Courting Buggy: Nurse Hal Among The Amish Read Online Free Page B

said.
    Jane replied modestly, “I would not call any
of us experts. We just get by is all.”
    After the company left, everyone took turns
yawning as they wound down.
    Finally, Tootie said, “I'm sleepy. Where's my
room?”
    Emma pointed at the stairs. “You are going to
sleep in my bed upstairs.”
    “That won't do,” Tootie said matter of
factly.
    “Why not?” Hal asked.
    “I really need a place downstairs,” Tootie
said quietly behind her hand so only the women could hear.
    “Oh, so you're closer to the outhouse?”
Whispered Hal. “We put a commode by your bed so you won't have to
go outside.”
    “That too.” Tootie put her hand up by her
mouth again and whispered, “But I have nightmares sometimes. Your
Uncle Edwin used to tell me I make the most unnatural sounds in my
sleep.” She gave a forlorn sigh. “The poor man didn't get a wink of
sleep some nights. So the farther away I am from all of you the
better so I don't disturb you. Most of the time, I'm not too bad,
but I'm really tired tonight after traveling.”
    “That's too bad,” Hal said. Nothing like
getting to know all about my relatives. How many more revelations
is Aunt Tootie going to confide while she's here?
    Thinking it might be better not to mention
what the clinic bed was used for, Emma suggested, “Would you like
to sleep in the room off the living room? That is where I was going
to sleep.”
    Tootie looked that direction. “That will be
perfect.”
    Nora spoke up. “Tootie, you forgot to tell
them you sleepwalk.”
    “You do?” Hal regarded her aunt, alarmed.
    “Not real often, Dear,” Tootie assured her.
“If I do, the best thing you can do is bring me a glass of water.
If I drink it that wakes me up.”
    “All right, I'll remember that” Hal said.
    John over heard. “You are in different
country here from what you are used to. Best stay in bed where you
are safe.”
    “I'll try my best,” Tootie said
seriously.
    The next morning, Nora and Tootie got out of
bed when they heard Emma and Hal come downstairs just before
daylight. They dressed and were in the kitchen before Emma built
the fire in the wood cookstove. Tootie yawned as she rubbed her
eyes and watched Emma tear an old Budget newspaper into pieces. She
dropped the strips in, put on top the split kindling and lit the
paper. Quickly, Emma clunked the lid into place to keep smoke from
escaping.
    Nora praised, “You certainly have this
cookstove shiny clean, Emma.”
    “Denki, Mammi Nora,” Emma said proudly. “It
is a job that needs to be done after every meal.”
    “Emma rubs a greasy rag over the stove to
clean it,” Hal added
    Emma carried an arm load of wood from behind
the stove and covered the crackling kindling. She said, “A rusted
stove top can not be changed back to look like a new one.”
    “My goodness, I haven't seen a wood cookstove
in use since we were small children, Nora,” Tootie declared then
she covered a yawn. “You people get up awful early around
here.”
    When everyone was assembled, the family bowed
their heads for a silent prayer. When John took a deep breath that
was the sign that prayer time was over. He slid eggs and sausage
onto his plate and passed the platters so he could take the biscuit
plate from Hal.
    After kitchen clean up was done, they all met
in the living room. After John read two chapters from his German
bible, he said to Jim and the boys, “Best get at the chores if we
are going to the salebarn this morning.”
     
     

Chapter 3
     
     
    That Wednesday morning, chores were done a
little quicker with Jim's help. John stuck his head in the mudroom
door. “Hal, we are leaving for the salebarn. We will eat dinner
there. Be gone most of the day.”
    “That's gute. Have fun,” Hal called after
him.
    Around the house to the front came the two
men and two boys. They climbed into the enclosed buggy and drove
away.
    “ What are we going to do this morning
now that the dishes are washed?” Tootie asked.
    “ What do you