TWO PICNIC-PARTIES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 18, 30 April 1892, Page 461

TWO PICNIC-PARTIES.

‘ How many kinds of cake, mamma?' ‘Two, dear.’ ‘And cocoanut pie, mamma?’ ‘ No, dear : lemon-pie.’ ‘ Oh, now !’ cried May Blossom ; and there began to be signs of a storm. ‘ I wanted three kinds of cake and cneo»-nut-pie. It won't be a nice picnic party at all. Oh dear, me!’ Pink Rose slipped in just at that minute, and she looker! a little frightened at May’s stormy face, just as she always did. But when she heard what the trouble was, she laughed. ‘ Why, my mamma’s making me a cocoanut one,’ said she, ‘ and I wanted lemon ; so it’ll lie just lovely.’ • But I want three kinds of cake,’ said Slay, pouting still.

‘ I’ve only got sponge and marble, and I wanted one black and citrony.’ * Children !’ called grandmamma from the verandah ; and out to her they scampered, these two merry little girls. ‘ I s’pose maybe it's a story,' said May on the way. ‘lt was a story. Grandmamma's hands were folded over her knitting-work, and she welcomed May and Pink with a smile which said a great deal; and they sat down on the step at her feet ; and grandmamma began : ‘Once there were four little girls who made up their minds to have a picnic-party in the woods.’ ‘ That's we,’ said Pink ; ‘ I and May and Georgie Andrews and Helen Wells.’ ‘ No,’ said grandmamma, with one hand on the small golden head ; ‘it was Pussy Follett and Polly Coolbroth and Thankful Doolittle and I, and we expected to have a very nice time indeed. ‘ The woods were not a great ways from our house, and they were deep and dark and cool. ‘ I remember we didn’t dare go out of sight of father s clearing for fear we might get lost ; but we found a delightful spot just in the edge of the forest, where we took off our long aprons and spread them down for a tablecloth, and we gathered some of the great karaka leaves for plates.’ ‘ What did you have to eat ?' asked May. ‘ We had,' said grandma, slowly, ‘ we had, if I remember rightly, four twisted “ ladies’ fingers,” a small tart in a saucer, four twisted doughnuts, four ginger-snaps, and four biscuits spread thick with butter. And for dessert we had a few blackberries and an apple.’ ‘ Oh ! grandmamma !’ ‘ And a tin dish full of sorrel leaves'sweetened with sugar, which was the nicest of anything. And we had water from a clear spring which boiled out from under a rock.' ‘ Hot water?’ asked Pink, greatly surprised. ‘ (>h no, dearie. ’ ‘ You said—it boiled,’ said Pink, ‘ and hot water boils and my Aunt Louise has went to the Hot Springs, and I thought—’ ‘Little goosey !’ laughed May. ‘This wasn’t a hot spring, dearie,’ said grandmamma. ‘ I meant that the water bubbled out of the ground ; the water was clear and cold.’ ‘And 1 hope,'grandmamma went on, fondly, ‘ that my two little girls will have as pleasant a time to morrow at their picnic-party as their grandmothers did at this one so many many years ago.’ ‘ Yes, I do,’ answered May but I don’t see how you could, with such plain things. Anyhow, when I want to fuss ’bout cocoanut-pie next time, I’ll think of your picnicparty, and I don't b lieve I’ll fret and complain a bit.’ ‘Nor I won't, either,’ said Pink, earnestly. ‘ Bless you, dears !’ said grandmamma, and she picked up her knitting-work again with a far away smile.