Chapter 3

 

Monday near dinner time, John drove in and parked the buggy by the barn. Noah met him and started to unhitch Ben while John walked to the house.

Jim and Daniel were at the table, watching the women dish up the food.

Nora said, “Hi John, just in time for lunch.”

“Gute,” he said solemnly. He walked over to the wash pan and stuck his hands under the water.

At the gloomy sound in John's voice, Hal stopped placing the plates on the table to study him. “All recht, how did the visit to the Jostles go? You don't look happy.”

“It did not go well. Hamish Manwiller should not have gone with us. He is still upset about what the Hostellers did to him and Edna. Our feet barely hit the ground before Hamish was in the front of the wilcom committee. Jake came down from his ladder to meet us. He is remodeling the little hog house beside the driveway so his wife can use it for a chicken house.”

When John paused to dry his hands, Emma urged, “Go on, Daed. Is that family related to the Hostellers?”

“Nah, they are not. Elton shook hands with the man. He told Jake Jostle we were there to wilcom him and his family to the community. Luke Yoder said we were pleased to see him and his family in church and wanted them to continue attending.

Enos Yutzy said a new family is always a wilcom addition to the community. Jake seemed to be warming up to us until Hamish butted in. He blurted out the only reason he came along was to find out if they were kin to the Hostellers.”

“Ach, that's too bad,” Hal said.

“Sure was. Jostle’s face turned red. He asked if that was the real reason we wanted to be so friendly. He said he did not have anything to hide. He heard about the Hostellers. He was told the story by the agent when he bought the farm. He was not kin to them and did not want any more to do with the likes of them than we did. If that was all we wanted to know, he had work to do. He turned his back on us and went back to hammering on the building.”

“Can you blame the poor man?” Tootie asked, tisking.

“Nah, I cannot. I am afraid we are going to have trouble now convincing him that his family is wilcom in this community,” John said, plopping down at the end of the table. “After he opened his mouth, Hamish hated that he upset Jake by sounding so hostile, but too late now. The damage is done.

Emma's expression was troubled. “Now we know that family is not here to cause us trouble. We should try extra hard to convince them we want to be friends.”

The next Sunday evening, Adam came to take Emma to the singing at Abram Beiler's farm. The late afternoon sunlight painted the countryside with pinks and grays.

Adam noticed Emma was too quiet. He elbowed her and pointed to the sky.

“I see it. Very pretty.”

Adam was perplexed when Emma didn't add more. He elbowed her again and wavered his hand in a question.

Emma said, “I am sorry. Did you hear what happened when the wilcoming committee went to the Hosteller compound?”

Adam nodded yes.

“Hamish Manwiller really messed up the wilcom the men planned. My thoughts are with the Jostle family. I feel so bad for that new family. I wish I had not been so quick to start everyone wondering about them. We need to find a way to show them we are not as unfriendly as Hamish Manwiller made us seem.”

Adam gave Sophie her head and wrote, “That family does not help make friends. They haven't shown interest in getting to know anyone. That standoffish attitude is still there.”

“Ach, that is too bad, but can you blame them? Has something else happen?”

Adam wrote, “Luke Yoder took his family to visit. Linda gave Ada Jostle baked goods as a wilcom.”

“That is gute. If they like any family it will be the Yoders. They are the nicest people around,” Emma said.

Adam wrote, “Jake said he was too busy to talk. He needed to work on the machine shed. His wife appreciated Margaret and Linda's visit, but she is real standoffish. Mark tried to talk to the boys. They stuck their hands in their pockets and stared at their dirty feet. They nodded, but it was as if Jake had told his family not to talk to anyone. Luke said he did not have a reason to go back unless they invited him.”

Emma watched the road as she sighed. “Maybe they need more time to get acquainted with everyone, besides Hamish Manwiller that is. It might take awhile for them to trust us. Once they get used to us, they will see we are all recht and friendly.”

Adam nodded no as he wrote, “I heard hammering. Took my hammer over to help yesterday. Jake and the boys were roofing the machine shed. Jake said was not any use wasting my time. They could get the job done just fine without me. Friendly sounding he was not so I left. Got enough work of my own to keep me busy. I will not bother Jake again.”

“Ach, Adam, we cannot give up holding out a friendly hand. I feel so sorry for that family. Imagine how lonely it is for them. They are in a strange place, living among people they think are not friendly,” Emma declared as Adam pulled back on the lines to stop Sophie by the other buggies.

Later that evening after she returned home from the singing, Emma followed Hal to the Lapp kitchen with empty popcorn bowls. “Adam does not think much of the new family. Yesterday, Jake Jostle was not friendly to Adam when he offered to help roof the machine shed. The family did not warm up to the Yoders, either. I want to introduced myself as the teacher. I certainly do not want the boys afraid to go to school this fall. It might help if they get to know me before school starts.”

“Sounds like a gute idea to me,” Hal agreed. “The family need to know I'm the nurse in the area. They left so soon after dinner last Sunday I didn't get a chance to talk to them.”

“But … .” Emma paused as she stacked the bowls in the dishpan.

“What's the problem?”

“I am hesitant to go back to the compound. It is such a scary place for me. I have nothing but bad memories of that farm.”

“There's not anyone there to harm you now.” That didn't comfort Emma. “How about I go with you so I can introduce myself? That way if they need any medical help they will know where to come.”

Emma brightened up considerably. “Ach, denki, Hallie. I would feel so much better if you went with me.”

“We could take them a wilcom to the neighborhood offering. How about a loaf of bread and a jar of your blackberry jam.”

“All recht, but Adam said the Yoders took a wilcom basket already. They didn't think Jake was impressed. He does not care now if his neighbors are trying to be friendly,” Emma said.

“Can you blame Jake after the way Hamish sounded so unfriendly?”

“Nah, I cannot. That is why we should not give up for the sake of Ada and the boys. I wish that family could see we are all not like Hamish Manwiller,” Emma insisted.

“All we can do is keep trying and hope they decide to turn the other cheek,” Hal said.

The next morning, Hal and Emma left Nora and Tootie cutting material into pieces for a quilt. They wanted to make it for Emma and Adam as a wedding gift.

Nora said she was glad Hal and Emma had some place to go for awhile. She didn't want two Amish women watching Tootie and her cut and sew quilt pieces. Tootie agreed that would make her very nervous.

As Hal and Emma went out the door, Tootie said, “I want to cut out the squares.”

“Why?” Nora asked.

“They're easier than triangles,” Tootie said truthfully.

“So? All the pieces need to be cut out.” Tootie's lower lip push out in a pout. Nora gave in. “All right, just start cutting, but the squares are small. I don't see how they could be easier than the triangles.”

On the porch, Hal whispered, “Suppose it's safe to leave them alone while we're gone?”

Emma smiled. “I think their bickering is in fun.” With a sideways glance at Hal, she added softly, “Most of the time.”

That remark made them giggle.

As Hal turned the buggy onto the driveway at the Jostle farm, they noticed the buildings looked worse than they remembered.

“It doesn't take long for buildings to run down when no one is using them, ain't so?” Hal commented.

Emma exclaimed, “Jah, but see how good the hen house looks and the machine shed. Jake has made a difference already on this farm. Look back of the house at that large garden.”

“Jah,” Hal said. “Plants are up enough to row them. Ada has a nice garden already.”

Jake and his boys were by the barn. Jake hammered a board over a hole in the wall. The smallest boy followed his father. He struggled to hold up a heavy bucket of nails high enough that it didn't drag on the ground. The middle boy carried a rotten board over to a pile of scraps. The oldest boy swung a hand scythe, cutting dry weeds along the building's foundation. The wooden handle was longer than he was tall.

They stopped what they were doing to stare at the buggy coming toward them. Emma and Hal climbed down and walked to the edge of the barn yard. They stopped just short of the head high iron weeds and knee high lambquarters patches.

“Gute morning,” Hal greeted.

Jake nodded in her direction.

“I am Hallie Lapp, and this is my daughter, Emma. We noticed you at the worship service and want to wilcom you to the community.”

“Ach, des gute,” Jake snorted. His thick lips pushed a curved line through his bushy beard that said otherwise.

Emma focused on the boys. “I am the teacher. I look forward to seeing you boys in school this fall. What are your names?”

The boys looked at each other and at their father. Jake nodded at them. The oldest boy said sullenly, “My name is Albert. I am done with school.”

“And your name?” Emma asked the middle boy.

His face reddened as he stared at his bare feet. “I am Sam.”

The youngest of the three eyed her and chirped, “Will.”

“It is nice to meet all of you,” Emma said.

Hal added, “I'm the nurse for this area. My clinic is built onto our house. If you need medical help, we don't live very far from here.”

“I know where you live,” Jake said curtly, staring at the hammer in his hands.

Emma looked around. “You are certainly making an improvement on these old buildings. It will be nice to drive by here and see the barn yard filled with animals. Do you have chickens for the hen house yet?”

“Nah,” Jake uttered, eying the hole filled barn roof as if he'd like to get started on it.

“The Wickenburg Salebarn has a small animal sale on Wednesday. That is a gute place to buy chickens and rabbits among other things. That is where I get my chickens,” Emma offered.

“You are busy. We don't want to interrupt any longer. Would it be all recht if we visit with your wife a few minutes?” Jake had a hard expression on his face. He probably suspected their visit with his wife wouldn't be friendly. “Just to say hello,” Hal added.

“Jah,” he answered begrudgingly.

“We will leave you to your work.” Hal turned toward the house.

Emma retrieved the food basket from the buggy as Hal knocked on the front door. Ada Jostle appeared at the screen door, wiping her hands on her apron. In a squeaky voice that sounded like two tree limbs rubbing together in a high wind, she asked, “Jah, what is it?”

“I am Hallie Lapp. This is my daughter, Emma. We just dropped by to wilcom you and your family to the community. Might we visit a moment?”

Ada's thin face showed her weary interest as she eyed the women. She opened the door for them. “Jah, wilcom.”

Hal handed her the basket. “We brought you a wilcom gift.”

“Denki, come in,” Ada said.

Hal and Emma stood just inside the door. It took a minute for their eyes to adjust to coming out of the sunlight into the dim house.

Ada released a nervous cough as she pointed to the three chairs near the heating stove. “Would you like to sit down?”

“Denki, we won't stay long. You must be busy,” Hal said, sitting in one of the chairs. “I want to tell you I'm the nurse for the community. I have a clinic on the side of my house at the Lapp farm. If you need medical help or birthing needs, you can come see me or send a member of the family to get me to come to you.”

“Des gute to know,” Ada said earnestly as she slipped onto a chair.

“I am the teacher. I look forward to your sons attending school this fall,” Emma told her, standing beside Hal.

Ada gathered her apron in her hands restlessly. “Denki. Albert is out of school.”

“That is what he told me,” Emma replied.

An awkward silence fell over the room. It was clear Ada was not used to company or making small talk with women. Finally, Hal tried again. “We'll be having a quilting frolic soon. I can let you know when. That's a gute way to get acquainted with other women in the neighborhood.”

Ada looked uncomfortable about the invitation, but she said politely, “Sure.”

Hal said to Emma, “Perhaps, we should go now.” She turned to Ada. “It's been nice talking to you. We'll see you and your family at the next worship service Sunday next.”

“I hope so,” Ada said in almost a whisper as she stared out the window toward the barn.

As Emma drove away, she sounded discouraged, “That visit did not go well.”

“At least we tried. This is not all our fault. Something happened to make that family distrust people, and whatever it was took place long before they moved here.”

“I told you this place gives me a bad feeling. That same feeling may have rubbed off on that poor family since they moved in,” Emma said.

“Surely you don't believe that can happen,” Hal scolded. “Living here wouldn't instill distrust in them. Just in case though, when people grumble about that family, we need to remind everyone the Jostles aren't to blame for what happened at the compound. Did you notice how frazzled Ada appeared?”

“Jah, that poor soul is worn out.”

“I'm sure she works hard, but worry can be a big part of the way she feels,” Hal said.

The next morning during kitchen cleanup, Hal announced after dinner, she'd take the women over to visit the Weber sisters. Emma wanted to talk to them about baking the wedding cake. While she scraped a plate over the scrap pail, Emma frowned at the suggestion.

“What? Aren't you ready to set up the date with the sisters so they will be prepared to bake your cake? It takes a lot of ingredients for a four layer cake.”

“Ach jah, I know, but Adam told me news after the Sunday service that bothered me. He is working for the sisters. He is building a new kitchen. Adam says something odd is going on over there, but he has not figured out what it is yet,” Emma shared.

“We best find out recht away. I don't mind baking sheet cakes, but I don't want the task of the fancy wedding cake,” Hal assured her. “If the sisters can't bake the cake, we need to find someone else to help us recht away.”

That afternoon, Hal hitched up the enclosed buggy. She walked back to the house and stuck her head around the screen door. “Are all of you ready?”

Tootie gripped her sister's arm. “I think you, and I should stay home, Nora.”

“Whatever for. I want to go,” Nora declared.

Hal stepped inside. “Why don't you want to come with us, Aunt Tootie?”

“We can watch the little girls for you while you're gone,” Tootie offered.

“No need to worry. Daniel is going to stay here while they nap. Besides, we won't be gone long.”

“Well… well, your mother and I really do need to finish Emma's quilt top.”

“Tootie! We only have one row of blocks left. I can sew that much this evening after supper,” Nora scolded. “We're going to visit the Weber sisters.” She pointed a stiff finger toward outside. “Go!”

Tootie pushed her lower lip out, pouting in surrender, but she climbed into the buggy with the others.

Just before Hal drove through the branch, they passed an open buggy driven by a woman. Her passenger was a small girl, smiling as if she was having a good time. Nora said, “Isn't that the cutest little girl? Look at her, Tootie?”

“She is that,” Tootie said shortly.

“That little girl is enjoying her ride. I wonder if the woman is her grandma?” Nora put an emphases on enjoying.

Tootie gave a soft harrumph.

“Hal, that's the first buggy I've noticed that has fenders over the wheels,” Nora said.

“Since I've lived in this area, I've seen several changes in buggies that's for sure,” Hal told her.

From the back, Emma added, “The fenders keep rocks from flying on people and helps with dust control.”

“We're here, Aunt Tootie,” Hal said over her shoulder as she turned into the Weber driveway.

“They certainly have a big enough mailbox,” Tootie observed, looking out the back window.

“Read the sign under it,” Nora pointed out. “All Things Are Open To The Lord.”

Hal stopped the buggy in front of the Weber sisters large farm house. Three horses stopped grazing, trotted to the barn yard fence and whinnied at the visitors. Two were large blond draft horses, and the other one was a dark red horse.

After they climbed out of the buggy, Tootie eyed the horses. Emma told her, “The two work horses are Adam's. He uses them to pull his carpenter wagon. The other one belongs to the Weber sisters. They use that one to pull their buggy.”

Adam's large, carpenter wagon held his tools and work order supplies. It was parked along side the house in the shade while Bobby and Adam worked in the house.

The Weber sisters came out on the porch to greet them.

“Wilcom,” greeted Eve, the tall, thin talkative sister.

Short, heavy set, Esther, a woman of few words, nodded and smiled her greeting.

“My parents and aunt are visiting with us. This is Nora Lindstrom and Tootie Klinefeld,” Hal introduced.

“Come inside,” Eve said.

When the women entered the kitchen, hammers pounded in rhythm in the next room.

“What is going on in there?” Hal asked in a loud voice as if she hadn't heard the remodeling news from Emma.

Esther folded her arms and rested them in front of her apron as she looked at the floor.

Eve replied, “My new kitchen. I can hardly wait to cook in it when the Keim brothers get it built.”

“Oh,” Hal said quietly. Esther didn't look one bit pleased to share this news of two kitchens. It was a good time to change the subject. Though as she looked at the counters filled with breads, rolls and desserts, Hal decided this one kitchen had been plenty productive so far for the two sisters.

Eve said, “It has been awhile since we had a chance to visit. It's so gute to see both of you and your company. Sorry for all the noise, but it cannot be helped.” She pointed toward the table.” Do sit down, ladies, so we can visit. Schwestern, serve our guests a cup of hot tea. I will dish up the sticky buns.”

Esther nodded as she rushed to the stove. She picked up the steaming tea kettle and poured hot water through a strainer, filled with tea leaves, she held over a pan.

Eve scooped six sticky pecan buns onto saucers and put one in front of each guest and two other places for Esther and her. When she stopped by Emma, she clasped her hands together. “We have been expecting you. We hear you are getting married to one of those young carpenters in the next room. He told us so.”

“Adam told you?”

Eve grinned. “Jah, only because he knew we were going to find out soon when you came to make arrangements for the wedding cake. That is why you are here, ain't so?”

Emma simply said, “Jah.”

As she poured the hot tea into a row of cups, Esther added, “Good choice of husbands, Emma. Jesus was a carpenter.” She set each cup on a saucer. “Now, Schwestern, help me serve.”

“Sure!” Eve said curtly as she rushed to get two cups.

“While the tea cools, I am going to say gute morning to Adam and Bobby,” Emma said, heading for the next room.

She didn't stay gone too long.

“That was quick,” Tootie said when Emma slipped into the chair next to her.

“I did not want my tea to get cold, and the men are too busy to talk,” Emma said.

When the cups went empty, Esther asked, “Would anyone like to see our garden? It is doing as gute as it can this summer.”

“I would,” Emma said enthusiastically. “I always learn something that helps me garden when I look at your garden.”

“I believe I will stay here and visit with Eve about the wedding,” Hal said. “The rest of you go.”

Wishing she could listen to the wedding talk instead, Tootie huffed a protest under her breath at being included. She didn't want to look at another garden. She couldn't think of a way out of the garden tour so she followed the others out the door. The garden was important to the Weber sisters, and Tootie didn't want to hurt their feelings.

Hal decided Adam was right. Odd things were happening at the Weber house. “Esther usually lets you show everyone the garden. This is a switch.”

Eve released a gusty sigh as she looked toward the closed door of her soon to be new kitchen. “There is soon to be more switches. A lot is the matter in this house, and it has been that way a gute long time. After all these years, Esther and I still cannot agree on how to cook in this kitchen or plant a garden.”

“That is hard for me to believe. You both do such a wonderful job at everything you do. As for cooking, your food is always delicious,” declared Hal.

“We have always tried to please our customers, but it has not been without disagreements between us. I guess I am not handling how I disagree with Esther as well as I once did. I do not give in as easily as before. Maybe it is I am older and less patient, ain't so?” Eve rubbed her forehead as if thinking about her problems gave her a headache.

“I don't know about that,” Hal said diplomatically. She didn't want to appear to take sides between these two nice women, but she could sympathize completely. She didn't feel old, and she certainly had trouble being patient with Tootie sometimes.

“Jah, you would not yet. Just wait a few years. You will understand better this conversation after you have grown older,” Eve predicted.

“If you don't mind me asking, what do Esther and you disagree about?”

“Eve stood up and pointed to a pot on the back of the cook stove. “The kettle simmering is beef stew to feed the carpenters for dinner and supper. After it simmered an hour this morning, I sampled the stew. I said it tasted just recht.”

“After all these years, I'm sure we all trust your judgment,” Hal empathized.

“You might, but Esther tasted the stew and told me it needed more salt. I told her it was salty enough. She poured a tablespoon full in the kettle too quick for me to stop her. A whole tablespoon of salt mind you. Now I fear the stew is ruined. The Keim brothers will not like it.”

“I see.” Hal stared at the large kettle, wondering how much salt was too much for a pan that size as she searched for words of comfort. She certainly wasn't the right person to talk to if Eve wanted a good cook to side with her. “Well, I wouldn't worry. The men will be so hungry after working all day. They will eat anything.”

“Ach! It looks like they will have to, ain't so? The damage is already done. They have no choice,” Eve moaned, stuffing her hands in her apron pockets.

“Does this disagreement in seasoning have something to do with why you're building the new kitchen?”

“Jah, I cannot keep criticizing my schwestern when she will not listen to me. I do not want to always feel bad for the diners when the food does not taste recht. We will have two menus when the new kitchen is finished. Diners can choose to eat my meal or Esther's.”

“Looks like you solved the problem like Solomon by cutting the baby in half,” Hal offered cryptically.

Eve opened her mouth to respond but didn't when she heard the hollow sound of sensible shoes on the board porch floor.

Emma was the first one in the door. She seemed concerned about something. “Hallie, you really do need to go look at the garden. It is so neat. Not a weed in it.”

Hal assumed that meant Emma listened to the other sister's version of the disagreement. Nora came in behind Emma, and she nodded her head in agreement with Emma. Hal didn't know what she could do to help, but listening didn't hurt anything. “All recht! Esther, you show me the garden while Emma discusses with Eve how she wants her wedding cake decorated.”

“Jah,” Esther said.

Tootie asked, “Did I miss a good discussion about the wedding, Hallie?”

Hal gave Emma an disquieting glance. “Nah, Aunt Tootie, we didn't get around to it so you didn't miss a thing. Now you can listen while Emma tells Eve about the wedding.”

As Hal and Esther went out the door, Emma said, “Can you make honeysuckle flowers from icing? I would like honeysuckles on my wedding cake.”

Hal walked beside Esther on the sidewalk to the garden gate in silence which is what Hal expected. Esther didn't talk much. Hal learned some time ago to give up on providing a running conversation with Esther and just enjoy the mutual silence.

Hal looked across the garden and exclaimed, “Emma is right. Eve and you have a lovely garden this time.”

The elderly woman looked up at her with a weak smile.

Hal pointed across the rows. “What's that staked string for through the middle?”

“That divides the garden in half. The half nearest us is mine, and the other half is Schwestern's,” Esther said quietly.

“Oh,” Hal uttered. “I never knew you to divide the garden before.”

“Ach! We never did. We always planted according to the Amish rule of thumb and our faith in our beliefs.”

“What is that?” Hal asked.

Esther recited, “First, plant five rows of peas: preparedness, promptness, perseverance, politeness, and prayer. Next, plant three rows of squash: squash gossip, squash criticism, squash indifference. Two rows of turnips: Turn up with a smile. Turn up with determination. Finally, five rows of lettuce. Let us be faithful. Let us be unselfish. Let us be loyal. Let us be truthful. Let us love one another. After that, we plant the rest of the garden in other vegetables.”

“I see the rows you're talking about minus the peas. Of course, those are finished by now,” Hal said.

“Jah, I sewed turnip seeds in those rows, and that has not come up yet. We look forward to that crop. The tops make gute greens while the turnips grow.”

“But why did you divide the garden in half?” Hal pressed.

“Schwestern wanted to plant too many vegetables I did not want in the garden. We need more vegetables, we can cook and can, to use for our diners and for our winter use. I could not talk her out of planting her way so I divided the garden.”

Hal said, “I see.” Esther just spoke more words in this conversation than Hal had ever heard from her before.

“Ach! My schwestern is not very practical in her old age and very stubborn as well,” Esther said peevishly.

Hal didn't understand. “What's wrong with the vegetables on Eve's end of the garden?”

“Broccoli and cauliflower for one thing,” Esther said peevishly.

“Those are gute, healthy vegetables, ain't so?”

“They are, but the plants are large. They take a lot of room for vegetables that makes one head and is done. They do not produce enough food,” Esther complained.

“Ach, I see,” Hal said. She didn't know how to dispute that claim. She wasn't any better gardener than she was a cook, and she didn't want to appear to take sides. The garden and the kitchen were disagreements the sisters would have to work out by themselves. “The large yellow marigolds scattered among the vegetables are certainly pretty.”

“Jah, the flowers are doing a gute job of insect control this year,” Esther said, sounding upbeat when she delivered that news.

On the way home, Hal asked, “Emma, do you know the Amish rule of thumb for planting a garden that Esther told me about?”

“Jah, but we do not need so many rows of some of the vegetables so I cannot go by it. It is different for the Weber sisters. They use so much of what the garden produces in their business. Still, it was strange to see a string dividing the garden.”

“Did Esther tell you why the string is there?” Hal asked.

“Jah,” Emma said quietly.

“I'm worried about the Weber sisters. I've never seen them at such odds before. Imagine, their situation is so bad Eve is spending a lot of money to build an extra kitchen.”

“I can see why,” Tootie said. “Asking two women that are sisters to share a kitchen peaceably is like throwing two wet cats in a sack and tying it shut. It's bad enough they have to share a home.”

“Sage advice from your Aunt Tootie,” Nora cracked.