“Or music,” MJ said. “That’s another example. And it’s a huge draw for the saloons and the speakeasies, especially for the younger generation. They have live bands playing this crazy new music they call Dixieland and jazz. And they have dance floors right there in the saloons. So half-drunk people get out on the dance floors with their wild and highly inappropriate dancing.”
Rowland feigned deep shock. “How do you know that?”
MJ ignored him. “I’m not saying all dances are that way, but some of them are pretty provocative.”
They were silent for a moment. Mitch sat back and then spoke again. “Anyway, what this writer said was fascinating. He believes this is a natural reaction to the previous decade we just experienced. Think about that. What was the last decade like?”
“We had a world war,” Rowland said immediately. “Millions of young men marched off to battle and never came back. And many of those who did come back were horribly maimed or suffered from shell shock.”
Mitch added, “The civilians in Europe saw horrible conditions too. You’ve heard me talk about what Elder Reissner and I saw firsthand when we went to Germany to distribute those army surplus supplies the Church bought. And I’m sure it was the same in France and Belgium, too.”
Then Rowland sighed, “There was the Spanish flu epidemic in the last decade, too.”
“Yes,” Mitch agreed. “The worst epidemic the world has seen since the Black Plague. Fifty million people dead worldwide. It was a dark, depressing, horrible time. And that’s this journalist’s point. By the end of the decade, it was like this huge, dark pall hung over the world. People were desperately looking for a change, longing for some break in the gloom. They wanted to be happy again, to laugh and play and forget the awful past.”
MJ was nodding now. “And one way to forget the past is to throw off the old and bring in the new, right?”
“Precisely!” Mitch replied. “You look for anything that puts a smile on your face and a song in your heart.” There was the sound of a car engine and tires crunching on gravel, and then lights flashed across the ceiling. Mitch jumped up. “Oh, good. I think the women are home.”
As he said it, the kitchen door was flung open and the children came pouring out.
As the kids raced past them to the window, Mitch reached over and punched his son gently on the shoulder. “But, MJ, just for the record, I predict that our grandchildren will still be plowing with Ford tractors and driving Ford automobiles long after the name of Farmall has been completely forgotten.”
“Hear, hear,” Rowland intoned solemnly.
Chapter Notes
I decided to name Tina’s date to the dance Willie Adams and make him a grandson of George and Evelyn Adams. I did that because the Adams family was one of the founding families in San Juan County, Utah, and they were still living in Monticello at this time. But Willie is a fictional character, not based on an actual Adams descendant.
Dan Perkins, son of Benjamin and Mary Ann Perkins, two of the original Hole-in-the-Rock pioneers, moved with his family to Monticello early in its history. After his first wife died, leaving him with two children, he married Cornelia (Nean) Adams, the oldest daughter of George and Evelyn Adams. According to their oldest daughter, Norma Perkins Young, her father did not buy an automobile until 1929 because “the time honored way of transportation by horse, wagon, or buggy was more comfortable for Dan” (Anchored Lariats, 164, 175).
November 21, 1923, 9:10 p.m.—EDW Ranch
Edie suddenly appeared in the hallway that led from the bedrooms to the living room. She waved her hands. Immediately, everyone in the living room went quiet. Smiling broadly, she stepped back, swept out her hand, and intoned: “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, the lovely, the charming, the elegant Miss Christina Rae Westland!” She stepped back and began to applaud. Instantly the whole family joined in, the children cheering along.
A moment later Tina appeared. Blushing and trying very hard to look prim and proper, she came into the room. With a little flourish of her hands, she extended both arms and curtsied deeply. Oohs and ahs replaced the applause.
Mitch felt a sudden lump in his throat as he stared at his daughter. She was radiant with joy, and her eyes danced with excitement. But where was the little girl he used to bounce on his knee? Who was this lovely young woman? He turned to MJ and June, who were standing right beside him. “Poor Willie Adams,” he said.
June chuckled softly. “I already told her that. He doesn’t stand a chance.”
Mitch turned back to look at his daughter. Everyone had gathered around her now and was examining the dress more closely. It was lovely. The material was soft and expensive-looking, the color of purple grape juice. Its lines were straight and simple. There was no collar, just a softly curving line that came just below the nape of her neck. Around Tina’s neck was a delicate gold necklace with a single artificial pearl attached. It was graceful, elegant, and made her look absolutely lovely.
“Ah, Tina,” he said, starting toward her. But he stopped mid-stride as his eyes finally took in the full dress. A deep frown furrowed his brow. “What is this?” he asked.
“This” was the skirt of her dress. Mitch was staring at the hem. It ended just three or four inches below the knee, revealing about fifteen inches of bare legs above her shoes.
Mitch’s eyes suddenly narrowed, and he spoke to Edie. “Was ist los?” he asked gruffly.
Edie’s eyes flew open in surprise, not just at the question but at the look on his face. Taken aback, she only stared at him. What now?
Evidently Tina had heard him too, for she had gone rigid. Her eyes were riveted on her father. Then she slowly turned to her mother and in a low, hoarse whisper cried, “See, Mama? I told you he wouldn’t like it.” Tina started backing away, moving toward the hallway, her face a vivid crimson now.
Mitch took a step toward her. “Tina!”
She stopped but didn’t turn around.
“Come back out here where I can see you.”
She did, moving slowly, head down, lower lip trembling, her eyes fixed on Edie. “I told you, Mama,” she whispered. “I told you.” She was blinking rapidly, fighting back hot tears.
Edie stalked over to Mitch and jabbed him sharply with her elbow. “Stop it,” she said between clenched teeth.
But he was still staring at the dress. “You approved that?” he asked incredulously.
June audibly gasped and instinctively moved over so she partially blocked Mitch’s view of Tina. Rena was glaring at her father, her eyes dark with warning. And Edie’s eyes were saying, as clearly as if she were shouting it at him, “Whatever it is you are about to say, please don’t! Not now. Not here. We’ll talk later.”
Mitch glanced over and saw that behind June, Tina’s face had gone a chalky white. Her eyes were wide and filled with visible pain. A warning bell pinged in his mind, but he couldn’t help it. “Look at it,” he said. “It barely covers her knees.”
“No, Father Westland,” June exclaimed. “It comes a good four inches below her knees.”
June chimed in, “There was nothing else in her size that she liked that was modest enough.”
That did it. Feeling like a steer on the auction block, Tina gave a strangled cry, whirled, and plunged into the hallway. A moment later, her bedroom door slammed hard enough to rattle the windows. And then they heard the distinct click of her lock.
Mitch turned to his son. “Do you think that is acceptable, MJ?”
MJ fell back a step, holding up his hands as if to ward off a blow. “I’m staying out of this one, Dad.”
Rowland started to say something, but Rena shot him a look that would have stopped a locomotive in its tracks, and his mouth clamped shut again.
Head held high, face grim, her mouth pinched in a tight line, Edie looked at Mitch for several seconds and then shook her head and began
cleaning up the toys and books scattered around the room. “Children, help Grandma clean up. It’s past your bedtime. We’ve got a big day tomorrow. Come, come. Let’s put things away.”
Mitch stood there, not moving, realizing that he was seeing an anger in his wife that he had not seen in many, many years. And that anger was aimed directly at him. But he couldn’t stop himself from asking the one question that she had not yet answered. “Did you approve that dress?”
Edie went on picking things up as if he had not spoken.
9:18 p.m.
Very little was said as the parents gathered up their children. Rena and Rowland and their family were staying in the main ranch house, so Rena rounded them up and headed for the back bedrooms. MJ and June quickly rounded up their brood and left. Their ranch house was about a hundred yards west of the main house.
Abby, who had clearly been crying, turned to her mother. “I thought it was a really pretty dress, Mama,” she said in a low voice. She didn’t look at her father.
“Thank you, Abby,” Edie said, her voice wooden. “Don’t forget to say your prayers.”
Benji glanced at his father, who was staring out the window now, and then went up on tiptoes and gave his mother a quick kiss good night.
For almost a full minute after the room had emptied, Edie stood there, looking at the floor. Mitch continued staring out into the night. Edie glanced around the room once more and moved slowly toward the hallway. “I’m going to bed,” she murmured. “It’s been a very long day.”
She had only taken two or three steps when Mitch turned and spoke. “You never answered my question,” he murmured.
Edie didn’t have to ask what question. Her shoulders lifted and fell. “Ja, Mitch. I approved the dress. Tina would never have bought it if I hadn’t.”
Mitch looked as though he was going to say more, but Edie turned her back on him and started moving again. But as she reached the hall, she stopped. Turning slowly, her eyes locked on his now, she asked, “Do you remember that picture you showed me in the newspaper several months ago? The one where a policeman in New York City was measuring how many inches above the knee the women’s bathing suits were?”
Mitch looked up in surprise. Wary, he slowly nodded. “Yes. What about it?”
“Was there anything about that picture that bothered you?”
He flashed her a sickly grin. “I know I’m supposed to say yes, but I’m not sure why.”
Edie was not amused, and Mitch’s smile quickly faded.
“It doesn’t bother you that modesty is defined by a tape measure? If your bathing suit is 5¹⁵⁄₁₆ inches above the knee, you are modest. But if it’s six inches, then you’re immodest. Right?”
“Uh. . . .”
“And, by the way, the law just across the river in New Jersey is eight inches above the knee. So if those women just crossed over the river, they would instantly become modest, right? So just how much longer does the skirt on Tina’s dress have to be to satisfy you? A sixteenth of an inch? Would that do it?”
“Now you’re just being difficult.”
“Ja, ja. That is exactly what I’m trying to be. So answer me.”
“Okay, no, a sixteenth of an inch wouldn’t do it.”
“I didn’t think so. How about a quarter of an inch?”
Mitch threw up his hands. “Criminy, Edie. I thought you’d be with me on this. We’ve talked and talked about how women’s styles are becoming more and more revealing and provocative. In the last few years it’s been like the whole world’s gone crazy. We have to take a stand, Roaring Twenties or not. We have to draw the line somewhere.”
“I agree. So where is that line? Are you saying that it’s wrong if Tina shows any bare skin at all?”
But then, to Mitch’s surprise, Edie’s expression softened and she came to him and stepped into his arms, pressing herself against him. “I don’t know all the answers, Mitch. Modesty and indecency are such hard things to define. In some cultures, the women wear veils when they go out so other men can’t see their faces. I don’t wear a veil. Does that make me immodest? Scottish men wear kilts. Does that make them immodest? I don’t know.”
Her eyes were shining now. “But here’s what I do know. Our daughter is as pure and sweet and innocent and lovely as any woman I have ever known. We named her well when we called her Christina. She truly is a follower of Christ. And yet, one look from you tonight took that all away from her. Mitch, she’s not in there crying because you don’t like the dress. Didn’t you see her eyes? She wasn’t just hurt. She was ashamed. And I don’t think she’s ever felt that before. And if you don’t go in to her and somehow fix that, there will be a breach between the two of you that might never be healed.”
They stood there for a long time, holding each other, not speaking. Finally, Mitch stepped back. “I don’t know how to fix it,” he whispered. “Tell me, Schatzi. I was a fool. How can I make it right with her? What do I say?”
Edie searched his face and then very quietly said, “I don’t know, Mitch. But I know who does.” Then she took him by the hand and pulled him down to his knees.
When they finally got up and he started down the hall, she called after him. “Mitch?”
He turned around. “Yes?”
“There’s one thing you ought to know before you go in there.”
“What?”
“Tina has decided that she’s also going to cut her hair for the dance. She wants a bob cut.”
She actually smiled at the look on his face and then blew him a kiss. “Go, Mitch. Go fix this.”
December 10, 1923, 1:45 p.m.—Main Street, Monticello
“Daddy!”
Mitch had been about to turn right as he came out of the Monticello Cooperative Mercantile. He stopped and turned, surprised to see Tina coming toward him.
She broke into a trot and quickly joined him, smiling. Mitch was grateful that he had heeded his wife’s counsel to patch things up with his daughter. “Guten tag, Vati. Where’s Mama?”
Mitch looked her up and down. “Where is your coat, young lady? It is winter, you know.”
“It’s not that cold. And I have to go right back inside.” Tina looked around. “I thought Mom was coming to town with you.”
Mitch pointed to the post office. “She went to get the mail. She’s probably in there gabbing with someone.” He peered at Tina more closely. “What are you doing out of school?”
“Mr. Winslow asked me to get something for him from the drugstore for chemistry class.”
“Oh.” She had turned and was looking for her mother. “Why did he ask you?” Mitch asked.
Tina shrugged. “Dunno. He just did.” She lifted a hand. “Bye. Gotta run. Tell Mom hello.”
“I will,” Mitch replied. But as she turned, he called after her. “I know why Willie asked you to the dance!”
“What?” Then she blushed a little. “Why?”
“Because you’re so darn cute.”
Instantly Tina’s cheeks went bright red, but she flashed him a pleased grin. “I don’t think that’s why, but thanks.” She started away but then stopped and turned back slowly. “Daddy? Are you saying that—” One hand came up and briefly touched her hair.
“Yes, I am.”
“Really? You think it’s cute?”
Mitch nodded. Slowly, she came back toward him. “I’m not talking about me, Daddy. I’m talking about my haircut.”
“I know, and though it pains me deeply to say it, for there’s still a part of me that feels sad to see your long hair gone, I have to admit that I’m quite taken with it. As was Willie. I thought I was going to have to get the car jack out to get his jaw off of the floor when he first saw you the other night.”
“And what about the dress?” Tina asked.
Mitch stepped forward and put his arm around his daughter, knowing tha
t he had to be honest with her. “I’m not sure I’m ready for how women’s styles are changing,” he said, “but I do know this: you are not immodest in any way. You are kind, loving, and virtuous, and I couldn’t have asked for a better daughter.”
“Oh, Daddy.” Tina came back to him and went up on tiptoes and kissed him softly on the cheek. “Ich liebe dich.”
Mitch started to say, “And I love you too,” but it caught in his throat. He suddenly pictured a three-year-old with short, dark hair who followed him wherever he went around the ranch and often rode with him in his saddle. So he bent down and kissed her on the top of her head. “Me too, kiddo,” he finally whispered. He turned her around and gave her a playful shove. “Now go, before Mr. Winslow comes looking for you.”
“Yeah. Bye.”
As Mitch turned and started for the car, he saw Edie coming out of the post office. She was waving at him. “Was that Tina I just saw?”
“Yeah. Mr. Winslow sent her to get something from the drugstore.” He saw that she had several letters in her hand. “More bills?”
“No. We got a letter from Inga. And from the feel of it, it’s a long one.”
“Wonderful. Do you have anything else in town you need to do?”
“Nothing that can’t wait.”
“Then let’s go home and see what she has to say.”
2:05 p.m.—EDW Ranch
Mitch lowered the letter slowly and stared at Edie. “I can’t believe it.”
“Nor can I,” Edie whispered in horror. “What kind of men could steal a farm worth thousands and thousands of dollars from a senile old man?”
“They’re called predators,” Mitch said grimly. “And they have always been with us.”
“But thank heavens for this Adolf Hitler. Do you think he actually threatened that real estate guy?”
The Proud Shall Stumble Page 9