Read Online Love's Enduring Promise (Love Comes Softly Series #2) by Janette Oke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janette Oke
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The two younger girls were already at work on the dishes.
Maybe things would fall into place after all. The girls all seemed almost eager to get to their new tasks. Marty breathed a relieved sigh and led the way to the grain bin.
65
Chapter 13
The Trip to Town
Marty still felt some misgivings on the following morning as she tied on her bonnet and gathered her eggs, butter and cream for her trip to town. Should she leave them all on their own or should she at least take Arnie with her? No. She must let the girls feel that she could trust them. After all, their father had made them shoulder grown-up responsibilities for years. She couldn't ask them to go back to being mere children again.
With reluctant steps she left to join Clark in the wagon.
She waved good-bye again and put on a brave smile. "Bring us some yummies," Clare called to her.
"An' some new hair ribbons fer school," added Missie. "Thet girl," laughed Clark; "she thinks far too much 'bout
how she be lookin'."
Marty coaxed forth a smile.
"Clark," she said as they left the gate, "do ya think it be okay to leave 'em like thet--with jest the girls an'--"
"Why not?" Clark interrupted. "They been cookin' an' cleanin' fer years already."
"But they haven't had young'uns to care fer."
"No, thet's right, but carin' fer young'uns seems to be the one thing thet pleasures young Nandry."
"I noticed thet, too," Marty responded. "She really seems
66
to enjoy Arnie. An' he seems to like her, too. Oh, I hope thet it will be all right, but I won't feel easy-like until we git home agin. I sure hope thet this is a fast trip."
"Yer frettin' too much I'm a thinkin', but we'll try to hurry it abit. Won't take me long to be a carin' fer the things thet I be needin'. How 'bout you?"
"Shouldn't take long. I need things fer the girls fer school an' the usual groceries."
"You be needin' money then."
"I have my egg savin's."
"No need to spend all yer savin's on outfittin' the girls. I'm willin' to share in the carin' of 'em."
Clark tucked the reins between his knees and pulled out his wallet. He extracted a couple of bills.
"Think this be enough?"
"Thet'll be fine," she answered. "I 'preciate it. It's gonna take abit to git 'em off to school proper-like. They really own nothin' now thet's fittin' to wear."
Clark nodded.
"Well, we knew when we took 'em thet they'd cost some- thin'. No problem there."
They drove on in silence.
The town that day was filled with commotion. A wagon train was getting ready to move on. Dogs barked, horses stomped and children ran yelling through the street. Grown men argued prices and women scurried about, running to the store for a last-minute purchase or looking for children who had been told to stay put but didn't. Marty decided that she had picked a poor day to come to town; surely her shopping would be slowed down considerably.
She entered McDonald's General Store with some trepidation. She always dreaded facing this woman's scrutinizing eyes and equally sharp tongue.
"I declare," she had said to Clark on one occasion, "thet there woman's tongue has no sense of propriety."
Missie had overheard the word and loved it, and was henceforth declaring of all things--particularly to young Clare--"You've no sense of pa'piety," which seemed to be
67
meaning "Yer jest plain dumb."
Marty had guarded her tongue more carefully in Missie's presence after that.
Marty now straightened her back and pushed herself through the McDonald's door. To her relief Mrs. McDonald was busy with three women from the train. She looked at Marty and her eyes held the expression of a child denied a cone at the annual Sunday school picnic. Marty smiled briefly and crossed to the bolts of dress goods. What relief to be left on her own for her choosing. Mentally she calculated as she lifted bolt after bolt. The new dresses had to be servicable, but, oh, how she'd like to have them pretty, too, and the prettier material added up so quickly. The dark blue would wear
Maybe things would fall into place after all. The girls all seemed almost eager to get to their new tasks. Marty breathed a relieved sigh and led the way to the grain bin.
65
Chapter 13
The Trip to Town
Marty still felt some misgivings on the following morning as she tied on her bonnet and gathered her eggs, butter and cream for her trip to town. Should she leave them all on their own or should she at least take Arnie with her? No. She must let the girls feel that she could trust them. After all, their father had made them shoulder grown-up responsibilities for years. She couldn't ask them to go back to being mere children again.
With reluctant steps she left to join Clark in the wagon.
She waved good-bye again and put on a brave smile. "Bring us some yummies," Clare called to her.
"An' some new hair ribbons fer school," added Missie. "Thet girl," laughed Clark; "she thinks far too much 'bout
how she be lookin'."
Marty coaxed forth a smile.
"Clark," she said as they left the gate, "do ya think it be okay to leave 'em like thet--with jest the girls an'--"
"Why not?" Clark interrupted. "They been cookin' an' cleanin' fer years already."
"But they haven't had young'uns to care fer."
"No, thet's right, but carin' fer young'uns seems to be the one thing thet pleasures young Nandry."
"I noticed thet, too," Marty responded. "She really seems
66
to enjoy Arnie. An' he seems to like her, too. Oh, I hope thet it will be all right, but I won't feel easy-like until we git home agin. I sure hope thet this is a fast trip."
"Yer frettin' too much I'm a thinkin', but we'll try to hurry it abit. Won't take me long to be a carin' fer the things thet I be needin'. How 'bout you?"
"Shouldn't take long. I need things fer the girls fer school an' the usual groceries."
"You be needin' money then."
"I have my egg savin's."
"No need to spend all yer savin's on outfittin' the girls. I'm willin' to share in the carin' of 'em."
Clark tucked the reins between his knees and pulled out his wallet. He extracted a couple of bills.
"Think this be enough?"
"Thet'll be fine," she answered. "I 'preciate it. It's gonna take abit to git 'em off to school proper-like. They really own nothin' now thet's fittin' to wear."
Clark nodded.
"Well, we knew when we took 'em thet they'd cost some- thin'. No problem there."
They drove on in silence.
The town that day was filled with commotion. A wagon train was getting ready to move on. Dogs barked, horses stomped and children ran yelling through the street. Grown men argued prices and women scurried about, running to the store for a last-minute purchase or looking for children who had been told to stay put but didn't. Marty decided that she had picked a poor day to come to town; surely her shopping would be slowed down considerably.
She entered McDonald's General Store with some trepidation. She always dreaded facing this woman's scrutinizing eyes and equally sharp tongue.
"I declare," she had said to Clark on one occasion, "thet there woman's tongue has no sense of propriety."
Missie had overheard the word and loved it, and was henceforth declaring of all things--particularly to young Clare--"You've no sense of pa'piety," which seemed to be
67
meaning "Yer jest plain dumb."
Marty had guarded her tongue more carefully in Missie's presence after that.
Marty now straightened her back and pushed herself through the McDonald's door. To her relief Mrs. McDonald was busy with three women from the train. She looked at Marty and her eyes held the expression of a child denied a cone at the annual Sunday school picnic. Marty smiled briefly and crossed to the bolts of dress goods. What relief to be left on her own for her choosing. Mentally she calculated as she lifted bolt after bolt. The new dresses had to be servicable, but, oh, how she'd like to have them pretty, too, and the prettier material added up so quickly. The dark blue would wear
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