Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

Author:Patricia MacLachlan [MacLachlan, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780062285768
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-03-25T07:00:00+00:00

8

The rain came and passed, but strange clouds hung in the northwest, low and black and green. And the air grew still.

In the morning, Sarah dressed in a pair of overalls and went to the barn to have an argument with Papa. She took apples for Old Bess and Jack.

“Women don’t wear overalls,” said Caleb, running along behind her like one of Sarah’s chickens.

“This woman does,” said Sarah crisply.

Papa stood by the fence.

“I want to learn how to ride a horse,” Sarah told him. “And then I want to learn how to drive the wagon. By myself.”

Jack leaned over and nipped at Sarah’s overalls. She fed him an apple. Caleb and I stood behind Sarah.

“I can ride a horse, I know,” said Sarah. “I rode once when I was twelve. I will ride Jack.” Jack was Sarah’s favorite.

Papa shook his head. “Not Jack,” he said. “Jack is sly.”

“I am sly, too,” said Sarah stubbornly.

Papa smiled. “Ayuh,” he said, nodding. “But not Jack.”

“Yes, Jack!” Sarah’s voice was very loud.

“I can teach you how to drive a wagon. I have already taught you how to plow.”

“And then I can go to town. By myself.”

“Say no, Papa,” Caleb whispered beside me.

“That’s a fair thing, Sarah,” said Papa. “We’ll practice.”

A soft rumble of thunder sounded. Papa looked up at the clouds.

“Today?” Can we begin today?” asked Sarah.

“Tomorrow is best,” said Papa, looking worried. “I have to fix the house roof. A portion of it is loose. And there’s a storm coming.”

“We,” said Sarah.

“What?” Papa turned.

“We will fix the roof,” said Sarah. “I’ve done it before. I know about roofs. I am a good carpenter. Remember, I told you?”

There was thunder again, and Papa went to get the ladder.

“Are you fast?” he asked Sarah.

“I am fast and I am good,” said Sarah. And they climbed the ladder to the roof, Sarah with wisps of hair around her face, her mouth full of nails, overalls like Papa’s. Overalls that were Papa’s.

Caleb and I went inside to close the windows. We could hear the steady sound of hammers pounding the roof overhead.

“Why does she want to go to town by herself?” asked Caleb. “To leave us?”

I shook my head, weary with Caleb’s questions. Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes. But there was no time to cry, for suddenly Papa called out.

“Caleb! Anna!”

We ran outside and saw a huge cloud, horribly black, moving toward us over the north fields. Papa slid down the roof, helping Sarah after him.

“A squall!” he yelled to us. He held up his arms and Sarah jumped off the porch roof.

“Get the horses inside,” he ordered Caleb. “Get the sheep, Anna. And the cows. The barn is safest.”

The grasses flattened. There was a hiss of wind, a sudden pungent smell. Our faces looked yellow in the strange light. Caleb and I jumped over the fence and found the animals huddled by the barn. I counted the sheep to make sure they were all there, and herded them into a large stall. A

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