BOOTS (Part 4)
Aug 21 '02
The Bottom Line This is the final part to the short story Boots. Please read parts one, two and three. My thanks to Peter.
PART FOUR
Supplies were now arriving with regularity from Adelaide, and food was no longer a problem. The community dining table had been disbanded. Since there was no longer a need to leave the tent for meals, Anna spent most of her time in bed, or propped up on the couch. When she felt good, she would read or draw, but mostly she dozed or moved slowly because of dizziness.
Nobody knew the nature of Anna’s illness. An elderly woman who had been a mid-wife in Prussia and was gifted at healing came in to look at Anna, but all she could do was to suggest broth, water,and juice which Hulgath was doing already. Hulgath did keep the other children away from her, for they were all healthy, and until they knew the nature of Anna’s illness she thought it best to avoid any kind of contamination. It was especially hard to control little Joey, for he felt close to Anna and really wanted to play with her.
Olga refused to let Hulgath do all the nursing.
“We all need you, mama. We don’t want you to get sick too. I am healthy and if I haven’t caught whatever it is that Anna has, I won’t catch it.”
Finally Hulgath let Olga help. She knew she could count on her two girls. They were well trained, and could carry on for the family if Hulgath should be taken ill. With this in mind, she weaned the baby in a matter of a few days. If her mother was unavailable at feeding times, the girls had to be able to feed their baby sister.
The final nail was put in Joseph’s shop, and he was busy building shelves and a counter. The nonperishable food items were stacked neatly waiting to be placed when the shelves were finished, along with thread, and yard goods and hammers and farm items he planned to sell. It was time to start building his permanent home – the dream house of stone and brick that he and Hulgath had talked about. The bricks and stone had been ordered
That morning, Hulgath was pleased to find that Anna was feeling better. She ate a soft boiled egg, and drank a half glass of well water. She was listless, but didn’t want to sleep. Instead, she drew a few pictures, and read a little of her McGuffy’s primer.
The men Joseph had hired had just finished digging the foundation for the new house, when a sudden violent wave of stomach distress swept the community. The Elders met, and it was decided to call in a man of Science from Adelaide to inspect the area, and see if he could determine what was wrong.
The man came, although it lowered the contents of Joseph’s gold storage box by several gold coins. The scientist inspected the tents and houses. He had a little glass tube that he put samples of earth and weeds in. He took samples of the water. He inspected them with an instrument that he placed over them. When he inspected the water sample, he frowned. He took another sample from a different well, and inspected that one. “You have a pollution.” He told Joseph. “It’s in the water.”
He told Joseph to tell the men to bring down water from the wells higher in the hills, and to inform the town that their drinking water could make them sick. He then began to inspect the whole of the area to try to locate the source of the problem. He found it at the cemetery. He learned that the underground river that was the supply of water for the community, was passing over the coffins. The cemetery would have to be moved.
The elders moved quickly to correct the problem. All of the able bodied men were asked to volunteer. Joseph was proud to see that his two teen age sons were among them. One group of men found a flat area higher up in the hills that was just right for a cemetery they thought, and they immediately started the digging of eight graves. Elmer and Oscar were in this group.
Others started digging up the graves in the “óld cemetery”. At the urging of the scientist and the “healing” woman, a rule was passed by the elders stating that anyone sick with a mysterious illness should be in isolation until their illness passed. If they recovered, there would be no problem, but if they were to run a high fever, and die, they should be buried as soon as possible to prevent contagion. All of their bedding, clothing and any possession that they had handled during the illness should be burned. The clothing worn by whoever had tended them should also be burned.
Moving the caskets was not a pleasant task. Although the wood of the caskets had not yet rotted, they were mud covered. Ropes had to be attached, and the caskets pulled out of the pits by hand, a job requiring several strong men, and strong hemp ropes that wouldn’t fray. The men all wore towels or large handkerchiefs over their noses and mouth to filter the sickening odor. Then the caskets had to be loaded on the wagons and carried to the new cemetery. After being lowered into the excavations, all of the graves in both cemeteries had to be filled.
At home, Anna had delighted Hulgath by asking if she could wear her grown up boots for a while. “You certainly may,” she told her daughter. “The red ribbon bows are still in place.”
Anna wore them with such pride that it made her mother smile. She would turn her foot this way and that way, admiring the grown up cut of the soft leather.
Joseph was tired and muddy when he arrived home that night. Even before he went to the well to pump up water to wash himself with, Anna asked to see him. She smiled at him. “See, Papa, I’m wearing my grown up boots.”
She held her little foot out for him to admire.
“Well, you are indeed,” said Joseph, pretending to be awed. “Little Anna,” he continued. “I shall see that you always have a pair of pretty boots for those pretty feet.”
“I can take them off now,” said Anna. “It’s time for bed.”
It was about one o’clock in the morning when Hulgath was awakened by a mewing sound, followed by a strained cough. “It’s Anna,” she said aloud.
She rushed through the canvas wall to her daughter's bedside. The mewing moan came again, and Hulgath put her hand on her daughter’s forehead. Fear washed over her, leaving her momentarily breathless. Anna’s head was hot, too hot. Anna was burning with fever.
Quickly she wet a small towel with water as cold as she could get it, and pressed it on Anna’s forehead. She called Joseph. Half asleep, Joseph joined her.
“She’s on fire, Joseph,” she whispered. “She’s burning with the fever.” Sleep forgotten, Joseph touched his daughters hand and arm. He turned and woke Elmer.
“Your sister is very ill, son,” he said. “Run and get the healing woman and bring her here as fast as you can.”
Elmer lost no time. He pulled on trousers and his boots, and he was gone. It took only a short time before he was back, with the woman, Mrs. Shroeder, beside him.
Mrs. Shroeder looked serious. She said, “I see you are washing her down with cold water. That is good.”
She lifted Anna’s hand, and felt for the pulse heartbeat. “Turn on your tummy, dear”, she said to the child. Then she put her head down, and placed her ear on Anna’s back. She straightened up. “Try to sleep, Anna.”, she said to the child. “I want to talk to your Mama and Papa for a minute.”
At the door of the tent, she looked down and then looked up and faced the couple with tears in her eyes. “You are doing all you can,” she said. "But - well -"
“What are you saying,” demanded Joseph in a harsh whisper.
“Are you saying she is going to die?”
“Her lungs are filling, Joseph. Her little heart cannot hold out much longer. Remember to keep everyone away from her, for when the hot fever hits, she is the most contagious. Remember to burn her things if –“
“You say you are a healer. Don’t say if. Do something, for God’s sake.”
“There is nothing I can do. Nobody knows how to cure these contagious things – except to prevent the others –“
Joseph started to speak again, but Hulgath put a restraining hand on his arm.
“Thank you for coming, Mrs. Shroeder. Elmer will see you home”, she said.
“My prayers will be with you and the child”
“Again, I thank you. Good evening, Mrs. Shroeder. Elmer?”
Elmer pulled open the tent flap, and escorted the healing woman out.
“Fool woman”, exploded Joseph.
“Joseph, she was only trying to help. Come help me sponge off Anna again.”
All the rest of the night and morning, the couple sat by their daughter’s bed, sponging and whispering to her. Once in a while Anna looked at them and tried to smile, but the rail in her breath grew louder. It was close to midday before she went into what her parent’s thought was a faint, but what we know today is a coma. Helpless, they continue to sponge her warm body, and each of them sat quietly, emerged in their own meditations.
It was twilight, and Olga had lit the candles and lamp when Anna whispered, “Look Joseph. She’s coming out of it.” Sure enough Anna’s eyes were opening. She saw them sitting there and smiled.
“Thank you, Mama. Thank you, Papa”, she whispered.
“I’m going to sleep now.”
Her eyes closed again. Her breath was coming slower now. Hulgath was softly humming a little song Anna loved. Again the little girl's eyes opened a bit.
“Mama?”
“Yes darling. I am here”
“Will you keep my boots for me?”
“Of course I will, my sweetheart.”
A smile, faint and heartbreaking, and the eyes closed again.
The breath came slower, once, and again. There was a final little gasp of breath.
Then there were no breath at all.
Hulgath drew a deep shuddering sigh and turned to her husband. His eyes brimming as he held Hulgath close. The two of them held the hug for a long time. Neither of them spoke.
Suddenly Joseph pulled loose, and ran from the tent, bare footed. He ran through the trees and up the hill. There, amid the sounds of the animal life and the sounds of nature, his sobs mingled with the shrieking cry of the wind
blowing in from the ocean.
When he returned to the tent, he found that Hulgath had already washed her daughter. She had dressed her in her underclothing, and was pulling Anna’s best Sunday dress over her head. She combed her daughter's light hair, and with her fingers urged Anna’s natural wave to fall in ripples to her little shoulders.
Elmer called his dad, and told him that Mr. Shroeder had stopped by, and delivered a new child’s casket the men had made. It was neatly lined with a pink quilt, with a matching small pillow for Anna’s head. A small quilted cover laid over the quilt, and the corner had been folded back. The casket was firmly made, and had been sanded and varnished and polished like fine old furniture. Apparently Joseph was the only one who hadn’t realized how sick Anna really was.
Elmer, crying, also said that the men had dug a grave in the new cemetery, just for Anna, and she could be taken there in the morning. Swallowing, Joseph thanked the boy.
Hulgath didn’t seem surprised. She knew in her heart that she had lost her child when she first felt her hot forehead. Finished with the dressing, she handed her daughter to her husband. He carried his little girl tenderly, and laid her gently in her final bed. Hulgath drew up the little flowered quilt over Anna’s lower body. She leaned over and kissed her child's cold lips.
Elmer and Joseph placed the casket in a place of honor, atop the family’s only large table. Joseph caressed his daughters cheek. "Sleep well, little sweetling", he whispered in German.
Hulgath returned to Anna's portion of the tent. Her eyes felt like burning coals wedged into her face.
“Joseph, please tell the boys to build a big bonfire by the river flat,” she said.
When the fire was burning strongly, she picked up Anna’s night clothing, the sheets and pillow, the book she had been using and her drawings . She changed her clothing, and put the night clothing she had been wearing on the pile. She handed them to her husband. “Burn them”, she said. Joseph stooped to pick up the boots.
No, not the boots. I am keeping the boots. I promised”
“But the rules say- “
“I don’t care. I am keeping the boots.”
“I have an idea,” said Joseph. “The foundation for the new house has been dug. They will be adding the limewash as soon as they lay the corner stone.
I,myself. will encase the boots in limewash, and we will leave them atop the the wash before the floor is installed. That way, they can never hurt anyone, but we will know they are always there.”
Hulgath handed the boots to her husband.
“You are a good man and a good father, Joseph Ornsmayer,” she said. “It is lucky I am that we found each other.” Joseph gripped his wife’s hand as, at last, a few tears dropped gently from her eyes.
In the morning a horse drawn wagon bore the little girl to her final resting place. Joseph and Hulgath each held one of little Josey’s hands. The girls carried the baby, and their brothers followed behind. Most of the village trailed after. Church services and a memorial would be held at a later date.
By the end of the week, life resumed its usual pattern. The limewash was spread and the boots were put in place. The beautiful house of brick and stone was finished. It was a house that gave Hulgath and the rest of the family a lot of pleasure. Olga crocheted a round rug, about four feet in diameter. It was placed over the spot where Anna’s boots had been placed.
Over the years, Hulgath would often pull up a chair, and sit on the rug, motionless for sometimes as long as half an hour. During those times, no member of her family disturbed her.
Now over 150 years later, the house still stands, a house that marks the start of building in the village of Lobethal. One hundred years and fifty years of living and secrets are in the house, and the house is now being preserved for posterity. Not long ago, it was discovered that the original limewash foundation was crumbling. Funds were volunteered to restore the home, and the original foundation had to be replaced. The workers discovered that the hard wood floors were still in excellent condition, and had never been moved. They pulled up the flooring.
Among the crumbles of the foundation one of the men found a rather curious lump. With care, he cracked it open. Inside he found a child’s boot. A search found the other boot in a similar lump of limewash. One of the boots was given to a footwear facility in Lobethal, and the other boot went to the nearby Woodside facility. With loving care, the staff cleaned and polished the boots. They found that the boots were like new, except for the laces which time had destroyed.
Hulgath’s promise to Anna had been kept.
Thank you for your patience in reading this.
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