New Beginnings: Life Changes
ch. 34
Decisions To Make
The day after Frank's deliberate misunderstanding of his assigned chores, he finds himself having to do the task again.
"Today you will use the broom to sweep all of the dirt from the floor. You will use the broom the way I just demonstrated to sweep. You will use the dustpan as I showed you and fill this bucket with the swept dirt. I wiil be back in 15 minutes. I expect this floor to be swept clean and the dirt in this bucket. Failure to do this and my belt will be coming off to talk to your backside! Do you hear me? I will treat you just the same as one of my boys if he tried the trick you pulled yesterday. He would have had his pants at his ankles while bent over receiving my belt. I do not take trickery lightly! So I strongly suggest you heed my words this time."
With that advice, Ethan leaves the boy to his assigned task.
Obeying the sheriff, Frank sweeps the cell quickly. Looking across the short hall to the opposite cell he sees it needs to be swept as well. Taking the broom and bucket with the dustpan in it, he goes into the other cell.
Sweeping along the cell walls first he moves around in the rectangular shape until he has a pile of dirt in the center of each wall. Coming to the small iron bedstead he attempts to pull it from the wall. After several tugs it won't move.
"The frame is bolted to the floor, Frank. Just sweep under it if you have not." The boy hears Ethan say.
"The other bed moves though. Why is that?" Frank asks without thinking.
Noticing the fearful look flash in the boy's eyes Ethan wonders what caused it. Answering calmly he says
"Yes, that's true. Good observation and good question. Never be afraid to ask questions. That is how we learn." Ethan answers waiting for a response. Seeing a tiny nod he continues.
"If you notice, this cell has a high window while the other does not. We made sure to keep the bed from moving so the prisoner would not be tempted to break the glass window. Look closely up there. What do you see?"
"Horizontal bars on the inside. Most jails have bars on the outside of any windows."
"Yes Frank, they do. Have you ever read any books that tell about jail breaks? Tales of Jesse James or other well known criminals? Joseph went through a time of wanting to read of those."
"I don't read. We don't have money for frivolous stuff like books." Frank replies making sure to sound scornful.
"My point was this. With bars on the inside no one can try to rip the bars out of the wall to break someone from jail. You have done well cleaning these cells. Go ahead and finish while I get your mop water ready. Once you mop one cell, you may leave. You are to come back tomorrow."
"I can do both cells. My brother is home with my sister and I have time."
"If you wish, then I won't stop you. I will bring you some of those books. Your brother might want to read them now or when he is a few years older. You know something, Frank? I was not a good reader at your age or when I was twenty either. It was not until my neice Claire and the boys moved to live with me that I became good at reading. A thirteen year old girl taught me to be able to read well. I did not have much schooling after age twelve." Ethan replies as he walks out of the cell. With his back to the boy, he misses the frown that crosses Frank's face.
Later that afternoon as Mitch arrived for his night shift at the Sheriff's office, he stops Ethan from leaving.
"Before you leave, there is something I think you should see. Alex wrote some interesting news in his letter. Here read this." Mitch tells his friend as he hands over part of the letter.
"Has Rob mentioned this young woman? They apparently met this summer. From what is in this letter, she is in need of help. The settlement she lives in has no local law. I have been there years ago. It is mostly a few businesses, a saloon, a hotel. It is a spot for wagon trains and trail bosses to gather."
Mitch asks after Ethan finishes reading the page.
"This is the first I have heard of her. If the young people are discussing plans to have her leave Texas, it must be she is in some danger. The man she has to contend with seems very unfatherlike from Alex's report. I see they have plans for her to live with you."
"I have to admit I am shocked but also pleased he thinks I am a good enough guardian to take in this young woman. I don't believe a single man who is not her family should do that however."
"No, that would not be good. We don't want to ruin her reputation by causing scandal. I wonder why Rob never came to me or even contacted me with this. I thought he and I had built a trust between us. I have only been raising him near to three years so maybe he does not feel he can confide in me."
"Ethan, I have come to know Rob well, what with his friendship with Alex. Your eldest son has the idea he is only a man if he solves all problems on his own. I saw that last year when you married. He has talked of not wanting to ever cause you and Delphie to spend time worrying about him or helping him with his problems."
"Yes he seems to have that idea. I agree now that you brought that up. Before leaving to escort Claire to Boston, he was acting strangely. I had to confront him sternly to get him to explain himself. His relationship with Cecily had fallen apart but he said nothing to me or Delphie. He tried to deal with it alone."
"As I said, he is of the mind to work out difficulties alone. Be it good or bad." Mitch replies.
"Well, Rob and I will have a serious discussion on that idea when I see him again. Once you become a parent or guardian you are that for the rest of your life. The boy hasn't figured out he has no control over the fact he has a Pa and Mama who will always be in his life to help or worry."
"What if one of us went down to Texas to try to help this young lady?" Mitch asks.
"That might be a plan. Since it is Rob she knows, I need to be the one to go. I will talk to Delphie and decide when to go."
Two days later, Ethan has a talk with Frank before he leaves for home.
"Frank, you have done well showing up and accepting your discipline for your behavior. I am leaving town tomorrow for a trip. I won't be back until most likely later next week. You are to come tomorrow after school. Your assignment will be given to you then. As to our agreement, you are to work Saturday but not Sunday. You return after school all next week. Deputy Williams will be in charge of your tasks while I am away. You are to cooperate and do what he tells you. He has permission to punish you as I would if you cause problems. Am I clear?"
"Why do I have to answer to him? Why does HE get to boss me? Is every man in town going to boss me? I won't listen!"
"You will listen young man or you will be punished. I would not cross Deputy Williams, he has much less patience than I do. You do have to be respectful and obedient to adults, yes. But that does not mean that every adult in town is going to give you orders. Just be cooperative and courteous and you will have little problem. Now, I expect you to behave while I am away. My rules still apply as does the punishment for breaking them."
At home that evening, Ethan tells the boys he has a trip to make and of their responsibilities while he is away.
"Boys, I have to leave for some business early in the morning. I want all of you to listen to my expectations. First, obey your Mama. You are to help her, not cause problems for her. Each of you know the rules in this house and you had best abide by them. Second, I have written out a list of work that needs to be done. All three of you are to work together to finish these tasks. Winter is to be early and rough this year according to the Farmer's Almanac. We need to get started preparing the barn and house. You will begin work on the barn while I am away. Joseph, you may charge materials in town for anything we need."
"Yes sir. How long do you plan to be gone, Pa? A month?" Joseph asks as it seems he has a long chore list to work through.
"No son. I am thinking a week but it shouldn't be any longer than ten days counting travel. Ben? George? Do I have your promises to be obedient and helpful?"
"Yes Papa, I promise to help Mama and Joseph." George answers.
"I'll help too. Why do you have to leave? The Fall Harvest Festival is next Saturday. Can we go?"
"I have work to do, Ben. You may go if your Mama gives her permission at the time. I may be home in time to go with you."
Friday morning is not running smoothly without Ethan to help hurry the boys along. Ben, not being a morning person, is especially out of sorts.
"Come now, dear. You need to finish your oatmeal. You are going to have to hurry to get dressed for school."
"I do not want oatmeal today, Mama. I want eggs, toast, sausage, pancakes and jam."
"Ben, we all slept late. There is no time for such a breakfast today. I will see that we have that tomorrow as it is Saturday. What do you say?"
"Can I have French Toast then? Joseph can cook it for me if you don't want to."
Hearing this announced as he comes in from feeding the animals, Joseph says "No, Joseph can't cook it for you. I have to eat and then we are leaving for school. Why are you not even dressed yet? By the way, you get to clean all of one side of the barn after school. George did your part this morning. Fair is fair, Ben."
"Here you are, Joseph. Oatmeal with cinnamon, butter, sugar and milk just as you like it." Delphie says placing a warm bowl down in front of him.
"Thank you, Mama. Do you need me to go by the store for you today?"
"No thank you, Joseph. I don't have a list ready. I may go myself tomorrow. Ben, since you are not eating, go get dressed for school. You boys have ten minutes before time to leave. Where is George?"
"I left him feeding and talking to the chickens. He said he had already had breakfast." Joseph answers after swallowing his large mouthful of cereal,
"Gracious, Joseph! You need to take smaller amounts before you choke."
"Yes'm. I am very hungry, Mama."
"I'll fix you a buttered bread with sugar as well. Ben! I told you to go get dressed. Did you not hear me?" She asks the child still sitting in his place at the table.
"I am still hungry too, Mama. I want bread with butter and sugar."
"Little boys who do not eat their cereal do not get treats at breakfast. If you were hungry you would eat your oatmeal. Go get dressed. You have cookies in your lunch pail. I will put a sugar bread in as well if you are dressed and ready in five minutes."
Arriving at school just as the students are lining up to go inside, Ben gets in the middle of the boy's line behind Aaron.
"No, Ben. You don't get to skip ahead in line. You go right back to the end with George." he hears. Looking up at the double doors to the school, he sees Miss. Donaldson watching him.
"Yes ma'am." Ben answers obeying her direction.
As the children settle into their seats after putting lunch pails and their outdoor wraps in the cloakroom, Miss. Donaldson addresses the class.
"Today is Friday so we will have a few assessments this morning. After that we will share your work from the information we learned at the train station. Pre primer level please copy the alphabet and the first word list from your reader. Primer level and reader level 1 students I want you to practice your best penmanship. Take out your tablets and write each of your spelling words three times. Then I want you to circle the one in each row that is your best handwriting. Reader level 2 and 3 we will begin with your spelling test first. I will call a word for each group and you are to write it neatly. Everyone get ready please."
"Awww, I hate spelling! My worst subject and we do that first!" Ben whispers to Aaron across from him.
"I'm getting better but spelling was hard for me last term." Aaron whispers back as he lifts his desktop to retrieve his pencil and lined tablet. Tearing off a sheet, he returns the tablet to his desk.
Ben does the same, writing his name at the top left as he has been taught. Folding the paper in half lengthwise, he numbers the lines down the page 1 through 10 skipping a line between numbers. The students fold up the right half of the paper to block anyone from seeing their paper.
Miss. Donaldson approaches the area of her class where her older students sit.
"Very good, children! I see you remembered how to prepare your paper. All right, let's have Aaron and Mitsy swap seats. Gwendolyn and Levi, Eliza and Andrew do the same, please."
This effectively puts one of each level next to each other, reducing any temptation to peek at a another child's work.
Listening as the teacher calls out a word for George's level and watching his brother quickly write it makes Ben irratated. He can't write his words quickly.
"The sounds get mixed up in my mind and won't come out the pencil right at all! Spelling is my absolute most hated subject!" He thinks.
"Ben?" He hears.
"Yes Ma'am?"
"Please pay attention. I called your group's first word. You did not write it. The word is blade. The blade of a saw is sharp. Blade"
Hearing her say the word, Ben thinks of it by sound as he repeats it in his mind. Thinking of Joseph telling him to picture the word on his speller's page, Ben tries but no word picture comes to mind. Quickly he writes (bl ay d). Scowling at the paper he realizes it does not look right. "There's no y in this one." He thinks. Crossing it out he writes (bl ai d). Hearing the next word for his group is bride, he smiles. "I remember that one! Mama was a bride." He writes (br i d e). happily. After word six, having written (d w ell) Ben has two words he knows he wrote correctly but the rest he is not sure. Hearing word seven is ladle, he tries (l ai del) before scratching it out and writing ( l ai dele). Looking back over his paper he sees how messy it looks with several words crossed out. Frowning he makes a decision. When he hears word number 8, 9 and 10, he pretends to write by moving the pencil but not actually writing.
Eager to end this torture, he folds his paper in half ready to pass it to the front when he hears "This week we are going to write three sentences. Choose one word and write a declarative, interrogative and exclamatory sentence using that word. When you have your sentences, show me you know how to diagram them. I want to see the labels showing the subject, verb, nouns, and predicate in each have been working with these sentence types so show me your best sentences."
Picking up his pencil once more, Ben writes in capital letters: I DO NOT LIKE SINTENSIZ! I WON'T DO THIS!
When Saturday arrives, Joseph asks Delphie again if you she needs anything from town.
"Mama, I need to go buy some things from the hardware store to complete Pa's chore list. Do you want me to get anything from anywhere else?"
Hearing his brother, Ben pleads "Please, Mama, can I go too?"
"Did you have a note sent home from school yesterday?" Delphie asks the boy. Not getting a reply she adds "I believe you were the one who refused to even try on your spelling test and on your grammar assignment as well. What is the family rule on schoolwork, Ben?"
Seeing his obstinate young brother fold his arms and refuse to answer, Joseph takes him by the arm. Pulling him up on his toes while he delivers four hard swift smacks before the boy can protest.
"Answer Mama before I get the spoon and paddle your behind! You would not be acting this way if Pa were home! You know what would happen if he were! Now speak!"
Glaring at Joseph while rubbing the sting out of his backside, Ben mutters "Always do your best and be obedient."
"Thank you, Ben. Now, do you think not writing your words or sentences was doing your best work or being obedient?"
"No, Mama. But spelling is hard! The words were not coming off the pencil right! I need a different pencil."
"So, it is the fault of the pencil? Ben, you know that is not true. Now as punishment for breaking a family rule, you are confined to the house this morning until lunchtime. You have to attempt schoolwork. Joseph, I have a grocery list ready. Go to Axelrod's to sell our dairy and eggs first. Afterwards go to the General Store and get the non food things. I am hoping they have more flannel in. I need to sew some more diapers and sleeping gowns."
"Yes, Ma'am. I'm going to take the wagon as I need boards. I will be home by lunch."
After his brother is out of the house, Ben says "Joseph is not supposed to smack me, Mama. You did nor scold him for it."
"Your father gave him permission to punish you boys if it is needed. He felt the need. Now, please help George with beating the dirt out of our main room rug, Joseph hung it over the rope between the trees. You can pretend the rug is your spelling test. Go beat it up, son. We'll work more on spelling, Ben. You can do this when you try. You must try."
In town, Joseph is surprised to find Frank Palmer working on the new ice house. Watching him lift a bag of wood pulp and sawdust to pour it into the hollow wall, Joseph asks " Why are you pouring sawdust in the wall that way?"
"Well! If it isn't the Perfect Sheriff's Kid. I am pouring this because it is my job today. Why do you need to know? Go be perfect somewhere else." Frank calks back.
"Nice to talk to you too." Joseph replies before walking inside the General Store.
"Well hello there, Joseph. What can I help you with this morning? Usually you come after lunch."
"Hi Uncle Matt. I came for some things for Mama. Do you know what a baby dummy or soother is? She has both words written here. I don't think she means a fake baby like a ventriloquist might have. Also I am to buy soft flannel, I think for more diapers, some fleece, tubing for bottles, some cloth for making a bunting and diaper fasteners. You have babies so maybe you know these things. I would have asked Mama but she was cross this morning."
"Women who are carrying can be cross easily."
"I have seen this too, Uncle Matt." Joseph nods in agreement.
"You boys do your best to help her in these last months. Do not antagonize her as she needs calm around her. Carrying a baby is hard work."
"Yes sir. I need to hurry, sir. I told Mama I would be home for lunch. I still have to get some supplies from the hardware store as well." Joseph says, hoping to ward off any more of a lecture or advice.
"Luckily for you, I have learned much about baby things. We even stock these items. Let's start with the dummy. Those are things such as a rubber bottle cover with no tube. They are for soothing fretful babies. I think at least two would be your ideal purchase. Lord help us if you misplace it. The screams will drive you out to the barn! The diaper fasteners are the pins with heads to close the sharp point inside it. Let's add six of those to your basket." Matt explains as he moves around the back of the counter to gather the requested items.
"Well here are four bottle covers and tubing with the nipples attached. You can use these on the glass milk bottles. The babies drink the milk from the nipple while the bottle is held. The sucking brings the milk up through the rubber tubing. Here are the soothers. Do you see they are similar to the bottle covers?"
"Yes, just no tube. What of the cloth? She has hmm must be at least thirty diapers made already. Now she is going to make more. What type of material is for diapers? Also what do I buy for making a bunting? The only kind of bunting I know is the red, white and blue half circles used to decorate the town gazebo for Independence day."
"A baby bunting is a warm hooded blanket. Linnea just finished sewing two of those for Gabriel and Lucas. You are going to be an expert on baby items by the time this new little brother or sister arrives."
"Yessir, I thought I knew much already. I helped take care of the boys when they were babies. I must have forgotten these things. I know we did not have dummies. We soaked cloth in honey or sugar water and they sucked that."
"Much has changed in eleven years, Joseph. New inventions and methods come along all the time. Rob and Claire are most likely going to have many inventions to tell us of when they come home from the East. Have you news of Rob's return? I know your Pa is needing him home. He needs his help."
"I have not heard when he might come home. Would this be material for diapers or is this more a blanket weave?" Joseph redirects the conversation from Rob. He feels he is helping his Pa just fine.
Finished with his mother's list, Joseph picks out eight candy sticks. Adding them to his total purchases. He pays for the candy while requesting the rest be placed on his family charge page in the account book.
"Mama or Pa will settle the account later. Uncle Matt? Why is Frank pouring sawdust in the hollow walls of the outside building?"
"It is to keep the building insulated by having a barrier between the outside wall and the inside wall. That is the new ice house. We will have ice blocks stored inside and down in the cellar this winter. Just think, even in summer, we'll have chipped ice for making cold drinks. No more slightly cool glasses but actual iced drinks!"
"That will be nice. I need to go. Thank you for helping me with the purchases, Uncle Matt."
"You are welcome. Tell your Ma to drop by to visit Linnea soon. She would like the company."
Easing out the door with the overflowing basket, Joseph replies "Yessir, I'll tell her."
Stopping by the new ice house once again, Joseph picks four of the candy sticks and holds them out.
"Frank? I bought your family some candy."
"What for?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe to sweeten up your sour mood? Why do you have to be so prickly all the time? Can't even give you something without you getting out of sorts." Joseph answers having stepped inside by stepping over the lowest wall.
"I don't need nothing from Perfect Sheriff Kid."
"Just take it! Your Ma and brother and sister might enjoy it. Your Ma works hard so she should get a treat."
"Don't you talk bad about my Ma!" Frank yells before sending his fists into Joseph's eye and nose
The two boys are instantly rolling on the ground, fists flying. It seems to Joseph, less than three minutes pass before he is bodily lifted away from Frank. He sees Frank being held by Mitch.
"What are you two brawling about?" Joseph hears the stern question from behind him, recognizing Matt's voice.
"I strongly suggest you simmer down! I would like an explanation, Frank." Mitch tells the struggling boy trying to break out of his hold.
"He spoke badly about my mother. I punched him for it. We traded punches. No big deal."
"Joseph! Is this true? Did you speak of his mother?" Matt asks, his voice now deep.
"I suppose I did."
"Brawling in public Is against the law. Fighting is against the rules in your family, Joseph. Since your Pa is out of town, you will be going with Matthew, Joseph, while Frank comes with me." Mitch proclaims.
"Mitch! No! He threw the first punch, not me!" Joseph protests as realization of what his honorary uncle has in mind sets in.
"I have made my decision. Let's go, Frank." Mitch declares.