.
"We're travelin' a bit more than eight, ma'am. I s'pose you are
'customed to that speed from drivin' horses?"
"Yes, that's it. I never like to go faster than that rate, but you are
not going too fast, yet. Be sure to slow up going around corners--we
might run into someone," she returned, settling herself comfortably back
in the robes.
Ike promised to be most careful, but dared not hint at the actual speed
they were traveling, and would have to keep up, to enable them to reach
Oakdale before night.
With the sun shining brightly, and the beautiful autumn coloring in the
foliage, the journey was most enjoyable.
About six o'clock the car reached Mason's farm and Ruth told her aunt
that there the first little city children lived all summer. Next, the
car passed Betty's home, but no one was in sight, although Ruth watched
for Betty to appear. Mrs. Catlin's beautiful home on the hill was
pointed out to the interested old lady, and then Ike turned off of the
main road and drove along the woodland road that ran by the swimming
pool. Ruth told all about it, and hoped the Nest in the cherry-tree
could be seen in the twilight.
Ike stopped under the old tree and Ruth spied all of the Blue Birds in
the Nest. She jumped out to greet them and they ran down the steps to
crowd about her. Aunt Selina was introduced and received a quaint little
curtsey from each child. Then the children said good-night and Ike drove
on to the house.
There, on the lower step, stood the long-looked-for father, and the
moment Ruth saw him, she gave a cry of joy. Mrs. Talmage and Ned stood
back in the shadow to enjoy Ruth's first sight of her father.
After the greetings were over, Aunt Selina was made to feel quite at
home in the cheery library until dinner was announced. The travelers
were too tired to dress for dinner, so they were soon seated about the
table and the conversation naturally turned to Blue Bird talk.
Ruth went to bed soon after dinner, for the day had been tiresome, and
Aunt Selina also felt the need of rest. She admitted that she enjoyed
the trip very much, but her old bones felt the strain of the long day.