Sadie's School Adventure

by Rachel

CHAPTER ONE

San Joaquin Valley, California, late spring 1878

"Giddyup, Taffy!" Ten year old Andi Carter shouted. "I told Sadie that we would meet her at the special spot at noon, and it's probably at least ten after!"

Not that she's likely to notice, she silently added. Mr. Hollister never took his kids to school, and Sadie and her brothers didn't even know how to tell time.

Andi's palomino mare, Taffy, snorted and kicked up her heels. Sadie's family had a sheep ranch and they lived way out in the hills. Her parents worked hard raising the sheep and so did all of their children.

A few minutes later, Andi pulled Taffy to a halt in front of a scraggly birch. She walked out a little ways and found Sadie waiting for her next to the creek.

Sadie smiled and waved for Andi to join her. Andi sat down next to her and took a deep breath of the fresh, clean air. It was early May, and Andi's special spot was the most beautiful place on the ranch, in both sight and in scent. Fragrant wildflowers sprung up at the edge of the creek, and a chickadee had made it's nest in the oak tree that overshadowed it.

Andi nervously twisted the end of her braid around her finger. She had a question that had been on her mind for a while, and she wasn't sure how Sadie would respond to it. "Sadie..." she began, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice the hesitation in her voice, "Why doesn't your Pa take you to school?" She hastily added, "if there is a reason, besides your family living way out in the hills."

Sadie grinned. "That's exactly what I was gonna talk to you about!"

Andi shot Sadie a quizzical look.

Sadie chuckled. "My family's headin' to town for supplies - Pa says that this winter's gonna be a long, cold one - and Ma and Pa decided that I probarbly should get some schoolin'. So...surprise! I'll be at school with you fer one whole day!"

Andi jumped up, grabbed Sadie by the hands, and danced with her around the tree that they had been sitting under. "YI-PPEEEE!!! School won't be nearly as bad if you're there!"

Sadie stopped dancing, and her smile started to fade. "Bad?" Andi could hear a hint of worry in Sadie's voice.

Anxious to reassure her friend, she responded calmly, "The teacher's nice, and most of the class is, too. And in recess-that's the break in between classes-we're allowed to play baseball and jump rope!  The only person you have to worry about is nasty ol' Johnny Wilson, the school bully. He'll just shoot a spitball or two at you, but as long as you sit next to me it will be fine! Johnny is mean as nails to most kids but the worst he ever does to me and my seatmate, Rachel, is a tug on my braids or put a frog in our desk."

Sadie nodded, chuckled and said, "Oh, that's nothing! You should see all the pranks my brothers play on me. I'm not worried about your Johnny Wilson." 

Both girls laughed and then they fished for awhile while exchanging new doughball recipes. When it was time to go home the girls helped each other tie their stringers of trout on to their saddle horns. Then they both climbed up on to their horses and waved good-bye.

Andi could see a glimmer of excitement in Sadie's eye as she smiled at her friend.

Sadie smiled back at her and said,  "I'll see you on Tuesday!"

Andi prayed as she rode home that God would help her friend to have a great day at school.

                        

CHAPTER TW0

Sadie's going to school! Sadie's going to school! The words kept repeating in Andi's head as the barn came into view. "Don't you think it's wonderful, Taffy? Sadie's going to school! Let's just hope Johnny Wilson doesn't come to school on Tuesday."

Once she led Taffy into the barn, took off her saddle and reins, and brushed her down, Andi led Taffy out towards the corral. She found Chad trying to repair the latch on the corral gate. Might as well tell him first, she thought. "Chad! Sadie's going to school on Tuesday!"

Chad was very busy and hardly paid any attention to her. "M-hm. Sadie's going to school. Wait-" He dropped his hammer and whirled around. "Sadie's going to school?" He shook his head. "Hollister never took his kids to school before, and he's not likely to now. I think you're mistaken."

Andi frowned. "You just wait. I'll tell Justin. He'll believe me!"

Andi ran inside to tell him, but Louisa stopped her in her tracks. "Stop right there, Senorita Andrea.  Take off those dusty boots before you take another step. Your Mother and I just cleaned and waxed this floor. After you take your boots off please wash your hands." She pointed to the green and white basin and matching pitcher and said, "Supper's early today."

Andi never did get a chance to tell Justin her news, because Chad and Mitch had wrangled a stallion, and the supper table was bustling with talk of it.                

Sunday seemed to take forever! Sunday school dragged on throughout the afternoon, followed by the usual amount of teasing from Johnny Wilson while she waited for the grownups to finish talking.

When Monday morning finally rolled around, Andi was so excited about the next day that she skipped into the dining room whistling "Oh, Susannah". 

"Well, somebody looks happy today!" Justin said when she sat down.

"Yep!" Andi replied. "Sadie's going to school tomorrow!"

Justin and almost everybody else stared. Mitch, who had been half-asleep, was now wide awake. "WHAT?" He bellowed.

"It's true!" Andi explained. "I saw Sadie on Saturday, and she said that her Pa's going to town for supplies on Tuesday. He and her Ma decided that Sadie needed some schooling, so she'll be at school tomorrow."

Justin stood up and walked toward the door. "I'll get the buggy ready. Come outside when you finish."

Andi ate her breakfast and then snatched up her books and ran outside. When she got to the buggy Justin had just finished hitching up Pal. He helped her up in the buggy, sat down, then whistled to Pal as he snapped the reins and they started on their hour-long ride to Fresno.

 After they had been riding for awhile Justin cleared his throat and then she knew that he was going to give her one of his big-brother lawyer talks.

"Andi"," Justin said,"  it's very hard for me to believe that Hollister will take Sadie to school tomorrow. It's just not like him to do that. I know Sadie is your best friend now, and you would love for her to be able to go to school with you, but I don't want you to be hurt if she doesn't show up tomorrow."

Andi could hear the concern in her brothers voice. She knew he was looking out for her just like Father would have done. Andi appreciated Justin's concern but she hoped that he was wrong, and that Sadie would be able to go to school tomorrow.

CHAPTER THREE

Andi barely slept that night. When she woke up the next morning, all she could think was today's the day! Instead of taking the normal route down the stairs she slid down the banister; regardless of the scolding she knew Louisa would give her.

She rushed through breakfast, then grabbed her books and a few of the books she used last year. She knew that Sadie's family didn't have school books and she wanted Sadie to have the right books to use today.

The hour long ride to school couldn't happen fast enough for Andi. She played with the end of one of her braids by smacking it on her books. She started out tapping the books to keep time with Pals hooves, but she ended up tapping faster hoping that Pal would speed up his gait.

Justin saw how impatient she was and asked her if she wanted the reins for awhile. Andi smiled and eagerly took the reins from her brother.

When the buggy stopped in front of the schoolhouse, Andi saw Sadie waiting for her on the schoolhouse steps. For what must have been the first time in her life, she was wearing a dress. It was light blue with yellow trim. Her blonde hair was brushed and pulled back with a blue ribbon. Andi thought her friend looked very pretty.

Justin saw Sadie too and said, "Well, I never....,"

Andi grinned at her brother, jumped out of the buggy, and ran up the steps to meet Sadie. She grabbed her hand and waved good-bye to Justin.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rachel and Maggie and waved them over. As they arrived she said, "Rachel, Maggie, this is my friend Sadie. She will be attending school for the first time today. I have to talk to Miss Hall, so will you keep Sadie company while I go speak with her?"

"Sure!" said Rachel.

"We'd be glad to," Maggie chimed in.

Sadie smiled as Andi turned to go inside the classroom.

Andi approached Miss Hall's desk and said," Miss Hall, I have a friend who will be attending school today for the first time, but she is only able to come today because she lives way out in the hills with her family. She might not be able to ever attend again and I want today to be really special for her."

Miss Hall nodded, smiled and went out to ring the bell.

All of the students came inside and took their seats, except for Andi and Sadie who headed up the aisle to the teachers desk.

As they approached the desk Andi slipped her hand inside of Sadie's hand and squeezed it. They stopped at the desk and waited for Miss Hall to speak. She looked up at the girls and smiled as she opened the school record book.

"What is your name?" Miss Hall asked Sadie as she reached for a pen.

"Sadie Hollister, Ma'am."

As soon as the words left Sadie's mouth the room was filled with gasps from most students and a snicker from Johnny Wilson. Even Miss Hall looked a bit surprised.

Andi felt her face turn red, not from humiliation, but from anger. Everybody in Fresno knew the Hollister clan to be wild and ruthless. Andi wished they'd give them a chance!

"Well Sadie," said Miss Hall, "how much do you know?"

"Well- Miss Hall is it?  I know the alferbet an' I can do a little readin'."

 "Wonderful!" said Miss Hall, "would you find a seat with Andrea"?

"Yes Ma'am!  I ain't one to disobey the teacher!"

"Ain't is NOT a word, you goose!" said Johnny.

"Jonathan!" Miss Hall exclaimed. "Shame on you!"

"Oh, he's right Ma'am. Ma's always tellin' me I need to work on my gremmer".

 Johnny looked startled. He'd probably thought that Sadie would start crying. It was, after all, her first day of school.  

Andi held back a chuckle and led Sadie to her desk.

Several times that day Johnny Wilson tried to humiliate or scare Sadie by putting a lizard on her head, or shooting a spitball at her. It seemed like everything he tried backfired on him. Miss Hall always caught him when he was trying to be mean, and Cory put the lizard back in his desk during recess. Nothing worked!

Sadie made a home run when they played baseball at recess, and made many new friends. She easily made it through Andi's first reader and speller, and Miss Hall told her that she did very well.

At the end of the day before class was dismissed, Miss Hall handed Sadie a few pages. "Here is a note for your parents and some more spelling words, and a short story for you to work on reading. Andrea can help you with these when she sees you again. If your parents would like me to I could send some lessons home with Andrea and she could give them to you. You are a very bright girl and if I can help you to continue in school, please let me know."

Sadie grinned and said, "Thank you, ma'am!"

Before the girls knew it the day was over and Mr. Hollister was at the school to pick up Sadie. Sadie hugged Rachel and Maggie then turned to Andi. "Andi you were right! School ain't  so bad, and I had a wonderful day. Thanks a ton for helpin' me." Sadie hopped up in the wagon with her family and then they headed off for home.

When Justin came to pick up Andi, she couldn't wait to tell him what had happened.  Once she began telling him about all of the adventures of the day he was chuckling. Andi said, "Johnny called Sadie a goose and Miss Hall gave him a scoldin', and every time he said or did something mean to Sadie it backfired and he got himself in trouble."

Justin said, "I bet this will teach that Wilson boy to watch his tongue like it says in Psalm 34:13; 'Keep your tongue from evil'".

Andi nodded. That was the lesson at Sunday school last week. Andi thought that if Johnny hadn't paid attention in Sunday school before he sure would now!  Andi paused mid laugh and thought about how God had answered her prayer. Sadie did have a good day at school. Andi saw how God had nudged Miss Hall and she saw Johnny and corrected him when he needed it every time.

 Andi almost felt sorry for Johnny. She thought about all the mean things he said and did, and then she remembered that another Bible verse said to love your enemies.

She grimaced. Oh, come on! How could anybody love a bully like him?

But as Andi sat in the bugging thinking about the day, she realized that God loved her, God loved Sadie, and God loved Johnny. He showed his love to Andi by answering her prayer. He showed his love to Sadie by blessing her day, and he showed his love to Johnny by correcting him. God loved them all!

Andi could see that she didn't have to be concerned about Johnny because God was taking care of him just like he took care of her and her friend. When Andi looked at it this way it made it easier for her to forgive Johnny. God would take care of Johnny and help him just like he helped her and her friend today.

 Once the buggy stopped in front of the house, Andi had made up her mind. From now on I'm not only going to love my friends and family, but my enemies too. She smiled. Even Johnny.