the sun shining through sparkling, clean windows with lovely white curtains. At first she had a jump in her heart thinking she had slept too late, then remembered where she was.
She first used the restroom and then did her Bible reading and prayer.
Charity took her time dressing carefully in her green dress with an apron over it. She carefully brushed her hair, parted it in the middle and pulled the two sides back into a neat bun at the back. Next her white prayer kapp was placed to cover the bun.
She checked herself in the mirror, giggling at herself because there were no real mirrors in her house. Satisfied with what she was seeing, she went out, carefully locked the door and put the key in her deep pocket and went downstairs.
Erin was just finishing cleaning the dining room and kitchen, but was delighted to see Charity. Isaiah was at the table reading a paper.
“Charity, guder mariye. Did you sleep well? How was the bed?”
“Guder mariye and danki. I sleep so well I almost didn’t get up,” she laughed. “The bed is wonderful and the feather mattress is the best. Isaiah, did you make the bed?” (guder mariye-good morning)
“Ja. Mi bruder, Emanuel, made some with me. I love to make furniture.”
“Isaiah makes beautiful furniture and sells it to the English,” Erin proudly answered. She then looked down because they do not believe in boasting or being proud. It was obvious she loved her husband and he loved her very much. It made Charity feel good.
“What would you like for breakfast, Charity?”
“Please, don’t baddere yourself. I can go out to a restaurant.”
Erin and Isaiah spoke at once. “Nee!” Isaiah grinned and then kept quiet. Erin insisted on making breakfast for Charity. “Sitz”
She hurried around and scrambled two eggs. She put these on a plate with still hot fried apples, fried potatoes, bacon and biscuits.
Charity ate and drank her coffee while they talked.
Erin refused to allow Charity to wash her dishes or clean up. Isaiah stood up. “Kumme, I will go with you to the Yoder store and introduce you to the people. My daed and two of his bruders opened the first store and now it is so big that a lot of people work there, English and Amish.”
Charity was thankful that he would accompany her since she felt a little nervous about going in and asking questions. She put her black bonnet on over her prayer kapp.
They left with Erin wishing her to have a gut day. Her heart was beating erratically because she wanted to learn so much and be able to improve and upgrade her own store.
As it was in the next block on Van Buren, they walked.
Chapter Three
Charity became ashamed of herself when she realized she was standing staring around with an open mouth. She had never seen so many items in one store and so many delightful colors. She jumped when Isaiah took her arm to introduce her to some ladies.
“This is Charity Kime from Shickshinny, Pennsylvania. She has a store there and is interested in learning about this one and what she can do to improve her store. Charity this is Rebecca Berkenstroff, Naomi Eash and Purity Yoder. These ladies are basically in charge here although there is a general manager, assistant manager and bookkeeper. They can answer your questions.”
The ladies smiled and welcomed her. “We will be glad to help you any way that we can. Where would you like to start?”
“I do not know. There is so much to see and it is all so beautiful. First I would like to hear about how the store started.”
Purity smiled. “I will tell you as it was my father who was one of the original owners. They first built in May, 1945 in Topeka, Indiana. The business grew and in 1952 they moved to Shipshewana. The Yoders have several stores here in a mini mall. There is a nursery with all kinds of flowers and containers next door and after that is a hardware.”
“And your Bishop approves this?” Charity asked in surprise.
“He does not say anything against it because we give a good part of the profit to the work of the church for the needy.”
“But you have electricity and telephones and a lot of worldly equipment.”
“He knows it is necessary in a store of this size that offers so much. He also knows that those of us, who are Amish, still follow the rules and attend church. We do not act in a worldly way.”
“This is so much to learn and understand.”
“Now would you like to look over the store?”
“Ja danki.”
They started at the end where they were. Work clothing for men of all kinds were available from coveralls to flannel shirts, jeans and Amish style clothing. Next was men’s dress clothing, hats, shirts, ties for both Amish and English. The next section was clothing for women both Amish and
English. Then for children and last for babies clothing and furniture. The furniture made by Amish caused Charity to feel chocked thinking of the cradle that Adam had made Jeremiah.
She drew a deep breath of pleasure in the next department. There were tables with all kinds of covering, some Amish made and some machine made. Beautiful china, goblets and silverware were on each table. She could tell that most of the tables were Amish made.
The next section was for linens of all kinds, quilts, curtains, drapes, curtain rods, shower curtains and everything connected with bed and bath, and kitchen including pots, pans, kettles, teakettles and table grills.
Going into the next section she found all kinds of yard good, cloths, threads, yarns, needles, scissors and anything connected with sewing, knitting or crocheting. There were three quilting frames hanging from the ceiling and women around them busily quilting while laughing and talking.
The heavenly aromas told Charity where they were going next. The bakery department was manned entirely by Amish women. The display cases allowed everyone to see and drool over the products. On the shelves behind the women were cakes decorated too beautifully to cut. There were all kinds of breads and some items that Charity did not recognize. She gladly accepted their invitation to sit at a table and have some of the baked goods with a cup of coffee. She enjoyed chatting and getting to know more of the people, most of them Amish, but some of the English workers, too.
Charity was pleased to learn that they sponsored a quilting society that made quilts for babies in the hospitals or for a nursing home that the Amish had opened. She was surprised and pleased at the idea of caring for the very sick and asked if there was a home for the elderly with no relatives nearby.
“Not yet,” Naomi answered, “but I imagine we will have one before long. We do take care of our own and sometimes a person does not have a relative to care for them, or the relative is too old or sick.”
Charity then asked how she could get supplies to start expanding her own store. She was given name, address and phone number, as well as the person to contact for the Dunroven House and Saro Trading Company. She thanked them sincerely and prepared
