Where Hope Prevails by Janette Oke

Author:Janette Oke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042030;FIC042040;FIC027050;Women pioneers--Fiction;Canada Western--Fiction;Love stories;Western stories;Christian fiction
ISBN: 9781441229915
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2016-06-08T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

15

MISS THATCHER, WE GOT AN IDEA.” Three teenage girls stood in a row in front of Beth’s desk, their expressions serious. It was lunch break, and Beth was just catching up on some grading while eating her sandwich. A few of Robert’s students had begun bringing their lunches so they could eat together in the classroom, but all of Beth’s younger ones simply walked the short distance home to their mothers.

Beth looked at each face, from Bonnie Murphy to Marnie and then Luela Coolidge.

“What do you have in mind, girls?”

“We want ta write the Christmas play this year,” Luela announced.

Beth quickly restrained a frown. Things were far more complicated this year with two teachers, particularly since she was avoiding meetings with Robert. She had been contemplating a quiet evening of recitations for her own class, their families invited. Beth struggled to find a proper response. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. But why are you asking me? Have you spoken to Mr. Harris Hughes about this?”

They nodded solemnly, and Bonnie made a little face. “He told us just ta talk to you. Said it was yer department.”

“Why mine?” Beth asked.

“He said he’ll stick with teachin’ us science and mathematics and facts and stuff.”

“He don’t even go to church, Miss Thatcher!”

“And he doesn’t say the prayer before class.”

Beth sighed. “Fine, then. If that’s how he wants it, then of course we’ll plan a Christmas celebration. If Mr. Harris Hughes has no interest in spiritual things, then we won’t let that stop us,” she said as she set her pen in its stand. “What do you have in mind?”

They all talked at once. “We want all the kids to do the show, like last year. . . . We can have it in the church. . . . We’ll tell Bertie Benedict to ask her mama if we can use her little baby brother to be Jesus. ’Cause Charlie, we used him last year, he’s already one and he don’t sit still no more—I mean anymore.”

“Those are wonderful ideas. I’ll speak to Pastor Davidson about holding it at the church. Why don’t we get together after school tonight, if you have time after homework and chores, and we can start to work on the details. Shall we start with the script?”

Her suggestion was met with silence. Marnie, the youngest of the three, drew in a breath. “We’d like ta write it ourselves, please, Miss Thatcher. And do all the work fer it too. We can get the kids together on Saturday and give ’em their parts to practice and such.”

“You want to do it all?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Luela took charge again. “Teddy Boy and Addie said they would help build a set, and Sadie’s gonna ask her mama to play the organ fer the songs. We hoped you and Grandpa Frank could do a duet on yer violins again like last year. Maybe even the same song.”

Beth thought about her neglected violin. It would require practice if she would be ready for a public event.

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