The Blue Birds' Winter Nest

Excerpt

CHAPTER I

HOW AUNT SELINA FLEW

“Sally! I say, Sally! Come here!” cried a peevish voice, belonging to a querulous old lady who was huddled up on a couch in the bright morning room of her fine old mansion.

“I’se here, Miss S’lina—comin’ straight an’ fas’ as mah laigs kin brings me!” replied a cheerful colored woman, bustling around, and moving some toast so it would not scorch.

“Are you quite sure you told Abe to meet the eleven-thirty train at Greenfields station? Just fancy how dreadful it would be to have Miss Ruth get off the train and not find anyone there to meet her!” complained Miss Selina, her face twitching with pain as she raised her hands to emphasize her remark.

“Laws’ee, Miss S’lina! Don’ you be ’fraid dat I han’t tended to eberyt’ing for little Miss Rufie’s welcome! Leave it to ole Sally, what likes dat chile like her own kin!”

“Well, then, Sally, hurry with my toast and tea—and for goodness’ sake, don’t you bring scorched toast again! There, I can smell it burning this very minute! How many times must I tell you that I will not trust those electric toasters? The old-fashioned coal fire is good enough for me—and it would be for you, too, if it were not for your ridiculous ideas of being progressive and having all these electric fol-de-rols put up in the house. My house, too! Think of it! A servant to order these contraptions and use them in my very own home and make me pay for them, when I prefer the ways of my forefathers.” Then utterly wearied with her long complaint, Miss Selina collapsed, and closed her eyes.

Sally, the old family servant who had lived all her days with the Talmage family at Happy Hills, had been a playmate of Miss Selina’s; in fact, she had grown up with all the children of the “big house.” She smiled indulgently at her mistress’ words, as she bent over a fresh piece of toast.

“Pore chile—Sally knows a heap of time is saved ’twixt ’lectricity an’ coal, an’ she’s goin’ to cleave to the bestes’ way ever foun’ yit—an’ she knows what dem old rheumaticks is a-doin’ to your temper,” soliloquized the astute servant.

The toast was nicely browned, and the tea brewed perfectly, and Sally placed them on a dainty tray which she carried over to the couch.

“Want I should leave you alone, or he’p you break the bread?” asked Sally, soothingly.

Miss Selina opened her eyes and answered, “If I were sure you had Miss Ruth’s room all ready, and everything else as it should be, I would let you pour that tea for me; but I suppose you have neglected half your work to be in here with me.”

Sally’s broad grin wrinkled the corners of her mouth, as she took the teapot and poured the fragrant beverage into a Japanese cup. At the same time her mind seemed to dwell upon a pleasant subject.

“Does you ’member, Miss S’lina, de las’ time little Rufie visited us? Dat’s de time she was all full of a plan for havin’ some kin’ of a bird’s nest at home....