Rainbow Valley could still be counted on, even in trying times. The sun
dappled grass, the autumn wind blowing soft and warm and sweet, like an
angel's caress. Una sighed audibly, causing Faith to look up. They had both
taken to bringing their letters to Rainbow Valley and reading under the
shade of the giant oak trees. Jerry wrote to Una regularly, but Jem wrote
to Faith with much more regularity. Faith had confessed to Una late one
night after the boys had left, that she and Jem were engaged. There was no
ring as of yet. But there was a promise. And one she said she intended to
honor, "come what may". "Come what may," those had been Faith's words, and
Una thought they were unusually eloquent for her headstrong sister.
Jerry's letters had not been extraordinarily interesting, but then Jerry had always been serious and dependable. He filled his letters with stories of his fellow enlistees. A red headed, freckled youth named Ernest, who was so true to his name, that Jerry thought Ernest should be come a preacher and he should become a lawyer. Of a farm boy from out west who could eat him weight in mashed potatoes. He had repeated it twice you she could grasp the enormity of it all. Jerry had said the boy weighed 90Kg easily. Una had a hard time imagining 90Kg worth of mashed potatoes. But apparently it was possible. Wasn't there some saying about love and war. Jerry also wrote of old men, well past their own father's age, who arrived at training ready to fight. Only to be sent home due to lack of stamina and ability. She felt such pride in her country that even men far past their prime would fight for Canada. They would not leave the burden to the young along. Jerry also wrote of "crazy Americans," who were so determined to kill some Krauts that they had signed up with the Canadians. "Despite their confounded accents, and their monumental arrogance, and determination to take over the world," he claimed, they really weren't a "bad sort." Una had to laugh when she read that. Hearing that the Americans were going to fight in the war, gave her a burst of hope. The war could not last too long. With so many countries aligned against them, how could the Germans and their allies hope to succeed.
Rilla used to come and sit in the Valley with them. Walter wrote to her, and Rilla would read parts of his letters aloud. Una had lived for those moments. But now with the baby - Jims, Rilla was a little loathe to come. She was worried the poor thing would catch his death of cold. Una smiled to herself, Rilla was certainly turning into one of those overbearing mothers. She seemed perpetually busy and frazzled. Una admired Rilla for taking on the responsibility of a baby. But it was strange to think of Rilla raising a child. Rilla was a girl meant for laughing and dancing - not a nanny. Faith had laughed hysterically when Rilla had first told them of her intentions. But seeing the determined and angry expression on Rilla's face, Faith and quieted down. However, she still took to joking about Rilla's predicament, as she called it, when there was no danger of being over heard.
Walter had taken to writing to her on occasion. She had been quite shocked the first time she received his letter. Of course, they had been childhood friends. But there was something so very personal about receiving such a letter out of the blue. She still had it, tucked under the cover of her pillow. Her first letter from the boy, no the man she loved. Una only lived in concern that somehow Faith would find it, and plague her to death because of it. She never knew when Walter's letters would arrive. But they always seemed to arrive at such opportune times, at times when she felt she needed words of courage to urge her on. In his last letter he had written of "mighty oak trees, so proud and erect never bowing to the changing winds."
Una really did not understand how Jem managed to write Faith such long letters. They were literally like books. When the envelope arrived, it was so covered with stamps that the address could barely be made out. She could have sworn that they letters were at least twenty pages long. And to top it off, they arrived like clockwork, once a week. He was a soldier, nearing the front, in training. For the life of her, she could not understand where he found to time to compose such epistles to his beloved. Una, never had a chance to actually see the letters up close. If she had, she would have realized that the letter itself was no more than a page. Despite his mother and brother who certainly had a way with words, Jem took after his father - strong and silent. On the remaining pages of the book, were written short notes, "Thinking of you", "Love you always", etc. One for everyday of the week.
**************************************************************************** **********
Jerry's letters had not been extraordinarily interesting, but then Jerry had always been serious and dependable. He filled his letters with stories of his fellow enlistees. A red headed, freckled youth named Ernest, who was so true to his name, that Jerry thought Ernest should be come a preacher and he should become a lawyer. Of a farm boy from out west who could eat him weight in mashed potatoes. He had repeated it twice you she could grasp the enormity of it all. Jerry had said the boy weighed 90Kg easily. Una had a hard time imagining 90Kg worth of mashed potatoes. But apparently it was possible. Wasn't there some saying about love and war. Jerry also wrote of old men, well past their own father's age, who arrived at training ready to fight. Only to be sent home due to lack of stamina and ability. She felt such pride in her country that even men far past their prime would fight for Canada. They would not leave the burden to the young along. Jerry also wrote of "crazy Americans," who were so determined to kill some Krauts that they had signed up with the Canadians. "Despite their confounded accents, and their monumental arrogance, and determination to take over the world," he claimed, they really weren't a "bad sort." Una had to laugh when she read that. Hearing that the Americans were going to fight in the war, gave her a burst of hope. The war could not last too long. With so many countries aligned against them, how could the Germans and their allies hope to succeed.
Rilla used to come and sit in the Valley with them. Walter wrote to her, and Rilla would read parts of his letters aloud. Una had lived for those moments. But now with the baby - Jims, Rilla was a little loathe to come. She was worried the poor thing would catch his death of cold. Una smiled to herself, Rilla was certainly turning into one of those overbearing mothers. She seemed perpetually busy and frazzled. Una admired Rilla for taking on the responsibility of a baby. But it was strange to think of Rilla raising a child. Rilla was a girl meant for laughing and dancing - not a nanny. Faith had laughed hysterically when Rilla had first told them of her intentions. But seeing the determined and angry expression on Rilla's face, Faith and quieted down. However, she still took to joking about Rilla's predicament, as she called it, when there was no danger of being over heard.
Walter had taken to writing to her on occasion. She had been quite shocked the first time she received his letter. Of course, they had been childhood friends. But there was something so very personal about receiving such a letter out of the blue. She still had it, tucked under the cover of her pillow. Her first letter from the boy, no the man she loved. Una only lived in concern that somehow Faith would find it, and plague her to death because of it. She never knew when Walter's letters would arrive. But they always seemed to arrive at such opportune times, at times when she felt she needed words of courage to urge her on. In his last letter he had written of "mighty oak trees, so proud and erect never bowing to the changing winds."
Una really did not understand how Jem managed to write Faith such long letters. They were literally like books. When the envelope arrived, it was so covered with stamps that the address could barely be made out. She could have sworn that they letters were at least twenty pages long. And to top it off, they arrived like clockwork, once a week. He was a soldier, nearing the front, in training. For the life of her, she could not understand where he found to time to compose such epistles to his beloved. Una, never had a chance to actually see the letters up close. If she had, she would have realized that the letter itself was no more than a page. Despite his mother and brother who certainly had a way with words, Jem took after his father - strong and silent. On the remaining pages of the book, were written short notes, "Thinking of you", "Love you always", etc. One for everyday of the week.
**************************************************************************** **********