Alice's Tulips: A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

the work, and what do you think? The next day, Nealie sent her husband and his brother, who is the handsome fellow I wrote you about, to help. They arrived when I was straddling the ridge, my skirts tucked up as if I was a Bloomerite, and Mother Bullock quickly called to me to righten myself.
    Since they are copperheads, Mother Bullock told them we would manage the roof ourselves, but as I was doing all the work, I said to come ahead. In one day, they accomplished more than we had done in seven. When they were finished, Mother Bullock made them take a dollar so that she would not be beholden. They offered to return anon to finish up, for which I was glad, but she replied I could do it.
    She was wrong about that, because the next day, I was back up top in a cold rain, with the worst headache I ever had in my life. It hurt so much, it put me into a foul mood, and when I milked Lottie, I yanked too hard and she gave me a swift kickin the belly. I thought I was all right, but I felt real bad in the night, and then I lost the baby.
    Now, Lizzie, you mustn’t worry about me. That was a week ago, and I have been resting and am plenty healthy, as well as I ever was in my life. At first, I did not mind so much about the baby, but now that I have had time to think about it, I am sorry. I guess I had been counting on that baby, and already I had a motherly feeling for it. You’ll laugh when I tell you, but sometimes of an evening, as I quilted, I would think about us all sitting after supper, me sewing, the girl with her grammar, Charlie reading the newspaper—Mother Bullock not in the picture. It was such a homey scene that tears come to my eyes when I recall it. Only you and God know how much I love Charlie. If something happened to him, I would like to have a little boy or girl of his. Charlie was so proud when I told him I was expecting. Now, he will be real sorry I failed him.
    Mother Bullock agreed I should keep to my bed. But for the way she acts, I might as well have the pleurisy. She has not said one word of sorrow about losing the baby. You’d think she’d be sad, the baby being a remembrance of Charlie if he doesn’t come back. But she’s not one to show her feelings, and sometimes Bramble Farm seems to be all she cares about. This morning, I got out of bed, and when I passed her room, the door was open, and she was crying. I entered and says, “Don’t you worry, Mother Bullock. Charlie will come home, and me and him will have more babies than you can count.”
    But Mother Bullock only wiped her eyes on her sleeve and gave me a steely-eyed look and said, “That hired man stole my wedding ring.”
Pray that I will make it through this war
with the old lady is the earnest request of your sister,
Alice
     
    April 15, 1863
    Dear Lizzie,
    You are mighty apt to be the smarter sister. Why, I never knew it was bad manners to talk about a baby that never was born. I guess that’s why Mother Bullock doesn’t mention the baby I lost, and nobody else has said a word, either, although maybe they don’t know. So I am glad you informed me, because I never heard of such a thing.
    But on the other subject you brought up, I misdoubt I would want to marry again if Charlie got killed, at least not right off, so having a child wouldn’t hinder me in finding a husband. You are right, however, when you say I wouldn’t care to raise a baby without its father. Lord knows, Papa didn’t think much of girls, but at least we had a father. Charlie would make a fine papa. I know it from his letter. I wrote him about the baby being lost, and he said he cried when he read it. Then he sat right down and penned me a few lines to tell me he didn’t blame me leastways. I shouldn’t have been up on that roof, says Charlie, and if he hadn’t gone off to fight the Johnnies, which he hasn’t done yet, he’d be here to do the hard work. And he loves me and misses me and wishes he was here to put his arms around me. Now isn’t he the nicest