Authors: Mary Christner Borntrager

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

Ellie (17 page)

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May my life as David's wife be as clean, pure, and beautiful as this scene before me now. May I never do anything to grieve him or cause him to regret this day. Guide our steps, Lord, that we may build a Christian home and be a real credit to our church and the community in which we live.

Then she dressed and hurried downstairs.

"You are not helping with chores, or anything today, sis," Roy greeted her. "No, sir, this is your day."

"Well, you'll spoil me yet," Ellie told him.

"Oh, don't do that," Sam chided. "David will have his hands full as it is, once she gets that Amish dander up."

"You boys are the limit. Maybe, now just maybe, I'm glad I'm leaving this bunch," Ellie laughed.

Mother came up from the basement where she had gone to check things again and make sure nothing had been overlooked.

"Didn't you sleep well?" asked Ellie. "You look so tired."

"Ach, well, Ellie, you know me. When there is excitement, I can't sleep; but I will, once this is over."

Soon after breakfast many of Ellie's aunts, David's mother, and some of David's aunts began to arrive. These were the cooks, who needed to come early to peel potatoes, fry chicken, make the stuffing, and the like, for the three meals that would be served this day. The noon meal is always the largestthe main meal. Then, after the couple have opened their gifts and much visiting and some singing is done, a lighter evening meal is served.

Many of the older people with families leave after

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supper because they have chores to do at home. The young folks spend the evening singing. At midnight, another meal is served. At this time, the young folks pair off, and each boy escorts the girl of his choice to the table and eats with her. The girls often pretend shyness and reluctantly pull back, whereupon several boys assist the young fellow to take her to the table and seat her. It is all a jolly good time.

By nine o'clock, everyone had arrived at Ellie's neighbor's place where the wedding was to take place. Ellie and David had gone early to meet with the ministers in an upstairs room. There they were counseled in the duties of a wife to her husband, and also the husband's duties to his wife.

After this, the couple and attendants made their way downstairs, where six chairs had been placed in the center of the room for them. After the singing of the third hymn, the ministers came from the upper room and found their seats. Now the preaching service began. Ellie listened intently, as did David. The sermon seemed to be especially for them, but nothing impressed Ellie as much as the words of her beloved bishop.

"Today," he began, "is a happy day for you two, and so it should be. But remember, the day will come when you must part in death. Therefore, live your life together so that when that day comes, you will have no regrets of having made this decision of becoming one."

Ellie couldn't help it: two big tears trickled down her cheeks and dropped upon her white apron. Why, those were almost the same words Mama had

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spoken to her earlier. David noticed her tears and her bowed head and longed to comfort her. No doubt she was thinking of her departed papa.

Mrs. Maust told the other women that she didn't think she had the time to go to see her daughter married, what with all the cooking, the setting of tables, and so on. But everyone encouraged her and David's mother to go. So at eleven-thirty they left the kitchen and headed to the neighbor's place to witness the marriage of their son and daughter. Ellie saw them walk in across the porch, and it made her day complete.

Traditionally, Amish couples marry at exactly twelve noon. The minister asks the questions common in all marriages, to which they answer affirmatively. He joins their hands together and pronounces them man and wife. There are no wedding bands. The couple return to their seats. After the last hymn is begun, the attendants and the couple leave for the bride's home and the wedding feast.

Ellie and her attendants had left their wraps and outer bonnets on a closed-in porch earlier that morning when they arrived for the wedding ceremony. As they hurriedly prepared to leave, Ellie found to her dismay that someone had played a prank on her. Her bonnet strings were knotted so tightly together that she could not get away quickly. Her sister Annie said, "Here, Ellie, take mine. I'll get these knots out." So the joke wasn't on her after all.

Ellie was now a married woman. If she lived to be one hundred, she thought, she would never forget any part of this wonderful day!

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21
An Unexpected Visitor

Because Ellie had saved most of her money since she became of age, she and David had furnished their new house very nicely. The day after the wedding, David and Ellie went to help clean up and put everything back in its place. Mrs. Maust looked much more rested, and she assured them she could now sleep again.

"Yeah, but just think," said David, "you have more girls waiting to get married." Then he added, "Right, Fannie?"

The twin made a face at him and pretended to chase him out of the house. Mrs. Maust only smiled and said, "Ach, I'll get a lot of sleep before that happens." Even though both of the twins had steady boyfriends, their mother didn't think they would get married for a few years yet. At least, she hoped they wouldn't.

David's father had given them a cow, and Ellie's

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family parted with a dozen hens and a few roosters. Besides that, each family provided a few nice pieces of furniture. So Ellie and David had plenty of rich milk and all the eggs they could use. And with all the canned goods on their pantry shelves, they lived well. Ellie very much enjoyed being a housewife and a homemaker. She loved having family and friends come to visit and often invited them for meals. She was an excellent cook, and enjoyed pleasing David.

The crops did well that first year. Since David and his father were farming on shares, it meant money in their pockets for both of them. David bought himself some feeder pigs and four young heifers. He also bought some shop tools and began making furniture on the side. This was something he loved to do, and he did excellent work. Before long, orders began pouring in as the Amish learned of his skill. He set up shop in a building next to the washhouse. It had been used before only as a storage shed. Ellie helped him clean it out and get it ready for work. In the summer, there was not much going on there. But when winter came, they built a good fire in the stove that had been set up, and the shed became a busy, cozy workshop.

Ellie often stained and varnished for David, putting the finishing touches on the products he made. Even so, Ellie found she still had time on her hands. One day she approached her husband with a new idea.

''David," she said, "I like helping you in the shop, and I try to keep a neat house. But somehow there are days when I don't seem to have enough to do."

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"Well," laughed David, "maybe I could teach you how to make furniture. Or, better still, maybe I could turn the farming over to you, so I could spend all of my time in the shop."

"Oh, you! Wait until you hear what I have in mind. That empty room off to the side of the kitchenwell, I just thought, if you don't care, maybe I could make it into a little dry goods store. I could sell notions, too, like pins, buttons, baby things, and"

"Hold on, there," David interrupted. "Where would you get the money to buy all the things to start with?"

"Have you forgotten the savings I had when we married? And I've managed to put back some egg and milk money. Also, remember, I told you I've been selling more butter in town lately."

"Oh, yes," said David. "I had forgotten your little nest egg. Well, if you are sure that's what you want and that it's not too much for youokay, go ahead."

Ellie was so grateful. In the next few weeks, David took time to help Ellie set up her place of business. He measured and sawed and hammered, putting up shelves and building counter spaces for her. Ellie painted the room a cheerful light green and made snowy white curtains for the windows.

"I sure appreciate your help," Ellie told David.

"Turnabout is fair play," he answered, remembering how Ellie worked to help him set up his workshop.

Ellie hired an English man to drive a van to take her to Camden, where she knew Borsky had a large

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warehouse of dry goods. Mr. Morris, the owner of the van, was well known among the Amish as a good source of transportation. He knew his way around in most any city and state. His rates were fairly reasonable, so he was much in demand. Ellie was fortunate to get him on such short notice. They left early in the morning. When they returned at ten-thirty, the van was loaded with bolts and bolts of material and bric-a-brac of all kinds.

David came from the barn just as the van pulled into the driveway. When he saw the stacks of material and the other purchases his wife brought home, he couldn't help but tease her again. "Are you sure you didn't move Borsky's warehouse here?" he asked.

"Don't pay any attention to him, Mr. Morris," said Ellie. "He is always teasing me."

Mr. Morris and David helped carry bundle after bundle inside. Ellie thanked them both and paid Mr. Morris his fare. Hurrying into the kitchen, she grabbed an apron and put it on over her good dress. Then she put the teakettle on to boil.

"What are you doing?" asked David, who had followed her. "I thought you would be anxious to get your store all set up and things put away like you want them."

"Oh, I am," his wife answered. "But it's almost lunchtime. I promised myself if I am allowed to operate a little store from my house, you and our home shall never be neglected because of the little business I run on the side." And they never were. Ellie kept that promise faithfully.

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News of the new store at the David Eash home spread, and soon Ellie had a thriving business going. Women asked for shawls, men's long underwear,
Vindel Satchely,
and other items Ellie had forgotten, so she stocked up on whatever her customers asked for. The only times her store closed were the two weeks before church was held at the Eash home, the Christian holidays, and a half day on Saturdays.

David and Ellie did not always agree on everything. They had their ups and downs but were always willing to ask each other's forgiveness and work things out. Ellie still helped David during the winter in his shop. He now made caskets for Amish burial needs. These were plain, with wooden handles. Ellie would varnish them and line the insides with a plain white batiste material.

The years came and went. After almost four years of marriage, a little son came to live with David and Ellie. They had never known such joy, and the responsibilities of raising a child seemed almost overwhelming. But they committed the child to the Lord and prayed for guidance, trusting the one who promises never to forsake.

Several years later, a daughter, and then another son, was born to them. They were busier now but worked well together, and Ellie seemed so well organized that she managed easily. When the babies were born, she had a
Maut,
who also minded the store whenever anyone stopped by to make a purchase. The Amish girls liked working for Ellie and David, so she never had a problem getting help.

Her twin sisters were married now and had

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houses of their own. Roy and Sam were also married. Mrs. Maust and her younger children seemed to manage the farm as before. Ellie sometimes worried that her mother did too much. But Mama always told her, "Don't worry about me, Ellie. I find work is my best friend here on earth."

So Ellie tried to agree with David's comment: "Mama knows what she can stand."

Ellie could tell that Mrs. Maust was pleased with all her grandchildren, but somehow Ellie's oldest held a special place in her heart. They had named him Jacob, after Lizzie's husband. But Ellie called him Jake, just like her papa was called. She thought he resembled his grandfather, too.

One day as Ellie was sitting on the porch with her children helping them shell peas from the garden, she saw a car come up the drive.
Wonder who that could be,
she thought.
Probably someone who wants to see David about having some furniture made this winter.

The car pulled to the gate and stopped. Ellie saw it contained a woman and two children. The lady got out and walked to the other side of the car to open the door for her children. The woman walked with a limp. Ellie dropped her pan of peas. She gasped.

"Mama, what's the matter?" asked Laura, her little girl. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm alright," answered Ellie. Could it be, she thought. . . . Was it really. . . ? She started toward the gate, where the lady and her children waited.

"Ellie Maust?" the English woman asked.

"Missy!" exclaimed Ellie. "Missy, is it really you?"

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