point, thought Mary Ruth. "Still. . . ever since Hannah started taking baptismal classes, she seems aloof."
"For gut reason, I 'spect." Aunt Lizzie stepped back to look over the pollen stain and Mary Ruth herself.
"Why do you think that?"
: "I daresay if you consider it carefully, you prob'ly already know."
She knew, all right. She just hated to admit it to anyone, especially Aunt Lizzie. For the longest time it seemed Hannah had been too quiet, almost downhearted. Was it the absence of Sadie . . . the unending silence from Ohio? Or was Hannah peeved at her for not following the Lord in holy baptism as
71a c r I f i c e
iMIiiiiili herself hoped to do come fall? No one but her twin mew ilnit Mary Ruth had refused, of course. It wasn't someRlni4 you went around telling, not amongst the People. The lomrn folk would frown and carry on something awful if they Ifli'w I he Ebersol twins close in looks and upbringing nielli he heading in different directions, one certainly not in fit* I 'Id Ways of their forefathers.
Aimr Lizzie was still scrubbing the spot awful hard, and liiiy Ruth wondered if she might be attending the singing *llh ;i hole in her best dress or, just as bad, a smeared stain.
"I lave you asked Hannah to loan you one of her dresses?" \w\\\ Lizzie's question cut through the stillness.
She hadn't thought of that. "I best not be askin' her for nyihing."
Lizzie's hands rested hard on her slender hips. "Pity's sake, lie I wo of you have shared nearly everything since you were loi h just little ones." She frowned and cocked her head, lookriM nwful curious.
I "If you promise not to tell, I'll say why," she whispered lick.
I Rut Aunt Lizzie surprised her startled her, really by licking away and waving her hands in front of her. "No . . . 'in not interested in hearin' or keepin' any more secrets. I've turned a mighty hard lesson."
A Lint Lizzie's response made Mary Ruth feel even more lime and made her want to tell her aunt all the more. But it IMS no use to plead. Truth was, contrary to what Hannah night say or think, Mary Ruth hadn't fully decided whether )l not to join the Amish church. What was the rush, anyway? liinnah could make her covenant this September if she
71 72~ i.J e d e r [ y ,X- e lu> i s
chose, without Mary Ruth tagging along just because they were twins and all. Then, when Mary Ruth was good and ready, she'd decide, and not one moment before. Meanwhile, she wanted to take her time with rumschpringe, just as Dat had said to do back last year. Joining church, after all, was for a lifetime, so it could wait... for now. She had too much fun ahead of her to get bogged down with required membership meetings where the People sat and voted on weighty issues like shunning wayward and sinful folk. No, she didn't think she was ready for that kind of responsibility. And, if the full truth were known, she sometimes resented the People for ousting Sadie the way they had when all the girl had gone and done was fall in love with the wrong boy. Sure, Sadie had known better, but putting her under the Bann for life was so awful harsh, wasn't it? Unforgiving too. Mary Ruth wasn't certain she could set herself up as a holy example amongst the People . . . not the powerful way she longed for Elias's hugs and kisses, though Mamma would have a fit if she knew. With Hannah and Ezra courting on their own, the temptation would be stronger for her when with Elias, especially when the moon was as bright and beautiful as it would be tonight.
"If you won't ask Hannah for a clean dress, what 'bout Leah?" Aunt Lizzie suggested.
"Gut idea . . . just might solve the predicament," Mary Ruth said and reached for her aunt, gave her a grateful hug, and hurried out the back door in search of Leah.
73
Llxzie could see Ida needed to give extra attention to
i I llflnii, who was awful fussy following supper, so Lizzie stayed
11 I'lenn up the dishes, then dropped off Hannah, Mary Ruth,
Itiu! Leah at the barn singing over at
"For gut reason, I 'spect." Aunt Lizzie stepped back to look over the pollen stain and Mary Ruth herself.
"Why do you think that?"
: "I daresay if you consider it carefully, you prob'ly already know."
She knew, all right. She just hated to admit it to anyone, especially Aunt Lizzie. For the longest time it seemed Hannah had been too quiet, almost downhearted. Was it the absence of Sadie . . . the unending silence from Ohio? Or was Hannah peeved at her for not following the Lord in holy baptism as
71a c r I f i c e
iMIiiiiili herself hoped to do come fall? No one but her twin mew ilnit Mary Ruth had refused, of course. It wasn't someRlni4 you went around telling, not amongst the People. The lomrn folk would frown and carry on something awful if they Ifli'w I he Ebersol twins close in looks and upbringing nielli he heading in different directions, one certainly not in fit* I 'Id Ways of their forefathers.
Aimr Lizzie was still scrubbing the spot awful hard, and liiiy Ruth wondered if she might be attending the singing *llh ;i hole in her best dress or, just as bad, a smeared stain.
"I lave you asked Hannah to loan you one of her dresses?" \w\\\ Lizzie's question cut through the stillness.
She hadn't thought of that. "I best not be askin' her for nyihing."
Lizzie's hands rested hard on her slender hips. "Pity's sake, lie I wo of you have shared nearly everything since you were loi h just little ones." She frowned and cocked her head, lookriM nwful curious.
I "If you promise not to tell, I'll say why," she whispered lick.
I Rut Aunt Lizzie surprised her startled her, really by licking away and waving her hands in front of her. "No . . . 'in not interested in hearin' or keepin' any more secrets. I've turned a mighty hard lesson."
A Lint Lizzie's response made Mary Ruth feel even more lime and made her want to tell her aunt all the more. But it IMS no use to plead. Truth was, contrary to what Hannah night say or think, Mary Ruth hadn't fully decided whether )l not to join the Amish church. What was the rush, anyway? liinnah could make her covenant this September if she
71 72~ i.J e d e r [ y ,X- e lu> i s
chose, without Mary Ruth tagging along just because they were twins and all. Then, when Mary Ruth was good and ready, she'd decide, and not one moment before. Meanwhile, she wanted to take her time with rumschpringe, just as Dat had said to do back last year. Joining church, after all, was for a lifetime, so it could wait... for now. She had too much fun ahead of her to get bogged down with required membership meetings where the People sat and voted on weighty issues like shunning wayward and sinful folk. No, she didn't think she was ready for that kind of responsibility. And, if the full truth were known, she sometimes resented the People for ousting Sadie the way they had when all the girl had gone and done was fall in love with the wrong boy. Sure, Sadie had known better, but putting her under the Bann for life was so awful harsh, wasn't it? Unforgiving too. Mary Ruth wasn't certain she could set herself up as a holy example amongst the People . . . not the powerful way she longed for Elias's hugs and kisses, though Mamma would have a fit if she knew. With Hannah and Ezra courting on their own, the temptation would be stronger for her when with Elias, especially when the moon was as bright and beautiful as it would be tonight.
"If you won't ask Hannah for a clean dress, what 'bout Leah?" Aunt Lizzie suggested.
"Gut idea . . . just might solve the predicament," Mary Ruth said and reached for her aunt, gave her a grateful hug, and hurried out the back door in search of Leah.
73
Llxzie could see Ida needed to give extra attention to
i I llflnii, who was awful fussy following supper, so Lizzie stayed
11 I'lenn up the dishes, then dropped off Hannah, Mary Ruth,
Itiu! Leah at the barn singing over at
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