An excerpt from
Claire’s World
by
Elaine Bowers
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Chapter 1
Jonah came.
The year was 1890. It was late fall when he came. The chill of winter was in the air. Claire was
someone who lived for her two little girls. Dilbert was her husband. He was sixteen years older than
she was. It was their ninth year of marriage, and he seldom spoke to her. Claire’s day began at five a.
m. She would put wood on the fire then go and gather the eggs and milk the cow. Then, she would go
back to the house, wash up, and make breakfast. Claire would work in the garden, clean the house,
feed the livestock, and play with the girls. She would walk them to and from school. She did all of this
in a day’s time and even had supper on the table by six p.m. Every day, it seemed her life would just
keeping repeating itself.
His name was Jonah. He was only twenty, and he seemed a bit backward and shy, a young man in
need of the world and a world in need of him.
He heard about Dilbert’s farm from a man in town who said Dilbert might need some help, and Jonah
was looking for work. Although Dilbert was unsure of the young man, he hired him on. There was a
shed out by the barn. Dilbert said Jonah could stay there, and he would be paid fifty-five cents a day
plus his meals.
Claire’s life was about to change forever.
Claire kept up the work at home while Dilbert and Jonah worked hard on the 186-acre farm. Claire
was busy filling the root cellar with apples, potatoes, pumpkins, and nuts from the year. She hoed over
the garden and worked hard on getting things ready for the long winter ahead.
Claire awoke early on the morning of October eighteenth. The wind was howling, the leaves were
blowing, and it seemed colder. She put on the fire and went to start her chores. She went out to the
barn, only to find the eggs in the basket, and all the milking done.
In the shadows stood Jonah. “I hope you don’t mind; I couldn’t sleep, and I thought you might need a
hand.”
Claire thanked him. “I don’t mind work; it gives me a sense of being, and we all need that,” she said.
He smiled.
Later that morning at breakfast, Claire noticed Jonah staring at her. This made Claire uneasy. She
thought him very attractive. He had dark hair, and his eyes were like the blue heavens. He seemed very
nice, and this scared her. Jonah was really the only man that Claire had spoken to, and this scared
her.
Dilbert had traded her father four cattle and a bull for Claire’s hand in marriage. She was only
seventeen at the time. Dilbert was thirty-six-then. Now at twenty-six, Claire hardly ever left the farm
except to go to the store to trade for things they needed and to go to church on Sundays. But, even
then, she seldom talked to anyone. Claire tried hard to avoid Jonah after that. Whenever he would ask
her if she needed help, she would just shake her head no and then go about her chores.
It was the day before Halloween. Claire had so much to do already, and Dilbert had told her all that he
needed done that morning. Susie, the oldest girl, was nine years old, and Janie had just turned six.
They both needed costumes for the next day at school.
Claire worked hard on what Dilbert had asked her to do until midday then she started on the costumes
for the girls. She made yellow flower petals and sewed them on an old green hat for Susie’s costume.
She would be a daisy. She opened her old chest and brought out some baby clothes for Janie to put on.
Janie could go as a baby, Claire thought. She was small for her age anyway. She even had an old baby
bottle for her. This would make both girls happy. Claire then went back to work.
That night at supper, the girls told their father about the day that they had.
Dilbert looked at Claire. “Did you do the things I ask?”
“All but the mule’s stall. I will get to it tomorrow.”
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