The Stone Wall

by Beverly Lewis

  Anna agreed. “What type of major are you pursuing?”

  “Gerontology . . . and actually, I’d say it’s pursuing me.” Keila began to share her lifelong desire to assist elderly people in some meaningful way. “Once I have my master’s degree, I want to work as a rehab therapist. I’ve been drawn to older people since I was a kid.”

  “Considering how long people live these days compared to decades ago, there must be a real need for people like you.”

  “Definitely,” Keila said, smiling at her.

  The remainder of the tour was split between an Amish furniture shop, where Keila had an opportunity to talk with an Amish craftsman, and a shop featuring wooden toys. “I have two young nephews to shop for,” she announced to Anna before making some purchases there. “They’re such great boys—I can never resist getting them a little something.”

  As they headed back to the information center, Keila thanked Anna for a terrific time and mentioned possibly returning for a different tour in the future. “I’ll have to see when I can come back here again.”

  “Do you have family or friends in the area?” Anna asked.

  “No, but I wish I did.” Keila laughed a little. “In some ways, I could really go for the tranquil Plain life.”

  Anna wondered if all of her clients would be as much fun and as easy to entertain as Keila. She certainly hoped so.

  As Anna was about to leave to go to the Flauds’ to grab a sandwich, Evelyn asked if she would have time to give an afternoon tour to a middle-aged couple from New Port Richey, Florida. “They’re interested in seeing a few covered bridges, as well as the countryside and an Amish school.” Anna was delighted to accept and grateful to be able to build her confidence with a second tour.

  What a great start! I’ll have so much to tell Sadie and Glen, she thought on the short drive back to the farm.

  During the afternoon tour with the rather talkative Bruce Hathaway and his demure wife, Kim, Anna directed them to Kurtz’s Mill Covered Bridge, mentioning that there were twenty-eight such bridges in Lancaster County. “Some Amish around here call them ‘kissing bridges,’ since couples can stop in the middle of the dark bridge where no one can see,” Anna said.

  Bruce chuckled and said he’d never heard that. “I’ve also noticed some old stone walls in the area, similar to what we’ve seen all over New England.”

  “There aren’t many walls like that here,” Anna told him, wondering why he’d brought this up.

  “There’s a wonderful book about the history of that kind of wall,” Kim said, glancing over her shoulder at Anna in the back seat.

  “Is that right?”

  Kim nodded her head. “It’s really quite riveting—all about who built the many different kinds of stone walls found in New England, and for what purpose.”

  “Supposedly there are enough miles of stone wall in the northeast to go around the earth ten times,” Bruce told her.

  “Wow . . . imagine that.” Anna thought of the wall Mammi Eliza might have used for a meeting place. Was that particular one still in existence? And if so, where might it be?

  Sadie had completed several more cheer-up cards when she heard a carriage clatter up the lane. Leaning out of her chair at the kitchen table, she could see Tessie Flaud, her younger sister-in-law, at the reins. “Well, what do ya know?” Sadie murmured.

  It had been months since Tessie had found time in her busy life to drop by for a visit. What with a new set of twins in her daughter’s family, Tessie had been occupied with helping her with the older children. Understandably, thought Sadie as she rose and went to the back door. “Hullo, Tessie!” she called, stepping out the door and standing there to greet her. “What brings ya?”

  “Thought you might be glad to know I’m amongst the living.” Tessie chortled as she walked up the steps. “You look right fine, Sadie,” she said. Tessie’s white Kapp was a bit off-kilter, but Sadie decided not to mention it.

  “Kumme in and rest awhile,” Sadie said, leading her into the kitchen. “Would ya like lemonade or meadow tea? Both are nice and cold.”

  “Tea’s fine.” Tessie sat on the wooden bench on this side of the table and sighed audibly. She eyed the cards with the fabric inserts. “What are these for?”

  “Oh, just some cards I’m making to sell at market.”

  “I’ve seen them here and there round the neighborhood,” Tessie said. “Looks like you must’ve been the one who sent them.”

  Nodding, Sadie smiled. “Chust a little hobby, but Lillian thinks it oughta be something more.”

  “Ah, Glen’s sister’s got big ideas.”

  Sadie moved the finished cards and materials down toward the other end of the table to make way for some refreshments.

  “Heard yous have a boarder,” Tessie said.

  “Well, Anna’s family,” Sadie said as she took out the pitcher of tea and poured some into tumblers for both of them. She brought the tea over and took a seat across from Tessie, wondering now if she had come just to ask about Anna.

  “Any chance she’ll go with yous to Preaching next Sunday?” asked Tessie, reaching for her tumbler. She took a quick sip.

  Sadie shook her head. “Anna’s found a church already. Seems to be quite settled.” She took a long drink from her own glass.

  “That’s gut for her sake.” Tessie’s expression melted into a sorrowful frown. “Not sure how to say this, but I dropped by Molly’s with a pie for her and Eva this mornin’. Poor Molly was in tears.”

  Sadie’s throat tightened.

  “Seems Eva didn’t recognize Molly this morning . . . kept askin’ who she was. Dear Molly was beside herself, and who can blame her?”

  “Ach . . . that’s too bad. Far as I know, this is the first time,” Sadie said, expecting her niece would have told her otherwise. “I was just there visiting her and Eva last Friday.” She gave a long sigh.

  “It was bound to happen sooner or later.” Tessie shook her head again. “What a dreadful disease.”

  “For certain,” Sadie said. “It breaks Molly’s heart every day, seeing her Mamm’s decline happening before her eyes.” Sadie wished she could comfort Molly somehow. “I’ll go over there again this weekend.”

  “I’m sure she’d appreciate it,” Tessie said. “Sorry to bring sad news.”

  A part of Sadie wished Tessie hadn’t told her, but she also wanted to be supportive of Molly and continue to show compassion to Eva, even if her older sister wasn’t aware of it. But she didn’t think she would invite Anna along to visit again, since it would only remind her of her own dear Mammi Eliza’s condition.

  As they drank their tea, Tessie moved on from that topic back to Anna, and Sadie just let her talk.

  “I’m kinda surprised a Beachy Amish relative would choose to live with ya. A bit unusual, ain’t?”

  Sadie shrugged, not wanting to comment one way or the other.

  “I mean, what do Anna’s parents think?” Tessie pressed further. Then she seemed to catch herself. “Guess I’m speakin’ out of turn . . . sorry.”

  Sadie just smiled. “Would ya like some strawberries? I have some extra.”

  Tessie seemed to get the message and thanked her, saying she had plenty of berries at home.

  Once Tessie left, Sadie returned to her card making, a lump in her throat at the thought of Eva not recognizing her own daughter. These cards may bring cheer to some folk, but not to all, she thought sadly.

  Chapter 17

  Anna ran into Mart on Wednesday afternoon and was pleased when he invited her to attend a hymn sing at his church on Friday evening. Anna agreed, looking forward to getting better acquainted with him and meeting his friends. She was also counting the hours till Saturday—that is, assuming she was accepted as a volunteer at Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat.

  In the meantime, Anna hoped to hear back from Wanita regarding the daybooks Mammi had once kept to log her prayers. But knowing how busy she was with her family, Anna chided herself for her impatience.
/>   This could very well be a wild goose chase.

  By the end of the Thursday workday, Anna had directed four more tours, each unique in that all the clients were interested in seeing different places. Some wanted more historical sites and information, and she was glad Mart and Charlotte had prepped her for that. Other clients were content to simply see the sights along the rural backroads, hoping to avoid the area’s usual tourist traps. One woman even expressed an interest in seeing “the art form” of how Amish hung their clothes out on the line.

  After work that day, Anna received her official acceptance letter as a volunteer at the retreat center. I can’t wait to be around horses again—and to see those darling children, too, she thought later as she pulled over onto the shoulder to take pictures of an old sandstone grist mill. As the sign on the front indicated, Nolt’s Mill was no longer a working mill but rather the John Stevens Gallery, which featured the artist’s limited-edition watercolors and other exquisite artwork. “To think this place was built in 1770,” Anna whispered, in awe of its historic beauty. She took a picture of the cornerstone, as well as the weathervane in the shape of a quill pen atop an attic dormer window. Listening to the powerful rush of the water running through the mill, she thought, My clients will love this place.

  Anna realized that, had she come upon herself at a Mennonite hymn sing a year ago, she might have wondered what she was doing there. But, new though the experience was, she was enjoying the wonderful music. Two fellows played guitars, and in addition to a piano, there was even a set of drums on the platform. As Mart sat next to her, his deep baritone joining in, Anna felt relieved to be familiar with nearly all of the worshipful, joyful hymns.

  Anna pictured her Beachy church back home, where the men and boys always sat on the right side of the congregation, and the women, babies, and young children sat on the left, rather than all together or even paired up as couples, like people were here. Her church taught that being segregated in church helped attendees to keep their focus on the Lord during worship, rather than on their spouse or family.

  Paying attention again to the singing, Anna decided she wouldn’t let any of this distract her further. After all, the words of the hymns pointed to Christ, and that was what really mattered.

  After the hymn sing, Anna strolled out to the lobby with Mart, where he politely introduced her to two other couples, who warmly welcomed her. Anna noticed several young ladies standing near a wall rack of missionary prayer cards and other items, eyeing her and Mart.

  Charlotte Meck and her fiancé, Austin Howell, came over to talk, as well. All of them stood around and fellowshipped a bit longer, and soon the group of singles and couples decided to go out for a bite to eat. Mart invited Anna to meet him and the others at a nearby diner, and she agreed, happy for the opportunity to spend more time with all of them.

  At the restaurant, Anna ordered a piece of strawberry pie with vanilla ice cream, as did the other two young women. Mart and the other young men ordered burgers and fries while continuing their conversation. Anna especially enjoyed Mart’s interaction with Austin, who said that he and Charlotte hoped to be married within the year. “Charlotte and I really want my minister-uncle to marry us, so we’ve been talking with our pastor about how to go about that,” he informed them.

  “What if your uncle simply officiated over your marriage vows, and the pastor gave the wedding sermon?” Mart suggested. “It can’t be uncommon when someone has a close relative who’s a minister.”

  Austin and Charlotte appeared to like that idea, and Austin said he’d look into it. It struck Anna how engaging and agreeable Mart’s circle of friends was—all very supportive of one another.

  “How about we all go to the Hershey Story Museum sometime and take the tour? I’d be up for a visit to the Chocolate Lab,” Mart suggested with a glance at Anna.

  “When?” one of the other fellows asked.

  “How about we start by contacting the youth pastor to see if we can borrow the van?” Mart said. “That way we can all travel together, and there’ll be plenty of room to include more.”

  “Great idea. Let us know,” Austin said, and the others agreed, as well.

  “Definitely. I’ll text everyone,” Mart said.

  “Perfect,” Charlotte said, smiling across the table at Austin.

  As the gathering was dispersing and they were saying good-bye, Anna looked forward to getting together with all of them again, happy that Mart had invited her.

  Sadie was glad her parents had stopped by for a visit that Friday evening. Because it was so warm and humid, Glen had suggested they sit outdoors beneath one of the shade trees in the backyard, where a neat mulch skirt surrounded the base. He carried the porch chairs out there, and Sadie’s father helped her frail mother down the walkway to the inviting sheltered spot.

  Meanwhile, Sadie went in to dish up generous helpings of vanilla ice cream, then placed all four bowls on a tray to carry outside with a plate of chocolate-chip cookies. With Anna gone, Sadie hoped to broach the topic of Anna’s grandmother’s stay in Strasburg as a teen. Sadie had no false hopes that she would uncover a trove of information so many decades after the fact, but this way she could at least talk freely to her parents.

  Birds flapped their wings and dipped in the birdbath across the yard as Sadie served her parents and Glen. A welcome breeze cooled Sadie’s brow as she sat next to her mother, who remarked that the last Preaching service had seemed longer than usual. “Do you think it will be that long again this weekend?”

  “Well, there was the members’ meeting at the end last time,” Sadie reminded her. “A long discussion ’bout dividing the church district, since there are more than forty families now.”

  “Ach, how’d that slip my mind?”

  “What’s that, Martha?” Sadie’s father asked, bending his ear her way, his straw hat firmly set on his gray head.

  “She was sayin’ the last Preaching service seemed long,” Sadie told him, wishing he would get a better hearing aid. Last time they’d dropped by to visit, she had told him as gently as possible that it would make for a more enjoyable conversation. Maybe that’s why they haven’t come to see us for a couple of weeks, she thought.

  Glen nodded his head at his father-in-law. “Time to get padded benches for the older folk.”

  “Well, sometimes they do bring out padded rockers for Preachings,” Sadie said.

  “And next time we host church, we’ll be sure and have them for yous,” Glen said, looking at Dat and Mamm. “Don’t let me forget, Sadie, jah?”

  Sadie agreed. All this talk of forgetting and not remembering was weighing on her, what with her sister Eva so heavy on her heart.

  A quiet moment or two fell over the four of them while they got more serious about eating their melting ice cream. When her bowl was empty, Sadie asked, “Do either of yous remember where Eliza Hertzler stayed when she came here back in the late ’40s?”

  “Goodness, where’d that come from?” Mamm asked, her thin brown eyebrows knitting together.

  “Anna asked me ’bout it . . . says she only knows that she stayed with a great-aunt Joanna. Seems her Mammi mentioned it recently, but with her Alzheimer’s, she couldn’t supply any details.”

  “Ah, I see. Well, I was still fairly young then,” Sadie’s Mamm said. “And it was a long time ago.”

  Sadie’s Dat brightened. “That would’ve been ol’ Widow Joanna Beiler—she passed away not many years after.”

  “Where was her house located?” Sadie asked with a glance at Glen, who was scraping his bowl clean like he was ready for seconds.

  Sadie’s father frowned, his face scrunched up in thought. “She lived in an old farmhouse a few miles from here, not far from the smithy’s. Of course, that was a very long time ago, so a lot has changed. S’posin’ I’d have to think ’bout it.”

  “That might be helpful,” Sadie replied. “I’ll let Anna know.”

  Glen raised his empty bowl and gave her a wink.

 
Sadie grinned at him. “Dat . . . Mamm, do you want seconds with Glen?”

  Her parents shook their heads, but her Dat asked for some cold water.

  “I’ll second that,” Glen said, yawning.

  “Mamm?” she asked.

  “Nothin’ more for me . . . this has been a real gut treat, Sadie.”

  She made her way into the house, thinking ahead to telling Anna what she’d learned, though it wasn’t much.

  Chapter 18

  The last day of June was a peaceful one at this early hour, and a lone robin’s song filled the air. When the robin paused, Anna could hear every other slight sound around her, including the distant creak of the windmill and the turkeys just waking up. Yawning, she moved to the window and raised the shade. The grass was thick with dew, and the sky’s golden glow was a sanctuary of anticipation.

  At last, it was Saturday! The day Anna had been contemplating since filling out the volunteer application in Gabe Allgyer’s rustic office. Had it only been a week?

  She glanced at the dresser and saw Gabe’s business card, then went to pick it up, recalling how wary he had seemed when they’d first met. However, once she’d mentioned that her father raised ponies, Gabe had quickly warmed up. To think that such a kindhearted man had lost his wife. He’s already suffered such loss. . . .

  Anna recalled how considerate it had been of Sadie to wait up for her last night just to say she had talked to her parents about Mammi and discovered where she’d stayed. Perhaps she should try to confirm what Sadie’s father had remembered . . . once she heard from Wanita.

  Eager to see the young riders again, including little Freckles, Anna hurried down the hall to shower and dress.

  Anna was greeted at the south entrance of the large horse barn by a slender young Amishwoman who looked to be about Anna’s age. She wore a purple dress and matching cape apron, and introduced herself as Dottie Stoltzfus. “Gabe asked if I’d be your instructor today and next Saturday,” Dottie said, grinning. “After that, you’ll be ready to be a side walker or leader. Maybe even a rider if one of the children needs extra assurance.”