A Harvest of Hope by Lauraine Snelling Read Free Book Online Page B

easily. She was so young and thin. Still, nothing told her why the baby had died. Not that they could always pinpoint reasons anyway. Perhaps this woman had not had sufficient food, and from the looks of her, that could well be the case. She’d seen cases like this at the hospital in Chicago, women from the tenements, where people sometimes starved. Was Miriam’s family in bad shape? she wondered.
    â€œI’ll be in the office. Thelma will send any patients over here that show up at the door. Thank you for mothering her.”
    â€œYou are welcome.” The bath finished, Ingeborg took outsome lotion that smelled like Amelia’s roses and began smoothing it into the patient’s skin.

    Later that night, the Jeffers family had just finished eating supper, all together for a change, when a knock on the door brought Daniel to his feet.
    â€œWhy, Father Devlin, come in!” Daniel stepped back and motioned their guest inside. “Have you had supper?”
    â€œNo, but when I returned late this afternoon, I heard about the sad happenings in the camp.” He smiled at Astrid. “I am muckle sorry for yer day.”
    â€œThank you. Did you go to the hospital to see her?”
    â€œI did, and while Mrs. Sorvito is still as weak as a baby bird, thanks to ye she still be alive.”
    â€œShe knows the baby was born dead?”
    â€œAye, she told me. I went to the wee thing and baptized it straightway, of course, in her presence. She asked if I would celebrate a proper funeral for it, and that I will.”
    â€œYou can talk with her, then?”
    Father Devlin chuckled. Despite how many miles he had traveled today, his eyes twinkled. “Aye, Latin be close enough to Italian that we could converse. To a degree and with lots of gestures, of course. Sure and I’d not want to preach a sermon in it, but I understand more than I can speak it.”
    â€œTomorrow, could you ask her some questions for me?”
    â€œThat I could. Ah, and thank ye for yer insistence that she go to the hospital. Too many of the poor are afraid of both doctors and hospitals. Of the money and the unknown.” He smiled at Astrid. “But then other places don’t have a hospital like this one. I suspect ye’ll never make a dime from it, not the way ye neglect to charge people.”
    â€œHow can one charge when there is no money to be had? When they can, people will pay, and often they pay with theirlabor, or whatever they have. One woman is doing the laundry to help pay after we cared for her.”
    â€œNever fear. God himself will bless ye.” He started to leave, but Daniel pointed to the table where Amelia was setting a full plate down.
    â€œSit, man. Anything can wait while my mother feeds you. If you don’t, she’ll feel she failed in her duty.”
    Amelia tsked and shook her head. “Pay no attention to him, but it would be a shame to waste this good food. I know it is good, because Daniel had thirds tonight.”
    Father Devlin raised his hands, and Astrid motioned to the sink. Hands washed, the priest sat down, said a brief grace, and cleaned his plate, mopping the gravy with the last of the sliced bread.
    â€œMore?” Amelia hovered by his shoulder.
    â€œAh no. Thank ye. I be—”
    â€œAs big as you are, you can eat more. We do not stand on politeness here.” She brought the pan over and dished up what was left. “You wouldn’t want to waste this last bit, now, would you?”
    â€œWell, since ye put it that way.” He smiled up at her. “I never be one to waste God’s good gifts.”
    â€œSo how was your trip?” Daniel asked. “Your horse held up?”
    â€œThat he did. Like everyone else, life in Blessing brings health to the broken.”
    â€œWhat a thing to say.” Astrid stared at him.
    â€œWell, ye have but to look about. A hospital, a church where people truly believe in our God and His power