1634: The Ram Rebellion (assiti shards) Read online

  So we have five gallons of canned black cherries, and plenty of black cherry flavor Jell-o mix, and several cases of Coca Cola, and goodness knows we can get plenty of cottage cheese here down-time. Claudette will drop a note to Fred Swisher to put in a special order for us with the dairy that’s supplying USE Steel and they’ll send us three kegs the day before the LWV meeting, when the commuter bus returns.

  So the Grantville Chapter of the League of Women Voters will be seen into existence by the very last black-cherry-and-Coca-Cola-and-cottage-cheese Jell-o salad in the world. If that doesn’t make all our new immigrant voters sit up and start working for a world that can provide the ingredients again, we don’t know what it will take.

  We’ll bring the serving dishes, too. We never did get rid of them when people started using paper plates. We just stored them.

  Flo Richards picked up a copy of the old 4-H wrist pincushion pattern. I’ll wait three days. If she hasn’t decided to use it, then I’ll just ask her for some of the wool she doesn’t like. Karen can pay her something for it, and it’s the kind of thing that Fabrics and Textiles can probably sell.

  Yours,

  Mary Ellen Shaver

  * * *

  Dear Fran,

  Just got your note about the League of Women Voters meeting. Are we even sure the council room at city hall will be big enough? From the response I’m getting from the ladies I’ve seen lately, I don’t think “voter apathy” is going to be a problem around here. I remember being so frustrated when people wouldn’t vote in the up-time elections, don’t you? The down-timers I’ve spoken to are thrilled to be able to contribute to the common good.

  Yes, I agree that the ransom of Brillo story is cute. It’s one of the reasons I don’t think Johan Sprug can be the culprit. Where would he get time to read old short stories? The poor man works from sunup to sundown.

  At any rate, I’ll find whoever is doing this someday.

  Have you heard of any possible nominations for officers of the League? Surely, Veleda will be president, as well she should be. But, who is going to be willing to be secretary and publish notes of the meetings?

  Looking forward to seeing everyone,

  Your friend,

  Flo Richards

  * * *

  Dear Flo,

  Gosh, I hadn’t gotten as far as thinking about nominations. I’ll have to think about secretary, but what about Jeannie May Glazer for treasurer? She never says anything, but she’s a real good bookkeeper.

  Yours,

  Fran

  * * *

  Dear Mary Ellen,

  I really appreciate the old 4-H pincushion pattern. We’ve made a few and found that they sell very well.

  To be honest, as much as I’m enjoying using my own new pincushion, we don’t really have the capacity to produce very many. All these kids, the sheep, the rabbits, and so forth have all of us stretched to the limit already.

  I wonder if your shop wouldn’t be a better place to make and sell these pincushions. I can provide the untreated wool, if you’d like. What with unauthorized breeding going on around here, there’s a fair bit of less-than-perfect wool to go around. The latest lamb crop had a certain number of crossbreeds that I didn’t expect.

  Do let me know.

  Your friend,

  Flo Richards

  * * *

  Dear Flo,

  What a generous offer. I took it to Karen and she’ll be getting in touch about the business part-about whether you want to be paid for the wool up-front or want a percentage of the sales on the wrist pincushions. It won’t be lots of money, because in addition to the wool, there’s the cloth (luckily we can make these out of very small scraps) and the labor.

  She’s having most of these smaller pieces that we sell as “notions” made by the women in refugee housing. Lots of them used to do spinning part-time in their homes, but of course they lost their spinning wheels when they were burned out or whatever. She pays them the equivalent of minimum wage, which is apparently more than the people they did spinning for ever paid them.

  Karen’s looked into buying more spinning wheels and setting up a shop, but those things are expensive! The refugees say that after the bed and kettles, they were the most valuable thing the average woman owned.

  See you at city hall!

  Your friend,

  Mary Ellen Shaver

  * * *

  Dear Veleda,

  I really had to let you know that the response to a League of Women Voters is tremendous. I know you’ve moved the meeting location to city hall, but I’m not sure that will be big enough. The local women I’ve spoken to seem to be very taken with the idea.

  I’ve heard that the Baptist ladies are going to provide refreshments. I’m so looking forward to something besides soup. Just a little bit of up-time treats will do so much for my morale.

  J.D., in his usually grumbly way, mentioned that street cleaning could be done as a community service by a certain element of the population. Especially those who use community services by winding up in jail on Friday and Saturday nights. It does seem like it might be a deterrent for some of the less staid members of the population.

  Of course, scooping it up is one thing. Where we’re going to put it is another. Have you heard anything from Christie Penzey yet? We certainly don’t want to contaminate the ground water. I’ve noticed that animals produce a surprising amount of waste product.

  Looking forward to the meeting.

  Your friend,

  Flo Richards

  * * *

  Dear Veleda,

  Wednesday, Mary Ellen Shaver announced to the Baptist Ladies that you’re organizing a League of Women Voters. We think that this is wonderful. I don’t know what you’re thinking of tackling first, but somebody really ought to do something about the horse manure on the streets!

  Of course we’re all hoping for a wild success, but if a lot of people come, space could get to be a problem. I hope that you don’t think that I’m butting in, but I talked to Archie and he is going to invite you to meet in the cafeteria here at the middle school. That will give you more space and the Baptist ladies can put the Jell-o salad in the refrigerators.

  I also mentioned it to John, of course. The VOA is willing to make free announcements as a public service, if you would be so kind as to send him a paragraph.

  If you’re still looking for nominations, I suggest Liz Carstairs for secretary. I realize that she’s Mike Stearns’s personal assitant, but you know what they say. “If you want to get something done, ask a busy person.”

  Your friend,

  Carole Ann Grover

  * * *

  Dear Veleda,

  The Presbyterian ladies are very excited to hear about the League of Women Voters project.

  We talked about it this week and Beryl Lawler is willing to write up a piece for the Grantville Times and then cover the meeting. Because of the society column, you know, she has a lot of contact with the down-time families-my goodness! Have you ever seen so many birth announcements and weddings in Grantville for as long as you can remember? And sometimes in that order, I’m sorry to say!

  But, anyway. Beryl will be glad to do it. Please drop her a note when you finally know where it will be held.

  Your friend,

  Inez McDow

  * * *

  Dear Mary Ellen,

  Well, Karen and I got the wool thing all worked out, so I’m including this note with the first batch. I think it’s enough to get you started.

  Have you noticed the huge response to the idea of the League of Women Voters? It’s growing by leaps and bounds, and we haven’t had the meeting yet! Speaking of the meeting, I’ve heard that it’s going to be at the middle school cafeteria, instead of at city hall. Do hope we can get the location settled soon. I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait for a taste of that Jell-O salad.

  Fran and I both think that Jeannie May Glazer should be nominated treasurer, and of course Veleda shoul
d be a shoo-in for the post of president, since it was her idea in the first place.

  See you soon,

  Flo

  * * *

  Dear Jewell,

  I just wanted to thank you again for the wonderful idea of selling Master Mix as a fundraiser for the Home Ec programs. (I know, it’s domestic science, and I’m sorry to offend you, but I just can’t call it anything beyond Home Ec.)

  Anyway, that Polish wheat really does make a difference. My biscuits are lighter than they’ve been since I ran out of Martha White Flour. Thank you so much. And it’s going to such a good cause. I’m glad that you are reworking one of the model kitchens to have an icebox, a cast-iron stove, and a pump. Now that some of those new houses are equipped with these items, it really does help to have the students practice on them.

  Lolly told me that this year for the joint eighth-grade science and home ec unit, you covered proteins. She was so proud of students learning to measure gluten content in flour by the water-method. I didn’t tell her that I learned that method from my grandmother, who had to leave school before she got through sixth grade. She also told me that in the animal protein area, you showed the difference between animal proteins by making gelatin, and then by making meringue and marshmallows. I understand that the chicken and honey taste of the marshmallows was not nearly as bad as it sounds.

  Would you be able to donate some marshmallows to the League of Women Voters Luncheon? It’s hard to have Jell-o-and-cottage-cheese salad without marshmallows. I’m sure that Mary Ellen Shaver would appreciate some. I do hope the next meeting will be an evening meeting. 1:00 is right at the start of nap time for the children I’m watching.

  Your Friend,

  Miriam Aossey

  * * *

  My Dear Mrs. Riddle,

  May I have the privilege of informing you that Mr. Agustino Nobili has told Mrs. Vivian Nobili and Mrs. Isabella Nobili that the League of Women Voters is a radical Socialist organization.

  With my most sincere compliments and best wishes for your further prosperity,

  Hannelore (Mrs. Gus) Heinzerling

  * * *

  My Dear Mrs. Heinzerling,

  My husband has known Tino Nobili since he was a boy. Tino thought that the John Birch Society was dangerously liberal.

  With best wishes,

  Veleda (Mrs. Thomas) Riddle

  * * *

  Dear Linda,

  Just out of curiosity, where did Hannelore Heinzerling learn to write English?

  Veleda

  * * *

  Dear Veleda,

  So you got one too? I think she’s using an 1883 “epistolary manual” that she found in the rectory. She even uses the style when she leaves me notes about what hymns the priests want me to practice for Sunday.

  The book has all sorts of forms. The writer just has to drop a couple of nouns and verbs into the blanks.

  Linda

  A Night At The Ballet

  Kerryn Offord

  Hi, my name is Elizabeth Matowski, but everyone calls me Bitty. It’s short for itty-bitty. Just like me. I’m what my loving son Joseph calls “vertically challenged.” Only the family knows about the Itty-Bitty, but they aren’t telling. I have compromising childhood and baby photographs, and they know I’m prepared to use them. I was born several weeks early. Family legend has it I came out running, and haven’t slowed down yet.

  Apparently, way back when I was five, Mom and Dad left my big brother Joe baby-sitting while they went out. Needless to say, this didn’t go down well with a sixteen-year-old male. His girl friend of the moment wanted to go to a ballet recital in Fairmont, and they ended up dragging me along. Joe claims I was a real pain in the butt, but they finally got me quieted down and concentrating on the performance while they did what teenagers do. I was hooked.

  For the next few years, until he enlisted, Joe happily transported me three times a week to after-school ballet lessons in Fairmont. I think dad paying for the gas and his girlfriend living in Fairmont had a lot to do with his attitude.

  From that first exposure to the dance, I progressed through the grades, even being a professional for a few years. I met and married Harvey. Then, just as I was starting to realize I would never be a prima ballerina, and was destined to a career stuck in the corps de ballet, I found out I was pregnant with Joel. I took the pregnancy as a sign. It was time to leave professional dancing and move back to Grantville to be near Harvey’s and my families.

  Harvey soon found a job through the family. Meanwhile, I hunted for a position as a dance teacher, finally hooking up with a good school in Fairmont. I taught there right up until the Ring of Fire, some twenty-one years.

  Early on, Harvey converted a shed into a studio where I could practice. Needless to say, I taught all four of my children to dance. Staci and Melanie, as girls, had no trouble sticking to dance. Joel, and Joseph, my baby, being males, came under intense peer pressure to quit such unmanly activities, especially as they entered their teens. But they had been caught young and were able to resist. Both boys were comfortable in the company of girls, a benefit of years of exposure to girls in dance classes. This translated into social confidence around the opposite sex at a time when their peers were interested in girls, but lacked confidence around them. I played on this to suggest that peer pressure to quit was mostly envy.

  * * *

  The Ring of Fire was a shocker, a really traumatic event. Those first few months were lost in the struggle to survive. Everyone had to help, doing “important” things. There wasn’t time for formal ballet lessons, nor the spare resources to pay. However, we, my family, all went religiously into the studio every day to do the exercises. Even Harvey joined in. I think it was one thing that kept us sane during that period. As the year progressed things gradually became easier. The starvation we had all feared didn’t occur. There was sufficient food for everyone, and nobody who was able to work, and did so, went hungry.

  As we went into 1632, GV Biogas and Methane Corporation, a new start-up business, drew me from the pool of available workers. Don’t ask me what it is they do. All I do is shuffle paper all day. Needless to say, I still had an itch to dance. So I looked into the prospects of teaching dance at the school. I needed something, anything that would get me back to my first love.

  I lucked out when Sherrilyn Maddox, the PE teacher at the high school, arranged for me to teach a couple of classes after work, “Ballet for Beginners” targeting children, and “Dance for Fitness” for adults. Initially I found a lot of my adult students were down-time females coming in for the dance classes, hoping to make themselves more attractive to up-time males. However, over time I started to collect a number of down-time males. Soon I was in that most enviable position of all for ballet teachers. I had as many males as females.

  The students paid the school a small fee to attend my classes, and in turn the school paid my assistant instructors and me a flat hourly rate. I noticed that my dutiful sons, Joel and Joseph, had no qualms about unmanly activities when there was money to be had.

  This took us through that year. The only blot on the otherwise pleasant landscape was when a horde of horrid horsemen attacked the town and school. There were anguished moments when we first heard about the school being attacked, but they were soon alleviated when we heard that all students were alive and well.

  Because of the massive amount of construction going on and the call of the military, not all students could attend regular lessons. That meant most of my students were unable to progress as quickly as I would have liked. The lack of progress meant that for only the second time since I was five, I missed a live performance of Nutcracker.

  Quite frankly, I lacked the competent company needed to put on a performance. We did put on a recital made up of various parts from several ballets for students’ families though. There were a few simple pieces for the youngsters and the less experienced adults. However, the piece de resistance was a new ballet that I wrote and choreographed. It was based o
n the stories circulating about Flo Richards and Brillo, her “favorite” ram.

  Part of the fun was that Flo was ambushed. We managed to get her to the recital without revealing the content of the principal performance. Nothing was actually said, but everyone there had heard about the antics of Brillo and his harem of ewes. The whole performance was greeted with howls of laughter, with Flo joining in.

  We grabbed and held the audience from the beginning when our “Flo” stood between Brillo and her ewes, protecting them from the horrible nasty under-bred Ram, while the ewes looked at Brillo with interest. The attention held right through to the last scene where Flo, brandishing a big knife, gives Brillo a verbal warning after finding him asleep in the same paddock as the ewes.

  Carl Schockley danced Brillo. He was an out-of-towner in Grantville, part of the construction crew building a new high-tech factory of some sort. He first came to my notice a few months before the Ring of Fire, when he turned up at the dance school in Fairmont asking about classes to maintain condition. When my son Joel, who was originally cast as Brillo, was called away for military maneuvers shortly before the recital I had been desperate. Then Melanie, my youngest girl, casually mentioned having seen Carl on a Kelly Construction building site.