Once Upon a Summer (16 page)
“In the spring,” she said, “we’ll plant a violet.”
I looked at the two of them.
“Thanks,” I said, and picked up the shovel and started off to get ready for chores.
“Joshua,” called Gramps. “There’s just one more thing.”
Surely he wasn’t askin’ me to pray over that dead dog. I stopped.
“In the house,” prompted Gramps.
I walked obediently into the kitchen and jest stood waitin’.
Gramps shuffled past me. He did seem tired. I’d never seen him walk like that before—without a spring to his step.
In a minute he was back from his room with something concealed beneath his sweater. When he reached in, there was a bit of motion to the lump and then a soft nose peaked out, followed by two bright, almost black eyes.
“I know that she isn’t Patches,” said Gramps, untanglin’ her feet from his sweater, “but she could be a lot of fun.”
He handed her to me. She was so little. Only a baby, really.
Her hair was soft brown curls, her little ears drooped over her fine shaped head and her tail was curled and fluffy.
“She’s pretty young to leave her mother,” said Gramps, “so we’ll have to be extra careful with her. She’s going to be awfully lonesome for a while, Joshua. She’ll need lots of love.”
I jest held her, marvellin’ that a puppy could be so tiny and so perfect. Her little tongue licked against my hand. She knew that much already.
“She’ll never be a cattle dog,” continued Gramps, “never be big enough for that. She won’t be very big at all. I couldn’t find—”
“She’s fine,” I cut in. I got the impression that Gramps was apologizin’ about the puppy. “She’s beautiful. Jest look—jest look at her face. Bet she’ll learn tricks fast. Bet she might even learn how to walk on her hind legs and dance.”
That
something
that had seemed dead within me was stirrin’ to life again. I felt excitement creepin’ through me.
I heard a sigh of relief escape Auntie Lou, and Gramps’ face looked less tired.
I hugged the puppy again. She was small enough that I could hold her firmly in my two hands.
“What you gonna call her?” asked Auntie Lou.
“I don’t know. I’ll have to think on it while I’m chorin’.
Boy—I gotta get chorin’, too!”
I pulled myself away from fondlin’ my puppy.
“Gramps, would you mind sorta watchin’ her while I do
the chores?”
Gramps grinned.
“She does look a little sleepy, doesn’t she? Maybe I’ll just
take her in on my bed so that she can catch a little nap.”
I handed the puppy to Gramps and watched as he walked to his room, talkin’ softly to her.
“Thanks, Josh,” whispered Auntie Lou. “He is so tired— I’ve been worried. I was afraid that if he went chorin’ with you tonight, it would be jest too much for him.”
“Is he sick?” I asked anxiously.
“No, jest tired.” Auntie Lou shook her head.
“As soon as you left for school this mornin’ Josh, Gramps left for town to find you another pup. I don’t know how far he walked before gettin’ a ride. When he got to town he walked the streets lookin’ for a dog with pups. This was the only litter he found and they were really too young to wean, but Mrs. Sankey, the owner, finally let Gramps take his pick from the lot. He tried ’em, one by one, to see if he could find one that would drink from a saucer. This was the smallest one of the bunch, but she caught on quickly ’bout how to lap up milk. Gramps walked home carryin’ her. She’s pretty special, Josh.”
I nodded. She was special all right. Seemed like she should be called “Miracle” or “Love-gift” or something like that.
I sneaked to Gramps’ door. I wanted to tell him thank-you if I could get it past the lump in my throat.
He was already sleepin’—snorin’ softly. The puppy was cuddled up in his arms against his chest. I swallowed again. I’d have to tell him later, and it was sure gonna be hard to put my feelings into fittin’ words.
I
CALLED THE PUPPY
Pixie. The name suited her. She was a tiny, playful, and mischievous bit of fur, and we all took to her right away. I didn’t bother to build her a doghouse. Everyone liked her so much that it was jest an accepted fact that a little mite like her couldn’t sleep out of doors. Maybe it was because Grandpa and Uncle Charlie had a soft spot for raisin’ babies.
At any rate we fixed a box for Pixie near the kitchen stove where she could snuggle down in Gramps’ old gray sweater during the day.
At night I took her up to bed with me and no one protested. I wasn’t sure if it was for my comfortin’ or that of the dog’s, that they let me get away with it—but they did.
She was smart all right and from the start she entertained us. My whole world about turned around her, and I had to really take myself in hand to get my thoughts on other things.
Gramps reminded me again of Auntie Lou’s comin’ birthday, and together one night we composed a letter for SueAnn. I carefully tucked it into my pocket; I’d deliver it to Willie the next day.
SueAnn wasn’t long in replying. She and some of the other girls would be more than happy to help with a party. She suggested a corn roast and said that the girls would be glad to care for the lunch. If Gramps could see that there was wood for the fire, they’d do the rest.
Gramps was pleased with the letter. He sat down right away and wrote to her again, confirming the plans and setting the date. He pulled a bill from a small box in his dresser drawer and tucked it in with the letter; the money would help the girls with their expenses for the refreshments. I took that letter to Willie, too, and he took it home to SueAnn.
Uncle Charlie and Grandpa finished the stackin’ of the greenfeed and the good fall weather still held.
I had only a few chores that were my responsibility now. Uncle Charlie took over most of them again, and Auntie Lou took back the carin’ for her chickens.
The last vegetables of the garden were dug and were carefully stored in the root cellar. Odd jobs for the final preparations for winter were finished. It about got to the place that it wouldn’t have mattered none if a storm had decided to strike— even though we’d take all of the fair weather that we could get— but none did.
The only thing that we really were concerned about was Auntie Lou’s coming party. If we could jest hold onto the good weather until after that, then we’d take whatever the season decided to send our way. We men managed to find some talkin’ time as we finished up the chores one night. Gramps had clued in Grandpa and Uncle Charlie about the plans for the party before we had written SueAnn. They were pleased about it and anxious to be a part of the action.
The party was set for a Saturday night—Lou’s birthday. We decided to work in a trip to town as early as we could get away Saturday mornin’. Then we could give Auntie Lou her gifts and have our own little celebration at supper—and maybe throw her off the scent.
I gathered the coins that I had managed to collect. They didn’t make much of a pile. I finally got up the nerve to ask Gramps if he’d mind if I threw in the two dimes, seein’ that we wouldn’t be doin’ anymore fishin’ before winter, anyway. He said that that would be fine and I felt a little better.
When we got to the store, we did an awful lot of lookin’ before we made up our minds.
Uncle Charlie finally settled on a shawl. It was a lacy-lookin’ thing. Didn’t look much for warmth but it sure was pretty.
Grandpa chose a new dress. It was cream colored with pink ribbons here and there and lots of lace for trimmin’. I could jest imagine what Auntie Lou would look like in it.
I found a lace handkerchief that really drew my eye, but when I counted my money, I didn’t have enough. I kept on lookin’. I never did spot anything else as pretty as the handkerchief, and I was still lookin’ when the rest were ready to go.
Uncle Charlie saw me eyein’ the hanky, and I guess he figured out real quick what the problem was. I felt him slip some coins into my pocket. With mine, it paid for the handkerchief and left a nickel over. I studied the candy as Mrs. Kirk wrapped up the handkerchief, but then I turned away from it, determined to give Uncle Charlie back his nickel.
We met Gramps outside at the wagon. He’d been down the street to another store and made his purchase there. On the way home he showed it to me.
“It sure is pretty all right,” I agreed. “What’s it for?”
“It’s a box to keep jewelry in.”
I didn’t know whether to tell him or jest let it pass. Finally I said it.
“Looks like a first-rate jew’ry box, Gramps, but there’s only one problem.”
Gramps looked up at me funny-like.
“She don’t got none,” I whispered.
Gramps jest shook his head and smiled.
“But she
will
have,” he said. “She will have.”
Maybe that
was
the smart way to go, I decided. You get the box first and
then
you get the jew’ry.
We could hardly wait to finish the chores. Even Pixie took second place to Auntie Lou’s birthday.
Lou knew that she was expected to have a cake ready for herself. She had been bakin’ the birthday cakes in this house ever since she was big enough to use the oven. She had her cake ready and sittin’ in the middle of the table. We all grinned at it and could hardly wait to get the meal over with.
We gave Auntie Lou our gifts jest before she cut the cake.
They let me be first. I presented her with the handkerchief.
“Oh, Josh,” she cried, “it’s jest beautiful! Where’d you ever get enough money to buy such a pretty one?”
I looked at Uncle Charlie. He stared at me blankly like he didn’t know a thing about it. Auntie Lou gave me a warm hug.
She opened Uncle Charlie’s shawl next and that really set her eyes to sparklin’. Uncle Charlie got a hug, too, which he seemed mighty pleased about.
Grandpa handed Lou his gift. She lifted the beautiful cream and pink dress from the box and shook out the folds.
“Oh, Pa, it’s beautiful. Really beautiful. I know that I don’t really need it, but—but I’m glad that you bought it. It’s so pretty.”
That was Lou. None of this I-wish-you-hadn’t-done-it stuff. She said jest what she really felt.
“I’ll feel so dressed up—so special. I hope that something important happens real soon to give me a chance to wear it all.”
“Go put it on,” coaxed Gramps.
“Should I?” Lou’s cheeks were flushed.
We all urged her to try on the finery. We were all anxious to see jest how good our purchases could look.
Lou laughed and gathered up her gifts. She was soon back whirlin’ her skirts and laughin’ as she pranced around the kitchen.
The dress fit her perfectly. The cream color enhanced the creaminess of her skin and the pink bows seemed about to match her cheeks.
She draped the shawl about her shoulders, waved her lace handkerchief and pretended to flirt. We all laughed.
We were enjoyin’ it so that at first I didn’t notice Gramps stand up. He cleared his throat and then stepped forward.
“I have something for you, too, Louisa.”
Lou stopped flutterin’. Gramps handed her his package.
Lou opened it carefully and gave a little gasp when she saw the embossed box.
“A jewelry box!”
I was relieved that she hadn’t had to ask what the thing was.
“It’s lovely, Gramps.”
“Open it, Louisa.”
She did, and there on the soft velvet lay the most beautiful locket that I had ever seen. It hadn’t been there before when Gramps had showed me the box, I was sure of that.
Auntie Lou’s big blue eyes got even bigger. She couldn’t even speak. She looked down at the locket, then she gently lifted it out and let it lay in her hand.
“It was your grandmother’s,” Gramps said in a hushed voice. “It can be worn only by the world’s most beautiful and sweetest women—your grandmother and you.”
Gramps moved forward and took the locket from Auntie Lou. He stepped behind her and fastened the chain around her slim neck. Then he kissed her on the cheek.
“Happy eighteenth, Louisa.”
Lou was cryin’ by then, and she made the rounds again, kissin’ and huggin’ each one of “her men.”
We probably would have kept right on laughin’ and lovin’ all night if Uncle Charlie hadn’t suddenly noticed the clock. He drew our attention to it with a nod of his head.
Grandpa suggested the cake then. Lou made her wish and blew out the candles. Then she served us each a generous piece.
She ate a small piece herself and then ran laughin’ to change back into her workin’ clothes.
I shared my piece with Pixie. I didn’t dare give her too much for fear that it would upset her little tummy. She loved it. She licked her chops with her tiny pink tongue and then licked off my fingers to make sure that she got everything that was available to her.
We all sat talkin’, the men drinkin’ coffee and me washin’ down my cake with milk. It had been a pretty good birthday party. We couldn’t see how the next half of it could be any better. Still, we were pleased that it was still to come.
Out of the blue Grandpa sorta spoiled it for me. He turned to Uncle Charlie.
“Burt Thomas will be comin’?”
Uncle Charlie jest nodded.
So that was the next name on the list. I gathered up Pixie and started outside thinkin’,
Why spoil everything? We have Auntie Lou; she’s happy here. Didn’t you see her laughin’? Why spoil it?
I
T WAS ALMOST EIGHT
o’clock before the teams started pour–in’ in. Auntie Lou looked out of the window wonderin’ what in the world was goin’ on. It took her awhile to realize that it might have something to do with her.
I figured that everybody in the whole countryside, between the ages of seventeen and thirty, must be pullin’ into our yard. There were even a few that I couldn’t put a name to.
SueAnn Corbin and Rachael Morgan came in laughin’ to drag Auntie Lou out. She begged time to change her dress first and it was granted. I wondered about the new cream birthday dress, but Auntie Lou had more sense than to put that on. She dressed instead in a wide-skirted cotton print with white collar and cuffs. She looked great, but then she always did.