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
91
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-
92
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
/'// 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
91
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-
92
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
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