Teresa's parents looked worried to see the teacher and her family escorting her home though the child was unharmed except for a little dirt on the back of her dress.
She wasn't sure how well Teresa's parents spoke English if they did at all, so she made sure to use lots of hand gestures as she related the incident.
Teresa didn't reach out to hug her, but she said, "Gracias, thank you."
The first words of English from her were a thank you indeed to Ruth. She knew what the words, however brief, had cost her to say to a teacher of all people.
"No need to thank us, honey. We just want you to be safe."
Teresa's parents thanked them too. Though their unease over the situation remained.
The next morning, Sister Ruth looked out on the classroom with new eyes. These children were the future. They would be the ones to accept the change in power or not. How did one go about creating unity in a community that was more apt to focus on their differences because there was no doubt more people of various backgrounds would pour in now that the territory was open to American settlers. Through love. And how did one show love? Through deed and not word only.
"Children, we ain't doing lessons today."
The students took no time in rejoicing at the news. There was cheering and applauding and whistling to show their appreciation.
"Quiet down, ya'll. We're still going to work." Her words were met with expected groans by the more vocal students, and she let it get quiet again before she continued. "I'm hoping this will teach you all the most important lesson you'll ever learn: that God put us on this earth to serve Him and the way we do that is to show God's love by serving others."
She'd heard Mrs. Moore's husband had broken a leg, which was bound to be putting a strain on their finances, and she'd seen for herself on walking by the outside that work wasn't getting done as it should. And who better for a group of school kids to help than a former teacher?
"What's this?" Mrs. Moore asked with smiling eyes as she answered the door and saw the gaggle of students and teacher.
"We're here to help you with your garden, which sounds strange with Christmas only weeks away, but that's the beauty of this part of the country," Ruth said with open arms.
"You don't have to do that."
"We don't have to, but we want to. You'll actually be doing us a favor as I want to impress upon the children the importance of loving our neighbors."
"Well, as long as it's part of a lesson, I say be my guest."
Though most if not all the children had a garden at home, Ruth warned, "If you're not sure if something needs to be pulled, ask."
They stared at her wide-eyed as she rolled up her sleeves to help. She imagined they thought she was just going to sit back and watch them do all the work. She laughed. They really didn't know her after all these weeks.
They worked well into the morning. Ruth caught movement out of the corner of her eye as she bent over. Looking at the source, she couldn't say she was all that surprised. She might have known Walter would show his face. She continued to watch him as they worked, but he kept his distance, and she made sure everyone stayed together.
"Lord above, that's one stubborn boy," Ruth said to Mrs. Moore, who came out to help when she wasn't inside working or waiting on her husband.
"Should I get Mr. Moore's rifle or ride into town and get some men to take care of him?" Mrs. Moore volunteered.
"No, I'll take care of him." She went to the well and filled the dipper the class had been sharing at water breaks and went up the hill.
"Take it," she said, firmly but softly.
He looked at the dipperful of cool water like it was a snake.
"The Cole family's partial to bullets not poison when taking men and boys out," she said, her eyes sparkling with humor. "You're bound to be hot and thirsty by now."
He eyed it again, but he didn't move to take it.
"Just drink it, son. I've got more work to do, and the children are going to be thirsty their own selves in a minute."
He took it and gulped it down greedily.
"Thanks," she said after he handed her the dipper back. "Listen, we don't want no trouble."
"I don't aim to cause any."
She smiled at him, wondering if it was the first time she had done so. "Good. Glad to hear it."
As she walked back down the hill, she wondered if he meant his words.
Mrs. Moore came up beside her as she put the dipper back. "I can't believe you just marched up there and gave him water. You've got some amazing courage."
"I've handled meaner, but that's not why I went up there. I did it because that's what Jesus would have me do."
"Doesn't he make you angry? Walter, of course, not Jesus."
"He does, and it caused me to make some mistakes early on. He already had reason not to like me in his mind being that I'm not part of the culture. A person can be a Christian in name only but still get mighty riled up in denominational wars because they consider their parents faith their heritage. Then I made him lose his pride in front of the class. He's got a lot of anger built up inside him from troubles at home, and I'm afraid I didn't do too much to help it."
"Well, you're more patient than I could have been."
"You've no idea the number of times I've read the thirteenth chapter of Colossians since starting this job. It's been fun and educational being a schoolmarm, but I think I'm ready to go back to evangelizing in saloons and brothels. And I think the school board is ready for me to go. I go places they don't approve of in my ministry, and I'm married, which are two strikes against me."
She laughed. "Oh my, it doesn't speak very well to our school if you'd prefer men and women who are that rough over our children, does it?"
She laughed with her. "No, they've been great lately, and I'll miss some of the funny things they say. It's just not my life's work."
"I wonder if they considered a married teacher this term if they'll consider one next term."
"No harm in asking."
"I think I'm ready for school tomorrow, Mrs. Cole," Herbert said, her personal portrait artist, as he came over for some water.
She smiled, remembering his rudely drawn picture of her on the slate. He could be a handful but his cuteness saved his hide, and he'd warmed up to her since that first day. "Yep, nothing like working under the sun to make a body appreciate book learning."
They were done an hour earlier than expected.
Mrs. Moore addressed them before they left. "Thank you all so much, children. You have a smart teacher, you know. Any teacher can stand in front of a classroom and teach from books. It's a rarer teacher who is genuinely concerned with the welfare and character of every one of their students. And I see a fine group of young men and women before me."
Ruth flushed at the praise. In some ways, she felt like she'd failed them, Walter and Lemuel especially, but it was nice to hear she'd been doing some of it right.
Young people sometimes got the idea that love was supposed to be easy, that it was supposed to make them feel good, and matches were often made with selfish thoughts of attaining wealth and social standing, but the Good Book said it best: "Love is not self-seeking." Love, true love, was about turning your attention to others and focusing on their needs even when things got tough. Even when that person didn't want to be loved.
She looked towards the hill and saw Walter was gone, but she prayed he'd learned something from his watching. She prayed he'd felt loved when she brought him water. She didn't know what else to do for him.
