Shifted By The Winds (21 page)

Janie whistled. “Then why is it so looked down upon?”

Carrie frowned. “Homeopathy was founded by Samuel Hahnemann, a German doctor who was also a respected chemist. Evidently, he was forced to move several times during his life because the local German apothecaries objected to the fact that he created his own medicines rather than use theirs.”

Janie absorbed that for a moment. “It all came down to money,” she said with disgust.

“From what I can tell,” Carrie agreed. “Though I suppose it was a mix of money and male pride. The doctors of the day didn’t take kindly to homeopaths saying they had found a better way of doing things. Doctors were rather revered figures.”

“I’m still not sure I understand exactly what it is,” Janie murmured.

“I’m just beginning to figure it out,” Carrie replied. “It’s not that easy to explain.” She paused a moment. “I’ll do my best. Homeopathy is based on a single law of therapeutics called the
Law of Similars
. Basically, this law says that a substance that can cause the symptoms of a disease can also cure it.” She reached for the book she had been reading, turned up the oil on her lantern, and opened to a page she had marked. “‘Homeo’ means similar. ‘Pathos’ means disease, or suffering.”

“Similar disease, or similar suffering,” Janie said thoughtfully.

“Yes. From what I can tell, the reason homeopaths run into trouble with skeptics revolves around how the remedies are prepared. Obviously, many of the substances that can cause the symptoms of the disease are dangerous. Administering them becomes quite a challenge.”

“I would imagine,” Janie said wryly, her eyes bright with curiosity.

Carrie smiled. “Dr. Hahnemann tried different things until he learned how to dilute his medicines. First, he would take the substance of a plant or mineral and steep it in alcohol. He called it the mother tincture. He would take that and add a tiny amount to a mixture of distilled water and ethyl alcohol. Once he had it diluted, he shook it vigorously. He called the shaking process succussion. He discovered succussion enhanced the effects of the dilution,” Carrie said excitedly, warming to her topic. “He would take that tincture, add it to another mixture of distilled water and alcohol, and then succuss it again. He learned that doing that would lessen any potential negative side effects.”

Janie absorbed what she had said. “It doesn’t sound that different from what Old Sarah taught you,” she finally concluded.

“Exactly!”

“Does it work?” Janie asked bluntly. “I’ve seen Old Sarah’s remedies work, but what about these?”

“I wondered the same thing,” Carrie admitted. She and Janie might ultimately end up disagreeing, but at least they were able to talk about it. “The whole thing is so fascinating,” she said as she flipped through pages to find what she was looking for. “Dr. Hahnemann was viewed as little more than a quack until 1812. He was living in Leipzig, Germany when Napoleon was driven from his country. The battles to reclaim their country resulted in eighty thousand dead, with another eighty thousand wounded, but it also created a typhus outbreak.” She took a quick breath as her excitement grew. “Every physician in Germany was pressed into service. Dr. Hahnemann arrived with twenty-six different homeopathic medicines that he believed would work. He achieved remarkable results.” Carrie’s eyes flashed. “Of the one hundred eighty typhus patients he treated, only two died.”

“Two?” Janie echoed. “That’s astounding.”

Carrie nodded her head vigorously. “I know!” She flipped pages quickly. “Listen to this. Homeopathy has been used with a high degree of success in both the treatment and prevention of cholera.” She smiled when Janie leaned closer. “We know cholera killed more than ten thousand people in London in 1854. What we’ve never been taught is that patients were much more likely to survive if they were treated by homeopathy rather than with conventional medicine.”

“How much more likely?” Janie demanded.

Carrie grinned. “The death rate for those treated homeopathically was only nine percent, compared to…” She paused for dramatic effect. “Compared to over
fifty-nine percent
of those treated conventionally.”

Janie stared at her. “That’s a huge difference.”

“I know!”

“Why aren’t we taught this?” Janie asked angrily.

“I’m just as disgusted as you are,” Carrie replied. “The results were so embarrassing to the Medical Council of England that they tried to suppress the information by omitting it from their report to Parliament. Fortunately, one of the members of Parliament had been saved by homeopathic treatment during the epidemic so he demanded the full records be obtained. The Medical Council did it, but they made sure the homeopathic figures were in a different report, and they also made sure it was not easily obtainable.”

“So it works,” Janie said flatly.

“All my research says it does.”

“And your experience says it does.”

Carrie nodded. “Yes. This is so very similar to the solutions Sarah taught me how to make. Why use drugs that can cause harm when you can use natural things that will cure?”

“Are drugs really harmful?” Janie pressed.

Carrie grimaced. “I believe most of them are, but I’ve got so much to learn. I’m going to keep reading, and I’m also going to make an appointment to meet with someone at the Homeopathic College. Do you want to come with me?”

“Yes,” Janie said after only a moment’s hesitation.

Carrie understood. They were on the verge of turning their worlds completely upside down.

It was late in the afternoon before Moses finally headed back to the house. Work would continue until it was too dark to see, but he had promised he would bring John out into the fields with him for the last two hours. He smiled as he thought of his son’s eagerness to be with him every moment. The feeling was definitely mutual.

John and Patches were as well known on the plantation as he was. Moses felt a flash of pride as he thought of his little boy’s easy confidence, but gratitude was his primary emotion. It was too easy to dredge up the memories of his own childhood. He had already felt the lash before his fifth birthday. He couldn’t remember what he had done wrong, but he still had vivid memories of the bite of the whip into his tender back. He had seen his father beaten many times, and he had toiled for hours under the brutal sun picking worms from the tobacco. He shuddered as visions exploded in his head of Sadie screaming during the beating that left her crippled.

He shook his head and took a deep breath as he forced his thoughts back to the present. The past was over. Knowing his son would never have to repeat his experiences meant more than words could ever say. It made every hardship during the war worth it. The pain fled as pride in his contribution swelled his chest.

Amber appeared in the distance, walking down the road with All My Heart. The setting sun created a halo effect that glimmered around them like a curtain of gold. Just the sight of them made Moses smile. The bay filly had quickly accepted the halter and just as quickly learned how to lead, but there was hardly a need. The two adored each other. All My Heart would follow Amber anywhere. When the little girl left at night to go home, the filly would hang her head over the wooden railing and whinny pitifully for her to return. Amber usually walked backward, waving and calling to All My Heart until she disappeared around the bend.

“Hello, Moses!” Amber called, waving excitedly.

“Hello, Amber. Where are you and that filly headed off to?”

Amber’s eyes danced with excitement. “Robert told me I could take her down to the river today. All My Heart has never seen it. I can hardly wait to show her!”

Moses laughed. “You be careful down there.”

Amber nodded gravely, though her expression said she was not the least bit concerned. “I will, Moses.” Her face broke into a wide grin. “See you later!”

Moses watched them for a moment and then continued on to the house. He wasn’t going to eat dinner until his day was done, but he knew his mama would have cookies and lemonade waiting for him. Just the thought made his stomach growl with anticipation. He chuckled and nudged his horse into a canter, suddenly eager to be home.

Rose was waiting on the porch for Moses when he rode up. When he raised a brow, she nodded toward the barn. “You have a very impatient son. He already has Patches bridled and saddled.”

“By himself?” Moses asked with surprise. John was big for his age, but that would be a tough challenge for him.

Rose shook her head. “Amber helped him, but only with the bridle. He stood on a box and put the saddle on all by himself.”

Moses grinned with unconcealed pride. “That’s my boy!”

Rose waited until Moses tied his horse and settled into a chair on the porch before she turned to him. “I have an idea.”

Moses took a long drink of lemonade and stuffed a large oatmeal cookie in his mouth before he looked at her. “What?” he mumbled around his cookie.

Annie appeared behind him, shaking her head. “I know I taught you better than to be talkin’ when your mouth be full. You spit crumbs on this clean porch, and you’ll be the one cleaning it up.”

“Yes, Mama,” Moses said meekly, winking at Rose as he tried to swallow the rest of his mouthful.

Annie glared at him, a smile lurking on her lips, before she turned to Rose. “So you be wantin’ that picnic or not?”

Rose hid her frown. She had wanted to surprise Moses with her idea. Pushing down her disappointment, she turned to him. “That will be up to Moses.” His look invited her to continue. “School starts tomorrow…”

“Yes.”

“And there is almost a full moon tonight…” Rose murmured slowly.

Annie shook her head again and made a clucking noise before she opened the screen door. “Once you get around to tellin’ him what you want to do, you let me know. I ain’t got enough time to listen while you creep your way toward it like a scared fish roaming around a baited hook.” The screen door slammed behind her.

Rose grinned as Annie’s footsteps faded into the distance. Her strategy had worked. Patience was not one of her mother-in-law’s strong points. She turned to Moses eagerly now that she no longer had an audience. “I would like to take you for a moonlight ride tonight,” she said. “Annie is going to watch the kids, and she is fixing a picnic for us to take.” She hesitated, hating the fact that she felt the need to, but she knew the demands of harvest time. “I know you’re probably tired after a long day…”

“I’m never too tired for an invitation like that,” Moses said promptly, his dark eyes boring into hers. “Is there going to be a blanket with that picnic?”

Rose met his eyes squarely, a smile of delight dancing across her lips. “Why, Mr. Samuels, I do believe there will be.”

Moses grinned as he stuffed two more cookies into his pockets, drained his glass, and stood. “John and I will be back as soon as we can.” He leaned down to give her a warm kiss and then moved swiftly toward the barn. “Make sure Mama puts more cookies in that picnic,” he called over his shoulder.

Amber walked along easily, contentment flooding her body as All My Heart’s head bobbed against her shoulder. She could still hardly believe this beautiful filly belonged to her. She was at the barn every morning as soon as it was light, her pockets stuffed with ham biscuits her mama left out for her every night, and with fresh carrots. She would settle down with All My Heart under a tree, and they would each crunch their treats. Most times, her filly would curl up right next to her on the ground while she talked to her. Clint said she was spoiling her, but All My Heart would do anything she wanted, so she suspected he was just jealous. Robert was overjoyed with the filly’s progress.

She took a deep breath as the breeze cooled her body. Late September had brought an end to the unbearable humidity, but it was still plenty warm. She smelled the rich, freshly cut tobacco mixed with the pungent aroma of curing tobacco and wood smoke. The furnace blazed in the drying barn all the time now. She had thought the mountains of firewood cut that summer would surely go to waste, or be used in the big house over the winter, but they were dwindling before her eyes every single day. She had even heard Moses asking some of the men to cut more.

Amber had finished her work for the day, but an uneasy, guilty feeling swept through her as she gazed at all the men working in the fields. She stopped for a moment and watched as several of them used a machete knife to split the stalk three-quarters down, and then cut the plant off above the ground.

Other men were standing by, holding a big stick they had cut from five-foot-long pine logs. Once five or six of the plants had been placed on the sticks, they would carry them on their shoulders to the drying barn where they would hang them to dry. Other men would quickly take their place. There seemed to be a constant stream of workers heading toward the barn. Moses had said it was a good crop this year. It must be, because all the men looked tired, but they also looked happy.

Robert and her daddy had warned her to stay away from the drying barn. She was only too happy to comply. Her life was in the stables. She didn’t want anyone getting the idea that she should also help with the tobacco. Just the thought was enough to make her keep walking. This was her last night of freedom before school started, and she knew her mama would make her come home early to study every night. She would still help in the stables after school, but she wouldn’t have nearly as much time with All My Heart.

“Come on, girl,” she murmured, her heart leaping forward to the river. Tomorrow would come, but she still had today. Her mama was always telling her not to waste today by pining away over what might happen tomorrow. “I have a surprise for you, little one.” All My Heart nickered and nudged her shoulder as if to hurry her. Amber walked faster, her feet kicking up little spurts of dust.

She could feel the river before she could actually see it. The air cooled just a little, but it was the smell that told her they were close. Amber didn’t know how to explain the smell of the river, she just knew it had a special rich and earthy smell all its own. To her, it carried the aroma of life itself. It didn’t matter if she could explain it. As she took a deep breath, the unspoiled, pristine, pure aroma gave her a heady feeling.

All My Heart snorted and pranced a little, her delicate head lifted high and her ears pricked forward as she gazed down the trail. “You can smell it, too, can’t you girl?” Amber asked. She broke into a run, All My Heart floating along beside her. Moments later, they were standing on the bank of the river.

All My Heart stared, her ears twitching back and forth as she swung her head to take it all in.

“This is the James River,” Amber told her. “It starts way up in the mountains and goes all the way down to the ocean. I don’t know if you’ll ever see the ocean because I haven’t even seen it, but I’ve read about it in books. It sounds wonderful. I will see it one day,” she vowed. Stroking the filly’s neck, she watched the shimmer of the setting sun on the calm, smooth waters. She wasn’t eager for the sun to go down, but she drew a sharp breath of appreciation when the glowing orb transformed the clouds, turning them gold and purple, shafts of sunlight bursting through like a halo.

“Ain’t it beautiful, All My Heart?” she murmured. The scene unfolding before her made her heart catch. “I reckon we be in the best place in the whole world right now.” Amber was glad no one was around to correct her English. She wanted to learn how to speak correctly, but sometimes she just wanted to open her mouth and have words come out without having to think about them. When she was alone with her filly, she felt like she was in her own little world where no one else could touch her.

All My Heart snorted more loudly as she bobbed her head and pulled against the lead line to get closer to the water.

Amber walked forward. “I brought you to a smooth bank so you can go in.”

The filly moved forward slowly, staring wide-eyed at the vast expanse of water that reached as far as the eye could see. A distant line of trees could be seen on the far bank, but glistening water was the only thing visible to the left and right. All My Heart edged closer, stretching her neck out until her velvety muzzle touched the water reflecting back at her like a mirror. She jerked and stared when a fish jumped in the distance, but nickered again and moved closer until she was actually standing in the river. Snorting loudly, she lifted her right front leg and began pawing at the water.

Amber laughed with delight as droplets of water exploded, catching the sun like tiny, dancing diamonds. She laughed even harder when All My Heart started bobbing her head as she pawed the water. Soon the filly was standing chest deep in the water, her head swinging as she gazed in each direction. The look on her face was easy to read—she loved the river.

Amber rolled up her pants and walked out to join her, sighing in ecstasy as the warm water wrapped around her legs. She went still at the same moment All My Heart did, both of them alerted by a sound in the distance. Side by side, their eyes to the sky, they watched as a large flock of geese flew overhead in a perfect V, their loud honking signaling the imminent arrival of fall. “Other than the day Robert gave you to me, I think this be the best day of my life,” Amber whispered as she stared up at the sky.  All My Heart lowered her head to rest it on Amber’s shoulder. Amber stroked her muzzle, her heart almost bursting with joy and love.