CICELY’S STRAWBERRIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXX, Issue 20165, 20 July 1935, Page 13

CICELY’S STRAWBERRIES

Aunt Maude was taking Susan and Cicely for a picnic in the Dell Woods, end the little girls were very excited. They helped their aunt to pack the basket, and Susan picked a lettuce which she had grown in her very own garden. "I grew it all myself,” she said proudly. “How splendid!” said Aunt Maud. “It will be lovely with ham sandwiches.” Cicely wished she could have brought something to the picnic of her very own, but she had nothing but nasturtiums in her garden. They set off for the woods, and soon found a pretty spot by a little stream. They played hide-and-seek and touchwood; but Susan was so anxious for lunch-time and her lettuce that she kept asking Aunt Maud the time. “It won't be very much longer,” laughed their aunt. “Suppose you both go and see if you can find some flowers to put on the table, and then we’ll lay the cloth!" “Oh yes!” they cried. “But don’t go too far away,” said their aunt. Susan ran off and left Cicely by herself. She searched round, but only found some little white starry flowers that dropped almost as soon as she gathered them. Then her eye caught something red near a bush. She ran to it, and to her surprise found a large patch of wild strawberries, red and ripe. “I must get some of those for our picnic,” she thought, and put down her flowers to look for a big leaf to carry the strawberries in. She found one and quickly filled it with the little red berries. Though she heard Aunt Maund calling, she felt she must pick a few more so that there would be enough for them all. When Aunt Maud called again she ran back and found her and Susan searching through the picnic basket. “Oh, Cicely!” cried her aunt as she came up. “I’ve stupidly forgotten to bring anything to open this tin of peaches! Here’s the cream, but there is nothing to eat with it!” “Look what I’ve got!” said Cicely proudly, showing her find. “Strawberries!” said Susan. “How lovely!” cried their aunt. “Who wants tinned peaches now? Wild strawberries and cream! Cicely, you are a darling!" “Now we’ve both brought something for the picnic,” said Cicely, very pleased.