Chapter Five

The time seemed to rush by for Amanda and, almost before she knew it, it was the last day of school.  The two women had decided to leave three days after the school program.  This would give them a little over a week in St. Louis to purchase additional items for their trip.  Amanda had received a letter from Sarah in which she shared her happiness that the two would be traveling with the group, and Amanda had sent a letter to St. Louis to tell of their plans.

Much to Amanda’s surprise, Mr. Matthews had agreed to Beth working in Mr. Zimmerman’s store.  Beth now worked on Tuesday and Thursday of each week as well as some Saturdays.  She had confided to Amanda that she wanted the experience which might help her get a job in a store in Seattle.  Mr. Zimmerman went out to the farm on Wednesday evening for supper and on Sunday for lunch. 

Each time that Beth came to town, she had been able to bring a few of her things with her.  She now had most of the items that she wished to take with her in town, even managing to smuggle the large satchel out of the house while her father was in the fields.  Amanda had packed and repacked her trunk to get all of their things into it.  She was certain that they would be able to put their remaining items into the satchel.

Both women had spent much time in prayer and were certain that this trip was something that God wanted for them.   They had read the list of verses that Beth’s mother had left and felt that these verses had been very helpful in guiding them.

Finally, today was the last day of school, and the final program would be held that evening.  Amanda knew that the day would be a rush of last minute practices and nerves, as they prepared for their performance that evening, but she still took time to read from God’s Word and spend a short time in prayer.  Once again, she turned to Jeremiah 29:11 - 13.  These verses had been read over and over by Amanda and Beth as they planned their trip.  They felt this was a special promise from God to give them safe passage and that He would protect them and take care of them.  Although they were going into the unknown, God knew what was ahead for them and would accompany them through their travels.

Amanda arrived at school early and began preparing for the day.  The room would have to be cleaned, and the desks moved to one side.  The benches would be put into rows so that family and friends could be seated to enjoy the performance.  Amanda was proud of the students and their accomplishments.  The room was decorated with their artwork.  Today they would gather spring flowers to arrange for decorations.  Beth had convinced Mr. Zimmerman that it would be good for business for him to give supplies for the refreshments that would be served.  Beth and some of the mothers had prepared cookies, pies, and cider for those attending. Amanda smiled to herself as she thought of all her shy friend had accomplished in the past few weeks.  Amanda was as proud of Beth as she was of her other pupils.  Beth would be coming in the afternoon, along with a few of the parents, to help set up the tables and refreshments.  Amanda knew that, in two days, they would decorate the church in much the same way as they prepared for her surprise party.  Her heart was filled with emotion as she thought of leaving these people who were so dear to her; but her close friends, Beth and Sarah, would be with her, and she was excited about the adventure ahead. She also knew that God would be with her wherever she traveled.  She prayed that everything would go as they had planned.

The students were soon arriving.  They were just as excited as Amanda as they eagerly awaited Amanda’s instructions for the day.  She quickly assigned the younger girls to gather flowers, sending Emily Johnson with them to supervise.  The boys set to work, rearranging the furniture, and the older girls began to sweep and clean the classroom until it was sparkling clean.  The flowers were arranged and placed all around the room.  Amanda inspected the room and gave her pupils high praise for all of their hard work.  Pausing only to eat a short lunch, they went through their final practice for that evening.  The pupils were well prepared, and the practice went smoothly.  Amanda dismissed the class early so that they might have time to travel home and bathe and dress for the night’s festivities.  Many would have to complete chores before returning.  Amanda took one last look around the room before going to her home to make her own preparations for the evening.

After bathing, Amanda dressed in her best dress.  Nothing less would do for this special occasion for her students.  Taking a last look in her mirror to assure herself that her hair was neatly pinned into place, she closed and locked the door and hurried back to the schoolhouse.

Beth and some of the parents were already there.  The men had placed boards to make long tables at the back of the room, and the women soon had the refreshments in place. Amanda was pleased to see that there was a variety of cookies, cakes, and pies, as well as cider.

All was ready when the other parents began arriving.  Amanda greeted each one as they entered.  Many strolled around the room admiring the artwork, and others found their seats along the rows of benches.  Amanda had arranged for the pupils to sit on one side of the room near the front so that they might go up to perform more easily.  Amanda had to soothe a few last minute nerves; but, as the children were prepared, they soon settled down.  Amanda stepped to the front of the room to welcome the visitors and start the program.

“I am so happy that all of you were able to be with us this evening.  I know that you will be just as proud as I am of the students.  They have worked very hard this year and made a great deal of progress.  I think you will be well pleased.  Welcome!”

To loud applause, she sent the first student to the front.  The children had chosen their own recitations with some help from Amanda.  Many had chosen passages of scripture to recite while some were reading essays they had written.  One even recited all of the states and their capitals.  The class sang several favorite songs with parents joining in on familiar tunes.

The audience gave each performer their attention, and each was rewarded with sincere appreciation and loud clapping.  Amanda felt that her chest would burst with pride.  At the end of the program, as she prepared to go to the front, she was surprised to see Emily Johnson step forward.  Since Emily had already made her recitation, Amanda wondered what she would say.

“We are proud that you came to see us tonight.  We could not have done any of this without our teacher.  We know she is leaving Cedar Springs, and we will have a new teacher in the fall.  We want Miss Stone to know that we will miss her, and we will always remember her.  We know that we will never love another teacher more.  We hope that she will write to us and maybe come back to see us one day.”

Tears came to Amanda’s eyes as her students all rose to honor her while clapping loudly.  Their parents and friends joined them.  Amanda made her way to the front of the room.

Pausing to wipe her eyes, she took a deep breath before beginning.  “I don’t know what to say after such a wonderful honor.”  She smiled at Emily before turning to smile around the room.

“The two years that I have spent in Cedar Springs have been wonderful.  I have made many wonderful friends, and I will miss all of you.  I am so proud of you all, and I wish the very best for each of you.  To my students, I hope that you will continue your studies.  Never stop learning.  Always seek God’s guidance in all that you do.  I will always remember you with fondness.”

By this time, Amanda could not say another word so the audience began clapping again, and it was a few minutes before Mrs. Jenson spoke up.

“Well, there’s plenty of food going to waste.  Let’s get started.  Pastor, if you will ask the blessing.”

Pastor Jenson blessed the food, and everyone formed a line to be served.  Amanda was kept busy speaking to many of her pupils and their parents.  Beth was serving the cider, and Amanda was finally able to make her way over to her.

“Beth, thank you.  You were so sweet to help with all of this.  I shall miss you so much when I leave.”

Both women were conscious of many listening ears.  They felt that they had guarded their secret well and were not about to give it away now.

Beth smiled at Amanda and gave her a cup of cider.  Amanda knew that Beth was just as excited and nervous about the trip as she was, but they never discussed anything about it away from Amanda’s home for fear that someone would overhear them.

“I told Father that I would stay with you tonight because it would be too late for me to drive back to the farm. He wanted me to ride in with the Murphys, but I told him that I had to help with the refreshments and cleaning up afterwards.  I am going to help in the store tomorrow so there was no reason to make the long trip back out to the farm.”

Again and again Amanda had been shocked at how mild-mannered Beth had stood up to her stern father.  She just seemed to calmly tell him what she was going to do and then went ahead and did it without waiting for his approval.  Amanda wondered if she could have stood up to him about the marriage and her going to Seattle, but Beth insisted that he would not let her go.  He would not want to lose his cook and housekeeper.  He did seem to be pretty set on the marriage, so Beth did not want to take the risk of telling him.  Amanda admired how Beth had done all of her work at home, along with Mr. Zimmerman’s laundry, in addition to working in the store two or three days a week.

It was some time later before Beth and Amanda were ready to go.  Amanda was busy telling all the parents and children goodbye.  She knew that Beth had planned a going away party for her in two days time; but, since it was supposed to be a surprise, she had to pretend that this was the last time she would see her students.  After most of the guests had left, she and Beth, along with Pastor and Mrs. Jenson and a few other parents, got busy cleaning up the classroom.  They soon had everything put to rights and were telling each other good night.

Amanda clasped Lucy Jenson’s hand.  “You and Pastor Jenson have been so helpful to me during my time here.  You both have been a spiritual guide to me as well as good friends.  I will miss you so much!”

The older woman hugged Amanda tightly.  Wiping her eyes, she said, “My dear, you have been a blessing to our community as well.  You have set a fine example for the young people as well as teaching them so much.  We are well pleased with what we saw here tonight.  So many of the students quoted God’s Word, and we were so proud of our own James and Becky.  We will all miss you!  Don’t forget that you promised to come for supper on Thursday night.  We will see you then.”

Amanda knew that the invitation was part of the plan for getting her to the surprise party, so she hugged Mrs. Jenson and shook hands with Pastor Jenson and the other guests.  Taking a last look around her classroom to assure herself that all was as it should be, she closed and locked the door.  Waving a goodbye to the others, she and Beth walked toward her cabin. 

Beth had taken the wagon and horse to the livery stable earlier.  Now entering the cabin, she placed her basket on the table.  She had used it to bring the refreshments that she had baked to town.  She removed several parcels from the bottom of the basket.

“This is the last of what I am bringing.  I will bring just a change of clothes for the party and trip.  I hope we have enough room for this.”

Amanda took the parcels and assured her that there was enough room for these items.

“I still have a few things to add, but I think we can get them all in the satchel and trunk.  The trunk is packed pretty tightly, but I think we can get it all in, even if I have to repack again.  We will probably have to buy another trunk when we get to St. Louis.”

“Let’s get undressed and have our devotion, and then we will go over the plans again.  Oh, I am so excited!  Just a few more days and we will be on our way!”

“Would you like some tea or something?”

Beth laughed.  “No, I couldn’t eat another bite.  We have been over everything so many times, but I am still afraid that we have forgotten something or that something will go wrong.”

The two women quickly changed into their nightclothes and were soon sitting by the small table.  Amanda opened her Bible to the book of Ruth.  This passage was one on the list that Beth’s mother had given her.  It seemed to fit with their thoughts as they prepared to embark on their adventure into a new territory together.  After reading the verses, the women took turns praying.  Each asked God to protect them on their trip and to help them along the way.

Raising her head, Amanda said, “I still feel wrong about lying and you taking the money.  I just wish it didn’t have to be this way.  Are you sure your father would not agree to let you go?”

Beth clasped Amanda’s hand tightly.  “Mandy, you know my father would never let me go.  He would never let me have the money either, and some of that money is rightly mine.  Maybe if Mother was still alive, I would feel differently, but I have made so many sacrifices to care for her and Father.  He has always said we didn’t have any money for extras.  I found over five hundred dollars there.  I counted it once while he was out in the fields.  And I am only going to take fifty.  He had to have been saving this for years.”

“But, what if I paid for your ticket?  Sarah said they would pay for our tickets . . .”

“No, Mandy, I can’t let you do that.  You will need it to buy things you need for the trip and for when we get to Seattle.’

“Mandy, there’s something I haven’t told you.  I have a brother.”

Amanda’s mouth dropped open.  In all of the time that she had known Beth, she had never heard her or her father mention a brother.  No one else in town had ever said anything about it either.

Beth continued, “His name is Tommy.  He left before Mother died.  He loved her so that it killed him to see her suffer so.  He and Father had a dreadful argument about the special treatment.  Tommy thought we should sell the farm in order to take Mother to Philadelphia for the treatment.  I was only ten years old, but I remember them arguing so loudly that night that it woke me up.  In the morning, Tommy was gone.  Father forbade me to ever speak of him again.  Mother and I did talk of him, but it hurt her to know that he had left because of her illness.  We always prayed for his safety; but, since Mother’s been gone, I haven’t spoken about him to anyone.  Pastor Jenson wasn’t here then.  We had another pastor who left shortly after Mother passed away.  I guess the people in town respect Father’s wishes, and maybe they have forgotten about Tommy since he has been gone eight years.  I have never forgotten him and pray for him everyday.  He would be 28 now.  Mandy, I know that Father knew that he was going, yet he didn’t let him tell Mother or me.  He left with just a change of clothes and nothing else.  We did get one letter from him a long while later just before Mother died.  He had gone hungry and suffered while looking for work.  He didn’t say so, but Mother and I could tell by what he said – or rather didn’t say.  Mother cried so when she got that letter.” 

“Mandy, Tommy never gave his heart to Christ.  That was one reason why Mother was so unhappy.  She never knew if he found the Lord or if she would ever see him again, even in heaven.  And Father never gave him a penny when he left.  He told Mother that.  Oh, don’t you see?  Father should have given him some of that money to help him in his travels.  He had worked as hard as Father on the farm for several years, and I know Father never paid him.  He always said the farm belonged to all of us, and we all had to work for it.  He said that one day it would be mine and Tommy’s.  Father shouldn’t have driven him away; but if he felt he had to leave, then Father should have given him some money.  He was in Illinois when we got his letter.  He was working on a farm, but he told us that he planned to go west.  Don’t you see, Mandy, it might be possible that I could find him if I go with you!  I don’t know where he was going to settle, but someone might have seen or heard of him.  I have to go with you, and I need that money in order to do it!”

Amanda could only stare at Beth in amazement.  She would never have suspected she would have kept something so important from her.

Finally she said, “Beth, maybe you are right.  I will pray that you will find your brother.  But the west is a huge area, and I would think the odds are against your finding him.  But we know that all things are possible with God.”

The two women busied themselves packing the items that Beth had brought with her and then prepared for bed.  A short time later they were in Amanda’s bed.  Amanda found that she was unable to sleep and spent some time thinking of all her friend had confided that night.

Closing her eyes, she pleaded with God to help them know His will.

“God, You have promised to always be with us.  Help us on our journey.  Keep us safe.  Help Beth to get away without a problem.  Please help Beth to find her brother if that is Your will.  Father, the most important thing is that Tommy will have found You and that he is happy and safe.  Help Beth to hear some news of him.”  Amanda fell asleep still praying for their trip.