Happy Spring days, FFFs!
It looks like spring now. The grass is really turning green, daffodils are blooming, the trees and bushes are budding, and a visiting flock of cedar waxwings have descended on our trees and birdbaths. We usually get them twice a year. Once when spring is coming and they are heading up north, and then again in the early fall when they are heading south. They are so pretty!
Okay, this week. I haven't done a whole lot of writing because we had my nieces and nephews over Tuesday evening and then I actually got to work in the nursery on Wednesday evening. But Monday and Thursday I did write 1k words each day. Last night it was on "Hymns in the Hills." On Monday it was on my other story that doesn't have a title. :P I need some sort of working title for it.
Oh, the big news around here is that my brother is running for County Collector. The County Collector we have now is retiring after 29 years, and so my brother is running for the office. He does have an opponent right now, but so many people in politics and everyday life know my brother, that I have a feeling he'll win the primary. He's already been endorsed by two judges, two State Reps., and possibly the current County Collector. And I'm sure he'll probably be endorsed by others as well. It'll be different this year. My dad and I will only get to work the April election because we can't work when a family member is on the ballot. Oh well.
Guess what else I got this week? A cover for my AZ Christmas story! And I love it! :D It's not what you would think of for a Christmas book. But it fits the story so well. I can't wait to show it to you all! But should I wait until closer to Christmas? (That's 9 months away!)
Anyway, that's my life this week. Enjoy the next part of this story.
Simply Trusting
Part 4
The following day wasn’t quite so busy, for the washing had been done and there didn’t seem quite so many chores. Again Belle spent hours under the old tree with her pupils, teaching them the letters of the alphabet. Some of the older ones caught on quicker, but even Sade and Si who, though they said not a word, and Tabby, who was taking a liking to her cousin, could form the letters A, B and C without any help.
The next day it rained. The skies were gray, and if it wasn’t pouring rain, it was drizzling which was almost worst than the steady rain. There was no dirt patch to practice writing their letters, so Belle brought out her slate. It was such a novelty that Kade and Rome almost came to blows over who got to use it first. Before Zeke could step in and separate them, Belle had rushed over and taken her slate.
“I can’t let either of you use it if you are going to fight,” she said softly. “I think I’m going to let Sade use it first because she hasn’t made any fuss about it.” Turning her back to the boys, she sat down beside Sade and asked, “Would you like to write your letters on here?”
Sade shyly took the slate pencil and carefully traced her letters.
“Very good, Sade!” Belle said, hugging her little cousin. “Would you like to show your mama before Si has his turn?”
Nodding, Sade slipped from the bench and hurried to the rocking chair where her mother sat darning socks.
Though she pretended not to notice, Belle saw Kade’s face change from angry to puzzled. He sat down on the floor and, leaning his chin in his hands, watched her. She was thankful he hadn’t put up a fuss, for she knew Zeke was also watching and she didn’t want anyone getting into trouble.
After the younger ones had all had a turn, even Tabby whose crooked letters took up almost the entire slate, Belle turned to Kade, for Rome had gone to his room grumbling when he didn’t get the slate. “Would you like to practice now, Kade?”
Nodding, the boy rose and came over. “What if I break it?” he asked.
“If you are careful, I don’t think you will. You will be careful, won’t you?”
Kade gave a nod and sat down at the table the slate before him and the pencil gripped tightly in his hand. With painstaking care he wrote every letter of the alphabet that he had learned. They weren’t perfect and some were very crooked, but Belle praised him anyway.
“Now rub that out and I will write your name and you can copy it.”
“My important name?” he asked. “The one fer when I’m gettin’ introduced?”
“Yes,” Belle agreed.
“Ya goin’ ta write that mister thing on there too?”
A smile crossed Belle’s face. “Yes, I will write it all out for you.” Taking the slate pencil she carefully began writing, reading aloud as she wrote. “Mr. MacKaidric Russum. There it is, Kade, your full, important name. Do you think you can write all that?”
After looking over it Kade nodded emphatically. “Sure I kin. Ain’t hard ‘cause I know all them letters already. Jest watch.”
Belle did watch. Ali, Riss and Tabby crowded up to watch too. “Don’t get too close,” Belle warned them softly. “We don’t want to bump his arm and make him ruin a letter. Could you watch him from the other side of the table?”
By the time he had finished, Kade was tired. His name was long and he wasn’t used to sitting still for that length of time. But when he sat back, his name was copied. True, it took several times and there were spaces where there shouldn’t be, and none where there should be, but it didn’t matter. He had written it. “I’m goin’ ta show Ma, can’t I, Belle?” At her nod, he scrambled from the bench and rushed across the room. “See Ma?” He shoved the slate into her lap. “I kin write my important name. Mr. MacKaidric Russum. I reckon I kin get me a job now.”
Smiling, Mrs. Russum patted Kade’s shoulder and said softly, “I reckon ya could bring in some more wood for the stove, Mr. MacKaidric Russum.”
Beaming, Kade strutted back to Belle and handed her the slate. “I got a job ta do, kain’t spend more time at school, teacher.”
As he marched out of the house onto the porch, Belle smiled and erased his crooked name. “Where’s Rome? It’s his turn to practice if he wants to.”
“I’ll fetch him.” And Zeke stood up.
But when Rome came from the bedroom, he was in a contrary mood. He didn’t want to write his letters and he didn’t care about his name. “I ain’t goin’ ta do it,” he declared, crossing his arms and stamping his foot.
The next day it rained. The skies were gray, and if it wasn’t pouring rain, it was drizzling which was almost worst than the steady rain. There was no dirt patch to practice writing their letters, so Belle brought out her slate. It was such a novelty that Kade and Rome almost came to blows over who got to use it first. Before Zeke could step in and separate them, Belle had rushed over and taken her slate.
“I can’t let either of you use it if you are going to fight,” she said softly. “I think I’m going to let Sade use it first because she hasn’t made any fuss about it.” Turning her back to the boys, she sat down beside Sade and asked, “Would you like to write your letters on here?”
Sade shyly took the slate pencil and carefully traced her letters.
“Very good, Sade!” Belle said, hugging her little cousin. “Would you like to show your mama before Si has his turn?”
Nodding, Sade slipped from the bench and hurried to the rocking chair where her mother sat darning socks.
Though she pretended not to notice, Belle saw Kade’s face change from angry to puzzled. He sat down on the floor and, leaning his chin in his hands, watched her. She was thankful he hadn’t put up a fuss, for she knew Zeke was also watching and she didn’t want anyone getting into trouble.
After the younger ones had all had a turn, even Tabby whose crooked letters took up almost the entire slate, Belle turned to Kade, for Rome had gone to his room grumbling when he didn’t get the slate. “Would you like to practice now, Kade?”
Nodding, the boy rose and came over. “What if I break it?” he asked.
“If you are careful, I don’t think you will. You will be careful, won’t you?”
Kade gave a nod and sat down at the table the slate before him and the pencil gripped tightly in his hand. With painstaking care he wrote every letter of the alphabet that he had learned. They weren’t perfect and some were very crooked, but Belle praised him anyway.
“Now rub that out and I will write your name and you can copy it.”
“My important name?” he asked. “The one fer when I’m gettin’ introduced?”
“Yes,” Belle agreed.
“Ya goin’ ta write that mister thing on there too?”
A smile crossed Belle’s face. “Yes, I will write it all out for you.” Taking the slate pencil she carefully began writing, reading aloud as she wrote. “Mr. MacKaidric Russum. There it is, Kade, your full, important name. Do you think you can write all that?”
After looking over it Kade nodded emphatically. “Sure I kin. Ain’t hard ‘cause I know all them letters already. Jest watch.”
Belle did watch. Ali, Riss and Tabby crowded up to watch too. “Don’t get too close,” Belle warned them softly. “We don’t want to bump his arm and make him ruin a letter. Could you watch him from the other side of the table?”
By the time he had finished, Kade was tired. His name was long and he wasn’t used to sitting still for that length of time. But when he sat back, his name was copied. True, it took several times and there were spaces where there shouldn’t be, and none where there should be, but it didn’t matter. He had written it. “I’m goin’ ta show Ma, can’t I, Belle?” At her nod, he scrambled from the bench and rushed across the room. “See Ma?” He shoved the slate into her lap. “I kin write my important name. Mr. MacKaidric Russum. I reckon I kin get me a job now.”
Smiling, Mrs. Russum patted Kade’s shoulder and said softly, “I reckon ya could bring in some more wood for the stove, Mr. MacKaidric Russum.”
Beaming, Kade strutted back to Belle and handed her the slate. “I got a job ta do, kain’t spend more time at school, teacher.”
As he marched out of the house onto the porch, Belle smiled and erased his crooked name. “Where’s Rome? It’s his turn to practice if he wants to.”
“I’ll fetch him.” And Zeke stood up.
But when Rome came from the bedroom, he was in a contrary mood. He didn’t want to write his letters and he didn’t care about his name. “I ain’t goin’ ta do it,” he declared, crossing his arms and stamping his foot.
Would you feel a sense of importance writing your name for the first time?
How was your week?
Do you have any family members in public office?
I love this hymn!! I love the story too! Eager to see more :D BTW sorry I don't comment fast. Its really not my fault — circumstances over which I have no control. But I promise I read everything you post! and I react too.
ReplyDeleteAh-ha-ha!! I love the part about Kade's name. Perfect and soo funny!!! I can't wait for more of this story!!! :D
~Katja L.
Hi Katja!
ReplyDeleteYes, Kade rather likes his "important" name. :)
That's okay that you can't always comment. It's nice to know that you read everything anyway. :) And reactions are good too. I'll try to get more of "Hymns in the Hills" posted sometime.