Day 45 As Queens Ride By

Stories set a culture in our family to reinforce values my mother wanted teach. I need this story. Let me be a Queen today.


John and Jennie Mungrove had eager plans when they married and took over the old farm. But their great faith dwindled as the first years passed. John worked later and later in the evenings. Jennie took more and more of the heavy tasks upon her own shoulders and had no time for the home and children. They were no further on and life had degenerated into a straining helpless struggle.

One hot afternoon, Jennie was loading baskets of tomatoes to take to town when the children came running to tell her there was a dressed-up lady at the kitchen door. Wearily, she followed the children back and saw a woman in a gray tweed coat that seemed somehow to be a part of her straight, slim body. A small gray hat with a rose quill was drawn low over her brownish hair. She was not a young woman, but she was beautiful. An aura of eager youth clung to her, a clean and exquisite freshness.

The stranger in turn saw a young woman, haggard an weary. Her eyes looked hard and haunted. Her calico dress was shapeless and begrimed from her work.

Stranger (smiling): How do you do? We ran our car into the sake of you land to have our lunch and rest for a while. I walked on up to buy a few apples if you have them.

Jennie (grudgingly): Won't you go in and sit down? I'll go and pick the apples.

(5 pages more when I have time to post)