The piano goes to america-part 6

The piano goes to america-part 6

fiction
edward w pritchard

Olivia Sharp was standing near the horse barn crying when Dr. Sharp the minister found her. He approached cautiously for he was not good with interpersonal communications and his wife often bewildered him. Usually he tried a gift or a surprise but today he knew she needed to talk and he did also.

Their daughter Jake [ named after Wife's grandfather in Connecticut] was disrupting the household. The sheriff had brought her home last night and it was only because of Dr. Sharp's position in the community that the girl was not in serious trouble.

Olivia's daughter had gotten involved in the underground railroad. At fifteen both parents agreed it was not a proper thing for a young lady to do. Both agreed with her ideals but in practice both felt she was too young to do the sordid day to day activities that the clandestine career she was pursuing demanded.

Olivia admitted to her husband that she also had been sympathetic to the anti-slavery cause and had attended several meetings and supported the activities locally from her household fiance budget. She felt badly that she had influenced her daughter although not intentionally.

Cole, Dr. Bradford, and his wife were in the parlor and Olivia was playing the piano. The songs she was playing were a little bawdy for a minister and his wife to listen to in 1859. Perhaps inspired by three glasses of raisin wine each.

The daughter up in he room was surprised to hear them singing and the lyrics were not something she would expect to hear from her parents.

end part 6