by Mary Wingfield Bell
Chapter Nine -
June 15th arrived. Grandpa drove the Plymouth to the airport
in Clintsville to pick up his daughter, Pleasure, and her two
children. He was there early so he sat on one of the bright red
plastic benches, reading the newspaper while he waited.
From over the loudspeaker came a lady's voice saying, "Flight
89 arriving at gate 7."
"That's it," said Mr. Capley, jumping up suddenly. He went to
greet Pleasure and her children.
There was a plump form of a woman, with reddish blond hair
gleaming in the sunshine, holding her little boy's hand with her
left hand and telling the girl not to walk so fast. Hannah was
thin like a string bean, Hiram was chubby. The three were dressed
neatly in bright-colored clothing.
"There's Papa!" Pleasure said with relief.
The children ran toward Grandpa.
He put an arm around each of them, showing that he was happy
they came. Pleasure caught up with the three and a lot of hugging
took place.
"Papa, we have to get the luggage," she said.
"Sure, Puff," agreed Mr. Capley.
"Puff is not Mama's name," said Hiram. "Don't you remember her
name?"
"Sure," said Grandpa, "but I always called her Puff when she
was growing up."
"Why?" asked Hannah.
"Perhaps it started when she was very small and got into
Grandma's face powder," related the old man. "She powdered her
face, hair, mirror and the whole bedroom. You name it."
The children laughed to think their mother had been
mischievous.
The trip back to Dogwood Hollow seemed short to Grandpa as he
enjoyed the reunion with his daughter and grandchildren.
"Pleasure, have you lost any weight?" asked Mr. Capley. "I
thought working for a husband and two children would have trimmed
off the pounds."
"Well, Papa," she returned, "I lost a few pounds but I still
have plenty of padding."
Over the hills, around curves and through the valleys went the
old Plymouth car and it was getting near Dogwood Hollow.
"It's good to be coming home for a visit," said Pleasure, "but
I miss my husband. I wish Dan could have come too. His business
takes up much of his time. I rarely see him lately. So how could I
miss him. Papa, I do love that man."
Finally, the automobile turned into the short home-stretch
over the bumpy road way. There was the little house just as
Pleasure had remembered it - a white cottage wrapped in rose
bushes with its neatly trimmed lawn.
Grandpa had to work hard on his house and yard; Hard work was
necessary to keep the home place in good shape. Besides that,
there was the wood carvings for the gift shop. The old man was not
one to waste time.
As they drew near the house their eyes met a peculiar sight.
In the yard and all around the house, even outside of the gate,
were black birds. There must have been a million or more. The
engine of the car startled the great multitude of birds that were
searching for seeds and grubs in the grass.
All arose at once, flying high into the blue sky - a big black
cloud they were, thinning out as they soared into the upper
atmosphere.
"How funny!" exclaimed Hiram. This was a surprise. He liked
Dogwood Hollow. It was so unlike the stone buildings and miles of
concrete in the city where he lived. There were many natural
colors here - green grass and beautiful flowers.
"I think I'll like it here," said Hannah.
"What's the dog's name?" asked Pleasure.
"Didn't we ever mention Popcorn to you," asked Grandpa. "It is
a good name for him. He just pops up all over the place. "
Delight was waving from the window. Grandma came onto the
porch to greet her daughter and two grandchildren. They all went
inside.
Pleasure hugged Delight, saying, "poor dear, having to walk
with crutches."
"Aunt Pleasure, please don't call me poor," returned Delight.
"I am not poor. I can do lots of things other people do. I just
need help going up and down steps. Just you watch and see. I am
not going to stay this way. I am going to be well. I am going to
run and jump and swim. You will see!"
"Well, My!" Aunt Pleasure did not know what else to say.
Delight's response had startled her. She had not believed that it
was possible for the girl to be well. She would keep that sort of
thinking to herself.
Hannah gave the package to Delight. "I brought you a present,"
she said. Her cousin opened the gift and was pleased with the new
art set.
"Thank you, Hannah," said Delight. "I like to draw and
paint."
"Delight, why do you wear a piece of metal on your foot and
leg?" asked Hiram.
"That is a brace, cousin," the crippled girl explained. "It is
there to protect my ankle and let my leg grow right. Don't worry,
I'm not going to wear it forever. One day I will walk freely and I
will not need it or the crutches."
Aunt Pleasure was all the more puzzled.
"Delight believes she will get well," said Grandpa.
"I do hope the Lord will heal her," remarked Mrs. Capley. "She
is believing that He will give her a miracle."
"Of course," said Pleasure, "I hope God will heal Delight,
too, but how many people do you know who have had miracles?"
"We have heard of miracles," answered Grandma. "Right now
let's think of eating. Everything is on the table except for the
hot food."
"Wash up and get seated at the table," ordered Mr. Capley.
Delight could see there was doubt about her getting well but
others did not know everything that she knew. They did not know
how much she read the bible and how she prayed under the grapevine
tree. They had not felt the presence of someone very special there
under that tree.
The meal was good. Grandma had remembered her daughter's
favorite foods.
"I wish Dan could have come," said Grandma. "How is he,
dear?"
"He's fine, Mama, but busy, busy, busy," answered Pleasure.
After supper Delight invited Hiram and Hannah to go with her
to the brook.
Hiram really took a fancy to the water, taking off his socks
and shoes, wading and splashing. Suddenly he sat down in it.
"Br'rr the water is cold," he said shivering. The boy got up and
shook off what water he could. Then he reached down to collect
smooth stones from the bottom. He put quite a pile on the low
bank.
"I'm going to take these to Chicago," declared Hiram.
"You can't carry those rocks on the plane," remarked his
sister. "They're too heavy."
"I'll ask Mama," said Hiram. "I'll beg her to let me. She
will."
"Want to play a game?" suggested Delight.
"Sure, what?" asked Hannah.
"Hit the target," replied Delight.
"What's that?" said Hannah.
"See the tree on the other side of this brook," explained
Delight. "Take the pebbles and see who hits the tree trunk." Hiram
threw the first little rock. "Green giants!" he said. "I missed
it."
"Hey!" said Hannah. "I hit the root of the tree."
"We have to hit the trunk," insisted Delight. She threw and
hit the center of the tree.
"I bet you practiced," responded the boy.
"Yep," affirmed Delight.
"Thought so," said Hiram. "No girl could hit a target without
practicing. "
"What is Chicago like?" asked Delight.
"Big! Big! Big! answered Hiram.
"Tall buildings and thousands of stores," added his sister.
"There's trains that run on rails high in the air, all kinds of
people, airplanes and lots of other things."
"I'm going there someday," promised Delight, "when I can walk
without crutches."
"How can that be?" asked Hannah. "The doctors couldn't fix
you. You'll still have to wear a brace."
"Ever heard of Jesus?" said Delight.
"Sure, in Sunday school," both cousins answered at the same
time.
"Do you know what he did?" the crippled girl asked.
"He healed people," Hiram said proudly.
"But that was hundreds of years ago," returned Hannah.
"I know," said Delight, "but Jesus never changes. He still has
the power to heal. He will heal me; I don't know when but I know
Jesus is going to heal my leg."
"Great!" exclaimed Hannah. "That will be good!" This new
thought made her happy.
A call came from the house. It was Grandma.
"You children must come in before the mosquitos take over.
Mosquitos were bad sometimes at night in Dogwood Hollow and it was
beginning to get dark.
"Let's go," said the Capley girl.
Popcorn had come to meet the children and he walked along with
Hiram. He did not want to get in the way of Delight's crutches.
The three cousins went in the house to join the grown ups. Mr.
and Mrs. Capley and Pleasure were having a pleasant conversation.
They talked mostly about Pleasure and her brother when they were
small.
It wasn't long before Grandma looked tired. Grandpa began to
yawn and he said it was time for everyone to go to bed. All went
to bed.
Next day was Delight's birthday. Grandpa had finished the
statue and varnished it perfectly. It was beautiful and there was
a real resemblance to the Capley girl.
There were assorted cookies in the freezer Grandma had
prepared a month earlier for her granddaughter's birthday. She had
finished the pink dress, trimmed with white and blue lace, for
Delight's birthday gift.
Aunt Pleasure laid a package of balloons and some string on
the table. She found scissors to cut the string. "You three have a
job," she told the grandchildren.
Hiram and Hannah blew the balloons so big. A yellow balloon
popped. Delight tied each balloon with a piece of string. Grandma
hung the balloons from a cord she strung across the dining room.
The dining room looked pretty.
Grandma baked a cake and was frosting it when Abner and Maggie
appeared at the back door.
"Please, children, go home and come back to the party at four
o'clock this afternoon," she said. "It's a little crowded in here
right now." The woman needed room to work in.
"O.K., Grandma," said Abner.
He called to Delight, as he went out the door, "Betcha you
don't know what we have for your birthday."
The Canberry children ran to the brook to play.
The day was going smoothly. Hiram and Popcorn were going on an
adventure. The dog went ahead of the boy, leading him to the
hideaway place behind the foliage beyond the back yard fence.
Delight saw that they were nearing her grapevine tree and she
yelled, "Hiram, go out the front gate and find Abner and Maggie.
You can have fun with them."
Hiram turned around and so did the dog. They went to find the
Canberry children.
Whew! That was close, thought Delight. She felt a bit selfish
and that was uncomfortable. But I'll tell everyone about the tree
when I am healed.
Soon Grandpa and Aunt Pleasure came home with their arms full
of packages. She went into a bedroom to wrap presents for her
niece.
It was four o'clock and time for the party. Abner and Maggie
came. Nella Pump arrived out of breath. She was late leaving home
and ran most of the way, not wanting to miss anything.
Games were played like Fly away, Butterfly, Who's got the
marble, I see and others that Delight could be a part of.
Delight blew out the candles on her cake. Mrs. Capley served
ice cream and cookies. The person getting a slice of cake with a
red peppermint inside won a dollar. Abner won the prize.
It was time to open gifts and the crippled girl was beaming
with excitement.
"I'll open Hiram's gift first," she said.
"What did I give her Mama?" asked the little boy.
"Look, dear, you'll see," replied his mother.
Delight held up a box with three pairs of knee socks. "Good!"
she said. "That will keep my legs warm."
Next she opened a present wrapped in green from her cousin
Hannah. "How about that!" she said. "I need new jeans."
"Birthdays are so nice," remarked the Capley girl as she
opened a red and white striped box from Abner and Maggie.
"Oh! Oh!" she exclaimed. "It is a radio." Abner was glad
Delight was happy with their gift.
Delight knew that Grandma's gift would be something to wear.
It was a pretty pink dress.
There was a white sweater from Aunt Pleasure with blue and
pink flowers on it.
"You finally got to my present," said Nella. "I know someday
you are going to play with it." Everyone looked at each other
wondering what it could be.
Delight tore open the package quickly and saw the blue and
white jump rope. "Oh boy!" she exclaimed. "Will I ever!"
Aunt Pleasure's mouth opened wide but she did not say
anything. This was not the time to spoil everything.
"There is one more, dear," said Grandpa.
"Oh, Grandpa," said his granddaughter, "I can hardly wait to
see what you have for me."
She untied the ribbon on the white paper bag and drew out the
statue that the old man had worked on so long to make it
perfect.
"Oh! Oh! o-o-ooo," she cried with joy, pulling Grandpa down
to her and kissing his cheek. "It's me! It's me! It's me running.
Thank you, Grandpa." His was the best gift of all.
Pleasure was more puzzled than ever. "Why did you do that,
Papa?"
"It's all right, Puff," he answered. "Don't worry."
"That's not Delight," shouted Hiram. "She has four legs and
she can't run. The statue has only two."
"I'll forgive you for saying that, cousin," said Delight,
"since today is my birthday. "
It was a good party. Hannah carried the gifts to Delight's
room, all except the statue.
The Capley girl asked Hannah to place the beautiful statue on
the mantel above the fireplace in the living room.
The other children went home.
In a little while it was bed-time. Grandpa read a bible story
to his three grandchildren. Then he kissed each one good night.
Hannah slept on a cot near Delight's bed. The girls went to
sleep listening to soft music on Delight's new radio.
Next morning the Capley girl thought of the nice things she
received the day before.
"Please, get the statue for me, Hannah," requested Delight.
"O.K., girl," she said. "But I still don't get it, Grandpa
carving a running girl statue that looks like you. Why didn't he
make you standing with crutches?" Hannah shook her head.
"Because, dear cousin," returned Delight, "Grandpa knows I
will be able to run one day."
"Hey!" exclaimed Hannah. "That would be real neat." She handed
the delicately carved figurine to Delight who was sitting up in
bed.
"It is so pretty," expressed the cousin. "There are the little
eyes, nose and mouth. Look! My hair is blowing in the wind.
Grandpa placed it all there."
The girls dressed and went into the dining room to join the
others for breakfast. Hiram was seated and ready to eat as soon as
Grandpa said the blessing.
After breakfast, Aunt Pleasure drove Grandpa's car into Apple
Hill to take care of business. Grandpa went with a friend to
Clintsville to sell four beautifully carved black stallions to the
man in the gift shop.
Grandma was doing a load of laundry.
The three children played games but Hiram was soon tired. He
decided that being with Popcorn would be more fun. The boy and dog
ran up and down the rough narrow road in Dogwood Hollow. It was
fun trying to miss as many rocks as possible.
Hiram, being hot and thirsty, ran to the house for a drink of
cool water. When he came out on the back porch, the boy decided to
cool off Popcorn. He picked up a pan of laundry starch.
"Want to cool off, Popcorn?" he said and then he threw the
starchy water on the dog. The pair ran back to the road to
play.
Popcorn was getting very uncomfortable and began to scratch.
The long hair on the dog's back and shoulders were stiff as card
board.
"Oh, dog!" he exclaimed. "What did I do to you?"
He was regretting that he picked up the pan on the porch.
"Let's go to the house, Popcorn," he said. "I didn't know that
water stuff would mess you up."
When the pair came around the corner of the house, Hiram heard
his grandmother fussing. "What happened to the starch water for
Grandpa's shirts?"
"I'm sorry, Grandma," sighed Hiram. "I threw it on Popcorn to
cool him. We were so hot."
"Dear me!" exclaimed Mrs. Capley. "You really fixed poor
Popcorn. He looks so miserable."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," cried Hiram.
"Well, boy," said Grandma. "You'll have to wash him good." She
brought out shampoo, a brush and bucket.
"Get water from the barrel," she ordered. "Wash him good. Then
you must rinse him many times. If you don't get the starch out of
his hair, you will do it over again."
"Grandma, won't you help me?" begged Hiram.
"Honey, you made this mess," she reminded him. "Besides, you
threw out the starch. You must get the dog clean and I must make
more starch."
The girls came onto the porch to see what had happened.
"Mama's going to punish you, Hiram," scolded Hannah. "You
shouldn't have done that to Popcorn."
"You wouldn't want starch poured on you," said Delight.
"That's enough!" said the old woman. "Hiram is sorry and he is
taking care of Popcorn. You girls get back to your game or
whatever."
The girls did not go back inside. Maggie and Abner entered the
yard. Hannah held the screen door open and then helped Delight get
down the steps to meet the Canberry children.
"Hiram has to bathe Popcorn, huh?" asked Abner.
"He threw starch water on Popcorn and now he has to scrub
him," whispered Delight.
The four youngsters went to the front yard and sat on the
front steps while they waited for Hiram to finish his job.
Delight leaned back and looked up into the blue sky with white
fluffy clouds floating high looking like so many things.
"I see Popcorn in the sky," she said.
"Where?" Maggie leaned her head on an upper step.
"There," Delight pointed.
"Oh, yes," Maggie agreed the cloud did look like the fluffy
dog, but in a few seconds it changed into what looked like a giant
piece of popcorn.
"There's a polar bear," joined Abner. He watched the
bear-shaped cloud float along until it only looked like a huge
ball of cotton.
"I can see a big bowl of ice cream," said Hannah, looking
upward.
Hiram heard the words ice cream and came running to see where
the ice cream was.
"Oh, silly!" said Maggie. "We're just watching cloud animals
and things. It is fun."
Then Hiram sat down, leaned back and looked to the sky to see
what was really up there. "I see a snowball train," he said as he
watched a long row of clouds. The clouds moved faster and faster
until the snowball train was out of sight. The sun came out from
behind the clouds.
"Oh, don't look anymore," said Delight. "It will hurt our
eyes."
Popcorn joined the children. He was very wet but looking
comfortable and cool now.
"You're wet, dog," said Abner. "Move over!" He shoved the
animal away from him.
Hilda Canberry's voice could be heard, calling Abner and
Maggie.
"Good!" said Abner. "We're having baked beans and hot dogs for
lunch." Then he and his sister ran home.
Hannah, Hiram and Delight went to find something to eat. About
that time Aunt Pleasure arrived with cold cuts and wheat bread.
The cousins ate sandwiches and ice cream.
"It's a good lunch," Hiram said to Grandma. He hoped the
others would not tell his mother about Popcorn and the laundry
starch. Fortunately for Hiram the girls forgot the incident and
Grandma would never tell.
In the afternoon Grandpa came home from Clintsville. He threw
a bubble gum to each of his grandchildren. The old man was in a
cheerful mood. The stallions were selling as fast as he could
carve them. There was a demand for his very lovely statues and the
man in the gift shop raised the prices.
Grandpa wrapped an arm around Hannah, the other arm around
Hiram and bent over to kiss Delight on the forehead.
"I need three arms," he said.
"Love you, Grandpa," Hiram said, squeezing Mr. Capley's
hand.
"There's something else for you kids in the bag on the table,"
the man said.
Hannah reached into the brown paper bag and brought out a box
of modeling clay.
"Let's go on the porch and see what we can make," suggested
Delight.
Hiram held the door open for Delight. Soon the three sculptors
were as busy as honey bees on a sunflower.
The Capley girl made a doll chair. Hiram built a wagon. They
made many things. Soon Maggie and Abner were there with them. The
youngsters played with the clay until the sun had dropped behind
the mountains.
"We're going back to Chicago in the morning," Aunt Pleasure
announced. "Kids, gather up all your things. We must pack our
bags.
"Do we have to leave tomorrow?" asked Hannah.
"We have plane reservations for tomorrow," said her mother.
"We will go home tomorrow."
"I had a good time," said Hiram, "but I want to see
father. "
"The last few days were fun," remarked Delight. I've gotten to
know my cousins. Please come again next year and stay longer. I
believe I will be able to go everywhere with you next summer."
Next morning Grandpa and Hiram carried the luggage out and put
it in the trunk of the car.
"Please, Grandma," begged Delight. "Let me go to the airport
with them. I'm O.K."
"It's a long ride, dear," reminded Grandma. "But you can take
a pillow in the back seat. That way you can lay down on the way
home."
"Oh, thank you, Grandma," Delight was happy.
Mr. Capley, Pleasure and Hiram sat in the front seat while
Delight and her cousin shared the back seat with the crutches.
The trip seemed short because there was much to say.
Aunt Pleasure and her children climbed aboard the airplane,
waving farewell from the top steps and then they were out of
sight.
"Well, honey," sighed Grandpa. "It's us three again, Comfort,
you and me."
"We have good times, Grandpa, don't we?" said Delight. "Just
the three of us and we won't forget Popcorn."
"Sure, babe," returned Mr. Capley. "I have much work to catch
up with. The chicken coop needs repairing, the grass needs mowing
and Grandma wants a new flower box.
"I got things to do, too," added the girl. "I haven't finished
the picture scrapbook. I want to read the book Aunt Jolly sent.
Best of all I'm going to visit the tree again."
"Do you mean to say that your cousins never found your
grapevine swing?" Grandpa was surprised Delight kept the secret so
well.
"No, they never saw it," replied Delight.
The girl was thinking of going to the tree place as soon as
they arrived home.
On the way home Delight sat up front with Grandpa. They sang
and told jokes, having a nice ride together.
It was the last day of the school year. Delight, Abner and
Maggie were all promoted. The Canberry children welcomed the
summer vacation but Delight wished that she could stay in school -
go to school every week of the year.
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