Page 98 - The Last Gift

over and over, and it was always the same. Why
hadn’t she found the courage to stand up for her
sons when she had been angry at Mother Davis
for not standing up for Jacob?

When Matthew would find out about John’s
problems at school, he would hit him and order
him to stop hitting other kids. Rachel pointed out
that it was hypocritical to hit John to try to teach
to him stop hitting others, but Matthew slapped
her for daring to question him.

Shortly after the funeral, when the family
was trying to decide what to do with their
parents’ property, Matthew demanded that it be
sold so each could have their share. Some
wanted to rent it so they could come back home
to the old farmstead now and then. Matthew
became loud and obnoxious, until the others gave

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