Abram's Daughters: The Betrayal Part 18

But it was the knowledge Leah had broken her promise ili.H was most troubling. Resentment lingered long after supI m i, Jeep into the night.

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i l.u.s.t rosy dawn, Leah was awakened by robins tweeting

11 "Lord's Day ... Lord's Day" p.r.o.nouncement. Dozing off I <>n, she dreamed that upon arrival at Preaching, she dis- . i 'vi'K'il Jonas gone. Cousin Peter Mast was there, telling the iiiini'.HTs his son had changed his mind and returned to Ohio.

hiii ...-nhearted even amidst her grogginess, Leah lay in bed, i . i ridding over the bridge of her nose as she struggled to ipr (his partial wakefulness. She felt herself brush away the i. us, Iully awake now. Such peculiar and troubling imagin- 11i!V. on this most reverent day!

Truly, she could not conceive of Jonas leaving Gobbler's I i m >b without following the Lord in joining church. What the > ii'il ordinance meant to her, it also meant to him. Baptism i. i he essential next step in being allowed to marry with the Ma.s.sing of the People. This was nothing more than a fuzzy- ln .ided predawn stupor.

She sat upright in the bed, shaking her head and pushing ili-(.*piness and the alarming dream aside. Reaching over, she I'l.ieed her hand on her wayward sister's pillow. Will you 236.

-ly Xe understand what I had to do? she wondered, missing Sadie. Leah chased away her troublesome thoughts embraced this most blessed day.

Almost immediately upon dressing for church, after milk ing and breakfast were finished, Leah heard a knock at 1 indoor. Quickly she went to see who was there.

"Do ya have a minute for your ol' auntie?" Lizzie said, standing there smiling wistfully.

What with this being an extra-special Sunday, Lenlt wasn't too surprised to see her. "Come in, come in. And since when are you old?" She reached for Lizzie's hands and pulled her gently into the bedroom.

Strangely enough, Lizzie closed the door firmly behind her, Then she turned back to face Leah. "I'm old, jah ... whery my nieces have grown up enough to join church and givB themselves to the Lord G.o.d. Ain't so?" a "No ... no, no. You're as young as you've always lookca to me." I Apparently there was more on Lizzie's mind than talk on growing older. "I'm here to offer a heartfelt blessin' to you!Leah." 1 She sighed. "If only Sadie were here to witness the day." j Aunt Lizzie nodded. "I daresay we should never hnvJ promised to keep that wretched secret of hers." I "What's done is done," Leah said. "Now we must forgiva 237.

in rlye , just as the Lord G.o.d has forgiven us through Jesus I.. MB."

I "Ahnim told me you confessed quietly of Sadie's baby liq." Lizzie said.

L I enh Ii;k1 wondered when Dat might reveal this to Aunt H, I k' surely had not wasted any time. ^Hl^hniL: deeply, Leah continued. "I must tell you I feel ^Hn> li^hi now a burden's lifted from me, truly. Yet in the ^^Ulu* way, I bear such heaviness in my heart for Sadie." ^^Biii'cly our Sadie knows how dearly loved she is," Aunt ^H-uhUI, embracing her.

^H^ikI I pray my confession will bring her heart home to ^Hruplc, once and for all," Leah replied. ^HuJilenly tears welled up in Lizzie's eyes. "Let me look at Inn She paused, reaching for Leah's hands. "Oh, my dear I've waited so long for this day of days, when you would i ,! i o follow in obedience the path of righteousness. The I 'I I lie People. May the almighty One bless you abun-I ly."

1 I nil was greatly touched by her aunt's thoughtfulness uiil, most of all, by her unexpected blessing something a 111ii i ordinarily bestowed upon his son or daughter.

I "(. )li, Aunt Lizzie, it's good of you to come up here just ftw " She was at a loss for more words.

I " ' I is a day to 'come out from among them, and be ye sep- ll.it<,'" lizzie="" quoted="" the="" well-known="" scripture.="" she="" contin-="" nd="" "="" 'be="" a="" light="" to="" the="" world,'="" honey-girl.="" without="" spot="" or="">

I "With the help of the Lord above, I will," Leah replied.

238 X. e m> i s , Then, as quickly as she'd come, Aunt Lizzie turned opened the door, and hurried down the hall to the stairs.

Downright edgy, Mamma brushed Dat's black felt haf ;in Leah and the twins gathered in the kitchen. Mary Rulh insisted on making a fuss over Leah's freshly ironed while organdy Halsduch a triangular piece of cloth, also called :i cape and the long white ap.r.o.n over her long black dress, Mamma kept looking at Leah, an odd glint in her eyes. Ami all the more when Lizzie went and stood right next to Leah.

It wasn't long, though, and they heard Dat calling to them to "come now, and let's be goin' to the house of worship."

They heeded the call and hurried out the back door.

Leah stooped to pet her dog quickly, wondering how awk ward things might be for Smithy Gid this day. Undoubtedly, he'd be watching and praying, too when Leah filed inin the service with the other girls who were to be baptized.

She spied Dat standing near the horse, talking low ami soft to the animal, the way he often did, while the family stepped into the spring wagon for the short ride.

"Be alight to the world... ." Aunt Lizzie had said upstnii.s.

"Mustn't keep the ministers waitin'," Dat was heard to s;iy as Leah climbed into the backseat with Aunt Lizzie.

She prayed silently as they rode along a bit faster than wus a typical Sunday go-to-meeting pace. Dat must be eager to )n(ei her into the Fold, she thought, lest something should surliuv to keep that from happening. No doubt he was terribly upsel over Sadie's wrongdoings probably hoping Leah would 239.

f B tinlh pure before the Lord G.o.d.

I I c.o.king out at the pre-autumn landscape tobacco fields iliu'ed to green stubble and cornstalks rising to new B^irlifg she thought of the personal matters she and Jonas .I I . lincussed well into the night on Friday. For one, he was E,.

hiuling to approach her father this very afternoon about Hii I'DHdihility of purchasing a corner of his land to build a Bm .1 , possibly in the spring of next year. As newly weds they .ill.lin't need a place to call their own just yet. Jonas wanted < i="" 'how="" the="" old="" way="" of="" doing="" things.="" they="" would="" simply="" i)="">< amongst="" their="" many="" relatives,="" staying="" with="" different="" ones="" bf="" i="" lie="" first="" six="" months="" after="" marriage.="" during="" this="" time="" they="" h="" uki="" be="" given="" free="" lodging,="" as="" well="" as="" an="" a.s.sortment="" of="" wedhlu!="" gifts="" at="" each="" house,="" as="" was="" the="" people's="" custom.="" just="" yeshfiluy="" mamma="" had="" hinted="" she="" hoped="" they="" might="" spend="" their="" 0="" dtllng="" night="" in="" the="" spare="" bedroom="">

Naturally the biggest hurdle of all would be whether or il onas and Dat saw eye to eye.on the matter of land. The Mime she thought on it, the more she felt embarra.s.sed Dat I Mil not initiated such a plan, offering to give his son-in-law iiiul daughter a bit of land as a dowry ... a blessing on their H l'i'I age. But she had an irksome hunch Dat was still holding H t lor something to go wrong between Jonas and herself ...

Ben at this late date.

B Sometime this afternoon they would know one way or the Bhcr what Dat's reaction to Jonas's request might be. She B) H'd her years of working closely alongside Dat might soraeBw make a difference.

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e u> e r I y X, e w i s In contrast to last year's baptism Sunday, which was overcast and gray when Sadie had been one of six girls bap tized this Lord's Day the sky was a spotless blue with mi indication of a single cloud. A good sign.

And now here were this year's applicants, eight girls and six boys Jonas being the only one who had not grown up in the Gobbler's k.n.o.b church district. Leah was grateful in Bishop Bontrager for making it possible for Jonas to be baptized along with her. She hoped to have the opportunity to tell the bishop so at some point, when the time was right ami with Dat by her side.

The ma.s.sive barn doors gaped wide, propped open for rhi* Preaching service to allow for additional ventilation. The People poured into the meeting place, some with additional family members and friends from other church districts for fluspecial ordinance. Latecomers were a.s.signed to sit on the bail benches, near stacked bales of hay, which often poked the spine a sure incentive not to be tardy.

With head bowed, Leah sat on the middle bench with flic other girls, up front near the ministers. Across from them on a wooden, backless bench, the boys sat, their spines straight as ladders, while the next hymn was sung in unison by tlitPeople.

Seven ministers entered the area set up amidst the loim granary and alfalfa bales, including Bishop Bontrager, Preacher Yoder, Preacher Lapp, Deacon Stoltzfus, and thivr other visiting ministers and deacons. They removed ihcii large black hats and shook hands with different folk nearby, on their way to the ministers' bench.

After two sermons were given, each an hour long, Bishop 241.

l U ruger stood and offered personal remarks directed to the < p="">

Tlif bishop continued. "You are to be reminded that your '"ItMW vow is being made to the Most High G.o.d ... not ly to I be ministers here and this church membership."

Fully aware of the meaning of the covenant what it iillred of her all the days of her life Leah was eager to go her knees when the bishop said, "If it is still your intention be baptized and become a member of the body of Christ, 11 kneel before Almighty G.o.d and His church to obtain < p="">

An she knelt, Leah prayed silently for the strength to take i.i* holy step.

The bishop asked the first question. "With the help and u e of our Lord G.o.d heavenly Father, are you each willing ignounce the world, your own flesh, and the devil and to i >bcdient only to G.o.d and His church?"

The repeated jah was heard as each of them answered.

"Now, can you promise to walk with Christ and His luirch and remain faithful through life and until your death?"

Again the answer came in a stream of jahs.

"Do you confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of G.o.d?"

When it came Leah's turn, she said, "I confess that Jesus I ii'isl: is the Son of G.o.d."

The membership and children in the congregation stood i prayer after the last vow was audibly sealed. Leah and the I1 icrs had been instructed to remain in a kneeling position, . m att.i.tude of humility. The deacon's wife untied the rib. .us of Leah's prayer cap; then the bishop laid hands on her

241 242R.

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ly J2e bare head as Deacon Stoltzfus poured water into Bishop Bontrager's cupped hands. She felt the water dripping onin her hair and running down her face and neck, and at rliiil moment she wept.

"May the Lord G.o.d in heaven complete the good work He has begun in each of you and strengthen and comfort yon to a blessed end," prayed the bishop. He reached out a h:uul to Leah. "In the name of the Lord G.o.d and the church, vvi extend to you the hand of fellowship. Rise up, Leah Ebersol,"

She rose, struck by the solemn responsibility she now li:ul to the People under G.o.d Almighty. The deacon's wife greeted her, then offered the Holy Kiss. Leah and the other newly baptized church members took their seats, and each girl ret in I her prayer veiling once again.

Leah sat motionless, mindful of the lifetime commitnuiii she had just made. Understood within the vow was the prom ise she would help to uphold the Ordnung rules and order and forsake not the exceptionally strict church of her baptism, 243 ^ J.

i-to- & -yu 4-H' . /- ,^e, & '- I my Ruth felt more at ease today than she had the last i she'd stumbled upon Elias Stoltzfus after Preaching.

Ifly the People had gathered at Uncle Jesse EbersoPs farm- imc. Though older than her father, Uncle Jesse was on hand iff tin.1 meeting to pump well water to quench the thirst of i)tkl many folk while a half-dozen women headed for the IH idle u> help with the common meal. Mary Ruth and HanI nth hi'lped Leah and some of their girl cousins set out the I1 'Oil bread and b.u.t.ter, two kinds of jam, sweet and dill pickI' 11 ln and resetting the table three or four times, and the , H inmost children would eat last.

'I ill, encountering Elias had occurred quite unexpectedly out in the barnyard, once again on her way to the outiinti.( . Not so embarra.s.sed this time, she had been the first to .Mtty, "I lullo!" And he had returned the smile and greeting in She was more than pleased when he said he'd seen her bulking on the Georgetown Road several different times in 244.

the past weeks. "Wouldja ever let me take you to where you're goin'?" he asked.

She was markedly aware of other people milling about the backyard. "I ... well, do you think that's a wise thing?"

"Why, I'm thinkin' it's a mighty gut idea. It'll save your feet, for one thing."

She had to cover her mouth quickly to halt the laughki that managed to break loose anyway. They stood there, boi 11 of them laughing.

"I s'pose I can take your smile as a jah?" he asked, still grinning, his black hat off and resting fiat in his hands. I Goodness' sake, this is abrupt, she thought. What wouliB Dat say if he knew she was agreeing to let Elias take her In the Nolts' house in a pony cart?

"When will ya be out and 'bout again?" he asked, not 011^ bit shy. fl "In a couple-a days." V He returned his hat to his head and gave it a pat. "Well, then, I'll just plan to be happenin' by of an afternoon."

She felt her face grow warm. "I'd say if you were to bv around the stretch of road 'tween my house and 'bout a mile west of there round four o'clock or so you might see mr walkin'."

He nodded. "Done!" he said and was on his way. "What have I gone and agreed to?" she whispered to herself. .

245.

ay a, T.

"Iiullo, Dawdi!" Leah called to her grandfather where he i' liking im the small, square porch at home. ' Mwili John's eyes lit up as Leah and Jonas walked toward i u.'rims the backyard an hour or so after the common meal I ' i .: 1 c Jesse's place.

I Wi'lli now, who's that you got with ya?" he said, grinning. I I onus Mast ... my beau. And one of the few young relaI ynii've yet to meet."

I I' mus leaned down and extended his hand to Dawdi. "I'm i Iiiy pleased," he said.

I luhn Brenneman's my name. I hail from Hickory Hollow, i' icRHon I've never laid eyes on you, I daresay." Dawdi i > (I down his rocking. "Welcome to the family."

This is Mamma's father," Leah told Jonas. "Soon to be " iji'imdfather-in-law."

lipping his arm around her, Jonas stood tall, eyes beami is the three of them exchanged comments about the i n liar and, soon after that, the baptism. " 'Twas a right nice "Mi of young folk this year," said Dawdi. "I daresay all of in n ill be hitche4 up by December."

I t'uh smiled at his bluntness. "Now, that's not the only .i .ii to join church, is it?" Even though it might appear iin.h young folk had marriage on their collective mind ! n thinking through their lifelong covenant, they best be i 'Img the promises made for more than just the purpose of u i inge. She felt ever so sure about that.

"Well, it won't be long and the two of you will be man .1 wife.jah?" i mas smiled down on her. "Not long at all."

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-ly Be "Where do you young ones plan on livin', come noxi spring?" asked Dawdi.

Leah expected her grandfather to ask this. "Jonas and 1 plan to talk through that in just a bit."

"Well, I have a notion Abram won't make it any too easy for you, Jonas ... just a warnin' from your oF Dawdi-to-lx" With that he winked at them both. "Used to be a Lancaster County bride could expect her father to offer expensive gilts, but anymore "

"Dawdi! Remember, Dat's got to be prudent in the mat. ter," Leah interrupted but quickly covered her mouth, renlix ing what she'd done.

"Go on, speak your mind, honey-girl." Dawdi lifted hli black hat and scratched his head underneath. "What wen you sayin'?"

"Sadie should be the recipient of such a gift, really Ix'in1 the eldest daughter. And the twins are comin' along clou* behind ... and someday, Lydiann. If Dat gave each of us girli a parcel of land, wouldn't be long and there'd be none led luf ; him to farm."

Dawdi was nodding his head, pulling on his gray br:u< p="">

246 247Tie betrayal

ftl!i j entrance, lest Dat overhear them.

m MHlwdi John makes Dat sound like a hardhearted man.

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