Hope Takes Flight Read Online Free PDF Page A

brake, and had wooden spokes and small tires.
    Gavin walked over to the automobile and ran his hands over the chassis almost lovingly. “Hmm. Sliding gear transmission and magneto ignition,” he murmured, and began to explain how it all worked.
    Owen’s strong face grew thoughtful as he listened to the boy. He knew how Gavin felt. He himself had been trapped on the farm as a young man, escaping only after Agnes came to rule the house. He longed to find some way to help Gavin and finally said, “You know, maybe we can get you a job as a mechanic’s helper in town.”
    â€œWhy, that’d be great, Owen!” Gavin exclaimed. “Do you really think I could?”
    Owen studied the boy for a moment. “God can do anything, Gavin. If he can make a world, he can get you off this old farm.” He smiled, went over, threw his arm around his brother, and gave him a squeeze. “We’ll see what God can do, but we’ll give him all the help we can.”
    Just then the door opened, and the clan boiled out, everyone jabbering excitedly. They piled into the cars and Amos led the way, followed by Owen’s Hupmobile, and trailed by the old Model-A Gavin had found wrecked and had restored. All the way to town, Owen kept looking back to make sure the ancient car hadn’t quit, as it usually did. But the small caravan rolled safely into Fort Smith and followed the traffic flowing toward the fairgrounds. Finally they pulled up, along with hundreds of cars that filled the huge lot.
    Spilling out of the cars, the group joined the crowd moving toward the front gate, where Amos paid the twenty-five-cent admission fee for all of them. For the next two hours, they wandered around the carnival, taking in the sideshows, letting Jerry and Maury ride the Ferris wheel. Soon Lenora and Christie demanded their turn. With much squealing and clinging to one another, they took their first ride in outer space.
    There were merry-go-rounds and other rides, and it did Amos good to see how much fun they had. He whispered, “Rose, I should have done this before. These kids don’t have anything. Just look how much a little carnival means to them.”
    â€œI know, Amos.” Rose squeezed his hand warmly. “We’ll have to have the girls…the boys, too…come and visit us in New York. Not all at once, of course, but one at a time. We can show them around, find them jobs.” Her dark eyes glowed. She’d always been a compassionate person, and now she cast a sympathetic eye at her young relations, saying firmly, “You’re right. We’ll have to do more for them.”
    By noon, they were all hungry, despite having eaten popcorn and exploring the mystery of cotton candy. “Why, I’d as soon eat grass as this stuff!” Logan sputtered. Lylah laughed at him, and then Amos led them into a large tent where they had hot dogs, heavily laced with mustard and chowchow, and ice cream for dessert, all washed down with glass after glass of lemonade.
    â€œProbably make us all sick.” Owen grinned. “But I guess it’s worth it.”
    That afternoon, they took in some of the agricultural exhibitions. “I see enough horses and cows and pigs when I’m home,” Pete complained. “Let’s go back to the fairgrounds.”
    The others agreed, and they went back. This time, as they entered the midway area, they heard a barker making his spiel. “Step right up!” he cried out in a shrill tone, and everyone pressed forward to crowd around the platform.
    Several men wearing robes were standing in front of the tent. The painted canvas behind the barker read: BOXING SHOW! GREATEST BOXERS IN AMERICA! WIN $100 IF YOU CAN STAY IN THE RING FOR 5 ROUNDS!
    The barker was warming to his task. “Now, some of you young men out there, hear this! Want to impress your sweetheart? No better way to do it than to demonstrate your skill in the manly art of