Amish Country Arson

by Risner, Fay

  Just passed the intersection, a fire pickup parked cross way on the road. The fireman, in the middle of the road, stopped John's buggy. “You can't come pass here.”

  “Would it be all recht if we left the buggy in the corn field and walked in? My wife is Nurse Hal. We wondered if there was anything we can do to help our neighbors.” John explained.

  “The ambulance came with us, but you and Nurse Hal are welcome to walk in if you want to see if the family is all right. I stopped here so I don't know what the circumstances are except the barn is on fire,” the fireman said.

  Four fire trucks surrounded the blazing barn as sprays of water arched into the hissing flames, creating huge plumes of black smoke. The ambulance parked along the edge of the driveway. The three paramedics, Daryl, Steve and Ivan, leaned against the front of the ambulance, watching the action.

  Daryl looked around to see who was coming. “Look who is here, fellows. Hello, Nurse Hal.”

  “Hello. I see you're working hard,” Hal said, smiling at them.

  “We're hoping we don't have to this trip,” Steve replied.

  “Amen to that,” Hal declared as she walked toward Jonah Stolfus's family. Freda and the children gathered at the far end of the front yard as close to the country road that headed north as they could get. Hal walked across the yard toward white forms barely visible in the hazy smoke. The children left the house in their nightshirts with only a blanket around their shoulders to ward off the night chill. Freda had managed to slip on a dress. Her white nightgown was visible below the navy blue dress hem.

  Standing beside the family was a neighbor, Rosemary Nisely. “Wilcom, Hal, I am so glad you came. Your comfort is needed.” She nodded toward Freda.

  Hal put her arms around Freda and gave the woman a hug. “I'm so sorry this happened.”

  “Jonah told me to get the children out of the house and far away. He said the barn might spark the house on fire since it is so close. Praise God, the fire trucks came so fast. They wet the house down and saved it,” Freda said, swiping a curl out of her eyes with a trembling hand and stuffing it under her prayer cap where it belonged.

  “You and your family are all safe which is a gute thing,” Roseanna said to comfort her.

  “Jah, the barn can be replaced,” Hal assured.

  Freda kept her eyes on the inferno. “It is such a frightening, terrifying experience to have a fire break out so close when we were all asleep.” She raised her eyes to the star studded sky. “It is God's will that Jonah woke up in time to save us all. Praise the Lord!”

  “Amen,” Hal and Roseanna said together.

  John joined Chicken Plucker Jonah, his three teenage boys and neighbors, Samuel Nisely and Eli Miller, in time to watch the barn's roof topple into the blaze. The thunderous crash seared through the hearts and souls of the men. With a sinking feeling, Chicken Plucker's neighbors were thinking it could just as easily have been their barn.

  “Our house is too close to the burning barn. Look behind you. The home's vinyl siding buckled from the heat of the flames. If the fire company had arrived ten minutes later, my house would have caught fire. The men wet the house down to cool it off,” Chicken Plucker explained, nervously stroking his dark beard.

  “The siding can be replaced. Praise the Lord, your home did not burn down, and your family is safe,” John reasoned. His sympathetic eyes met the woeful blue ones of fair haired Samuel and the dark, empathetic ones of young Eli. They both nodded their heads in agreement.

  Jonah's mind tumbled with worries as he rambled on. “You should see my livestock. The hair is burnt off most of them. It wonders me how many I might lose. Slow Poke is dead. Roasted alive he was. A cow died, and the bull was having trouble staying on his feet to go into the cornfield.

  How do we manage milking after this? It is not going to be easy to milk forty head of cows out in the open twice a day.”

  “My barn is empty. You can use it to house your milk cows,” Samuel said. “We will run the cattle and horses down the road to my barn. You will not have far to come to milk.”

  “I can help round the stock up after daylight,” Eli offered.

  The volunteer chief of the Wickenburg fire department, Charlie Miller, a chunky man in his fifties, sauntered toward them. “Mr. Stolfus, we're getting the fire under control now that the barn collapsed. It may be after daybreak yet before we leave. All that hay in the barn will smolder for a long time. We want to make sure it doesn't flare back up. Wind's supposed to be strong from the east today. We're still worried for your house.”

  “Denki to you, and the other firemen for your hard work.” Another weary thought crossed his mind as he's eyes met John's. “That was my whole winter supply of hay gone up in smoke. What a waste!”

  John put a hand on the distraught man's shoulder. “I have extra bales I can give you.”

  “So do I,” Samuel said. “We can get plenty of hay from others to fill a new barn.”

  “I know one thing. With God's will, if I have a new barn, it will be built a lot farther away from the house,” Jonah declared.

  “I have to ask you a few questions,” Fire Chief Miller said. “Do you have any idea how the fire started? Did you leave a lit lantern in the barn?”

  Jonah shook his head. “Nah, we bring all the lanterns to the house with us. As short as the days are, it is night when we come to the house. Still dark when we go back to the barn in the morning to milk so we need the lanterns to see where we are walking.”

  “Did you have any inflammable liquids stored in the barn?”

  “Nah,” Chicken Plucker Jonah answered.

  “After daylight, I need to look around to see what could have caused a fire in a hundred year old barn that doesn't have electric wires running to it,” the fire chief said.

  “When I first looked out the window at the fire, I saw a horse leaving the cornfield gate hole and head east on the road. I think there was a person on the horse, but I cannot be sure. It was so dark,” Jonah said.

  “If this is a case of suspected arson, I have to call Sheriff Dawson. He'll investigate with me.” Chief Miller added irritably, “We need to catch the person and punish him for this horrible act.”

  Jonah gave the man a kindly look. “Denki, but we should not be so harsh or act too quickly. I stood here watching my barn burn and wondered why such a thing happened to me.

  I do not harbor an angry or bitter thought. All I feel is a huge sense of loss.” As he watched the fire die out, he made a decision and spoke. “I hope if someone did set the fire, with the help of God, he will feel the hand of God directing him to change his ways. He will become remorseful for his harmful deed and convert himself.”

  Fire Chief Miller shook his head, disagreeing. “It has been my experience it doesn't work that way. If someone lit that fire on purpose, don't expect the man to change. That never happens, because an arsonist is a sick person. I know. I've put out many a fire caused by people who get a thrill out of setting the fire.” He paused, then added, “Usually, they stick around to watch the building burn as long as they can without getting caught. That sounds like what the fellow on the horse did. He watched from the cornfield until he saw your bedroom light come on, Jonah.”

  Chapter 2

  When John and Hal returned home, dawn was just slipping a layer of red over the eastern horizon. As John parked the buggy by the barn, Biscuit, the boy's cream colored coon hound, rose from in front of the barn. He raced to greet the buggy with his yapping bark. John parked by the barn, and Biscuit peed on a back wheel.

  The generator was humming yet so John headed for the barn.

  Jim greeted, “We're just about done.”

  John said, “You must have gotten an early start this morning.”

  Jim shook his head yes. “None of us could go back to sleep for worrying about the Stolfus family. We spent some time looking out the west windows at the flames. That wasn't doing any good so the boys and I figured it was time to milk.”

 
Hal found her mother, Nora, and Aunt Tootie preparing breakfast. Redbird and Beth, in their high chairs, chattered and kicked their bare feet excitedly when they saw their mother. She bent to give them each a kiss on the cheek.

  “I should start the laundry while I still have some energy left. I'll get the wash water heated and put a load of clothes in the washing machine,” Hal said.

  “What was burning?” Aunt Tootie asked.

  “The barn,” Hal said wearily.

  “Is the fire out now?” Nora asked.

  Hal shook her head no. “Not quite. The firemen are staying as long as it takes to spray the smoldering hay that was in the loft. They're afraid the strong breeze will carry sparks toward the house.”

  “Was anyone hurt?” Aunt Tootie asked as she flipped the sizzling sausage cakes in the iron skillet.

  “Nah, the family woke up in time to get outside. This will be a costly fire for the family with loss of livestock and hay. I'm sure the cows milk production will cut way down while they aren't feeling well. A lot of them were burnt and may died. The horses might be sick, too. Watching their livestock suffer is an awful time for the Stolfus family,” lamented Hal.

  Just before breakfast, Hal carried a wicker basket of clothes through the wet grass to the clothes line. A light frost had glazed everything earlier, but the blaring sun melted it to glittering beads of cold dew.

  Damp bits of fresh mowed grass clung to her bare feet. Hal stood on one foot and rubbed it with the other then reversed the procedure to remove the pieces of grass. The generator was quiet in the barn. The men must be finished.

  Daniel had opened the chicken house door on the way to milk. Tom Turkey joined his harem of hens, scratching in the barn yard. Funny how Tom realized Abraham, the rooster, wasn't around anymore. He saw his chance to became ruler of the chicken flock.

  That reminded Hal that she had to go with John soon to the salebarn. She needed to buy her own rooster if she wanted to hatch chicks next spring for fryers and pullets. Emma took Abraham and half the flock of hens to her new home when she married Adam.

  What would happen when the new rooster tried to take over the hens? Hal was afraid Tom wasn't going to like giving up his senior position. When Tom Turkey didn't like something he had quite a temper.

  Near the lean-to, Buttercat had a successful hunt going on in a game of cat and mouse. He threw a mouse up in the air and sent it a few feet from him. Once the mouse landed and crawled away, Buttercat pounced under the courting buggy after it.

  Hal grimaced as she watched the weak mouse belly along the ground. It was all right for the cat to play with the nasty thing as long as he kept it near the barn. If the mouse got away, which was doubtful, it would hopefully escape to the barn instead of coming to the house.

  Biscuit flattened in the grass by the barn door with one ear alert, waiting for the boys to come out. He'd sprint to life quick enough with his tail whipping and follow them as soon as they appeared.

  The happy wren in the maple tree chortled a loud serenade. Weary as she was, Hal didn't appreciate the noise this morning. She picked a shirt out of the basket and shook it at the tree, shouting, “Hush, Wren! Go away.”

  The wet, blue shirt made a popping sound as it straightened out. The wren quit singing long enough to climb higher in the tree. As soon as he felt safe, he started his chortles again.

  Hal shaded her eyes with her hand and searched out the tiny bird, one of God's happy creatures. As she stuck a clothes pin on the shirt tail, she instantly felt guilty. She shouldn't take her bad mood out on that little bird. He had given her hours of pleasure. “All recht, I'm sorry, Mr. Wren. Sing your heart out for me, but could you keep the volume down? You didn't lose sleep last night like I did.”

  Hal picked up the empty basket and noticed the men and boys, peeking over the barn door, smothering laughter. Hal headed to the back door as she yelled over her shoulder. “Breakfast is ready.”

  After breakfast, Hal carried the last load of clothes to the line. At the sound of slowing clip clops, her attention focused on the buggy turning into the driveway. Bishop Elton Bontrager pulled to a stop by the house yard. His wife, Jane, and he climbed down.

  “Wilcom, Elton. The men are in the barn. They left the clean up until after breakfast. They should be almost done,” Hal called.

  The short, rolly poly man waved over his shoulder as he walked to the barn. The bishop acted like a man on a mission. His wife walked across the yard toward Hal. Jane's hair had more gray in the brown every time Hal saw her. “Gute Morgen, Sister Jane. You're up and going early.”

  Jane looked solemn.“We had excitement in the neighborhood last night, ain't so? Elton and I could not sleep after the fire trucks woke us up for worrying about the Stolfus family.”

  Hal brought a pair of trousers from the basket and shook them out. “Jah, how scary that was when the fire trucks went by in the night. The frightful noise woke everyone. Scared the girls and Aunt Tootie worse than the rest of us. Honestly, sometimes she's harder to calm down than Redbird and Beth.”

  “Even scarier yet is the fact someone deliberately set that fire.” Jane picked up a smaller pair of trousers and stuck her hand in the clothes pin bag as she shook the trousers one handed. “We just came from the Stolfus farm. Jonah sure was missing his barn this morning at milking time. The cows are skittish, and they did not want to cooperate out in the open.”

  “I can imagine. His cows are used to a milking machine just like ours. Hand milking seemed strange to them.”

  “Fortunately, between Jonah, his boys, Eli Mast and Samuel Nisely they moved the cows down the road to Samuel's barn. Samuel and Eli were going to helped finish the milking.”

  “Jane, you don't have to help with this,” Hal protested half heartedly.

  “You had a short night already with lots more work ahead of you than I will have to do today.” Jane turned and waved at the men as they walked up the porch steps and went in the house.

  The dog was trailing along behind the boys. He stopped at the steps, made three turns in the grass and curled up to sleep. He'd patiently wait for the boys to come outside.

  Jane said, “Sure enough, I will help you finish recht quick. As soon as we are done, we can join the men and have a cup of coffee.

  We watched the fire trucks out the window in the night and saw John and you go by. Recht after you left for home, we drove to the Stolfus farm to see if anyone was hurt. We prayed with Jonah and his family and the men helping them. So you see our night was short, too.”

  “Sure enough. We'll need a cup of coffee or two to keep us going this day. When I think of the daily needs for this family, I am so thankful Mom and Aunt Tootie are still here. They're such a help to me. This morning, they cooked breakfast. John and I got home just in time to help them eat it, and that left me time to do the laundry. Now that the days cool off fast if I don't get the clothes on the line early, they don't have time to dry.

  Dad helped the boys the milk. I sure am going to miss my parents and Aunt Tootie when they go home,” Hal confessed. “Especially, when I have to do all the cooking again.”

  “Maybe they will not leave for a while yet. Do not worry until it is time to worry,” Jane suggested, patting Hal's shoulder.

  “It's time recht now to worry. Dad is already making hints about leaving for home soon before the snow flies. I can't blame him. I don't want him to have to drive on slick roads,” Hal said woefully, fastening the last pair of trousers with a clothes pin.

  “You should have more faith in yourself, Hal Lapp. You will do fine without any help. I am sure of it. You managed alone while Emma taught school all day,” encouraged Jane.

  Hal put the empty basket on her hip. “Emma left me a list each morning of tasks to do and suggestions for meals. When she came home, she corrected the mistakes I made or worked fast to finish what I didn't get done.”

  “There is a world of difference between that girl and you. Emma is speedy and experienced homemaker. You have yet to l
earn and do the tasks at your own speed. You can do it,” Jane bolstered.

  As they headed back to the porch, Hal stopped. “Ach, nah. Look at my pretty marigolds, will you?”

  Jane's face scrunched up in dislike as she studied the mashed plants' dirty yellow flowers. “How did they get in such an awful shape?”

  Hal moved closer. “Something dug here. See how the flowers are covered with dirt.”

  “Must have been the dog,” Jane surmised.

  “Biscuit has never done this before in my flower beds,” Hal defended.

  “Still when a dog has a bone to bury he usually picks the softest dirt to dig the hole,” Jane said knowingly.

  Hal marched up the steps. “Let's go see what the boys have to say about this.”

  Swinging their legs back and forth to hear their feet slap against the high chair legs, the two years old little girls were impatient. Redbird, a redhead, looked very much like her mother. Beth, with light brown hair, resembled her late mother, Anna. The toddlers were restless. They would rather be on the floor, free to wander around. The front door banged shut. They twisted in their high chairs at the sound of familiar men's voices in the living room. When the men entered the kitchen, Redbird saw Elton among them. She gave him a wide smile as she held her hands out to him, begging for him to set her free.

  Elton looked at John for permission. “Will it be all recht if I hold Redbird?”

  “Sure enough. I better warn you after the girls have rutsched around this might be Redbird's way to get to the floor. She might not let you hold her long, ” John advised, releasing the tray from the chair.

  Elton grinned at him. “I will take my changes.”

  When Beth saw Redbird get her freedom, she held her arms up to Jim with a begging look on her face. “I'd say my buddy wants out of her chair, too.” He took off the tray and rescued Beth.

  As soon as the men were seated, Aunt Tootie came around with coffee cups and the pot.