Andy (5 page)

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Authors: Mary Christner Borntrager

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Juvenile Fiction, #Religious, #Christian, #test

BOOK: Andy
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Page 38
temper flared up again. If only he could handle that better!
Andy remembered again the agreement with his Dad about building a doghouse. He knew just how he wanted it built. Andy whispered a prayer, "God, help me keep my temper so Dad will let me make that doghouse."
The storm broke, and Andy heard rain rattling his window. He was glad Shep was safe and warm in the barn.
Everything seemed all right again, and finally Andy slept.
 
Page 39
7
An Extra Hand
Fall was a beautiful time as usual, with the leaves turning glorious colors of red, orange, and yellow. It was also a busy time.
Andy and Esther were back in school, but each afternoon they had extra chores to do because Jake and Sam were busy in the fields.
"We must get our winter wheat sowed and our corn cut and husked," Jake told his family one Saturday at breakfast. "The Lord has given us such a good harvest. I'll need to build another crib for the corn. And before winter is over, we'll need more farrowing pens for the sows and piglets.
"Sam, I hope you don't get married too soon. There is a lot to do around here," Jake joked, pretending to look serious.
"Come on, Dad," Sam answered, "I'm not getting married this fall. Even if I were, you know we'll be just as busy five years from now as we are today.
 
Page 40
"Anyhow, all these girls should have been boys," he said, looking at his sisters seated at the table.
They groaned in mock despair.
"If all girls were boys, then who would you take home from singings?" asked Annie.
"Oh, well, you could work harder on Monday if you didn't stay out so late on Sunday nights," commented Fannie.
"If I finally found someone to have me, you wouldn't spoil it, would you?" Sam cast soulful eyes at his sisters. This brought laughter and more jolly remarks.
"Fannie and Annie can do some of the husking," Mother offered, "but I'll also need them to help put away the rest of the garden things for the winter. We have a lot of canning to do."
"You can just say no when people come asking for a
Maut
(hired girl). If you need more help, keep Ellie home for yourself," advised her husband.
"Well, she's old enough to work out, and other families with only young children need her," Lizzie reminded Jake. "And the same thing goes for Roy, too. At their age, it's good for them to get around and learn to know other families."
Esther was too frail to help with much outside work. She had struggled through an attack of rheumatic fever when quite young, and she was not yet as robust as the other children. Yet she could handle many light jobs around the house and garden.
"Well," decided Jake, "I may just need to hire an extra hand for a while until we catch up with some work around here."
 
Page 41
An extra hand meant another man or boy. Now Andy was happy again.
''Dad," he asked, "will it be Cloyce? You said he was a good worker."
"He may have been a good worker, but he sure isn't dependable. We don't even know where he is."
"Let's ask around in town or at the Thursday auctions. Someone might have seen him," Andy suggested. "Maybe he's looking for a job again."
"No, Andy, I want an Amish boy, one who understands our ways. They know how we want things done."
"I'd work right along with Cloyce," offered Andy. "I'd teach him how we do things."
"Well, you'll be in school most days and won't be here to teach him. Anyhow, why do you want him back?" Jake asked.
"He didn't make
Schpott
(fun) of me. I liked when he told me of all the places where he'd been. You should have heard his stories, Dad. He sure saw some sights."
"Ach, he
was
a sight, if you ask me," Lizzie remarked. "That big scraggly mustache and those shifty eyes! I never did trust him. It wonders me now if he took your pocket watch, Jake, and lost it down by the Fish Rock."
Andy couldn't believe that Cloyce would steal. He didn't
want
to believe it. Cloyce seemed like a mysterious but fair guy to him.
"Mom," Andy ventured, "it sounds as if you don't like Cloyce, just because he isn't Amish."
"That has nothing to do with it," Lizzie defended herself. "I didn't say I don't like him. We are to love ev-
 
Page 42
eryone, but we need not like what they do. He has a soul that's of as much worth to God as anyone's.
"He was hungry when he came here, and I fed him. But we need to be on guard against evil, to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
"Anyhow, you know he just disappeared without telling us he was going. So we really don't know who he is or where he is."
"Maybe he needed more than food," Andy remarked.
"Well, he's gone, and what's done is done," Jake said.
"We can't just sit around here all day talking. Grandpa Jesse told me Lester Swartz's oldest boy is eighteen and looking for work. I believe I'll take a run over there first thing this morning and see if he can help us for a while."
Andy wondered if he was hearing right. Surely his Dad wouldn't get one of those Swartz boys to help him. He knew how mean they could be. The oldest one-why, that would be Joey.
"Dad, are you really going to have Joey Swartz work for us? You know how he and Johnny treated Shep and me one afternoon. Couldn't you find someone else to help?"
"Druwwle dich net
(don't trouble yourself). He may learn some things while he's here. Besides, those Swartz boys are good carpenters. I've watched them at barn raisings."
Andy saw that his dad's mind was made up. If Lester and Joey Swartz agreed, then Joey would be that extra hand for the Mausts.
 
Page 43
Breakfast was over, and Jake gave Sam and Andy their work assignments before he left for the Swartz's place.
Andy sought solace in the company of Shep as he headed for the barn and his Saturday work of cleaning out hog pens.
He also comforted himself with a resolution: someday he would see the sights of the world as another extra hand had described them.
Yes, he would! Someday!
 
Page 44
8
Torn Britches
"Since you're getting a hired man," Lizzie told Jake, "I'm glad it's Joey Swartz."
"Why so?" her husband asked.
"He lives close by, so that means he won't be boarding here. We will only need to give him his
Middaagesse
(noon meal)."
Andy secretly wished Joey wouldn't come at all. "Why, oh, why couldn't Roy come home and help us catch up with the work?" he muttered to himself.
One thing Andy was determined to do. He would keep as much space between Joey Swartz and himself as he could. This, however, would not be easy.
Monday morning came and with it came Joey. Shep barked at him, showing his disapproval as Joey rode his bicycle in the lane.
Undoubtedly Shep remembered when he had been hit down at Fish Rock Creek. The dog could not know it was Joey's brother who threw the stone at him. But
 
Page 45
by the way he yipped at Joey, he must have recognized that Joey was at the scene where it all happened.
"Andy, go out and call Shep down," Jake told his son.
Andy would rather have sicced the dog onto Joey, but he didn't. Instead he called Shep to his side, talked to him, and stroked the dog's fine head.
Joey heard the low guttural growl Shep made and slowly edged closer, but with a wary eye out for the dog.
"Du hast besser ihm hewe
(you'd better hold him)," Joey warned. "If he bites me, you're in big trouble, Andy."
"I'm holding him, and he won't bite. He never did bite anyone. Go on in the house. Dad's in the kitchen."
Joey backed across the porch toward the screen door while watching the dog and then was glad to get inside away from Shep.
"Well, I see you're right on time. I like that," said Jake.
"I try never to be late," Joey stated. "Just one thing, though. Could you pen up that dog of yours while I'm here? I don't think he likes me."
Andy had come inside just as Joey made this request. He objected immediately. "Pen Shep up! No, Dad! He wouldn't like that. We've never penned him up."
To Andy's relief, his dad replied, "Ach, nah, that isn't necessary. He'll get used to you. Anyhow, why wouldn't he like you?"
This unexpected question caught Joey off guard. He stammered and struggled to answer. "Ach, well,
 
Page 46
myach, Johnny, he happened to ... my younger brother somehow hit him with a stone one day by the creek. I didn't do it."
"Ya,
ich weese was gewwe hot
(I know what happened)," Jake said. "Now you must win Shep's confidence back. It may not be easy, but you can start by showing kindness to him and his master, too."
"His master?" Joey said, looking puzzled.
"I
'
m
his master," Andy said. "He's my dog, isn't he, Dad?"
"He's the family dog, but he seems to claim you, Andy, and you claim him. In that case, you're his master.
"Well, we'd better get to work. Andy's staying home from school this week to help. Sam, you and Andy hitch the sorrels to the wagon and take some corn knives to open up the back cornfield. I'll help Joey get started building the new corncrib."
Andy was glad the older Amish boys had a week off from school for cornhusking. He did not like school. Most of the children teased him. He longed for the day he would be sixteen. Then he could quit.
However, books were a joy to him. Unlike some of his Amish cousins, he had access to many. Andy loved poetry and had written a few poems which earned him an excellent reward: a Barlow pocketknife from his teacher. Andy didn't know how handy that knife would be before this day ended.
During chore time Joey came to the barn to ask Jake Maust a question about measurements for the crib door. Shep was lying in the feedway, but when he saw Joey, he lost no time getting to his feet. Shep bared his
 
Page 47
teeth and growled, his hair bristling.
Joey also lost no time in making a run for the ladder to the hayloft. In his hurry, the seat of his pants caught on a large spike. There he hung yelling at the top of his voice,
"Kumm schnell! Er grickt mich
(come quick! he'll get me)!"
Andy wanted to laugh when he saw Joey's predicament.
"Er hot dich nau
(he has you now)."
"Make him go away, and help me down!" Joey begged.
"Maybe I willsometime. But first you promise to be nice to him."
"I don't want anything to do with him. I won't bother him. Just make him go away."
"And do you promise not to be mean to me or make
Schpott
(fun)?" Andy asked. He was sure going to take advantage of this situation.
"I promise anything! Just cut me loose!"
"Was geht
'
s
(what gives)?" asked Jake, stepping into the feedway. He had heard the commotion and came to investigate.
"Joey is still afraid of Shep," Andy answered.
"Well, I'll show you how to be his friend. Andy, do you have your knife handy?"
It would have given Andy pleasure to leave Joey dangling for a while, but he obediently produced his trusty Barlow. Jake had Shep sniff the knife, and then he cut Joey free.
"Here now, Andy, you take your knife and give it to Joey."
"But it's my knife," protested Andy.
"I know, but give it to Joey so he can let Shep sniff it

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