Read Ellie Online

Authors: Mary Christner Borntrager

Tags: #Fiction, #Action & Adventure, #test

Ellie (16 page)

 
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God?" Ellie's voice trembled slightly as she spoke her vows in this sacred hour.
The deacon of the church stood nearby with a pitcher of water. After each question had been answered and each person confessed Christ as Lord, the bishop began with the row of boys. Cupping his hands upon the first lad's head, he said, "Upon your confession of faith and in the presence of God and his witnesses, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
As each name of the triune God was mentioned, the deacon poured a small amount of water into the bishop's cupped hands, who then applied it to the head of the new member. After the eight boys, the girls were baptized in a similar manner. However, the bishop's wife removed each girl's covering until the water had been applied.
After the entire class was baptized, the bishop dried his hands with his clean, white handkerchief. Returning to the first boy's side, he extended his right hand and said, "Arise and, like as Christ has risen from the dead, so should you walk." Then he gave each boy the kiss of fellowship, or the holy kiss, as it is better known. When each boy had been greeted in this manner, the bishop's wife stepped forward again. As the bishop gave each girl the right hand of fellowship, he then presented her to his wife, who kissed her. Everything was quiet during this sacred time in the lives of these young people.
As Ellie took her seat on the bench again, she saw her mother wipe tears from her eyes. She knew they were tears of joy, because she herself had shed a
 
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few. Ellie wanted to remember this feeling always and to remain faithful forever.
Her brother glanced at her and smiled slightly. She could tell he was very happy, too. All of a suddenshe didn't know whyEllie thought of her long-ago friend, Missy. She wondered if Missy had ever been baptized. Years before, Ellie envied her friend for all the things she hadall that a young child could wantthe modern conveniences, the pretty clothes. But now Ellie wouldn't have traded places with her for anything.
David went to the Maust home for supper that evening. Roy's girlfriend was also invited, as were some of the twins' friends. The girls set out a fine meal of potato salad, sliced ham, cheese, and a large dish of radishes and pickles. There were two kinds of pie and tall glasses of homemade lemonade. What a pleasant evening it was.
Lizzie Maust sat quietly by with a faraway look in her eyes.
"Mama, you must be thinking about something very important," Fannie broke in on her thoughts. "Dena has asked you to pass the salad three times."
"Ach, my, I should mind my business more," answered Lizzie quickly. She picked up the salad bowl and handed it to Dena.
"What were you thinking about, anyway?" Ellie inquired.
"Oh, just that I'm so glad for the
Yunga
who were baptized today." She looked at the fine group around her table. "I wish Papa could have been with us today. He would have been glad, too."
 
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20
Ellie's Wedding Day
No more letters came from Missy, and Ellie often wondered whatever became of her. Even though she now felt that her friend had been rather worldly, she wished her well. That was the way she had been brought up, Ellie reasoned. Missy had been born into an English home and Ellie into an Amish one, and that was that.
Just because Ellie had become a church member and a Christian did not mean she had no more temptations. Many times she struggled with difficult problems. One of these was trying to feel kindly toward some of the younger Amish boys and girls. They came to Sunday evening singings sometimes just to act up, it seemed to her.
Several times when the new church members were made fun of, Ellie spouted off to David about it on their way home.
"Ellie," David said one night, "some of them show
 
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a little too much spunk. But don't let it bother you. They'll get over it. It's just a spell they're going through.''
"Do you really think so?" Ellie asked timidly, ashamed that she had shown such a display of emotion.
"Yes, I do," said David. "Anyway, we may not be going to the singings too much longer, if a certain spunky girl I know will say yes to what I'm going to ask her."
"What do you mean?" Ellie wanted to know.
"Dad just bought the Raber place over south of the Twenty. He wants me to farm it for him. There is a nice house on it, and I'd surely need someone to cook and keep house for me. I know of no one I'd rather share it with than you. Ellie, will you marry me?"
Goose bumps ran down Ellie's arms. She knew someday she wanted to hear David ask her that question. But now, all of a sudden, she was speechless.
"Well," said David, "where has all that spunk gone?"
"Don't tease about something like this. Are you serious?"
"I was never more serious in my life, and I'm waiting for an answer," David replied.
"Could I talk it over with Mother?" asked Ellie.
"Sure you can," David answered. "Your mother is such a good woman, and I wouldn't want to upset her in any way. But could you give me an answer by next Sunday?" Ellie said she would let him know by then.
 
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Mrs. Maust was not surprised at what her oldest daughter had to tell her on Monday morning. She had been expecting this news for some time. "Do you have any time set?" Lizzie asked.
"No, Mama, David only asked me last night, and I told him I wanted to talk with you about it first. I didn't want to make any plans unless they suited you."
"David is one of the nicest boys I know," Lizzie said, "and I'll be well satisfied if you marry him. Maybe this fall would be a good time. We will need to know as soon as possible. Oh, my, there will be so much to do!"
"Yes, Mama, I know, but we girls are all good workers. As soon as I'm through working at Levi Helmuth's, I'll stay home." Since Ellie turned twenty, she had been working as a hired girl for different Amish families. She was a good
Maut
and much in demand. Often she thought of the difference in the two hired girls her parents had employed when she was a young child. This helped her to remember to be kind and cheerful in many different situations.
Ellie seemed to be walking on air all week long. There was a spring in her step and a song in her heart, as she eagerly awaited the weekend.
Sunday singing was at Cora's house, Ellie's best friend. Ellie would not have gone, but since it was at Cora's house, she decided she should.
"Let's not stay late at the singing tonight, David," Ellie said soon after they were on their way.
"That's fine with me," he answered. Ellie knew he could hardly wait to hear what she had to tell him.
 
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They stayed and sang with joy in their hearts all through the familiar German hymns, but after two songs in the English language, Ellie nodded toward David and left the place at the table where she had been sitting.
Cora noticed and followed. "Are you leaving already?" she asked. "Aren't you enjoying yourself, or don't you feel good?"
"Yes, Cora, we are leaving. I've had a good time, and I feel fine. You are my best friend, so I know I can trust you. David and I have something very special to talk about and just want plenty of time."
"Oh, Ellie," Cora exclaimed, "I'm so happy for you. David is really a nice boy. I know you will have a good man."
"Please don't tell anyone about this," Ellie requested.
"No, no," promised Cora, "I won't."
When an Amish couple plans to marry, they try to keep it a secret and pretend it's the furthest thing from their minds. The wedding is made known to the public only two weeks before the marriage takes place. The bishop announces it at church services.
"David's driving up to the front gate. I must go now," Ellie told Cora as she headed out the door and down the walk.
They had not gone far in their buggy when David asked the question Ellie knew he would. She felt some of her former little-girl antics return and had an urge to pretend she wasn't sure yet and needed more time. But she saw by the moonlight the eager expression on his face and sensed the anxious tone of
 
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his voice. She couldn't keep him in suspense any longer.
"Yes, David, I would like very much to be your wife." She knew those were the words he wanted to hear. "I just hope I'll make you a good
Frau"
(wife, or woman).
"I'm sure not worried about that," David said, kissing her lightly. "Do you have any idea when we could get married, Ellie?"
"Well, Mother and I thought this fall would be alright. But we didn't set any special date. Do you have any certain day in mind, David?"
"Well, if it were all up to me, I'd say tomorrow," he said laughing.
"Oh, you! There's no way I could get ready that fast."
"I know. I was just teasing. You women always act like you have to do a year's work to get ready."
"It's lots of work," Ellie said. "But I'll gladly do it."
They talked way into the night. They agreed on Thanksgiving as their wedding day.
Now work and plans at the Maust home began in earnest. But, of course, the reason for all the activity had to be kept secret by the family. Mrs. Maust pieced a quilt for Ellie and invited Ellie's friends and cousins. She told them that Ellie never had a quilt of her own, and that it was about time she had one because she had helped so faithfully at home. And so the pretense went on and on. The quilters smiled and exchanged knowing glances. It was an enjoyable quilting day. By evening, Ellie's lovely blue and white tumbling-block quilt was finished. Even the
 
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binding was done.
Mrs. Maust and the girls did a lot of extra canning that summer. By fall, Ellie had a nice selection of fruits and vegetables for her and David to use the first year of their marriage. David's folks were giving them a quarter of beef and a whole hog all worked up into hams, sausage, bacon, and pork chops. The beef would provide good hamburgers, steaks, and stew meat. They certainly wouldn't go hungry, David said.
Now Ellie and her sisters were busy sewing. An Amish girl's wedding dress is blue. So are her attendants' dresses. The dresses are all made alike, too, but the bride's is a darker shade. The capes and aprons are made of white organdy. All the girls wear black caps until after the wedding. Then the bride, returning to her house where the meal is served, replaces her black head covering with a white one.
Finally, the day came when the bishop announced that David Eash and Ellie Maust were to be married on Thanksgiving Day. David and Ellie had both been at church that day but left just before the news of their upcoming wedding was made known. This was the custom. Everyone guessed why the couple was leaving in such a hurry.
Now David spent more time at Ellie's home than he did at his. He helped Roy and Sam get the barn cleaned and ready to shelter the many horses that would be there for the big event. He even helped some with cleaning around the outside yard by the pond. But he and Ellie made more than one trip to the house in which they would be living. That's
 
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where they would spend their first night, because, as is also the Amish custom, they would not be going on a honeymoon. When they married, they would settle right down to farming, housekeeping, and raising a family.
The day before the wedding, much food was prepared. The Amish bake their own wedding cakes. Since around 275 guests were invited to Ellie's wedding, a lot of cake was needed. There were puddings to prepare and chickens to butcher. David helped with food preparation too. Evening finally came and the whole house was sparkling clean. The cellar and springhouse were overflowing with good food.
The tables had been set up for the couple and their attendants. The bride and groom always sit at a corner table, their attendants on either side. Ellie's twin sisters were her attendants. David's brother, Mose, and one of his cousins from Iowa were the twins' partners. Ellie's best friend, Cora, and her boyfriend would be head table waiters. They would serve the bridal couple's table. Roy and his girl were also table waiters.
Sam was the main "hostler." He would take the couple to the wedding ceremony and bring them back again in his own buggy. Two of David's sisters were also table waiters, and one of his best friends escorted the attendants to and from the wedding.
Thanksgiving Day dawned bright and clear, but it looked like a winter wonderland. Snow had fallen during the night, and it clung to every tree and shrub and fence as far as one could see. As Ellie looked out the window, she prayed within herself:

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