Howdy Folks,
I wanted to share something with all
our friends for Christmas, so I wrote a Christmas story. Merry
Christmas everyone and God Bless. Robbie, Kessy, Saturday, Sweetness, Zoe, Miss Kitty, Tigger and I send prayers and wishes that this may be the happiest of Christmas days for you and your loved ones and folks all over the world.
(If you missed Part 1 please read yesterday's post first)
"A Christmas Story" by Dutch Henry - Part 2
Only two cows in
milk right now, so milking didn't take very long, or give even half a pail.
Clover, the youngest was due to calve any day, and her milk would surely be
welcome. Milking finished and still no sign of Jed, Sarah checked on Jessica
all snug in her nest of hay, then busied herself giving hay to the cows and
horse. The chickens hardly stirred, few even pulled their heads from under
their wings.
Worry kept her
busy. Finished the feeding Sarah found cloth and strained the milk, a job
usually done on the tiny table in the cabin, but she dreaded the trip back
through the wind and biting ice crystals, so she did it right there in the
barn. Besides, somehow the barn seemed a better place to be tonight, Christmas
Eve. Her mind though kept busy fretting over Jed. Was he lying in the bitter
cold somewhere, hurt? Or worse? She began to build a plan to go search the vast
openness that lay between them and the orphanage. That would have to wait for
daylight. But wouldn't his horse have found its way back to the barn? Jed's
horse, Scout was a big, powerful horse and very smart. Surely had something
happened to Jed, Scout would have come home?
Nervously she
nursed baby Jessica, to the unsettling sound of relentlessly raging wind
tearing at the walls of the barn. Gathering Jessica she moved closer to the
cows so the sounds of them peacefully chewing might sooth her worried heart.
She nestled into the straw next to Clover and rocked gently. The barn was a
peaceful place but tonight even its warmth and embrace could do little to sooth
her.
The ride to the orphanage and back, even with a first class Christmas
party should only have taken Jed and Scout about six hours. He should have been
home well before dark.
Weary with worry,
Sarah hugged tiny Jessica and squirmed deeper into the straw.
Her horse pacing
and nickering in its stall roused her. "It's okay, Goldie, the wind can't
get us in here." Knowing she must
check the fire and the stew in the house, she carefully tucked tiny Jessica
safely back in her nest of hay. "I'll be right back, you sleep
tight." She kissed her cheek, and wiped a tear from her own. Turning to
the cows and Goldie she said, "You all watch over her while I'm gone."
She snatched the
lantern from its peg and made the dash from barn to cabin, the never-ending, awful
wind at her back. Inside she found the fire nearly out, but the chicken stew
still delightfully warm. Building the fire back up, stirring the stew and gathering
another blanket to swaddle around Jessica took only moments, and through the
bitter, blinding darkness she ran for the barn, shielding her face from
stinging snow.
Fighting the wind
to pull closed the heavy barn door, for an instant the wind's roar was blocked. Was
that a bell? Did she hear ringing bells? Or were her ears simply ringing in the
wail of the wind? She strained her eyes in the direction of what she imagined
was the ringing bells. Is that a light? Could that be a light? But what could
there be out there moving in this horrible wind? It didn't appear to be a horse
and rider. Her hopes sank as quickly as they'd soared. The bells stopped and
the light vanished. Sarah pulled tight the door, made fast the latch, then
hurried to Jessica to add the extra blanket.
Clover mooed,
Goldie stomped and whinnied. Before Sarah could react, from the outside, above
the wind, came an answering whinny.
"Scout? … " Sarah yelled, tears streaming her face. Terrified
of the possible answer she yelled, "Scout, is that you? Is Jed with
you?" Bells, did she hear bells again? With wings on her feet she flew to
the door, only to have the latch yanked from her grasp.
Stunned she
starred into the darkness, and there stood Jed flashing an ice covered smile as
wide as the mountains themselves. Behind Scout were two
horses harnessed to a wagon with canvas stretched over it. "Brought ya a
few Christmas visitors Sarah!" Jed waved a hand toward the wagon. Sarah's
knees melted, she crumbled to the ground.
"Hey
now," Jed scooped her up with a hearty laugh. "We can't have this, we
have us a Christmas Eve party to put on for the young 'ins!"
Jed, Shorty and
Jake fought the wind to swing open the big barn door, Martha led Scout and the
team right into the barn. Every hand worked together to pull the door closed
behind the wagon. Martha flipped down the wagon tail gate, and one by one the
children slid out, giggling and laughing.
Sarah's knees
went weak again, she grabbed onto Jed. He could see the love, relief and
questions in her eyes.
"Well,"
Jed started, "When I rode up to Martha's the wind already yanked the roof
off that old shed they use for a home. Jake, Shorty and me didn't take too long
to figure out there was no fixin' that rickety old building. Nobody knew what
to do next, not only did they all need a place to live, but heck Sarah, this is
Christmas Eve and we got songs to sing and presents to open … so we hatched a
plan to stretch this canvas over the wagon, nail 'er down with boards and haul
the entire outfit right here."
With a grin and
tip of his hat, Shorty yanked the sack of presents from the wagon seat,
held it high and danced a little jig. "Merry Christmas!"
The children had
settled down in a circle holding hands, except for little Jane, who had
discovered baby Jessica. "Look Miss Martha, it's just like the story of
baby Jesus, lying in the manger with all his friends in the barn."
God Bless and Merry Christmas ~ Dutch Henry
What a beatiful story.. brought tears of joy to my eyes this wonderful Christmas morning. Thank you for your beautiful words and sharing your amazing creativity with us. God Bless you and your family this Holiday Season. Linda Nedilsky
ReplyDeleteThank You for joining us at Coffee Clutch for our Christmas Story, Linda!! Thank you for commenting too!
DeleteAn absolutely wonderful story Dutch. That was a wonderful Christmas Gift. Thank you Dutch.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being part of the Coffee Clutch, Anon! Thanks for commenting too!
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