Yankee Heart by Jennifer A. Davids

Author:Jennifer A. Davids
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2013-09-10T00:00:00+00:00

eleven

It was easy to keep her resolve that evening. As long as the planting was going on, Simon Peter and his sons were staying at the farm during the week, sleeping in the barn. What had been going on with the Johnsons dominated the conversation in the parlor after supper.

“Are you and your family still attending the church in Africa?” Daniel asked.

The dumbfounded look on Katherine’s face made Simon Peter laugh heartily. He then explained how, a year or so before the war, a group of slaves had made their way to Ohio after being freed in North Carolina. They eventually came to Westerville, a virulent antislavery community south of Delaware, and the citizens invited them to stay in some abandoned cabins north of town. They stayed and prospered, prompting one of the few proslavery farmers in the area to label the town “Africa.” The new community proudly accepted the name.

Unfortunately for Katherine’s plan, Simon Peter and his sons left late Saturday afternoon so they could spend Sunday with their family. Katherine once again managed to get by that evening with the excuse she was tired, but she knew she’d need to come up with something different or Mary would suspect she was getting sick.

However, making up excuses was the furthest from her mind as they went to services Sunday morning. Rev. Warren had promised to speak to the Body this morning. She fought the jitters as Daniel helped her down from the carriage.

“Are you going to be okay?” he asked.

She nodded and tried not to look directly at him. He’d had to wear his uniform again this week, and seeing him in it made it hard to breathe. She grabbed on to Mary’s arm.

The older woman found her hand and squeezed it. “Trust Him,” she whispered.

They made their way to a pew and sat down. Sadly, nothing seemed very different. Most people greeted Daniel and his aunt but ignored her. She looked around and saw hardened hearts all around her. Father, please change these hearts by the end of the service.

May Decker came forward and played the small piano as the reverend led them all in “Just as I Am.” At the conclusion of the song, he motioned them to sit and looked soberly out over the congregation of Mill Creek Church.

“It has been only a week since the passing of our dear president. He was a good man and a righteous man. Never was that made more clear to me than when I had the opportunity to read his second inaugural address in the newspaper only a month ago. ‘With malice toward none; with charity for all. . .’ Those words stood out very clearly in my mind as so noble, so Christlike. He had no ill feeling toward the South, in spite of the war. He said as much just days before he was taken from us. He sought not revenge or punishment, rather, as he so eloquently put it, to ‘bind up the nation’s wounds.’

“It is time, brothers and sisters, to begin to heal.

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