CHAPTER 13

The following Sunday a delegation from church came to the farmhouse and prayed at Sarah’s bedside, and every day afterwards two or three members came and did the same.

But Sarah did not respond, and despite her prayers, she shortly slipped into unconsciousness and quietly breathed her last breath. It was in the wee hours of the morning and Effie, sitting by her bedside, had dozed off. When she woke she knew immediately, especially after she reached over and touched her hand. Sarah looked so peaceful.

Effie didn’t move. She couldn’t. She just sat there crying quietly. No need to disturb the family yet. There was nothing anyone could do for Sarah anymore. Effie’s hope was that Sarah was now with God and her James.

As she sat there, Effie felt a great emptiness. Her life had lost some of its meaning and her reason for being. Then she told herself, “No, that’s not completely true. I have lost my best friend in the whole world, but I still have her little son to look after for the time bein’. I can’t fall apart.”

She finally roused herself, straightened up the room just a bit, and then quietly walked down to the kitchen. She built up the fire, started heating water for coffee, and then sat down to wait for Nell. She decided there was no need to disturb her in her room. “I could start breakfast,” she thought, “but I don’t know if anyone would feel like eating. I’ll just wait.”

As she sat, her thoughts were of the days ahead. What would happen next? At least now they could let it be known that James was gone. They might even plan a funeral service for Sarah and a memorial service for James at the same time. But that would be their families’ decision to make. Poor Nell had so much responsibility for such a young woman with Jessie away. “I just hope that one of these days she finds a great guy to marry, settle down with, and have a family of her own,” Effie thought.

After they had returned from their trip to visit James, Effie soon realized what a big job Nell had, so she made every effort to try helping. She always brought Sarah’s food up and down the stairs. Then after getting her settled in the morning, she would take Elisha down in his little crib and relieve Nell of some household chores such as dishwashing, sweeping, and dusting.

Just at that moment, Nell appeared in the kitchen doorway, surprised to see Effie. “Is something wrong, Effie?” she said.

“Oh, Nell,” she said. “Sarah’s gone! I was sittin’ by her bedside early this mornin’. I dozed off a bit and when I woke, I knew immediately. I didn’t hear a sound, so I know she died peaceably.”

Nell quietly began to cry. “I’ve just had the feelin’ the last few days that she wasn’t goin’ to make it, so I’ve tried to prepare myself for its happening. Still I don’t know what to say or do. Have you thought that this makes poor little Elisha an orphan? What’s goin’ to become of him? Dear God, what are we to do?”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that right now because I intend to care for him myself as I’ve been doin’ until someone tells me I can’t do it anymore.”

“Bless you, Effie. You’ve become like a sister to all of us, a true member of the family. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

As they sat drinking their coffee and planning what needed doing immediately, they thought there was no need to tell Emmaline yet. She wouldn’t understand anyway.

Nell said, “Effie, do you mind watchin’ for Caleb? As soon as he shows up, tell him what’s happened and send him back for Harriett. Tell him we’ll need him later to drive out to the Russells and let them know. And it would be nice if you went along to break the news to them since you were with Sarah at the end. Harriett could watch over Elisha while you’re away. Do you mind?”

“No, I’d be willin’ to do that, of course.”

“But first we all need to get our heads together regardin’ thoughts about funeral arrangements, and then you can get the Russells’ thoughts on that, too. If they’d like, we’d welcome havin’ them come over to discuss it. If not, then you could give them some idea of our thinkin’ right now?” said Nell.

“What about Doc Brown?”

“Yes, we should let him know. I’ll have Sammy ride to his office and tell him as soon as possible.”

When Sam appeared, he didn’t seem too surprised to hear that Sarah had died in the night. Mainly, he felt sorry for Lish.

Nell said, “I’m goin’ to leave it up to you, Sam. You can get ready and go on to school after you get back from telling Dr. Brown. Or stay home, whatever you like. But frankly, with all that will be goin’ on here today, I think you’d be better off just to be away.”

“What’s going to happen to her now?”

“Well, the doctor will come. Then her body will be prepared for burial and brought downstairs to the living room to be placed in her coffin until the time for her funeral and burial in the cemetery. A couple of neighbors usually come and ‘sit up’ with the body durin’ the night as is the custom.”

“Okay, I think I’ll go to school,” said Sam.

“Right. But first, as I said, we need you to quickly ride to Dr. Brown’s home and tell him what has happened so he can come out here. Then you can go to school.”

But instead of him leaving as he normally would have, Sam kept standing. Finally he said, “Uh, Nell … um …. do you think it’s be OK if I stayed at Caleb and Harriett’s tonight?”

“Sure, Sam, I think that’d be a good idea. She should be up here soon so you can ask her. But remember that you have to come up to the barn after school and help Caleb with the usual chores, and maybe you can help him do his own chores after he gets home. He’s pretty busy right now.”

“OK. Thanks, Nell.”

Later in the day, when they found the time, the grownups sat down for a discussion. First it was decided that along with the news of Sarah’s death, they should let it be known that word had been received about James’ death. They also agreed that Sam should be told immediately before he accidentally heard about it. They realized that this wasn’t going to be an easy task, since Sam had so looked forward to his big brother returning from the war. And since Nell was the closest thing to a parent he had, she should do it.

That settled, Effie spoke up and told them her idea of how they might have a combined funeral-memorial service for James and Sarah. They all welcomed her suggestion. Caleb said, “I imagine that could be worked out with the pastor. I doubt if he’s ever handled such a service, but there’s always a first. There hasn’t been a time like this before.”

With that settled, Caleb and Effie got ready and left for the sad trip to the Russell farm. Neither of them looked forward to their mission. It wasn’t easy telling a mother and father that their daughter had just died, especially in this case following so soon after James’ death. What a tragedy!

As they came within sight of the Russell farm, Caleb said, “Effie, I hope I can count on you to do most of the talkin’. I’m not very good at this sort of thing.”

“Well, Caleb,” she said. “I don’t know if any of us are good at a time like this. But I’ll do my best.”

Uriah and Lucinda both appeared at the door as they pulled up in the wagon. Uriah opened the door and invited them in. When they were seated, Uriah said, “I imagine you’ve got bad news.”

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” said Effie. “I’d give anything in the world if I didn’t have to tell you that your dear Sarah passed on early this morn’ while I was sittin’ by her bedside. She woke about midnight and asked for a drink of water. She took a few sips and then appeared to fall back asleep. I, too, dozed off and woke again at about 3 a.m. When I looked at her, I just knew that something wasn’t right. I reached over and touched her and saw that she was no longer breathin’. She had a very peaceful look on her face, and since I heard nothing sitting right next to her, I knew she had died peacefully.”

The Russells said nothing for a while. Lucinda cried quietly. Finally Uriah said, “Effie, we knew the minute we saw you drive up why you were here. We’ve had a feeling the last few days that Sarah just wasn’t going to make it. It’s been too long. She should’ve got over it much sooner. But as a person who believes in God, I have to think there’s some reason. But it’s hard to understand what. We just have to accept it and carry on.”

Effie said, “Well, I want you both to know that I wish God had taken me instead. I’d gladly have given my life to save hers. And until I draw my last breath, I’ll always wonder why she had to die.

“And I say to you right here and now,” she went on, “that as long as I will be allowed to do so, I intend to devote my every wakin’ moment to lookin’ after their little son Lish. I feel that is now my callin’ in life.”

At this point, Effie was unable to speak further, so Caleb filled them in on their thoughts regarding funeral arrangements, asking about their feelings.

“What do you think, Mother?” Uriah said.

“It sounds like a good solution, especially since none of us have had such a situation arise like this,” Lucinda said.

“Good. We’ll pass the information on to Nell.”

“Then we need to be getting back,” said Caleb. “And I’ll speak for Nell and say that she would want you and any other members of your family to feel free to come by before the service if you would like.”

- * - * - * - * -

The farmhouse was indeed a busy place, with people coming and going, expressing sympathies and bringing food. The news spread like wildfire throughout the community after Caleb stopped by the store and ordered the coffin made. The news of both James’ and Sarah’s death was an unbelievable story. Young Elisha Sanders, grandson of Samuel and Emmaline Sanders and Uriah and Lucinda Russell, was now an orphan!

By evening, Sarah’s body was lying in her coffin in the front room, and two of their close neighbors came over to sit with the body that night as was the custom.

- * - * - * - * -

On the day of the funeral and memorial service, the church was overflowing. People came from miles around. This unusual story had touched the hearts of so many people – and the question in everyone’s mind was, “what’s going to happen to little Lish?” It was a sad group that walked over to the cemetery from the church after the service and laid Sarah’s body to rest. Adding to their sorrow was not knowing at that time what disposition of James’ body had been made by the Union Army.

* - * - * - * - * -

All was quiet for the next several days on the farm. They were all tired and sad and needed time to just rest and reflect on all that had happened. A decision would have to be made soon about the care of Elisha.

Effie had trouble sleeping – tossing and turning sometimes for hours, thinking about Sarah’s death. Would her life ever return to normal again? Would she ever be free of the guilt she felt for not being able to save Sarah’s life? She went over the happenings of the last days and weeks on the trail home, wondering if she could have done things differently. Did she fail to become concerned about Sarah’s condition sooner and make every effort to hire one of the farmers along the route to drive them the rest of the way home?

This reminded her that she must write to the Jenkins family and tell them what had happened. They would want to know.

The only thing she could be sure of was that she would have regrets all the rest of her life and feel somehow to blame, even though at the time she felt she was doing everything in her power to save Sarah.

In addition, she agonized over whether the family felt that she was somehow responsible for Sarah’s death. This bothered her more than anything because she felt they had trusted her to go along to watch over Sarah and the baby. She was afraid they were thinking she had let them down.

- * - * - * - * -

But life must go on, and so on about the third day after the funeral, Effie told them she felt she should go back to her home and see to her parents whom she had neglected for quite a long time. And she said that for the time being, unless anyone had any strong objections, she planned to take Elisha along with her.

“I’ve become quite attached to this child, as you know. I know I have no legal rights to him. But for the time bein’ I think he should be with me. I’ve been like a mother to him for some time now.

“You have you hands full here, Nell, runnin’ the household and takin’ care of Sam and Emma. And Harriett has her daughter, her husband, and a household to run. So I think it’s the best solution right now. I don’t know what the Russell family’s feelin’ would be about the matter, but that can all be hashed out later.”

“Well, Effie, what can I say? I hate to see you go. As I’ve said, you’re like family and we’ll miss you and Elisha a lot, but I know you’ll bring him and come visit often. Frankly, it would be quite a job for me to take over this responsibility right now,” said Nell.

By noon that day, Effie was all packed and ready to go. Caleb had been alerted and was now ready to drive her to her home in the wagon.