Amanda felt fine the next morning and being of a normally sunny disposition, she put all thoughts of the day before out of her mind as they prepared for the party that evening.
“I am planning to make a pie from the berries we gathered yesterday.” Beth told her. “Why don’t you make some cookies? Everyone is contributing something. I am looking forward to meeting more of the people of Seattle
Amanda’s expression had darkened just a little at the mention of the berries, but she agreed to make the cookies. Riley had promised to come by for them shortly before seven when the party was to begin.
Later that afternoon, the women bathed and prepared to dress for the party. Amanda and Beth were both wearing Sunday dresses that they had brought from Ohio
“I might be needed, and I don’t want to have on all that fancy stuff. It gets in my way when I am working!” Sarah told them when they urged her to borrow one of their dresses.
Riley and his friend, Will, came by shortly before seven to walk with the women to the community home where the party would be held.
Beth watched Riley carefully to see if she thought he paid any special attention to Amanda, but other than looking at her as if to determine if there were any lasting effects of her encounter with the Indian the day before, he seemed to divide his attention equally between the others in their group.
It only took a few minutes for them to arrive at the community building. Even though they were a little early, quite a number of people were already there. Amanda recognized several people that they had met during the week, but there were many unfamiliar faces.
Built especially to house the prospective brides, the community building was easily the largest building in town. The major portion of the downstairs was taken up with a large community room. Behind this was a small kitchen that the women used for the preparation of their meals. Upstairs was a dormitory style room where the women slept. The women were chaperoned by Mrs. Ethel Miller, a formidable widowed matron in her mid-fifties who slept in a separate bedroom upstairs.
The group was met with cries of greetings from the ones who had already met the new doctor and her two friends. Almost everyone in attendance knew Will and Riley on sight. They were happy to see their traveling companions and were soon greeting Mr. and Mrs. Taylor as well as the other women.
Estelle looked fully recovered. Her figure was disguised in a fully cut dress and her complexion was glowing. She greeted all three warmly but drew Sarah aside to thank her again for her care during the trip.
The women who were residing in the community home exclaimed over their dresses and hair as they urged them toward the refreshment table. Amanda and Beth put the food they had brought with the other refreshments even as Jane urged them to have a cup of cider.
Amanda gazed around the room while drinking the cool cider. There was a large group of men in the room. They outnumbered the women three to one, and she assumed they were some of the settlers and men from the nearby camps.
Amanda noticed a small group of men at the front of the room. One had a fiddle, another a banjo, while the third had a guitar. A fourth man soon joined them holding a harmonica, and she realized that they would provide the music for the evening. When the band struck up their first tune, the men in the room looked awkwardly at each other as if they did not know what to do, but once the first man moved to claim a partner, the rest eagerly followed.
“Beth, would you like to dance?” Taking her arm, Riley led Beth out onto the dance floor.
Soon all of the women were dancing, even Sarah who claimed to have two left feet. Amanda could see that skill was not important as everyone simply enjoyed the time of fellowship and getting to know each other. As soon as one song finished, the men claimed another partner. The band played a set of six songs and stopped for a brief break. Amanda was glad to have a chance to get another cup of cider. With so many people in the room, it had grown rather warm.
Several men gathered around Amanda and vied for her attention. Looking around, she noticed that each of the women had their share of attention.
Riley and Beth joined Amanda near the refreshment table. Riley began to introduce some of the men to the women.
“This is Mack McDonald,” indicating a tall man in a red flannel shirt and jeans. “He works at one of the logging camps. I think you know Ben Johnson, the owner of the general store. And, Beth, this is Mr. Simpson, who has a farm north of town, near my land. Remember I told you that you might be able to buy some chickens from him?”
Beth began talking to Mr. Simpson about the possibility of buying several chickens while Amanda tried to engage the other two men in conversation.
“Tell me about the logging camp. Is it far from here?”
“No, Ma’am. It’s about three miles from town. We don’t get to come to town too often. Our boss, J.T., works us from sun up to sun down and expects a lot out of us for our pay. It’s good money though. If I can get one of these pretty girls to marry me, I will probably make me a claim on some land around here. I guess I could work at the saw mill. There’s no way I would want to be up at camp with my bride down here in town – and J.T. would never allow a woman in camp! That’s one thing he is totally against. Why, even our cook is a man! That is one of his strictest rules – No Women!”
“I guess he has his reasons for that.” Amanda said politely while wondering about this J.T.
“Oh, yes, ma’am. A woman would just be too distracting for the men. And logging is dangerous. All it takes is one moment of not paying attention and you can lose a leg or arm or even be killed. Take Miss Ethel over there. Her husband was crushed by a falling tree.”
“Well, I hope none of your men are injured, but if they are, I am sure that Dr. Adams will be only too glad to offer assistance.”
“You mean that purty little lady over there. I can hardly believe she is a real doctor, but I can tell you, ma’am, that there is no way J.T. will ever let her in his camp!”
Amanda was about to defend her friend when the music began again and Ben asked her to dance. Amanda murmured a goodbye to Mack as she stepped to the center of the dance floor with Ben.
“Mandy,” Sarah placed her hand on Amanda’s arm and motioned for her to step to the side of the room.
“What is it? Is something wrong?”
“No, but there has been a fight up at the logging camp. One of the men has been cut badly. I have to go. Don’t worry. Mr. Parker is going to take me up. I’ll be back as soon as I can, but I don’t know when.”
Amanda watched her friend slip quietly from the room. Once again she was reminded of all the qualities that she so greatly admired in Sarah. Sarah was a strong Christian, and she was determined to follow God’s call to be a doctor. Amanda had knowledge of all the opposition she had faced while in medical school, but Sarah had persevered in order to reach her goals. Amanda only hoped that this J.T. would not give Sarah too much trouble. She knew that Sarah would not back down if there was someone in need of medical care. Amanda quickly sent up a prayer that God would be with Sarah and protect her and to help her with facing J.T.
Amanda had no shortage of partners as there were many more men than women, and she knew she would never remember all of the names. She barely had time to speak to Beth or the other women. She did notice Beth talking to Hannah, Riley, and Ben over by the refreshment table later in the evening.
The dance was nearly over when Amanda realized that she had danced with many of the men present but not the one man she had hoped would ask her to be his partner. She tried to hide her disappointment as the last dance was being announced. She saw a particularly dirty man heading for her, and she hoped that she would not have to dance with him when Riley suddenly appeared at her side.
“May I have this dance, Mandy?” Riley smiled down at her, and she forgot all about the other man until Riley continued softly.
“That man that was headed toward you is Leon Edwards. It would be a good idea to avoid him if possible. He lives out in the mountains with his son. His wife – or the boy’s mother – died several years ago after a severe beating. Leon
Amanda tried not to look at the man even while she felt sorry for his child. Once again Riley had come to her rescue. She smiled up at him, thinking how safe and secure she felt in his arms. Although not the best dancer in the room, he did not step on her toes as many of her partners had.
At the end of the dance, everyone clapped loudly for the band and Riley leaned closer to whisper, “Don’t forget. Will and I are walking you home. Don’t even think about going without us. We have to help clean up before we go.”
Amanda did not normally have a temper, but she was a little angry that Riley would think they would ignore his earlier instructions. Sighing, she went to help the others clean and prepare the room for the church service on the following morning. Riley and Will, along with Ben Johnson and a few others, helped move the table, sweep and set up benches. The women washed the few dishes and put them away.
In a short time, the room had been restored to order and the two men came to escort them home.
“Where’s Sarah?” asked Riley.
“She had to go out on a call,” Amanda told him.
“What? Where and who escorted her? I thought I told her not to go anywhere without an escort!”
“She did have an escort! Mr. Parker took her. Riley, Sarah is a wonderful doctor, and that is why she moved here. She will go on calls. She cannot do her job if she doesn’t. I am sure she will be careful.” Amanda tried to keep her tone even, but she knew that Riley would continue to argue about this, and she knew just as strongly that Sarah would continue to do just what she felt she needed to do.
Riley did not seem too happy about her answers, but he motioned for the others to go toward the door.
Waving goodbye to the others, the foursome started on the short walk home. Will and Beth led the way followed by Amanda and Riley.
Amanda looked at Beth and Will laughing and talking, and she could not help but be amazed by the changes in just a few short weeks in her shy friend. Just months earlier, Beth would scarcely speak to a stranger or even someone she had known for a long time, especially men. Now she seemed to be happy and friendly toward everyone. Amanda felt the experience of working in the store at home had helped, but she wondered if being out of the overpowering presence of her father had not had more to do with the change.
Amanda wished she could talk to Riley so easily. He seemed to have little to say to her and, when she asked a question or tried to initiate a conversation, he became stoic and gave one or two word answers. Amanda wondered why Riley was not walking with Beth and felt that he was disappointed to be walking with her.
Arriving at the house, Beth said to the men, “I am so excited that we will be having our first church service tomorrow. Mandy and I were worried that we would not have a church here. Are you both coming?”
Will spoke up right away to say that he would be present, but Riley remained silent so that Beth asked him again, “What about you, Riley? Aren’t you coming?”
Amanda held her breath as she waited for Riley’s answer. She told herself that she simply wanted Riley to have the opportunity to hear the word of God, but she knew that while she did desperately want Riley to hear and believe, she also wanted to see him again.
Finally, Riley answered. “I don’t know. I had planned to work on my house tomorrow. I don’t get much opportunity to work all day since I work so much at the mill. I haven’t been to church much, just didn’t see the need, I guess.”
“Oh, Riley, everyone needs church and the Lord. Please say you’ll come! Beth said earnestly. “I promise you won’t regret it.”
“We’ll see,” was his stoic reply.
“And if you do come, please plan on joining us for lunch. Hannah and Ben will be here and, Will, I hope you will too. You have both been so kind about bringing us fish and meat from your hunting and fishing that we will be glad to share what we have with you.”
Bidding the men a good night, the two women entered their home.
“Don’t forget to lock the door.” Riley called, and Amanda was sure that he stood outside until he heard them do so.
A short while later, the two women climbed into bed with their Bibles for their devotion.
“Mandy, I wanted to tell you that I plan on asking Ben tomorrow if he needs any help in the store. If Hannah is willing to move in with us, she can help with the chores. I may also try to do some sewing for some of the women.”
Amanda assured Beth that she would be glad to help her in any way that she could.
“I hope to get a teaching job in the fall. I will go next week to talk with the town leaders and see if the town is interested in starting a school. Ben told me that there are at least fifteen children of school age and maybe even more. If Hannah comes to live here, the four of us should be able to get everything done.”
“I hope Riley comes to church. He has been a good friend to us and I don’t like to think that he is a non-believer.” Beth said.
Amanda had shared Riley’s comments on the ship with her friends and all three had been praying that Riley would be open to the message of salvation and that they would have a chance to witness to him.
She looked at Beth. “Beth, do you remember what your mother said about marrying a non-believer?”
Beth said, “Yes, Mandy, but I don’t feel that way about Riley. He is just a good friend to me. I care about him but not in the way that I would have to feel about the man that I marry. And I don’t think he feels that way about me either. If anything, he has feelings for you. I saw him watching you all night!”
Amanda stared at Beth in amazement. “Why, he barely talks to me, yet he is always talking and laughing with you.”
“Yes, and you are quiet around him when you seem to have no problem talking with anyone else.”
“But that is only because he won’t talk to me. I have tried to be friendly, but he just ignores me.”
Beth laughed quietly and patted Amanda on the arm.
“Well, God will work it out if we give it up to Him. Now let’s get some rest. We have to get up early in the morning to get lunch ready and to prepare for church. Oh, I can’t wait for our first service!”
Blowing out the candle, both women were sound asleep in a few minutes.
No comments:
Post a Comment