Abram's Daughters 04 The Prodigal (3 page)

Alinim put a hand on the lad's shoulder, not wanting to ml1- liis chance at the saws and drills. A few more blinks of the rye and the bidding was done. The other fellow hadn't WwiH'd them as much as Abram had. "Come on, now," he will in Abe. "We got ourselves some right nice handsaws."

I k- guided his boy through the crowd to claim the goods, miylng it was Old Jonathan Lapp who'd dropped out of the bidding when he saw how quickly Abram kept coming back with w higher bid.

"When can I start makin' such bids?" Abe asked as they u rinl the box of saws and things to the carriage.

"When you're earnin' money." Abram had to smile at Al>r's innocent sincerity.

"Just when will that be?"

"In due time" was all he said. There was plenty of food to f!<> mound,-tfeut when it came to cash there was less to speak i il Iliese days, what with Sadie living at home now. Leah, on tlit- other hand, put every dime she made from her work at iIn- Schwartz clinic into the family pot. Even so, Abram rcnildn't afford to pay his young son for his field and barn work before and after school and on weekends. He wouldn't think of doing so until Abe was closer to courting age, a good iliTiide away.

I le and his boy spent several more hours at the farm sale In] lowing Abram's only purchase. They stood in the barnyard miking with the men, but when Abe's nose and ears began to

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look mighty red, almost purple, he knew he best be taking this one home to warm up.

It was during the buggy ride home that Abram got to thinking more about the fact that the gardening work should no longer fall on Leah's and Lydiann's shoulders as it had ever since Hannah had married Gid and moved to Lizzie's former house in the woods. Sadie and Aunt Lizzie would have to take up the slack next spring, because Leah had her hands plenty full, doing a right fine job caring for the youngsters. He wouldn't think of asking her to quit her housecleaning job at the doctor's place. Besides her earnings being such a help, Leah needed a chance to get away from the confines of their four walls. He'd heard from the doctor that his missus felt she couldn't manage without Leah, so not only had she impressed them with her hard work, Leah had endeared herself to them, as well.

Thoughts of the Schwartzes led his mind to Mary Ruth, who was rather taken with their firstborn, presently studying to be a preacher. Having not met "honorable" Robert as of yet, he had only Mary Ruth's word to go on. Someday, if they continued to spend time together, he'd have to do the mannerly thing and meet his daughter's Mennonite boyfriend.

Lest his thoughts run away with him, he asked Abe, sitting to his left, what he thought of exchanging names in the family this Christmas. He didn't go so far as to say this approach would save some of the family's money, though.

"I'd like to draw Mamma Leah's name, if we put the names in a hat." Abe's blue eyes shone as he turned to look

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in Abniin. "Either Mamma's or Lydiann's."

' "Noi C lid's, then?" He was taken aback by the serious tone

|nl ,\ln*'s re-mark.

I AIh- shook his head. "Gid oughta be gotten by Hannah or

hi!It' ol llu-ir girls. Ain't so?"

I Clicking his tongue, Abram urged the horse onward

||owurcl home. Ida's boy was as discerning and devoted as he

Vf/m youthful. Abram reached down and patted Abe on the

Iklire hi id nodded, mighty glad to have such fine company this

Ibfltk winter day. ,

I The Ohio sun burned bright in Jonas Mast's face, momenllHrlly blinding him, and he moved slightly, trying to avoid its BfiPlietrating rays, wanting to see clearly the auctioneer's face Ithc old codger's eyes. After all, it was the eye contact that he Iwiuilod, having upped his bid this high already. I Hark blue and fluted, the carnival glass vase was the lohji'i'i' of his steady bidding, and he would not let up, for he Iknt'w he had stumbled upon the best choice of a present for Idt'iir Emma. He could just imagine the look of sheer joy on Ihri' face when he gave it to her on Christmas Day. I He'd come to the distant farm sale interested in purchasliriK additional woodworking tools, having heard tell of the pUietion through the Amish grapevine. But while wandering lubout, he'd discovered antique dishes, quilts, and other old household items laid out in the front room of the house, set llisi up from the barn on a slope.

I // I can just get the final bid, he thought, raising his eyeIhn >ws again to signal the auctioneer he had not lost interest.

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The pretty vase was being held high in the air just now, and his pulse sped up when he heard the word "Sold!"

But the auctioneer shielded his eyes from the sun and, with a mystified look, peered into the crowd. "I daresay you ain't from round here."

"Name's Jonas Mast," he replied quickly, slightly embarrassed, with the crowd having turned to stare his way. "From up north a ways."

"Well, fine and dandy. Sold to our gut neighbor Jonas."

He had claimed his prize and turned to head back toward his horse and carriage when an old Mennonite farmer came up to him, leaning on his wooden cane. "Couldn't help overhearin', but you're Jonas Mast, ya say?"

Jonas offered a tentative nod.

"Well, if that don't beat all. World's gettin' smaller all the time, 'specially among us Plain folk . . . but with so many Masts and Jonases running round, who's to say if it was you, really."

"I'm sorry. . . have we met somewhere?"

"Doubt it," the older man replied, squinting his bleary eyes. "But then again, who knows? Ever live in Millersburg?"

Jonas felt surprise. "Why do ya ask?"

Such a long time ago . . .

With renewed excitement, the old farmer continued. "My cousin and I were reddin' out an old shed yesterday and happened to stumble onto a tattered old letter unopened, as I recall with a faded name written prettily on it."

Jonas was downright curious, though unsure if the whitehaired man even knew what he was talking about. "Whomwas the letter addressed to?" , , .. '.....',. :;!: -::

"Ac/i, to you, of course." : ..,;., ',' ,::>.:.; .;

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P "Hmm ... you don't say." He was altogether befuddled. Was there a return address?"

The old fellow removed his hat and scratched his head. I lonestly, paid no mind to that."

Jonas found all the talk of a letter puzzling certainly the malt's guess that he had once lived in Millersburg was right, I ,u( the rest of the story was downright odd. He stepped closer | in the elderly man, noticing a hint of moonshine on his I breath. "S'pose I best be headin' on home now," said Jonas, , (inging to the antique vase. "Have a gut day!" ;

Having waited near the edge of the school yard in the < old, Lydiann decided she couldn't stand there another min' iHe waiting for Mamma Leah to come fetch her, so she ran ,md caught up with a group of four other Amish girls walking .Jong the country road. Up ahead, a hard stone's throw away, ix. boys her age, all from the one-room Georgetown School, walked in the middle of the road, and she watched with inter' f.st as tJhey waited tilfcthe last minute to step to the side, as if daring a horse and buggy to run them over. Even her little brother'' Abe, liked to take part in such boyish stunts, except loday hte was off with Dat at a farm sale.

She? listened as the girls jabbered in Pennsylvania Dutch, not joining in their conversation about the Christmas play, where ^he was to be Mary, the mother of baby Jesus, come I his Monday, Christmas Eve afternoon.

Th& boys shifted to the right side of the road as a car came loward them, and she noticed the dark-haired Mennonite boy, Cairl Nolt, scramble to safety more quickly than either of

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the three Amish and two English boys. The only child of Dan and Dottie Nolt whistled as He scurried along. The Nolts owned the house where Lydiann's older sister Mary Ruth, a schoolteacher at an all-EnglisH school, lived and worked part' time.

"Carl's gonna make enfeiner Joseph, ain't?" one of the girls said, all smiles.

This brought a round of snickers and "shhs!" but Lydiann pretended not to hear just what a fine Joseph he would be. Carl has the brovjnest eyes I've ever seen, she thought, wondering right then which of his natural parents had passed down the dark eyes to him and why on earth they hadn't kept him.

It was Mary Ruth, who was more like a big sister to Carl than she'd ever been to Lydiann, who'd confided that Carl had been adopted promptly after his birth. Since Mary Ruth was known for sometimes saying too much, Lydiann had never spoken of the matter with Carl. Still, she was pretty sure he had a good heart at least she thought so from having rehearsed the nativity play during lunchtime recess yesterday and today. But pretending to be Mary to a Joseph who was no more Amish than the man in the moon sent a strange chill up her spine. She would never let on as much, though, for the sake of Mary Ruth, who had been bringing Carl with her when she came to the Ebersol Cottage to visit each week. It seemed Mary Ruth was a little too eager to include Carl in the games played near the wood stove with both Lydiann and Abe. Right peculiar it was, especially since Dat had made it clear he did not approve of Mary Ruth living with folk who had "electric." Such a blight it was, losing one of their ownto Mennonites. .

Lydiann suspected kindhearted Aunt Lizzie of having

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(iiefhinjj; to do with Dat welcoming Mary Ruth, as well as

1 111. Aunt Lizzie had a way of poking her nose in and having

11' i say, and Dat didn't seem to mind this much at all. Ever so "iinzing, really.

Up ahead, riding in a one-horse sleigh, came Mamma

I .ill. Lydiann quickened her pace, glad to see her. "Come!

, i live yourself a ride home!" she called to the other children.

: The girls responded by hurrying to catch up with her,

I' r.sing the boys, who lagged behind all but Carl. "Mind if I

' iinc along?" he asked no one in particular.

"I lop on," Mamma said, her cheeks bright pink.

( 'arl hesitated, looking back toward the boys.

"It's all right," Lydiann said, hoping he might sit right I" idc her, though she suspected he would keep his distance.

i 'arl smiled and climbed aboard, sitting closer to Mamma I ili than to any of the girls.

"When are you comin' with Mary Ruth for a visit again, ' ,irl?" Mamma asked, and Lydiann paid attention to what he ini|{ht say.

He shrugged his shoulders and said nothing for a moment. I lim, when he finally found his voice, he said, "Mary Ruth iys we might have all of you over for New Year's Eve ... if ii':. agreeable with your father."

"How kind of you, Carl," Mamma replied before Lydiann urn Id speak up.

Carl looked more comfortable now, and Lydiann wondered if he had been bashful before getting on the sleigh because of the boys. Maybe he worried what they might think ol him riding with a group of girls.

"Where's Abe today?" he asked. Lydiann nearly missed the i|iK'si ion, so caught up she was in her thoughts. . , ,:

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Once again Mamma Leah beat her to a reply. "Oh, he's off to a farm sale with his father."

"Lookin' to buy anything particular?" asked Carl.

Prob'ly some milkin' equipment and whatnot, thought Lydiann. But she didn't say what she was thinking and instead nodded her head and watched the relaxed way Carl sat crosslegged on the hay, wrapped in one of the woolen blankets Mamma Leah had brought along.

"Oh, I 'spect they might just find something worthwhile," Mamma said, looking back over her shoulder. "They usually do."

"I think my uncle went to that sale, too," Carl said. "He used to be Amish, so he likes to go where the Old Order farmers gather."

Lydiann found this interesting. So ... somewhere in Carl's adopted family there had been at least one Amishman. Did hehave the church before baptism, or was he shunned like Sadie?Since Carl said no more, she wasn't about to follow up on the subject. Shunning was much too close to home, what with Sadie going through her Proving time now. Shunnings divided families, turning sisters and brothers into strangers . . . even if the shunned one repented and returned home.

Poor Sadie, pretty as the day was long. What on earth had she done to be treated so?

The smell of pecan pies baking drifted in from the doorway between the front room and the Dawdi Haus, and the familiar aroma reminded Sadie of Mamma, who had loved the Christmas season more than any other. Drawn by the delicious scent, Sadie headed next door to find Dawdi John napping in his rocking chair head back, mouth open, and sawing logs rather loudly.

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Whnv's Aunt Lizzie?

1 ipi

She found her aunt sitting in the window of the first bedtin mil Lizzie's own, reading the Bible. "Oh, hullo there,

....He."

"Mind if I sit with you?"

Lizzie nodded. "Make yourself comfortable." | "Couldn't help but smell the pies."

Lizzie smiled. "Thought I'd surprise everyone and serve Vni lor supper."

"Ahe and Lydiann will like that, for sure and for certain." N,nlk> grew quiet.

Aunt Lizzie put her finger in the Bible, closing it, and tilled her head just so, looking hard at her now. "Something's I i H i your mind, child. I can nearly hear it from here."

She thought h&v much better it might be if she didn't give in to the urge to open herself up and instead simply sat there, basking in the love her aunt so effortlessly offered. But ! i/zie was altogether correct that there was much on her in11ul. "I miss talkin' to ya, Aendi. And I want to speak about my husband, Harvey, with somebody. . . with you, maybe, if v 11Vi like to hear."