Love Finds a Home (Anthologies) (12 page)

Ernie Snyder cupped his hands around his mouth and leaned over the bow of his boat. “Keep them mules movin’ at a steady pace!” he called to his ten-year-old son, Andy.

The boy seemed determined to dawdle, as he clomped along the muddy towpath, like they had all the time in the world. “The mules don’t like the mud puddles, and I can’t make ’em go any faster!” he hollered back.

“We’ll never get to Mauch Chunk at the rate we’re goin’!” Ernie shouted into the wind. “Give Barney a thump on the rump if he won’t move along!”

Andy did as he was told, and soon Barney, the lead mule, picked up speed. Clyde, the other mule, followed suit, and Ernie breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe they wouldn’t be late to pick up their load of coal after all.

“Keep us movin’ without too many interruptions, Lord,” Ernie prayed, glancing at the overcast sky. They’d had several days of rain, which had not only caused some flooding of the canal waters but had made the towpath almost impassable in several places. Even though it wasn’t raining today and the waters had receded enough to travel, the towpath was a muddy mess, full of large puddles the mules refused to walk through. This took more time, as Andy and other mule drivers had to lead the stubborn critters around the standing water.

Soon winter would be here, and then much of the canal would be drained. Ernie planned to return with his two children to their small home outside of Parryville. He would spend the next few months cutting ice from the frozen sections of canal that had not been emptied.

“Papa, Sarah’s lonely and needs a friend. Can we buy another dolly when we stop at the next store?”

Ernie glanced over his shoulder. His seven-year-old daughter, Grace, sat at the wooden table in the middle of the boat, which was where they ate most of their meals. The corn-husk doll she played with had been a gift from Ernie for her last birthday. Grace’s long brown hair was unbraided today and lay across her slender shoulders in a mass of curls.

Ernie knew his daughter would need to go to school when they quit boating for the winter. It would be her first year at the one-room schoolhouse in Parryville, and he hoped she would do okay. Andy would go, too, even though the boy thought he didn’t need any more schooling.

“Papa, are ya listenin’ to me?” Grace asked in a whiny voice.

“I’m afraid you’ll hafta be your doll’s friend,” Ernie replied. “Papa don’t have enough money to buy another doll just now.”

Grace’s lower lip protruded, but Ernie knew he couldn’t let her sway him. Money was tight, and unless he did well on his next couple of loads, he might have to let his helper go.

“’Course that would mean I’d be stuck with all the cookin’ and cleanin’, not to mention havin’ to steer the boat,” he grumbled. No, he would scrimp by without luxuries in order to keep Jeb Walker as his helper, even if the elderly man was a complainer who sometimes fell asleep when he should be working. After Ernie’s wife died of pneumonia, it hadn’t been easy to find someone willing to watch Grace and do the cooking. Ernie was relieved when Jeb came to work for him shortly after Anna’s death.

It’s either keep Jeb on or get married again
, Ernie told himself.
And who would want to marry an uneducated canal-boat captain like me?

CHAPTER 2

A
s Judith stood behind her scarred wooden desk, she was surprised to see how few students were in class on this first day of school. Pastor Jacobs had said there would be more once the canal was closed for the winter, but in the meantime, there were only ten children in attendance.

Melissa and Melody, both in the third grade, shared a desk. Carl, the boy with the tattered overalls she’d seen from her bedroom window the other day, was in the second grade and sat beside Eric, another second grader. The other two boys, Garth and Roger, were fourth graders but looked much older. Judith wondered how many times they might have repeated the same grade. The four other girls in class were Beth, Sarah, Karen, and Ruby. Beth, the oldest, was in sixth grade; Karen and Sarah were fifth graders; and Ruby, the youngest, was in the first grade.

Besides the lack of students, Judith noted a deficiency of school supplies. Only a few pieces of chalk sat near the blackboard, and she didn’t have nearly enough reading books to go around. Each child had been required to bring his or her own pencil and tablet. One map with several tears hung on the back wall. No art supplies were available, and the school’s only bell was the small handheld one that sat on Judith’s desk.

I’ll need to make a trip to the general store after school lets out today
, Judith mentally noted.
Maybe they’ll have some of the things I need. If not, I’ll speak to the school board and see if they would be willing to order a few items
.

Not that she wasn’t used to going without. Her parents had never been well-off, and after Mama died giving birth to Judith’s youngest brother, Papa became despondent and had a hard time holding on to a job. Just a few months after Mama’s passing, he’d married Helen Smithers. Even though Papa’s attitude had improved, Helen was stern, and she and Judith often clashed. At the age of eighteen, Judith had been offered a teaching position at a one-room schoolhouse several towns away, and she had eagerly accepted.

Judith turned her attention to the children, who sat at their desks, looking at her with expectant expressions. “The first thing I’d like you to do is write a one-page theme about yourself.” She smiled. “That way I can get to know each of you better.”

Melody’s hand shot up.

“Yes?”

“What kinds of things do you want to know?”

“Yeah, this is gonna be hard,” Eric put in. “Our old teacher never asked us to write anything about ourselves.”

“Each teacher has her own way of doing things,” Judith said patiently.

“How come you get to know us and we don’t get to know you?” Carl spoke up.

“That’s a fair question, so I’ll tell you a few things about myself.” Judith went to the blackboard and picked up a piece of chalk. She quickly wrote the following list:

My name is Miss Judith King.

I like to teach school.

My favorite time of the year is fall, when the air is crisp and clean.

The color I like best is blue.

My favorite food is apple pie.

She turned to face the class. “Does that help?”

Carl wrinkled his nose. “Not really. We only know what you like.”

“That’s right,” Sarah put in. “Tell us about yourself.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Do you have any sisters or brothers?” Ruby asked.

Judith nodded. “I have two older brothers, one younger brother, and two half sisters.”

“What’s a half sister?” Melissa wanted to know.

“We both have the same father but different mothers.”

“How can that be?” This question came from Garth.

None of the children raised their hands or waited to be called on, but Judith figured since this was the first day of school and everyone probably felt nervous, it would be all right to dispense with the usual rule.

She explained how her mother had died and her father remarried. Then later, his new wife had given birth to the two girls.

Carl leaned forward, his elbows on the desk and his chin cupped in his hands. “Have you always had those strange lookin’ eyes?”

Judith squinted and rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling like a headache might be forthcoming. How could the first assignment of the day have turned into questions and answers about her personal life? The last thing she wanted to discuss was the one physical feature she disliked the most about herself.

“One’s blue and one’s brown,” Melody announced. “I’ve never known anyone with two different-colored eyes before.”

Judith knew her cheeks must be red, for they felt like they were on fire. “My eyes have been like this since I was born.”

“Do you see different colors out of each eye?” Carl questioned.

“No. I see everything the same as you do. Now would you please write something on your tablets about yourself?”

She sank onto the wooden chair behind her desk. This was going to be a lengthy first day of school!

“Hey, boss, can we stop at Henson’s General Store!” Jeb called to Ernie from the stern of the boat.

“What are ya needin’?” Ernie hollered back.

“Just a couple of kitchen supplies!”

“Can’t it wait? I’m tryin’ to keep on schedule!”

“Shouldn’t take that long to get a few things!”

Ernie released an exasperated groan and signaled Andy to slow the mules. “We’re stoppin’ at the store!” he shouted.

Andy waved, and soon he had the towrope tied to a tree near the edge of the canal, not far from the general store.

Ernie lowered the gangplank, and Jeb ambled off like he had all the time in the world.

“Can we get some candy, Papa?” Grace asked, leaning over the railing and swishing her long braids from side to side. Apparently Jeb had taken the time to do her hair up properly this morning. Ernie noticed she was even dressed in a pair of clean overalls.

He gave one of her braids a gentle tug. “You think I have money to spend on candy, little one?”

“Just one hunk of licorice will do.”

He chuckled and hoisted her onto his shoulders. “Well, okay. We’ll go inside the store and see what’s in the candy counter.”

Ernie was pleased to see that Andy had already tied up the mules, and he patted the boy on top of his head. “Why don’t ya run into the store and see if you can find somethin’ to satisfy your sweet tooth?”

When Andy looked up, his dark eyes gleamed and his lips curved into a smile. “Ya mean it, Papa?”

“Said so, didn’t I?”

The boy didn’t have to be asked twice. He galloped off toward the store, and by the time Ernie and Grace entered the building, Andy already had an all-day sucker in his hand.

Ernie set Grace on the floor in front of the candy counter and went to join Jeb and Lon Henson at the back of the building.

“Got any chewin’ tobacco?” Jeb asked the store owner.

Before Lon could reply, Ernie stepped between the two men. “Jeb don’t need none of that awful stuff. It stains your teeth, makes your breath smell foul, and it’s bad for your health.”

Jeb ran a hand along the bald spot on top of his head. “Where’d ya hear that, boss?”

Ernie wasn’t sure where he’d heard it, but he wasn’t about to let on. Instead, he merely shrugged and said, “Take my word for it, Jeb.”

“Yeah, well, I like chewin’ tobacco,” his helper argued. “Gives me somethin’ to do with my mouth.” He squinted at Ernie. “But then, I don’t know nothin’—just ask anybody.”

Lon shook his graying head and pounded Jeb on the back. “Ya know plenty ’bout flappin’ your gums!”

Jeb looked like he was ready to offer another comeback, but the front door opened, and a blast of chilly air whipped into the store.