Sleigh Ride (Homespun) (11 page)
Read Sleigh Ride (Homespun) Online
Authors: Katie Crabapple
Hugh Walker folded his arms across his chest and looked down his nose at the young schoolteacher. He really didn’t want to hear whatever it was she had to say. He’d had plenty of complaints about the way his son behaved in other situations, and had been waiting to hear what the prissy young schoolmarm would say about his boy. “Yeah?”
Patience looked over her shoulder to make sure Charlie was still working on writing his spelling words on the blackboard, and then stepped outside with Mr. Walker. “I’m having some trouble with Charlie. He seems to think he shouldn’t have to learn to spell or really to learn anything, because he’s going to be a farmer like you.” Her voice was earnest as she sought help from the boy’s father. They needed to work together as a team to get Charlie to see how he should be behaving in class.
“You got something against farmers?” Mr. Walker’s deep voice was little more than a rumble from his chest. He was clearly annoyed with her, and she had no idea what she’d done to upset him.
“Of course not! My father and brothers are farmers. I’ve grown up in a farming community and have a great respect for farmers. But Charlie needs to understand farmers need to have an education just like everyone else.”
“How does book learnin’ help a farmer? I don’t sit and read to my cows.”
Patience sighed. Now it was obvious where Charlie got his bad attitude about school from. “But you need to know math to know how many bushels of wheat you’re selling. You need to be able to figure a budget to know how much you can spend on corn seed. You need to know how much food your animals will eat through a long winter. When you sell your crop, you need to be able to read to know what you’re signing when you sign a contract.”
He simply shrugged. “What exactly is the problem?” His brown eyes stared into her blue as if he was daring her to complain about his son.
“Charlie is refusing to learn to spell. He says the cows don’t care whether or not he can spell, so it doesn’t matter if he knows how. He says the only thing that really matters is whether or not he’s strong enough to do the work, so he shouldn’t be sitting in a classroom all day.” She took a deep breath, doing her best to remain calm. “I would appreciate it if you would speak to him about how important an education is.”
“Is my boy causing problems?”
“Other than fidgeting and distracting the other students and not knowing his answers when called to recite, no, but he is a distraction with his attitude.” She wasn’t worried about the pranks in the schoolyard. They were just for fun and all the boys went through a phase where they tormented the girls.
“I guess that’s your problem then, isn’t it?”
Patience closed her eyes and mentally recited the fruits of the spirit from Galatians chapter five. She found it better than counting to ten, and emphasized temperance in her mind. “I was hoping we could work together to get him to apply himself more to his schoolwork.” She paused for a moment. “I know he doesn’t have a mother, and that’s probably making it harder for him.”
“The boy’s mother is no business of yours.” Mr. Walker’s voice had been challenging and slightly amused up until that point. It turned icy at the mention of Charlie’s mother.
“What happened to her?” Patience asked the question softly. She’d lost her own mother at six, and knew how hard it was. Thankfully, her father had married Millie, her mama, when she was seven, and she hadn’t had to grow up without a mother. She couldn’t imagine where she’d be now, without her sweet mother’s influence.
“She’s gone. You don’t need to know anything more.” He looked around. “Where is my boy anyway?” It was plain to Patience he was through listening and was ready to take his boy home.
She looked at the ground, sad that he’d responded so poorly to her questions about Charlie’s mother. “He’s copying the spelling words he missed onto the blackboard as punishment for not studying.” Her voice was weary by this point because it was obvious there was nothing she could do to get through to this belligerent man.
Mr. Walker’s eyes widened with rage. “You have no right to punish my boy. You’re his teacher. Nothing more.” He strode into the schoolhouse calling Charlie. “Let’s go, boy.”
Patience clenched her fists in fury. How could any man care so little for his son’s education? What was wrong with him? She was so angry she wished she had something at hand to throw at his head. She bit back the retort she’d wanted to make, and softly said, “I’ll pray for you.”
Mr. Walker laughed harshly. “You’ll pray I get kicked by a mule, maybe.” He took his son’s hand in his, and they walked toward their farm. Patience watched them until they disappeared from sight. She kicked the step on the schoolhouse, wishing it was Mr. Walker’s backside, but only succeeded in hurting her toe.
She bowed her head and prayed for patience in dealing with Mr. Walker. She went back into the schoolhouse and noted Charlie hadn’t written another word since she’d stepped outside to talk to his father. She erased the board and picked up her lunch pail. Usually her younger siblings waited to walk home with her, but it was Friday and she’d had to stay late, so they’d obviously gone on without her.
Her enjoyment of the beautiful spring day was quenched by the anger she’d seen on Mr. Walker’s face. Why couldn’t he see she only wanted what was best for his son? Through the entire mile walk back to her parents’ farm, she grumbled under her breath, ignoring the beauty around her she’d been so anxious to see just a short time before as she stared out the window of the schoolhouse.
Once the house came into view she took some deep calming breaths. It wouldn’t do for her mama to see her in such a state. She walked into the house, which had grown considerably over the years. Her papa and brothers had added on three more bedrooms and a sitting room. Just the act of stepping into her home was calming for her, because her home was filled with love.
She went straight to the bedroom she shared with her sister Grace to put her things away, and then went to the kitchen to help her mama with supper. Millie took one look at her drawn face and asked her what happened.
Patience sighed. “I need to learn to live up to my name.”
She’d always felt she’d been given the name Patience, because somehow her parents had known she’d be fighting for patience all of her life. Her father said it wasn’t true, but he always had a twinkle in his eye as he said it, so she still believed it had to be the case. Either way, it was certainly a slap in the face every time she thought about it.
Millie smiled. “I’m glad I wasn’t blessed with a name like yours I’d never be able to live up to.”
Patience stared at her mother in shock. “You’re always so patient. No matter what happens, you just smile and keep going. I’ve never once seen you get angry, even when one of us deserved it.”
“I hide it well.” She led Patience to the table and sat down. “Tell me what happened.”
Patience knew she had a lot to do, but as always, when she had a problem her mother gave her full attention to the problem.
“You know I’ve been having problems with little Charlie Walker. He doesn’t think he should have to learn anything because he’s going to be a farmer and farmers don’t need to know how to read. He missed all but three of his spelling words this afternoon. And they were easy words, Mama!”
Patience was still angry enough to kick something, but she didn’t think her toes could handle any more abuse this afternoon.
Millie nodded. “So what did you do?”
“I made him copy each of the words he missed onto the blackboard five times.”
“That sounds like a reasonable punishment. So what went wrong?”
“He wasn’t finished when his father got there, so I went out to talk to him about Charlie’s attitude. I asked that he encourage him to study harder and learn more so he can better himself.” Patience made a face. “He had the gall to tell me he didn’t think I had respect for farmers.”
Millie smiled. “I’ve talked to Mr. Walker a time or two. He doesn’t like anyone saying anything negative about his son. He’s raised him completely alone, you know.”
Millie’s words made Patience sigh. She should have been able to control her temper.
“How did his wife die?”
Millie shook her head. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him that. I only know he’s very proud of his son, and won’t hear anything against him. He’s a good father. Charlie is mostly well behaved. He’s just got a lot of energy like any boy his age.”
Patience nodded. “I was so angry with Mr. Walker for the way he talked to me. I told him I’d pray for him.”
She looked down at her hands as she said it, knowing her mama would understand.
Millie laughed. “Did you mean it? Or were you just saying it to avoid saying something spiteful.”
“Oh, I meant it. I thought I’d pray he got a new outlook on life. He asked if I’d pray he got kicked by a mule. It was so close to what I was thinking I was instantly ashamed. I need to apologize to him for what I was thinking, but I don’t ever want to talk to that hateful man again.”
Millie squeezed her daughter’s hands. “He’s not hateful, Patience. He’s really a good man who loves God with all his heart. You need to give him a chance to show you that.”
“I wish I didn’t have hateful thoughts. You’re always so calm. How do you do it?”
Millie laughed. “I remember once your papa got onto me for not having lunch ready on time. I’d just gotten here, and I was working on getting the house cleaned. I don’t know if you remember how dirty it was in the months before I came.”
Patience nodded. “I do remember that. I was so happy you were here making it clean, and fixing good food.”
“Well, I decided to make a pie for supper and I was so mad at your papa that I remember hoping cherries made him break out in hives while I cooked it.”
Patience’s jaw dropped. “You really thought that? About Papa?” She couldn’t imagine Millie having hateful thoughts toward anyone, but her papa?
Millie smiled. “I sure did. He made me so angry I was ready to spit nails. I felt like he didn’t see the things I’d done, just what I didn’t do.
I was working so hard to show him I was old enough to be his wife and that I’d be a good wife and mother.”
Patience thought about that for a moment. “I never would have guessed. You always seem so calm and happy.”
“There have been many times I’ve been glad you children couldn’t read my thoughts and moods. I’m not perfect. I still have thoughts like that from time to time. It’s human nature. When you start feeling that way, you need to pray about it, and God will help you get past it.”
Patience nodded. “I’m going to make sure I take the time to talk to Mr. Walker at church on Sunday. I don’t need to harbor the anger I’m feeling.”
Millie stood and went to the stove to stir the beans she had cooking. “I think that’s a fine idea. Now, why don’t you mix up the cornbread for me? I’m going to bake a cherry pie for supper.”
“Because you’re mad at Papa?”
Patience was confused.
“Because I love him. Every time I think about the evil thoughts I had toward him, I always make a special dessert I know he’ll love. It makes me feel better, even though he doesn’t know I ever had those mean thoughts.”
Parkside Community Church Series
Parkside Community Church: The Complete Collection
(also in paperback and audio)
Homespun Series