White Pine Read Online Free Page A

story about a hundred
times.
    “My parents had come to this country together
when I was a little girl. My father died right after they arrived
in Chicago,” Ma said. “Morsa, my mother and your grandmother, was a
seamstress, and she made a living for us in Chicago. But she always
talked about us having a farm of our own one day. It was what my
father had always dreamed of, what brought him to this country. But
it wasn’t possible when it was only the two of us.” Her voice sort
of quivered. “Morsa died a year before I met your father.”
    I didn’t want to hear more. I had things to
do. Besides I knew all of these old stories and none mattered to
the new life starting tomorrow.
    “The night before I left, your grandfather,
Anders,” Pa continued, “called me to him. He said, ‘I won’t be
there to tell you what to do or how to act. But remember to treat
everyone else as you would want to be treated, be honest, work
hard, and the rest will take care of itself.’”
    Fighting to stifle a yawn, I jumped when a
big, warm, callused hand clamped down on my arm. “Be a man that
other people can count on.”
    “All right, Pa.”
    Ma said, “Come here, Sevy. You take good care
of yourself. Be careful.”
    I could tell Ma was near crying. She set her
mending down and held out her arms. Now I ain’t a little guy any
more, but I went right into Ma’s arms and I held her tight.
    “Sevy, come here.” Now it was Pa calling to
me
    I turned and hesitated for a second, I
couldn’t remember when Pa and I had last hugged. When I pulled back
from him, I could see that his eyes were suspiciously bright as
well.
    “G’night Pa and Ma,” I said, and my voice
cracked. But I didn’t care. Up to this point, it hadn’t seemed
real. Leaving school and telling everyone I was going away had been
fun. But now I was going to have to pay the fiddler. I was leaving
the next morning for a lumber camp far from home and from my
family. I’d never even spent single night away from my ma and my
brother and sister. Now I was staring down the nose at a winter
working in the woods with a bunch of fellas I’d never met.
    It was tough falling asleep that night. I was
too worked up. And so, I listened to my parents talk until late. I
didn’t really even pay attention to what they were saying. I just
wanted to hear the sounds of their voices.
     

 

     

Chapter Three
    ~ Heading North ~
     
    Eventually, I must have fallen asleep. But it
didn’t seem like any time had passed at all before I felt a hand
shaking me awake.
    “Sevy. Sevy, wake up. It’s time,” Ma
whispered trying not to wake up Peter and Marta. “Mr. Walsh will be
coming for you soon. Wash up and get dressed. I’m making some
tea.”
    Slowly, I sat up, leaving my blankets behind.
I shivered in the cold air. Ma had a fire going, but it wasn’t
doing much in the way of warming the place yet. It was pitch black
outside. Winter with its short days was definitely coming. I made
my way over to the washstand. I braced myself to shove my hands
into the ice-cold water. But, to my surprise, I found the water was
warm. Ma must have heated it up on the stove for me. But then today
was an important day, the day I was to leave Eau Claire, alone, for
the first time in my entire life.
    The main room was a little warmer than the
bedroom.
    “I’m brewing the tea right now.” Ma worked at
the stove. “Your breakfast is almost ready.”
    I nodded, distracted, thinking about what I
might of forgotten to pack.
    “Morning, son,” said Pa. He was already
sitting in his big chair by the table. In the hazy light of the gas
lamp, he looked bleary-eyed, like he hadn’t slept real well either.
His mouth was closed in the thin, tight line that told me he was
hurting.
    “Pa”
    “Sevy, you have everything ready?” Ma
asked.
    “Yup. My rucksack’s right by the door.”
    “Good,” Pa said with a nod. “Dan Walsh will
be here come daylight. Isn’t that what he said?” Pa looked