en North 238
XIV. The B. B. & B. B. Magazine 259
XV. How the Magazine Went Out 285

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THE BLUE BIRDS' WINTER NEST

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 perfec