Julia's Last Hope by Janette Oke Read Free Book Online

will plant, and the other will cover. Then you can change jobs.”
    After a mild argument, the girls decided that Felicity would plant first. Both girls bowed over the open row while Julia showed them how to plant evenly, sparingly, so that the seed would grow properly. Then Julia demonstrated the careful attention needed in covering the seeds.
    “This is important work,” she told the girls. “It must be done carefully and well if we are to have a good garden.”
    The planting began. Felicity traveled along the row on her hands and knees, dropping the seeds with careful precision. Jennifer followed, raking the soil gently back over the seeds, then patting it down to bed them.
    It wasn’t long until Julia saw that Jennifer was limping, but she said nothing. The work carried on. Then Jennifer was at the edge of the garden, sitting on the grass as she replaced her stockings and shoes. Julia still made no comment, but she heard Felicity whisper, “Softy!”
    “You wait,” answered Jennifer. “You’re on your knees, crawling along on your skirt. Wait until you have to walk on this stuff.”
    The three worked on. Julia expected the girls to plead for release, or at least to find an excuse to take a break from their work, but to her surprise they seemed to enjoy the task. Though Felicity too donned her stockings and shoes after a few trips across the garden soil.
    “How long did Janie say it takes to get used to it?” Julia heard Felicity ask Jennifer.
    “She didn’t say,” whispered Jennifer.
    When Julia had designed her final row, she leaned on her hoe and watched Jennifer scatter carrot seeds and Felicity cover them with dark, warm soil.
    “You’ve done a good job,” she informed the two. “It has gone so much faster with all of us working together.”
    Jennifer straightened and rubbed her back. “Are we done?” she asked.
    “For now,” answered Julia. “We will plant the rest when the weather is a bit more certain. We don’t want frost to catch our new plants.”
    Felicity finished covering the last few seeds. “When will they start to grow?” she asked impatiently. “A couple of days?”
    “Oh my, no!” laughed Julia. “But perhaps by next week some of them will be showing.”
    Felicity’s face fell at the thought of such a long wait.
    They put away the garden tools and went in to prepare for Hettie’s evening meal. John would soon be home, and Julia wanted his womenfolk to greet him as usual in clean and orderly fashion.

Chapter Seven
    Adjustments
    Jennifer and Felicity made frequent trips to the garden. Julia was amazed at their interest. Wild whoops greeted the first glimpse of fuzzy green. Their hard labor was bearing fruit.
    “The girls are growing up,” mused Julia. “They still sound like children when they express their glee, but they are able to find enjoyment in doing a task—even a hard one.”
    Julia decided that the girls should be given additional responsibilities to help run the household.
    “You know that I have sent off letters advertising our home as a place for summer guests,” Julia said to the girls at breakfast one morning.
    They both nodded in reply, remembering the many times their mother had instructed them not to talk with their mouths full.
    “Well, we will all have more work to do when guests arrive,” Julia continued.
    “Who’s coming?” asked Felicity, for the moment forgetting that her mouth was not empty.
    “Well, no one—yet. I mean—I do not know of anyone yet. But it is still early. The advertising has hardly had time to be seen. But when—when we do have guests, we all will have to help. There will be extra cleaning, and laundry, and jobs in the kitchen.”
    Julia saw concern, then interest, then excitement in the twins’ eyes. “What do we have to do?” asked Felicity candidly.
    “Well, I thought I might make a list of chores, and each of you can pick the ones you’d like to do.”
    “A whole bunch?” asked Felicity, a frown appearing.