The sun was barely peeking over the hillside when Tillie’s eyes fluttered open. She could hear the thumps and shuffling of Mama downstairs, beginning the day’s chores. Tillie stretched her arms over her head and softly slid out of bed so as not to wake Sadie. Mama needed her help, and this was to be no ordinary day. Since Papa, Andrew, and all the other men and older boys had heeded President Lincoln’s call to fight for the Union, there was much to be done. Today Tillie would help Mama, running her errands all about Bedford Village.
The sun was barely peeking over the hillside when Tillie’s eyes fluttered open. She could hear the thumps and shuffling of Mama downstairs, beginning the day’s chores. Tillie stretched her arms over her head and softly slid out of bed so as not to wake Sadie. Mama needed her help, and this was to be no ordinary day. Since Papa, Andrew, and all the other men and older boys had heeded President Lincoln’s call to fight for the Union, there was much to be done. Today Tillie would help Mama, running her errands all about Bedford Village.
After a hasty breakfast, Tillie set off for the village. She walked swiftly through the sun dappled woods and across the meadow until the village came into view. Aunt Lisa was already hard at work in her candle shop, and Tillie was to help with a large batch of candles to send to the soldiers. “What a help you are, Tillie!” her Aunt Lisa said as they dipped the wicks into the wax time and again, waiting long enough for the wax to harden in between. As her arms grew tired and sweat beaded on her forehead, Tillie pictured lonely soldiers just like Papa and her brother Andrew huddled around the candlelight reading cherished letters from home. “This is for you, Papa,” Tillie thought to herself. “Please come home soon!”
After a hasty breakfast, Tillie set off for the village. She walked swiftly through the sun dappled woods and across the meadow until the village came into view. Aunt Lisa was already hard at work in her candle shop, and Tillie was to help with a large batch of candles to send to the soldiers. “What a help you are, Tillie!” her Aunt Lisa said as they dipped the wicks into the wax time and again, waiting long enough for the wax to harden in between. As her arms grew tired and sweat beaded on her forehead, Tillie pictured lonely soldiers just like Papa and her brother Andrew huddled around the candlelight reading cherished letters from home. “This is for you, Papa,” Tillie thought to herself. “Please come home soon!”
When the candles were finished and hung to dry, Tillie quickly made her way toward the bakery. The cool breeze felt wonderful on Tillie’s skin, overheated from standing over the vat of hot candle wax. The eggs she had gathered before breakfast were nestled in the basket on her arm. She must be careful, for the handle was alarmingly loose, and they could little afford for the eggs to be wasted! Mrs. Miller was grateful for the eggs, and handed Tillie a warm, fragrant loaf of bread in exchange. “Give your Mama my best!” she called as Tillie closed the door.
When the candles were finished and hung to dry, Tillie quickly made her way toward the bakery. The cool breeze felt wonderful on Tillie’s skin, overheated from standing over the vat of hot candle wax.
The eggs she had gathered before breakfast were nestled in the basket on her arm. She must be careful, for the handle was alarmingly loose, and they could little afford for the eggs to be wasted!
Mrs. Miller was grateful for the eggs, and handed Tillie a warm, fragrant loaf of bread in exchange.
“Give your Mama my best!” she called as Tillie closed the door.
Tillie stepped into the dim interior of the basket shop feeling a little unsure. Her basket handle was broken, but she didn’t have any extra money to buy another. “Good day to you, Tillie! What brings you to my shop today?” asked Mrs. Sheaffer with a kind smile as she looked up from the basket she was weaving. “Good day to you, ma’am. My basket handle has come loose, but I’ve no money for a new one. Perhaps we could settle on a trade?” “It just so happens I need to deliver this mending to Mr. Petit at the Blacksmith shop. I can fix this handle in a jiffy if you could make that delivery for me,” Mrs. Sheaffer answered as she set to work on Tillie’s basket.
As Tillie rounded the corner, she could smell the smoke coming from Mr. Petit’s forge. Mr. Petit was a jovial man, a friend of Papa’s who had a ready smile and oftentimes, a peppermint candy tucked in his pocket. “Tillie! What a sight for sore eyes! This mare is being a bit antsy. Could you hold her halter while I finish nailing on this shoe?” Tillie looked into the horse’s gentle brown eyes as she grasped the halter firmly. She spoke softly to calm her as Mr. Petit nailed on the last shoe. “Thank you kindly for the help, Tillie,” Mr. Petit said. “Here’s something for your hard work.” As he offered Tillie a peppermint, the horse nudged his hand insistently. “Alright, you can have one, too!” He laughed as the mare eagerly took a candy from his hand, crunching it between her teeth.
As Tillie rounded the corner, she could smell the smoke coming from Mr. Petit’s forge. Mr. Petit was a jovial man, a friend of Papa’s who had a ready smile and oftentimes, a peppermint candy tucked in his pocket. “Tillie! What a sight for sore eyes! This mare is being a bit antsy. Could you hold her halter while I finish nailing on this shoe?” Tillie looked into the horse’s gentle brown eyes as she grasped the halter firmly. She spoke softly to calm her as Mr. Petit nailed on the last shoe. “Thank you kindly for the help, Tillie,” Mr. Petit said. “Here’s something for your hard work.” As he offered Tillie a peppermint, the horse nudged his hand insistently. “Alright, you can have one, too!” He laughed as the mare eagerly took a candy from his hand, crunching it between her teeth.
It was well past lunchtime when Tillie stepped through the door of the General Store. The familiar smells of spices, wooden barrels, leather, and dill pickles all greeted her in a strange but not unpleasant combination. “Well hello there, Tillie! How is your mother?” Mr. Anderson asked cheerily. “Very well, thank you. She sent me to pick up supplies.” As Mr. Anderson gathered the thread, needles, and sundries, Tillie looked longingly at the large wheel of cheese on the counter. Her stomach rumbled loudly enough for Mr. Anderson to hear. “Here are your supplies, plus some cheese and crackers. It sounds as though you need a bite!” Tillie thanked him gratefully and made her way to the other side of the store, where Mrs. Pierce ran the village post office.
It was well past lunchtime when Tillie stepped through the door of the General Store. The familiar smells of spices, wooden barrels, leather, and dill pickles all greeted her in a strange but not unpleasant combination. “Well hello there, Tillie! How is your mother?” Mr. Anderson asked cheerily. “Very well, thank you. She sent me to pick up supplies.” As Mr. Anderson gathered the thread, needles, and sundries, Tillie looked longingly at the large wheel of cheese on the counter. Her stomach rumbled loudly enough for Mr. Anderson to hear. “Here are your supplies, plus some cheese and crackers. It sounds as though you need a bite!” Tillie thanked him gratefully and made her way to the other side of the store, where Mrs. Pierce ran the village post office.
While Tillie waited for Mrs. Pierce to finish helping another patron, she munched quietly on her cheese and crackers. A nervous, fluttery feeling started in her stomach, and her heart beat faster. Tillie stepped up to the counter when it was her turn. “Why Tillie, you’ve come at just the right time!” Mrs. Pierce exclaimed. “A letter arrived for your family just a short while ago!” Tillie had to fight the urge to snatch the letter and tear it open right then and there. It was from Papa! “Oh, thank you! We’ve been waiting and waiting, and Mama is so worried!” Tillie pulled a letter in her own handwriting from her pocket, addressed to her father and brother, and handed it to Mrs. Pierce to go out in tomorrow’s post.
Tillie couldn’t wait to share the good news of Papa’s letter with Sadie. When she arrived at the schoolhouse, most of the children had already headed home. Sadie was inside with Miss Crawford, helping to erase the large blackboard at the front of the room. “Tillie, it’s wonderful to see you! I have another book for you to borrow, and I think you’re going to love it!” Tillie missed going to school and seeing her friends, but it was important to help Mama support their family while Papa was away. She hoped that the war would end soon, and she could go back to school again. Tillie tucked the new book under her arm and thanked Miss Crawford. Sadie gathered her lunch pail and slate and joined Tillie, ready for the walk home. As they crossed the schoolyard, Tillie could wait no longer to share the good news. “We got a letter from Papa!” she exclaimed. The girls rushed home to tell Mama.
