Abram's Daughters 05 The Revelation (10 page)

Old Jonathan Lapp seemed to notice the boys, too, and remarked about the youngest Ebersol boy. "He's the spittin' image of his grandpa Jesse, ain't?"

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This brought a chorus of jahs from the men. "The youngster's just as hardworkin', too," the smithy spoke up. "Why, I heard he worked alongside his Dat in the wheat field from sunup to sundown till the harvest was done. Now, that's zfleissich young man!"

Jonas agreed, nodding his head with the others. / was that sort of diligent lad, he thought, pleased to be of good help once again at his father's farm and apple orchard. But there was no getting around his hankering to work with wood he missed the distinct tang of sawdust, the feel of the smooth grain in his callused hands. At times he even awakened from dreams at night that had him back making fine furniture in his shop near Apple Creek. To think he'd initially convinced himself he would not chafe under the stern discipline of Bishop Bontrager. In the short time since his return, he had already failed miserably.

Leah foresaw this. How well she knows me. . . .

Leah as pretty at thirty-three as any of the courting-age young women present here today, he decided. He supposed he might be a smidgen partial because he just so happened to love her with every ounce of his being. Seeing her sitting with Sadie, Hannah, Lizzie, and the other women folk during the wedding ceremony had stirred up even greater affection for his intended, to the extent it had even crossed his mind to ask her to ride with him afterward today in his father's buggy. Though he wanted to in the worst way, he knew better than to break with tradition, especially now when he needed to adhere to the Old Ways of the Gobbler's Knob church more than ever before.

"Jonas hullo!"

He spied Abram and Gid strolling up.

"Gut to see ya," called Gid.

"And you, Preacher," he said, mighty glad to see them both. He wanted to say something about the enthusiastic way Gid had delivered one of the wedding sermons but decided not to embarrass his brother-in-law-to-be. Besides, talking about sermons and such just wasn't done here as it was in Apple Creek. There he'd often stood around with the men after a Preaching service, discussing the sermons and even some of the Scripture references, something he'd enjoyed immensely.

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"Awful nice day, ain't?" Abram said to the group of men, giving Jonas a bit of a nod.

First time I've encountered Leah s father since my return. . . .

Gid glanced at the sky. "This sort of weather won't hold out much longer."

Several of the older men stepped closer, and one began to tell a siory. Jonas listened and watched with interest as Abram stood downing quite hard until it was said a man named Noah Fisher had lost his dentures in his outhouse a day ago.

"Well, what'd he do?" Abram asked, laughing and pulling on his long beard.

"The old fella just let 'em be. Said, after looking down the hole, 'I'll be gummin' it the rest of my life,'" the storyteller answered. "And just who's to blame him?"

That got Gid going with a story he'd heard while harvesting corn. "A fella from Ninepoints has a cousin out in Walnut Creek, Ohio, who has twelve children and a hobby of workin' with wood" here, Gid looked right at Jonas. "But honestly, if he didn't have all four legs put on a new high chair before he reckoned what liis wife wanted it for!"

"Now, that's a thickheaded fella, ain't?" Abram grinned, making eye contact with Jonas for the third time.

Removing his hat, Jonas ran his fingers through his hair, feeling like he was beginning to fit in somewhat. He opened his mouth and offered his two*cents' worth. "I'd say after four or five young'uns, he would've figured that one out."

The men who were smoking removed their pipes to let out a belly laugh, and Abram put his hand on Jonas's shoulder. "That's a right gut one, son," he said.

Son . . . He had not mistaken what he'd heard. Such a bold attempt on Abram's part, and in front of so many other men, too. Jonas had no doubt now: He would approach Leah's father when the Proving time was over, and Abram would receive him even offer his blessing to Jonas and Leah.

A long time coming. Even in spite of all that had transpired between them, he had every good reason to be obliged to this man. Truth was, Abram had been the one to write a letter of invitation,

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making the first welcoming gesture to Jonas, sending it to Ohio by means of Jake not so many weeks back.

The fences are mended, he thought, mighty glad to have come here on this bright and clear, wonderful-good wedding day.

Sadie busied herself indoors, helping set the very special corner table the Eck for the bridal party. There in the most prominent place in the front room, the bride, bridegroom, and their attendants were soon to be seated. As she was placing a folded napkin on the bride's white plate, she happened to glance out one of the westfacing windows and spied Eli Yoder wandering over to a group of men that included Jonas, Gid, and Dat. She was heartened by the warm, smile and decidedly firm handshake her father and brotherin-law seemed to be giving the handsome widower just now.

What could Dat be saying to Eli? she wondered, lowering her eyes to the table. She would not be caught gawking. Sadie sighed and willed herself to keep moving down the table, putting out the utensils and napkins as quickly as possible.

Even so, she couldn't help but speculate as to where Eli might end up sitting for the noon feast. If given the opportunity to get acquainted, she must be careful not to reveal how fond she was inclined to be of him.

She found herself daydreaming about what it might be like to talk with him, although she knew from overhearing some of the older women in the kitchen again today that an elderly matchmaker had arranged for a private meeting for Eli with Ella Jane Peachey. This news had saddened Sadie a bit, but she would not let on to a soul.

She hurried now to the kitchen, where she and Leah and several other women had been asked by the bride's mother to serve the roast duck and chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing. She opened the gas-operated refrigerator, a newfangled addition to the community. Surprisingly, the bishop had given his blessing for this convenience, and a few families had replaced their old iceboxes.

"Nice big crowd of folk," Leah said when she saw her.

"Seems everyone's turned out for this wedding." 89

"And there's someone here from elsewhere, too," her sister whispered.

Sadie flushed pink. "Best not be sayin' that now." With Bishop Bontrager in attendance, she felt they should be especially cautious, the way it seemed he'd chosen to point fingers at their family. "Do ya plan to walk home, by any chance?" Sadie asked, changing the subject.

"Hadn't thought of it, really."

"Now, sister ..."

"Sadie, pleased" said Leah, an embarrassed smile on her face.

Touching her sister's hand, Sadie let things be for now. She could only hope, even pray a bit, that Jonas might drive his buggy right past Leah as she walked along the road and exchange a few thoughtful words before heading on his way. Even though Sadie pretended to be ignorant of their secret meetings, she was sure Leah Imd Jonas were seeing each other again, and the thought pleased her |o no end.

I Sadie felt like a matchmaker in her own right had so much to make up for, truly.

It wasn't hard to locate Old Lady Henner's grandson Zachariah among the menfolk, although Hannah couldn't just go and approach him out near the tobacco shed, where he stood puffing on a pipe. As a general rule, the women didn't mingle with the men outdoors at weddings or on Sundays. This day, of course, the women relatives and friends of the bride from her church district busied themselves with setting out the spread of food, so there was no time for Hannah to peek out the window and wish for a way to relay a message to Zachariah. On second thought, she supposed she could say something to his wife, Mary Ann. Jah, that might work. . . .

Fact was, ever since her visit to Mary Ruth on the day of the beginner quilting class, where both Leah and Mary Ruth had talked nwful straight against hex doctors, Hannah had grown more determined than ever in her desire to pursue the healing arts. Getting better acquainted with either Mary Ann or the newest Amish doctor in the area, Zachariah himself, seemed the best way to do that. More

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and more, she honestly coveted having the type of know-how Old Lady Henner had once possessed an ability to heal with hands and words that the elderly woman had transferred to Zachariah prior to her death.

/'// invite Zachariah and Mary Ann for supper next week. She made up her mind before even thinking of asking Gid, something she knew she would get around to sooner or later. For now, though, she hoped she could sit next to Mary Ann during the meal out here in the Kauffmans' long kitchen.

"So, did ya end up on foot all the way home today?" Sadie prodded quietly because she and Leah were sitting in the kitchen of Dat's house.

Leah ignored the question and motioned for her to slip back toward the screened-in porch, a frown on her face. "I ought not be sayin' this, prob'ly, but Jonas says Jake's awful put out with our bishop."

"Why's that?"

"Well, for slappin' an unnecessary Proving on Jonas. Evidently Jake threatened to see the bishop 'bout getting it lifted early one of the reasons, supposedly, he saved up money to come all the way back home."

"For goodness' sake! Jake hasn't any influence on our bishop, does he? He's very young."

Leah put her finger to her lips. "Shh, just listen." She leaned toward the doorway, checking to see if Dat or Aunt \1tlvz was anywhere near. When she seemed satisfied they were indeed alone, she continued. "Jonas told me his little brother is up in arms 'bout plenty of things. For one, Jake doesn't understand how young men can be sent off 'to a foreign land,' as he put it. He knows Gid went to see Peter Mast back last summer. Perhaps he expects the bishop's behind that."

"I wonder how word of that got out." Sadie felt pressure in her shoulders and at the back of her neck as she contemplated whether

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juke might discover she and Leah were behind his being sent to

Ohio.

" fake is also bent on findin' out why Jonas isn't allowed to earn a livin' by making desks and hope chests and other furniture. He says hip .iiul down that Jonas was given the go-ahead by the Grasshopper I ,cvcl bishop to learn the trade back when." "Jonas said all this to you?"

I ,eah was nodding hard. "Jah, and he's tryin' to talk Jake out of lining such a rash thing. Says it's not his place to approach the lu.sliop . . . 'tis rilpsich rude."

"But since Jake ain't baptized yet and likely won't be joinin' the (Gobbler's Knob church after all, there's nothin' to lose, really."

"I hope Jonas wins out on this, since I expect he knows best." Then her face clouded. "I hate to see strife 'tween two brothers who m .ircely know each other."

Sadie touched Leah's arm. "You mustn't fret, sister." \ Leah stared off into nothingness, as if pondering it all. "It does I rein Lydiann's kept her promise to us, which is a relief." | "Thank goodness for that," Sadie whispered, although secretly wishing there might come a day when Jake could learn the truth .11 tout his past without causing a calamity. If they could simply by| p.iss the wretched mess it was bound to create if the Masts found our Jake was not their boy and move right to Sadie's getting to know i Ikt son, that would be fine and dandy. Of course, she knew that was i i oinpleteh/impossible.

| Leah spoke again ever so softly. "Time will tell 'bout Lydiann, but I'm wishin' she might simply send Jake a letter to break off their courtship."

"But how miserable would that be for him? Not hearin' it to his lace . . ." Truly, Sadie was thinking like a mother again, caught in I he middle as she was.

Leah shook her head. "You can't have things both your way and i he best way, Sadie."

She knew this well enough. Ach, what a frustrating state we're in! Jake would be terribly dejected once he heard the news from Lydiann, and what reason would she give for the sudden and hurtful turn of events? Lydiann had been put in a most difficult, even awk-

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ward situation. No wonder she was spending so much time in her room between chores, brooding around the house as if her last friend on earth had upped and died.

Naturally, she feels that way. Sadie sensed misery ahead for both her precious sister and for Jake.

From the present conversation, she knew now that Jonas had indeed invited Leah into his carriage and taken her quite a ways toward home. Sadie couldn't be happier for them, being able to spend time alone today, no matter the subject of conversation.

What Sadie would not reveal to Leah was her momentary disappointment when she'd spotted Eli and Ella Jane sitting across the table from each other at the wedding feast, randomly paired according to age the oldest men and women being seated and served first. She was too aware of the twinkle in Eli's eyes when he smiled, as if Ella were the prettiest woman in the very crowded room.

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IVIore than anything else, Abram enjoyed reading the Bible aloud id his family. This evening was no exception as Lizzie and the others in his household gathered around him in the kitchen, beneath the i iitle of gaslight. He also planned to pray aloud tonight, having eliminated the former silent prayers of each and every night a good many years ago.

I Truth be told, he drew tremendous joy from his regular reading

1)1 God's Word. Scarcely could he keep his nose out of his old Gerpnan Bible or the English one, as well.

Just this past we^k he'd spoken again with Gid about some of the wondrous things he was learning, cautiously sharing chapter and verse with his preacher son-in-law, though no longer caring what might happen if Gid reported him to the bishop for "studying" cerlain books or chapters that had never been referred to or preached on during his lifetime here in Gobbler's Knob. No, he was willing to lake the chance of being called in by the church brethren if it came id that. But he had been praying, even beseeching the Lord to help him share openly with Gid from the Holy Scriptures. Gid, after all, Intel been showing more signs recently of being interested in seeking otic spiritual truths, just as Abram delighted in his and Lizzie's holy hunger for the Lord God.