realized the girl was uncommonly beautiful. Momma began to think Hixson might be more in lust than in love.
When Poppa and Mr. Haught and all the others Sarah had helped seem to fall in love with her, Momma worried. Maybe Hixson’s love for Sarah was from the healing. At last, she could put all those concerns aside, and trust in the veracity of her son’s love. It wasn’t gratitude, protectiveness, some kind of spell or mere lust. All of those were certainly a part of it, but more than anything it was love of the deepest kind.
Momma turned her mind to Charlton and Annie. Theirs was a love of an entirely different sort. Momma considered what they had together a fine thing, but quite ordinary. What they shared was the kind of marital love that most people know. It was strong, and lasting, but fairly regular.
She liked it that Charlton saw past Annie’s dubious looks and into her beautiful heart. No other man had done that, and they had missed out on a treasure of a girl in their shallow view. What Hixson and Sarah had was something more. Indefinable, mystical...they had the ordinary marrying kind of love, enhanced with something extra. Hixson didn’t have to look past anything with Sarah; she was beautiful on the outside as well as the inside.
No, he didn’t need to have to look at her with special eyes. But he did have to find a special strength for her. Sarah’s calling exacted a unique price, and Momma believed that Hixson was just the man to measure up. Sarah’s beauty was the easy part. Momma believed that providence had put those two young people together for a purpose. Some powerful thing was afoot and she was content to believe in it and to let it unfold with time.
November 1st, 1866--Dover, Pennsylvania
Pastor Leonidus Baker sat in Emma’s cozy kitchen, upstairs of the bakery, and asked to talk to Emma and Caleb both.
“Caleb, I expect I ought to be talking to you, too. I would like to marry this lady here. Could you approve of your Momma marrying the likes of me?” Leonidus Baker was a humble man.
Looking first at the Pastor, then at his mother, Caleb considered. He barely remembered his father. The years must have been lonely for her. Pastor Baker had red hair, thanks to his Irish ancestry, and a good heart.
Emma waited, saying nothing. She could read the thoughts behind Caleb’s eyes as clearly as if he spoke them aloud. Her son was a man now. He would soon marry and start a life of his own. If ever she were going to find love again, she better get on with it.
“Mother, do you want to marry this man?” Caleb asked.
“I do, but only if you can be happy about it. I don’t have so many loved ones left in the world that I can spare any.”
“Your happiness is mine, Mother. If this is the man you choose, of course you have my blessing.” Caleb stood and kissed his mother. He shook Pastor Baker’s hand, and went out.
Emma told Leonidus there was one more person he would have to meet before they could settle their plans. Up until then, circumstance had kept him from meeting Sarah. Emma needed to see what her friend thought of Leonidus.
Hixson and Sarah were invited to dinner at Emma’s, to meet her intended. Leonidus surprised himself with how nervous he was to meet them. Of course Leonidus had heard about them both, Sarah in particular. He was skeptical of the whole healing story. Even a stout believer in miracles could be doubtful about individuals such as Sarah.
He half expected her to have some magical air about her. Instead, he met a perfectly ordinary woman and her ordinary husband. Sure, she was unusually pretty, and her husband was a fine looking man, but she didn’t seem to be mysterious.
Sarah’s pregnancy was just starting to show, and Emma made much over it. All the happy things Emma had prayed for on Sarah’s behalf were happening. For her part, Sarah felt wonderful. She was over the queasiness of early pregnancy. Her health was good, her worry mostly gone. Hixson beamed with happiness, having overcome his initial concerns.
After a fine dinner, the men retired to chat while Emma and Sarah cleared away the dishes. This was the moment Emma was waiting for. “Do you like him?” Emma asked. “What do you think of him?”
Sarah could see that Emma was in love with the man. “I like him very much. The question is: do you like him?” Sarah teased.
“I do! Can you picture me as the wife of a Pastor?” Emma chuckled.
“Dear friend, I can picture you being anything you set your mind to. Are you happy with him? Is he good to you?”
“He is so sweet to me, Sarah. I thought when Mr. McKendall died that I would never find love again. But Leonidus...he’s a joy. He’s a fine man, and I’d be proud to be his wife.”
The two friends chatted on through the evening chores. Hixson and Leonidus covered the same conversation in the other room.
Leonidus spoke first. “I don’t believe Emma will marry me without Sarah approves.”
“Is there some reason Sarah would not approve?”
“I don’t know. I was hoping you could tell me.” Leonidus Baker smiled nervously at Hixson. “I hear she doesn’t attend any of the churches hereabouts. I thought she might object to a clergyman.”
“You have no worry there, Pastor. She’s as god-fearing a woman as you’ll ever meet, even without the church-going. If she objected to you for Emma, it would be for a sound reason.”
“Such as?”
“If Emma wasn’t in love with you, that’d be one. Or if she suspected you’d ever mistreat her. They’ve been good friends for many years, and been through much together. Sarah would object to anything that wasn’t for Emma’s happiness.” Hixson watched Leonidus carefully as he spoke.
Leonidus seemed to relax. “I believe Emma is in love with me, and I know I am with her. I hear your wife is a wise and insightful woman. All she has to do is look, and she will see that I intend to do everything I can to make Emma happy.”
November 11th, 1866--Dover, Pennsylvania
Leonidus Baker and Emma McKendall stood before the Reverend Frederick Dubois and took their vows. Pastor Dubois was a friend and classmate of Leonidus’ at divinity school. He was most pleased to perform the ceremony.
Pastor Dubois had known Leonidus’ late wife well. She had been gone for fifteen years. She was a good woman, but not a cheerful one. When Leonidus wrote him that he was to marry again, he described Emma as a funny, cheerful woman. Anxious to meet Emma, and to see Leonidus again, he offered to perform the ceremony. Above all, he wanted to see his friend in a happy marriage. He had traveled all the way from Philadelphia for the honor.
Caleb thought his mother looked quite beautiful for a woman of her age. She was, after all, 44 years old. Her hair was still a brilliant red, and the years had been kind to her. The notion of a wedding put a lot of other notions in Caleb’s head. All through the ceremony, he glanced at Eliza.
She was quite beautiful in his eyes, too. Eliza’s hair was a rich brown. Her eyes were brown, too, giving her the look of a young fawn. Every time she caught him looking, her cheeks got pink. That made Caleb’s heart race.
Caleb liked Eliza’s shy ways. As much as he loved his mother, and liked her too, he wished she were a little shyer. It was a quality he admired in Eliza. She would share her opinions with him when they talked privately, but only with him. She was never outspoken. She gave things careful consideration before she made a judgment. Caleb appreciated her reticence. He did not care for the giggling girls that came in to the bakery. Eliza was different, and very special.
Emma and Leonidus turned to face the congregation as husband and wife. As they walked up the aisle, Caleb and Eliza’s eyes met. The tender look that passed between them looked like wedding bells. All the Morrises noticed the look. Momma squeezed Poppa’s arm. Hixson glanced at Sarah, grinning.
Charlton nudged Annie and whispered, “One of these days, our boy will have a passel of cousins to run with.”
November 29th, 1866--Dover, Pennsylvania
Thanksgiving Day was celebrated at the Old Farm, as Momma and Poppa’s farm came to be called. Poppa had raised a fine tom turkey, more than big enough to fee
d everyone. Momma was in the kitchen well before dawn.
It was a crowded table at the Old Farm. The Morris family was growing. Emma was considered a member of the family; she and Leonidus joined the Morrises. Leonidus’ mother, Rachel Baker had traveled from Boston to see her son. Old Mr. Haught had also been invited, and was so late to arrive they thought he wouldn’t show. But show he did, bearing six bottles of cherry wine he’d purchased from Mrs. Dewulf.
The Morris family stood in open-mouthed wonder as Mr. Haught laughed and joked with Rachel Baker. She was somewhat younger than he, but a handsome woman. Mr. Haught was jovial and chipper and an ideal dinner guest. He amazed them all.
It was only natural that Reverend Leonidus Baker would offer their Thanksgiving prayer:
“Heavenly Father, we gather together today in joyful thanksgiving. We thank Thee for the company of our loved ones and dear friends. We thank Thee for the good health bestowed upon us. We thank Thee for the bounteous feast upon the table, and the gracious hands that labored this day to put it there. Most of all, Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the special gifts given to each of us.
We beseech Thee to always provide the divine guidance we need to use those gifts wisely. We ask a special blessing this year for all those suffering from the tragedies of war. Bestow Thy grace upon the widows and orphans, the ones who lost a child, the homeless and all the