JOURNEY TO THE MIDNIGHT SUN
James Sheldon
LOVE CONQUERS ALL
Book 1 of 3
Chapter 13
John and Laureal’s honeymoon, spent in a cozy and well-prepared wedding hut, would forever be remembered by both. And yet, wonderful as it had been, it was only natural that our young hero and heroine return to their dream of a horse drawn sleigh. Thus talking it over, they planned to resume work the very next day. However, as we have already learned, things do not always go as planned.
It was just after super in the longhouse when Emma, her mind at work on possibilities yet unknown to all except Jessie, struck up a conversation, “John, back when you were building our wall, I watched that giant of yours pulling logs, and I must say, her strength would be hard to believe if I had not witnessed it with my own eyes.”
“It truly is a thing to see,” nodding in agreement, “I know I’ve said this before but Ellie is equivalent in weight and strength to fifteen men. That is a lot!” And turning to his wife, “With Ellie, we could easily plant a crop along the river, from which we could reap a fine harvest.”
Emma appeared doubtful, “Forgive me John but, with regard to this thing you call farming, why on earth should we go through all the trouble of plowing and planting when the Creator has already planted everything we need exactly where we need it?”
“Well, as I have said before,” John countered, “it is a way to ensure against starvation. From a good harvest, one can store grain away to eat in a bad year.”
“Are we not able to store wild rice and wheat?”
“Yes,” laughing as if he’d anticipated the question.
“So, John, whose plan is better…man’s or the Creator’s?”
Gazing at Emma for a moment, John replied, “The creator’s or, depending on how one views it, nature’s plan is better than man’s plan. But I see no reason why any plan could not include agriculture. Moreover, the stability it provides opens doors to greater advancement. I’ve seen it myself.”
“I have heard of the ‘advancement’ to which you speak. I’ve heard from those that have traveled far to the east.” And smiling in earnest, “John, I know your desire to build a ‘better way’ is well-intended. I just don’t believe it’s possible. The way I see it, you could build and build and build, and you’d never build anything better than what’s just outside our door.”
“What about those things outside the door yet to be discovered? Could they not make our lives better?”
“Well, perhaps you have something there. Then again,” thinking of the Niths, “perhaps they'd make our lives worse.”
“Grandmother!” Laureal protested.
Turning her eyes to her granddaughter, “You and John are young and full of life, which means you have much to learn. But to be fair, I am old and set in my ways. Therefore, same as you have always shown me respect, I promise not to close my mind to your ideas.” And moving her eyes around the table, “Be our ways new or old, like these over here, or those over there, we must always look to the Great Spirit. Otherwise, it matters not how our food grows or how much we have, as it will only be a matter of time before we consume ourselves in an attempt to relieve our starvation.”
Emma rose from the table, “Tomorrow, after breakfast, I have a proposal to make, a plan that goes to the heart of our family’s survival.”
“What would that be, grandma?”
“In the morning, we will discuss it in the morning.”
Trading looks of curiosity and confusion; Mia, Laureal, John, and Cody set about the work of cleaning up after dinner, stoking the hearth, bringing in firewood, feeding and watering the animals, etc.
