"Now, when did tobacco worms learn to live in bonnets?" she asked the
boy as she eyed him reproachfully.

Mrs. Reist looked hurt. Her gentle reproof, "Children, I'm ashamed of
you!" cut deeper with Amanda than the scolding of Aunt Rebecca--"You're
a bad pair! Almost you spoiled me my good bonnet. If I'd squeezed that
worm on my cap it would have ruined it! My goodness, you both need a
good spankin', that's what. Too bad you ain't got a pop to learn you!"

"It was only for fun, Aunt Rebecca," said Amanda, truly ashamed. But
Phil put his hand over his mouth to hide a grin.

"Fun--what for fun is that--to be so disrespectful to an old aunt? And
you, Philip, ain't one bit ashamed. Your mom just ought to make you
hunt all the worms in the whole tobacco patch. My goodness, look at
that clock! Next with this dumb foolin' I'll miss that trolley yet. I
must hurry myself now."

"I'm sorry, Aunt Rebecca," Amanda said softly, eager to make peace with
the woman, whom she knew to be kind, though a bit severe.

"Ach, I don't hold no spite. But I think it's high time you learn to
behave. Such a big girl like you ought to help her brother be good, not
learn him tricks. Boys go to the bad soon enough. I'm goin' now," she
addressed Mrs. Reist, "and you let me know when you boil apple butter
and I'll come and help stir."

"All right, Rebecca. I hope the children will behave and not cut up
like to-day. You are always so ready to help us--I can't understand why
they did such a thing. I'm ashamed."