The Albert Powell family resided on a farm north of Gettysburg in the year 19--. Farm life was hard work, and the entire family had to do their share of chores. Even during the harshest winter weather, animals must be fed and tended; wood must be carried to heat the home and to fuel the cook stove so meals can be prepared.
The children, Lester and V**, were the first to fall victim of influenza. With two young children to tend, daily life became increasingly difficult for the mother, Lora, as she nursed the sick children to provide them with what comfort she could and continued her essential chores.
The father, Albert, did the farm work and took care of the animals. He helped all he could with the household chores and sick children. The high fever and diarrhea weakened them so much that Albert or Lora kept constant vigil. He gave the children fluids to drink and fed them spoonfuls of soup, praying their strength would return soon. Their first child died in an unfortunate accident years before and if he did not keep doing something for the recovery of his family’s health, he remembered the sorrow that the loss of a child can trigger.
Within a week, Lora became so ill that she was confine to bed with a fever so high that she was in a state of delirium. Albert bathed her tenderly and made her as comfortable as possible. Albert now had the family to nurse, comfort and feed along with the chores in the barn. The temperature was bitterly cold and the snow deep. The wind blew furiously. The weather challenged him to keep the woodbox filled to heat the house. Days past since Lora became so feverish that she did not know him as she lay on their bed, alternating between sweats and chilling. Twice a day he went to the barns to fed and bed the horses, cow, hog and chickens. He milked the cow and gathered eggs from the hens. As he carried his third, of that day, armload of wood into the house, he felt weakness pass through his body. “Lord, give me strength: I must take care of my family.”
More time passed. The fevers of the children broke. Their weakness kept them confined to their beds. Lora was extremely ill and required much of his attention.
The fourth day dawned calm and sunny. It was the best weather of the month. By early afternoon, the weather changed drastically and evening shadows came sooner than expected. Bad weather was coming again. Albert finished his evening chores as fast as possible and tended to his sick family. Albert suddenly felt nauseated and weak. He raised his hand to his forehead and felt his own fever. He sat by the stove and tried to focus on what he had to do to add more wood to the stove. He listened to the howling wind. More snow fell on the deeply covered ground and drifted. The room was lit only by the kerosene lamp on the table by the window and the isinglass of the heating stove. He heard the crackle of the burning wood and the tick of the mantel clock. He was about to lose consciousness to doze when he heard a knock on the door. Was the wind playing tricks on him? No one would be out on such a miserable night. Again, a knock, this time more insistent. Albert used the chair and table to help him stand on his way to the door. He felt so dizzy that he fumbled for the doorknob. He opened it and then collapsed.
He remembered little of the days that would pass while he was feverish: a cool cloth on his forehead, someone holding his head and urging him to drink, the weight of extra blankets when he chilled.
He woke in a room filled with sunshine and fragrant with the aroma of freshly-baked bread. He turned his head and saw his beautiful wife smiling at him. She sat in a chair by the couch where he lay. “You must be feeling better to make bread,” he said with a weak smile.
“I’ve had strength only enough to sit by you for the past several days,” Lora said. “Our angel has done all the work and nursed us back to health.”
“I felt so bad that I thought I was going to meet the angels. I had no idea that one might help us here on Earth.”
Albert heard the oven door open so he looked in the direction of the kitchen area. A thin young woman took out several loaves of bread.
Lora said, “Let me introduce you to one.”
“The Farm Girl, will you please come here to meet Albert. He is feeling much better today.”
The young woman knelt by the couch so that he could remain prone. “I’m so glad you are feeling better.”
“We thank you for all your help. Where did you come from and how did you get here in such bad weather?”
The young woman assessed his weakened condition and promised she answer all of his questions over the next days.
She started her story in a quiet voice and kept her eyes downcast. “I come from north of Arcanum area. I was walking to my folk’s house, north of Oakland. . I started out on the first nice day of this month. I could no longer stand the abuse of my husband.
“We were married last June. Everyone thought it would be a good marriage. We met two years ago and saw each other many times. He was always kind and interesting. After we married, he changed. I could do nothing to please him. Nothing! I did everything I could to please him, and he was still abusive and cruel. I begged him to let me return to my parents if I could not please him. He would not. He would say, you are my wife and I can treat you anyway that I wish.
“When the weather broke, he saddled the horse to go to town. He told me all the chores that he expected me to finish before he came back home. I knew his punishment would be severe even if I did all the work.”
Her voice became firm. “I put on my warm clothes as if I were going to tend the animals. As soon as I could not see him anymore, I went back to the house for the clothes I could carry in a valise and some scraps of food. I’m strong and I thought I could walk to my parent’s house by dusk. I had not counted on the change in the weather. It became difficult to find my way in the blowing snow that made drifts across the road. I seemed to be going slower and slower. I had to keep going to get to their house before dark. Sleet started, and for the first time all day, I began to be afraid. It got dark sooner than I expected. I knew that I only had about three miles to go. I could not see well in the dark, unsettled weather so I started to look for shelter. I saw your light in the window and followed your lane to the house. I knocked several times before you answered the door. You opened the door and then your face went all white and you fell down. I thought I must have frightened you.
“I called out, “Is anyone here?” I heard a faint voice from the other room. I closed the door behind me and ran past your crumpled body. I found your wife and children in the bedroom. The children were asleep. Lora was too weak to get up but she told me they had been sick and that you must be out in the barn. Lora told me to go out by the fire and warm myself because I looked frozen. I told her to lie back down. I did not want to alarm someone who was so sick with the news that her husband was unconscious.
“I went to the living room where you lay and tried to get you up. I could not. You were on a throw rug. I tugged and tugged until I moved the rug with you on it next to the stove. I found several blankets on the couch so I covered you with those. I thought what else can I do? I noticed my own clothes were thawing out and dripping on the floor. I changed into some clothes that my valise kept dry. I found some towels to dry my hair.
“I returned to the fire and soaked up all the heat I could stand. My body tingled as the cold left. I was then more accustomed to the heat in the room. My mind started to sort out the events of the day. I left my abusive husband. I got as far from him as I could go that day. I sought shelter. I found the shelter-warm shelter and four sick people. What to do?
“The fire in the stove reminded me of the first thing to do: I stoked the stove for the night fire with the wood in the woodbox by the backdoor. I hoped it would be enough to keep us all warm until morning. I felt exhausted and I fell asleep in the rocker by the stove.
“I woke early in the morning and felt so thankful that I was safe and away from my husband. I knew he would not follow me. He is a coward. If I were to reach the protection of my family, he will make up some story to tell his neighbors and his family that makes him appear to be a poor, neglected husband. I no longer cared what people thought. I just wanted to be away from him.
“The immediate problems came to me and I arose. I checked on the Father, who was sleeping exhaustedly. The Mother and children were sleeping soundly. I tended the stoves. I put on my now-dry outer clothing and went out the back door into a world that seemed brighter and sunnier than any day I had seen all winter. In the barn the horses, cows and chickens awaited their morning rations. Having been a farm girl all my life, I knew what to do. I returned to the house with a pail of fresh milk and three freshly-laid eggs.
“I checked on my patients and found them all still sleeping. I went to the kitchen to see what I could prepare for them when they would wake. There were only a few scraps of bread left so I started to prepare bread.
“I became aware of someone standing in the doorway of the kitchen. I turned and saw two beautiful children: a boy about seven and a girl about 4. They were in their nightclothes and stared at me in confusion. I introduced myself, asked their names and if they were hungry yet? The boy said they were Lester and V**. Yes, they were very hungry.
“While you get dressed, I’ll fix you something to eat. I found the cornmeal and made them mush. They ate their breakfast. I told them to play quietly because their Mother and Father were very sick and needed their rest.”
Days past and The Farm Girl was the nurse, farmhand and housekeeper. Lora still remained so weak that The Farm Girl told her to keep resting. The Farm Girl would do the work while Lora recuperated. They were both worried about Albert. They took turns bathing his face. Together they got him on the couch to make him more comfortable.
Weeks past while the family recovered their strength. The Farm Girl sent word to her parents through the Powell’s trusted neighbor. Her parents would welcome her home and help her end her marriage.
The Farm Girl stayed with the family until spring when she said she must leave because she could be a big help to her parents on their farm. The Powell family felt that they owed her their lives and wanted to repay her. She knew they had no money. Although the time spent nursing them and doing the chores had been hard work, doing that had given her confidence back that she could take care of herself and others. She asked them to repay her in this way, “I really would like to go back to my husband’s house and get the rest of my clothes and some pieces of furniture that my parents and family gave me when we got married. Maybe you can help me do that.”
So on a nice spring day, the trio of The Farm Girl, Albert and a strong neighbor went with the horse and wagon to her former home. They found the surly, belligerent husband. The Farm Girl said, “My friends and I are here to collect my belongings. I am returning to my parents’ home.”
He may have been abusive to his wife but he knew that he was no match for two strong men. He just shrugged and turned away from them as he walked to the barn.
This story was written down by my mother. She heard it from Lester Powell.
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