I noticed Captain Jones wasn't in the men's corner either. He
was standing near the organ talking with the schoolteacher and my
big sister Bess. As they talked, Captain Jones kept waving his
walking stick toward the stage and the curtain. Every time he
spoke, his chin jiggled his beard up and down. His beard, I
decided, was even longer and whiter than Grandpa Thad's.
The three stood talking only a minute longer. Then Bess sat
down on the organ stool and started looking through her hymnbook.
Captain Jones leaned on the teacher as they went slowly up the
platform steps. Mister Shepherd had to help Captain Jones get
seated in the high-backed chair Brother Milligan used on
Preaching Sundays.
"My, Nannie, what a crowd!" Papa had turned to look over the
church.
"Seems like everybody in the settlement is here, yet I see
folks are still coming in."
"I'm afraid Doctor Elton won't make it. He said when he
passed the store that there's a regular outbreak of influenza
down below the State Line Road."
"I hope and pray it don't spread up here!" Mama pulled her
cape closer around her shoulders.
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