I heard the front door open again and then close. Father soon walked into the kitchen. “Everyone ready to go?” he asked us with cheerfulness.
“Yes!” we replied with even more excitement in return. He smiled at us. “Granma and Granpa said they want us to bring them back some fried cakes and also some of that spiced popcorn, the one with the peanuts in it,” said Father.
“How come they didn’t want to go?” I asked him.
“Well, your grandmother likes to spend much of her time these days gardening. I suppose she’s not as interested in the fair as she used to be, and your grandfather, he’s working on fixing that clock,” replied he. “I told him I’d fixed it, but he refused. He said it’s good to be working on something.” “So, is Thilde meeting you there?” he now asked me.
“No. Remember, she and her family went to visit her grandparents in Lancaster,” I replied to him.
“Oh, that’s right,” said he. “How are the elder Mr. and Mrs. Harris doing? We haven’t seen them since that summer, two years ago?”
“They’re doing alright, but Thilde said they’re getting too old to travel such a long way, and they don’t want to take the train.”
“Why not?” asked Abby, holding a glass of water in her hand.
“Scared, I guess,” I replied to her. “So, they went to visit them instead,” I continued, talking to Father. “Starting next year, though, they’ll be going in the fall to visit them, during the harvest so that Thilde doesn’t miss a lot of school.”
Like my father, Thilde’s father, Mr. Chadwick Harris, was also a farmer. He also worked as a wheelwright when the work was available.
“Hm, it’s quite a ways to travel in the fall with that cold weather, especially at night,” said Father. “What is it, about two days away, Eleanore, from here to Lancaster?” he asked Mother.
“In Pennsylvania?” asked she.
“No, in New Hampshire,” replied Father.
“Oh, yeah. It’s about that,” said Mother.
“But at least, if they take the train it won’t be so terrible. They’ll get there a lot sooner,” Father continued.
“Her parents don’t like taking the train either,” I replied to him.
“Why so? It’s an adequately reliable mode of transportation,” contested he.
“I don’t know. Maybe they’re all concerned about the robberies,” I replied to him.
“Oh, that happens very rarely,” said Father. “Well, I’m sure they’ll have it all sorted out,” continued he. “Alright, boys, time to go!” he now said to Robert and William. “If we’re to get a flying vehicle, we must get there earlier this time. Last time they were all sold out of them before noon. The wooden trains with the railroads were nice, but maybe this time we can get a flying vehicle instead.”
“Yeah!” my brothers replied with excitement.
Father had become very interested in all the latest modes of transportation. He was especially intrigued by the idea of vehicles flying like birds. Every year, there was a vendor at the fair who sold items of such the character. Father had also made some miniature vehicles by way of woodcarving.
Sometime there, just before leaving, Abby had left the dining area and gone upstairs. As we were about to walk out the door, she returned downstairs and arrived in the kitchen. She had a look of frustration, but I couldn’t determine what it was about. Then, it all made sense. “So, Father, I was thinking that since I’m older now, perhaps I should get a little more money for the fair.”
“What do you need more money for?” Father asked her, surprised at her statement.
“I don’t know, just things that I want. I’d like to buy some different items this time, but they cost a little more money.”
“Like what?” he questioned, still irritated at the thought.
“Maybe some hair combs or barrettes, or maybe even a bracelet,” she replied.
“I suppose we can give you a bit extra, but it wouldn’t be much,” he said to her.
“I was thinking also that maybe now that I’ve finished school I could go and find work. There are things that I want, and I’d be able to afford them if I had my own income,” Abby continued.
“Well, I suppose so,” replied Father, somewhat reluctant. “Hmm, you could make some of those items your mother makes and sell them to the local stores, or maybe you could help out at one of those stores. The general store can probably use some help around this time, and plenty more of it just before Christmas. I’ll find out if Mr. Crawford’s looking for any more workers,” he replied.
“Actually, I was thinking of going to the city to find work. I can get paid much more in the city, and there are way more opportunities there.”
“The city? Well, no, you can’t go off to the city by yourself,” replied Father with a look of disturbance.