Wild Heart on the Prairie (A Prairie Heritage, Book 2) (11 page)

Through the spring and into summer, Jan and Karl spent what
time they could spare on the house. Jan focused first on making and installing sturdy
doors and shutters. Most of the windows did not have glass; this year they
could afford glass only in the kitchen, but someday all the windows would have
glass. For now, they would make do with shutters and screens.

In July, Jan and Elli moved into the still incomplete house.
It was easier for Jan to do the finish work while living there. Jan, Elli, and
the children set up housekeeping in the living room while Jan framed in the
upstairs rooms and then lathed and plastered the walls.

Karl and Amalie would stay in the soddy until the upstairs bedrooms
were finished and winter closed in. For the few months until then, Jan and Elli
would taste life as it would be when they and their children lived in their own
home by themselves.

When the family awakened their first morning in the house
they ate breakfast in the living room. Jan had knocked together a small table
for temporary use. After the meal Søren and Kristen waited expectantly for
their father to read to them from the Bible.

Jan blinked in surprise. He had never led his family in
daily Scripture reading and prayer.
Always it has been either my father or
Karl!
he realized. Now, for the first time, he was to realize his role as
head of their family.

“Elli,” he whispered, “Karl has the Thoresen family Bible,
and I do not have one of my own!”

Elli ran to her trunk and brought back a bundle tied up in a
scarf. “My
pappa
and
mamma
gave this to us when we married,
remember? I have been saving it for this day.”

Jan untied the scarf and held the book reverently. The print
on the front cover read,
Our Family Bible
. Jan was overcome at the
import of those words.
Our Bible
.
Our family.

He shook his head in wonderment. Inside, on the family page,
Elli’s father had lovingly written Jan and Elli’s names and the date of their marriage.

Elli and the children still waited. Jan looked at each of
them in turn, giving silent thanks for this day. “Matthew, Chapter 1,” he choked.

It was a moment before he could continue.

Every part of the house was special to Jan, and he worked many
more hours than Karl did on it. He did not mind.
Because it is our house,
mine and Elli’s!
he sang to himself.

Jan cleared a corner in the barn just for carpentry. He put
all his wood craft to work, often toiling far into the night to shape pretty
wainscotings, doors, and trim he knew would please Elli.

The kitchen was of particular importance to Jan. The ceiling
was high and the room was open and airy. He and Elli designed the cupboards,
drawers, and nooks together. Across an entire wall he built shelves for Elli to
display the dishes she had packed in sawdust for their journey from home.

The highlight of the kitchen would be her stove with its
beautiful tiled doors and enameled handles.
Someday we will order tiles with
pretty designs to mount on the walls
, Jan planned.

But Elli’s stove would not come over to the house until Karl
and his family joined them, for they needed a cookstove, too. Until then, Elli
made do, cooking in the living room on the large heating stove they had brought
with them from Omaha. The stove did not have ovens as her cookstove did, but
Elli managed somehow.

Jan lined the cupboard and pantry shelves with cured red
cedar. He sought out the native trees himself, up and down the river, for their
wood’s aromatic and insect-repelling qualities.

He and Elli painted the kitchen walls and the shelves white.
After the shelves dried, Elli—with slow, painstaking strokes—covered the shelf
edges, sides, and backs with the intricate and colorful designs of Norwegian
rosemaaling.

One day soon I must make a wedding chest for Kristen
,
Jan thought.
I will make one even grander than Elli’s and line it with
cedar. Elli will paint it with Kristen and teach her the art of rosemaaling
.
He found that he did not like to think of Kristen growing into a woman who
would eventually marry and move away.

Jan watched his wife work late one evening when they both
should have been in bed sleeping. He thought he had never seen a sight so
beautiful: His Elli, intent but peaceful in her labor, her wheat-colored braids
pinned around her head in a glowing crown, tendrils of hair escaping from her
braids to curl about the nape of her neck . . . Jan’s favorite
place to kiss.

He came up behind her and
did
kiss her . . .
right there, on the back of her neck, pressing his lips against her skin and
then breathing softly over it. She sighed and giggled. Jan placed kisses on the
sides of her neck. He gently rubbed his chin along her jaw.

“Shall we make a new baby in our new house?” Jan whispered,
nuzzling her ear.

Elli sighed again and leaned back into his arms. Jan slowly
took the brush from her hand and put it in the jar with the others.

Summer passed in a blur of unrelenting work for them all.
Jan, even as exhausted as he was, had never been happier. Elli and the children
thrived, but Amalie struggled and was always weary.

Midway through her fourth pregnancy, Amalie had her husband
and three children to cook for, constant laundry to wash—particularly with a
toddler—the soddy to keep clean, and her part of the garden to maintain.

Now that the garden was producing, she and Elli were canning
every day, putting up the food they would need for the winter. They had goat
and cow milk to strain and butter and cheeses to make.

The work never abated.

The men worked from daylight to nightfall bringing in the
harvest. The farmers of the area again made arrangements to cooperatively send their
crops to Omaha.

This year four box cars sat waiting on RiverBend’s little
siding. This year Jan and Karl’s three wagons were filled with their own bagged
grain and corn and with crates of hogs for the feedlots. And this year their
third wagon was pulled by a new team of fine bay Morgans bartered in the spring
for a boar and several female hogs.

Their crops—and especially their fine hogs—would bring in the
money to buy the lumber to build Karl and Amalie’s house in the spring.

As soon as the crops were sent to market, the men would plow
under all the fields in preparation for winter. Then butchering would commence.
The Thoresens would kill three hogs and lay up hams, bacon, sausages, and lard.

Then, as the cold weather set in, Karl and his family would
give up the soddy and move to Jan and Elli’s house. The winter would pass more
easily for them in the house, and Elli would be able to help Amalie. Until the ground
froze, Jan and Karl would work on the foundation for Karl and Amalie’s house.

In the spring after the planting was over, just as they had
done this past spring, the Thoresens would host another house raising: Friends
and neighbors for miles around would come to raise the walls and roof of Karl
and Amalie’s new house. It would be as important for Karl to live close to his
house while he worked on it as it had been for Jan to live close to his.

It will only be seven or eight months, just until Karl
and his family have their own home
, Jan told himself when he thought about
Karl and his family moving in with them.
We have plenty of room; it will not
be crowded like in the soddy.

Of course, they would pass the most important landmark in
June: Jan and Karl would complete and submit the proof paperwork for their
claims. Henrik Anderson and Norvald Bruntrüllsen had already said they would
testify to their proof.

Then this land will truly be mine—at last!
Jan lifted
his head in happy thanksgiving.

~~**~~

After the harvest and after the slaughtering was done, the
German church had a celebration of sorts at the Bruntrüllsens. It was to be a
day of fellowship, food, games, and the sharing of bounty.

Norvald asked Jan to help him organize races for the young
folk, and Jan threw himself into it wholeheartedly. Norvald could not have
picked a better helper, for Jan brought humor and good-natured sportsmanship
into the games.

The children and young adults had not had such fun in many
months. They competed in running races, three-legged races, relays, and gunnysack
races. Jan and Norvald recruited some of the young men to coach the smaller
boys and then compete in team races. Four teams, with members of all ages,
would race.

“You young men,” Jan counseled them, “are role models for
these little ones,
ja
? Help them along and give them good advice. Make
this a fun time and see what a sparkle you put in their eyes!”

The teams went off to a great “Hurrah!” and cheers from the
crowd of onlookers. The young men of one team threw their smallest teammates
atop their shoulders and ran the circuit for all they were worth. The little
boys riding on their shoulders bounced and laughed. Jan chuckled at their
ingenuity and then laughed until he had to hold his sides.

This team was easily on its way to victory—until one of
their leaders tripped. Both he and the teammate atop his shoulders tumbled to
the ground, inadvertently tripping up two other runners, who caused a fourth to
also stumble.

The runners got up laughing and clapping each other on the
back. At the end of the race, every young man hoisted a little boy to his
shoulders and carried him off the field to the shouts and cheers of the
onlookers.

Tomas Veicht gave Jan his hearty approval. “These
kinder
were in sore need of a day of pleasure,
Herr
Thoresen,” he told Jan
through Norvald. “And so were all of us! We have worked hard this year. And do
not the Scriptures say
a merry heart doeth good like a medicine
? This is
a good day!”

At that moment they saw Adolphe speaking to his sons, Ernst
and Frank. They had been two of the young men to carry their little teammates off
the field. Adolphe gestured toward the field where the games were held and
shook his head, then pointed toward the barn. The boys wearily trudged off to perform
some chore for Norvald.

Jan happened to glance at Tomas just then and saw sadness in
the old minister’s eyes. Norvald cleared his throat uneasily.

Jan looked back to Adolphe, wondering again what caused this
man to have such a sour outlook on life. He was startled to see Adolphe staring
back at him, his face set in grim lines of disapproval.

After the games the women set out a feast on long tables in
the yard. Everyone was to eat their fill of fried chicken, glazed ham, and
roasted beef, antelope, and duck; mountains of creamy mashed potatoes and turnips
running with thick gravies; flakey homemade biscuits, jams, and jellies; and
vegetables of every variety.

The congregation slaked their thirst with cool ciders, sweet
teas, and a fruity punch provided by Inge Bruntrüllsen. Another whole table was
set aside for apple, cherry, berry, and peach pies and strudels and cakes of
many flavors.

When all the women and children were seated, the men remained
standing by their chairs. Tomas and the elders led the congregation in prayer.

“Lord God, we thank you for your bounty. Today we celebrate
your goodness to us in this harvest. We thank you for the health of our
brothers and sisters and their families. We thank you for fun and laughter, for
your word teaches us

To
every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose
under the heaven:
A time to be born,
and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time
to pluck up that which is planted
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance . . .

And
also that every man should eat and drink,
and enjoy the good of all his labour,
it is the gift of God.

“Father, we have planted and harvested, and today, Lord, we
laugh and eat and drink and enjoy the good of our labor, your gifts to us.”

“Amen!” the men roared, and the people set to the food with
a will.

Such a good day, Lord,
Jan thought, patting Elli’s
hand and smiling at those sitting near him. The young men of the church in
particular grinned across the tables at Jan.

After the feast, families brought out whatever bounty they
wished to share. This was a time of bartering and selling and sometimes gifting
extra foodstuffs to other families in the church.

Karl and Jan brought late weaners to barter or sell. Others
brought chicks and calves or late produce from their gardens.

One farmer, a bachelor, kept bees. He traded his honey for ham,
bacon, sausages, chickens, and canned fruits and vegetables. Amalie and Elli
were excited to barter a ham for a precious half-dozen jars of honey.

Whoever was knowledgeable of a need within the community—such
as a family experiencing a hard time—shared that knowledge with Tomas and the
church elders. They quietly made known the need to the church. What was given
to meet those needs was set aside. Before the end of the day, Tomas or one of
the elders would ask a congregation member who lived near the family in need to
deliver the gifts.

When the weather turned frosty, Karl and Amalie moved from
the soddy. The move was accomplished one afternoon without too much effort. Elli
peeked into the kitchen. Jan had almost finished reassembling her stove! Her
beautiful kitchen would at last be complete.

Elli and Amalie prepared the evening meal companionably as Karl
and Jan carried in the long table and benches from the soddy. After dinner Elli
unpacked and ironed a pretty blue cloth and covered the table with it. She
smiled. It was ready for breakfast in the morning.

Together Elli and Amalie got the children settled for the
night. Sigrün was delighted to be sharing a room with Kristen, but Little Karl
and Arnie were not so sure about sleeping in a room by themselves for the first
time in their young lives!

The women both collapsed in the warm living room, content to
sip a quiet cup of tea before climbing the stairs to bed themselves. Their men
were still rumbling about in the barn, but would soon seek their rest, too.

The next morning Elli busied herself getting breakfast;
Amalie packed the lunch the men and Søren would need as they went to the river to
gather rock for the foundation of Karl and Amalie’s house. Jan and Karl were
taking advantage of a two-day window before they planned to butcher the hogs.

After the men finished with the milking, the families gathered
for breakfast. Karl placed his family Bible on the breakfast table and
automatically bowed his head and prayed aloud.

Jan sat blinking during the prayer. When Karl finished, Jan glanced
at Elli. She was serving Kristen’s plate but Jan could tell that she was
avoiding his eyes.

Lord
, Jan prayed silently.
Isn’t this my house?
Help me to be gracious while Karl and Amalie are here. But also, help me to
assert myself in a way that pleases you
.

When the meal was finished, Karl stretched his hand to his
Bible. “Excuse me, Karl,” Jan said quietly. “If you please, I will read aloud
this morning. Would you lead us in prayer when we finish?” He opened his Bible.
“We are in Romans, chapter 2.”

He stared as mildly as he could muster at Karl. Karl’s mouth
was open and then he shut it and frowned. “I always read, Jan,” he replied,
somewhat testy.

Elli and Amalie did not look at either Karl or Jan. They
knew how contentious things had been between the brothers in the not-too-distant
past.

“
Ja
, I know,
Bror
,” Jan answered, careful of his
words and tone. “But as this is my home, I have been reading for my wife and
children. I would like to continue doing so. Perhaps we can take turns.” He
cleared his throat. “So. Let us begin.”

He finished the chapter and closed their Bible. “Karl, would
you like to pray for us?”

Later that day Karl and Jan were loading rocks into a wagon.
Søren was downstream from them a ways. Jan could sense that Karl was disturbed.
He hoped Karl would say something so that the tension would be relieved, but
Karl was not a man of many words. Jan wondered if he should say something.

“Jan, I have been thinking about what happened at breakfast
this morning,” Karl finally ventured.

“
Ja
, I have been, also,” Jan admitted.

Karl faced him. “You were disrespectful of me in front of my
wife and children.” Now that he’d said it, his face reddened.

Jan carefully considered his response. “Brother, I said no
disrespectful words. I used no disrespectful tone. I would ask you to look at
the situation from where I am, please. You sat down to eat in my home this
morning,
nei
? Did you consider that?”

Karl frowned more, and Jan hoped he was thinking on what
he’d said. Instead, he repeated himself. “I still think you disrespected me in
front of my family.”

“
Nei
, brother, I did not mean to. But we spoke of
this a few years ago, of you treating me as an equal, eh? Perhaps you can
understand that, in my house, I might feel you disrespected me? Did you not
presume
to lead us without thinking? This is the very thing that has caused strife
between us in the past.”

“Truly,” Jan said, placing his hand on his brother’s
shoulder, “I do not want strife between us ever again. So let us be clear with
each other when we trespass,
ja
? Otherwise, the anger festers.”

Karl considered what Jan asked for several minutes without
speaking. “I am not sure I agree with you, Jan. I will pray on it.”

Jan nodded. “Thank you, Karl.”

~~**~~