White River Sunrise by Frances Devine

Author:Frances Devine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2013-04-10T00:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

Addy peeped out from behind the curtain hung to separate the actors from the rest of the room. She almost giggled at the sight of proud mamas seated on the small chairs that usually sat behind the students’ desks. Johnny’s mother had somehow managed to fit her portly body on one of the chairs, albeit squeezed tightly against Clara May’s tiny bit of a mother on one side and Mrs. Marshall on the other. Ma and Addy perched on their chairs, with Betty on Ma’s lap. At last year’s Christmas party, Addy had planned to ask folks to bring chairs but was informed by several students that the parents always managed fine on the children’s chairs and they probably wouldn’t like it if she tried to change things.

Most of the men were lined up against the back wall, including Pa and Rafe, who each held one of the twins.

She scanned the room for Jim, but he hadn’t yet arrived. Perhaps he wouldn’t be back in time.

When it appeared that everyone was there who was coming, Addy stepped out and smiled at the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are so pleased you could come tonight. Your children have worked hard on this presentation, which depicts the history of transportation in our region. When the play is over, please feel free to look over the essays and pictures that are posted on the walls. The front wall from side to side is our joint project and tells the same story that you will see performed live. The other walls contain individual illustrated essays about the first train into Branson. These contain your children’s own thoughts about the events of that day. We hope you will enjoy your evening. At this time, I’d like to introduce our narrator, Miss Annie Brown.”

Hearty applause sounded across the room as fourteen-year-old Annie stepped out wearing a long, pioneer-type dress with an old-fashioned bonnet atop her head.

The curtain was pulled back, and Johnny and Sam, faces painted and dressed in buckskins, stepped in through the door. Each of the boys wore a band around his head with a feather sticking up proudly. With solemn looks on their faces, befitting the stalwart race they represented, each led an Indian pony across the front of the room while Annie told the story of the native population of Branson many years ago and their mode of transportation.

Whistles and clapping thundered through the schoolhouse as the boys led the ponies down the side aisle toward the front door. The effect of their solemn expressions was spoiled as they gave war cries while leading the ponies through the door.

Addy closed her eyes and shook her head while laughter exploded from the men. But she grinned and breathed a sigh of relief that there’d been no accidents. She hadn’t relished the thought of cleaning up horse manure.

Next a small covered wagon made of cardboard and sheets rolled across the room. Two boys dressed up like oxen pulled the wagon along. No one seemed to mind that instead of four wheels, eight feet stuck out the bottom.

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