The Year of 1901

Chapter 8 A Peaceful Evening

David and Esther finished washing, drying, and putting all the dishes away in a little over a half-hour. After every dish was sparkling clean they went and did their own thing for the next hour. Esther read and talked with her sisters while David did nothing in particular. He just bothered whoever.

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A small knock was heard on the door.

"Come in," said a faint voice. Mrs. Billings pushed open the door. There lay a small figure of a girl. Her brown wavy hair laid crazily over her pillow.

"How are you feeling dear?" asked Mrs. Billing as she sat on the edge of the bed right next to her daughter.

"Pretty good. I really think I was well enough to go to the Crawford's tea this afternoon."

"Oh no, Evaline. You needed to rest," said her mother gently. "Besides it was a bit chilly today and you could have got worse."

"Did Hannah ask where I was?" asked Evaline quietly.

"I think she might have asked one of the girls." Evaline looked sad. "Oh dear, I really don't think you missed much. No one was really there because everyone is still out of town for the holidays."

Reader, she said this because today was Tuesday, the first day of the year, and most people were still away with family from Christmas and the new year.

"Are you hungry?" asked Mrs. Billing as she gently rubbed her daughter's arm.

"A little."

"I'll get Mrs. Waterford to bring you up some soup or something."

"Mamma, I'm just tired of laying here all day," replied Evaline with a sigh. "I only slept a little this afternoon."

"I tell you what," said Mrs. Billing adjusting her wait on the bed. "If you eat your soup and you still feel good, you may come into the living room and sit by the fire this evening." A large grin pulled across Evaline's face as she nodded her white head.

For readers, the Billing family had made it a habit that they would all sit around the fire for a few hours in the evening. Some time for just an hour and sometimes up to 2 or more. Just a quiet time sitting around the fire. Mr. Billing would usually read a few chapters of the Bible and then they would talk for a while. Some of them would play the piano. Some of the girls would sew. Mrs. Billing was always minding. She did not think it right that Mrs. Waterford would do it all. In the cold weather, they would sip hot tea and apple cider, and in the warm weather, cold milk. Sometimes popcorn or apples were munched on and on special occasions cookies (if one of the girls had made them earlier that day.)

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"And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine. For he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes." These words came out of Mr. Billing's mouth before closing his rectangular Bible. Esther gently and quietly opened her brown book. For the children were not allowed to read while their father read the Bible.

"What chapter was that that you just finished, papa?" asked Priscilla, not looking up but just pushing her needle in her embroidery and then grabbed it from underneath.

"Matthew seven," he said as he set his Bible on a small table to the side. Evaline adjusted her position in her father's lap and laid her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her still nightgown body and she curled tighter.

"I have recently finished reading Matthew in my own Bible." She again stuck her needle in her embroidery. Mr. Billing noticed Esther sitting next to the fire with her face stuck in her book.