Gene quietly closed his history book. "Yes, Mr. Pickerel," he replied, stood, and walked with a brisk step to the front. Turning to face the class, he inhaled a deep breath. With a composed air he began, "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds...."
********************************
"So, how was school today?" Jed asked as they let the last cow out of her stanchion. "Go on out now Junie!" He gave her a slap on the haunch as encouragement. "Hey, I can get one of them...!" he exclaimed as Gene picked up the heavy five gallon milk cans, one in each hand.
"I know, but it's easier to carry when I have the same weight load on each arm...besides, you can grab those milk buckets... Oh, it was a good day. Any day with David as a teacher is good," his dimples punctuated his grin, and his blue eyes lit up. "He's a challenge to keep up with though."
"Ha!" Jed flipped the barn lights out, and grabbed the milk pails. "That's what he says about you..."
"What's that?"
"He says you're a challenge to keep ahead of."
Their boots crunched in the cold blue snow, and their breath hung in white clouds against the darkening sky as they puffed through the early evening along the path toward the house. Agnes was watching for them and flung the back porch door wide.
"You two look like winter scarecrows, your mittens sticking out of your stuffed coats. If it weren't for puffs of white frost coming out of those mufflers..."
"Well, you're a sight for sore eyes, Agnes. And how's baby Nissa doing?" Jed brought the foamy pails of milk in to the separator.
"She's sleeping now, the little elf!" Agnes smiled. "She's the funniest little thing!"
"It seems like she's always doing something now don't it!" Jed's smile answered hers.
"For being only three months old, she sure seems to rule the house already..."Agnes switched the bucket of skimmed milk for an empty bucket.
"Here," Gene said grabbing the can of left over skim milk..."I'll take this out to the pigs. You stay in and get warmed up, Uncle."
"Good job. Don't mind if I do!" he said unwinding the scarf from around his head.
Taking off his heavy yellow mittens, he shivered and watched as Gene headed back out with his burden. "You know, Agnes, everyday I'm so thankful for that boy, and for baby Nissa."
Agnes took his hat and scarf over to the hooks as he shoved out of his coat. "I just wish there was some way we could have cleared him from those charges. We all know he didn't do it...not the shop keeper's windows, or the money at the hotel. Can't figure it at all. Who would do such a thing, and why?" her face creased into a frown. "In a way it was nice to have him home...you boys had plenty of work to do, and got in some good fishing...and old Shep..." she stopped to fork the pork steaks onto the platter. "Old Shep was in dog heaven with his boy back home."
"You let me finish here," Jed took the platter, "Go check on baby...Gene's coming in and we'll get the food on..."
"It's plenty cold tonight," Jed said after supper, as he scooted his chair closer to the wood stove. "Good to have plenty of fuel. What you studying on tonight?"
"American History," Gene handed him his book.
"I sure don't remember studying this when I was in school," he turned a few pages carefully. "There aren't many pictures in here, are there?"
"No, not many pictures...I'm not sure where David got the book. It's not one they are studying here, right now."
"Well, it looks beyond me," Jed handed it back.
"Let that baby's favorite older brother hold her, would you?" Gene teased Agnes as she came in from the parlor vigorously patting a fat pink bundle of baby blankets. He put the book on the end table, and held out his arms. "There, there!" he took over where Agnes left off.
He was soon rewarded with a healthy burp from the depths of the frilly blankets. "I bet you feel much better now, don't you!" and he began to jounce little Nissa gently as she cooed and smiled.
"Well, they say babies can't smile at this age, but if that's just gas pains, she seems pretty happy about it!" Jed said with a smirk.
"You Wades were always precocious," Agnes said.
"Pre- what? I can't even say it let alone be it!" Jed scowled at his wife.
"Means we're ahead of our times," Gene replied with a laugh and made faces at the baby who cooed back at him.
"Well, let me have that little tyke. Stop hogging all the attention."
"You two! You're going to have that baby spoiled the way you fight over her! She already wants me to hold her all the time..."
"I guess I need to get to bed anyways. I have to be at school early in the morning. It's my month to help get the fire wood in, and have things around for David," Gene stood up and gently handed the baby to Jed.
"How's David been doing this year?" Agnes looked up from a sock she was darning.
"The cold weather and snow has been hard on him...he's not used to dealing with limitations. And I think he's been rather frustrated."
"Oh, that's too bad," Agnes said with a sympathetic note. "Little Eric has been colicky, but he seems to be getting better, and Bessie is doing....well, we'll both be so glad when spring comes. This being house-bound gets old."
"It's not so bad as the old days--with the telephone you can call, and with the automobile at least it isn't as cold on the little tykes when you can get out," Jed said. "I think the little punkin's asleep. You better take her on up and get to bed yourself. I'll bank the stove for the night and be on up."
"Good night then," Gene said. He opened the stair door, "Boo!" he involuntarily sucked in his breath as a blast of freezing air hit him. "It sure is cold! Here, Aunt, let me take baby on up. You just bring yourself..." he took the sleeping little bundle from her.
"Thank you, Gene...Hoo!" Her teeth began to chatter. "You're right--it is cold..."
Metal scraped against metal, and Jed smiled as he prepared the fire for the night. It gave him a warm contented feeling to hear his family jabbering on their way upstairs. It was a complete feeling. Baby Nissa had only been with them for a few months, but Jed could not imagine life without the little darling, or without Gene either...
*******************
"Thank you, Gene," David said as he shivered deeper into his coat. "Don't know what I'd do with out your help."
"Oh, you'd manage somehow...should be getting warm in here soon," Gene rubbed his hands together warming himself in front of the school house stove. The flames sent heat radiating close around the stove. He reached up and adjusted the damper to allow more draft into the fire box. "Yes, more heat, but not too fast."
"Well, I appreciate the help. The rest of the students should be arriving soon..." David said and crisp voices punctuated his words, ringing through the frozen air from outside the school house. "I would like you to come over for a little while after school this afternoon. If you have some time to spare, that is?"
"I can do that...for a little while. What is it?"
"I've got some things I need to discuss with you, but it will wait until then. Nothing too important. Bessie would like the company too. She needs a diversion, she's been housebound too long."
"Aunt was just saying the same thing the other evening. Do you think this snow and cold weather indicates the drought and dust have passed?" Gene stood by the stove in the middle of the school house as David walked to the door to ring the school bell.
"We can surely hope..." David stood on the front stoop and the bell began to clang. "Now, now," he reprimanded occasionally as students filed passed him into the foyer to hang their coats on the pegs, and put their lunch pails on the shelf.
The classes winged their way through the morning, and after the prayer for the lunch time meal the students hurried through their cold sandwiches, hot soups, and some finished with cake, apples or canned fruit from the family larder.
"My sled's bettern' yours!" Sammy Summers hollered at Larry Hill as they threw their lunch pails on the shelf and made a dash for the cloak room.
"Boys!" David's voice commanded.
"Yes, Mr. Pickerell," they both stopped immediately.
"When you are hasty in that manner, what often happens?"
They looked at one another, then back at their teacher. "We are forgetful of others around us..."
"Yes, and then what?" he prompted.
"Someone gets hurt, or...we're sorry, Mr. Pickerell." They bent to help five year old Ruth Goodnite pick up her mittens. "We're sorry, Ruth," they said.
"S'awright," she wiped a tear off her cheek.
"You boys, may go, but you will each need to give Ruth a turn on your sleds," David decreed.
"Yes, Mr. Pickerell," they said.
"Whew," Sammy whispered to Larry. "I'm glad we didn't have to stay in and clean the blackboards..."
"Yeah, me too," Larry whispered back as they pulled on their boots and mittens and scooted out the door. "Come on Ruthie...when you come out we'll give you rides..." they said as the door shut.
Gene stopped winding his scarf around his head and face, "Here, let me help," he held Ruth's mitten up for her as she poked her right hand in, then did the same for the left hand.
"Can you help me with my scarf too, please?"
"Why, sure I can," Gene smiled down at the pixie faced little girl. "Where's Wanda?" he asked about her older sister.
"She's had a cold, and her'n Maude are getting ready for the spelling bee."
"Oh, I see," he wrapped the scarf around her face and tucked the end in so it would not come loose. "That should do it. How's that feel?"
"That is just right," she said pulling the scarf down just enough to speak. "Gene Wade, I don't care what anybody says...I know you didn't break them windows, and when I grow up you can be my beau!" her scarf slid back into place and she stumped to the school house door.
"Out of the mouth of babes," David smiled down at Gene who was still kneeling at the five year old's level.
"I think that was supposed to be a compliment," Gene said standing up. He finished winding his scarf around his head and face, not looking at David.
"Gene?" David touched his sleeve.
"Yes?"
"It was meant as a compliment. She doesn't know anything of the grown up world. Ruthie only looks at the truth in action and knows it for what it is."
"I suppose it's part of knowing something's true--in spite of what might be said."
"Just take it for what it is--a compliment. Don't forget, our appointment after school."
Gene slipped out the door, and found a spot to sit in the sunshine out of the wind. He had a warm peaceful feeling as he listened to the shrieking and laughter of thte children sledding. There was a good amount of snow and the sledding hill was just right. He remembered the camaraderie he had enjoyed for the past three years, and pondered on how it had evolved and changed as he became one of the older kids. Soon, he would be leaving maybe for high school in town, or maybe just leaving for a job somewhere...
"Hey! Wade!" the voice interrupted his thoughts.
"What is it, Howard?"
"Come on and try my new sled."
"Sure. When did you get a new sled?" he stood up.
"Pa, Randy, and Kenny made it for me...birthday last week," Howard flashed a grin at Gene. "Pretty hard ta keep it a secret. You know how Kenny is about spillin' the beans, but he didn't say a word..."
David found school days full and interesting, but he still tired more easily than before the attack. It had been a full day of school, and he sighed as he looked over the blackboards. "You've done an excellent job. You may go now," he dismissed Doris and Don Avery.
"You have enough books here to carry home!" Gene helped David collect his books. "I'll just pile them on my sled...So, how's the new house working out?" they walked towards David and Bessie's, Gene pulling the load of books along behind.
After a silence "It will be planting time again soon," Gene said.
"What was it you said?" David asked.
It was not like David, Gene puzzled. David's thoughts were somewhere else. Gene's eyes scanned the azure blue sky as their footsteps squeaked along the road and up the drive. Something was missing... The field beside the road was barren and white with the glittering thousand tiny jewels shimmering in the late afternoon light. Blue shadows that highlighted the meringue peaked snow were dotted across the landscape. The salt box shaped farm house sat at the end of the drive surrounded by trees. On the north side an acre of twisted and gnarled fruit trees poked at the bitter cold blue winter sky, on the south was the standard large red barn. The view promised that in a few months there would be green leaves, fruit blossoms, and flowers, but...?
"How's the new house..."
"Well, it's like this...I need to be able to check on Bessie and little Eric during the day. I can't leave the school room for lunch time. What I'm wondering is if I could pay you to run over at lunch time to check the fire, and make sure every thing is alright... Bessie's mother comes over as often as she can, but she lives too far away, and..."
"I can do that, you don't need to pay me... Is everyone alright? No colds, or...anything?" Gene could see a little trickle of smoke wisping from the chimney, but not enough for as cold as it was.
"I think if we could keep the house a more regular warmth it would help, but with me away all day...and Bessie isn't able to keep up. If you are willing, then I'll show you what you need to do..."
"All right, that will be fine...." Gene shivered when they stepped into the cold house.
************************************************
"Jed's going to take me to visit Bessie this morning," Agnes said. "I'm so glad that you've been able to help David and Bessie out. Bessie called me today. She says you're a regular good cook... She and the baby are getting on so much better! She's thinking in another week they should both be back on the mend. Now, there's your lunch pail all ready, and don't you worry about taking off on your lunch time."
"It hasn't been a problem, and David has done so much for me," Gene paused to take a forkful of his biscuit, sausage and gravy. "It seemed the least I could do."
"Finding those special school books for you--why, he went the extra mile-- "Agnes said.
"We should be starting spring plantin', you goin' to be able to help?" Jed asked as he ladled gravy onto his sausage and biscuit.
"Jed, you've just smothered your biscuit and sausage...how can you even find them?" Agnes said and laughed.
"Well, darlin'," he said cutting a bite of sausage, "Just watch and I'll show you how..." he winked at her as he scooped the whole thing into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed, "Very good!" he closed his eyes as if in satisfaction.
"Oh, Jed!" she exclaimed, "...is that the baby?" she said and jumped up, "Now, Gene, remember what I said..." and she scurried out of the kitchen.
"Yes, we're about at spring break, and I'm ahead in my school work," Gene said with a frown.
"Ahead in your school work?" Jed exclaimed his eyes growing large with amazement. When David mentioned what a challenge it was to keep ahead of Gene, Jed had not realized what he meant. Jed chewed his food in silence and thought about the stack of books that sat beside the door. "So, what you plannin' on doin' after this school year...goin' to the high school in town?"
"I don't really know, Uncle. Maybe, or maybe I'll just stay at home here and work. Maybe I could get a job with the WPA...or something."
"An education isn't something to throw away, boy. You've come so far..." Jed knew as long as Gene had the charges hanging over him he would not feel free to go on in high school. What a shame. What a down right shame! "I wished I could help ya, Gene. How's David coming with Spike...has he made any progress at getting him to come around?"
"No," Gene stirred his hot coffee and sat staring into the dark brown liquid. "No, he hasn't, and sometimes I think last summer was just a...a dream, a mirage that never really happened."
"Life kinda sneaks up on a body like that sometimes...I sure wished I could help ya, but I just believe we have to be patient. Like David's lesson there awhile back. 'Wait on the Lord. He'll make everything plain'."
"Not soon enough for me," Gene muttered into his coffee. "Guess I'd better get going. I've about a week and a half of school before spring break. Will that fit into your schedule?" he spoke over his shoulder as he carried his breakfast dishes over to the dish pan. "That snow melt sure made things muddy!" he said as he turned toward the door.
"Should be fine. I've got the 'quipment pretty near ready to go...Barney and Sal's ready too. Been a long winter for them, and now all this mud! See ya this after noon..." he called after Gene's good bye.
"I don't know Agnes," he spoke as she brought the baby into the kitchen. "I'm kind of concerned 'bout him. He's still Gene, but this here trouble in town's eatin' at him. I'm praying it doesn't make him bitter. Don't want..." he rubbed a hand over his face, "Aw, I don't know, it kind of gripes me too, but there's nothing to be done 'bout it." He said and held out his hands and smiled at the baby.
Agnes handed baby Nissa to Jed. "More coffee?" she brought the pot and filled both their cups. She sat down and began to pick at her remaining sausage and biscuit. "No, that's what bothers. It's never proved or disproved," she stabbed the sausage absent mindlessly.
Jed jiggled Nissa and smiled at her as she cooed up at him. "I was in ta Robinson's the other day for a can of axle grease," he took a drink of coffee, "I got the real feeling I wasn't welcome in there, and I walked into Gordies'...same feelin'."
"Gordies'? Why, their place isn't even on the square!"
"No, but that's just the way it is. People's kind of divided up, I guess. I went in the dry goods store right beside Robinson's the same day. They lost a window same as Merle Robinson did...they were just as friendly as ever, there wasn't a problem," he said with a shrug.
"Do you think David can help?"
"He's been a strugglin' trying to recover. I dislike asking him, but maybe with spring break coming on and all..."
"I'll be so glad to get out of the house this morning...it's been so long since I've been to see Bessie! Maybe I can ask what she thinks..."
*************************************************
How much different this room looked to David. The first time he sat in the back row watching a young woman with golden hair respond to irate parents and a school board. So many things had happened, so much wind under the wings. The children were familiar now, their lives, their families. A prayer for divine blessing and protection rose in his heart...what would this day hold? How would it end?
As David rapped with his ruler on the desk, "Class, it is time to begin. Turn to the front, fold your hands on the desk in front of you, and I will begin with Psalm eight this morning..." the leaves of his Bible whispered as he turned to the Psalm. "Psalm 8:1" he announced in his deep controlled voice. As he began reading the words swelled out on the quiet morning air like the swell of Jordan River over it's banks, "To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David... O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
He looked out over the room, "Amen!" he said with emphasis. "This is our last day for the spring quarter. Every one here has done a good job, and I feel has put forth great effort to make this a memorable school year. We will now break into small groups to put some last minute practice into our assigned projects. At nine o'clock parents will be arriving for the morning program. The picnic will follow, and a kitten ball game after that..."
There was the scurry of feet and excited tones as the youngsters broke into their groups. In one corner several students began practicing on their recitation pieces. Across the room in the other corner there was a small play in progress, and in each of the back corners there was the nervous flutter of activity as well. David went from group to group correcting, critiquing, and encouraging as needed.
The time flew quickly, while the room buzzed with the students' commitment to their task. As the first of the parents began to arrive, the older students had just draped the back ground curtain across the clothes line borrowed for the program.
*************************************************************************************
"There!" Agnes said as she put the last plate into the hamper.
"Whoa! What did you put in here? Feels like the stove and the sink!" Jed teased as he picked it up and stumped out to the automobile with it. He arranged the hamper and the other few things then with a quiet 'whump' slammed the trunk lid shut.
"Did you leave enough room for Bessie's things too?" Agnes worried as he came back to the house.
"Of course!" he chided her. "Agnes, you do beat all!" he laughed at her concern. "Here, you get your hand bag, I'll get baby, and we'll be off."
"I don't know, Jed. Maybe the air will be too much...for Nissa?" Baby Nissa sat on Agnes' lap and patted the open window with her plump little hand and smiled as they bumped down the road and turned up the lane toward the Pickerell's farm house.
Bessie stood waiting on the porch and they had no sooner pulled to a stop when the porch door popped open and Karena Lewiston began carrying hampers of food toward the car.
"Jed!" Agnes exclaimed as he jumped out and hurried to help.
"You just wait there a moment! I'll help. I'm a comin'..." he scolded. With a quick step he met Karena and took the baskets from her.
"Now all we need are the quilts..." Mrs. Lewiston turned back toward the house and loaded the baskets into the trunk in the place he had prepared.
"How pleasant the day promises to be," Bessie heaved a sigh of contentment. They turned and drove up the soft dirt lane to the school house.
"After the bitter cold and snow of this last winter!" her mother clucked thinking of how the snow had left the roads wet with deep ruts. "Now they are dry and most of the ruts are smoothed out."
"Yes, it is so good to get out of the house after the long winter," Agnes said. "So good to see our neighbors," the automobile glided up the lane. It flowed along the dry path that was accustomed only to the bare feet of the students.
"The Trevor's new Buick is nice looking, don't you think?" Agnes watched as the Trevor family pulled up and parked beside them in the shade of the row of trees.
"Look at that team of Morgans! They aren't as massive as the Avery's Percherons, but they sure can pull...and look at 'em dance in that harness!"
The trace chains jingled as the chestnut colored horses fairly shimmered in the morning sunlight, and the wagon rolled smoothly along the path. The pair of horses, full of spring time sap lifted their feet in a prance as their silky flaxen manes and tails crowned with red and blue ribbons waved with the gentle breeze. Bandit, the Goodnite's trusty border collie, trotted in his usual place beside the wagon.
"Jed, you've always been a gonner for a good horse!" Agnes chided with her characteristic warm smile.
"Can't help it, it's in the blood," he said and watched as the Goodnite family wagon rolled to a stop under the tree closest to the front of the building. Jed's gaze followed Augustus Goodnite as he jumped from the drivers seat to the ground. The well trained team stood still as if tethered, the border collie dog, with one white streaked eye and one black streaked eye, dropped just under the middle of the wagon where he was accustomed to wait for his family.
"Good morning!" Jed called to Augustus as they walked to the school house steps.
"G'd mornin', neighbr!" Augustus called back with a wave. Augustus, dressed in his starched white shirt and bib overalls, his handlebar mustache-- waxed and perfectly twirled-- strode around to where missus Goodnight waited until her husband came to help her down from the seat.
"Morning...Angus, Fred," Jed nodded at the Averys and Summers as they stood in a group at the bottom of the school house steps.
"Mornin', they all nodded in return and the ladies smiled their reply.
Jed stood back to allow Agnes, Bessie, and Mrs. Lewiston to enter first. The other neighbors soon funneled into the school house behind them.
"Dolly, what a lovely dress!" Agnes found a seat behind Augustus and his wife. "I've been looking for some material like that...where did you find yours?" she said as she admired Dolly's dusty rose mohair. "and how did you find that matching cloche? Is that the new style in hats this spring?"
The anticipation hummed in the air, it showed on their faces and in their manners as they took their seats in the school room. The school programs were an outlet for fun and entertainment...and they were important for the families as a gauge on the progress of their children in their studies.
At exactly nine fifteen, David walked to the front, and signaled with his hands for quiet, "Good morning, friends and neighbors. The announcer for our Eagle School District program this morning will be Howard Trevor, and to him I will now turn over the program." David walked to the back to watch out the windows and door. He greeted Mr. Benton, Mr. Hill, Mr. Randall, and Mr. Lewiston, the four members of the school board as they entered quietly. Mr. Randall chose to sit at the back, the others chose seats that looked out into the surrounding countryside.
Howard, dressed in his father's Sunday suit and tie, adopted a solemn attitude fitting his preeminence in the program.
"Ladies and gentlemen, friends and neighbors," he stopped to adjust a fallen suspender. Howard a growing boy of fifteen, had begun on a growth spurt last summer, but the suit was tailored for a much taller grown man.
"We will now have the opening recitations by our two youngest class members." Howard had also borrowed his father's reading glasses thinking they would add an air of importance to his demeanor. He stopped to push them further up on his nose.
"Ruthie Goodnite and Sharon Summers will recite together several selections...." Standing in one spot he did have a certain distinguished air, however walking was a different matter. He made his way to the sidelines placing his steps one foot at a time--with a definite sway.
There were a few chortles from the audience, but--with some difficulty-- they retained their composure and merely smiled benignly as the first pair made their entrance.
Ruthie and Sharon, as primly as a pair of ballerinas in hard brown shoes, clomped across the board floor, and stationed themselves in the front. They stopped and stared at the audience for a full minute. They were almost a cameo pair, Sharon being a light blond, her wisps of hair escaping from her French braids, and Ruthie, her heavy black hair pulled into crisp French braids.
Sharon elbowed Ruthie. "Jack-in..." she began in a loud whisper.
"I know--I know! Let me!" Ruthie whispered back, cleared her throat, and her tiny voice began, "Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Preaches today," she enunciated each word.
"Under the green trees, Just over the way," Sharon answered.
After a pause Ruthie began another selection, "Can you count the stars that brightly, Twinkle in the midnight sky;"
"Can you count the clouds so lightly, O'er the meadows floating by?" again Sharon said her piece.
Another pause, and this time Sharon led, "If you should frown and I should frown, While walking out together..."
"The happy folk about the town would say, "The clouds are settling down in spite of pleasant weather."
Ruthie and Sharon smiled and curtsied, and the audience clapped enthusiastically. The performance would not have pleased them any more if they had just listened to the great singer, Jenny Lind. The two little girls scooted to their seats along the front and side of the room, all pretense of dignity cast aside.
Howard again came to the front. He had polished his father's glasses believing that would help him see better. It did not. He again swayed forward, walking more askew than before. "Next we will have a Science report from Annie and Sammy Summers, and Kenny Trevor," and with as much dignity as he could muster he backed off the stage.
Annie, Kenny, and Sammy were veterans from a number of these programs and their pieces went smooth as butter without flies.
"And now," Howard announced, "we have come to a highlight in our program."
The audience leaned forward in their seats. So far they enjoyed pieces of recitation, explanations of science projects, grammar demonstrations, even math competitions, the program was almost at the end, and what could be better than what they had seen?
"Our older students will perform a play. The play, called-- "Clever Manka"--has a clever moral. I challenge you to see if you can identify what it is... The main characters are: Gene Wade as 'the Judge', Larry Hill as 'Josef--Manka's father', Lila Avery as 'Manka', and..." here he took a deep bow and almost lost his glasses, "myself-- Howard Trevor-- as 'rich Farmer Holtz'. Don Avery as the announcer/narrator...Oh, and my brother, Bill, as 'billy goat'."
There was a titter of laughter at the announced last character. How clever...Bill and Billy; and everyone knew how stubborn--even at five years old--little Billy Trevor could be!
"And so Manka and the Judge went back to their own home...and he was always careful to never speak in riddles to..." the announcer, Don Avery brought the play to a close. The audience clapped enthusiastically as the Judge, Rich Farmer Holtz, the Poor shepherd (Manka's father) and the clever Manka herself, as well as the announcer...and the billy goat, took their well deserved bows.
Well, David thought as each class with nervous anticipation rose to the challenge, at last I can breathe a sigh of relief, for the program at least. Only Maude and Wanda have their song and this school year will be history. If only Howard would put those glasses away... David continued to keep one eye on the outside.
"Friends and neighbors," Howard, slightly ruffled from his change back to his previous finery, the glasses sitting at a crooked angle. "Our last piece for the morning will be..." Howard stopped in confusion, and blushed a rosy pink as the glasses slipped further down his nose. Maude and Wanda waited behind the curtain for their ques. Wanda smiled coquettishly around her grandmother's rose pink parasol. Her black hair loosed from its usual tight french braids fell in soft waves around her shoulders and down past her waist. The matching rose pink dress raided from her grandmother's closet along with the parasol may have been outdated, but Howard was not a fashion expert.
"Ah...Wanda...and ah Wanda will be singing... "Where oh where has my little dog gone?..." he finished his speech and stepped carefully to the back.
"Gene!" Howard whispered urgently, as he snatched the glasses off his nose, but found no where to put them.
"Shhh! Quiet, Howard..." Gene said, his harmonica poised to play for Wanda and Maude.
Howard shoved the glasses at Gene, "Take these things will ya!"
"Sure, now shhh!" Gene shoved the glasses in his coat pocket. He took a deep breath then began to play the introduction to the song on his harmonica...
The men of the school board were stationed by the open windows. The windows allowed the peaceful outside bird song to blend with the inside music. The mid May morning began to warm up. People sat engrossed in the program, and their quiet fans moved with a gentle rhythm. Mr. Randall had opened the schoolhouse door about the middle of the program, and a slight breeze moved fresh air into the school room. What an enjoyable program...what clever children...the parents congratulated themselves...
--David sighed--the program would soon be over...only the picnic to get through...
Wanda Goodnite and Maude Summers began to sing as the harmonica played from behind the curtain, "Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone? Oh where, oh where can he be?" The two young ladies twirled their parasols as they sang, first Maude sang, "With his ears cut short... then Wanda, "and his tail cut long..."
Outside under the wagon Bandit's head jerked up with the singing. He cocked his ears first one way then the next. It had been a lazy morning spent resting under the wagon. Was that his girl calling him? He trotted hesitantly up the steps to the door and peered in. Yes! There she was, calling him! He joyfully trotted through the open door, and click, click, click went his toe nails down the aisle.
David, keeping an eye on the outside as well as the inside, made a dive, but not quick enough to catch the furry intruder. The little dog moved quickly all the way to the front of the school house. There he plunked down, his haunches parked firmly on the hem of Maude's lovely blue gown. He cocked his head to the side, one ear up and one ear down happily panting.
With only a slight hesitation, Wanda and Maude began again,
"Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone..." Bandit yawned, yapped at them and his tail thumped. Maude tugged gently on her hem and tried to move Bandit with the toe of her shoe. He whined and yapped again.
"Pssst, Bandit! Bandit!" Ruthie's little voice whispered from behind the curtain. "Psst! Bandit! she called a little louder. The dog turned and cocked his head in her direction, then trotted toward her, taking the curtain with him....
"Howard!" Gene elbowed his fellow student, as David frantically motioned to Howard. "Howard--come on...get everybody out front with Maude and Wanda..."
"Little kids out front," Howard steered the little classes, and the older ones followed. The boys bowed and the girls curtsied as they had practiced and Bandit trotted out and sat in front.
"Well, folks," David said as the students took their seats, and the applause ended, "I hope you have enjoyed our program. I believe the young students have progressed well this year, and I trust you all agree. Thank you for your attendance...we will break now so the ladies can assemble the lunch and soon have our picnic in place. I'm wishful that you all will stay and enjoy the afternoon activities as well."
Green leaves waved in a soft warm breeze, almost too warm. Spring would soon be over. The tables groaned under their load of food. There may not have been much money, but farm families, and especially farm wives were frugal...and they could cook. The quilts spread around on the grass like so many huge flowers, and people scattered across the lawn made a festive, light-hearted appearance.
"Jedidiah James!"
"Yes, Agnes Sophia?" he gave her an innocent look.
"You have cake crumbs on your clean shirt," Agnes tried to look severe.
"My bib must have had a hole in it."
"And baby Nissa has similar looking crumbs on her pink little cheeks...and dress!" Agnes was shocked.
"Chocolate goes well with pink, and oh, look...I think they're getting up a game, Agnes!"
"You're going to spoil Nissa...oh! There he goes," she sputtered to Bessie as Jed joined some of the other men.
"I don't know which is more like a child...the child or the--man!" Bessie agreed with a laugh. "I think David's afraid Eric will miss out on something."
"Trevor!" Gene called to Howard. "Here's your glasses," he took them out of his pocket and handed them over. "You going to play kitten ball?"
"I think the men're talking it over. Maybe we'll play a few innings..." Howard told Gene as the boys walked off to put their plates back in their hampers. "Say," Howard whispered as he peered cautiously over the top of the hamper lid, "why is Mr. Avery and Mr. Summers glaring at me?"
"Aw, I don't know. He's been glaring at me too..." Gene glared back as the older men stared at the two young boys.
"Angus Avery reminds me of our old bull, short and stout ya know," Howard sniggered behind the cover of the hamper lid.
Gene turned away as he choked on laughter. "Howard, that's kind of disrespectful," he chided, "--even if it is true."
"And Fred Summers is a tall bald bean pole with an Adams ap..."
"Howard Allen Trevor the Third!" his mother's shocked voice spoke from beside her son.
He stopped speaking suddenly and cleared his throat, and straightened up taller, "Yes, ma'am? I didn't hear you coming, Ma..."
"I'm sure you didn't, son...now get on with you! And mind your manners!" she swatted him with a dish towel.
The boys walked over behind an elm tree. Mrs. Trevor could not see them, but from the way they were hooting with laughter...She sighed and shook her head.
"I say it's a shame. That thief and vandal ought not be socializing with decent children!" Mr. Summers scoffed. "Here he is as big as life...just like nothin' ever happened."
"I s'pose I got to agree," Mr. Avery hesitated then nodded his head.
"Say," Fred Summers called out to Orville Hill, "what ya think about that Wade boy associatin' with our children?"
"What do you mean?" Mr. Hill asked confused.
"Well, we all know he stole that money from the hotel, and broke those shop windows..."
"Wait a minute...what do you mean we know...what?" Orville asked.
"He was caught stealin' money, and breakin' those windows..." Fred's Adams apple worked up and down as spoke.
"What do you say, Mr. Avery?" Orville turned his focus to the other man.
"Well...I guess, I got to agree...don't I?" Mr. Avery asked.
"Jerrold...Mr. Lewiston--," Orville called out to his fellow member of the school board.
"Yah?" Jerrold said as he joined the group
"What do you say to Mr. Summers charge..." Mr. Hill asked, "against the young Wade boy? He says the boy was caught stealing money, and breaking windows..."
"I say he is a fourteen year young lad, who was in da wrong place at da wrong time. An dis is da picnic for da last day of school dis spring...an we all ought to have a goot time. I say Mr. Avery, you forget who it was dat saved your Don from getting da daylights knocked out of him-- an him being so sick dat year. Some thanks you got! If you, Mr. Summers have complaint, bring it to the board meeting next time. Now, go have another helping of apple strudel, and we all will have a goot time...and no more of this!" Mr. Lewiston spoke with good humor, but there was an icy glint to his blue eyes.
Mr. Avery hung his head, "Now that I think on it, the children--all of them--have nothing but good to say about the Wade boy..." he said as he walked off with his hands in his overall pockets.
Mr. Summers' Adams apple worked up and down, but no one dared cross Jerrold Lewiston. Of course, Summers thought, Mr. Lewiston and Mr. Hill were--in a round about way related. David Pickerell was Mr. Hill's nephew, and Bessie was a Lewiston...his eyes narrowed...and they were real close company with the Wades... I just don't like it, his thoughts flew around in his mind like a hive of angry bees...I just don't like it!
"It's good for them to have a day of fun," Mrs. Trevor sat on an improvised plank seat.
"Strike three! You're out!" David shouted.
"It's good for us too," Bessie agreed as baby Eric lay sleeping on a quilt in the shade.
"It was a long cold winter," Mrs. Avery said with a sigh.
If a greater pair of opposites could exist, Agnes thought as she flicked a fly off of sleeping baby Nissa, she didn't know how. She watched as Mr. Avery took his turn at bat. He was a short beefy man with black hair and a heavy black mustache, the picture of good health. Mrs. Avery was a thin sallow looking woman with scraggly blond hair.
"Good time for a break for refreshments..."
"Your husband seems to be a might better with the return of spring," Mrs. Trevor, a middle-aged woman of thirty-five spoke kindly to Bessie.
"Yes. Yes, I think we are all improving," Bessie returned her smile. "Eric is over his colic spell, and I'm feeling better too."
"I just haven't never got back on my feet after that trouble I had with the last child birth--the baby we lost, you know," Mrs. Avery said with out emotion. "I just can't seem to get much better...just feel poorly much of the time..."
"Jed, don't you wake up that baby!" Agnes scolded.
"What a game!" he wiped his face with his handkerchief, and dipped his cup full from the water bucket. "Thanks, Randy! Good cold water!" Jed exclaimed.
"You're welcome, Mr. Wade," Randy Trevor set the bucket on the end of the picnic table before running out to join the other boys.
"I think we old men can still play purty goot!" Mr. Lewiston and Mr. Benson dipped some water into their cups also.
"You have an advantage," Jed screwed up his face into a frown.
"Ya, sure, and what is dat?"
"You're Norwegian?"
"Correction...were Norwegian. Now we are American!"
"Ha, ha! That's right! Say...who's that?" Jed watched a flashy red Oldsmobile crept up the lane. "Did some major league team hear about how good we play ball and come to offer us contracts?"
Mr. Benson and Mr. Lewiston exchanged glances. "I think we will wait to see..."
David had seen the dust cloud rolling down the road, and now leaning against an elm tree, he watched the automobile and turn into the school lane. He had hoped his information was wrong, but apparently...
A familiar figure dressed in snazzy suit stepped out of the driver's side, "Afternoon!" he leaned against the open door. "Just came to visit my old school house...and chums," he said with a sly look at the people scattered about, some on their quilts, some on the make shift benches.
The younger boys were gearing up for the ball game. Howard and Gene looked at each other then back at the auto as five more young toughs stepped out and slammed the car doors shut. They lounged up against the auto as Reece spoke again.
"What? No warm welcome? I brought some friends and we wanted to play some ball... who wants to play ball with me and my guys?"
"Ya, we'll play a game with ya, Reece..." Jerrold Lewiston agreed and stepped forward. "Come on out to da ball diamond..."
"Greg!" Reece snapped his fingers.
A dark haired older kid sauntered around to the back of the Oldsmobile and opened the trunk.
"Hey!" Gene whispered at Howard. Howard swallowed as if he had a whole egg in his throat. "Let me have the bat..."
"No," Howard hissed back, "I'm goin' down swinging! There's one behind you..." he motioned to the extra bat laying on the ground.
"What's the matter, Wade?" Reece's face was twisted into a sneer. "Don't ya want to play my game?" the exchange had caught his eye.
In one smooth motion Gene picked up the bat from behind him. He had spent the last five years working outside in the cold and heat, lifting heavy loads, pitching hay, mucking stalls, all the things a farm boy did every day, year in and year out. There was not an ounce of fat on his body, he was wiry and muscular.
"No, we're ready Reece. This seems to be your style...six of you against two. You always were a coward," Gene countered.
"Well, at least I'm not a thief--and one that goes around breaking store windows..."
"In da game of Kitten ball, we only need one, maybe two bats," Mr. Lewiston spoke in a mild voice. "Reece...you an' your pals can put your bats over here."
"Whaa?" Reece scowled in Mr. Lewiston's direction. What was that --chink--chink--? Reece's countenance changed slowly as he looked down the barrel of one after another farmer's rifles or shot guns.
The dark haired young man, Greg dropped several of the bats he carried in his arms. With a clatter they landed at his feet, and the other four young men scrambled to pick them up.
"We have no official rules, of course," Jerrold continued, "but I think we play by our rules, not yours...put your bats in a pile here..." he pointed to a spot by his feet.
The bats again clattered to the ground at the end of the picnic table while the group waited. "Now, you boys come down to da diamond, like I said...an da game we will play," Mr. Lewiston said with a good humored smile, the silver tooth gleamed as he nodded his head agreeably.
"But Mr. Lewiston, we only have six players..." Reece pointed out.
"Not to be concerned...we will choose up teams. You know how we do."
Reece scowled, but eyed the weapons that still stood guard. "But we aren't dressed to play ball..."
Willie and Sam Potter wished they had stayed in town, like their younger brother, Spike had warned them...Greg, Sandy, and Maurice wondered when the next train to Chicago ran.
"You came to play ball," Lewiston shrugged. Our teams are divided up. You three--you are on that team...you other three...there on that team. And we're ready to play ball.
So, this is what country bumpkins were like...Greg, Sandy, and Maurice were confused. Every one from the big city knew these country farmers would be easy prey...what had happened? Play ball? This wasn't the game they had come to play, but...play they would.
The teams took a few practice throws to warm up before Jerrold Lewiston called from out on the playing field, "Let's play ball!"
"Why do you suppose we are so popular today?" Mr. Benson pulled his handkerchief from his back pocket to wipe his face as two more automobiles turned up the lane.
The first vehicle barely pulled to a stop before the door popped open. A man in a grey suit hurried forward, revolver drawn, then stopped short.
He surveyed the country-fied ball field, teams in place and a game just getting started.
"Who's in charge here?" he demanded.
"We were having a last game of ball here, an these young men were anxious to join our game..." Mr. Benson explained. "The game just got started...Why don't you have yourself a plate," Mr. Benson nodded at his wife, Elsie, "and settle back for the game?"
"We had some information that there was trouble here..." the sheriff dropped his gun back into its holster, and pushed his fedora back on his head. He gazed with a puzzled frown at the game proceeding in a peaceful manner. The teams were an odd mix of farm boys dressed in their overalls and either barefoot, or lace up boots, farm caps kept the sun out of their eyes--then there was the other guys...they had removed their jackets, but still wore white shirts, good slacks, and dress shoes.
"Thank you, ma'am, but..." he began to refuse the plate heaped with food that Elsie Benson offered him, when his eyes rested on the rifle leaning against the picnic table. "What is going on here!" his eyes narrowed and he observed several such items close to the hands of their owners.
"Like I said, these fellows were real anxious to join our game, Sheriff."
"Why, thank you, Mrs. Benson," Sheriff Roy had a change of mind. "I do think I'll enjoy this game..."
Of all the school exercises there was only one that Reece really enjoyed...and missed...since he had left this stupid country school...and that was playing ball. He was not good at those other things. Things like arithmetic, spelling, grammar, physiology, Latin--not Reece King. But ball? He did miss playing ball, even with these country bumpkins.
Reece's eyes narrowed against the blazing sun, he wiped the dirt and sweat off his forehead with what had been a nice white sleeve. His shirt wore sweat and dirt stains, that slide into first base had left its mark on his dignified suit, thankfully someone had lent him their lace up boots...loafers were no good for playing ball, and he had never liked the feel of walking barefoot...
Reece stared intently as Gene wound up the ball for the pitch. He had let two pitches go by already--a ball and a strike--he should have swung at the second, the first one was outside, what would this one be? Wade was a good pitcher, you never knew what he had up his sleeve. There was a runner on second, Reece's team was behind two points, and they had two outs. The ball left the pitcher's hand coming at him fast, this was it...Reece swung with every ounce of strength he had, he put everything behind that swing...
Every eye followed the ball as it flew up, and up, and seemed to go forever. It was the last play of the day, and what a way to end! No one seemed to mind that it was Reece King, they did not seem to mind that he could not spell, work Geometry, speak Latin...
"Here's your boots, Trevor..." Reece unlaced the boots and threw them to Howard. "Thanks," he grunted. He slid his feet back into his own loafers.
"S'allright. You weren't going to do anything in those things," Howard motioned toward the 'city' shoes Reece had been wearing. "And I've lived barefoot most of my life," Howard said pulling on his socks and boots. "That was some home run!"
"Yeah...it was a good game...good pitching, Wade," Reece darted a glance up at Gene.
"Yeah, it was a good game, and your pals didn't do too bad either, Reece," Gene said shaking his head.
"They used to play where they were from...guess we're ready Sheriff..." Reece stood up.
"I should lock 'em up on some charges, but what?" Sheriff Roy puzzled. "You know, that last hit was sure something! Even them boys from Chicago didn't do bad!" The sheriff hesitated as his eyes wandered back over the empty playing field. "All right boys, into the vehicles. Reece, my man Lyle there," he pointed to one of his deputies, "he'll drive your automobile back to the station. You boys," he pointed at Reece and his group, "ought to be thankful..."
"Yeah? What for?" Greg from Chicago said rubbing his feet and limping toward the automobile.
"The last ruffians from your Chicago area that visited here..." Sheriff Roy stopped to finish his thought. "Them ruffians stole Mr. Ferrel's team--I think their automobile ran out of gas...anyway, they broke into someone's pantry and stole some food, then they stole ole farmer Ferrel's horses as he was shaving at the pantry mirror that morning...why the whole community was in a hullabaloo! They trailed them folks over to that stand of woods over there," the sheriff pointed to a stand of trees in a hollow about half a mile away, "and shot 'em."
All six young men turned a slight pale color. Sandy, Greg, and Maurice thought the big city sounded a little more safe as they hurried into the waiting autos.
"Thank you, folks for the food...and entertainment, the sheriff said with a wave as the automobile doors chunked shut. "Should do this again...sometime soon, he called out of the open window."
"A tie!" David swirled the coffee in his cup and grinned at Gene. "Did you do that on purpose?"
"Could have went either way...the way I figured we all need a break some time. Reece has a rotten personality, but he's a good ball player," Gene stuck the last chunk of apple pie in his mouth and polished off his milk.
"Speaking of a break, Alistair is taking Mother and the girls on a cruise to Europe. He asked special if you would like to go with us?" the light in David's eyes danced as Gene stopped chewing and choked on his pie.
"Gene Wade!" Agnes scolded and she handed him a napkin. "Next time don't take so big a bite!"
"Not the bite..." he sputtered.
"Don't try to get out of it. I know boys your age!"
"David..."
"He already asked us first. Do you think you'd like to go?"
"Would I like to go?!"
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