“Wonderful.” Gerda pulled Olina across the lobby. “August is here, too.”
The two men glanced up when they heard Gerda’s exclamation. August grabbed her in a bear hug and swung her feet off the floor. When he put her down, he turned toward Olina. “You look nice tonight. I’m glad Gustaf talked me into going with the three of you.”
Olina looked at Gustaf. Once again, she felt a blush rise to color her cheeks. She had known other women who didn’t turn red every time a man looked at them. Why couldn’t she be like them?
The evening was cool but pleasant when they arrived at the structure covered with fresh branches. Olina hoped that the four of them would sit on the back bench, but Gustaf led them down the center aisle. He stopped about halfway between the back and the front. He motioned for August, Gerda, and Olina to precede him on the bench, leaving him sitting on the aisle. He probably needed to sit there so he would have somewhere to put his long legs. The benches weren’t far apart.
Olina wondered if many people would come to the meeting. Soon most of the benches were full, and men stood outside the arbor, looking in. Olina was glad. At least they wouldn’t be conspicuous. When everyone was crowded into the structure, it warmed up a bit.
A large man with snow-white hair stood from the front bench and stepped onto the short platform. When he turned around, he unbuttoned his black frock coat and raised his hands. All talking ceased. His booming voice led in an opening prayer. Olina had never heard a prayer like the one he prayed. He sounded as if God was his friend, not just someone who lived in heaven and kept His distance. In the Swedish church they attended here, as well as the church back in Sweden, God had seemed far from Olina.
She used to love Him. She had liked learning about Him, but she hadn’t thought of Him as a friend. When this man said “Father,” his voice held love and warmth, not just awe. Olina didn’t know what to think about that.
After the man finished praying, he started singing a song Olina had never heard before. However, the words and the music touched something in her that she had been hiding. The first line, “Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down,” awakened a longing. Olina felt uncomfortable. If she had been sitting on the back bench, she would have slipped out and returned to the hotel room. The longer the singing continued, the more uncomfortable she became. Her mother had always told her not to squirm in church, but the wooden bench was hard even through the layers of her clothing.
When the first song ended, the leader started another, without announcing what it would be. That didn’t bother the other people. By the second word, most of them were singing with him.
Olina didn’t sing along. She had never heard this song, either. She didn’t want to “survey the wondrous cross.” Olina didn’t want to think about Jesus dying for her. She didn’t want to think that He loved her. By now she was fidgeting a lot. Maybe she could tell Gerda that she needed to use the necessary.
When the singer started the third song and everyone joined in, Olina couldn’t shut the words out of her mind. “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.” How she would like to believe in that amazing grace, but she knew that God had not protected her from grievous hurt.
❧
Gustaf was attuned to Olina’s every move. He could tell that she was uncomfortable. Maybe it would have been better not to bring her. He and August had prayed for Olina while they waited for the two young women to come down to the lobby. Perhaps it wasn’t the time for God to speak to her yet.
Gustaf had been humming along after he caught on to the melody of the songs. The words had gone right to his heart, making it joyful, but that didn’t seem to be the case with Olina. Maybe he should offer to walk her back to the hotel. But something stopped him from asking her.
❧
The last song started. Holy Spirit, Truth divine, dawn upon this soul of mine; Word of God and inward light, wake my spirit, clear my sight.
Those words calmed Olina. Could the Spirit of God clear her sight? By the time the song ended, she had stopped fidgeting. She let the music pour over her, hoping it would indeed bring her lasting peace. But how could she trust God?
When the singer finished, he returned to his seat on the front bench, and another man stepped onto the platform. He was a small, wiry man carrying a big black Bible under his arm. He turned and looked out across the group that was gathered. It seemed to Olina that his gaze stopped when he reached her. For a moment suspended in time, he continued to look at her before he continued on across the crowd. She felt as if he could see everything in her heart. Why was he interested in her?
He stood there for several moments. The crowd was quiet except for a mother in the back, shushing her fussy baby. After the long pause, the preacher cleared his throat, pulled a large white handkerchief from his pocket, and mopped beads of perspiration from his forehead. Then he opened the Bible near the middle.
“I’m going to read to you from the book of Jeremiah, the twenty-ninth chapter, verses eleven through thirteen.” Once more, he cleared his throat before continuing. “ ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ ”
When he once again cleared his throat, the singer moved to the platform and handed the preacher a tin cup of water. After taking a swig, he gave it back to the man with a whisper of thanks. “I’m also going to read the first part of the fourteenth verse: ‘And I will be found of you, saith the Lord.’ ”
Olina didn’t remember those words from the Bible. Maybe it was because she didn’t really like the Old Testament. It was harder for her to understand than the New Testament. She hadn’t paid much attention when Fader read to the family from the Old Testament. But she thought she would have remembered those words. They had lodged in her heart after the preacher read them.
“I believe God is talking about His plans for us.” The preacher closed the Bible and walked back and forth across the small platform. “God has plans for us, and they are plans that are good, not bad. He knows what He wants to happen in our lives. Sometimes it doesn’t seem that way, but in the end, the good He intends will come to pass.”
Could this be true? Olina didn’t know. She only knew that God had allowed so much to happen to her. If He wanted good to come from it, when was it going to happen? Olina didn’t hear any more of the preacher’s sermon, but his opening words kept ringing through her heart and mind. God had plans for her good. Did He? Could she trust Him to bring them about?
Fourteen
When Sophia and Marja came to the hotel late Monday afternoon, Olina and Gerda had finished two dresses that day. These would be the last, since Sophia and Adolph were leaving on the train Tuesday morning. Because they had been so busy, the week had flown by.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Olina and Gerda had made one dress per day. Once they became used to the sewing machine, everything went more quickly. Starting on Friday, they were able to finish two dresses per day. They had taken turns with each new dress. On one, Gerda cut the dress out while Olina sewed the pieces together. On the next one, they switched places. That way they both learned to use the machine. They shared the handwork, sewing on buttons and hemming.
“I can hardly believe I have eight new dresses at one time. These will last me for years.” Sophia held up the light blue dimity, and its full skirt spread around her. “I’ve never had such a fine wardrobe as this.” Her smile warmed Olina’s heart. “What are you girls doing tonight?”
Olina looked at Gerda, who was making a bundle of the fabric scraps. She would take them home so her mother could use them in a quilt. “We’ll be packing, getting ready for Gustaf to come for us tomorrow morning.”
Sophia glanced down at the dress again. “I want to wear this before I leave town. Adolph and I would like to have you girls as ou
r guests for dinner tonight.”
Marja clapped her hands. “What a wonderful idea. We could all eat together.”
“Of course,” Sophia agreed. “It can be a dinner party. I’ll check with the hotel to see if we can get festive food for tonight.”
Sophia and Marja gathered up their things. They had started toward the door when Sophia turned back.
“I almost forgot to give you this.” She opened her reticule and pulled a sealed envelope from it, thrusting it into Olina’s hands. “I’ve put a little bonus in this along with what I agreed to pay you. You’ve done such a good job.”
Before the young women could demur, Marja and Sophia had bustled out the door, chattering about the plans for the evening.
Gerda looked at Olina, who was using both hands to test the weight of the envelope. Olina could tell that it held quite a bit of money.
“Well, look at it, Olina.” Gerda was anxious.
Olina was careful not to tear the paper as she looked inside. Several greenbacks spilled from the envelope onto the bed. Olina dumped the rest and sat beside the pile to divide it into two stacks. She had never seen that much money at one time in her whole life. At first, she just sat and looked at it. What a blessing! Now why did she think that? Did she still believe in blessings?
Since the first night of the brush arbor meetings, Olina had pondered the words of the evangelist. She wanted to read the words he shared from the Bible in her mother tongue, but she had not brought her Bible with her. Because of what her father had told her, she had left it at her aunt’s house. After that Wednesday night meeting, Olina had written her aunt a letter, asking her to send the Bible to America. She wanted to wait to face the words until it came, but they kept popping into her head at the oddest times.
The preacher had said things on Thursday and Friday night that piqued her interest, but none as strongly as that first night. Did God have plans for her? If so, what were they?
“This is a lot of money.” Gerda’s comment interrupted Olina’s musings.
“Yes, it is.” Olina still stared at the two piles.
Gerda sat on the bed across from Olina, the money between them. “I have an idea.”
Olina looked up at Gerda. “What?”
“Do you remember how much Marja said the sewing machine cost?”
Olina nodded.
“Look at all this.” Gerda picked up her share of the bounty and let it drift back to the bed. “If we put our shares together, we could buy that machine and still have plenty of money left.”
Olina’s eyes widened as she looked at her friend. She hadn’t even thought about anything like that. Maybe Gerda’s idea was a good one.
“Remember at church?” Gerda started stacking her money in a neat pile. “When the other women saw Marja’s and Sophia’s new dresses, we got orders from four other women.”
Olina was getting interested. “We could make those dresses much faster with the machine.” She walked over to the piece of equipment and rubbed her hand over the wooden table that held the machine head. “If we are going to be dressmakers, we need this.”
Gerda joined her. “It would be wonderful if somehow we could move to the house we saw and sew from there.” She got a dreamy look in her eyes. “We did pray and ask God to provide for us. Look what He has already provided.”
Olina could only agree. Maybe, just maybe, she had been wrong, and God had not deserted her as she had thought.
❧
The party that evening was festive. The glow of candlelight glistened from polished silver and crystal goblets, and a floral centerpiece graced the table. Instead of the roast beef most people were having for dinner, they each had a tender steak, surrounded by fresh vegetables. The dainty rolls were fluffy and browned to perfection. Dessert was a light chocolate pastry with a custard filling. Olina had never tasted anything like it.
While the guests enjoyed their meals, several people came over to talk to Olina and Gerda. Some of them were visiting with Sophia and Adolph before they went back to Denver. Other couples came for the wives to look at the dresses all four women wore. Olina and Gerda had worn the pastel silk frocks they had made before they had come to town to sew for Sophia. Three more women wanted to talk to them about making them dresses.
“Marja,” Gerda said as they were getting ready to go up to their rooms. “You said that Johan would pick up the sewing machine in the morning when we are getting ready to leave.”
“Yes, Dear, I hope that’s all right.” Marja patted Gerda on the arm.
“Well, Olina and I have decided that we want to buy the machine with the money we made this week.”
Marja clapped her hands. “What a wonderful idea.” Then she put her arms around both young women. “You have so many more dresses to make already.”
The three women started up the staircase. “We thought it would be a good investment,” Olina added.
❧
“I’m glad Johan came to help me carry that heavy machine down to the wagon.” Gustaf made a clucking sound to the horses, and they started out of town. “Here I thought I had carried it on those stairs for the last time.” He chuckled. “It’s a good thing we needed to pick up some feed for the horses. If not, I would have brought the buggy, not the wagon.”
Gerda was seated between Gustaf and Olina on the wagon seat. She poked Olina with her elbow. “He always has something to complain about, doesn’t he?” The young women giggled. “I think he likes helping us.”
Olina peeked around Gerda to see that Gustaf was looking right at her. “Do you agree?” he asked.
Goose bumps ran up her arms. “I think. . .” Olina swallowed and looked away.
“What do you think, Olina?” Gerda seemed oblivious to the charge in the air.
“I think that Gustaf does like to help. . .us.” Olina ducked her head. “But I don’t think he complains much. At least I don’t hear him.”
When a robust laugh burst from Gustaf, another feeling ran up Olina’s spine. She was not sure what it was, but she knew that she liked to hear Gustaf’s hearty laugh. It sounded musical to her, like the symphony she and Tant Olga attended before she came to America—rich, full, and heartwarming. At least it warmed her heart today. But it wasn’t just the laugh. That was only part of what warmed her heart. After all, she and Gerda really became professional dressmakers when they bought that treadle sewing machine. Her life was taking shape. It had a purpose now.
Ingrid Nilsson prepared a special feast to celebrate the return of the young women. Even August came home to have dinner with them. He said that Gustaf invited him when he came to town to pick them up. The meal was a lively, happy time, with much talking and teasing among the Nilsson family. However, Olina remained silent, listening to the others and remembering such evenings with her family back in Sweden. The times she thought of them were not as often, but since writing the letter to Tant Olga, Olina couldn’t get them off her mind. A veritable smorgasbord of thoughts tumbled through her head. Dressmaking. The house on the edge of town. Her family. In the midst of all those thoughts, Gustaf’s face often appeared.
“Isn’t that right, Olina?” Gerda’s voice penetrated her reverie.
Olina looked at her friend.
“I was telling Father about all the women who want us to make dresses for them.” Gerda smiled at Olina.
“Oh, yes. It’s amazing. Even with the sewing machine, we will be busy for a couple of weeks.” Olina could feel a blush creeping up her neck. She should pay attention to what the others were saying.
“By the time we’re finished,” Gerda added, “perhaps more women will want our dresses.”
“What sewing machine?” Mr. Nilsson had a puzzled expression.
Olina looked at Gerda, wondering if she shouldn’t have said anything about the machine. She assumed that Mr. Nilsson knew about it by now.
“Olina and I used some of the money we made this week to buy the treadle sewing machine Mrs. Braxton let us use to make her sister-in-law’s
dresses.” Gerda smiled at her father.
Olina noticed that the puzzlement in his face softened. “Since we have so many other dresses to make, it was a good investment.”
Mr. Nilsson’s face softened even more. “That is so, for sure. You girls used your heads.” He took another bite of creamy mashed potatoes. “Ja, it was a good investment.”
“I made a good investment this week, too.” Everyone stopped eating and looked at Gustaf as he continued. “Father, remember the Winslow house right outside town?” He waited for his father to nod. “Brian Winslow moved to California.”
“I remember hearing that,” Mr. Nilsson said.
Mrs. Nilsson passed the fried chicken to August, who didn’t have any more on his plate. “I heard that he took his mother with him.”
“He did.” Gerda picked up another hot roll and buttered it.
Olina wondered where this discussion was headed. She didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Gustaf put his fork on his plate and tented his fingers over it. “The Winslow house was for sale. I talked to their lawyer last week. This morning I signed the papers making the house mine.”
Olina and Gerda looked at each other with stunned expressions. Gustaf had bought their house. The house they had prayed for God to find a way for them to rent. A plan was forming in Olina’s mind, and she could tell that Gerda’s thoughts were running along the same lines. Maybe. But it could never be. Mr. Nilsson wouldn’t agree to let two young women live alone, even though it was near town.
“Gustaf.” Mr. Nilsson laid his fork down and looked at his son. “Why did you buy the house?”
Gustaf looked at his father, man to man. “The price was reasonable, and I had more than enough money saved. Some day, I may want to live there with my wife.”
“Son, you know that you’ll always have a home here on the farm.”
Gustaf smiled. “I know that. But when I marry, we might want to live closer to town. It wouldn’t mean that I couldn’t work the farm. It’s not that far from here.”
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