Read Abram's Daughters 03 The Sacrifice for Free Online Page B

having no contact with either their eldest or their only son-in-law," Miriam replied. "And the Masts have kept mighty tight-lipped. Surely something will give sooner or later."
    "I can only imagine what it might take to get the two families talking again." Lizzie's pail was nearly full now, and a glance at Miriam's let her know now was as good a time as any for them to hurry inside and cool off a bit with a nice tall glass of iced tea. . .,. ... . . . .., . . , , :
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    I Tiinnah stole away to the bedroom during trie hottest hour ml ilie day and took from the bureau drawer her makeshift willing journal, a simple notebook with yellow lined paper. She wanted to catch up on her diary before it was time to iln\ss around for a double date with Ezra, and Mary Ruth and Kilns.
    Saturday afternoon, June 25 .:'. , ,
    Dear Diary,
    I haven't put my thoughts down on paper every other day like I'd set out to. Now, more than ever, 1 ought to be recording the events as they happen to my dear twin and me. If Ezra Stoltzfus and his younger brother Elias are to become my and Mary Ruth's husbands someday, it would be an awful shame not to have faithfully written about our double courtship. Goodness knows, my children and grandchildren might one day wish I had.
    So ... I am making an attempt to be more thorough, beginning with what happened today. Mary Ruth confided she has been seriously considering extending her rumschpringe for
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    several more years. This is such a disappointment; I'd hoped she would join church with me. We've done everything else together. Why not this?
    Life is ever so unpredictable makes me wonder if Elias, too, is thinking along the same lines. Obviously he isn't headed toward making his kneeling vow before the membership this fall, since he's not taking baptism classes with Ezra.
    Naturally I pleaded with Mary Ruth not to tell another
    soul, "not till you think gut and hard." Such news would hurt
    Mamma and Dat even worse than they already are. And
    > Leah . . . oh my, I hate to think what it would do to her if
    Mary Ruth stalled too long and ended up going her own way.
    Leah has had more than her share of heartache. '
    ,... Come tonight, I'm hoping Elias and Mary Ruth sit in the .
    front seat of the courting buggy. They might not be so inclined
    to smooch that way . . . though it's more awkward for Ezra
    and me, sitting behind them and having to see what's going on.
    When all's said and done, liking a boy so much that you
    turn your back on the Lord God and the People isn't worth a
    hill of beans all summer. Knowing Mary Ruth, I expect she'll
    come round sooner or later. '.'...'. , : ; Respectfully,
    .....'.. ; Hannah
    : She closed the notebook and placed it back in the drawer, concealing it with several woolen scarves. Then she went to fill the washbasin with water to freshen up for supper and her evening with Ezra, who had suggested going to Strasburg for some store-bought ice cream. The thought of seeing him again made her feel light inside, and a peace settled over her.
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    I Uenh was content with the quietude of the house. Lydiann Iwhn liupping while Mamma read the Good Book in the big St'ilrooni. Aunt Lizzie worked downstairs in the kitchen, nuking as silently as she could, and Mary Ruth and Hannah w down the hall in their room, most likely preparing to go plilillg in someone's courting buggy.
    I Standing at the window, Leah looked down, appreciating |iIn bright green of the enormous trees and the meadow.
    II '.i-.lics of color from the wild flowers scattered here and there
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    I iiij;ht her eye, and she wondered, What's Gid thinking? Is he I - 'iiiifing the minutes till we sit side by side in his open buggy?I Slowly she turned from her window, wandered to the corIlii i of the room, and sat in the single cane chair, leaning her L|Ihiws hard on her legs, palms cupping her chin. With a great pigh, she began to remove her head covering and the pins in fcvr bun. She