The visitor was effusive in her meeting with Martin's mother. "Dear
Mrs. Landis," she gushed, "it is so lovely of you to have me here! Last
summer while I boarded at Reists' I was so sorry not to meet you!
Of course I met Martin and some of the younger children but the mother
is always the most adorable one of the family! Oh, come here, dear, you
darling," she cooed to little Emma, who had tiptoed into the room. But
Emma held to her mother's apron and refused to move.
"Ach, Emma," Katie, a little older, chided her. "You'll run a mile to
Amanda Reist if you see her. Don't act so simple! Talk to the lady;
she's our company."
"Ach, she's bashful all of a sudden," said Mrs. Landis, smiling. "Now,
Miss Souders, you take your hat off and just make yourself at home
while I finish gettin' the supper ready. You dare look through them
albums in the front room or set on the front porch. Just make yourself
at home now."
"Thank you, how lovely!" came the sweet reply.
A little while later when Martin left her and went to his room to
prepare for the evening meal the children, too, scurried away one by
one and left Isabel alone. She took swift inventory of the furnishings
of the front room.
"Dear," she thought, "what atrocious taste! How can Martin live here?
How can he belong to a family like this?"
But later she was all smiles again as Martin joined her and Mrs. Landis
brought her husband into the room to meet the guest. Mr. Landis had, in
spite of protests and murmurings, been persuaded to hearken to the
advice of his wife and wear a coat. Likewise the older boys had
followed Martin's example and donned the hot woolen articles of dress
they considered superfluous in the house during the summer days.
Isabel chattered gaily to the men of the Landis household until Mrs.
Landis stood in the doorway and announced, "Come now, folks, supper's
done."
After the twelve were seated about the big table, Mr. Landis said grace
and then Mrs. Landis rose to pour the coffee, several of the boys
started to pass the platters and dishes around the table and the
evening meal on the farm was in full swing.
"Oh," piped out little Charlie as he lifted his plate for a slice of
ham, "somebody's went and threw all the spoons on the table-cloth!
Here's two by my plate. And Emma's got some by her place, too!"
"Sh!" warned Mary, but Mrs. Landis laughed heartily. "Easy seeing," she
confessed, "that we ain't used to puttin' on style. Charlie, that's the
latest way of puttin' spoons on. Amanda Reist did it for me."
"Amanda Reist," said Mr. Landis. "Why didn't she stay for supper if she
was here when you set the table?"