Getting sick of this story yet? Don't worry, only one more part left after this!
...
Part 7
“Yes. She is a Jarginson, too. Although, she never had told me her parents names.” Mrs. Jarginson said.
“Sadie is our sister!” Lizzie cried.
“Oh? What are your names, dear?” Mrs. Jarginson asked.
“I’m Lizzie, This is Nellie, and then this is Archie. We had 4 other siblings, Opal, Emma, James and Annie. And Sadie.” Lizzie said.
“Well, what do you know! Your parents were Lewis and Mary Ann Jarginson, right?” Mrs. Jarginson asked.
“Yes, ma’am. Are you related to us?” Lizzie asked. Mrs. Jarginson turned away for a minute, then asked,
“Your parents died in a train accident?”
“Yes.” Lizzie said sadly. Mrs. Jarginson looked very sad.
“What is it?” Nellie asked.
“Lewis was my brother.” Mrs. Jarginson said. Lizzie, Nellie, and Archie gasped.
“You’re our aunt?” They asked.
“Yes.” She said.
“But then, how come we never knew about you?” Lizzie asked, puzzled.
“Your parents and you visited once, but only once, because at that time, I lived in India. I guess you just didn’t remember an aunt in India. I Moved to Missouri about a year ago and adopted Sadie.” Mrs. Jarginson explained everything, and then Lizzie told the rest of their story, too. Late that night, when Nellie and Archie had fallen asleep, Lizzie said,
“Aunt Phoebe?”
“Yes, Lizzie?” Aunt Phoebe asked.
“Were you very close to Papa?” Lizzie asked.
“Oh, some what. Lewis was years younger than I, and mostly, Eleanor and Lewis were playing together. You see, Eleanor was only 3 years younger than Lewis, but I was 10 years older than Lewis, and 13 years older than Eleanor. So, they just mainly thought of me as Mama’s ‘partner’.” Aunt Phoebe paused and Lizzie spoke up.
“Are Grandpapa and Grandmama still living? Papa and Mama didn’t talk about them too much. Actually, I don’t remember them at all!” Lizzie said.
“No, not your grandmother. Your grandmother died of cholera way back when I was 20. Your grandpapa is still living, but your Papa and Mama didn't ever take you to see him. That’s why you don’t remember them at all. But, I wonder why you children don't know about your new grandmother. You see, my father was married again three years ago.” Aunt Phoebe said.
“Oh!” Then Lizzie settled down for the night. Aunt Phoebe thought back to when her Mama had died, and she was left to care for Lewis and Eleanor...................
That night, Phoebe couldn’t sleep. She missed Mama too much.
She had left Lewis and Eleanor to sleep in their bedrooms on the south wing of the large house. Finally, Phoebe threw the covers of her bed back and stood up out of the bed. Then she crept along the hall way to the kitchen. Lighting the lamp, she filled a glass with water and quenched her thirst. Then she went to check on Eleanor. Quietly opening the door to Eleanor’s bedroom, she peeked in. Eleanor was sobbing silently in the bed, the covers pulled around her.
“Eleanor?” Phoebe asked softly. Phoebe strode over to Eleanor’s bed and sat down.
“What is wrong, dear?” Phoebe asked.
“I want Mama!” Eleanor sobbed. Julia stroked the seven year old’s hair softly and cuddled her into her lap.
“It’s all right, Eleanor, dear. I’m going to take care of you and Lewis now.” Julia said softly. Eleanor still cried, but her sobs lessened and soon she was just sniffling. Phoebe rocked her back to sleep, and then realized that it was time for her to start breakfast. She laid Eleanor back into bed and then quietly went out of the room and headed towards the kitchen to start breakfast. Once breakfast was ready about an hour later, Phoebe rang the breakfast bell, and soon Lewis and Eleanor hurried in, followed by Papa. They all sat down and Papa thanked the Lord for the food. Then they ate silently.
“Phoebe,” Papa started.
“Yes, sir?” Phoebe asked.
“You’ll have to watch Lewis and Eleanor today, I have to work all day. That fine with you, Phoebe?” Papa asked.
“Quite fine, Papa.” Phoebe said.
“All right then. Lewis, Eleanor, you be good for Julia today, you hear?” Papa asked.
“Yes, sir!” The two siblings said in unison.
Phoebe kept the two entertained that day, and the next and the next.
Now, Phoebe was sitting on a train with three of Lewis’s children, and Sadie was his child, too.
How she missed her younger brother and sister in law. She had visted John and her younger sister Eleanor and their children recently, and Eleanor was getting well quickly after a year of illness.
Phoebe fell asleep then, eager for tomorrow to come. Tomorrow the train would arrive in Jopplin, and she would see her niece, now her daughter, again. The next day sped by, and by six p.m., the train arrived safely in Jopplin.
Julia, Lizzie, Nellie and Archie hurried down the train steps. Julia had told the children that Sadie’s baby-sitter and her would be at the platform to pick Julia up. Now they had Lizzie, Nellie and Archie to take home, too.
Sadie and Melanie, Sadie’s ‘baby-sitter’, stood on the platform, waiting for the train to come in. The train arrived, and Sadie jumped up and down.
“Auntie Phoebe is home! Yeepee!” She cried. When she saw Aunt Phoebe come down the train stairs, she saw three others following her. Suddenly, she recognized them.
“Melanie, those are my sisters and brother!” Sadie cried excitedly.
“You must be kidding, Sadie!” Melanie said.
“No, I’m not! Come on, let’s get closer!” Sadie cried, plowing through the mass of people. Finally, she and Melanie got close to them.
“Lizzie! Nellie! Archie! Over here!!!! Auntie Phoebe! Over here!” Sadie was yelling with excitement.Lizzie, Nellie and Archie pushed people out of their way and ran to Sadie.
“Sadie, Sadie!” They all cried. The four siblings embraced each other happily.
Then Melanie drove the wagon over and they all piled in. Soon, they were turning into a long, winding drive way that led to a cottage like house ontop of a hill.
They all got out, and Aunt Phoebe invited Melanie to stay for supper. Melanie and Aunt Julia than fixed supper while Sadie showed Lizzie, Nellie and Archie around the house. Than Aunt Phoebe told Sadie to help get the guest room ready for Nellie and Archie, and another bed in Sadie’s room for Lizzie. They got all of this done by the time Aunt Phoebe and Melanie had supper on the table, and after everyone had eaten, they all helped to unpack Lizzie, Archie and Nellie’s things. Than Aunt Phoebe told them that she would talk to the orphanage and adopt Lizzie, Nellie, and Archie, also.
All this was decided, and everyone fell into bed that night, very tired from all the planing.
About a month later, Lizzie, Nellie and Archie were adopted.
One day, Aunt Phoebe and Lizzie were sewing in the living room, and the other three children were playing with the kittens in the fort.
The clock struck noon, and Aunt Phoebe got up and asked Lizzie to call in Sadie, Nellie and Archie while she fixed beans and meat.
They had just finished dinner, and were settling down for nap time, when a carriage drove up the drive.
“I’ll get that, dears.” Aunt Phoebe said, swinging open the archway doors and striding down the hall way to the front door.
She opened the door to find a middle aged couple standing there.
“Phoebe Jarginson residence, I presume?” The man asked.
“Yes, indeed it is, sir. Any thing you need?” Aunt Phoebe asked.
“Actually, yes, Miss Phoebe. I believe some children, Lizzie, Sadie, Nellie and Archie have been staying here recently.” The lady said.
“Well, yes, they have, but, they are my nieces and nephew.” Aunt Phoebe said.
“Staying for a visit?” The man asked.
“Ah, no, sir. I’ve adopted them, you see, their dear parents died in a train wreck about a year ago. Their Papa was my younger brother, and I hadn’t seen him for years.” Aunt Phoebe said sadly.
“Come on in, though. Would you like to speak to the children?” Aunt Phoebe asked.
“Yes, but, first, Phoebe, we need to tell you something. Uh, can we talk in the parlor, may be?” The man asked.
“Ye--yes, sir.” Aunt Phoebe said, leading the way to the parlor.
“You do look like someone, I’m not sure whom.” Aunt Phoebe said when everyone was seated in the parlor. The 4 children were waiting in the living room.
“Well, Phoebe, I believe you should know who we are.” The man said again.
“Excuse me, sir and ma’am,” Aunt Phoebe started.
“Yes?” The man asked.
“Well, why are you being so secretive?” Aunt Phoebe asked.
“We aren’t. You see, something happened about a year ago, and no one knows. Phoebe, that train wreck happened, but not everything was true that everyone was saying. You see, Lewis and Mary Ann, your brother and sister in law, did fall out of the train, but they were not killed, just lost, and no one was able to find them, so they assumed that they had died, too. Lewis and Mary Ann fell out of the train door, and then they rolled down half way the cliff, but they managed to cling to the jagged edged of the cliff, and they climbed saftly down. They spent the rest of the month and months on doing odds and ends and buying food for a living. They had people help them to Missouri, and, well.” The man stopped.
“So--so, m--my brother is still alive, and my sister in law? How did you know all this?” Aunt Phoebe asked.
“Phoebe, I am Lewis, and this is Mary Ann.” The man said queitly.
“Lewis, Mary Ann? Oh, my poor dears!” Aunt Phoebe started to cry happy tears, clinging to her brother and sister in law.
“I-- I must get the children!” Aunt Phoebe said, hurrying away.
Aunt Phoebe burst into the room, her face joyous.
“What is it, Auntie?” Lizzie asked, rushing over to her aunt.
“Too wonderful to say, my dear! The best thing in the world!” Aunt Phoebe said.
“What can be wonderful, Auntie?” Lizzie asked.
“The parlor!” Aunt Phoebe cried.
“Why is the parlor wonderful?” Lizzie asked, worried that her aunt had gone crazy.
“No, the people IN the parlor! Quickly, go!” Aunt Phoebe cried happily. Lizzie, Sadie, Nellie and Archie hurried to the parlor. Lizzie swung open the door and stopped short, gasping.
“What, Lizzie, what?” Nellie and Archie yelled. Lizzie burst into the room, throwing her arms around two people.
“Who is it?” The younger ones begged. Lizzie stood up and Nellie and Archie turned white while Sadie burst into tears.
“Pa, Ma?” She cried.
“Yes, my dears.” Papa and Mama said, hugging them all.
Papa and Mama told their story, and they all hugged each other.
“I can’t believe it’s really you!” Lizzie cried.
“Oh, but it is us!” Mama said, hugging Lizzie quickly.
“Yes, yes. I know, it has to be you!” Lizzie sighed happily.
“Well, Lewis, Mary Ann, how does dinner sound?” Aunt Phoebe asked cheerfully.
“Oh, it sounds great!” Mama said, delighted.
“All right then. Come on to the kitchen, the beans and meat should still be warm on the stove.” Aunt Phoebe said, heading for the kitchen. Papa and Mama and the children followed close behind her.
Soon Papa and Mama were eating beans and meat.
“I guess we better phone John and Eleanor, right?” Aunt Phoebe said cheerfully.
“Oh, yes, yes! I can’t wait ‘till we get to see Opal and Emma again!” Sadie cried cheerfully. So Aunt Phoebe quickly hurried to the dining room and picked up the new phone thingy. She spoke into the mouth piece.
“John and Eleanor Abalone’s residence please.” Aunt Phoebe waited for a few minutes and then talked again.
“Hello again, Eleanor.” Phoebe was saying. She talked on and on, and then told them about Lewis and Mary Ann.
“They are going to come over tomorrow.” Aunt Phoebe said when she got off the phone.
“YAY!!” Lizzie, Sadie, Nellie and Archie yelled together.
“We get to see Opal and Emma!” Archie cried.
“And, we will contact James and Annie’s new parents and figure out what to do to have them back with us.” Papa said.
“This is too exciting!” Nellie said.
“Oh, well, why don’t you settle down and read for a bit?” Aunt Phoebe said. The four children hurried away to the library at the back of Aunt Phoebe’s large house.
No comments:
Post a Comment