Whispers of a New Dawn Read Online Free PDF

Guten Morgen! Wir haben die Bänke! ”
    Ruth propped her pitchfork against the barn wall and walked out to the farmyard. “There’s your answer. The men have brought the benches over in a wagon.”
    Becky looked to see who was driving the wagon but her mother said, “Come. Let’s finish this quickly now. There are some bare patches behind you.”
    Becky was still pitching hay when two men carried the first of thebenches in. It was plain and sturdy and had no back. Behind them came two other men. She didn’t know either of them and merely nodded, keeping her head down.
    “Rebecca. Guten Morgen . How are you?”
    She looked up to see Moses smiling and helping Joshua Miller carry a bench inside.
    “Why, good morning, Moses. Hello, Joshua. I didn’t know you were with the wagon.”
    “Oh, I drove it,” Moses said quickly.
    “And I helped,” Joshua added just as quickly.
    They set the bench down and positioned it in a row with another one. Then both straightened and looked at her, removed their straw hats, and put them on again. The older men were already getting more of the benches but Moses and Joshua hesitated, smiling at Becky.
    “You’re a good worker,” Moses finally said.
    “I think so too.” Joshua was grinning. “I’ll bet you’ve been at it since the crack of dawn.”
    “Joshua. Moses.” Lyyndaya approached them. “Thank you. We do need those benches.”
    “Of course.” The two of them almost ran out of the barn.
    “You’re proving to be a distraction.” Lyyndaya gazed at Becky in her dress and pinned-up hair. “Perhaps I should send you to the kitchen.”
    Her daughter immediately lifted another forkful of hay. “Why? I’m working hard.”
    “ You are working hard. I’m not sure Moses and Joshua will with you around.”
    “They brought in a bench.”
    “The other men have brought in two or three.” She smiled. “Stay and pitch your hay. But perhaps you should keep your head down for now.”
    “Is that what you did?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “With Dad? Kept your head down all the time?”
    Lyyndaya laughed. “Are you courting? Never mind. Do what you like. Your father always knew the color of my eyes.”
    The boys didn’t speak to her again, not with her mother hovering nearby, but Becky could feel them gazing at her. Once she looked up and her eyes met those of Moses. Neither of them looked away. Sun slanting through a window made his eyes green and gold.

    The next day Becky got up when Ruth did and went down to help her mother milk the dairy herd. The sky was still dark, for it was well before daybreak. At dawn there was a breakfast of oatmeal, sausage, eggs, and bacon and then everyone got cleaned up for church. There would be a communal meal after the service and Grandmother Kurtz had baked two large hams that she placed carefully in the warming oven.
    “The women sit over here,” her mother told Becky when they entered the barn for the morning of worship.
    Becky made a face. “All right.”
    “It is the custom among the Amish. You remember that.”
    “I said all right.”
    Becky didn’t know any of the slow hymns or understand the sermons given in Pennsylvania Dutch but she sat in respectful silence, head down, deliberately avoiding looking toward Moses and Joshua. She could feel their eyes on her, though, and decided the sensation was not unpleasant.
    After the service, the meal tables were brought from a few wagons and placed between the benches. Becky found herself seated with Moses on one side of her and Joshua on the other.
    “I remember the last time you were here,” said Moses as they ate.
    “So do I.” Joshua swallowed a mouthful of ham and spoke again. “I think you were sixteen then, ja ?”
    Becky poked at her peas with a fork, liking all the male attention but not sure what to do with it. “Fifteen or sixteen, I’m not sure.”
    “And where were you coming from?” asked Moses, who wanted to be sure he stayed in the conversation.
    “And where