“Thank you. I will get back to you in about two weeks.”
We said our goodbyes and I started to walk home trying to comprehend how I was going to tell my mother that I wanted to move to Boston, which is a three day’s journey.
While I was on my way home, I began to think about how I would tell Mama that I wanted to move to Boston and be a teacher. As I rode onto our property and began to put old Trigger away, I heard several loud yelps from inside the house. I hurried to put Trigger in the barn and then ran inside as fast as I could, which was very hard with my dreadful petticoats. I walked into the house and the yelps continued, but just getting louder and louder. I walked into my parents bedroom and saw Ben laying there.
“Mama, what happened?” I said with a shocked voice.
“He has a severe gash on his calf,” Papa replied hurriedly as he and mother wrapped his leg up quickly.
“Where are the children?” I asked.
“Upstairs, in your bedroom. Would you go sit with them please? I’ll tell you when we are done and you all can come downstairs.”
“Of course.” As I walked upstairs, I knew it would be a few days before I could ask Mama about moving to Boston.
When I got upstairs, all the children asked me how he was doing and if he was going to be ok. I didn’t really know how to respond since I had only seen him for a few minutes. When Mama and Papa called us downstairs they told us Ben had fallen asleep. I helped them to get Ruthie, Caroline, Jacob and Caleb down to bed, then we talked for a little while.
“He was outside fixing the plow, when the horse was frightened and the plow ran over is leg and cut a five and a half inch gash across his calf. He should be ok, but the doctor came earlier, before you got here, and said that it would take at least a week to two weeks before he can go back to work.”
The next morning, things were quite different around the farm. Even though I went to school that morning, I had to end it before lunch so I could get home and help around the farm. When I got home, Mama said to me, “Elizabeth, I need you to go tend to Ben’s leg, he is still in our room. Tomorrow I will need you to stay home from school to help me cook and care for Ben so your father can work outside.”
“Yes, Mama. Where is the cloth to rewrap it?”
“On the shelf by the fire.”
“Is it infected Mama?”
“No, not yet at least. We’re praying that it doesn’t get infected at all.”
When I began to tend to him, he woke up and said to me, “Lizzie, how did everything go with the superintendent?”
“Fine, thank you,” I said, actually glad to hear my nick-name. I could not decide if I should tell him about Boston and the job at the boarding school or not. After thinking about it for a few seconds, I said, “Actually, he offered me a job in Boston at a girl’s boarding school.”
“Boston, Elizabeth, that’s three day’s journey!”
“I know, I haven’t told my mother, so don’t mention it.”
He laughed and went back into a peaceful sleep. As I finished to cleaning his leg, I thought about Boston and how easy life would be there. I would not have to do anything for myself. No more chores, or tending to leg wounds. The hard thing would be asking my Mama and Papa about it. When would I ask her? How would I ask her? Would she take it well? Maybe I should wait until Ben got better. All these things were running through my head as I was caring for Ben. Other thoughts were going through my mind too. Was Ben more than a farm hand to me? Was he more than a friend? Would I miss him calling me ‘Lizzie’ if I moved away?
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That's all for now! I hope you are enjoying it...I'd love to hear what you think. Thanks for reading- Your author- Bailey
