A Shining Light Read Free Page A

get on board.”
    â€œYou’re certain they’ll load my belongings?”
    His smile was forced. “We do this every day, ma’am. Your luggage will be with you when you arrive in Iowa.” He signaled for the next person in line to step forward.

    Marengo, Iowa
    Every bone in my body ached when the conductor stepped down the aisle and called out, “Marengo! Next stop, Marengo.” The train ride had been long and tiresome, and I would be thankful when the final leg of our trip would come to an end.
    I roused Lukas. “Time to wake up. We’re pulling into the train station.”
    Lukas rubbed his eyes. “We have to get on another train?”
    I smiled and shook my head. “No more trains, but we’ll need to take a wagon ride to the farm.”
    The answer pleased the boy, and he sat up to peer out the window. “Do you think Grandpa will like me?”
    â€œHe will love you very much. You just wait and see. He’ll show you how to milk the cows and feed the chickens. You’ll learn all sorts of new things. There will be trees to climb and fish in the pond waiting for you to catch.”
    He bounced on the hard seat. “And you can cook them for our supper.”
    â€œIndeed I will, but first we need to take that wagon ride.” Still hissing and belching, the train lurched to a stop. I escorted Lukas off the train, took him by the hand, and led him inside the station.
    A paunchy old gentleman stood behind the ticket window. “How can I help ya, ma’am?”
    I explained my need for a wagon, and he pointed to a lankyman leaning against a railing outside the station. “That fellow out there is who you need to speak with.”
    After a quick thank-you, I crossed the short distance to the door and stepped outside. While keeping an arm around Lukas’s shoulder, I made arrangements with the driver, and although I had hoped I might see someone I knew, I immediately realized the improbability of such an idea. I’d never known many folks in Marengo. My parents had purchased most of their supplies at the general store in High Amana. If a trip to Marengo was necessary, my father or one of the hired hands had made the journey.
    Once the driver loaded our belongings, he helped Lukas and me into the wagon. Then he circled around the horses and gave each one a gentle pat on the rump.
    We hadn’t gone far when he looked at me. “You said you wanted to go to the Neumann farm. That right?”
    I nodded.
    â€œGuess you best give me directions on how to get there.”
    His statement caught me by surprise. It seemed a man offering wagon services at the train station should know his way around these parts. When I questioned him, he shrugged his broad shoulders and grinned. “Man’s gotta make a living, and Clint—he’s the ticket agent you met back there—he told me there’s always folks needin’ a ride somewhere. So far, it’s worked out pretty good.”
    I arched a brow. “But what if one of your passengers didn’t know how to direct you? Then what would you do?”
    He chuckled and rubbed his jaw. “Then I guess I’d go back to the train station and ask Clint, but so far I haven’t had to do that. Jest my good luck that most folks know how to get where they wanna go. And I’m beginning to learn my way around.” He slapped the reins and the horses picked up their pace. “So does this farm we’re going to belong to you and your husband?”
    â€œNo, it belongs to my father.”
    â€œI see. Well, to tell ya the truth, when I first saw ya, I thought maybe you was one of them Amana folks, what with your dark clothes and all. I went over to one of them villages looking for work when I first came to town, but they wasn’t hiring. Told me to come back during harvest in late summer and they might have work for me. All the women was dressed in dark colors.”
    Lukas