Samuel is baptized, Dat will have no objection to him. You need to be patient, little sister. I, too, am waiting for Miriam to be baptized before asking her to marry me, and then we will keep the engagement quiet until the banns are read. I do not wish to have the eyes of the community on us looking for signs of improper behavior. Our courting will be quiet. I suggest you and Samuel do the same. Of course, asking Mamm to plant a lot of celery this year would be a goot idea."
"Oh, Atlee, I am so excited. I have never felt this way before about any man."
"I know. I have driven you home many times from singings," he said with a grin. "I'm glad you have found the right man for you, Sadie."
"And I am glad you have Miriam. She will make you a goot wife."
"Do you think that she and Mamm will like each other well enough?" he asked, his eyes showing concern.
"As long as she loves you, Mama will love her," Sadie said with assurance.
"You will keep this to yourself, right? I wish to be the one to tell the folks when I am ready."
"Of course," Sadie promised. She smiled at him and then asked, "Can you make Snowball go any faster?"
"I could, but Dat would have plenty to say to me if I did," Atlee said with a grin. "While I am an adult, I still live under his roof and under his rule. I do not wish to be told I have to stay home this night."
" Dat would not do that to you," she said.
"No? I would not test him to find out," he said with a snort of laughter. "Now you behave, little sister, or I'll slow ole Snowball down to a slow walk."
" Dat wouldn't like that, either," she replied.
Atlee chuckled and they continued to talk the rest of the way to the Yoder farm. They did arrive early, but so did a few others, and Samuel Hilty was among them. He came straight to the buggy and offered Sadie a hand down.
" Gudermariye ," Samuel said softly as he looked down at Sadie and smiled.
"Good morning to you, too," Sadie answered.
"You look pretty this morning," he stated, then watched her blush with pleasure.
"Sadie, we need your help inside with the food," Mary called sharply, her eyes slicing Samuel to ribbons with the disapproval she felt.
"I must go and help, Samuel," Sadie said, and she wanted nothing more than to kick her sister! She knew that was wrong, and quickly asked God to forgive her thoughts of anger.
"I will carry your basket for you," Samuel quickly offered, not about to be separated from Sadie so soon after waiting two weeks to see the pretty redhead.
"That would be very nice, Samuel. Danki ." Sadie smiled as he lifted the two baskets from the buggy, and then walked with her to the house where several women were busily hurrying around the kitchen. They said hello, and then Sadie helped her Mamm and Mary take out the food they brought and put it on the tables.
Anna Yoder smiled at them. "Martha, you and your daughters always bring such tempting dishes to service. Thank you so much. I am sure your offerings will be appreciated."
"We have a large family, Anna. It is only right that we bring plenty to share with others," Martha replied. She and Anna grew up together and went to school together as children. They'd been friends for years, and even though they did not live as close neighbors, Martha knew that Anna would come if she needed her, and she hoped that Anna trusted her to do the same.
Anna spoke to Mary and Sadie, and then said, "You young girls run along and visit with your friends."
Sadie looked to her Mamm for her permission and was pleased when she nodded. Sadie hurried outside and found Samuel waiting for her beside a tree that was budding with leaves. "I hoped you would be able to visit for a few minutes before we are called to take our seats so the service can begin."
"Anna Yoder released us from helping and Mama gave her approval," Sadie explained. "I've missed you, Samuel."
"I've missed you, too, Levi's Sadie. I worried that you would be angry with me and refuse to speak to me today."
"I worried that
"Oh, Atlee, I am so excited. I have never felt this way before about any man."
"I know. I have driven you home many times from singings," he said with a grin. "I'm glad you have found the right man for you, Sadie."
"And I am glad you have Miriam. She will make you a goot wife."
"Do you think that she and Mamm will like each other well enough?" he asked, his eyes showing concern.
"As long as she loves you, Mama will love her," Sadie said with assurance.
"You will keep this to yourself, right? I wish to be the one to tell the folks when I am ready."
"Of course," Sadie promised. She smiled at him and then asked, "Can you make Snowball go any faster?"
"I could, but Dat would have plenty to say to me if I did," Atlee said with a grin. "While I am an adult, I still live under his roof and under his rule. I do not wish to be told I have to stay home this night."
" Dat would not do that to you," she said.
"No? I would not test him to find out," he said with a snort of laughter. "Now you behave, little sister, or I'll slow ole Snowball down to a slow walk."
" Dat wouldn't like that, either," she replied.
Atlee chuckled and they continued to talk the rest of the way to the Yoder farm. They did arrive early, but so did a few others, and Samuel Hilty was among them. He came straight to the buggy and offered Sadie a hand down.
" Gudermariye ," Samuel said softly as he looked down at Sadie and smiled.
"Good morning to you, too," Sadie answered.
"You look pretty this morning," he stated, then watched her blush with pleasure.
"Sadie, we need your help inside with the food," Mary called sharply, her eyes slicing Samuel to ribbons with the disapproval she felt.
"I must go and help, Samuel," Sadie said, and she wanted nothing more than to kick her sister! She knew that was wrong, and quickly asked God to forgive her thoughts of anger.
"I will carry your basket for you," Samuel quickly offered, not about to be separated from Sadie so soon after waiting two weeks to see the pretty redhead.
"That would be very nice, Samuel. Danki ." Sadie smiled as he lifted the two baskets from the buggy, and then walked with her to the house where several women were busily hurrying around the kitchen. They said hello, and then Sadie helped her Mamm and Mary take out the food they brought and put it on the tables.
Anna Yoder smiled at them. "Martha, you and your daughters always bring such tempting dishes to service. Thank you so much. I am sure your offerings will be appreciated."
"We have a large family, Anna. It is only right that we bring plenty to share with others," Martha replied. She and Anna grew up together and went to school together as children. They'd been friends for years, and even though they did not live as close neighbors, Martha knew that Anna would come if she needed her, and she hoped that Anna trusted her to do the same.
Anna spoke to Mary and Sadie, and then said, "You young girls run along and visit with your friends."
Sadie looked to her Mamm for her permission and was pleased when she nodded. Sadie hurried outside and found Samuel waiting for her beside a tree that was budding with leaves. "I hoped you would be able to visit for a few minutes before we are called to take our seats so the service can begin."
"Anna Yoder released us from helping and Mama gave her approval," Sadie explained. "I've missed you, Samuel."
"I've missed you, too, Levi's Sadie. I worried that you would be angry with me and refuse to speak to me today."
"I worried that
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