Believing the Dream Read Online Free PDF Page B

letter opener and creating a pile with the envelopes on top of the pages.
    “How is school going for you?”
    Thorliff nearly swallowed his Adam’s apple. Why was she being so pleasant? “Good.” Not really, but what should one say? Of course if I’d hear from Anji, perhaps I would feel better about school. Come on, dolt, think of something polite to say back. Good, wonderful, brilliant repartee . “And for you?”
    “Could be better. I wish St. Olaf had the science classes I want to take so I didn’t have to trek down the hill midmorning and then back up. Wasn’t so bad in the fall, but with all the snow we’ve had . . .” She waved a paper in front of him. “Wait until you read this one.”
    Thorliff had heard her refer to medical school before at other times but had never asked her about it.
    “How are things going?” Phillip Rogers shut the door before more snow blew in and stamped his feet to get the snow off his boots. “Brrr. Such miserable weather. I told Tom to bring the sleigh back in an hour, so I hope you will be done by then.”
    “I will or else it’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
    Phillip hung his coat and muffler on the coatrack and set his wool fedora on top. “How are the entries coming?”
    “We need to begin reading them and sorting out the best. I asked the teachers at Carleton and St. Olaf if they would read the top three or four in each category.” Thorliff motioned to the four boxes.
    “Good grief, that many? And the final deadline is when?”
    “Tomorrow.”
    Phillip massaged his chin for a moment. “I know what we’ll do. Tomorrow, if the two of you can take the time, we will take the boxes home, have supper, and spend the evening reading. I’m sure Annabelle will help us. Elizabeth, why don’t you ask Thornton if he would like to join us. We’ll make a party out of this.”
    Elizabeth glanced at Thorliff out of the side of her eye. “What do you say?”
    I say I have homework to do . “I-I guess that would be all right. Perhaps the next day I can take the finalists up to Mr. Ingermanson, and maybe Thornton would take the ones to Mr. Jordan.” Though Thornton Wickersham attended Carleton, Thorliff had met him one night while skating at the pond with Elizabeth.
    “And if they can get the results back to us over the weekend, we will publish the winners in next week’s edition. Perfect.”
    “What if you printed the runners-up this week and the winners next week?”
    Phillip paused in flipping through the entries. “Thorliff, that brain of yours must never be quiet.” He clapped Thorliff on the shoulder. “Good idea. We’ll prolong the suspense.”
    “You better plan on printing extras of those two editions. People will buy more than one so they can send copies to all their relatives.” Elizabeth yawned and stretched, locking her hands behind her and pulling her shoulders back. “The accounts are caught up. There are some invoices you need to pay there in your basket, and Mrs. Jamison called. She wants to talk with you.”
    “About what?”
    “I don’t know. She insisted on talking with you.” Elizabeth strode to the shade-covered windows and peeked out. “Tom’s not here yet.”
    “I can call for him if you are ready.”
    “Please.” Elizabeth rubbed her upper arms. “I’m already tired of winter, and it’s just begun.”
    Thorliff locked the door after they left and turned out the gaslights. Making his way down to the basement, he threw several large chunks of coal into the furnace, half closed the dampers, and headed back upstairs to his room. At least there was a heat grate near his desk so he could stay warm while studying. He reviewed his lesson on Matthew for Bible class, wondering if he dared ask the question he and Benjamin had been arguing about, and spent half an hour memorizing his verses. Since he’d memorized most of them in school in Blessing, this was review. He paced the floor, “ ‘Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be