“Wisdom, compassion and courage – these are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.” – Confucius
~1760~
The cold December wind swept up the street and caught Jacob’s hat, sending it tumbling into a nearby stable. He ran after it, ducking his head as he entered the dim light of the low rickety building. An alert young boy grabbed the hat just before it blew into a horse’s stall and turned with a grin to hand it to Jacob.
“Boy!” a harsh voice yelled from the back. “Get that broom back here! What are you waitin’ for? I’ll knock the hide offen you ….” The man’s voice trailed away as he came into the light from the door and saw Jacob.
“Thank you, lad,” Jacob said to the cringing boy. “My hat would have been ruined if you had not caught it so quickly.” He turned to the sullen man. “Is this your son, then?”
“Nah, he’s no son of mine. He come to us when my wife’s sister and her husband died. Too scrawny to be of use for anything. Get back to work boy!” he shouted. He reached out to shove the boy with the wide pitchfork he held.
Jacob’s hand flashed out and grabbed the man’s arm. “No, sir. You need not hit him. He looks frightened enough as it is.”
“Ahh, he’s naught but an extra expense. I would gladly be rid of him.”
Jacob was never sure what made him do it. He was not a spontaneous man but erred on the side of being too thoughtful. “I’ll take him, if you wish.”
He could hardly believe what his own mouth had just said, but he stared firmly at the grubby man who rubbed at his tangled beard, spit barely to the side of Jacob’s boot, and said, “Let’s go talk to my wife.”
Jacob followed the man into the nearby lean-to where a heavy, dispirited woman stirred at a cooking pot. “Dinner’s not ready,” she snapped as she saw her husband, “and I don’t know if there’ll be enough for all of us.” Her eyes widened as she saw Jacob come into the rude kitchen, his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “What’s he doin’ here?” she asked.
“Come to take the boy offen our hands, if’n that be all right with you.” The man sneered at his wife’s surprised look.
In what seemed like minutes, Jacob learned what he could about the boy’s background, bargained with the sullen couple, and left them with all the money he had in his pocket. The two of them beamed with contentment at being rid of a burden and getting some spending money.
Jacob folded the agreement he had drawn up. He would take it to Noel to check its legality. He suddenly realized that during all the discussions, no one had asked the boy what his desires were. “I’m so sorry, lad. What is your name?”
“J-J-Jonathan, sir,” the boy stammered in his nervousness.
“Do you wish to come with me? I swear I will not hurt you and will see that you are well taken care of.”
Tears sprung up in the boy’s eyes which he brushed away with the back of a filthy hand. “Oh, yes, s-s-sir. I am happy to go with you.”
As they walked toward Jacob’s home, Jonathan calmed enough to tell Jacob as much as he could remember about his father and mother, tenant farmers who had died of the winter sickness the year before, along with his younger brother and sister. He had lived with neighbors for awhile until they found his aunt and uncle in town. “They’re not really my relatives. My mother and my aunt were raised together but had no common parent.” The child was barely nine years old and so thin he appeared much younger.
Jacob shook his head at the thought of the harsh life the young boy had already led. He pushed open the back door and saw Cordelia at their own stove working on dinner. He told her Jonathan’s story briefly, and as he expected, she was immediately sympathetic to the child.
Jacob warmed great quantities of water and filled a tub he placed in the kitchen. Cordelia brought soft cotton towels, and they both smiled at the look of wonder on Jonathan’s face as he realized he was going to take a warm bath – in the middle of winter!
Leaving him to it, Jacob told Cordelia more about the terrible life the boy had lived thus far. They agreed to give him a home for now and get to know him better – a decision Jacob never regretted.
Within weeks, he realized Jonathan was a quick learner, and he fit him into the classroom with his other students. Jonathan absorbed learning greedily, and in return for his education and room and board, he worked around the house and yard. The arrangement was most satisfactory to all.
