Pillow of Stone by Al Lacy

Author:Al Lacy [Lacy, Al]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-78052-2
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2011-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Jacob Kates pulled his bright red wagon up to the outskirts of Green River, Wyoming, on a Friday evening. His sales had gone well, and he was ready for the Sabbath day. Even though Saturdays were busy days in all the towns, he would not break the Jewish Sabbath for monetary gain.

The night air was frosty. Jacob built a fire in his small potbellied stove, ate a quick meal, and began his worship at 6:00 P.M., the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath. The heat from the stove felt good as Jacob read a portion from Genesis, then read from the Talmud. While reading, Jacob heard people pass by a couple of times, commenting on his wagon, and showing excitement that a peddler was parked at the edge of town.

Jacob had been told by both Manfred Collier and his friend Eli Goldman that the people of eastern Wyoming and Nebraska—especially the women—loved to have peddlers come to their towns. They were able not only to purchase new goods that were not available in their local stores or trading posts, but they could also get caught up on any news from the other towns and settlements where the peddlers had been. For residents of settlements where there was no regular postal service, the peddler would carry letters to the next town on his route and post them.

Jacob had reason to believe that once he had established his new route, he would do better financially each time.

He spent the Sabbath Day quietly, venturing outside only when necessary.

Sunday came, and he stood outside the wagon and greeted people as they passed by on their way to church. Smiles lit up faces when they asked if he would be in town on Monday, and he assured them he would. Jacob had learned that Sundays were not good for sales; there were the Gentile church services, and the stores were closed. If anyone was seen on Sundays in the business districts, they were just passing through.

After the church traffic had dwindled, Jacob returned to his potbellied stove and dropped in a couple of logs to keep the fire going.

The after-church traffic went by shortly after noon, and once again Jacob stood outside to greet the people.

It was midafternoon when he sat by the warm stove inside his wagon, reading a recent copy of the Rock Springs News, which he had purchased in that town on Friday morning. When he heard voices outside, he looked through one of the small windows and saw four teenage boys standing together, admiring his mules and the wagon.

By their conversation, Jacob realized they had never seen a traveling peddler before and were curious. Putting on his coat and hat, the wiry little man stepped outside, closed the door behind him, and said, “Good afternoon, boys. You live in town?”

“Yes, sir,” the one who seemed to be the oldest replied. “We’ve heard about peddlers like you going through the towns over on the east side of the territory, but we’ve never had one here.

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