“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. I wonder ef she ever did fix it up?”

Miss Selina forgot to find fault for a few moments, as Sally’s words caused her to remember the plan her grand-niece had talked over.

“Seems to me, her mother wrote something in a letter about a Blue Bird Nest they were going to start. But I haven’t the slightest idea what it is. I should think they would build nests for robins and birds who are plentiful in our country places. Blue Birds are not very numerous in our woods.”

“T’wan’t for real birds—don’ you recomember? It was jus’ de name dey was goin’ to use fer a li’l ’sociation like!” corrected Sally, as she held the plate of toast within reach of the invalid’s hand.

“No, I don’t remember! How should I?—with all this pain forever tying me into knots!” mumbled Miss Selina, as a toothsome morsel of toast entered her mouth.

Suddenly, the crunching of wheels on the gravel drive was heard, and Sally craned her neck to look from the window.

“There goes Abe now,” she said.The same day the Blue Birds of Happy Times Nest, at Oakdale, had become “Fliers,” little Ruth Talmage, the favorite of the Nest, had received an invitation to spend a week at her Aunt Selina’s house, and Abe was now on his way to the station to meet her.

Aunt Selina was an unpleasant old lady, and few of her relatives cared to visit her; so, when she had her attacks of rheumatism she generally had to spend her time on the couch with no one to amuse her. She had invited Ruth the previous Spring, and had enjoyed the little girl’s visit so much, that she had sent for her now when helpless with another attack.

Of course, when the telegram came to Ruth’s home, asking the little girl to visit Aunt Selina, the Blue Birds felt sorry for her, knowing what a miserable time Ruth would have. Then, too, Ruth’s father was expected home that Saturday, and Ruth had not seen him for almost a year.

Ruth, however, was willing to sacrifice her own pleasure to help Aunt Selina—as every Blue Bird tries to follow the Golden Rule—so she left her playmates Saturday morning, with promises to write every day until she returned, and they, in turn, earnestly promised to explain to her father just why she went away the day he was expected home.

Now, Happy Hills, Aunt Selina’s home, was several miles from Greenfields Station, and the country about this section of Pennsylvania was so beautiful and healthful that city people gradually settled upon estates and spent their summers there. Beautiful carriages and automobiles daily passed over the fine old road that divided Happy Hills in half. But no one had much of an opportunity to admire the place as high board fences had been built on either side of the road as far as the property fronted it.

Happy Hills was an old family estate comprising more than two thousand acres, half woodland and half cultivated fields and green pastures. A spring of clear water, hidden among the rocks of the highest hill at the back of the farm, furnished plenty of water for the noisy brook that tumbled from rock to rock on the hillside, and, after splashing in and out among the trees, ran like a broad ribbon through the green meadows.

The entire property was enclosed with a high fence, even the woodland being carefully hemmed in so no little children could get in to play in the brook, or pick wild berries and flowers that decayed in profusion year after year.

Sally was a trusted old housekeeper who had her mistress’ confidence; Abe was her husband who had driven the Talmage coupÉ ever since he came North at the time of the Civil War.

Miss Selina had not always been so disagreeable. She had old-fashioned pictures of herself at the age of eighteen when hoop-skirts were the fashion, and the young women wore their hair in “water-falls.” At that time a handsome young man was in love with her, but he was shot in the war, and she brooded over her loss so long that she lost all the sweetness of living. The older she grew the more disagreeable she became, until, not one of her relatives wanted to be with her, but managed to keep far from her complaining voice.

And for this old lady, Ruth had waived the anticipated home coming of her dear father!

Breakfast over, Sally propped Miss Selina up on the cushions and left her for a time.

After wondering how long it would take Abe to drive back from the eleven-thirty train, Miss Selina started to think of something she had been pondering the last few days. What should she do with her vast estate if she died? She had never made a will, for she abhorred the idea of dying and having any strangers in her home. But she couldn’t take it with her, and she was nearing seventy years of age with all the signs of old age breaking over her defenceless head.

She tried to think of someone to whom she really wanted to leave her home, but there was no one. She generally sighed at this point and dropped the unpleasant thought. To-day, however, she wondered if her nephew and his wife could be plotting to get her property by having Ruth visit whenever she was invited. This idea seemed to take hold of her, and she frowned as she made up her mind to ask Ruth questions about her mother’s intentions and opinions regarding Aunt Selina and Happy Hills.

Miss Selina had been so engrossed in her thoughts that the sound of carriage wheels on the drive failed to reach her. Therefore, it was with a start of surprise that she heard the door flung open and a happy child’s voice cry:

“Aunt Selina! I’m here! Are you glad to have me?” while a pair of soft little arms were gently placed about her withered old neck and fresh little lips pressed her cheek.

The caress was such an unusual experience that Miss Selina forgot to wince or complain, and before she did remember, Ruth was bubbling over with news.

“What do you think is to happen to-day?—Oh! Aunt Selina, we all have new names at home; even mother is now called Mother Wings and I am Fluff. The other Blue Birds have names they chose for themselves, and Ned is an Owl, and prints our weekly paper called the Chirp. Now, instead of Aunt Selina, I want to call you a bird-name, too. May I?”

Aunt Selina smiled sympathetically at Ruth’s words, but, recalled to her condition by a twinge of pain, she moaned, “Child, poor old Aunt Selina would make a wretched specimen of a bird nowadays. The only kind I feel that I could represent truly is a raven—for it always croaks.”

Ruth laughed consolingly, but cried, “Oh, Aunt Selina, that is just because you feel blue with those old rheumatics. Mother says we always look at life through dark spectacles when we’re in pain, and we b’lieve the lovely world has lost all its brightness. Now, I’ve come to make you forget your blues and I must have a new name to say, because there is so much to tell you that I would lose time if I had to say ‘Aunt Selina’ every time. Besides, a new name will make you forget yourself.”

“What could you call me?” questioned her aunt, trying to fall in with the child’s whim.

“We’ll have to think! It isn’t as easy as it may sound to find a name to suit. We had a dreadful hard time to do it.”

“‘Fluff’ suits you beautifully. Who found it?” said the old lady interestedly.

“I chose two, but we can only have one. One was ‘Flutey’ the other ‘Fluff’; Ned and the Blue Birds liked ‘Fluff’ best, and they have called me by that name ever since we were christened in the Nest.”

“When I was a little girl like you I used to enjoy whistling about the place so much that father called me his little flute. I can still see the shocked expression of my aunt who visited us, when she heard me running about whistling like a boy. She was a grand dame of society in New York, and her girls were doing embroidery and being taught how to curtsey and behave in the drawing-room.” And Miss Selina smiled at Ruth who fully understood the remark and clapped her hands delightedly at her aunt who had been a hoyden so long ago.

“I just love to whistle, too. Ned says I can pipe higher and carry a tune better than anyone he knows!” declared Ruth, and aunt and grand-niece felt a common bond of unity.

Ruth was about to demonstrate her accomplishment to Aunt Selina, when her face puckered into a funny expression and her shoulders hunched up about her ears as they usually did when some secret thought gave her a surprise. She leaned over the couch and confidentially whispered, “Aunt Selina, I’ll tell you what! We both love to whistle, don’t we? Then, you shall be christened with my other name! You shall be ‘Flutey,’ eh?”

“Oh, dear child, it would be sarcasm to name me that now! Why, the only claim I have to that name would be because of my fluted skin. Just look at my neck and face!” said Aunt Selina.

“No such thing!” retorted Ruth. “I never saw any flutes on your face until this very minute when you made me see some little wrinkles. Your skin is soft and white, so don’t you ever tell folks what you said to me, ’cause they won’t see anything but a nice face.”

Of course, Aunt Selina felt elated to hear such comforting words, but Ruth gave her no time to meditate.

“Do you like the name I, as your god-mother, give you?” laughed the merry little girl.

“Yes, indeed, it is fine, but we must keep it a secret. Just fancy Sally or Abe, or any of the servants, calling me ‘Miss Flutey!’” And Aunt Selina laughed aloud just as the door opened and Sally popped her head through the aperture. Seeing the happy faces and hearing the unusual laughter, she immediately closed the door, without having been seen or heard. Out in the wide hall she lifted both arms high toward the ceiling and rolled her eyes devoutly upward as she murmured, “Praise be to the Lud, dat dat little tree is come wif healin’ in its leaves.” After this strange remark, Sally hurried out to tell Abe of the miracle.

Aunt Selina, in spite of her age, felt a childish delight in having a secret with Ruth, and after a few moments said, “I shall have to call you Fluff, and you must call me Flutey, I suppose, if we are to belong to the same Nest.”

“Yes, that’s the way,” replied Ruth, clapping her hands softly. “Now, let me tell you all the wonderful things we did this summer.”

Then began a recital of how the Blue Birds of Happy Times Nest started; about each member and her name; the nest in the old cherry-tree; how they had earned money to bring some poor children from the city to spend the hot weeks in the country; and, best of all, how they had interested all of the citizens of Oakdale in helping a hundred poor city children to spend a few weeks in the beautiful village of Oakdale.

At this moment a loud knock at the door caused Aunt Selina to sit up and call out, “Come in!”

“Shall you hab lunch in de dinin’ room, or serbed here?” said Sally.

“Lunch! Why, is it time—is it one o’clock?” gasped Miss Selina.

“Ya’as’m—pas dat hour, too,” replied Sally, smiling broadly at Ruth, who returned the good-natured feeling.“Well, well; I feel much better, Sally,” admitted Aunt Selina. “Nothing like having young folks around when one feels blue, eh? I guess you’d better bring the lunch tray here, and Miss Ruth and I will picnic this noon.”

In a few moments the waitress brought in a huge tray while Sally followed with a folding table which she placed by the side of the couch.

A joysome hour passed in “picnicking” the lunch, then Sally rang for the maid to remove the dishes. After she had gone, Sally turned to her mistress and, with the familiarity of an old servant, said, “Miss Rufie shore is de bestes tonic you ebber took. You’se et more lunch, Miss Selina, dan I’se seen yo’ et in six mont!”

Then whisking a few tiny crumbs from the couch afghan, Sally gathered up the doilies and went out, smiling contentedly.

That afternoon worked a remarkable change in Aunt Selina. She forgot all about herself and her misery while listening to her grand-niece’s story of sacrifice for others.

She listened attentively to every word, until Ruth concluded with the words, “Now, we are planning some great work for our winter nest, but we don’t know just what we will choose.”

So impressed was Aunt Selina with the movement started by the New York Organization, that she determined to help the cause in every way she could.

In the evening with the help of a cane and Sally, Aunt Selina managed to reach the dining-room for dinner. “For,” said she, “it is a shame to keep Ruth cooped up in my morning room all day long.”

During dinner she marveled at the improvement in her physical condition and worried lest her ailments return suddenly. But Ruth reassured her.

“No, indeed, Flutey, we have so much to do and plan while I am here, that you won’t have time to think of getting sick again.”

Aunt Selina looked dumbfounded for a moment.

“Ruth, do you suppose that’s what ails me—nothing to do but think of myself all of the time?” said she.

“Flutey, not only with you, but with lots of folks!” replied Ruth, wisely. “You see, anyone who is busy and has something to do all the time never gets sick, because they haven’t time to worry ’bout themselves if they feel a bit of pain. Why, this summer I saw lots of beginnings of sickness stopped just because everyone had to get through their work for the city children. Even me: when mother told me that father—oh, oh—oh!” and Ruth doubled over her plate and giggled immoderately.

“Now what ails you, child?” inquired Aunt Selina, smiling in sympathy with her guest’s merry laugh.

“Oh, Aunt Selina, this goes to prove what I just said! Here I have been with you all day, so full of the story of our Nest and all we did, that I forgot to feel sorry for myself. Why, think of it! Father is expected home to-night, and I’m not there! When your telegram came asking me to come here, and mother told me father was expected the same day, I felt dreadfully bad about it, but mother said I might help the winter nest a great deal by coming to show you how to fly, so I really made up my mind not to feel sorry about not seeing father. And here I am all this time, forgetting my disappointment about leaving home to-day, and now, laughing over it. Don’t you see?”

Aunt Selina nodded her head comprehendingly as she said, “Yes, I see! Yes, I see what has been my undoing all these years. Child, you have done something for me that all my years have failed in showing me. God bless you, Ruth, for coming, and when I tell your father about it he will be proud of his little Blue Bird that brought such peace to me.”

As she concluded, Aunt Selina’s eyes were brimful of tears, but they were tears of gratitude, and such tears always wash away much of our stubborn selfishness.

Sally hovered about the table to be on hand to assist her querulous mistress if necessary and she, too, felt the effect of Ruth’s words and silently praised God for the blessing.

After Aunt Selina and Ruth were comfortably seated in the soft easy-chairs of the former’s bedroom, Ruth asked permission to write the letters she had promised the Blue Birds at home. Aunt Selina nodded cheerfully, and sat watching the little girl write until her eyelids drowsed slowly over her eyes.The first and most important letter was written to Ruth’s dear father and mother. The next to Ned, and the third to all of the Blue Birds of Happy Times Nest. Here, she wrote as she pleased and told them about her trip, how interested Aunt Selina seemed to be, about the secret name she had given the new Blue Bird and all of the fine things Aunt Selina was going to do just as soon as plans could be talked over. As the letter drew to a close, Ruth begged her friends to write every day and not undertake any important work until she came home.

The last letter took a long time to write and Aunt Selina was fully awake before Ruth had finished.

“Laws, Child! Do you know the time? What would your mother say if she knew I kept her daughter out of bed until after nine o’clock? If the letters are finished you must go straight to your room.” And Aunt Selina rang for Sally.

That night as Ruth slept soundly, Aunt Selina lay thinking over all her grand-niece had told her. As she thought of all her wasted years and of all the wonderful good she might have done with her leisure time and wealth, she turned her face to the wall and shed bitter tears of regret.

Then recalling Ruth’s advice to fill her mind with something good and helpful, the old lady vowed to pick up the frayed ends of her life and ask Ruth how to use her money and time to create some lasting good for others. As she smiled contentedly over the idea of her grand-niece of tender years advising and helping her, an old lady of three score and ten, the Bible text flashed into her mind—“And a little child shall lead them.”

Then Aunt Selina fell into a restful, health-giving sleep such as she had not had in years.