Don't Hang My Friend by Raffensperger John;

Author:Raffensperger, John;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: History Publishing Company, LLC
Published: 2017-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Sometimes, I almost forgot what Rachel looked like, but held the memory of her hair and her soft hand close to my heart. Some nights, she seemed so close I could touch her, but when I woke up she was gone. Doc seldom had a call to that part of the county but he kept me awful busy with the books. Aunt Alice was always a slave driver when it came to chores. After she heard about germs, she got more persnickety about housecleaning. Being a doctor’s apprentice didn’t leave time for fun.

There wasn’t even no way I could send a message to Rachel, lessen it was by letter that her pa might get first. Every Saturday, I put on my best clothes, slicked down my hair and went downtown. Rachel never came to town. When the Bontrager’s team of big Belgian horses and the wagon would come down Main Street tt was just the old man and his boys. I was careful to stay out of sight on account of I still worried that Reverend Pendelton could send me back to the orphanage. I guess Mr. Birt said something to the Reverend about leaving me alone.

One Saturday, I was moping around, wishing that I could get a glimpse of Rachel,

when Walter, the youngest Bontrager boy, came out of the harness shop all by himself.

“Walter, how’s Rachel?” I just blurted it right out without thinking.

“She’s just fine, walking as good as ever,” said he.

I got all red in the face and the words came tumbling out. “Does she ever talk about me? I think about her all the time.”

“Rachel always wants to come to town. Pa won’t hear of it, says she got big ideas about school. I think she’s sweet on you,” said Walter.

“Would you tell her that I want to see her real bad. Maybe I could get a buggy and take her for a ride again.”

“I’ll do that.” Walter grinned, like he was glad.

I just about floated on air when I walked home on account of she was sweet on me.

When they didn’t come to town the next week, I moped around and didn’t have much of an appetite. One evening Walter knocked on our back door. I figured he wanted the doctor, but he had a big grin and held his black hat in both hands. “Tom, there’s going to be an ice cream social at the meeting house next Saturday. Rachel hopes you can come.”

“I’ll be there if I have to walk,” said I

Walter looked down at his feet like he was embarrassed. “It ain’t that easy. Pa hates outsiders on account of folks who don’t know our ways are a bad influence. Rachel got the idea you could come with the ice wagon. If you git there, be real careful around Pa.”

Billy Malone was throwing his Barlow knife at the outline of an Injun on a board. From ten feet away, he could hit the bulls-eye every time. He could do most anything

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