by Janice Hanna
“Even if it’s a girl?”
Maggie laughed. “Well, I don’t usually abide fighting, and the Bible does say to turn the other cheek.”
“Yes, I hear he did that and she whacked him on the other side.” Anne paused and chuckled. “What do I do with her, Maggie? She knows nothing about manners or etiquette or decorum. And without a mother…”
Maggie released her hold on the beans and reached to touch Anne’s arm. “You’ve done a fine job with her, honey. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“How did you know it was really myself I was beating up?”
“I can tell. You take on a lot of responsibility where those sisters of yours are concerned.”
“Of course I do. I have no choice. But even if the situation were different, I’d still be just as dedicated.”
“Of course. That’s what love does. It devotes itself to great causes. And your sisters are the best cause in the world.” Maggie paused and reached inside the bowl again. “Now, let’s get busy snapping the ends off these beans. And while we’re at it, tell me a little more about this wedding we’re planning. Sounds like you’ve been coming up with more ideas.”
“Oh, I have.” Anne smiled as the ideas flooded over her once more. “I was up till one in the morning coming up with plans. Once the ideas start, they just flow like a river.”
“Well, that’s quite a gift you’ve got, my dear. Creativity isn’t as easy for most folks. I, for one, would never lose sleep due to my creative thoughts.”
Anne laughed. “Sometimes it does feel like a curse, especially when it keeps me up till all hours of the night.”
“Fill me in,” Maggie said. “I want to hear absolutely everything. Don’t leave out a word.”
Jake arrived home from a long day of heavy lifting and lugging, ready to put the cares of the world behind him. As always, he headed to the barn to feed Frances. Though others might find it odd, he took comfort in visiting with her every evening before heading to the house. No one seemed to understand his troubles like Frances did.
Jake had no sooner entered the barn than someone lunged at him from the shadows, grabbed him, and covered his head with a feed sack. He fought to free himself but could not. Seconds later, several familiar voices surrounded him with laughter. His brothers.
“What in the world are you—?” He never had a chance to finish the sentence before one of them—sounded like Joseph, based on the voice—picked him up and slung him over his shoulder.
Anger coursed through him, and he began to fight against Joseph’s hold. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“We’re gonna take you to the reverend’s house and get you hitched so you won’t bring shame on the family.” This time it was John’s voice.
“W–what?” He wrestled to get free, but to no avail.
“Sure. If you beat Cody to the altar, the joke will be on him. Then he’ll be the last single fella in town, not you.”
“I don’t really mind that I’m—”
“We’ve got a couple of real purty options.” This time it was Jedediah’s voice. “That Amaryllis is something special.”
“And this new gal from Denver is mighty nice too,” Jeremiah threw in.
“’Course, we could just round up Cassie Martin and have her meet you at the reverend’s house. She’s probably already got her wedding gown sewn and the cake baked.” John’s booming voice echoed across the barn. “How would you feel about that?”
Jake squirmed, and Joseph apparently lost his grip. Jake went tumbling to the ground, landing with a hard thump—but his pride was really more wounded than his backside.
His brothers all had a good laugh at his expense. He fussed and fumed until they untied the feed sack and pulled it over his head. Jake wiped bits of grain out of his hair and off his face. He even picked a couple out of his ear. He mumbled a scripture about patience a couple of times before standing aright to face them headon. Finally he felt ready.
“Look, fellas, enough is enough.”
“What do you mean?” John leaned against the barn wall and stuck a piece of straw in his mouth.
“I’ve been the brunt of your jokes for years now, and it’s got to stop.”
Joseph’s face fell. “Why?”
“Why?” Jake paced the barn and kicked some straw. “Because it’s wearing on me. I’m tired of it. You need to pick on someone else for a change.”
Jeremiah shook his head, as if he couldn’t comprehend the idea. “But…we like pickin’ on you. It’s what we’ve always done.”
“Besides, we can’t pick on the ladies. They’re…ladies.” Jedediah shrugged. “So who else is there?”
“Here’s a novel idea.” Jake turned to face them. “How about… no one.”
“No one?” They spoke in unison.
“How does that work?” John asked. “Never heard of it.”
“It works like this. You just treat everyone the way you would want to be treated.”
The wrinkle between John’s brows grew more pronounced. “Hmm.”
“But I enjoy kidding around. And I don’t mind when people make fun of me,” Jedediah said.
“You don’t?” Joseph slapped him on the back. “Well, then. It looks like we have a volunteer.”
“Really?” Jedediah put up his fists, as if ready to box. “You’re ready to mess with me like we always mess with Jake?”
“You’ve got it, little brother.” Joseph took a few swings at Jedediah, and before long they were on the ground in a playful fistfight. Well, playful until Jedediah socked Joseph upside the head. Then things turned ugly.
Jake peered down at them. “I guess you fellas just don’t get it. The idea here was to keep you from making fun of anyone. Doesn’t look like that’s gonna happen.”
“Just don’t understand why it’s necessary,” Jeremiah said with a shrug. “But as long as you’re happy, we’re happy.”
“Yeah, we’re happy.” Joseph rose, rubbing the side of his head.
Jedediah flexed his fingers. “Happy as a lark. ’Cept I think maybe I broke my hand against Joseph’s hard head.”
“Wait.” Jake paused and looked at his four older brothers. “Are you saying that you guys thought your jesting was making me happy?”
“Well, sure.” John gave him a quizzical look. “Figured you wanted to be part of the group and it was the only way to include a little runt like you who had no interest in cattle ranching.” He put his hand over his mouth. “Oops. There I go again, makin’ you feel loved.”
“So you’re saying that the teasing was a way to show your love?” Jake tried to swallow this idea.
“Sure.” Jeremiah chuckled. “Ya didn’t think I was gonna hug and kiss ya, did ya?” He slapped his knee, and a ripple of laughter echoed across the barn.
“So if I want to feel loved, I should accept the teasing.”
“Nah.” Jedediah slung his arm across Jake’s shoulders. “I’ll let ’em take out their teasin’ on me for the next six months or so. After that we’ll switch to Jeremiah. Then Joseph, then John. We’ll work our way up the ladder.” He turned to the others. “How does that sound, fellas?”
“Mighty fine to me.” Joseph shrugged. “Just hope I can keep up with whose turn it is at bat.”
“Hey, speaking of bats, did you see that we had a couple of bats in the barn the other night?” John’s expression shifted, and suddenly he was all business.
This, of course, led into a rather lengthy discussion about the ranch. Jake used the opportunity to slip out of the barn and across the front yard. As he walked away from his brothers, he pondered the conversation that had just taken place. The more he thought about it, the funnier it seemed. He approached the porch steps chuckling.
“Someone’s in a good mood.”
He looked up to see Anne seated on the swing next to his mother, snapping beans.
“Looks like you’ve got your dancing shoes on today, son.” His mama gave him a wink. “What’s got you so happy?”<
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“Not sure it would make much sense if I told you. Just take my word for it that progress has been made today.”
“Yes, it has.” She nudged Anne. “You want to tell him, or should I?” “Tell me what?”
“Virginia’s got her talked into staying through the weekend for the wedding.”
“Really?” At this revelation, his heart quickened. The idea of spending a few extra days with Anne seemed almost too good to be true. Why, a fella could take a heap o’ ribbing from his older brothers if it meant more time with a pretty girl like Anne. “I’m—I’m glad you’re going to stay,” he managed, before offering a shy smile.
“She’d probably be a lot happier about it if you went in the house and cleaned up, Jakey.” His mother clucked her tongue. “I don’t know what got ahold of you, but every hair on your head is sticking straight up, and you’re covered in some sort of…” She narrowed her gaze. “What is that? Grain?”
“Feed.” He sighed. “And please don’t ask. I’ll be cleaned up in time for supper.”
“Oh, take your time.” His mother chuckled. “I got so caught up in visiting with our guests today that I’m behind on supper. It’ll be a little late.”
Jake hardly knew what to say in response. From the time he was a boy, Mama had placed supper on the table promptly at six. Looked like she’d found Anne and her sisters to be quite a distraction.
As the beautiful maiden on the porch swing glanced his way with eyes sparkling, Jake decided this was one distraction that he wouldn’t mind sitting across the supper table from for a long, long time. With new determination, he sprinted into the house, headed for the bath.
Anne tried not to let the smile overtake her as Jake looked her way. Still, there was something about that messy-headed boy, even covered in feed. She couldn’t shake him. Every time she tried, her thoughts kept drifting back to the two conversations they’d shared under the night skies.
“You all right over there, hon?” Maggie glanced her way with a half smile.
“Oh, fine. Been thinking about something rather ironic.”
“What’s that?”
Anne chose her words with great care. “The other night on the train, I was so disappointed to learn we were being detained. I just wanted to go on—make it to Dallas. Now I’m the happiest girl in the world. Don’t you find it strange?”
“Not so strange, really,” Maggie said. “Happens to me all the time. I’ll think I’m on the right track—pun intended—only to find out that the Lord wants to take me on a detour. That’s how I met my James, you know.”
“Oh?”
“I had my mind made up. I was going to college. I hope it’s not bragging to say that I was one of the smartest girls in my class.” She giggled. “I suppose it’s not bragging if it’s true. It’s just a fact. Anyway, I’d worked for months to prepare myself. At the last minute, someone else in my class got the scholarship. I was devastated.”
“I would be too. I can’t imagine how wonderful going to college might’ve been. I was hoping to get that opportunity myself.”
“Yes, I did regret not getting to go. Instead, I found myself working at a restaurant, serving up hot food to hungry townsmen. And not three weeks into that job, I dropped a large silver tray and the handsomest man God ever created knelt down to pick it up for me. The rest, as they say, is history.”
“That’s the sweetest story ever,” Anne said.
“You call that sweet?” Emily appeared on the porch steps, her skirt torn and dirt caking its hem. “There were no Indians, no blood and guts, not even a scalping scene. Just a plain, boring love story.”
“Oh, honey, a love story’s the best kind of story there is.” Maggie leaned forward and placed the bowl of snapped beans on the little table next to the swing. “If you don’t believe me, read the Bible.”
“The bible?” Emily looked perplexed.
“Well, sure. It’s the greatest love story ever written. And it’s loaded with action and adventure too. There’s blood and strife and envy and killing and all sorts of high drama. And there’s a fair amount of romance also. Oh, and if you like adventure, there are stories of seas being parted by mighty winds, folks walking on water, and even people being raised from the dead.”
“Wait a minute…” Emily’s brow wrinkled as she plopped down on the top step. “I went to church, and I didn’t hear any of that.”
“At our church, the minister mostly gave us a list of do’s and don’ts,” Anne explained.
“Ah.” Maggie shook her head. “Well, that’s a shame, because the stories are what captivate you. You’ve got to read them and then dig a little deeper. Look for the story inside the story.” Her face lit into a smile and she gestured for Emily to squeeze into the spot between them.
“Honey, you’re a writer.”
“Yes, I am.” Emily nodded with a serious expression on her face.
“The Bible can be your best textbook. There are hidden stories buried deep within. Don’t get me wrong. All those stories in the Good Book are true. But if you read between the lines, you’ll find some exciting stories buried inside that you might not have noticed.”
Emily’s expression softened. “Tell me, Maggie. I want to know what you’re talking about. There’s really action and adventure in there?”
“Sure. If you want action, you need to read the story of David when he faces the mighty giant, Goliath. Or the story of Samson, as he takes down the Philistines.”
Emily’s eyes widened. “Sounds like a story I read once in Wild West Adventures, only the man who took down the bad guys was a cowboy.” She shrugged. “But that was a made-up story.”
“That’s why I prefer the ones in the Bible,” Maggie said. “They’re not made-up. And you know who the author is, don’t you?”
Emily shook her head.
“The Lord Himself.”
“W–what? How did God write a book? Must be a mighty big ink pen.”
“No, it didn’t happen like that. He spoke the words to men, and they wrote them down.”
“But…they were God’s words all along? Not someone else’s?”
“Right.” Maggie nodded. “The Bible has everything a writer like you could ever want. Why, there’s the romance between Hosea and his unfaithful wife…there’s the miracle of creation in Genesis…and best of all, there’s the story of Christ, who carried His cross all the way up the hill to Calvary to die for our sins.”
“And every story is really two stories in one?” Emily asked.
“Sure. Take the story of Peter walking on water. It’s about a man actually walking on water, but it’s also a lesson for us—to teach us to keep our eyes on Jesus when things around us are shaking and out of our control.”
Emily’s eyes widened.
“Of course, there’s also the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. It’s a real story about three men who were tossed into a real, blazing-hot furnace.” Maggie’s voice deepened, growing more intense. “They should have burned to death.”
“Now, this is the kind of story I like.” Emily grinned. “Did they all die?”
“No.” Maggie shook her head. “A fourth man appeared in the fire with them. Would you like to know who that was?”
“An angel?”
“Actually, it was the Lord Himself. And do you know the story buried inside that story?”
Emily squinted. “Wait, let me think.” She rose and paced the front porch then turned to face Maggie. “The men were in trouble and thought they weren’t going to make it, but God showed up and helped them.”
“That’s right.” Maggie clapped her hands together. “You’re getting it. Those three men in the furnace weren’t alone, and neither are you girls, even when you feel like you’ve been tossed into a fiery furnace.”
Emily dropped onto the porch steps. “I’d rather be tossed into a fiery furnace than go to Uncle Bertrand’s house.”
“Emily, you don’t mean that.” Anne shook her head.
“That puts me in mind of another story.” Maggie grinned.
“Is there a cowboy in this one?”
“Not exactly a cowboy. But it is the most exciting story of all.” Maggie leaned forward in the swing, her eyes widening. “John 3:16 says that God loved this world so much that He sent his only Son to save us.”
Emily shrugged. “Never thought of that as a love story before.”
“Oh, it is.” Maggie’s eyes twinkled. “But there’s more to it than that. Jesus didn’t just come to save us, He came so that we could learn to love others…even the most unlovable people.”
“So that’s why you love your sister.” Emily nodded.
“Yes. I love her—not just because she’s my sister, but because she’s one of God’s children. And if you ask the Lord, He can show you how to love your uncle too.”
Emily wrinkled her nose. “I suppose. But I’d rather bury him in the back yard.”
Anne sighed. “Sometimes I think my sister is a hopeless case.”
“Oh no. There are no hopeless cases. If you don’t believe that, read the story of Jonah. God chased after him until He caught him in the belly of a whale.”
“Now that sounds like an exciting one.” Emily sighed. “All right, Maggie. I’ll read the stories you’re telling me about if you think it will improve my writing abilities.”
“I don’t just think it, I know it. You’re such a talented young lady, and I know you’re going to be published one day.”
“You think?” Emily’s eyes sparkled.
“I do.”
“Oh, Maggie…I love you!” Emily’s voice was laced with joy. “You’re going to make me a better writer.”
Anne quirked a brow at Maggie as Emily disappeared inside the house, then whispered, “And a better person too, I daresay.”
Chapter Thirteen
Whether you’re looking for the big-city nightlife, the simplicity of ranch-style living, or that small-town homey feel, you’ll find it in the Texas Panhandle. Head over to Amarillo to the theater or out to Palo Duro Canyon for nature at its finest. Visit the ranches in Carson County if you’re interested in branding cattle, or mosey on over to the high plains to gaze upon open fields of wheat and corn. If you’re looking for a small town to settle in, we have them in abundance. While you’re there, why not visit local businesses and marvel at the new growth taking place in the region? Best of all, get to know the people. Once you meet them, you’ll never want to leave. —“Tex” Morgan, reporting for the Panhandle Primer
