Part 3 (1/2)
The others glanced up the road. An Amish woman, wearing a black dress that reached the top of her high shoes, a black bonnet, and a white shoulder kerchief and ap.r.o.n, walked slowly toward them.
”Perhaps she knows somebody who can help us,” Bess suggested.
To the girls' surprise, as the figure came closer, they could see that she was very young-probably no more than sixteen years old.
Nancy hastened toward the girL ”h.e.l.lo,” she said. ”Our car won't run. Could you tell us where we might have it fixed?”
The Amish girl was very pretty, with large brown eyes and long lashes. She smiled sweetly at Nancy.
”I am so sorry about the car,” she said. ”You are visitors here, ain't?”
Nancy gave her name and added that she was from River Heights. She introduced the cousins.
”I am MandaKreutz,” the girl told them. ”I am walking from Lancaster.”
”Lancaster?” George repeated. ”That's more than ten miles from here.”
Manda nodded. ”It is good to walk,” she said, ”and I know short cuts across the fields.” Then her face clouded. ”I am returning to my home, but my father-maybe he will not take me back.”
The girls were startled by this announcement. They also were curious to know what MandaKreutz meant, but they did not want to embarra.s.s her by asking for an explanation.
Apparently Manda decided to trust the three friendly visitors, as she explained, ”We are Amish and my father is very strict. When I finished eighth grade, he wanted me to stay home and work on the farm. But I wanted to study more and learn about the world.”
She had decided recently that perhaps this was wrong. Life was good on an Amish farm and there was never any want.
”But I did not appreciate this,” she said. ”I ran away from home three months ago and went to Lancaster. In the daytime I worked in a bakery and evenings I attended night school.”
Wistfully she added, ”But I miss my people. And yet I am so afraid my father will not let me live on the farm any more.”
The three girls a.s.sured Manda that everything would probably work out, and wished her the best of luck. Nancy again asked her if she knew anyone nearby who might repair the car.
”Yes,” the Amish girl replied. ”Rudolph can help you. He is on a farm a mile from here.”
Manda offered to stop there and ask him to bring his tool kit. Nancy thanked her, but said she would walk along with Manda and talk to Rudolph herself. Also, she was eager to learn more about the Amish people and their customs. Bess and George decided to remain with the car.
As the Amish girl and Nancy hurried along the road, Manda talked freely about her problem. ”Papa is afraid if I learn too much I will not be an Amish woman any longer. But he is wrong. I might not be so strict as he is. We have no conveniences in our house or on our farm. I think that is foolish. Papa and Mama work too hard. I like learning about things, but we have no books except our German Bible and the GabrauchBuch.”
”What is that?” Nancy asked.
Manda explained it was something used in powwowing-a means of curing people who are ill. ”Powwowing is accomplished by the 'laying on of hands.' Not everyone can make it work. But Mama can,” she said proudly.
Presently a farmhouse came into sight and Manda said that this was where Rudolph lived. Her farm was beyond it.
”Why don't you wait until my car is fixed and I'll drive you home?” Nancy offered, smiling.
Manda looked frightened. ”Oh, no! My Father is strict House Amish and would never forgive me if I came home in an automobile. I thank you. I will walk the rest of the way.”
As the girls separated, Nancy went up the lane to Rudolph's house. A rosy-cheeked, red-haired young man wearing a straight-brimmed black hat and black homemade cloth suspenders over his red s.h.i.+rt saw her coming and greeted her with a bow.