The Little Sparrows (12 page)

“That goes double for me,” Moore said, smiling from ear to ear.

“Sit down and make yourself comfortable.”

When they were seated, Brace looked at Moore across the desk. “What can I do for you?”

“I want to tell you about three children in our church whose parents were recently killed. The father, Bob Marston, was one of my deacons.”

“Oh my.” Brace eased back in his chair. “Go ahead.”

“Bob and his wife Louise were drowned, Mr. Brace. Bob was employed by American Ship Lines here in Manhattan as assistant business manager. The company put him on one of their freighters, intending to send him to St. John’s, Newfoundland, on a business trip. His wife, Louise, was with him. The ship was caught in a storm and went down some twenty miles off the coast of Nova Scotia. All but two crewmen were able to get into
the lifeboats, but the captain, those two crewmen, and the Marstons were swept off the deck into the Atlantic and drowned.

“The Marston children had been left in the care of an elderly woman named Frances Roberts, who is also a member of our church. There are no living relatives who can take them and raise them. At her age, Frances is in no position to attempt it. Dora and I would take them, but we have both of our widowed mothers living with us. We simply don’t have room for three children.

“Right now, the children are being kept in different homes among my church members, but none of them can take them permanently. I need you to send them west on one of your orphan trains so they can find a permanent home.”

Brace leaned forward and put his elbows on the desk. “Pastor Moore, we will gladly put the Marston children on one of our trains, but I need to explain something.”

“Yes?”

“Our twenty years of working at finding homes for homeless children have taught us that it is extremely difficult to place three children in the same home. It rarely happens, even with two siblings, but placing three in the same home has only happened twice that I can recall. I just don’t want the children to have any false expectations.”

Moore rubbed his chin and nodded. “I see. I hadn’t realized it would be that difficult.”

“Like I said, we’ll gladly put them on one of our trains, but I thought I should inform you of this.”

“Certainly. I appreciate it.”

Brace picked up a pencil and a blank sheet of paper.

“M-A-R-S-T-O-N, right?”

“Yes.”

“And what are their names and ages?”

“Mary is the oldest. She’s eight. Johnny is six, and little Lizzie is four.”

Brace wrote the information down, then said, “The first train that has room for them will leave Grand Central Station on Tuesday, June 16. It is scheduled to leave the depot at ten o’clock that morning. We’ll need you to have the children here by seven-thirty at the latest. I need time to talk to all the children who will be going on the train in order to acquaint them with the staff people who will be traveling on the train with them, to lay down the rules, and to answer any questions they might have. We’ll also need a good twenty minutes to transport them to Grand Central.”

The pastor nodded. “Mr. Brace, I deeply appreciate this. The Marston children are polite and well-behaved. They won’t cause you any trouble, I’m sure.”

Brace opened a side drawer on the desk. “I wish that were true of all our orphans, Pastor, but once in a while we get some who give us all kinds of trouble.” He took out a printed form and handed it to Moore. “This will explain what the Marston children will need to have with them and how they should be dressed. Will there be a problem with buying new dresses for the girls and a suit for the boy, if they don’t have them?”

“No. The church will foot the bill.”

“All right. Have them here, as I said, not later than seven-thirty on Tuesday morning, June 16.”

The two men shook hands, and as Pastor Darryl Moore walked out of the building and headed for his buggy, he said, “Thank You, Lord, that You are looking out for Mary, Johnny, and little Lizzie. When that train takes them out West, please direct them to just the right family. One family, Lord. Please see to it that they are not separated but are placed in the same home.”

On Sunday morning, May 17, Pastor Dan Forbes finished a dynamic sermon and began the invitation. While the song leader led them in Charlotte Elliott’s “Just as I Am,” two young men walked the aisle quickly to receive Jesus Christ as Saviour, followed by a thirteen-year-old girl.

In the pew behind the one where the two young men had been sitting, Sam Claiborne turned and smiled at Emma and Jody. “Praise the Lord!” he said in a whisper. “Those two fellows were under conviction during the whole sermon!”

Emma and Jody returned the smile.

They were still in the first verse when Clara Forbes stepped into the aisle at the second row of pews, holding eight-year-old Susie by the hand. Peter and Paul were on the same pew, and their faces showed the joy they were feeling as they watched their mother and Susie move into the aisle. Together, they walked forward and waited as the pastor was talking to the thirteen-year-old girl while a lady counselor waited to take her to the altar. The two young men were already kneeling at the altar, being counseled by two older men with open Bibles.

When the girl and the counselor went to the altar, Pastor Forbes smiled down at Susie and hugged her. Clara and Susie then sat down on the front row, and Clara filled out a card on Susie.

Another teenage girl came during the last verse of the invitation hymn, and the invitation was closed.

Pastor Forbes took those who had come forward one at a time, gave their names, and had each one give a testimony that they had just received the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. Forbes announced that each one would be baptized in the evening service. Then, having reserved Susie till last, he asked her
to step up beside him, with his wife at her side.

Smiling broadly, the pastor said to the congregation, “All of our people know that Clara and I chose little Susie Nolan off the orphan train almost a month ago. My wife has come forward with Susie this morning to tell you a little story. Honey …”

While holding Susie’s hand, Clara ran her gaze over the congregation. “Since Susie has been in our home, and of course, coming to church and Sunday school these past few weeks, she has heard the gospel many times. It really began to take effect about ten days ago. She was showing definite conviction about her lost condition at family altar time and here at church at invitation time. Last night, about an hour after Susie had gone to bed, I was walking down the hall, and as I was passing her bedroom door, I heard her crying.

“Of course, I opened the door and went in. I asked her what she was crying about, and she said she wanted to be saved. My husband and I never pushed the gospel on Susie, but from the day we brought her home from the railroad station, we prayed that the Lord would speak to her heart. God heard our prayers and the precious Holy Spirit went to work on her heart.”

There were smiles all over the auditorium with heads nodding.

The Claiborne family had beaming faces, and Jody was wiping tears from her cheeks.

Clara looked down at the little girl with the long twin braids. “Susie, would you like to tell all these people what happened to you last night?”

A bit nervous, Susie smiled up at her and nodded. She then looked out at the audience. “I took Jesus into my heart and He saved me. I’ve been born again. Now, I’m in God’s family.”

The pastor laid a hand on Susie’s shoulder. “And you want to obey the Lord and be baptized, right?”

Susie smiled up at him. “Yes, Papa.”

Keeping his eyes on Susie, the pastor said, “You’re right, sweetheart, you are now in God’s family. May I tell the people that you are also in another family?”

“Yes, Papa.”

Forbes looked at the crowd. “We haven’t told anyone this news, yet. We wanted to wait till it was a signed and sealed matter. Just this past Friday, Susie officially became our adopted daughter. Her name is now Susan Mae Forbes!”

There was instant applause and a host of amens.

When the crowd grew quiet again, the pastor said, “Susan Mae Forbes will be baptized this evening, along with these others who have been saved.”

On Saturday, May 23, at the
Circle C
ranch, Jody Claiborne was helping her mother prepare breakfast and was talking excitedly about going riding with Betty Houston that morning.

Jody would rather be at the barn doing chores with her father, but since Betty had been invited for the meal, she graciously stayed inside so she would be there when Betty arrived.

The Claiborne kitchen was redolent with the enticing aromas of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, and hot coffee.

While Jody was setting the table, Emma dried her hands on a dish towel. She draped the towel on its rack and stepped up behind her daughter, placing a hand on each shoulder. “Honey …”

Jody put the last piece of silverware at her father’s plate. “Yes, Mommy?”

Emma looked in her bright eyes. “Honey, I don’t mean to be a nag about your racing with Betty, but I’m asking you to be careful. I wouldn’t be so concerned if you were just riding. It’s the
speed you ride when you’re racing that worries me. If Queenie would step in a prairie dog hole—”

“Mommy, I’m always careful. Betty and I know that prairie out there like the back of our hand. We don’t ride where we know the prairie dogs live. Please remember I’ve been riding since I was old enough to sit in a saddle.” She grinned, trying to reassure her mother and dispel the frown on her brow. “You don’t have to worry about me. I can handle a horse.”

Emma kissed her cheek. “All right, dear. I’ll try not to be a worrywart.”

Jody kissed her mother’s cheek and gave her a quick hug. “I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you too, honey.”

“Hello-o-o-o!” came Betty’s voice from the just outside the back window of the kitchen. “Sure smells good from out here! Breakfast ready?”

“Just about!” called Jody, moving up to the window. “Come on in!”

As she spoke, Jody saw her father coming from the barn. She opened the door. “Where’s Millie?”

“I have her tied out by the front porch. Just figured I’d save you coming all the way to the front door to let me in.”

Emma greeted Betty as Sam came up the steps and entered the kitchen.

He and Betty exchanged good mornings, and as soon as Sam had washed his hands, they sat down at the table. Sam led in prayer, thanking the Lord for the food, and as they began to eat, Sam said, “Well, girls, where’s your race going to take you today?”

Betty was drinking milk from a tin cup, so Jody decided to answer the question. “We’ve agreed to race each other for the seven-mile stretch from here to that rock formation due north. You know, they call it Eagle Rock.”

Sam nodded. “You’ve raced to that spot before.”

“Mm-hmm, but it’s been a while.”

Betty giggled as she set her cup down. “And poor Jody and Queenie are going to get beat again.”

Jody shook her head, putting on a mock scowl. “No way, blondie. Since you and Millie beat us the last time we raced to Eagle Rock, I snuck over to your corral last night, and had a heart-to-heart talk with Millie. She told me that she and Queenie had agreed that it was our turn to win the Eagle Rock race.”

They all had a good laugh and then talked about last Sunday morning’s service when little Susie gave her testimony at the close of the invitation, and her baptism on Sunday evening.

Sam wiped his mouth with a napkin. “While you girls are helping Emma clean up the kitchen and the dishes, I’ll go to the barn and saddle up Queenie for you, Jody.”

Jody thanked him, and the ladies went to work on the dishes.

By the time Sam came from the barn leading the magnificent bay mare, the dishes were done and the kitchen was clean. Emma and the girls were waiting for him on the front porch.

When Millie caught sight of Queenie, she lifted her head high and whistled. Queenie bobbed her head and whistled back. Her whistle was shrill, clear, and strong.

Jody laughed. “Did you hear that? In horse language, Millie just said that she and Betty are going to win today. But Queenie told her in no uncertain terms that she is wrong. She and I are going to win the race!”

Everybody had a good laugh again.

Jody and Betty mounted up.

As she settled in the saddle, Jody looked at her parents. “We’ll be back before noon.”

“If you girls aren’t something else,” said Sam. “Have fun.”

Queenie reared up, whistling shrilly, ready for the race. Millie nickered and began to prance.

Jody looked at her best friend. “Betty, we’ll have to warm the horses up before we put them to a gallop.”

Betty nodded. “We’ll trot them for a couple of miles, then start the race.”

“All right. Let’s go.”

As the girls trotted away toward the north, Sam set admiring eyes on his daughter and put his arm around Emma. “You know, honey, that slip of a girl was born to ride a horse. She’s as strong and lithe as an Indian, and as I’ve said before, she rides like a burr sticking in a horse’s mane.”

Emma chuckled. “You sound just like a father.”