A Harvest of Hope

by Lauraine Snelling

  © 2015 by Lauraine Snelling

  Published by Bethany House Publishers

  11400 Hampshire Avenue South

  Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

  www.bethanyhouse.com

  Bethany House Publishers is a division of

  Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

  www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

  Ebook edition created 2015

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

  ISBN 978-1-4412-6523-4

  Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover design by Jennifer Parker

  Cover photography by Mike Habermann Photography, LLC

  Author is represented by Books & Such Literary Agency.

  Contents

  Cover 1

  Title Page 3

  Copyright Page 4

  Bjorklund Family Tree 5

  Chapter 1 8

  Chapter 2 15

  Chapter 3 24

  Chapter 4 35

  Chapter 5 44

  Chapter 6 54

  Chapter 7 62

  Chapter 8 72

  Chapter 9 86

  Chapter 10 98

  Chapter 11 109

  Chapter 12 115

  Chapter 13 124

  Chapter 14 136

  Chapter 15 142

  Chapter 16 153

  Chapter 17 165

  Chapter 18 174

  Chapter 19 184

  Chapter 20 195

  Chapter 21 205

  Chapter 22 219

  Chapter 23 229

  Chapter 24 239

  Chapter 25 247

  Chapter 26 258

  Chapter 27 267

  Chapter 28 276

  Chapter 29 289

  Chapter 30 296

  Chapter 31 309

  Chapter 32 316

  Chapter 33 324

  Chapter 34 334

  Chapter 35 344

  About the Author 349

  Back Ads 352

  Back Cover 353

  Chapter 1

  BLESSING, NORTH DAKOTA

  MID-SEPTEMBER 1905

  Be careful, pay attention were the only thoughts to have when sitting down to milk this particular cow. Trygve Knutson had learned that the hard way, and the bucket had been nearly full. “Easy, old girl.” He used the same words with her whenever he had the bad luck to get her. Forehead planted firmly in her flank and milk streaming into the bucket, he fought to keep his mind on what he was doing.

  “But I don’t need to go to school.” Manny sounded determined, not that it would do him any good.

  “Pay attention to this cow,” Trygve muttered aloud to help him focus.

  “Sorry, but all children here go to school until they are graduated from the high school.” Andrew Bjorklund spoke calmly, as if they’d never had this conversation before.

  Trygve inhaled the good smells of warm milk and cow, overlaid with grain and the always present taint of fresh manure. Thoughts of Miriam tried sneaking past his resolve, but he shut that door too. He heard one of the cow’s four stomachs rumble. This time he reacted instinctively, even before the shift of her feet, and pulled the bucket away. “That’s it. I am putting kickers on you from now on!”

  “That was quick,” Andrew commended his cousin.

  “Does she do this with everyone?” Trygve nestled the bucket back in place and returned to the squeeze-and-pull hand motions that had been part of his life since he was six years old. The reprieve of his years building windmills for his Onkel Hjelmer’s well-drilling company had been a good thing, but now he knew he was needed at home. Whether milking cows was his favorite job or not.

  When he dumped his full bucket into the strainer, he went back and picked up Manny’s. Since the boy was still on crutches, due to a badly broken leg, carrying a bucket of milk was not possible. No matter how he tried to do everything.

  “You better hustle. We’ll finish here. You go get washed up and on the way to the schoolhouse.” He motioned the boy toward the door, ignoring the dagger-sharp glare.

  Manny swiveled and handed him the half-full bucket, picked up his crutches lying beside him, and maneuvered himself to his feet, an awkward and scary process in its own right, and then stumped out the door.

  Half smiling, Trygve watched the boy head for the house. “I remember when I was that age. I argued I didn’t want to go to school too. And I love learning. I just didn’t want to do it there.”

  Andrew, also smiling, nodded. “Me too. You know, Manny is finally acting like a normal boy his age. He’s going to turn out just fine. I’m sure of it.”

  “So am I.” No doubt Manny would be in jail now, just like his bank-robbing brothers, if Tante Ingeborg and Onkel Haakan had not taken him in. The boy’s brothers had been arrested trying to rob the bank right in Blessing. Manny was so sullen and uncooperative at first, on the defensive. Then for a while he was almost too nice. But you could tell when he finally figured out that he was loved and those who loved him didn’t need a special reason. He did not have to earn love or even earn his way. Now, at last, he was blossoming. Soaring, if one can soar on crutches.

  Andrew walked past with another bucket. “Finish that one, and I’ll let them out.”

  Trygve stripped the final cow and, after hanging his three-legged stool on one of the barn posts, emptied his bucket into the strainer. While that drained, he lugged the first of three milk cans to the wagon waiting outside. Morning chores, other than milking that one ornery cow, could pretty much be done without much concentration. George McBride, Ilse’s deaf husband, loaded the final can and took the handle to pull the wagon to the springhouse, where the milk cooled until they could skim off the cream and send that up to the cheese house. The Blessing Cheese Company shipped cheese to many cities around the country.

  This morning’s milking crew included Trygve, Andrew, Manny, and two of the returning students to the deaf school run by Trygve’s mor, Kaaren Knutson. George had been one of their students in the early years. Then he married Ilse Gustafson, who was and remained Kaaren’s main assistant.

  When they all headed home to eat breakfast, Trygve stopped at his tante Ingeborg’s house. He could hear Manny grumbling when he stepped up onto the porch. Ingeborg was speaking.

  “Takk for wanting to help me, Manny, but school is the most important thing you can do now, and that is how you help me.”

  “Ain’t no help in that.” Manny straight-armed the screen door, nearly smacking Trygve with the frame. The boy clumped down the steps, his lunch bucket looped over his hand gripping the crutch.

  Emmy, Ingeborg’s adopted granddaughter who was raised on the northern Indian reservation, smiled an apology as she passed him and darted out the door. At age eight, she was several years younger than Manny, but she still treated him more as if she were a mother instead of a schoolmate. Manny didn’t seem to care. Trygve knew Manny had a grandmother, but the boy had never talked to Trygve about his mother. It could be he needed one now, even if she were a saucy little girl.

  Trygve entered and crossed the kitchen. “Tante Ingeborg? Good morning.”

  His aunt turned away fr
om her woodstove to smile at him. She had her silvering hair braided this morning, the braid twisted into a figure eight at the back of her head. That pleased Trygve. Some days she felt so sad she didn’t bother with the braid. Still, it was obvious—and quite logical—that losing her beloved Haakan had been an absolutely crushing blow to her.

  “The milk is on its way to the springhouse, and Andrew talked about going over to Thorliff’s for something. I am leaving for breakfast. Can I get you anything?”

  “Takk, Trygve. I can’t think of anything. How is Manny doing with the farm chores?”

  “Just fine. I sent him up here for his books and lunch pail before he had finished, so I stripped his last cow for him. He’s a good worker.”

  She nodded. “Say hello to Kaaren for me.”

  “I shall.” Trygve walked outside and stood for a few moments on his tante’s porch. One thing for sure about this part of North Dakota, you could draw the horizon with a ruler. Still, it was a warm and lively place. Pastures and wheat fields stretched out almost forever, shimmering in the sunlight. The windbreak Tante Ingeborg had planted had grown into a robust row of trees now, and an orchard provided inviting shade out there.

  A yellow-headed blackbird popped up out of the tall grass in the near pasture and perched on a fence post. It threw its head back and tried to sing. By no means was his song something you could dance to—coarse and harsh, no melody at all—yet he sang anyway. Like Manny coping with a new world, usually not too effectively, at least until he could get rid of the crutches, but he was coping anyway. And like Trygve’s tante, floored by her loss, yet soldiering on anyway. One could do worse than learn from a yellow-headed blackbird.

  Garonnk cree cree cree.

  Whistling in the morning sun, Trygve stepped off the porch and headed home to breakfast. In a way, he felt a twinge of guilt for not having anything particularly burdensome to cope with just now. And that was silly. Still—there it was. Certainly he mourned Onkel Haakan’s passing, as did everyone else. But everyone died eventually, and Onkel Haakan had led a long rich life, filled with love and accomplishment. Mourn, yes, but Trygve did not really have to cope the way his aunt had to. Was he being too callous, not caring enough? Others seemed to care more than he did.

  And, like always, Miriam sprang to mind. Talk about coping. She was in Chicago now with her family. A student nurse from Chicago training for a year in the Blessing hospital, she had been called home because her mother was fading, growing weak to the point of death. How was the lady doing? Rallying? She had the best of medical care. Maybe she could pull through. But what a heavy burden for Miriam! And her younger brothers and sisters had to cope just as much. Perhaps Trygve should go back there to help, to be with her. But he was needed here just as much, easing Tante Ingeborg’s life as best he could. What to do? What to do?

  His mor, Kaaren, was putting a big bowl of fried potatoes in the middle of the breakfast table as Trygve strode up the back stoop and into the Knutson house.

  “How is Ingeborg doing, Trygve?” she asked, setting out a basket mounded high with buttermilk biscuits, butter, and a new glass of blackberry jam.

  He stepped to the sink to wash his hands. “Holding on. She still weeps easily and often. I really ought to lime her outhouse. I could smell it as I left, and I left by the front door.”

  Trygve’s father, Lars, sitting at his place at the head of the table, nodded. “Probably a lot to do over there. Haakan didn’t move fast during his last months, but he moved steadily and kept up with a lot of the necessary things.”

  “I want to winterize her place too. Maybe Thorliff and I can get to that this next week.” Trygve plopped into his chair.

  Mor set out her delicious baked-eggs-and-cheese dish and a platter piled high with rashers of bacon.

  Trygve looked at the bounty. “Whose army is visiting, and why are we feeding them?”

  Far raised his voice. “Carl! Come on, boy. Breakfast!”

  “Ah.” Trygve picked up his napkin. “That’s who we’re feeding. Why is Carl here?”

  “Ellie said he could stay with us a few days and help me with the garden,” Kaaren answered.

  Carl came thundering down the stairs. He climbed up onto his chair, Far rattled off the standard grace, and Carl reached for the biscuits.

  “Ahem!” Trygve stared at him and then looked pointedly at Mor.

  The boy got the hint. He picked up the basket of biscuits and handed it to Kaaren.

  She put two on her plate. “I remember when you were about this age, Trygve. You were always hungry. For a few years there, we practically shoveled the food into you and still couldn’t keep you satisfied. But you outgrew it. So will Carl.” She handed the basket back to Carl.

  Lars served himself some bacon and passed the platter across. “I wasn’t much older than you are now when you were born, Trygve.” He took a bite of bacon. “How’re you and that little nurse doing?” Trygve’s far was not a subtle person.

  He smiled. “She’s still in Chicago. She’s supposed to return Sunday.”

  “Seems like a sweet girl.”

  Trygve picked up the bowl of eggs and served himself. “Astrid says that as student nurses go, Miriam is the best she’s ever seen. I count that more important than being sweet.” He passed the eggs on to Far.

  Mor asked, “Ready for coffee?”

  Ilse got up and fetched the coffeepot. Trygve held up his mug and smiled when Ilse reached him. Sitting next to him, Carl held up his cup.

  “You’re kind of little for coffee.” She took the cup, filled it half full of milk, and added just enough coffee to color it. “There.”

  “Takk.” The little boy’s blue eyes twinkled as he took a sip.

  Trygve watched the exchange. They’d all learned to drink coffee that same way, the love of coffee passing on from generation to generation. It would probably be the same when his kids . . . For the millionth time already this morning, his thoughts went to Miriam. Sweet. Yes! Responsible. Capable. Wise. And so pretty, even with that unruly mop of black hair she tried so hard to keep pinned down.

  I love you, Miriam. Return to Blessing soon.

  Chapter 2

  CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

  How come God didn’t make our mother better? I prayed so hard.”

  If only I knew. But Miriam couldn’t tell Truth, her baby sister, that. As their mother had said so frequently, “God’s will be done.” Instead, Miriam held her close and let her cry. It seemed as if the tears would never stop—for her too. Tonio had taken time off from his job at the railroad for the funeral and burial. Perhaps that was the best way to get through, just keep on working so one did not have time to think.

  Besides, she had heard her mother pray to be released from the pain and uselessness. She didn’t blame her a bit, but oh, how she, they all, hurt. This was far worse than when their father died those three, or was it four, years ago. She laid her cheek on top of Truth’s head and rocked them both.

  They had all made it through the funeral and burial without collapsing. The few mourners had gathered in the church after the burial, and several had brought memories of their earlier life, the life before their father died. And now both of their parents were gone—together again, but leaving their children bereft. That evening they were all gathered in the rooms they called home, if one could call the tenements of Chicago home. But it had been before their mother left. She had been able to make anything a home, just with her presence.

  “My job is going real good,” Tonio said as he paced the room. “They say I’ve been doing a good job, so that’s encouraging.” He turned and continued to pace. “We can continue to pay the rent here.”

  “I wish I could stay.” Miriam watched her brother, who had become the man of the house in the last year. Having a steady job had made such a difference.

  “But you can’t, Miriam. You know you signed a contract, and you have to honor that. Mother would not want anything else. She got her wish, to be able to see all of us together
again before she died. We’ve been managing so far, and I don’t see any reason to think we can’t continue as we have.”

  Joy dabbed at her eyes, a continuing action of all of them. “I can get some of the mending done tonight.”

  “You are becoming a good seamstress too,” Mercy said. She now did all the mending and sewing for the hospital and brought much of it home. She’d been teaching ten-year-old Joy to help on some of the easier pieces, and even eight-year-old Truth was learning how to sew. Mercy occasionally helped with the evening meal at the hospital too.

  Miriam nodded. The plan Mrs. Korsheski had put into place seemed to be working. She looked to Este, who at fourteen seemed to have grown a foot since she’d left for North Dakota. He still could have hidden behind one of the bean poles out in the garden at the hospital, where he spent half of his time. He also worked with the cook in the hospital kitchen.

  “I used to bring Mother fresh vegetables from the hospital garden. One day we carried her outside to sit in the shade and watch us working. I wish we had done that more.”

  “But she was so weak.” Mercy rolled her lips together. “I wish you could have seen her face, Miriam. She seemed to absorb the sun and glowed. I hope there are gardens for her to enjoy in paradise.”

  Este straightened up and gritted his teeth. While his eyes were swimming in tears, they did not fall. He sniffed them back. “Tonio and me, we’ll take care of our sisters.”

  Miriam thought about her life in Blessing, so different from their life in Chicago as to be almost unbelievable. The clean air, for one. Here, her nose burned from the rank stench of the tenement. Clean houses, green trees, and vast horizon-ending fields, children laughing while they played and people who visited together. The hammering and sawing could not begin to compare with the cacophony of the city. It was like a whisper to a whirlwind.

  “How will you keep warm this winter?”

  “We can buy coal. And besides, we’re not here most of the day, so it will take a lot less.”

  Tonio had an answer for everything. Clearly he’d been thinking on the same things she had. Pride in her brothers and sisters edged out the burning grief, or at least dulled it for the moment.