Strathmore was the biggest house that Charlie had ever seen and he wondered if people had ever gotten lost trying to find their way around. He did his best to avoid the company of strangers and wished that he was invisible. Inevitably, while examining the refreshments on the buffet table, Charlie was cornered into a very awkward conversation. Two young women, dressed in the high fashion of the day and quite taken with his good looks and charming smile, forced him into a discussion.
“Have you tried the punch?”
“Can’t say that I have.”
“Try a teacake.”
“No thanks.”
“We’ve had some delightful weather lately.”
“Suppose so.”
Then Charlie made a big mistake, although he was only using the technique recommended by Cilla. “Tell me about yourselves.”
Sure enough. Talking about themselves was their favorite subject. They were just about as good at it as the Governor. They rambled on and on about their superior pedigree and esteemed place in society until Charlie could take it no more. “Please excuse me. I have an important meeting to attend.”
Even after he walked away, they were still talking about themselves and Charlie observed that ugly women in pretty clothes are still ugly.
No sooner had he escaped the flirtatious belles than he was again corralled for conversation, this time by three refined gentlemen who said they saw him talking with the Governor. “Tell us about yourself,” said one of the men.
“I'm a farmer,” said Charlie.
“You got the Governor's attention,” said another.
“Hear tell that you're into the agricultural sciences. Where did you get your higher education?” asked a third man.
“I suppose that all my higher learning came on the farm,” said Charlie irritated by the line of questioning.
“You’re kidding, of course,” said one of the men while the others laughed in approval.
“Virginia Tech, right? That’s where all the rising stars of agriculture get their start.”
“No. Like I said, I learned everything I know on the farm.”
“Guess you can learn a lot from pigs and cows,” said one of the men sarcastically eliciting more laughter from the group.
“So precisely what techniques of modern medicine are employed in your practice?”
“Don't use much medicine at all, just some liniment once in a while and some herbs from the garden.”
“Oh, so you're more like an Indian medicine man.”
Under normal circumstances, Charlie would have decked his interrogator right then and there. However, out of respect for his host and the Governor, he elected to play along. “Something like that. I rub chicken blood on my face and dance around the animal until its eyes start spinning. If the eyes turn red, I know the old girl’s upset about something. If green, then she’s got an infection. Of course, you know what it means if her eyes turn bright yellow. Her bladder’s backed up.”
Charlie’s talkative audience suddenly had nothing more to say.
“The worst is black. When those eyes start spinning black then you know she’s going to drop dead any minute.”
“It’s the darndest thing,” said Priscilla who had been eavesdropping on the conversation. She stepped in front of the men and grabbed Charlie’s hand. “Wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Works on people too.”
On that note, the men excused themselves and headed to the buffet table.
“Well done,” she said smiling. “Let’s get some fresh air.”
“Thanks for saving me,” he said following her out a side door to the porch.
“Looks like you had everything under control. By the way, meant to tell you that you look mighty handsome in your new suit and haircut.”
Charlie’s face turned red. “Thank you.”
“You haven’t said anything about my dress,” said Cilla spinning around to give him a good look.
He did not dare say what he was really thinking. The truth was, he had never seen anything more beautiful than the girl standing before him. But this was his best friend’s gal and his heart belonged to Mable. “It’s real pretty.”
“Just pretty?”
“Real pretty. I said, ‘real pretty.’”
Charlie grinned and looked up at the stars, avoiding the temptation standing next to him, and trying to imagine what Mable would look like in a long flowing ballroom gown. She had a different kind of beauty. Definitely pleasant to the eyes, but more important to him was her inner glow. When he was with Mable, he felt secure, comfortable, appreciated, and loved. Yes, Priscilla was indeed a beautiful girl. Maybe even a little more outwardly attractive than Mable. If things were different, if there were no Mable, then he would not have hesitated to pursue a relationship with Cilla. He wasn’t about to be a womanizer like his daddy. One woman and one woman only, although, Cilla was definitely messing with his mind.
“What are you thinking about?” asked Cilla. “You’re not talking.”
“Just looking at that big old moon and those beautiful stars.”
“Thought maybe you were upset by those fellas that gave you a hard time.”
“Seems like life has enough troubles of its own. Sickness, poverty, loneliness, death. You would think that would be enough for folks, but that don’t satisfy them none. Somebody’s always got to stir something up.”
“Why, Charlie Polk, when did you become a philosopher?” Priscilla moved closer to Charlie now shivering from the cold night air. “I'm really enjoying your company, Charlie...but I'm freezing my tail off.”
“Then go inside. Frank’s bound to be looking for you.”
Cilla was disappointed that Charlie missed her hint, but she had no intentions of going back inside. She caught Charlie completely off guard when she slipped her arms around his waist and inside his suit jacket. “Get me warm.”
The first thought in his mind was that Frank would kill him. Second thought was that if Frank didn’t do it, Mable would. And there was yet a third thought that he quickly dismissed. An inner voice was telling him, if it feels good, do it. And it did feel good. Very, very good.
“You're warm,” she said laying her head against his chest.”
Charlie didn’t want to hurt her feelings but he knew it wouldn’t take much to push him over the edge into something he would regret for the rest of his life. “It's ok if you want to go back inside.”
“I like it fine right here. Do you ever think about the two of us together?”
“We’ve been through this before. Besides, Frank has asked you to marry him.”
“But he’s not the one I’m in love with. I told you that.”
Charlie pushed Priscilla away. “Cilla, you’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had but this just ain’t right. Get yourself back in there now.”
Priscilla was deeply hurt by Charlie's rejection, stood there for a moment with tears in her eyes, and then hurried back inside.
On the way back to the Miller Farm, Frank inquired about Charlie’s perception of the event.
“Kind of like pulling your own tooth. Hurts like heck until you yank it out and then you feel a whole lot better.”
“Pretty bad, huh? Did you learn anything new?”
Charlie thought for a moment then reduced all that he had learned into a simple statement. “People in high places have high opinions of themselves.”
Frank laughed but Cilla was in no mood for levity.
“Where did you go tonight, Cilla? Looked all over for you.”
“Just went out for some air.”
“Aren’t you feeling well?”
“Might be catching something.”
Up until now, Cilla believed that having daily contact with Charlie gave her a distinct advantage over Mable in the battle for his heart. Obviously, she was wrong. All that time with him had only revealed him to be more wonderful than she had imagined. That evening she saw Charlie outwit highly educated men, heard him speak word
s of profound wisdom, and witnessed moral integrity at its finest.
Frank took Cilla’s hand. “Are you alright? Should we find you a doctor?”
“No. I’ll be alright,” and then she began to cry.
“What is it? What’s wrong? It’s the proposal, isn’t it? You’re going to tell me ‘no,’ aren’t you?”
“That’s not it at all,” said Cilla. “Just leave me alone,” she said turning away and staring out the window.
Frank dealt with Cilla’s problem in true Wissler fashion. He was taught that money fixes everything. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow and we’ll run over to Woodstock and buy you a new dress or a necklace. That’ll make you feel better.”
They finished their journey in silence and as Cilla and Frank struggled with their issues, Charlie blamed himself. It troubled him greatly to see his friends hurting, but there was nothing he could do about it.
Chapter VII - Disaster
Fired – May 1919
After eight months of Sunday parlor visits chaperoned by Mary Shown, Mable and Charlie finally went on that first date. Mable packed a picnic lunch, Charlie borrowed a horse and buggy from Russell Miller, and the couple enjoyed a candlelight tour of Endless Caverns in New Market. They capped off their romantic adventure with chocolate ice cream sundaes at the place they fell in love, People’s Drugs and Such in Mt. Jackson. Then they made a brief stop at Stover School and sat in the spot where they first became childhood friends and there they exchanged their first kiss.
By day's end, Charlie was thinking seriously about taking their relationship to the next level. Several times he nearly popped the question, which he believed would get a favorable response from Mable. However, he had little confidence that Mary and Moses Shown would approve the proposal. He thought that they feared that he would turn out just like his daddy and was an unsuitable mate for their baby daughter. Unfortunately, he was right. Maybe Moses would be open to the idea but getting Mary Shown’s blessing was another matter entirely.
Three sleepless nights were enough to persuade Charlie to ask for help. He gave careful consideration to those most likely to give him wise counsel. Reverend Beck was quickly stricken from his list due to the pastor’s close relationship to the Showns. Frank Wissler was too wrapped up in problems of his own. Charlie’s mother and sisters were inaccessible and then there was Cilla, who was in no position to give him unbiased advice. He concluded that the only person who was truly qualified to point him in the right direction was Russell Miller.
Charlie found Russell sitting on rocking chair on his back porch. “Got a minute?”
“I do if you don’t mind helping me snap these beans. Pull up a crate and sit a spell. I know this is supposed to be woman’s work, but I just find it relaxing. Used to help my mother when I was growing up. What’s on your mind?”
“You know I’ve been seeing a girl over by Pine Church.”
“Heard you mention it a time or two.”
“Thinking about asking her to be my wife.”
“Do you love her?”
“Expect I do.”
“Then why don’t you ask her?”
“Her family doesn’t rightly approve of me. I think they’re worried that I’ll turn out like my daddy.”
“Then why don’t you just run off and get married?”
“Mable would never go for that. She’s real close to her parents.”
“So what do you want from me?”
“Was hoping you could tell me how to get her parents to accept me, to believe that I’m a suitable husband for Mable.”
“Have you ever had a heart to heart with them, talked to them about your daddy, and explained why you will never be like him?”
“Been afraid to bring it up.”
“Sounds to me that wall ain’t coming down until you have that talk.”
Russell’s advice was the encouragement that Charlie needed to move forward with his plan to propose to Mable. The next Sunday after dinner, Charlie asked Mable to leave the parlor while he talked to her parents. She was more than willing to follow his directive since she had been expecting such a conversation. While Charlie pleaded his case, Mable excitedly prayed for God to help Charlie say just the right words and that her parents would be receptive to his message.
“I know you’ve heard about my daddy’s bad reputation. What folks say about him is mostly true. He is a drunk and has a violent temper which has landed him in jail a time or two. Mable probably told you that me and him had a falling out and he ran me off the farm without a penny to my name. Bottom line, Bill Polk is an evil man and if I had an exceptional Christian daughter like Mable, I would be scared to death for her to be courting that man’s son.”
“That’s right,” agreed Mary nervously pushing her rocking chair to the limits. “We are scared to death.”
Charlie kept talking and Mable kept praying.
“You folks have been good enough to allow me into your home and even got me going to church and I am forever indebted. I suspect that the reason you didn’t allow me to see Mable except on Sunday and always with you watching is that you didn’t trust me.”
“Not that way at all,” said Moses. “We trust you and we trust Mable.”
Mary addressed the real reason for their concern. “Mable has not been called on by many fellas. When we saw how quickly she was falling for you, we were afraid that she wouldn’t take the time to get to know you like she should. She just needed to know what she was getting herself into. And, like you said, we had some real concerns based on what we had heard about your daddy. Mable’s sisters are all married off and all of them have good husbands, well, except for Pearl. Not much hope there. But Mable’s our baby and we intended to see to it that she got her a good man.”
Charlie thought he saw a tear in Moses’ eye. “And just so you know, we believe that you are a good man. We also saw this day coming. When we agreed to let the two of you go off together last Saturday, we knew what was coming next. Wouldn’t have let you go if we didn’t think you were fit to be a part of our family.”
“Go ahead and ask her. You have our blessing,” said Mary, who then got up from her rocker, walked toward Charlie and took him by the hand. “Stand up and give me a hug.”
Nothing meant more to Charlie Polk than to be accepted. He was so overwhelmed by the unexpected response of Mary Shown that he broke down and cried like a baby. Then he noticed that Moses was standing next to him.
“Welcome to the family, Charlie,” said Moses giving him a firm handshake. “We will love you as one of our own.”
When Charlie stepped off the front porch, he felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. Why, he didn’t even have to ask for their permission. They just lovingly gave it.
Mable was still sitting under her beloved oak tree, still praying, and still hoping that God will finally grant her request for a husband.
“Hey, are you asleep?” asked Charlie.
“You startled me.”
He sat on the ground beside her and Mable looked at him trying to read the expression on his face. “Well, what happened in there? Why did you want me to leave?”
“Had some business I need to talk over with your mama and daddy.”
Mable’s heart was racing and she could barely breathe. “What kind of business?”
“Family business.”
“Family business. What kind of family business?”
Charlie took Mable’s hand and looked longingly into her eyes. “Up until that day back in September, when we met in Mt. Jackson, my life was about as bad as it gets. I had no hopes, no dreams, didn’t see myself ever doing or having anything worthwhile. Then you came along and changed everything. You gave me the hope I never had and helped me to feel good about myself. You turned my dark days into sunshine and helped ease the pain of my past. I hope that somehow I have touched your life as deeply as you have touched mine and that you love me with the complete love and affection that I have for you. And if you do f
eel that way … will you please be my wife?”
Mable hugged Charlie and they embraced for quite some time as the Showns watched from the parlor window, and then he left. When Mable returned to the house, Mary quickly returned to her knitting and Moses grabbed his newspaper, acting as if that was what they had been doing all along. Surprisingly, Mable walked past them without saying a word.
“Wait a minute,” said Mary. “Don’t you have something to tell us?”
“Nothing to tell,” replied Mable.
“What? Charlie said he was going to ask you to marry him and you don’t have anything to say to us?”
“No, mam.”
Moses dropped his newspaper to the floor. “Did he or didn’t he ask you to marry him?”
“He did.”
“And?”
“Told him I would let him know in a week.”
Mary stood up. “Why on earth did you do that?”
“I asked God to show me a sign that Charlie is the man he wants me to marry. In two weeks, I’ll have my answer.
“A sign. What kind of sign?” asked Moses.
“If the sun shines next Sunday, then I’ll marry him. If it rains, I won’t.”
Mary shook her head in disbelief. “Really? Now was that your idea or God’s idea?”
“Pretty sure it was mine.”
Charlie was in shock. He was dumbfounded that he was so wrong about how his proposal would be received. Matters of faith were new to him and he couldn’t imagine what she meant when she said she was looking for a sign from God. Mable refused to disclose the nature of the sign but told him that it would appear in two weeks on the 8th of June. What happened to her reasoning that there was no such thing as accidents and that God had brought them together?
An ugly picture from his childhood came to mind as Charlie struggled with the pain of Mable’s rejection. He could still see Bill Polk affectionately hugging his brother and sisters while defiantly smirking at him. “Look Charlie. See how much I love the others. Aren’t they precious?” Then he would give them candy and tell them how beautiful they were. “You like candy, don’t you Charlie?” Then Bill would walk away laughing at the cry baby.
In the Valley of Hope Page 23
