Lesia's Dream Read Online Free PDF

Cooks Creek.” Paul turned to Papa. “Come home with me,” he suggested with a smile. “You’ll have a place to stay while you have a look.”
    â€œThank you, but no.” Papa was stiff with embarrassment.
    â€œPlease,” Paul said. “In Canada, immigrants help immigrants. If you were in my position, you would do the same.”
    â€œIt’s true, Papa,” Ivan urged, “we would.”
    Papa was silent.
    Lesia stared at the floor.
    â€œYou will stay with us,” Paul announced firmly “We would love to have you!”
    Two weeks later, Papa’s grin stretched from ear to ear. “It’s ours!” He waved a small square of paper in front of Mama’s face. “One quarter section of prairie land. Paid for with ten Canadian dollars.” His voice held a touch of awe. “All ours. And in your name as well as mine.Ahafia.”
    Hollers of congratulations echoed through the farmhouse—the house south of Hazelridge belonging to Paul and his wife, Pearl, that had been home to them since they’d arrived in Manitoba.
    Lesia and Ivan exchanged smiles. They’d been so scared when Mama had collapsed.The doctor said she had something called anaemia. She would need good food and lots of rest if she was going to carry the baby to term. The Korols were making sure she got both.
    Lesia gave thanks to God every day for the goodness of the Korols. Even though they had six children of their own, they cheerfully accommodated the Magus family and kept them full with what seemed to be a never-ending supply of food, much of which came from their vast farm.
    â€œIt’s about seven miles northeast of Cooks Creek … about nineteen miles from here.” Ivan tossed Sonia excitedly in the air.”There’s a small shelter.And good soil.” The tiny girl squealed with happiness.
    It had taken Papa and Ivan more than a week to search out the best cancelled homestead they could claim. Papa had insisted on walking the countryside. Touching with his feet the soil of Canada, as he put it. This country was huge and it still amazed Lesia that everything was so far apart. Even Paul’s farm was miles from his brother Andrew, who was his nearest neighbour.
    â€œAll we have to do is break thirty acres in the next three years and we’ll be rich.” Papa’s eyes glittered with excitement.”Rich!”
    Paul slapped him on the back. Andrew shook his hand.
    â€œYou make it sound so easy, my friend.” Pearl soothed her youngest, baby Mary. “You forget that you’ll water the soil with your blood, sweat and tears.” Her smile showed the gap where her front teeth should have been.
    Ivan laughed. “We’ll do that seven times over for Canada. Won’t we, Sonia?” He tossed his sister in the air again and she laughed even louder than before. Luka and Symon, the five-year-old twins, tugged on Ivan’s sleeve.They wanted to be next.
    Land of their
oum.
Lesia cut the bread and tried to imagine. She could till and plant and harvest.Weave a skep, start a hive. Pay back Master Stryk. Become a respected member of the community!
    Paul’s oldest daughter, Minnie, sidled up to Lesia. “It didn’t take you long to figure out my Uncle Andrew has lots of money. Did you borrow his money for the land, like you borrowed his money for the doctor?”
    Lesia swallowed her anger and looked away. She’d been so excited to learn Paul had a daughter near her age. But Minnie had disliked her from the moment they’d arrived.
    â€œMinnie, come help your sisters put out the food!” Pearl called. Victoria and Anastasia, the two middle girls, were cheerfully helping their mother.
    â€œCooooooming, Mama!” Lowering her voice even more, she said, “You’ve already touched our bread, I wouldn’t want you touching anything else.” Her large, blue eyes swept over Lesia. “You are too dirty.”