Valley of Hope: The Amish of Lancaster

by Sarah Price

  As he was leaving the meeting room, he passed by two of his friends. Samuel walked over to them and greeted them casually. “See you fellows tonight, ja?” he asked.

  Amos Beiler and John Bucher stared at him, their faces blank. Samuel knew that they were surprised to hear that he would be attending the singing. Besides the fact that Samuel hardly ever went to the singings, the fact that he was in trouble with the Englische law compounded their confusion.

  Finally, John Bucher spoke up, his voice deep and his words carefully chosen. “It sure would be nice to see you at the singing, Samuel,” he said. “I’ll be looking for you then.”

  Amos Beiler said nothing.

  Samuel hurried away to hitch up his parents’ horse and buggy. He felt better now that his hands were busy with the harness. The fact that his friends were even questioning him was troublesome but he was sure glad that John Bucher had shown him kindness. Sure learn who your true friends are in times of need, he thought to himself. But, just as quickly as he thought it, he told himself that he needed to forgive Amos Beiler as well as Amos Smucker and everyone else who had cast judgment on him without listening to the facts. Otherwise he was just as guilty.

  The ride home from church was quiet. Neither one of his parents talked. Samuel sat in the back, listening to the horse’s hooves making their steady rhythmic music against the road. It soothed his nerves and helped him to slow his breathing, which calmed him during the short five-minute ride back to the farm.

  Back at home, Samuel quickly changed out of his Sunday’s best and hurried out to the barn. He didn’t feel like visiting with anyone and felt the need to keep busy. On a Sunday, feigning chores was the best way to do just that. He took his time, mucking the stalls and washing the horse buckets. He even set out the hay for the evening feeding so that his father, David, and Daniel wouldn’t have to be bothered.

  When it was close to four, he heard them coming into the barn to get started on chores. He was upstairs, resting in the hayloft and, rather than make his presence known, he stayed away from the ladder and kept to the shadows.

  “What’s this?” Daniel asked, a pitchfork in hand as he walked down the main aisle. “Everything’s been cleaned up, Daed.”

  Jonas glanced in the buckets. “Feed’s out, too.”

  Daniel took a heavy breath. “Seems Samuel’s been busy, then, ja?”

  “Busy is gut for now, I reckon,” his daed said. “Must have a lot on his mind, for sure and certain.”

  Samuel heard his older brother set the pitchfork against the side of the wall. The handle slid and touched a metal bucket hanging from a hook. The sound reverberated throughout the empty barn. “Daed, what happens if…”

  “Daniel!” his father said sharply, interrupting him. “I won’t hear any of that. We must have hope that the system will save our Samuel. He wanted to explore the world of the Englische. Vell,” his daed said, his voice softening. “He’ll have his chance now, ja?” There was a pause between the two men before Jonas changed the subject. “No work in here for us until milking. So, we best go see what help your mamm needs setting up the tables for supper, then.”

  Samuel shut his eyes and leaned against the haystack. Setting up tables for supper meant that the family was going to eat together. It would be a light fare, not much more than what they had at church fellowship. But it meant facing Junior and Lillian, Daniel and Rachel, and all of the children. He wondered if Sylvia and Jake would be coming to visit from their farm and, in a moment of anticipation, he sure hoped so. Jake seemed to keep things light and in perspective. If he had to have supper with everyone, he hoped Jake would be there to keep the conversation flowing and the mood light.

  An hour later, Samuel emerged from the hayloft and walked across the driveway toward the house. The tables had already been set up under the shade of a large tree. Linda was watching the younger children who ran and played near the creek in the cow paddock. He was thankful that young Jacob had been especially quiet this week. He wondered if Lillian had anything to do with that. Samuel suspected that she had told her children to leave him be.

  “Samuel,” someone called out.

  He turned his head in the direction and was surprised to see Rachel walking around the side of the barn. Inwardly, he groaned. They had never seen eye-to-eye and this was the first time he had to be in her presence since the police had taken him away. He groaned, wishing the earth would open to swallow him. He didn’t fancy having to see her gloat at his misfortune.

  “Come help me, ja?” she said, waving her hand. “Mayhaps you can take little Katie while I carry this big basket.”

  Samuel frowned. She had never asked him for help before, especially when it came to her children. Slowly, he turned and began walking up the incline toward the top of the barn. She was already headed back toward the house where she lived with Daniel by the mule shed. With two children, it was certainly getting a bit cramped in there. But she never seemed to complain.

  He followed her into the house, a place that he hadn’t visited too often. In fact, as he looked around, he realized that he hadn’t been inside her house for years. Since they never got along, they tended to spend time in each other’s presence only when necessary and that was mostly at gatherings elsewhere.

  She pointed to a box on the floor. “Could you lift that up for me, Samuel?”

  “Lift it?” he asked, still not understanding what he was doing standing in his sister-in-law’s house.

  Turning to look at him, she smiled. He was surprised, realizing that it was a genuine smile, not one with any hint of animosity. “It’ll be easier to pack it and carry it if you put it on the table for me. I’ll get little Katie ready and you could start putting some of those jars in the box, ja?”

  Still not understanding why Rachel was being so kind to him, he did as he was told. Kindness was not a theme that ran through their relationship, that was for sure and certain. When she had first arrived at the Lapp farm, he had teased her and loved to make her cry. Despite Daniel marrying her, Samuel had never warmed up to his sister-in-law, a distant cousin from Ohio. But, given the situation, he was willing to take kindness from wherever he could get it. Even from Rachel.

  She was hustling through the downstairs then disappeared through a doorway and he heard her climbing the stairs. A few minutes later, she came down carrying little Katie who was still sleeping. Behind them came Lovina, her two-year old daughter. She also looked as though she had been sleeping as she rubbed her eyes and crawled onto the sofa while her mamm finished preparing their bag to take over to Katie’s.

  “None of that, Lovina,” she said gently. “You can’t fall back asleep now.” Then Rachel walked over to Samuel and handed him the baby. “Would you mind holding her, Samuel? I need to wash Lovina’s face and then we can leave.”

  He responded by taking the baby and realized that it was the first time he had held his youngest niece. He wasn’t much of a baby person, preferring the more solid ones who could walk and talk. But as he looked into her face, he felt something tug at his heart. “Sure is a pretty baby”, he replied.

  Rachel busied herself with pouring some water onto a washcloth and hurried over to wipe it across Lovina’s face. “No prettier than others, I imagine.” When she walked back to the sink, she paused to look at the baby in Samuel’s arms. Taking a moment to look at her baby, she smiled. “Well, maybe just a tad,” she teased.

  “Why are you being nice to me?” he blurted out. His candor surprised him as much as it surprised her.

  Laying the washcloth across the sink, she turned around to face him. She was definitely a formidable woman and had always stood up against Samuel’s antics when she had first arrived at the Lapp farm. Now, she studied him with a stern look in her eyes. “Figured it was time that you and I started over, Samuel. Seems you could use a few kind words from someone who knows what it is like to be on the receiving end of unkind ones.”

  “I had forgotten,” he replied, lowering his eyes.

&nb
sp; “Don’t do that,” she snapped angrily.

  Surprised, he quickly looked back up, meeting her gaze. “Do what?”

  “You said you weren’t there. So you don’t have to look away from anyone, Samuel Lapp. You hold your head high. Let the others bow their heads in shame. The truth will come out. But even if it doesn’t,” she said softening her tone. “You know the truth and God knows the truth. That’s all that is important.”

  “Danke,” he said softly, humbled by her advice.

  Rachel didn’t let him get emotional with her. Instead, she waved at hand at him dismissively. “Thanks are not needed, Samuel. We are family, after all. Now,” she hoisted the box on her hip and started toward the door, changing the subject and getting back on track. She had always been a no-nonsense, to the point kind of woman, he thought. “Let’s go take this food and these two sleepy children over to your mamm’s and have a wonderful Sunday supper.”

  Following Rachel, Samuel felt an odd sensation in his throat. For the past several years, she had been his adversary. They had not gotten along when she first arrived at the Lapp farm. Now, she was the one that was not questioning his situation but offering him an olive branch? He felt a wave of humility wash over him. How could Rachel, of all people, be so kind and generous of spirit toward him when he had been so awful to her when she first arrived?

  As they walked around the corner of the house, he was still thinking about this shift in events. He didn’t notice that his family was seated outside on the porch, watching Samuel help Rachel with the children. His older brother Daniel was leaving the dairy barn and stopped, leaning against the doorway as his wife walked by with Samuel in tow, holding Lovina’s hand and carrying the baby. Had Samuel been aware that Daniel was staring at them, he would have noticed Daniel smile and tug at his growing beard, a look of understanding crossing his face.

  “Onkel! Onkel!” a small voice called out.

  Samuel shifted little Katie in his arms and, releasing Lovina’s hand, ruffled Jacob’s curly hair. He was a true Lapp, through and through, from the bright blue eyes to the loose curls that covered his head. “Where have you been hiding, Jacob?”

  The small boy lowered his eyes. “Mamm told me you weren’t feeling well. Told me to let you be.” He lifted his eyes hopefully. “You feeling better now, ain’t so?”

  Samuel took a deep breath. Was he feeling better? Until the matter was resolved, he wouldn’t be feeling much of anything. Yet, as he hesitated, he noticed Rachel turn back to look at him. She smiled, reassuringly. Samuel turned his attention back to his nephew. “Ja, I sure am.”

  Jacob clapped his hands and hopped up and down. “Then you’ll play ball with me?”

  “Jacob!”

  They both turned at the sound of the deep voice that called the boy’s name. Junior was standing on the porch. “You let Samuel be now. It’s time for relaxing. You go take Lovina inside to Linda. She’s going to play with all of you while the grown-ups visit.”

  Jacob made a face, kicking at some rocks in the driveway. But, obediently, he took Lovina’s hand and dragged her toward the house.

  “Slowly, Jacob! She’s going to fall,” Rachel called out.

  Samuel smiled as he watched Jacob reluctantly carry out his task. Having been the youngest of ten, Samuel was often the one being dragged around behind an older brother or sister. He knew how Lovina felt, her little legs trying hard to keep up with Jacob. Samuel had always resented being the one trying to keep up and never the one to lead. At least Lovina would one day lead her baby sister and Katie would surely have plenty of other younger siblings and cousins to drag behind her.

  “Rachel, I’ll trade you,” he said, reaching for the box that she still held in her hands. He took it with one arm and let her take the baby from his other arm.

  “See?” Rachel said, a mischievous look on her face. “Holding your niece wasn’t so bad after all, was it?”

  It dawned on Samuel that he had never held little Katie before this day. Since he had never gotten on with Rachel, he hadn’t paid much attention to either of their children. He wanted to hang his head in shame. How could he have been so blind, he wondered. Instead, he lifted his chin and took her kind rebuke in stride. “I reckon not, Rachel. She didn’t wet my arm after all.”

  Rachel laughed, a sound that wasn’t very frequently heard. She had always been a bit on the serious side. Daniel approached from behind, smiling at his wife. He leaned over her shoulder and peeked at the sleeping baby in her arms. “Now what is your mamm laughing at, I wonder,” he said.

  “Daniel!” she said, startled by his sudden appearance behind her. “You scared me.”

  He didn’t reply but reached forward to caress the baby’s cheek. “She sure is a sleeper, ja?”

  Samuel carried the box into the house and set it on the counter. Lillian was setting out food, moving slowly as she worked. Katie was beside her, helping her daughter-in-law as they opened glass jars of chow-chow and red beets to put into bowls for the evening meal. It would be an easy meal since no one wanted to work on Sunday. Cold cuts, canned vegetables, bread. The emphasis for the evening was on visiting, not working in the kitchen.

  “Here you go, Mamm,” Samuel said, his hand on the edge of the box.

  “Danke, Samuel.”

  He started to turn to leave but hesitated. “You need some help, then? I could carry things outside.”

  Both Lillian and Katie looked up at the same time. They glanced at each other then turned toward Samuel. Men didn’t help in the kitchen and Samuel never volunteered to help anywhere. So his offer to assist them was doubly surprising for both women. Clearly, this was a new Samuel who stood before them and both women weren’t certain how to respond.

  It was Lillian who spoke first. “That would be right gut, Samuel,” she said slowly. She pointed toward the counter by the window. “There’s a tray under there and you could take these bowls out to the table that Junior set up under the oak tree.”

  He ignored their surprised expressions as he did as he was told. The bowls were on the table, each bowl a different size and color. He carefully arranged them on the tray and carried it outside. As the door opened to the porch, Samuel also ignored the looks of the men. His father was seated in a chair and lifted his eyebrows as Samuel walked by and set the tray on the table. Even Junior and Daniel were speechless.

  It was Jake who made the first comment. “Well, well, well,” he called out. “What have we here?”

  Samuel glanced up at the sound of Jake’s voice. He smiled at his brother-in-law who was helping his wife and children out of the buggy. He hadn’t heard the buggy pull into the driveway but he was glad to see Jake. Everything always seemed lighter when Jake was around. “A little kitchen work never killed a man,” Samuel replied.

  Jake set his hand on Sylvia’s shoulder as they walked across the driveway and toward the gathering. “Well, I wouldn’t be so sure about that; and,” he winked at Samuel, “I’m not about to take any chances.”

  Sylvia tried to hide her smile as she nudged her husband with her elbow. “Jake!”

  Gideon tugged at his daed’s pant leg and, when Jake looked down, he waved with his hand urgently. Jake leaned over and let the little boy whisper into his ear. Then, standing back up, he frowned. “Well, seems someone needs a quick visit inside after all,” he said, taking his son by the hand and leaving Sylvia with the baby. “I’ll be certain to avoid that kitchen, though,” he teased over his shoulder.

  It was during the meal, while everyone picked at the food on the table, that Junior made a big announcement. The little children were playing with a ball and the dog, throwing the ball as far as they could so that the dog would chase it and bring it back. Jacob, however, was delighting Gideon by throwing the ball toward the dairy barn, the ball rolling into the muck and the dog chasing after it.

  “Seems time to think about the future,” Junior said, leaning back in his chair.

  Jonas looked at his oldest son. “Ja? What’s going
on, son?”

  With a quick glance at his wife, Junior met his father’s gaze. “Seems like might be a gut idea to build a new house back by the carpentry shop. I’ll be closer on hand to help Lillian if needed.”

  “Build a new house?” Katie asked. Clearly she didn’t like the thought of the family moving out of the main house. The grandchildren would be further away, even if only down the back lane. “Oh Junior! That’s so much work.”

  He nodded. “Ja, it is. But I know some fellows who just did this over in Bird-in-Hand. They said they’d be willing to help me with permits and they have the design already.” He looked over at his father. “The carpentry shop is doing well. We have a backlog of orders for sheds. I’ll have to build the framing in the evenings but it could be finished by the end of the summer…before the new babies are born.”