"Ach, it's all right, long as my bonnet ain't spoiled. If that had
happened then there'd be a different kind o' bird pipin'."

After she left Philip proceeded to do a Comanche Indian dance--in which
Amanda joined by being pulled around the room by her dress skirt--in
undisguised hilarity over the departure of their grim relative. Boys
have little understanding of the older person who suppresses their
animal energy and skylarking happiness.

"I ain't had so much fun since Adam was a boy," Philip admitted with
pretended seriousness, while the family smiled at his drollness.



CHAPTER II

THE SNITZING PARTY


Apple-butter boiling on the Reist farm occurred frequently during
August and September. The choice fruit of the orchard was sold at
Lancaster market, but bushels of smaller, imperfect apples lay
scattered about the ground, and these were salvaged for the fragrant
and luscious apple butter. To Phil and Amanda fell the task of
gathering the fruit from the grass, washing them in big wooden tubs
near the pump and placing them in bags. Then Uncle Amos hauled the
apples to the cider press, where they came forth like liquid amber that
dripped into fat brown barrels.