sing.”
The black woman made her way outside, leaving everyone in the room feeling more lighthearted. Deborah was the first to comment.
“I swear that woman is the best medicine. If you could bottle her and sell her to people, you’d make a fortune.”
Her daughter was right, Euphanel thought. Sissy always had a way of making folks feel better. It was almost impossible to stay troubled or discouraged when she was around.
Euphanel ate her breakfast quickly and made a mental list of all that she wanted to accomplish that day. She had plenty of gardening to tend to and canning to do. She had laundry and mending, meals to fix, and she still hoped to get some cleaning done upstairs.
First, however, the cows needed milking. Sissy would have already started with Dottie, but poor Dorothy would be beside herself if Euphanel didn’t make haste.
“Mother, Lizzie and I can fix the lunches,” Deborah offered as Euphanel got to her feet.
“That would be a great help to me,” she said. “That way I can get right out to help milk.”
“Could I learn how to milk the cow?” Lizzie asked.
“You sure you want to learn?” Rob asked in disbelief.
Lizzie nodded and looked to Euphanel for an answer. “I need to start learning useful skills. I might know about art and music, but I haven’t had an opportunity to use my knowledge here.”
Euphanel smiled. “Of course you can come and learn how to milk a cow. I’ll be happy to teach you most anything. Just remember, though, when the heat of the day is upon us, I want you to take it easy.”
“I promise I will.” Lizzie set aside her napkin and got up from the table. Looking to Deborah, she asked, “Can you handle packing the lunches by yourself?”
“Of course. Go on and enjoy your new experience.”
“And don’t get yourself stepped on – Dorothy’s real bad about that,” Rob declared.
G. W. nodded and added, “And watch the bucket – she likes to kick it over.”
Euphanel held out her hand to Lizzie. “Come along. I’ll show you all the tricks.”
–––––––
Several hours later, after seeing her friend busily occupied with Mother and Sissy in the kitchen, Deborah announced she was going to Perkinsville.
“I have some journals to return to Dr. Clayton,” she told her mother. “Is there anything I can bring back from the store?”
“Sissy can go with you and get the supplies we talked about,” her mother replied. “I don’t like you going all that way by yourself.”
Deborah didn’t argue with her mother. It wouldn’t have done any good. It was probably best that her mother never know about the many times she’d walked unescorted through the city streets of Philadelphia. Probably wise, too, that she not mention the times she’d attended evening functions unaccompanied.
“I’ll hitch the wagon,” Sissy said, pulling off her apron.
It was also wise not to argue with Sissy. The woman might be fifty years old and shorter than Deborah, but she was a powerful opponent if the situation arose.
“I’ll be back soon, Lizzie. Is there anything in particular I can bring you?”
“A letter from my father would be nice,” Lizzie said, looking up from a bowl of green beans.
Deborah knew her friend longed for news. It had already been several weeks, and still no word. “I’ll do what I can,” she promised.
Sissy had the team harnessed and ready to go in no time at all. Matthew and Mark were two of the sweetest Morgans ever trained. Their temperament even allowed for them to be ridden from time to time, although it was usually bareback.
Deborah climbed up on the wagon and sat down beside Sissy. “You wanna take the reins?” Sissy asked.
“It’s been awhile, but there’s no time like the present to get back in practice.” She clucked her tongue. “Walk on, Matthew. Walk on, Mark.”
The day was warm, and the building clouds threatened of storms to come. Deborah hadn’t noticed them until they were nearly to Perkinsville or
The black woman made her way outside, leaving everyone in the room feeling more lighthearted. Deborah was the first to comment.
“I swear that woman is the best medicine. If you could bottle her and sell her to people, you’d make a fortune.”
Her daughter was right, Euphanel thought. Sissy always had a way of making folks feel better. It was almost impossible to stay troubled or discouraged when she was around.
Euphanel ate her breakfast quickly and made a mental list of all that she wanted to accomplish that day. She had plenty of gardening to tend to and canning to do. She had laundry and mending, meals to fix, and she still hoped to get some cleaning done upstairs.
First, however, the cows needed milking. Sissy would have already started with Dottie, but poor Dorothy would be beside herself if Euphanel didn’t make haste.
“Mother, Lizzie and I can fix the lunches,” Deborah offered as Euphanel got to her feet.
“That would be a great help to me,” she said. “That way I can get right out to help milk.”
“Could I learn how to milk the cow?” Lizzie asked.
“You sure you want to learn?” Rob asked in disbelief.
Lizzie nodded and looked to Euphanel for an answer. “I need to start learning useful skills. I might know about art and music, but I haven’t had an opportunity to use my knowledge here.”
Euphanel smiled. “Of course you can come and learn how to milk a cow. I’ll be happy to teach you most anything. Just remember, though, when the heat of the day is upon us, I want you to take it easy.”
“I promise I will.” Lizzie set aside her napkin and got up from the table. Looking to Deborah, she asked, “Can you handle packing the lunches by yourself?”
“Of course. Go on and enjoy your new experience.”
“And don’t get yourself stepped on – Dorothy’s real bad about that,” Rob declared.
G. W. nodded and added, “And watch the bucket – she likes to kick it over.”
Euphanel held out her hand to Lizzie. “Come along. I’ll show you all the tricks.”
–––––––
Several hours later, after seeing her friend busily occupied with Mother and Sissy in the kitchen, Deborah announced she was going to Perkinsville.
“I have some journals to return to Dr. Clayton,” she told her mother. “Is there anything I can bring back from the store?”
“Sissy can go with you and get the supplies we talked about,” her mother replied. “I don’t like you going all that way by yourself.”
Deborah didn’t argue with her mother. It wouldn’t have done any good. It was probably best that her mother never know about the many times she’d walked unescorted through the city streets of Philadelphia. Probably wise, too, that she not mention the times she’d attended evening functions unaccompanied.
“I’ll hitch the wagon,” Sissy said, pulling off her apron.
It was also wise not to argue with Sissy. The woman might be fifty years old and shorter than Deborah, but she was a powerful opponent if the situation arose.
“I’ll be back soon, Lizzie. Is there anything in particular I can bring you?”
“A letter from my father would be nice,” Lizzie said, looking up from a bowl of green beans.
Deborah knew her friend longed for news. It had already been several weeks, and still no word. “I’ll do what I can,” she promised.
Sissy had the team harnessed and ready to go in no time at all. Matthew and Mark were two of the sweetest Morgans ever trained. Their temperament even allowed for them to be ridden from time to time, although it was usually bareback.
Deborah climbed up on the wagon and sat down beside Sissy. “You wanna take the reins?” Sissy asked.
“It’s been awhile, but there’s no time like the present to get back in practice.” She clucked her tongue. “Walk on, Matthew. Walk on, Mark.”
The day was warm, and the building clouds threatened of storms to come. Deborah hadn’t noticed them until they were nearly to Perkinsville or
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