Hannah Johnson

Candlestick Maker

The War

    
   
            Hello, it’s Hannah Johnson again.  I have another story that changed my life to tell you.  This story is about the Revolutionary War.  But let me start at the beginning of the story…
           “Hannah, Hannah!” cried William.
           “What is it William?” I said.
           “Haven’t you heard?  The war has started; remember all of those rumors about the war?  Well it has finally started, and they need all men to fight.
            “ You are not thinking of taking William Jr?” I said horrified.
            “No no of course not.”
            “And anyway we are apolitical, so why are you so exited about going?  And if you go I don’t see how I can take care of the family, and you are the one who always brings home the meat, and gets the milk.”
            “First I do not want to go but I have to.  Second you can get the meat from the butcher, and milk from the general store.”
            “When do you have to go?”
            “Right now.”
             I stared at him.  And he stared at me.
             Then he said, “Promise me you will send food to the people who are fighting England.”
            “ I promise.”
            All that time Lily and William Jr. were looking at us arguing,
            They didn’t understand. Lily who was 4 and William Jr. who was 5.
            Then Lily stepped forward and said, “ Is Daddy going to have to go.
            I answered, “ Yes.”
            They both started crying and ran around William’s legs.  William shook them off and left.  The next six years were lonely and hard.  The kids were growing into adults and I wanted William to see them grow.  So six years to the day after we had had our argument I saw somebody far away walking up the road.  I paid no attention and went inside to make lunch.  Lily went outside to continue the work that I was doing.  Lily was 10 and William Jr. was 11.  When lunch was done and I was setting the table.  Lily ran in tears streaming down her cheeks.
            And she said, “It is dad, dad is home.”
            When I heard this I ran outside, and there sure enough was William.