Blessed are the Merciful (27 page)

He entered his room and sat down at a small table and began to sort through his mail. Suddenly he stopped and stared at the familiar handwriting on one of the envelopes. The name Bettieann Ralston was in the upper left-hand corner.

On a dreary day in early March, Rachel Mason was going through the mansion one room at a time, making a list of objects to sell. Income from the American Securities Company had been almost nil since employees had started leaving two and three at a time.

Rachel had been forced to let the cook go. She had done her best to make ends meet and keep them afloat financially. And she had watched her father sink deeper and deeper into despair. The more whiskey he consumed the farther down he went.

In late afternoon Rachel went to the kitchen to prepare supper. Roy Preslan had picked up her father that morning. Roy had come by the previous night, saying that Joseph had to sober up and come with him to the office in the morning. They had to meet with the other officers of the company on a most serious matter.

The meal was about halfway prepared when Rachel heard her father shuffle into the kitchen. She turned to look at him and said, “Supper will be ready in about half an hour, Daddy.”

Joseph slumped onto the nearest chair.

Rachel moved to where he sat and said, “Well?” The smell of
alcohol made her back away a few steps.

Joseph covered his face with his hands. “American Securities is no more. I have nothing but heavy personal debts. We’ll lose the house, for sure. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Rachel dropped onto a chair at the table, burst into sobs, and buried her face in her hands. “Why? Why is all of this happening? I just can’t take anymore, Daddy! I just can’t take anymore!”

Joseph stared at her helplessly, tears slowly gliding down his cheeks. When the sound of Rachel’s weeping became unbearable, Joseph got to his feet and placed a quivering hand on her bent head. Rachel raised her head and looked into his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Rachel,” he said softly.

Her father’s touch brought solace that had been sorely missing for so long. She suppressed her sobs and sat quietly soaking in the feel of Joseph’s hand on her head, bringing comfort to her heartsick soul.

After several minutes, Rachel looked up at him and said, “Daddy?”

“Yes, honey?”

“You said you don’t know what we’ll do since we’re going to lose the house.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Aunt Esther has enough house. I’m sure she’d let us move in with her until you’re able to get a job. Things will be better in Memphis, Daddy. You’ll be away from this house where you have so many memories of Mama. I know you’ll be able to quit drinking then. Is … is it all right if I write Aunt Esther, tell her what has happened, and ask if she will take us in?”

“Yes,” he said nodding. “Go ahead.”

In Memphis, Tennessee, Esther Holden waited for a reply to her telegram. Upon receiving Rachel’s letter, Esther wired them the same day, saying that they were more than welcome to come and live with
her. She asked them to let her know as soon as possible if they were coming, and when.

And while she waited, she prayed. She asked the Lord to use the devastation in Joseph’s life to bring him to Jesus. And she prayed for Rachel, that she would be convicted of her need to be saved and that the Lord would soon draw her to Himself.

Esther was elated when the return wire came, informing her that Joseph and Rachel would arrive at the Memphis depot on Saturday afternoon, March 23.

Although Esther’s house was immaculate, she went about busily making preparations for their arrival. Her gentle heart wanted to soothe their hurts and give them a peaceful place to recuperate from their losses.

The white one-story frame house had four bedrooms. It sat on a large lot some distance from the street. In the summer, Esther’s flower gardens were the talk and envy of the neighborhood, as were the delicious fruits and vegetables she grew. The early spring buds were just appearing on the trees, and the crocus and daffodils were tentatively poking their heads through the soil, seeking the warm rays of the sun.

On Saturday afternoon, March 23, Esther took one last look at the rooms she had prepared for Joseph and Rachel, gave a satisfied nod, and went to the barn for her horse and buggy.

Rachel and her aunt were in the kitchen after Rachel had put her things away in her room. Joseph was lying down in his room.

“Aunt Esther,” Rachel said, “I’m nineteen now. I’m going to find a job so I can pay you for our room and board.”

Esther hugged her and said, “That won’t be necessary, honey. Unless you want to get a job to occupy yourself. But you don’t have to buy any groceries, and I certainly don’t want you and your father paying me rent for living here. I was left well off financially when I sold the farm after your Uncle Clayton was killed.”

“I appreciate your generosity, Aunt Esther, but I am going to get a job, and I am going to at least pay for our food. It isn’t right that we come here and sponge off of you.”

Esther stroked Rachel’s soft cheek and said, “All right, if it will make you feel better.”

“It will. And …”

“And what, honey?”

“And I really believe this change of scenery will help Daddy stop his drinking.”

“I’m praying that what my brother finds here will give him victory over that horrible bottle, Rachel. And I believe the Lord is going to bring it to pass.”

D
ANIELLE
S
HARROW
WAS
JUST
PULLING
THE
CASH
drawer from the safe for the new day’s business when she saw Bettieann Ralston come through the door. Danielle lifted her eyebrows. “No letter yet?”

“Hasn’t been enough time for my letter to get to Seth and a return letter to come back. I only sent my letter a week ago.”

“Well, they should come up with a faster way to move the mail.”

“What, for instance? Have birds carry it?”

“Wouldn’t be a bad idea!”

Bettieann took off her light coat and put her purse under the counter. “I will get edgy, though, if I don’t hear from him by this time next week.”

“Me too,” Danielle said.

Bettieann hit her forehead lightly. “I think both of us are forgetting that we’ve put the whole matter in the Lord’s hands. We’re not supposed to get edgy. We’re supposed to stay out of His way and let Him work.”

“You’re right. The old flesh does tend to get in the way sometimes, doesn’t it?”

They unlocked the doors, and a crowd of customers flowed in.

“Well, here we go again!” Danielle said.

“Brace yourself. The spring fashions are in, and our regular customers know it!”

It was just after lunch when Danielle and Bettieann returned to their department and relieved the clerks who had filled in for them. They were standing behind the counter, looking for customers to help, when Danielle spotted Lillian Ralston.

“Look, it’s your mom.”

Bettieann’s mother was smiling from ear to ear. “Something just came for you, honey!” she said, opening her purse.

“It couldn’t be a letter from Seth,” Bettieann said. “There hasn’t been time.”

“Not a letter. A telegram!”

Bettieann squealed and grabbed the yellow envelope from her mother’s hand. “Mother, Danielle, I hope you understand, but I’d like to read this alone. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” They watched her disappear into the powder room.

“This has got to work out for her,” Danielle said. “I couldn’t stand it if—”

“Now, Danielle,” said Lillian, laying a hand on her arm. “It’s going to be all right. It’s in God’s hands.”

Danielle shook her head. “There I go again. This seems to be my day to let the old flesh take over. Your daughter and I have become such good friends, Mrs. Ralston. I love her so much. But you’re right. No matter what the telegram says, it’s going to be all right.”

Two women looking at dresses motioned to Danielle. She excused herself to Lillian and hurried to assist them.

Lillian browsed about the ladies’ department, glancing every minute or so toward the powder room. After some ten minutes, she began to get worried.

On her way to help more customers, Danielle brushed by Lillian, glanced toward the powder room, and said, “I wonder what’s taking her so long?”

“I don’t know. But if she’s not out here in five more minutes, I’m going in there.”

At that moment, Bettieann stepped out, holding the telegram. She halted just outside the powder room door and set her tear-filled eyes on her mother.

Lillian rushed to her. “Honey, are you all right?”

“Yes, Mother! Oh, yes! Please. Come in here so I can tell you about it.”

Lillian noticed Danielle looking back toward them as she waited on a customer. Lillian smiled at her and nodded, then followed her daughter into the powder room.

“Oh, Mother! Seth’s first words in here are that he still loves me as always. He said because it seemed that it was over between us, he was using the mail order bride system to find a good Christian girl to marry. He says I’m forgiven, and tells me how happy he is to know that I have been born again. He wants—” Bettieann choked up. “He wants me to come to Omaha as soon as possible. We will marry as soon as I arrive, if it’s all right with me.”

Lillian felt her own eyes fill with tears.

Bettieann drew in another shuddering breath. “What does Seth mean ‘if it’s all right with me’? I’d marry him this minute if he were here!”

On Wednesday, March 27, Seth Coleman paced back and forth at the Omaha depot, waiting for the train from Kansas City to arrive. Before leaving his room, he had taken extra care with his grooming. He was slick and polished to a “fair-thee-well.”

There was a white carpet of early spring snow on the ground, but it was melting under the bright sunshine.

Seth had never been so excited. The only time he could remember being more nervous was when the jury was out to decide his fate in the Lawrence Sheldon case. He paced to the end of the platform, made a quick pivot, and bumped into Byron Tucker, proprietor of one of Omaha’s general stores.

“Whoa!” Byron said. “You a bit anxious, Deputy Coleman?”

“You might say that, sir. The young lady I’m going to marry is on the train coming in.”

“Well, what do you know! Gettin’ married, huh? Congratulations.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I’ve got to keep moving,” Byron said. “Bring your bride into the
store real soon so Nellie and I can meet her.”

“Will do, sir.” Seth went back to pacing.

The train made a long curve as it followed the west bank of the Missouri River. Bettieann Ralston caught a glimpse of Omaha’s business section in the distance. She kept willing the train to go faster, yet she was apprehensive about seeing Seth again. Although in his telegram he had assured her of his forgiveness, she knew she wouldn’t be at peace until she could see him face to face and apologize in person.

She opened her purse and took out a small hand mirror. She pushed a few stray curls back into place and pinched her cheeks to give a little blush to her pale face. The train was pulling into the depot as she put the mirror back and closed her purse. She looked out the sooty window at a maze of faces. Suddenly her eyes fell on Seth.

He also caught sight of her, and a huge smile lit up his face. Bettieann waved as the train ground to a squealing halt. She took a deep breath, grabbed her small satchel, and headed for the door and toward the love of her life.

Seth met her at the platform of the coach, opening his arms to lift her off the bottom step. Then he whirled her around and carried her away from the crowd before setting her down.

“Welcome home, sweetheart,” he said, looking into her misty eyes. “I love you.”

“And I love you,” she said, dropping her satchel to wrap her arms around his neck.

Seth kissed her soundly, then before he could say a word, she said, “Oh, darling, I’m so sorry for what I did. I was such a fool to doubt you when you told me you were innocent. I was so upset that day at the jail. I’m sorry for saying I had stopped loving you when I really hadn’t. Please let me hear you say I’m forgiven, Seth. Please tell me—”

“Sh-h-h!” He placed a forefinger on her lips. “Bettieann, you already asked for my forgiveness, and I told you in my telegram that I had forgiven you. That settles it.”

“But …”

“I said, that settles it. Just like when the Lord forgives us when we ask Him to. He never brings our sins up to us again. Sweetheart, let’s just move on and enjoy our life together.”

Bettieann wrapped her arms around his neck again. “You wonderful, wonderful man! I love you so much!”

They kissed again, then Seth picked up her satchel. “I assume you have luggage in the baggage coach?”

“Uh-huh. Four trunks. Do you still want me?”

Seth laughed. “I’ll take you! Trunks and all!”

Seth put Bettieann in a hotel close to his boardinghouse, then took her to the office to meet Chief Houser and the deputies who happened to be there. Houser told her how much he appreciated such a fine lawman as Seth, and congratulated them both on their upcoming marriage. He surprised them by telling Seth he was giving him a week off with pay for his honeymoon.