Page 14 - Publishing Inspiration Christmas Card 2023

An Unusual Courtship
(Halloween Help part 2)
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After helping Mrs. Levi harvest her garden and apple trees, we sat down
to hot chocolate and cookies, and she shared the story about how she and her
husband, William, met.
“My father had one brother, and my mother had no siblings,” she said.
“My father and my uncle were about as different as could be for two brothers.
My uncle was lazy, and my father worked hard. Unfortunately, when my
grandparents died, my uncle inherited the farm. My father worked hard and
bought a farm of his own.
“My parents wanted children but couldn’t have any for many years.
They were really excited when I came along. Life was good for me. My dad
made sure we spent lots of time together, fishing, camping, or doing other fun
things.
“But when I was around ten, my parents were killed in an accident. My
uncle was my only relative, so I went there to live. Both he and my aunt made
it clear they didn’t want me, but my uncle accepted me because I was to inherit
the sale of my parent’s farm. I never saw a penny of it, and they made me work
like a servant in their home. I had to clean, do laundry, cook all the meals, and
do a myriad of other chores.
“My uncle was too lazy to work his farm, so he rented it out for half the
profit of whatever was grown. He often lost much of that gambling. My
cousins treated me like a servant, too, all except Leah. She was about five
years younger than me, and she liked to help me cook. She also liked me to
read to her.
“When my cousins went to school, I wanted to go, too, but my aunt and
uncle wouldn’t let me. They said I had chores to do. There were only two
things I enjoyed: cookies that I baked, and reading. There were few books
around their home, so Leah would bring some home from school.
“Through the years, Leah and I became best friends, but I was still
lonely for others my age. Then, when I was sixteen, the farmer that rented my
uncle’s farm was William’s father. That’s how I met William. I thought he
was the kindest, most handsome man I had ever met. I would take extra time

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