Though None Go with Me Read Online Free Page A

pretended not to notice her, as usual. They had known each other all their lives. One of her earliest memories was of tussling with him in the church nursery.
    Elisabeth thought of avoiding him for his sake, not for hers. Poor Will was painfully shy. She couldn’t decide what would be best, to spare his having to acknowledge her or to educate him in the social graces. She decided on the latter.
    â€œGood evening, Will,” she said, stopping before him as he prepared to light a lamp.
    â€œOh,” he said, as if surprised. He left one hand on the handlebars and touched his cap with the other, seeming to forget he was holding the long wick. “Hullo, Elspeth.”
    â€œCareful there,” she said. “Don’t set yourself afire.”
    â€œNo’m,” he said.
    â€œI’ll let you shorten my name,” she said. “But you must not call me ma’am until I’m older.”
    â€œSorry.” He looked away miserably.
    â€œI’m teasing, Will. Call me anything you wish, as long as you call me your friend.”
    â€œOkay,” he said. “Better keep going.”
    â€œNice to see you, Will,” she said.
    â€œYes’m,” he said, “I mean, friend.”
    Elisabeth wished she could tell him about her visit to the pastor, but did boys ever even think about such things? She could barely get him to look at her, much less converse. She had once made the mistake of asking Will about his father, frequently the object of unspoken prayer requests. Will had merely shaken his head.
    In youth group one night, a girl suggested a young people’s activity might include an outing to see Mr. Bishop at the State Hospital in Kalamazoo. The youth group fell silent when Frances Crawford (who had lately earned the nickname Big Mouth) offered, “Isn’t that where they send the loonies?”
    Dr. LeRoy later assured Elisabeth that Mr. Bishop was “no loony, which is certainly not a term anyone should use for a mental patient anyway. He suffers from an undiagnosed memory malady, and it would serve you and your friends better to pray for him than to call him names.”
    â€œShould we visit him?”
    â€œI’m afraid he wouldn’t know us.”
    Elisabeth’s friends said Will was handsome, but caring about that seemed frivolous. Frances accused her of being too serious and “way too spiritual. No boy’s ever going to be interested!”
    Elisabeth was impressed that Will seemed willing to work. He had a paper route, which he threw after midnight while outing the gas lamps he had lit just before sundown. He had his own little scavenger company, selling wagons full of stuff to the junkyard. And he volunteered to carry groceries, never charging but accepting tips. Elisabeth wondered if he said two words to his customers. She glanced back at Will as she headed home.
    Still full of emotion from her visit with the pastor, Elisabeth was disappointed to find her father not home. It was just her and Aunt Agatha. The dreary woman seemed to need a target for her moods. “Where’ve you been, young lady? Your dinner’s long cold.”
    â€œI didn’t mean to make you worry.”
    â€œAbout you? That’s a laugh. Did your father know you would be late?”
    â€œI didn’t expect to be.”
    â€œSo, where were you?”
    â€œFather knew where I was. Is it necessary for you to know?”
    â€œI’d have been whipped, talking to an elder with such insolence. I’m entitled to an answer because I’m one of your guardians.”
    â€œI was at Pastor Hill’s home,” Elisabeth said, dropping onto the couch. “I’d love to tell you about it. He believes it’s possible for a Christian to be called to a—”
    â€œI don’t need every detail!” Aunt Agatha said. “Your plate is on the stove, and don’t expect company. I’ve already eaten.”
    â€œI’ll