Abram's Daughters 05 The Revelation (23 page)

It was nearly two o'clock on the Saturday before Christmas when Jonas stepped back from his handiwork, crossing his arms as Iir admired the attractive sideboard he'd put together in a matter of days. "A fine gift indeed," he said in the quietude of the shed. " Nearly as perty as Leah is herself."

A knock came at the door and he jumped. Turning, he saw Gid tit t lie window, waving and wearing a tentative smile. "Ach, it can't he locked . . . must be stuck," Jonas called out, hurrying through (lie wood shavings to yank open the door.

"Hullo," Gid said right quick. "It's been a while since we talked pnvatelike."

"Jah, and it's gut to see you," said Jonas.

(lid eyed Eli's fancy tools . . . and the sideboard. "What's this vm're makin', Jonas?"

"A Christmas gift for my bride-to-be."

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Gid nodded, scratching his beard. "Can't help but wonder wlini the bishop might say to this."

"I wouldn't think it's a problem, but I s'pose I should've gotten the go-ahead all the same." Jonas felt rising frustration. "Guess I as sumed since it's a present, and plain as can be, it would be all right."

Gid looked around Eli's shop. "Must be a mighty big tempt;ition livin' here."

Jonas wished he could convince Gid he hadn't moved in with Jake for the purpose of using Eli's fine tools. There was no denying he was irresistibly drawn to woodworking cherry, oak, walnui, maple, and cedar for lining chests every variety of wood cauglii his eye, and in a big way. Yet he'd promised to put all that behind him during his Proving, both as a means to earn money and a regn lar hobby anything to find favor with the Gobbler's Knob church, and all for the sake of marrying Leah.

"I'm afraid I have no choice but to mention this to Bishop," Gid was saying. "Much to my dismay."

Jonas would not plead with Gid to keep quiet. It wasn't as i! he'd forgotten his promise or wanted to disrupt the Proving in any way; he'd simply let his great eagerness to please Leah at Christmns overtake him. "I understand," he said.

"On second thought, might be best if you went to him 'boui this. The consequences might be less severe thataway."

"Not a bad idea." Prior to today, Jonas had thought that il things didn't work out here in Lancaster, he might try to convince Leah to marry him out in Ohio except that would cause her to be put under the shun, as well, which would never do. And as close as she was to Lydiann and Abe, as well as her other sisters and father, ii was unlikely Leah would ever consent to leave. He loved her too much to present such a maddening choice, so Jonas was keenly aware he was in something of a dilemma at the moment, and the knowledge left him miserable.

Gid commented on the blizzard as he moved toward the door. "An awful ugly day out."

"Best be careful goin' home."

Despite the nasty weather, Jonas made his way to the house to put on his heaviest coat and muffler as soon as Gid was gone. He

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Will and hitched up I'.li's .sleigh io i ho only remaining horse, as both IN ami Jake weir down die road, visiting Mends in Eli's buggy. No M'llSf Milling for it sunny titty In tell on myself, he decided.

The lo.id was snow packed, widi drills on cither side, and the while NluH was thick in die .in .is .1 lierce wind whipped it, making .fffhig nearly impossible twenty inninte.s or so into the trip. He had

1 mind io nun around, but .inoilui live minutes would get him to dip Pnwdi Hans wlu-ie Bishop Kontrager and his elderly wife irtidrd, iichi door 10 iheii married grandson Luke and his wife, I JiMWii, and lamily, |onas u-ealled it had been Naomi who was '.Mtiie'i* tioiil>lemakii!|', sidekick back when they were both caught up hi I'liiu&ihpiinp.c, ihoiij'Ji Naomi I Kid obviously become a good and I lithlul church nieinbei over the years. And he knew from Leah that adit* had gotten herself straightened out for the better, as well.

Piillinp, into die lane now, Jonas could hardly make out the Bonuager lannhouse nil he got right up next to it. I'll stay just long, nuugh lo it'll tt ho tit the sideboard and then hurry back to Eli s.

Tyiii|', the horse to the hitching post, he clumped up the walkw.iy ih.11 led to the smaller addition built onto the main house. Sud-

1 Icnly he fell unexpected anger well up in him as he realized how put out he was with Bishop Bontrager . . . not to mention his own failicr. T<> ihink the two had conspired against him!

II he didn't get ahold of himself and settle down, he might say some things he'd later regret. So he briefly hesitated at the back door, inhaling th& frigid air several times before knocking firmly.

I he bishop's wife answered, all bent over, leaning on her cane, "t )h, hullo, Jonas." Her eyes and nose were puffy and red. "Are ya here with bad news for this ol' woman?" She shook her head, tears welling. "Didja happen to find him?"

"Who?"

"Why, der Mann . . . he's gone missin' out in this terrible blizzard."

Jonas stepped inside as she motioned for him to do so. "I'm here

10 pay him a visit. I thought surely he would be at home."

She studied him; no doubt she'd overheard her husband speak not so fondly of him through the years. "He's been gone for hours out somewhere in this storm. But. . . there are others already lookin'

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for him." Hobbling over to the wood stove, she picked up the coffeepot. "Wouldn't ya like some hot coffee? Warm yourself a bit?"

"No, I best be goin', but denki!" He opened the door and waved his good-bye. "If the bishop is lost, I'll join the search."

Sadie was thankful for the tranquility of the Dawdi Haus, especially this snowy evening. Having completed all her chores, she curled up on a rug near the wood stove and read Mamma's old Bible. She enjoyed the Old Testament love stories, especially the one of Isaac and Rebekah. Actually, she liked reading all the biblical accounts of courtship and marriage and found herself daydreaming once more. If God wills, I'd like to be a wife again. . . .

She contemplated Rebekah and Isaac's meeting that fine day out in the countryside as Rebekah came riding on her camel. What things were in her heart and on her mind? Did she wonder if Isaac would find her pleasing. . . even pretty? Had she ever wished to be cher-\ ished by a man? Sadie remembered how dearly loved Harvey had \ made her feel during their short marriage. ,

Nearly embarrassing herself with such idle thoughts, she wondered if Eli was thinking ahead to one week from today, when he was to pick her up right at her door and not under the covering of ; night, but during the afternoon.

Sadie couldn't deny how excited she was. Since their meeting was to be the Saturday right after Christmas, she thought about making a card for him, with tatting gently glued on. Jah, I'll do something nice like that.

Snug by the fire, she turned again to the first book of Moses to reread the heartwarming account of Isaac and Rebekah's marriage arrangement.

Jonas might have discovered Bishop Bontrager's toppled buggy an hour or so sooner had it not been for the deep banks of snow. Thankful he had taken the sleigh, he maneuvered through the nar-

205 ^H I'hr h'r v<7'it I ion

^w npeninp, ih,ii li.ul beiome (lie- only passable lane on the road, ^{(1 he spot it'll ilit' uiiir.ii.il shape ol oik- particular drift. From ^HlU \w could lt*ll, n was mil as i.ill and windswept as others he'd ^Hiliiii/t'd while ruling through ihe blinding snowstorm. Halting ^fk luirufi he went In iiivr.siigiUr, pushm;-, mounds ol snow away. A Utillefgd luniugc lay buried beueaih.

l)e ppraifly lit* Ntwdird l

ilfiwf of rirlier a man or an injuicd hoise thus far. Further investi-

pfioit tiftURvd him in corn hide ih.ii 11u broken hitch, as well as the

wmituhtfd EMh'lu^r, miliNl h vt' < uned when an automobile struck

iliiHi hihliidi |t uan hoped the di iver ol ihe car had stopped to assist

lltf hkluipt trtliiiig him io gei medical assistance, if necessary. He

tuuldn't ilitrtnine unyihiii}> less

^ttri, tthlHiUgh ihere w.is no way io know who had been out driving

^thiit Rtnrm. Still, he < ontinucd searching for more clues, his face,

^nidx, and feel I'.iowinr, more numb by the minute.

^M Moving snow away with his gloved hands, he was determined to

PPcl evidence (Ms indy was the minister's carriage. And when, at

l.iM, he i.nne upon a red Thermos with the initials B.B. printed on

i he side, (onas assumed he'd found exactly that.

Noi so eager io go on with his search, except for the possibility ol liiulinj', a wounded bishop, he turned to head back toward his horse and sleigh and stumbled over something large a piece of the buggy, maybe?

S loo ping, he sWept more than a foot of snow away and let out a ( asp lying on his side was the bishop. Jonas shivered into the wind ill I lie shock of seeing him, yet he touched the man's neck, hoping lor a pulse. Upon further probing, he realized how very stiff, even lio/.en, the man of God was.

Noi waiting another moment, he began to drag him toward Ill's sleigh. With all the energy he could muster, Jonas hoisted bishop Bontrager up and onto it, laying him out, face up. Toward the heavens.

The ride was insufferably cold as the exhausted horse pulled the Jeigh back toward the Bontrager home. Our longtime bishop . . . ifatd three days before Christmas. .

206 : Beverly Lewis

There was no way to know precisely what had transpired this bleak and ferocious night, and Jonas was downcast about returning the dead man to the bishop's frail wife. The darkness of the evening and the merciless gale seemed to thrust him through the long, snowv tunnel, and he sent a plea for help heavenward.

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I he iliiys following the bishop's death included the strenuous proii'nn of digging out from persistent, heavy snows, as well as getting Word to (lie People of the bishop's fatal accident. Then, the funeral itirH. While there was still plenty of snow on the ground, the day WH.v sunny with no breeze at all, as if the wind had blown itself out. I'olk from both the Georgetown and Gobbler's Knob church disii k is mined out in droves for the Preaching service and the burial, ihotij'Ji Jonas hadn't noticed Bishop Simon Lapp anywhere in the i towd of men who waited outside before filing into the Bontrager liuiiK-stead or who stood together at the graveside.

But he had seen and talked with Preacher Gid, spending a few |>i iv;ue moments with him during the time the large pine box was carried (rom the front room of the house out to the wide front porch for I lie public viewing. Gid took the opportunity to thank Jonas. " 'Twas .1 kind and generous deed, riskin' your life to search for the bishop."

Jonas said that, despite the circumstances of his Proving, he felt n was only right for him to have located the minister. When all was n.iid and done, he harbored no malice toward Bishop Bontrager. No point in that. '

"I wanted you to know, too, that I haven't said a word to the oilier preacher, nor, Deacon Stoltzfus, neither. . . 'bout the sideIn >ard you made."

208^llj

Beverly Lewis

Jonas perked up his ears. "But I thought "

"It's clear you have no intention to earn money from it ;\ Christmas present to your soon-to-be bride, plain and simple." Gid's breath was like a spiral of smoke. "All that Proving business will need to be discussed at the next ministers' council, I'm thinkin'."

Jonas was relieved to hear it. "Denki."

"No need to thank me." With that Gid walked away, waving his black hat.

It had been a long and tiresome day by the time Jonas and Eli returned home from the bishop's funeral, and the fire in the wootl stove was dying down to embers. Now it was long past time to turn in for the night, but Jonas was still sitting in the kitchen listening to Jake pour out his feelings. It was apparent he had been brooding for some time, although he only this minute had declared that he wanted to meet Sadie. He said it with much certainty, as if his grief at their father's rejection of him had turned into an iron-willed determination to forge new ties.

Jake raked his hand through his dark hair. "Don't ya think that if Sadie had known I lived the night I was born, she would've kept me?" He was staring a hole in Jonas. "Just think how everything would've been different if she had."

"What makes you say this?"

Jake stared at the braided rug for a while before he spoke. "You should know what I'm gettin' at. You love her sister Leah, who's a kindhearted woman, raisin' Lydiann and Abe like they're her own. So I'm thinkin' something of Leah must surely be in Sadie." He paused again, frowning. "If I could have even just a short time with her."

Jonas wondered if Jake's interest stemmed from their being here at Eli's, missing out on their own family Christmas dinner and gift exchange. Mandie had been the only one to hint at them coming over for Christmas, and Jonas felt it wise not to simply show up un-

209The Revelation

plfflWt* I ike Jake, he also felt somewhat displaced this cold andiflniry fvi'iiinj',.

I'll lie sir in' Leah tomorrow," Jonas offered. "I could ask her i. H %\w iliinks of you visitin' with Sadie."

hilu* lemed lorward, nearly falling out of his chair. "Ach, would

I'll Uikc ii bath and put on my for-gut clothes."

I luivc no doubt you'll tidy up, but I think it best if you not get (mi hope set on this. It's such short notice . . . and I'd hate to see i in iTt'lmj';, smartin' on Christmas."

"Oh, I'm sure Sadie will want to see me again." Jake rose and in iked i<> i Ik: window. "What a mighty feiner day!"

Not ivi lain what to say to his overly eager brother, Jonas got up flti went i<> the window, peering out at the stars. "I pray this isn't a SUltikr. "

\\\\\ |.il

"In more ways than one," whispered Jonas, thinking now of liftlinp Bontrager, gone to his eternal reward.

I Abe was the first one downstairs for breakfast, and Leah greeted im with a delighted smile. "Happy Christmas Day!"