Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles Volume 4, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in the 1830s and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. This is the fourth in a series. Volume 1 was Amelia Changes Her Tune. Volume II was Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home. Volume III was Autumn Keeps Her Secret.
“My goodness, Natalie. Are you not the perfect mess! What have you been doing this morning? And what is that beast in your hand?”
Natalie bit her lip.
“And good morning to you, Georgette. Not all of us can arrive in a carriage. And I shot this varmint so it wouldn’t eat you,” Natalie said.
Georgette looked utterly horrified.
“I don’t know how you can maintain yourself in such an undignified manner. You are a lady after all.”
“I am a girl, and one that can shoot and spit and run. I’ll save the lady stuff for later years, or just let you have it.”
Georgette stuck her nose in the air, and stiffly turn around and strutted into the school. It was then that Natalie saw Jacob standing there, water dripping from every part of him.
“Jacob, what happened to you? There’s not a raincloud in the sky.”
“The Black Fork happened to me. I didn’t want to cross at the bridge a mile down and I didn’t have a raft.”
“So you jumped in and swam across?” she asked.
“More like, swam down. I jumped in a ways downstream and swam here.”
“Wouldn’t it have been easier to swim across and walk here?”
“If I wanted easier,” he said. “I wanted to swim.”
“Weren’t you chilly?”
“The water’s not as cold as the air.”
“Aren’t you chilly now?”
“Little bit.”
“Oh Jacob, don’t you want to make a good impression on the schoolmarm?”
“Too late for that. She’s building a fire in the stove to dry my coat and shirt.”
“You saw her?” Natalie asked. “Is she old and looks like a cow?”
Jacob paused.
“Maybe you need to just go in.”
They walked not into the mill, but next door into a little store that Mr. Gamble had established to provide basic necessities. After having their grain milled, and leaving enough with the miller (also Mr. Gamble) customers could pay for whatever provisions were needed.
In the corner of the little store was a pot-bellied cook stove and a two benches, with a small table nearby. A woman stood beside the table and motioned Jacob and Natalie to joined the five who were already on benches. She was neither old, nor did she look like a cow!
“Hello, you must be Natalie,” Autumn said, motioning her to sit on the girls’ side, with Esther, Sammy and Georgette.
Natalie saw her wrinkle her nose as she motioned Jacob to sit with Philip and Tom on the other bench.
“I am Miss Zeiters, your teacher. I thought there would be a couple more boys, but the sisters tell me they are not coming today, farm chores.”
Natalie thought she saw her pause as a way of showing doubt about their reasons.
“So it looks like I have a room of students all the same age. You are all 10, right?” All nodded their head.
“So, who is the oldest?”
There was silence.
Finally, Tom said, “Ma’am, we are all 10.”
“Ahh, but you were not all born on the same day. Who is the oldest 10?” Autumn asked.
Most of the kids looked puzzled, but suddenly Sammy brightened up.
“Oh, I was born in March, on the 9th. That’s early in the year, because I know that Esther was born in June, on the 5th.”
Autumn nodded, “that’s right, and how about the others?
“Wait, I am older, because I was born in January,” Jacob said. “The 15th.”
“I’m in May,” Tom said.
“I just had my birthday two weeks ago,” Georgette said.
“I’m also in June,” Natalie said, “But on the 24th. Does that make me older or younger than Esther?”
“Younger,” Esther said, “By almost three weeks.”
“I guess that makes me the youngest,” Philip said.
And the newest, he thought.
“Well, Philip, it would seem that way, but you are already 10, right?”
“Yes, since last fall.”
Wait, since last fall! I’ve been 10 longer than anyone! he thought.
“Which means you will be 11 before anyone else is. That makes you the old man of this classroom,” Autumn smiled.
