Amish Country Arson Read online

  “That is the night it happened,” Elton said.

  “Do much damage?” Levi Yoder asked.

  “Nah, the Lapps found the fire in time to put it out with the help of the fire department. The arsonist hit Nurse Hal over the head and intended to let her burn with the barn. She is lucky the dog and animals woke everyone up,” Elton told him.

  Rudy looked worried. “That is too bad. What was Nurse Hal doing in the barn that time of night?”

  “John said something about her checking on a new goat she bought that would not stay in the pen,” Elton said.

  “Ach, nah!” Rudy looked contritely at his shoes. “Was she hurt?”

  “Bad enough, Brother Rudy. She had to go to the hospital over night. I'm surprised she is here today. She has been on bed rest because of a concussion until yesterday. She helped with the lunch yesterday for the school children and tended Mark Yoder. The boy stepped on a nail that went all the way through his shoe and foot. That was quite a day for her, and here she is back again today,” Elton said.

  “Gute thing Nurse Hal is tough, I reckon,” Levi Yoder praised.

  “Part of Bender Road Timber burnt,” Amos Coblentz added.

  “Nah, the timber!” Elton exclaimed. “When did that happen?”

  “Friday night. A rumspringa party was taking place in the timber. I hear the teenagers got out just in time,” Amos said.

  “Where is all this going to end?” Rudy implored.

  “We must pray the person setting the fires sees the light soon,” Bishop Bontrager said.

  All the men removed their straw hats as Jonah Stolfus said, “We will have a prayer yet.”

  As soon as the bishop ended the prayer, the women served plates of beef stew, pickled cabbage and applesauce. The thick slabs of homemade bread, everyone had smelled that morning, was passed.

  With her shy smile, Ella Miller served the lemonade she made. She had to return to the coolers several times to refill her pitcher.

  Jason, the crane operator, stopped eating to say, “This is the best apple butter I've ever tasted. In fact, I can't remember when I've enjoyed such a delicious meal. I guess this is why Amish women are known for their cooking.”

  The women, within earshot, reddened at the compliment. They weren't used to anyone complimenting them. Jonah Stolfus caught the modest way his wife looked at him and answered for the women. “Our humble denki for your kind words, Jason. The women find joy in sharing the bounty we have. It is a part of who we are, and that is all.”

  Bishop Bontrager added, “Jason, we believe as the verse says in Ecclesiastes. Do not righteous over much.”

  The women, girls and smaller children ate after the last of the men and boys went back to work. Hal sat down with her plate beside Redbird and Beth so she could help the girls when they needed it. Not that she'd admit it out loud, but it felt good to get off her feet.

  She noticed Wanda in a conversation with Stella Strutt at the end of the next table. They looked her direction a second. Stella went back to waving her hands around as she talk. Hal had an uneasy feeling she was right about Stella causing trouble between the newest members and her.

  Women around Hal talked about setting dates for quilting bees. Those gatherings always brought women together to do the painstaking work of stitching a quilt while offering a venue to visit and share news.

  Others discussed an applesauce frolic to cook the later apple crop and can applesauce for winter.

  Hal heard Stella Strutt's loud voice say, “I will have a quilting bee a week from today. A week from today that is. For those in my neighborhood that are interested. Interested indeed. It will be a gute way for Sister Wanda Bruner here by me to get acquainted with us. Acquainted with us she needs to be.”

  As Stella's neighbor women agreed, Wanda said, “I would be glad to come. Quilting frolics are fun.”

  Rudy Briskey's wife, Martha, said, “Perhaps, your sister will be well enough to join us so we can meet her.”

  “Perhaps, but I cannot say for sure,” Wanda agreed halfheartedly. “Gladys did not feel well enough to come today.”

  Martha suggested, “Maybe you should have Nurse Hal check out your sister. She might be able to help.”

  Wanda glanced at Stella's stern face before she answered. “We will keep that in mind.”

  Margaret sat down by Hal. “Should you be here today? Levi just told me what happened to you.”

  “I'm all recht as long as I sit down when I'm tired. I wouldn't want to miss this day for anything in the world,” Hal said gleefully.

  “You have helped out all morning. I have not seen you sit down once to rest during that time until now,” Margaret corrected sternly.

  “I'm fine so don't worry,” Hal replied.

  Jane Bontrager laid her fork down. She patted Hal's arm and spoke to the other women. “Each of the fires seems to be more dangerous than the others. Hal, you were attacked which could have turned out much worse. The party in Bender Timber would have been a real tragedy for our teenagers if they had not been warned in time.”

  “We must pray this person is caught soon before something really tragic happens,” Mary Mast said in her quiet voice. “Do take care of yourself, Nurse Hal. We need you to be well.”

  “We've practically had to sit on her to keep her down for a few days like the doctor ordered,” Aunt Tootie complained.

  “For awhile we thought we might have to fetch Emma to help us keep Hal in bed,” Nora said, winking at Emma.

  “I would have made sure she minded, but I think you two did well enough. Hallie seems to be feeling better,” Emma said, studying her step mother. “You really should rest this afternoon though, Hallie. If you feel the need to go home, just let me know. I will take you. This might be too long a day for you.”

  “Denki, dear. I'll keep that in mind,” Hal told her.

  As Emma ate, she studied the teenage boys that had sit across the road in the field all morning. They watched the barn go up as though it was just a show for their amusement. They crossed the road long enough to eat with the men but didn't stay to work. Now they had taken their places in the field again and lit their cigarettes. If they had thought they could get away with it, they would be sipping cans of beer. That would have gotten they sent home, and they knew it.

  They were the next rumspringa generation, and a hard looking bunch they were. She was so glad Noah and Daniel hadn't wanted to join that group. She was proud they were among the men working hard to put up the barn.

  Albert Jostle, the oldest boy from the Hosteler compound lined up on the ground with his brothers, Sam and Will. It didn't seem to bother them their father, Jake, was working on the barn and their mother, Ada, helped with the luncheon.

  Joining them were some of Emma's former pupils, Mark Bender, Rueban Rogies and Matthew Stoll. She hoped Mark and Rueban would come to their senses eventually and join the church. They were good boys.

  Matthew worried her the most. He had always been a trouble maker. Emma knew he had a soft spot where she was concerned, but he was a dare devil. He found it so easy to go along with the wrong crowd. He reminded her so much of Eli Yutzy. At the sudden thought of Eli, Emma bowed her head. She said a quick prayer that Eli was safe and happier in the English world than he'd been in her world. She knew his family still missed him and set a plate at the table for every meal, hoping for Eli's return home.

  Emma tapped her chin with a finger. “I think I should give those lazy boys in the field a piece of mind for not helping.”

  “Emma, you be careful. You might make the wrong boy mad at you. No telling what he'd do out of spite,” Hal warned.

  Emma narrowed her eyes at Hal. “Was ist letz?”

  “I suppose I should have said something sooner. Bishop Bontrager asked Noah and Daniel to go to that drinking party in Bender timber. They listened to see if any of the boys bragged about starting the fires,” Hal related. “Your brothers told us Albert bragged about not being afraid of the arsonist. He poured a small
bottle of orange juice in his vodka so we know he had access to the bottles.

  When Noah and Daniel got tired of standing around, they left. No sooner were they out of the clearing when they heard Albert yell the timber was on fire. He came out of the underbrush. The boys thought he might have set the fire for the excitement of watching the other kids scramble to leave.”

  “Sounds like something he would do,” Emma snapped.

  Hal squeezed her hand. “You must go easy with this. Remember what a hard time everyone gave the Jostles when they moved here. We don't want to start any rumors to accuse one of their family falsely.”

  Emma couldn't help herself. “Just the same, me telling them they need to help build the barn would not hurt. Someone should do it.” She left the table and marched across the road.

  Albert looked her up and down as she came toward them. He elbowed Matthew Stoll next to him to get his attention.

  Ellen halted in front of the lazy boys. With her arms crossed over her chest, she tilted her head to one side, giving each of them a hard look.

  Albert focused on the front of her blouse, flicked his tongue out over his lips and gave her a wicked grin. “What is your problem, Teacher?”

  The way that boy looked at her made Emma's skin crawl.

  “Teacher, you are standing right in our way. We can not see what is happening,” Albert's brother, Will, complained.

  “You would have a much better view if you lent a hand. Pick up a hammer and help get this barn built,” Emma insisted.

  “Ach nah, with all those men over there, does it look like to you they need our help?” Matthew Stoll asked. He ducked his head when she narrowed her eyes at him.

  “There is more than enough workers. We would just be in the way,” Mark Bender agreed.

  “That is just an excuse, and you know it. Many hands make light work. Everyone of you would be appreciated by the men if you helped out,” Emma lectured.

  “Besides, we just came to watch the frolic,” Rueban Rogies added honestly. “We had no notion to work.”

  “Praise God that not everyone in this community thinks the way you boys do. Jonah Stolfus would not have a barn to milk his cows in if they did.” Emma looked at Albert and thought about what her brothers said about him. “Perhaps, it is because of one or more of you that Jonah lost his barn.”

  She turned to leave and heard one of the boys grumble, “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Emma stalked across the road, wondering why she'd bothered to talk to them. With her head down, she didn't see Bishop Bontrager until she bumped into him. He put his hands out and grabbed her shoulders. “Ach, I am so sorry, Elton. I need to watch where I am going for sure,” Emma apologized.

  “I reckoned you were deep in troubled thought from that frown I saw on your face. I take it you did not have any luck recruiting the boys in the field to help,” Elton said, nodding their direction.

  “Nah, they would not budge, but they sure moved fast enough when we hollered it was time to eat,” fumed Emma.

  “You meant well. Denki for trying. Just leave those young men to me. I will work their laziness into my sermon for the next worship service. Maybe pointing their faults out will shame them,” he said wistfully.

  The teenage girls washed the dishes, and the women did the table clean up. Hal scraped bits of food off into plastic ice cream buckets and stacked the plates. Wanda came for a stack of dirty plates. Hal smiled at her. “This is a busy day, Sister Wanda, but a great way to get to know all the people in the community and then some, ain't so?”

  “Jah,” Wanda said curtly. She carried the stack of plates to the dishwashers table.

  Hal grimaced as she roughly scraped a plate with a knife. I just knew Stella got to her.

  Jane placed more dirty plates on the end of the table to be scraped. “Easy on the plate, Sister Hal. What has ruffled your feathers?”

  Hal twisted to look around them and explained softly, “Wanda Bruner has been cool toward me ever since she talked to Stella Strutt. I'm just sure she is unfriendly because of something Stella Strutt said.”

  “Don't worry.” Jane chuckled. “It seems like I am always saying not to worry to you lately. You're becoming worse than a setting hen clucking over her chicks. I will visit with Wanda and straighten out whatever Stella told her.”

  Hal sighed. “Denki, that makes me feel better.”

  Margaret Yoder brought a stack of plates to Hal. She admired the barn framework and took a deep breath. “Smell fresh cut wood in the air. Sure enough, it is gute to see new wood going up for the Stolfus barn.”

  “Jah, it is,” Hal said, taking her own deep breath. She needed the intake of air more to stay on her feet than out of appreciation for the barn rising up.

  The frolic ended around six that evening. Chicken Plucker Jonah said he believed enough work had been done for one day. They all needed to go home and rest up to work another day after they finished their own chores.

  Families headed home, richer in the knowledge their brethren’s barn would soon be completed. Their role as tradition bearers would be fulfilled.

  The Stolfus barn was under a tinned roof the next day, workers painted the walls red and others put the finishing touches inside the barn such as stalls. After that, the nine thousand square-foot barn was back in business.

  Thirty eight dairy cows, with patchy coats, munched hay on the first floor. Horses would be moved back later that week from the Nisely farm. In the next week, wagon loads of donated hay fill the second story.

  In the middle of the night while so many work weary Amish slept like a log from their last, long, hard day, a lone rider rode into the school house yard. The darkness was thick with a foggy mist. The damp coolness helped to cool the rider's body now heated by fever and lent the rider strength to ride. The waves of dense fog gave the rider confidence. No one would see the school until the deed was well over with. At least, the hope was that this act would be more successful than the other fires that were found too soon.

  The students were given time off from school to help build the barn for Jonah Stolfus. They needed to be taught a lesson. Plain children should determine wisely not to help certain people that do not deserve it. Certainly not Jonah Stolfus, a woman killer.

  Besides, why did Amish children need a school anyway? Children should be taught all they needed to know at home. It is easier on children that are different if they do not have to be picked on by bullies. I want to stop them from being picked on like I was.

  The rider brought a juice bottle from one pocket of the jacket and a few matches from the other.

  No need for me to get off the horse for this. It will be too hard to mount again out here in the open with this sore leg. I'll pour the kerosene on the door and around the frame just like I did the corn shocks. That should be enough to start the fire.

  Once the juice bottle was empty, the rider slung it against the door. The bottle slid down the door and stopped. A struck match thrown in the spill was just enough to explode. Whoosh! The scared horse shied and bucked. In a weakened condition, it took much of the rider's strength to hang on.

  Once the horse had taken off for the road, the rider gave him his head. “All recht, go home, Jack.”

  The horse headed back west down the country road to Bender timber in the ever thickening fog. Travel was easy enough if a body didn't want to get caught. The trees' shifting shadows were made for hiding in the bad visibility. The rider leaned against the draft horse's neck and held on tight. No need to worry. Jack knew his way back to the barn.

  Chapter 10

  Friday morning, school could be in session since the children didn't need to work on the barn. That morning, Emma drove her buggy into the school driveway and halted the horse. At first, she couldn't fathom why she wasn't seeing the school building. All that was in front of her were smoldering ashes and eye stinging smoke wisps.

  “Ach nah! Why my school?” Emma yelled to the silence and broke into tears. She climbed from the
buggy and walked as close as she dared to the foundation. She had trouble believing her eyes, but there the disaster was.

  Not anything left to be save. Her school was gone. In her mind, she saw the room as it had been with the blackboard on the back wall. The library books shelves Adam built on the north wall under the row of window and all the books. Her desk and the rows of pupils' desks were just a memory. At the entry way, the coat pegs, lunch box shelf and wood box now reduced to ashes.

  Emma clenched her hands tight together at her side and glared toward Heaven. “Lord, how could anyone be this hateful toward children to destroy their school? I do not understand a person who is so spiteful.”

  Instantly, the answer to comfort her popped into her head as if it came from the Lord. Emma remembered the verse, “And to him that smites you on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that takes away your coat forbid not to let him take your shirt, also. Emma knelt on ground blackened by ashes scattered by the breeze over the yard, turning the grass gray. “Lord, I'm sorry for my outburst. I spoke out of anger, because I felt such a loss for the children, and jah, I admit it. The loss is mine, too.

  Please give me the strength to talk to my pupils when they arrive this morning. I must try to make them see what you have just shown me. We must turn the other cheek and pray for the arsonist to come to his senses, before he harms someone in a fire.” Emma took a deep breath. “And forgive the children if they do not quite see, as clearly as I do, your message. They are young. They are the ones who have lost the most, their beloved school. It will be hard for them to remember the saying I drilled into them. JOY means Jesus is first, you are last, and others are in between. We all need to embrace our faith and beliefs this day. Amen.”

  Emma wiped her eyes when she heard a buggy coming. It carried the first of her pupils. As soon as she sent all of the children home, she drove to the nearest phone shed to call the sheriff. Emma explained what happened and added there would be no need for the fire trucks. The damage was done. The fire had burned itself out except for the smoldering ashes.