Amish Dilemma: A Novel. Sioux Dallas

      Women in the community have helped obtain napkins with the name of the couple and the date on each one. There may be homemade candy placed in small net bags for favors. The main dish, which the women of the church provide, may be hingleflesh (roast chicken) traumata mush (mashed potatoes) gravy, a variety of meats, vegetables, salads and desserts. Water, coffee, cider or lemonade will be served for beverages.

      In the afternoon the young people have a singing while the adults visit.

      Later there is a dinner and the cakes are served. For the seating of the young people, on the bride’s side are the newly married and the published couples.

      On the groom’s side are the dating couples. Hymn singing follows the dinner.

      * * * * *

      Charity sat silently beside Adam in his buggy. They were spending their first night together in the bride’s home. The following morning Charity got up at five thirty to help her mother with breakfast. Adam went out to help Charity’s father feed the animals and clean the sheiyah (barn). The couple then busy themselves cleaning up after the ceremony. Benches must be taken to a place where they are stored until they will be taken to the next haus (house) for a Sunndawk (Sunday) service.

      Adam was a willing worker helping Jacob Startz set the milking machines on the kees (cows) and feeding the sixty dairy kees. The milch (milk) was strained and poured into large metal containers and placed on a sled for a gaul (horse) to pull it to the edge of the bavvrkai (farm) property for a truck to pick up the milk and give Jacob a receipt for it. The large containers had markings on them to show who owned those particular containers so the correct people would be paid. Too, the markings helped to keep records of desirable and undesirable milk.

      The following weekend Adam hitched his horse to the buggy to take Charity visiting nearby relatives and close friends. This is a honeymoon.

      Each house they visited had a gift for them. The gifts could be a handmade item, a plow, a young cow, homemade furniture, or seeds for spring planting. In January they went to live with the groom’s parents.

      Christmas came with a deep snow which prevented people from visiting or going out. The Amish do not have decorated trees or do any celebrating as the town people do. Some do exchange gifts. The women do make Rinderrou-laden, or bake Speingerle cookies, Sugar cookies, Sugar Cream Pie and many other tasty items. Christmas was a time for special worship services, remembering the birth of Christ and reading the story in Luke.

      Charity and Adam were busy working and making items for their own home.

      Januar (January) and Februar (February) passed slowly because there were so many animals to feed even in the cold and snow. There was lots of outside work to be done and plenty indoors. Women did get together as often as possible for quilting sessions and to make clothes for an expected baby.

      Marz (March) came roaring in like a lion which meant they would have an early spring. (The old saying was “In like a lion, out like a lamb”)

      Jacob Startz and Joshua Kime announced in a worship service that they would be building a house and a barn for Charity and Adam. The Amish all pitch in to help each other and do not consider it an imposition. It is fun.

      At six in the morning about six dozen men and boys came to help.

      Gauls were turned into a pasture with water so they could rest and graze.

      Buggies were lined up as if they were posing for a picture. They were building on land between the two farms to join the two families.

      Joshua laughing said he was going to build lots of bedrooms for many kinskinner (grandchildren) he was expecting. Charity blushed but said nothing because she knew she was expecting a boppli (baby) either the last of Septembar (September) or the first of Oktobar (October). She was so happy to be a mother but her heart would have been lighter if Adam had exhibited any signs of being happy to be a father.

      Jacob and Joshua had given Adam two Percherons for farm work. His uncle, Noah Kime, had given him a buggy gaul which could also be ridden under saddle. Adam loved that gaul and named her Bonnie Kate.

      Moving into their new home was a time for rejoicing and much happiness.

      Charity was thrilled to be on their own at last. Adam showed little interest except to thank the people for their help. As they moved into the house on March 20th, Charity had her nineteenth birthday. There was no special gift from her husband. Friends came by with canned foods, flower rootings and handmade items. Her mother had made her three new aprons and two dish towels for the kitchen. Her best aldi (girlfriend), Nadine, gave her a tiny kitten which she named Snowflake because it was all white, fluffy and cuddly. The Zook twins, Christine and Ruth Ann brought a basket of candy they had made and two loaves of Friendship bread.

      Adam started plowing and planting his fields while Charity put in a big vegetable garden, an herb garden and lots of flowers. She brought all the bedding out to beat it and hang it in the fresh air for awhile. She took all the curtains down to stretch them on the curtain stretcher and hang them clean and fresh smelling. Two of her friends came to help her wash windows and clean the entire house. It was a Freidawk (Friday) and she and Adam would host the worship service on Sunndawk.

      On Samshdawk (Saturday) men brought in the benches and more women came to help Charity prepare the house. She knew everyone would bring food to share but she had been baking and planning food for several days.

      This was exciting for Charity because it was the first time she and Adam had entertained. Inside and out everything must be clean.

      Charity was so pleased that a huge crowd came to their house. She felt they were accepting Adam and her as a mature couple. She was astonished at the amount of food brought. Her mother whispered that everyone knew she was expecting her first baby and knew how tired she would get. They furnished enough food to leave some for her and Adam.

      Adam hired two teenage neighbor boys to help him in the field and to help build whatever was needed for use on the farm. He wanted a separate building for the food stored as feed for the animals and one to park the buggies and work wagons. In the fall they would harvest the crops and put up necessary supplies or sell what had been raised to sell. Charity would can foods and prepare for winter.

      Adam and Charity had a stand beside the road in front of their property where they sold vegetables, fruit and honey. Charity included eggs and few baked goods. A few times she sold pots of flowers.

      The summer was hot and hard for them. Adam was kind to Charity and was quick to see that she had what was need inside and out, but he was not affectionate. Charity wished with her whole heart that he would once hold her and say “I love you”. He was a gentleman and a good husband but didn’t think it was necessary to show affection. He felt he was working to provide a good home, plenty of food and that was all that was necessary.

      Charity worked hard to be a good wife and a good housekeeper. She was an excellent cook and a very good seamstress. She kept the house neat and tidy, fed some of the animals and took care of the garden. She also helped Adam when he needed her outside.

      Charity was pleased to view the many jars of vegetables and fruits she had canned and made ready for winter. These were kept down in a basement.

      She would can meats later.

       Chapter Two

      Late spring and early summer were hotter than usual and Adam worked hard in the field and feeding and caring for the larger gediere (animals). Charity took care of the picks (pigs) and all the fowl.

      One Deenshdawk (Tues.) Adam was standing under a tree giving Bonnie Kate a bath. Kyle Snader, Matthew Startz and Gerry Raber were visiting.

      “Adam, she sure is a schee (pretty) gaul.” Gerry stated as he used a scraper to take the suds off Bonnie Kate.

      “Danki, (thank you) I think so,” Adam answered. “At first I was naerfich (nervous) riding her on the highway, but she handled beautifully.”