Read Online Abram's Daughters 04 The Prodigal by Unknown - Free Book Online Page B

here, don't ya think Smitty and Miriam might just show up, too?" Leah asked, hoping so for Sadie's sake, since heavy snow had kept any of them from I romping through the drifts to visit the Peachey farm the past few days. Smitty had driven over in his sleigh to deliver pretty bags of hard candy and nuts for Lydiann and Abe on
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    Christmas Eve, but none of them had ventured out on foot to take baked goods to Miriam Peachey, who, she'd heard, was looking ahead to vacating the main farmhouse and moving into the Dawdi Haus come spring. Dorcas, their youngest, and her husband, Sam Ebersol's best friend, Joseph Zook, and little ones planned to take over the Peachey farm. From what Dat had told Leah, Smitty wasn't quite ready to throw in the towel and fully retire; he would keep a hand in shoeing horses, gradually turning over more of his customers to Gid as time went by.
    As Dat brought the horse to a stop, Lydiann broke the stillness, telling Abe what Carl had recently told her at school. "A two-year-old Amish neighbor boy named Johnnie Weaver drank some kerosene and had to be rushed to the emergency room last week," she said. . , .
    "No foolin'?" Abe replied. :
    "I guess he was okay once he got some oxygen."
    "Why'd he want to drink something so awful?" asked Abe.
    To this Leah said nothing, enjoying the innocent exchange as she hopped down from the buggy and fell in step with Sadie.
    "It's beyond me why," said Lydiann. "But you can ask Carl 'bout it when we see him on New Year's Eve."
    Lydiann may be sadly disappointed, thought Leah, fairly sure that even if they were invited to the Nolts' place for a meal, Dat would decline.
    Sadie noticed Uncle Jesse's face light up when he came to the back door and saw who was there. Her uncle grabbed Dat and slapped him on the back, mighty glad indeed to see his younger brother. And right away she spotted Miriam Peachey
    76 77 C/i e     over in ihe table, whispering to Aunt Mary Ebersol, pointing their way. Perhaps they've come to celebrate Abe's birthday, too,flniii^hi Sadie.
    I Siulie's guess turned out to be true when Aunt Mary Brought out a bowl of butterscotch pudding, as well as a rich chocolate pie, hermits, and pecan drops. Sadie helped Aunt p1uiy and Miriam set out a stack of plates and the necessary Ijlciisils, but when it came time to serve the desserts, only Lydiann, Abe, and Adah's boys, along with the women folk, in down to eat. The men Uncle Jesse, Dat, Smitty, and mm- nil stood around the wood stove talking Dutch. Sadie Hiiln'l wish to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help but hear Dat In viI ing Uncle Jesse and Cousin Sam to join in Saturday's iceinhing outing.
    I Sadie couldn't see what was so appealing about that. K'/iur'.s the point of sitting outside and freezing yourself for a coupleIfjish?
    I Miriam slid in next to her on the wooden bench, reaching In I lie butterscotch pudding. "Your mamma loved her pudIllngs," Miriam said, glancing at Sadie but then looking over
    I1 Lydiann and A be, across the table.
    I "Did she have a favorite?" asked Abe.
    Miriam paused and frowned a moment. "Well, now, I'll
    li'l your big sister Sadie might know that."
    I Sadie smiled, recalling many happy hours making a variety
    If aistards and puddings in Mamma's big kitchen. "She loved
    Ihc smell of chocolate pudding, that's for sure. But a favorite?
    I guess I'd have to say either graham-cracker or date pudding."
    I "Oh jah," added Miriam. "Your mamma loved her date
    ludding, she did."
    I Lydiann had both her elbows on the table now as she
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    stared across at Miriam. "Our first mamma was your best friend, ain't so?" she said.
    Miriam blushed all shades of red. "Well, I'd have to say I thought of her as my closest friend, jah."
    "And I'd have to say my best friend's a boy," Lydiann piped up in response. "A Mennonite boy!"
    Abe clapped his hand over his mouth, looking at Lydiann, who must have realized how she'd sounded. "Best be