Let There Be Light

by Al Lacy

  “Right,” said Clay. “I’m going to marry beautiful Mary, and Joel is going to marry beautiful Martha.”

  “Mary and Martha, eh? Are they from Bethany, and do they have a brother named Lazarus?”

  “Not exactly,” said Joel, “but I’m sure these young women love Jesus as much as the Bethany ladies did. Upon meeting these sweet Christian ladies when we arrived here, Clay was attracted to Mary, and I was attracted to Martha. We joined the church, and in a short time, Clay and Mary fell in love as did Martha and I. It’s all set. We are going to have a double wedding on Saturday afternoon, September 2.”

  Dan chuckled. “Well, praise the Lord! I guess you guys know that here in the West, there are two hundred men for every single woman. I read that in a newspaper when I was on the train crossing the Texas panhandle.”

  Clay nodded. “That same information has been printed in the Mogollon Dispatch several times. Joel and I know the Lord had Mary and Martha picked out for us, so there were no other suitors for us to compete with. God is good, Dan.”

  “He sure is! So which of the Denison sisters is the oldest?”

  “Mary is.”

  “And how old is she?”

  “Nineteen.”

  Dan looked at Joel. “How old is Martha?”

  “Nineteen.”

  Dan’s face went blank. “Huh?”

  Clay and Joel smiled, then Joel said, “They’re identical twins, Dan. Mary is fifteen minutes older than Martha.”

  “Identical twins! Isn’t that something. Well, since they’re identical, how do you tell them apart?”

  “It’s easy,” said Clay. “Mary is just more beautiful than Martha.”

  “Oh no!” said Joel. “It’s the other way around!”

  The three friends had a good laugh.

  “Well, pals,” said Dan, “congratulations to both of you. I know these engagements came about after much prayer and seeking God’s will.”

  Clay nodded. “You’re right about that. And the toughest part of it was asking Pastor and Mrs. Denison if we could marry their daughters.”

  “Yeah,” said Joel. “It sure was!”

  Again, the trio had a good laugh together.

  On a serious note, Clay said, “Dan, there are two Bible-believing churches in Mogollon. The pastor of the other church is Lance Kemper. If you want to check out the other church before you decide which one to join, we’ll understand.”

  “I’ll make that a matter of prayer. But I’ll visit your church first.”

  Joel cuffed him playfully on the chin. “Wise move, ol’ pal. Wise move.”

  “How about taking me and my luggage over to one of the hotels? I’ll get checked in, then whenever it’s time to go to the Denisons’ for supper, you can come by and get me.”

  “Hotel?” said Joel. “Clay, didn’t you tell him we’d make room for him?”

  “I did, but he insisted on staying at one of the hotels tonight.”

  Joel shrugged. “Okay. Well, Dan, I recommend the Avery Hotel over the Sanford. Folks hereabouts say the Avery is better, and a little less expensive.”

  “Then the Avery it is.”

  “Better get going, then. It’s almost time to close up shop here. And Mrs. Denison wants us at the parsonage at seven o’clock sharp. You guys go on, and I’ll close up.”

  At 6:45, Clay and Joel were waiting in their wagon in front of the Avery Hotel when Dan came out. Clay was at the reins. Joel slid closer to him on the seat to give Dan room. When Dan settled on the seat, Clay put the team in motion, and they headed down Main Street to the south.

  The melancholy desert twilight rapidly succeeded the last rays of the sun. Soon they pulled up into the parking lot of the church, which was a white frame building with a belfry that was topped by a white cross. The parsonage was also white frame and stood a few yards from the church building.

  Dave and Clara Denison were the first to meet the three young men at the door. They welcomed them, invited them in, and when introductions were made by Clay Holden, they gave Dan an especially warm welcome. As Dan was telling the pastor about meeting Pastor Richard Kelmar on the stagecoach, Mary and Martha appeared.

  Joel introduced Martha to Dan, and Clay introduced Mary. The twins were petite and had light brown hair and hazel eyes. When all were seated at the dining room table with a delicious-looking meal before them, the pastor asked Dan to lead in the prayer of thanks. All were touched when Dan not only thanked the Lord for the food, but thanked Him for bringing Mary and Clay, and Martha and Joel together.

  All four Denisons asked questions about Dan’s life in Tennessee as he grew up on the cattle ranch. Clay and Joel had already told them about Dan’s parents having died several years before, and Pastor Denison said that Dan’s parents were waiting in heaven to welcome him there someday. Dan wiped away a tear and said he was looking forward to that day.

  The next morning at eight o’clock, Clay was waiting in front of the hotel when Dan came out, carrying his bags.

  Clay chuckled. “Looks like you’re pretty sure you’ll be hired.”

  Dan placed the bags in the wagon bed and climbed up beside his friend. “I prayed about it last night and again this morning. I’ve got perfect peace in the matter. Mrs. Brady is about to hire her new ranch hand.”

  Clay snapped the reins. “Well, we’d better get out there!”

  Soon they were out of town, headed west on a dusty road.

  Dan’s eyes busily searched the landscape as the road stretched out level for some three or four miles, then crossed arroyos and ridges among massive rock formations. As they moved along to the sound of pounding hooves and spinning wheels, Dan ran his gaze to the wooded areas on both sides of the road, deep in shadows cast by the sun from a cerulean sky. “I tell you, Clay, this land is plenty different than the South, but it has a singular beauty all its own.”

  “That it does, Dan. And it grows on you too.”

  “Tell me about it. I’m already under its spell!”

  Soon they arrived at the gate of the Brady place. Clay swung the wagon between the heavy posts that bore a sign some ten feet high between them that identified it as the Box B Ranch. The wagon made a rumbling sound as it crossed over the iron rods that made up the cattle guard, and as they headed down the lane toward the house, corral, barn, and outbuildings, Dan noted the beef cattle in the fields on both sides of the lane.

  Clay set his eyes on a spot at the corral’s split rail fence. “That must be Mrs. Brady over there.”

  “I’d say so.”

  When the wagon swung up close to where the silver-haired woman was struggling to carry a bucket of grain that she had just filled from a large metal barrel nearby, she set the bucket down and looked at the wagon and its two occupants. A half dozen steers were at the feed trough inside the corral, waiting patiently for their meal.

  A wide grin split Dan’s face at his first close glimpse of Suzanne Brady. She stood no more than five feet in height. Her plump body was clad in a brown dress sprigged with yellow and white flowers, and she wore a voluminous white apron. A bright yellow sunbonnet shaded her wrinkled face and her wiry hair was protruding out all around it.

  The two men jumped out of the wagon, and as they hurried toward her, Dan said, “May I help you with that, ma’am?”

  She sighed and wiped the back of her blue-veined hand over her forehead. “I’d sure appreciate it, young man.”

  While the woman and Clay watched, Dan picked up the bucket and poured its contents in the feed trough. The steers began eating hungrily. He turned around and asked, “Do you want more grain in the trough?”

  “No, thank you. That’ll be enough for now.”

  When Dan returned with the empty bucket, Clay said, “Mrs. Brady, I’m half-owner of the C and J Livery Stable in town. I’m the C. My name is Clay Holden.”

  Drawing her head back, she looked up under the brim of her bonnet and both men saw two twinkling blue Irish eyes and a smile that would charm all the leprechauns in I
reland. Dan immediately lost his heart to the dear little lady.

  “I’ve been told that the two new owners of the stable are born-again men.”

  “Well, you heard right, ma’am.”

  “I’m a born-again child of God too, Mr. Holden. I belong to Pastor Lance Kemper’s church, as did my late husband.”

  “May I say that I’m sorry about his sudden death, Mrs. Brady? Even when we lose a loved one that we know went to heaven, it’s still hard to let them go.”

  “Yes. But thank God for His grace.”

  “Yes. Mrs. Brady, this young man is Dan Tyler. He is also a Christian. My partner at the stable and I were in the Civil War together with Dan. He just arrived here yesterday. He is single and is interested in the job offer you have in the Mogollon Dispatch.”

  Suzanne’s eyes lit up. “Mr. Tyler, do you have experience with cattle and horses?”

  “Yes, Mrs. Brady. I was born and raised on a cattle ranch in Tennessee, and I know the business. I was also in the Confederate cavalry for most of the War. I love horses, and I love cattle.”

  “Good. And the thirty dollars a month is all right?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Suzanne cocked her head and let her mouth curve into another charming smile. “Well, Mr. Tyler, you’re hired!”

  Dan grinned from ear to ear while Clay whispered a word of thanks to the Lord. “Well, now that you’re my boss, ma’am, you can call me Dan.”

  “I’ll do it if you’ll call me Suzanne.”

  “If you say so, Mrs. Br—I mean, Suzanne.”

  “Well, let me take you over on the other side of the barn and show you the horses, then we’ll go to the cabin.”

  Dan and Clay walked alongside Suzanne as she guided them to the corral where three saddle horses stood, ears pricked up, looking at them. There was one mare and two geldings. Dan commented on what fine-looking horses they were, saying his first pick would be the bay gelding with the white face and white stockings.

  Suzanne chuckled. “Well, he’s yours, but you’ll have to ride the other two periodically to keep them in shape.”

  “Be glad to.”

  As Suzanne led them to the cabin, which stood under two cotton-wood trees some thirty yards behind the ranch house, she explained that her husband had built it with plans to take on a hired man when he wasn’t able to do the work around the place anymore. Jim was still carrying the workload up till the day the Lord took him home.

  When Dan saw the one-room log cabin, he liked it at first sight. It was neat as a pin. The bed was made of peeled logs and covered with a deep feather tick. A washstand and dresser occupied a portion of one wall. There was an overstuffed chair at the large open window in the front of the cabin, with a small table beside it. The welcome morning breeze toyed with the blue cotton curtains. In one corner near another open window was a square table with two wooden chairs. The cabin had two other windows, and the curtains in each one were in constant motion from the breeze. A woodstove stood in the middle of the room. Although it was not needed now, Dan knew its warmth would feel good in the cold winter months.

  “Well, Dan,” said Suzanne, “what do you think?”

  “I love it. I’ll get my luggage from Clay’s wagon and move in. You can fill me in on the work schedule around here and I’ll start earning my pay.”

  Suzanne smiled. “Wonderful! Now, one thing must be understood …”

  “Yes, ma’am?”

  “I’ll do your washin’ and ironin’.”

  Dan chuckled. “Praise the Lord! I appreciate that.”

  “And you’ll take your meals with me.”

  “Sounds good. I’m not much of a cook.”

  “There’s a large galvanized tub on the back porch for takin’ your baths. You can get your water from the well pump at the water tank over there at the corral.”

  Dan looked at Clay. “I’ll get my luggage, ol’ pal, and let you get back to town.”

  The following Sunday, Dan went to church with Clay and Joel and very much liked Pastor David Denison’s preaching. The members welcomed him warmly and he felt at home. During the week, he prayed about visiting the other church, but felt led of the Lord to return to the same church. The next Sunday, when the invitation was given after the sermon, Dan joined the church.

  As time passed, Suzanne Brady was very pleased with Dan’s work and thanked him every day for being such a good worker and working for such low wages. She also complimented him on being such an excellent horseman.

  In conversations at mealtime, Dan learned that Suzanne had never been able to have children, and other than her ailing sister, who was in a sanatorium in San Antonio, Texas, she was the only one left of her family on either side.

  Dan spent much time with Clay and Mary and Joel and Martha. He was glad for his two friends, that they had found the young ladies, but inside, he was wishing he could find a nice Christian young lady too.

  One evening when he was eating supper with Suzanne Brady, she asked him if he had left a young lady back in Tennessee.

  He swallowed his mouthful of fried potatoes. “No, ma’am. I’ll just have to wait till the Lord sends the right one into my life.”

  Suzanne looked at him. “Dan, don’t you know there are two hundred men here in the west for every single woman?”

  “Yes, I do. But the Lord provided Mary and Martha Denison for Clay and Joel. He can provide the right young lady for me.”

  “Well, maybe the Lord would have you try the mail order bride system, like so many other men are doin’. If you put a lot of prayer with it, the Lord just might send you the young lady as a mail order bride.”

  Dan took a sip of coffee and set the cup down. “I … I don’t know about this mail order bride thing, Suzanne. I’m not too sure it will work for Christians.”

  “Well, it does. There are married couples in my church, and in yours, whom the Lord brought together through the mail order bride system.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Really. And to my knowledge, every one of them is superbly happy in their marriage.”

  “Hmm. Well, I’ll give it some thought and pray about it.”

  That night as Dan lay in his bed, he pondered his conversation with Suzanne, but still was a bit uneasy about the thought of seeking a wife through the mail.

  He lay awake for some time, talking to the Lord about it. Just before sleep claimed him, he decided that since there were couples in both churches who had found each other through the mail order bride system, he would seek God’s leadership in it before taking that step.

  That night he dreamed about his wedding. He was standing at the foot of the platform in the church building, looking down the aisle, while the organ played the wedding march. He recognized the faces of his fellow church members in the pews and saw Suzanne Brady sitting on the aisle a few rows back, smiling at him. But when he set his eyes on the young lady coming down the aisle toward him in a white wedding gown, she had no face!

  The next morning, Dan was haunted by the dream while driving the Box B wagon toward town to pick up a load of grain. He shook it from his thoughts as he pulled up in front of the C and J Livery Stable. He would pick up the grain after having a talk with his two best friends.

  Clay and Joel were in the wagon repair section, putting a new rear axle on a wagon, when Dan walked in. They both greeted him warmly and Joel asked what brought him to town.

  “Well, first I have to pick up a load of grain for the cattle and horses. Second, I need a little information.”

  Clay chuckled. “You’ll have to get the grain from the feed and grain store, but we’ve got all kinds of information around this place. What do you want to know?”

  Joel laughed at his partner’s humor.

  Dan made a mock scowl. “Funny, Clay.”

  The three of them laughed together, then Dan told his friends about his conversation with Suzanne concerning the mail order bride system at supper the night before. “She said there are couples in our church,
as well as hers, who came together through the mail order bride system. Who was that? I’d like to talk to one of the couples.”

  Joel paused. “Well, there’s Tim and Lisa Cole, Earl and Emmylou Washburn, Jack and Lorna Sparks, and Forrest and Cynthia Hyde.”

  “I’m not sure who they are. Isn’t Jack Sparks the one with the eye patch? He’s manager of the hardware store.”

  “Sure is.”

  Dan’s eyes lit up. “Good! He and his wife have been especially friendly to me at church. I’ll talk to them.”

  Joel told him where the Sparkses lived. “Dan, Clay and I have been praying about this very thing. We’ve seen the look in your eyes when you’re with us and our gals. It’s time you were finding your gal. Suzanne’s suggestion is a good one, as you’ll find out from Jack and Lorna.”

  “We’ll keep praying too,” said Clay. “Let us know if you decide to go for a mail order bride.”

  Dan said he would.

  That night, Dan rode the bay gelding into town after supper and knocked on the door of the Sparks home.

  A handsome man opened the door. “Well, Dan Tyler! Come in!” He turned and called toward the rear of the house: “Lorna! Someone’s here to see us!”

  As Dan stepped in, Jack laid a hand on his shoulder. “I haven’t said anything to you at church about it, but I was a Union soldier in the War. We can still be friends, can’t we?”

  Dan looked at him seriously. “We’re brothers in Christ, Jack. Even when you wore blue and I wore gray, we really weren’t enemies.”

  “Amen to that.”

  “Why, Dan Tyler!” Lorna said as she drew up. “It’s nice to see you. To what do we owe this pleasant surprise?”

  Dan ran his eyes between them. “I need to talk to you. Am I coming at an inconvenient time?”

  “Not at all,” said Jack. “Let’s go sit down in the parlor.”

  When the Sparkses were seated so they could face Dan, Jack said, “So what can we do for you?”

  “Well, I … ah … I understand you two were brought together by the Lord through the mail order bride system.”

  Jack took hold of Lorna’s hand and kissed it. “We sure were! And we thank the Lord every day for it.”