Amish Country Arson (24 page)

English customers bought baked goods, dressed
chickens, souvenirs and jams. Amish food had a reputation far and
wide from Wickenburg, Iowa. English people were always hungry for
baked goods and jams.

Even the buggies the Amish arrived in
received a great deal of attention from out-of-state visitors. They
couldn't resist lining up for the buggy rides or peeking into some
of the parked buggies to see what the insides looked like.

After lunch, the grownups went to the auction
in the food tent. Items for sale were jellies and jams, quilts,
hand made wooden furniture, tools, birdhouses and other lawn
ornaments. All the Amish donated at least one item. Some of the
wooden pieces were made by Adam Keim.

During the day, Luke Yoder talked to many of
the visitors and thanked them for coming. He was asked more than
once how the benefit came to be on his farm. He'd stroke his beard
as he related that Bishop Bontrager and John Lapp asked him to
host, because his pasture was an ideal location and large enough
for the benefit frolic. His hay field across the road was handy for
plenty of parking. “That's how I ended up getting involved. I owned
the land convenient for the benefit frolic.”

Luke Yoder, as a Amish ambassador of good
will, was a more valuable help with more than just donating his the
land for the day. He enjoyed wandering through the crowd, visiting
with people, and making sure things went smoothly. He wanted
everyone to enjoy themselves as much as he did.

When people talked to Bishop Elton Bontrager,
he said John Lapp and he picked a farm with the right location for
the benefit, and God picked them a gute day. Everyone he mentioned
the gute day to agreed with him. People from many different
backgrounds and places mingled together. They had fun and supported
a good cause, but most of them probably didn't even know what that
cause was.

At the fund raiser frolic were several
generations in the same families, from grandparents to
grandchildren, who had all come together to work to replenish the
Amish emergency fund. As is the case with these kinds of frolics,
whether Amish or not, there's a great deal of work, but also a lot
of joy felt by all the Amish because of a job well done.

The last visit Hal made to the hospital,
Gladys looked close to death. She had been moved from ICU to a room
on one of the wards while the doctor waited to see some improvement
in her condition.

While Hal was with Wanda, Sheriff Dawson came
in. He removed his hat. “Mrs. Bruner, could I speak with you a
moment about your sister?”

“
Why?” Wanda asked, her senses dulled
from lack of sleep and worry.

“
I know this isn't a good time, but I
haven't got a choice.” He took a closer look at Gladys and made the
same assessment Hal did when she came in the room. “Did you know
your sister set those three fires in the Amish
community?”

“
Nah, that can not be so,” Wanda
cried.

The agony in her voice made Gladys squirm and
flinch.

The sheriff said quietly, “I know it must be
hard to believe, but Dr. Christensen gave me a blood sample from
the wound on your sister's leg. I got a sample from Jonah Stolfus's
barbed wire fence where the arsonist caught a leg on the barbs. I
had the lab compare the samples. They match.

Each of fires were set with juice bottles
filled with kerosene. I just came from your sister's house. Your
husband let me in to look around. I found the juice bottles on the
kitchen counter your sister saved. They match the fragments from
the fire sights. There isn't any doubt in my mind that your sister
is guilty,” Sheriff Dawson said. “From the length of time Dr.
Christensen estimated she's had the wound his findings coincides
with the barn burning. All the evidence points toward your sister
as the arsonist.”

“
Ach, nah,” cried Wanda.

Hal took her hand and squeezed it as the
sheriff asked, “Any idea why she wanted to do something that
terrible? You just moved here. Your sister didn't have a chance to
get to know anyone well enough to want to cause them harm or do
damage to their property.”

Wanda looked dazed. “I cannot answer that.
You are recht. She did not know anyone except for what I told her
about people when I came back from Sunday worship services.”

“
Can you remember anything you told
Gladys about the Stolfus family, Rudy Briskey or the schoolhouse?”
Hal asked.

“
After one Sunday service, I told
Gladys Freda Stolfus was one woman I met. I said she was nice.
Later after I talked to Stella Strutt she told me the story about
Jonah Stolfus shooting the young girl. I mentioned to Gladys what
Stella told me Gladys said the man should not have been set free
after committing murder.

Another time, I talked about how generous the
neighbors were to help Jonah Stolfus rebuild his barn. Enoch and I
were looking forward to the barn raisin' frolic. Oh, my!” Wanda
stared at her sleeping sister.

“
What is it, Wanda?” Hal
asked.

“
I told Gladys that Rudy Briskey
offered Jonah Stolfus a whole load of hay to put in the loft. That
generous offer spurred others to donate hay, too. I remember Gladys
got the most hateful look on her face.”

“
What do you suppose she had against
the school?” Sheriff Dawson asked.

Wanda thought a moment. “I told her Nurse Hal
was the school teacher's step-mother.”

Hal was surprised. “Why would that bother
Gladys?”

“
Stella Strutt told me you had a cell
phone and car like the Beachy Amish in Kansas. Stella said you were
English, and you converted to Amish when you married John
Lapp.

I shared that with Gladys. She said you would
always cause trouble and get the Plain people to change to Beachy
Amish so you could use your phone and car. You were not of our kind
since you were English through and through. Marrying John Lapp
could not make you Amish. She told me to wait and see.

I tried to explain your duties as a nurse
were needed. Your family was well respected in the community. I am
so sorry, Hal. I didn't realize my conversations with my sister
would cause so much trouble. I was just trying to get her familiar
with people in the community so when she was well enough to join us
at the worship services she'd already know something about the
congregation.”

“
Ma'am, one more thing you should know,
I talked to the sheriff where you came from in Kansas. He told me
in recent years there had been several fires set around the county.
He didn't have a clue who did it, but the fires stopped right
before you left Kansas. I can't say for sure, but I expect your
sister was setting those fires. She unhappy with people where you
lived?”

“
Jah, she was, because they were
changing to Beachy Amish so they could live with modern
conveniences like the English do. That is why we moved here. So we
could be in an Old Order Amish community,” Wanda said. “What are
you going to do to my sister?”

“
Just so you know we might as well let
this information be between us for right now unless you want to
tell folks what your sister did. Don't look like she's going to
live long enough to be prosecuted for the crime. If she did
improve, I'd have to arrest her.”

“
Denki, Sheriff. I am sorry for my
sister's grave actions,” Wanda implored.

After the sheriff left, Hal said, “We can all
breath a sigh of relief now that there won't be anymore fires. That
is a blessing.”

“
Hal, you are recht, but I am afraid of
what everyone will think of Enoch and me if they find out what
Gladys did. They might blame Enoch and me, too,” Wanda worried.
“After all, they do not know us very gute yet.”

Hal thought Wanda might be right. “Well, we
can wait for awhile and let people calm down. Perhaps, we wouldn't
have to say anything. No more fires, and after while people will
stop thinking about the arsonist. Life will go back like
usual.”

“
I'd like that. At least until the
Plain community gets to know Enoch and me,” Wanda told
her.

Hal waited two days, thinking she'd hear
Gladys Kraybill had passed away. When she didn't hear from Wanda,
she went back to the hospital. The intensive care room was empty.
Hal asked the nurse where the patient was. She said Gladys had
improved enough she'd been taken to surgery to remove her leg.

A few hours later, Gladys was back in
intensive care. The pale woman was unresponsive and hooked to
machines. The nurse said she couldn't have company except for her
sister.

Sheriff Dawson had left a request to be kept
informed on her condition. A few days later, Gladys moved to a room
on the ward. Hal was sitting with Wanda when the sheriff came
in.

“
Howdy, ladies. How is Miss Kraybill
doing?” He asked Wanda.

“
She is in and out of sleep right now,
but the doctor says she should continue to improve,” Wanda said
dully.

“
In a few days when the woman is
conscious and understands what I'm telling her, I'll be back,” he
said and left.

The day the sheriff was told by the nurse
that Gladys was doing better and might be released soon, he drove
out to visit Hal. “I want you there when I go in Gladys Kraybill's
room. The doctor says it will be awhile before the stump heals. She
needs to be confined and nursed. Then will come physical therapy
with a crutch and to strengthen her arms so she can get herself out
of bed and into a wheelchair. The doctor says he will let her go
home to mend if you take over as the Home Health nurse.”

“
Is that the way you want it?” Hal
asked.

“
It's a sure bet the woman isn't going
to flee in the shape she's in. If her sister is willing to take her
back home, I think the law can be patient. When she is healed and
strong enough, I will arrest her.”

“
I see. Do you want me to go with you
now?”

“
If you don't mind,” the sheriff
said.

Gladys looked at the sheriff stoned faced
while he told her she was under house arrest until she mended. As
soon as her leg healed and her strength returned, he'd arrest her
and take her to jail. Her expression changed when the doctor said
Nurse Hal Lapp was going to be her home health nurse to tend her
wound and help her with therapy. The woman glared at Hal. Sheriff
Dawson said she had to abide by what they told her to do, or she
could go to jail right away and suffer in a prison hospital
bed.

The next morning, Hal and Wanda arrived to
take Gladys home. She patted Wanda's hand and mustered up a smile
for her, but she eyed Hal distastefully. Nurse Lucy came in and
helped Hal transfer Gladys to a wheelchair to take her to the
car.

Wanda helped with Gladys transfer from Hal's
car to the wheelchair.

“
Gute job,” Hal encouraged.

“
If you say so.” Gladys tone was
snide.

Wanda spoke with slow exactness. “Sister, you
must remain polite and accept our help as Sheriff Dawson wanted you
to do.”

“
Jah, I am sorry,sister,” Gladys said
contritely.

A month later, the sheriff came to check on
Gladys. “You look like you getting around well enough in that
wheelchair. I'm going back to town and talk to the doctor. If he's
willing to release you in my custody, tomorrow morning I'll be out
to arrest you.”

Wanda sat through the visit tight lipped and
with tears in her eyes.

As soon as the sheriff left, Gladys said, “No
need to feel sorry for me, sister. Feel sorry for yourself when the
Plain community finds out it was one of your kin that started the
fires. Life here will not be easy for Enoch and you.”

Wanda saw to it that Gladys was in bed early
that night. On retrospective, she'd later remember Gladys was the
most peaceful and docile she'd seen her sister in years.

Gladys reached out and grasped Wanda's hand.
“Denki for all you have done for me. I am most grateful for your
help and thankful that you are my sister. I pray God will forgive
me for the wrong I have done to you and to others.”

Wanda left the grossdawdi house puzzled by
the change in Gladys. Surely, this meant Gladys had made peace with
herself and God. She seemed accepting and ready for what was to
come in the morning when the sheriff came to take her to jail.

Wanda slowly climbed her porch steps, feeling
sad for her sister and hating to see morning come. It startled her
when a mourning dove flew off the arm of one of the three rockers
lined up on the porch. With apprehension, Wanda realized the dove
had been perched on Gladys's rocker. Wanda watched as the bird
circled over the grossdawdi house three times before flying away.
That bird usually brought some sort of bad warning when it came
close to people. Surely, nothing any worse than what was going to
happen in the morning could happen.

Tick tock, tick tock. The steady grinding of
the tiny wheels inside the alarm clock by the bed penetrated the
dark quiet of the room. Gladys listened for a few minutes, before
she fold her hands together and prayed, “This is not Thy will, God,
but I have lived as long as I can in the shape I am in. I do not
plan to spend any time behind bars. I will not ever be wilcom in
this community after the trouble I have caused. Forgive me for my
sins and what I am about to do.”

She picked up her alarm clock and set the
alarm for midnight, knowing Wanda and Enoch would be sound
asleep.

Sleep refused to come while her mind was so
heavy with her thoughts. Wide awake, Gladys went over her life and
wondered why she didn't follow God's way. She said aloud to the
ceiling, “I would not be lying here in this bed waiting for the end
if I had been a better sheep in God's flock.”