Garnet's Gift

by Kimberly Grist

  “That’s us.” Henry placed his hand above his eyes and scanned the area.

  “Looks good to me.” Thomas waved his slingshot.

  “I imagine things would have looked pretty normal that night. The shepherds sure weren’t expecting what happened next.” The deputy patted his Bible. “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them: and they were sore afraid.”

  From their positions in the wagon, the girls rose to their feet and applauded. Henry scowled. “We’re supposed to be afraid of them?”

  “Now remember boys, we’re using our imagination. Right now, you see your schoolmates dressed in white and standing in a wagon. But imagine if you and these other shepherds were out in a field day and night. It’s a lonely existence.” The deputy stared into the evening sky.

  A cool breeze blew tumbleweeds between the wagons. Garnet’s gaze traveled from each child who waited with wide eyes for the deputy to continue. She could almost imagine him at the same age as Henry or Bobby, without a mother, drifting with his father from place to place.

  The deputy’s voice grew rough. “It was part of the job. Shepherds spend hours away from home, separated from friends and family. You wouldn’t get visitors, especially not ones who glow from the glory of the Lord.” He held up one finger. “And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.’”

  All the children, shepherds and angels alike stared into the evening sky. The deputy continued, “Think about it. God sent his angels to a bunch of smelly ole shepherds. But they were important to Him and you are too.”

  He cleared his throat. “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

  Garnet positioned her violin while Victoria directed the angel choir. She began on the down-bow and the pastor’s daughter, ten-year-old Ruth, sang in sweet soprano.

  “O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,

  It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.”

  The face of Mary Ellen, Garnet’s most accelerated student, glowed. Her auburn hair hung in ringlets under her wreath wrapped in lavender. She followed with the next verse.

  “Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

  Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.”

  Victoria motioned for the younger girls to join. Together the girls’ sweet voices blended, sharing the melody and harmony.

  “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,

  For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

  Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!

  O night divine, O night when Christ was born;”

  O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

  “Wow, that sure was something.” Henry leaned against his staff.

  “What do you think, fellow shepherds?” The deputy clapped his hands. “That was the best angel choir I ever heard.”

  The boys cheered and the angels giggled. Victoria handed her lace handkerchief to Emma, whose tears rolled down her cheeks.

  The deputy continued, “After hearing what the angels had to say, the shepherds left everything and went to Bethlehem. They found Mary and Joseph in a stable. Baby Jesus was wrapped in strips of cloths and lying in a feeding trough.”

  “If I was the innkeeper, I would have let them have my room.” Annie’s posted her hands on her hips.

  Several of the children nodded in agreement. Deputy Scott rubbed his chin. “Remember, God planned each detail about Jesus’ birth. He sent angels to the shepherds to show His arrival was not just for the rich and powerful but for all of us. Jesus lying in a manger shows that He knew what it was like to be without a home and poor.”

  For a moment Garnet thought she caught a speck of moisture in the deputy’s eyes, but he quickly averted his gaze, turning his attention to the young boys. Garnet took in a deep breath and exhaled, knowing her heart would never be the same.

  Chapter 10

  1890 – Rules for Teachers

  Make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs to the individual taste of the pupils.

  Garnet’s boots made soft taps on the schoolhouse plank floor as she swept. The sheriff’s wife held up a sharpened pencil toward the window reflecting rays of light cast from the afternoon sun. “I’m terrible at this.”

  “There’s a trick to it. Although the temptation is to sharpen by cutting outward, most of the time the result is too deep a cut and causes the pencil point to break.” Garnet straightened. “Thank you for trying. I’ll take them home with me and work on them this evening.”

  “A friend of mine, Tennessee Montgomery, mentioned how weeks before Thanksgiving she and her family discuss ways to do good deeds for others during the holidays. They call it Christmas in action. It got me thinking.” She grinned. “My sharpening your pencils was an attempt to do something similar.”

  “What a wonderful idea.” She leaned against the broom. “But you do things to help others all the time. You assist me here with the students and you supplied Bobby and Stephen with boots.”

  “Sometimes, we need prodding to look beyond ourselves and consider our neighbor. Between the pastor’s sermon and my conversation with Tennessee about what her family accomplishes each year, it’s as though God is sending me a message. It reminded me to open my eyes to others’ needs. I don’t know when I’ve had such fun.” Mrs. Scott let out a breath.

  “When we first came to live with Aunt Mae, she loved to tell me of her childhood. One of her favorite stories was how she and her sister pretended to be the fairies in the story of the “Elves and the Shoemaker,” while they sewed. Her tales inspired my mother, who came up with the idea for us to gather old gowns and discarded clothing and repurpose them for others less fortunate.” Garnet rubbed her hand over her heart. “We enjoyed working on them together, but I don’t know who received the garments.”

  “If you're handy with a needle, I have quite a few projects with which I could use your assistance. I found more clothes that belonged to my boys when they were small. I realized it was selfish holding on to them and feel certain with a little mending, they would be perfect for the Johnson brothers.”

  Mrs. Scott retrieved several pencils and deposited them in her basket. “Why not come home with me this afternoon? There’s a roast in the oven. Besides, I want you to show me how to make those ginger biscuits you talked about.”

  “I would love to.” Garnet gave a contented sigh.

  Mrs. Scott tapped her cheek with her forefinger. “I’m worried about offending the boys’ parents. Most people don’t take well to charity. I’ve never met them, and quite honestly I don’t know where Bobby and Stephen live.”

  “I’ve met their older sister. My understanding is they live close to Betsy and Thomas. I often see them walking together on the way home.” Garnet swept the dirt into a dustpan. “How did you handle giving the boys the boots?”

  “My husband and Noah took care of that. They came up with a few chores for them to do in the afternoons. Bobby gathers eggs for me and Stephen sweeps the jailhouse and empties the rubbish.” Mrs. Scott placed her bonnet on her head and tied the bow with a flourish.

  Garnet’s eyes widened. “I see. He set up a bit of bartering instead of paying them with cash to do the chores?”

  “He’s still paying them. Noah made it sound as though the boys were doing us a big favor by taking the boots. Their first chore was to carry things from the attic.” Mrs. Scott clasped her hands together. “You should have seen their faces when they saw we had pairs of boots to fit each of them.”

  Garnet swallowed. I’m always underestimating him, but I can’t believe tact is one of his virtues. “How wonderful. You me
t their need, and you allowed them to feel as though they earned it themselves.”

  Mrs. Scott arranged her shawl around her shoulders. “My husband and nephew both have a knack for whittling. I’ll take the pencils home with me. They’ll have them sharpened in no time.”

  “You’ve been so good to help me each day. I hate to have you do anything else.”

  Mrs. Scott swiped the pencil shavings from her desk into the wastebasket. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.” Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks rose with a mischievous grin. “Besides it’ll give me an excuse to see if I can get Noah talking about the reenactment of the shepherd’s story.”

  “Based on previous comments about avoiding worship service, I was shocked about how well-versed he is, not only about the birth of Jesus, but his faith seems well-grounded.” Garnet returned the broom to the back corner and retrieved the mop.

  “Noah knows his Bible. He had a couple of bad experiences in church when he was younger, and it’s made him reluctant to attend. He enjoyed the preacher’s sermon on Thanksgiving and even mentioned he might attend with us one Sunday.” Mrs. Scott’s brow furrowed. “But I’m a mite skeptical.”

  ~

  Mrs. Scott poured coffee while Garnet arranged a tray of cookies on the center of the four-plank-top farmhouse table. The deputy rose, then pulled Garnet’s ladder-back chair out. “Ma’am,” he nodded.

  A faint aroma of sage and citrus greeted Garnet as he repositioned the chair. “Thank you.” She lifted her chin and offered a smile.

  “Please feel free to join us often, Miss Adams, especially if it means sharing recipes with my sweet wife.” The sheriff bit into a ginger cookie.

  “Thank you for having me. I do enjoy baking, and it’s nice to have a conversation at the dinner table. I stay so busy during the day with the children, but in the evenings, especially at mealtime, I find myself a bit homesick.” Garnet refolded her napkin in her lap.

  “Garnet has more recipes to share. I know you’ll be happy to partake in more sampling as we get ready for the holidays.” Mrs. Scotts added cream to her cup.

  The sheriff patted his stomach. “Just thinking about Christmas makes me hungry.”

  “Everything makes you hungry.” Deputy Scott chuckled. “But I understand why. Some of my favorite memories are of me and Pa spending Christmas with y’all.” He inclined his head toward Garnet. “Aunt Madeline makes delicious molasses candy.”

  “Remember the year you and Brian helped with the taffy pull?” Mrs. Scott reached for a cookie.

  “Do I? That was not only fun but tasty.” His shoulders shook with mirth. “Although I didn’t think I would ever get the sticky stuff out of my hair.”

  “I’ve never been to a taffy pull.” Garnet licked her lips.

  “This will be the year to attend. My hands don’t have the strength they once did. Noah can team up with you, Garnet, and I’ll ask Emma and Brian to participate.” Mrs. Scott squeezed her husband’s arm. “It’s been years since I’ve been so excited about the season.”

  “Glad to see you interested in something other than looking at the wanted posters.” The sheriff winked.

  Mrs. Scott waved her hand. “I haven’t given that mission up completely, but my focus this month will be on a Christmas project, and Garnet is going to help. Although she may lack familiarity in candy making, she’s had lots of experience as an elf.”

  “Elf experience?” The deputy’s forehead wrinkled.

  Garnet’s mouth twitched. “Do you recall the story of ‘The Elves and the Shoemaker’?”

  He shook his head and grimaced. “I remember getting in trouble at school for laughing about the little fellows not having any clothes.”

  “Thankfully, I was well-versed on the story or I would have probably done the same.” Garnet met the deputy’s grin. “Your aunt has enlisted my help in spreading some holiday cheer. Our first mission is to repurpose some clothes.”

  “We’ve only to do a smidgeon of mending, then the Johnson brothers will be decked out in new outfits and jackets in time for the colder weather.” Mrs. Scott inclined her head. “I’d like to call on their mother. Do either of you know where they live?”

  Chapter 11

  1890 – Rules for Teachers

  You may not dress in bright colors.

  Garnet picked up her reticule, counted her coins and retrieved her shawl. After securing the door to the schoolhouse, she glanced at the late afternoon sun and took in a deep breath of crisp air. Her spirits lifted at the thought of joining the Scott family for dinner. She’d promised to stop by early to put the final touches on the repurposing of Bobby’s and Stephen’s outfits.

  Her mouth twitched at the sight of tumbleweeds bouncing merrily across the dusty street. Although it was now one week before Christmas, except for an occasional wind burst, the weather continued to be pleasant, only dipping into colder temperatures in the evening.

  She increased her pace and hurried along the boardwalk, pausing to admire the display in the dress-shop window. A set of mannequins posed in matching dresses in tartan fabric with half capes in forest green. The child-sized figure held a ragdoll in an identical pattern. Goodness, the doll’s clothes have the same attention to detail.

  Taking a backward glance, she continued to the mercantile. The store’s large picture window reminded shoppers of the upcoming holiday. Dressed in a pastel gown and cap trimmed in lace, an infant-sized doll with a china head lay in a miniature cradle. Various wooden tops and blocks were positioned strategically in front of assorted-sized tins promoting the best spices, flour and cocoa.

  Garnet walked through the double doors and headed toward the post office in the back corner. The store owner’s son, a thin man in his early twenties, stood sorting mail. She cleared her throat. "Good afternoon, Mr. Mackenzie. When you have a moment, I have a letter to post." She deposited the envelope and the necessary coins on the desk.

  The young man straightened his back. “Nothing too surprising about that.” He positioned a nub of a pencil behind his ear. “You've got a package. Give me just a moment.” He sauntered to a worktable and sifted through piles of letters and packages. “I guess Santa stopped by early.”

  Garnet let out a small gasp. “If he delivered prematurely, I’m certain it will be alright to open it in the same manner.” She accepted the long box wrapped in brown paper. “Thank you.”

  The young man nodded and continued his sorting. “You’re welcome." He paused, glanced up and raised one eyebrow. “Anything else?”

  “No, that’s all for now.” Garnet ran her finger along the package, recognizing her mother’s handwriting. Traditionally every year her mother made her a new outfit for Christmas. But this year their budget had been stretched to the limit, and she’d not expected a gift of any kind. “Mama, you shouldn’t have,” she whispered and clutched the package to her chest. “But I’m so glad you did.”

  ~.

  Garnet positioned herself by Mrs. Scott’s dining room window to take advantage of the afternoon sun. She reached for a small flannel shirt set aside for the Johnson brothers.

  “Why don’t you go ahead and open your package. I’m dying to see what your mother sent.” Mrs. Scott wiped her hands on her apron and pulled a chair next to Garnet.

  Securing the button of the small flannel shirt, she grinned. “I keep arguing with myself that I should wait for Christmas, but I’m excited to see the contents.” She retrieved the box from the sideboard and removed the string and brown paper.

  “This already feels like Christmas.” Mrs. Scott rested her chin in her hands and stared as Garnet lifted the lid of the box.

  “It’s beautiful.” Garnet lifted a pleated blouse with gathered sleeves and a stand-up collar. Underneath lay a dark wool skirt and walking cape with coordinating trim.

  “What a lovely color.” Mrs. Scott ran her finger along the floral pattern of the blouse. “The background is such a deep red.”

  “For as long as I can remember, my mother insisted
I have something to wear at Christmas, to go along with my name.” Garnet laughed. “I’m afraid she forgot about the rule against teachers wearing bright colors.”

  “Save it for church then, and for Christmas dinner here with us. What a pretty picture you’ll make.” Mrs. Scott stooped to retrieve an envelope from the floor. “You have a letter to go along with it.”

  “My mother and I exchange correspondence often. I read them over and over until I hear from her again. But it’s been more than a month since she’s written.” Garnet tapped the blouse with the envelope. “I can guess why. She’s been busy.”

  Mrs. Scott clasped her hands in her lap and looked eagerly at Garnet, then stood quickly. “You’ll want to read your letter in private. I’ll go put the bread in the oven.”

  Garnet waved her hand. “Don’t leave. You and I don’t have any secrets.” She broke the seal and smoothed the paper and began reading:

  “Dear Garnet,

  I pray this letter finds you well and that you have opened your gift before Christmas.”

  Mrs. Scott laughed. “She knows you well, I see. Do you always open your presents early?”

  “Not always, but whenever possible.” Garnet grinned then continued reading.

  “Your aunt and I discussed the color and we decided we could not bear for you to wear drab colors during the holidays. I hope you will have the opportunity to wear this soon. Perhaps on an outing with the handsome deputy you’ve written so much about?”

  “I see your mama and I agree on the matter.” Mrs. Scott clucked her tongue. “And don’t think for a minute I believe you and Noah are destined to be simply friends.”

  Garnet felt her face flush. “We understand each other. I must continue to teach to help support my mother, and he’s not interested in settling down.” She cleared her throat.

  “I’m sorry I haven’t written to you earlier, but I struggled with how to tell you my good news. After years of putting him off, I’ve finally agreed to accept Dr. Elmer Darby’s courtship.”