Polly by Mary Christner Borntrager

Author:Mary Christner Borntrager [Borntrager, Mary Christner]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8361-3670-8
Publisher: MennoMedia
Published: 2015-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

14

Grummbiere Mush

Time passed swiftly for the Miller family living at Lone Prairie, Texas. In the next several years, nine other families settled in the same area. They had formed a small church, meeting in homes every second Sunday.

Most of the families who moved in were younger parents with small children. Thus there was little social life for the few teenagers.

Ralph had made two trips back to Ohio to check on their farm and encourage others to move to Texas. Late one fall, he was planning to take along Esther and the younger children to visit Freindschaft and friends back in the home community.

“Can’t we all go?” Esther asked wistfully.

“I should say not. It costs enough as it is, without dragging all the children along,” her husband insisted.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t go then.”

“Your parents wouldn’t let me hear the last of it if I didn’t bring you. In fact, your mother made me feel guilty the last time I went alone. I declare, she acts as if I were mean to my family. I’m only trying to get our farm paid off so we can all go home for good. I have to cut corners wherever I can.”

“I know, Ralph. You’re doing fine, too. It’s just that it seems so long.”

“It should only be a year or two yet if all goes well.” Ralph was pleased that Esther approved of how he was managing their finances. The farm payoff schedule was steep, but when they had it paid off they would be in a better position to help their children get started on farms for themselves.

The older children wanted to go back to Ohio, but they would surely miss the modern conveniences to which they had grown accustomed. William and Effie hadn’t been old enough when they moved to remember their Ohio home. Levi had only vague memories, and Sara’s were a little sharper.

Polly and Ben, however, often longed to return to their cousins and friends. In the few letters they received from home, there was news of Rumschpringe (going out with the young folks). Boys of Polly’s age were getting buggies of their own.

“Ben,” remarked Polly one day, “if we were living at our old home, I would soon be going to Sunday night singing. I’m almost sixteen and old enough for Rumschpringe. But what chance do I have out here?”

“I know,” answered Ben. “There aren’t enough Yunge here at Lone Prairie to have singings. It seems that all we do is work, work, work!”

“I agree. And when we aren’t working, we’re so tired we fall asleep.”

“Well, I heard Dad say that maybe in a year or two, he’ll have the home place paid off,” Ben said. “Then we can move back.”

“Ach, I’ve heard him say that before,” Polly griped. “Do you think it will really happen this time?”

“Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

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