by Nick Bishop
“Dutch as in Deutch, you mean?”
“That’s where the term comes from, but the language is really a strange combination of English, German, and perhaps a sprinkling of Dutch…though the German part itself is just a relative of true German, rather than matching it.”
“Interesting,” Jed said.
“And now if you’ll help me step away from the lectern…”
Jed laughed. “And you think knowing German will help you communicate better with Mr. Yoder.”
“At least I hope so.” She glanced up. “And maybe if you’re not doing anything this afternoon, we can drive out to the Yoder farm and see if he’ll talk with us.”
“You think he will?”
“He’s always seemed like a nice man.”
“You know him?”
“Mattie was also a student of mine. I spent a year teaching in junior high when they couldn’t find a good candidate for the job. Then I went back to teaching science.”
“You’re full of surprises.”
“At any rate, Mattie is a very nice girl. She invited me to the farm one afternoon to meet her parents and siblings…some of whom I knew, of course, from school. Her mother and father were both very pleasant.”
“So, we just drop in unannounced?”
“I think that’s the best way.”
Chapter Four
Jed and Ellie caught Mr. Yoder cleaning out his barn. Ellie quickly introduced herself and Jed.
“You are that teacher my daughter brought for a visit, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. I’m surprised you remember.”
“We have so few people—English that is, except for business. So, I remember people who visit just to visit.”
“Well, I had a wonderful time meeting you and your family and just enjoying a beautiful day out in the country.”
“I appreciate what you say. Thank you.”
“It’s true.”
“So, is there anything I can do for you?” He removed his hat and ran his sleeve across his forehead. “Why don’t we go sit on the porch? It’s cooler there and better than standing around in the barn.”
“Sounds good,” Jed answered. “It’s very peaceful here. Very relaxing.”
“Peaceful, yes. But a lot of hard work…running a farm.”
“I’m sure that’s true.”
Mr. Yoder motioned for Ellie and Jed to take seats—Ellie in a rocking chair and Jed on the porch swing. Yoder sat on a bench just inside the porch railing.
“So, there must be a reason for the visit,” Yoder said.
“I’m sure,” Ellie said, “that you’ve heard about Joe Johnstone being murdered.”
“A very bad thing, yes. He and I had our disagreements, but I wished him no harm.”
“I’m sure you have no idea who might have killed him,” Ellie said.
“I have no idea. But maybe you think I did it.
“By no means do we think that,” Ellie replied. “We just want to talk with anyone we know who had dealings with Mr. Johnstone.”
“Vengeance belongs to our Father in heaven, and to no one else.” He paused. “Let me tell you a story. A thing that happened many years ago when I was but a boy. I was outside playing. Building a little house out of sticks. I was finished with it except for putting a last piece on the peak of the roof. My cousin, my uncle’s son, a year older than I was, saw what I was doing. He ran and jumped and came down on my little house. It broke into many pieces. I’d spent a long time building my house, and I was very angry. I picked up a rake that lay nearby and slammed it into the back of my cousin’s head. He immediately fell to the ground and didn’t move. I thought I had killed him. My mother came running, and so did my uncle, the boy’s father. My mother was wailing as she bent down and lifted the boy’s head, which fell limp to the side. I’ve never been so scared in my life. For sure, I thought he was dead.
“Then he opened his eyes and blinked. And do you know what he did? He looked up at me and said, ‘Jacob, I’m sorry I ruined your little house.’” Yoder took a deep breath. “Jacob,” he said, “I’m sorry I ruined your house.” He looked from Ellie to Jed. “I was seven years old, and I’d done a terrible thing. But all my cousin thought about was saying he was sorry.” Again, he looked from Jed to Ellie. “And you know…as young as I was, I made a promise…to myself and to our God. Never again in my life would I seek vengeance. And I never have. So, no, I do not know who killed the teacher. I’m sorry it happened. But I tell you the truth, I had no part of it.”
“Oh, Mr. Yoder… Jacob,” Ellie said, “what a wonderful thing you did in making the vow.”
“So, you see, only the Heavenly Father can seek vengeance. It is not up to us.” Jacob sighed. “I cannot pretend that I wasn’t angry with the man for teaching my daughter about English ways. It has changed our lives—my family’s and mine. I, myself, do not like the idea of shunning her. But it is our way.”
“Do you ever get to see her?” Jed asked.
“Not for a long time now. It’s too painful for her and for us. She is not part of the community anymore. She is an outsider, and we must treat her as such, though it hurts my heart.”
Jed noticed tears running down Ellie’s face. “It must be just terrible for you,” she said.
Jacob didn’t respond.
“I suppose we’d better let you get back to work,” Ellie said as she stood, wiping her eyes.
“Wait a minute!” Jed said. “There in the corner. That’s a bow.”
“Some of my friends and neighbors hunt with guns. I do not. They can cause too many accidents. It’s too easy to pull a trigger. If you use a bow and an arrow, you must take a moment to think about what you are doing.” He stood. “Yes, I own a bow and some arrows. Hunting arrows, not the sort used to murder the teacher. But I use the bow only to provide food for my family and myself.”
“Thank you very much for talking with us,” Jed said.
“You are welcome,” Jacob answered, as he watched the two as they climbed down the front steps.
***
“What did you think?” Ellie asked as the pulled away from the farm.
“First, he seems like a kind and considerate man.”
“I hear an implied ‘but’.”
“Well, I am concerned about the bow in the corner.”
“You mean you don’t believe what he told us?”
“Let’s just say I’m a little uneasy. I admit he was very convincing. So, it’s either a case of ‘what you see is what you get’, or else he’s a very good actor. I hope it’s the former. How about you? What did you think?”
“Well, the first thing I thought is that I was all prepared to show off my German and then didn’t get a chance.”
”Pobrecita.”
Ellie glanced at him. “What!”
“If you can speak a foreign language…then, so can I?”
“Spanish, I presume.”
“It means poor little one. I minored in Spanish in college.” He glanced across at her. “So next time you need to interview someone from Guatemala or España, you know the person to call.” He gave her a devilish grin. “But seriously, what did you think?”
“I can’t help but have my feelings colored by the visit I made to the farm a few years ago. In my opinion Jacob and his family are wonderful people. They couldn’t have been more polite, more interested, and genuinely caring to this ‘English’ person.”
“English. I’ve wondered about why they call everyone outside the Amish religion English. Surely, they recognize there are different countries in the world besides those in which only people with English ancestry live.”
Ellie laughed. “I don’t know the precise reason, but I’ve heard that when the Amish first came to America, they were surrounded both by English immigrants and others who spoke English. The Amish are fairly aloof and needed to differentiate between themselves and outsiders. So, it was natural at first to refer to those outside the faith as English.”
“Hm
mm. Makes sense, I guess.”
“Maybe it’s easier to think of it this way. Jews consider themselves as different from others because they believe they’re God’s chosen people. So, in a sense they set themselves apart. The Amish also set themselves apart…but to a much greater extent. And once more, dear Jed, I’ll be glad if you help me away from the soapbox…or lectern.”
Chapter Five
The following day at school was a tough one. Jed decided to not even try to concentrate on the lessons but to talk to the kids about Joe. About why he was murdered. About who would murder him.
“This is the sort of thing we never expect can happen. Especially in a rural area like this. But it did happen, and everyone seems to still be in shock,” he said as he looked around the room, focusing for a second on each of the students.
A boy named Timothy Kemp, raised his hand. He sat in the last seat closest to the door.
“Yes, Tim?” Jed asked.
“Why would God allow such a thing to happen? I don’t understand.”
“I’m sure that’s true of a lot of us, Tim. I don’t understand. But that doesn’t mean we lose faith or change our beliefs. Some people believe there’s a reason for everything.”
“Do you believe that?” a girl named Belinda asked.
“It isn’t so important what I believe,” Jed said. “It’s more important what you believe. What you feel. Mr. Johnstone’s being killed was a terrible thing. But it did happen, and we have no choice but go on with our own lives. Unfortunately, without Mr. Johnstone, whom I’m sure would want us to do just that.”
“This kind of thing happens in big cities, places like Cleveland or New York. Not in places like this,” Bob Souders said.
“You’re right,” Jed answered. “But consider how many more thousands of people live in big cities compared to the twenty-two hundred people in Sweet River. There are so many more, which means there are many, many more criminals.”
“But I never heard of anyone else being murdered in Sweet River. Sometimes in New Philly and Dover, but not even very often there.”
Suddenly, the sound system came to life. “This is Mr. Zimmerman, your superintendent. I know many of you are still in shock about what happened to Mr. Johnstone. So, there will be a special assembly in five minutes in the gym to honor his memory. A few of his friends and former students have agreed to speak about their relationship with him and how he has influenced their lives. Of course, anyone else who wishes to say anything is welcome.”
“Okay,” Jed said. “Let’s line up and head to the gym.” As they filed out into the hallway, Jed noticed there was no pushing or loud voices from the kids next door. He wished that would be the case all the time.
Mr. Zimmerman stood behind a podium in the center of the gym while students and teachers took their seats in the bleachers.
“This is a very solemn occasion,” Zimmerman said after everyone had settled down. “And a very sad reason for having this assembly, which, of course, is in honor of Mr. Johnstone. First, I’d like to introduce a young woman who has a very special reason to honor Mr. Johnstone’s memory. She can tell you how he helped to change her life. He motioned to the front row. “Miss Mattie Yoder.”
“Thank you, Mr. Zimmerman,” the young woman said as she approached the podium. She glanced toward the bleachers. “And good morning to all of you…though I know it is far from the best of mornings. As Mr. Zimmerman said, I’m here to tell you about how Mr. Johnstone helped me. As many of you probably know, I’m a former student, raised in an Amish family in an Amish community. Except that I was different. I am different. I love to learn.” She paused for a moment and glanced into the eyes of students in the front row seats. “I wanted to continue my education. Especially in the sciences.” She paused for a moment. “I wanted to go beyond eighth grade.” She smiled. “As you know, Mr. Johnstone wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. In fact, in my days here, he was known as Mr. Grouchy.”
“He still was!” someone shouted.
“I don’t doubt it,” Mattie continued. “But that was a façade. He was the kindest of men. But I was afraid to talk to him.” She took another moment to glance from one student to another. “Why didn’t I talk with someone else about my education? Because I had learned that he was a very staunch believer in formal education. He thought it was the greatest path to success.” She took a sip of water from a Styrofoam cup. “Somehow I worked up the nerve to knock on his classroom door.”
“’What is it!’ he growled, and I nearly turned and fled. But I didn’t flee.” She gave another quick smile. “That was the best decision I ever made. I told him I didn’t want to have to quit school, but I didn’t know what to do about it.”
“’Are you serious about this?’ he asked. ‘Very serious,’ I told him.”
“His next words are etched in my memory. ‘Then we’ll have to do something about it.’ But he didn’t do just something. He did many things. First, he tutored me in subjects beyond eighth grade. Nearly every day we met after school at Miller’s Restaurant where he instructed me in many different subjects. He then spent more time preparing me to take the GED, the high school equivalency exam. The minimum age for taking the exam in Ohio is eighteen. Yet under certain circumstances, a person can take the exam at the age of sixteen. Two days after my sixteenth birthday, Mr. Johnstone drove me to New Philadelphia, where the exam was being given locally.” She paused for a moment. “But he was far from finished with helping me. He arranged a job for me as a waitress in New Philadelphia, while I attended the Tuscarawas County Branch of Kent State University.
“I worked hard, harder than I could have imagined—both at my job and at school. I finished my bachelor’s degree when I was just eighteen—almost nineteen. That was last year. And while I was working on my degree Mr. Johnstone helped me to apply to several universities to be admitted to a Ph.D. program. We finally settled on Ohio State where he also helped me to secure a fellowship that would cover all my expenses. None of this would have happened without Mr. Johnstone, a truly dedicated and wonderful teacher, and a very good man.”
Jed was amazed at the extent of Joe’s dedication and help. It certainly cast him in a new light.
There were a couple more testimonials after which Mr. Zimmerman approached the podium and asked if anyone else wanted to say anything. No one did. “All right,” the superintendent said. “I’ve arranged for buses to arrive early, and the secretary has arranged for someone to meet those of you whose parents are at work. There will be no more classes for the rest of the day. We’ll go back to a regular schedule on Monday. Thank you.”
Jed closed up his classroom and headed outside.
“Jed!”
He turned back.
“Will you wait a minute?” Ellie asked.
“Of course.”
They stood just off the cement walkway. “What did you think?” she asked.
“Very inspiring. I certainly will never again view Joe as I did before he died.”
“Neither will I, and I’ve known him for a lot longer than you have.” She stepped aside for a student to pass. “Despite knowing he’d helped Mattie and those other students, I never before fully appreciated all he’d done. Seems many people were mistaken about him.”
“All I can conclude,” Jed said, “is that he was truly a good man, the kind of person all of us should have in our corners.”
“And to have someone murder him. It’s unfathomable.” She sighed. “The reason I stopped you is to see if you’d be interested in talking with his father-in-law.”
“Why not?” Jed answered. “Maybe he can tell us something we don’t already know.”
“Which is a lot, I’d say. Anyhow, what about this afternoon?”
“Will he agree to talk with us? I wonder.”
“One way to find out,” Ellie said as she pulled out her cell phone. “I looked up his number, just in case,” she said, as she dialed.
“This is Ellie Steiner,” she said into the
phone. “I was wondering if I could talk with you.” She paused. “Yes, that’s right. It was a very tragic thing.” She paused again. “So, in fifteen minutes then? That’s fine. At Briner House.”
She turned to Jed. “All set. He agreed to see us right away.”
“He had no objection?”
“None at all. In fact, he seemed eager to talk with us.”
“Well, that’s good. Why don’t I drive, and you leave your car in the lot?”
***
The gift shop at Briner House was beautifully decorated, featuring all sorts of cheeses, with an emphasis on Swiss. Other areas were filled with what Jed was sure were imported items from Switzerland. There were dolls, utensils, articles of clothing, and a host of other things. Harry Briner met them at the door.
“Good to see you both,” he said. “I’m sure you want to see if I know anything about poor Joe’s murder.”
“Yes,” Ellie answered.
“Come on into my office,” he said.
Jed was struck by the difference between the front of the store and the office. Here, everything was basic and totally businesslike with file cabinets and a scarred oaken desk, completely utilitarian.
Harry motioned them to chairs, circled the desk, and sat down.
“It was tragic,” he said. “Very, very tragic. I still haven’t been able to come to terms with it.”
“A lot of us feel the same,” Ellie answered. “Joe was a good man. A dedicated teacher who wanted nothing more than to mentor his students and set them on a path to success.”
“I’m sure you’re right. Yet, I’d hoped he’d take a job with us here at Briner House.”
“But his heart was set on teaching,” Ellie said.
“Can you imagine though? Within not too many years he could have been running this entire business. Making much, much more than he ever could have as a teacher.”
“Well, I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Ellie said. “It’s important to me.” She turned to Jed. “And as you know, my friend here quit his job as a reporter for the Union-Tribune to teach.”