The Work and the Glory by Gerald N. Lund Read Free Book Online Page B

little experience with day laborers, not much of it positive. For the most part they were riffraff, foul of mouth and personal habit, and quick to steal. But she had found the two Smith brothers pleasant and intelligent, clean of habit and language. When she learned that both had married in the last few months, any reservations concerning them completely vanished.
    “I’m done, Joseph.” Matthew had halved the time it normally took him to clear the rough-hewn table. “Can we pull sticks now?”
    Mary Ann was at the wooden chest which held the quilt blocks she had been cutting during the afternoon. She turned. “Matthew, you let Joseph and Hyrum be. They’ve worked hard today.”
    “It’s all right, Mrs. Steed,” Joseph said, standing. He ruffled Matthew’s hair. “The ground’s kind of wet outside. Where we gonna do this?”
    Nathan had been waiting for this opportunity. At the earlier mention of stick pulling, he’d sized up the broadness of Joseph’s shoulders and the size of his arms. Joseph had him by a good two inches in height and probably outweighed him by twenty or thirty pounds. But that had been sucker’s bait before. He smiled innocently. “The barn floor is dry.”
    Joshua picked up on it instantly. “We could spread a little straw out,” he suggested. “There’s plenty of room in there.” Nathan gave him a quick look, then smiled. Though Joshua could take his younger brother in many things, he had never bested him in stick pulling, and Nathan saw he was only helping him set up Joseph for a contest.
    Mary Ann shook her head ruefully. “Joseph, I think someone besides Matthew might be thinking of having a go with you.”
    Joseph grinned, sizing him up with mock solemnity. “Nathan? Why, I’ve been pulling brush with him. After an hour he was so tuckered out that I ended up doing most of the work.” As Nathan hooted, Joseph became suddenly grave, and looked at Nathan. “You could have a shot at Matthew when I’m done if you’d like.”
    Nathan snorted. “Ah, so the man’s head is swollen, is it? What say, Matthew? Shall we teach these Smiths a little humility?”
    Hyrum’s hands shot up. “Not me,” he laughed. “I know better than to get in on this. Joseph’s the champion stick puller of Manchester Township.”
    “And Nathan bested all comers in the annual harvest fair back in Vermont,” Benjamin said, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s go to the barn.”
    “I’m first,” Matthew cried, realizing he was about to be supplanted.
    “That’s right,” Joseph said. “Let’s get the tough ones out of the way first; then we’ll be ready for Nathan.”
    “Wait for us,” Becca cried. She and Melissa were at the narrow table next to the window, which held a large pan filled with dishes. Melissa was pouring steaming water from the fireplace kettle over the dishes.
    “Leave the dishes,” Benjamin said firmly, taking down his hat from a peg near the door. “Let them soak for a time.”
    Even Mary Ann’s mouth dropped a little. Nothing was allowed to interfere with chores. She set the quilt blocks down and motioned to her daughters. “You heard your father. Let’s go see which of these two big talkers can really deliver.”
    The rain had stopped and the clouds had cleared, leaving the air crisp and clear. The first of the evening stars winked down at them as they trooped across the yard to the barn, leaving clouds of steam in the air. Benjamin hung the lantern on a nail as Joshua quickly spread a forkful of straw across the floor.
    Joshua selected a stout piece of ax handle and handed it to Joseph. “All right, let’s start with Matthew.”
    In a stick pull, the two opponents sit flat on the floor facing each other. The stick is held directly between the two where both can get a good hold on it. The knees are pulled up enough so the soles of both feet can be placed flat against those of the opponent. On a given signal, both contestants begin to pull, the objective being