Chapter 38

"It's so quiet here," Morgan said on our walk across the meadow back to the house. Yet it wasn't that quiet at all. The insects were in full resonance. Grasshoppers were busy reacting to the warm night air and the Katydids rasped their familiar song. Birds were still calling out, especially my favorite, the elusive nighttime Whippoorwill.

Morgan saw movement against the fading sky and that familiar call sang out. She asked, "What's that?"

"A Whippoorwill," I explained.

"Its song sure sounds like its name," she said.

"Look at the stars," she commented. "I've never seen so many."

Just then a bleating sound echoed through the meadow from way off in the distance behind us. It started as a low hiss, with an undertone almost like a growl, raising in frequency and ending with the screech of a whistle.

Hugging close to me Morgan asked, "Now ... What's that."

"Just a deer, getting ready for bed," I told her.

"They're around here?" she asked.

"There are plenty in the woods," I said. "They're all around. Usually you'll see them in the evening just across the river eating the sweet grass or taking a drink.

"If you get up right after sunrise and peek out a window you'll see them in this meadow getting breakfast. But you've got to be up real early or you'll miss them."

We were almost to our house when another familiar sound spilled across the meadow. One of the horses gave out a long whinny.

Morgan laughed, "I guess it isn't so quiet here."

"I guess you meant 'City Sounds'," I said.

"Yeah, horns and bells and whistles. Loud people yelling ... Someone screaming ... A radio blaring in a neighbor's apartment," Morgan commented. "I like the sounds here better."

"Me too," I said, as we reached the kitchen door and stepped inside.

I half expected Edmund to be there with a stern eye aimed at me, getting ready to interrogate us as to why we took so long and because it had gotten almost dark.

But the kitchen was empty. Only one lantern on the chandelier remained lighted at all, casting the soft yellowish glow of a turned down flame.

I noticed an extra darkened lamp sitting on the kitchen counter and a box of matches next to it. 'Interesting', I thought. That was something I hadn't realized was of any importance. I was so used to light switches that only required learning where they were. A flick and there was light.

Now we were in a land where you had to carry your light with you or plan ahead figuring where and when you might need it. I wondered if Morgan knew how to light a kerosene lamp but never got to ask that question. She went right to it, lifted the chimney off, and spun the little knob of the wick raiser.

Opening the box of matches she took one, struck it on the side of the box and drew its flame along the extended wick. As the glow there grew tall, she twisted the knob, lowering it. As the flame stabilized, she put one hand on the base and slid the chimney back into place. The lamp brightened right up.

'I guess she does know how to light a lamp', I thought.

She must have seen the admiration in my face. She smiled as she turned to me, saying, "We visited grandma and grandpa on their farm a few years ago. They didn't have electricity.

"Learned how to use these things then."

I figured she could teach me a few things about kerosene lamps. We had a few hurricane lamps around the house in case the lights went off. Occasionally we'd use one for a centerpiece on our dinner table in place of candles. I'd only lit one a few times but she handled that one like a pro.

After Morgan picked up the lamp by its handle we both headed toward our bedroom. We were in for a bunch of surprises I hadn't expected. There was one wall mounted lamp, turned down real low in the hallway. I guessed her parents had anticipated the need for a night light there. That wasn't any more of a surprise than the soft lamp glow in the kitchen.

What was the first of the series surprises was the door opposite our bedroom door was slightly ajar. I had just totally discounted that room as it wasn't supposed to be worked on for a while. It was more or less meant for future use. The second surprise was as we neared the door, there was a soft glow from within. 'Now that's strange?', I thought.

The real surprise was when Morgan pushed the door all the way open and we had an indoor bathroom complete with toilet and pedestal sink. We just looked at each other and neither of us knew what to say. It was a huge surprise.

There were two knobs on the sink, one on each side of the stopper plunger. I turned the left one and not a drop came out but the one on the right worked and cold water gushed out. Morgan reached up to pull the flush chain on the water reservoir and it flushed the toilet. Then came the familiar sound of water refilling the tank.

"This is something I didn't expect," I told her as I glanced around the room.

Off to our left and sort of behind us against the side of the room, nestled in the corner was a free standing tub. Mounted on the wall was a pipe with a shower head above and a water spout below. Between them, also mounted on the wall, was a diverter and two faucets.

Before I was sure we'd have to wait a while until we would have indoor plumbing but guessed this surprise wouldn't be the last bit of magic this place would see. A little running water was not too much of a surprise. There was a spring up the hill and with a little imagination, running a pipe to the house was not too much of a stretch.

I guess hot water was not out of the question now either. All we would need was a gas a water heater. That by any means was sure to be a reality. I made a mental note to ask Jim about that in the morning.

Morgan tapped me on the shoulder saying, "Where's the toilet paper?"

My first thought was I had no idea. My second thought was I could go get some and be back before she knew it. But that idea flew out the window when she lifted a square box from the little table next to the toilet. Opening the cover she withdrew a square piece of soft paper.

'Guess we found it, ' crossed my mind. Toilet paper rolls had to be just another thing in 1850 that hadn't been invented yet. Thankfully, towels and washcloths had and there were two nice sized towels hanging on the rack to the left of the sink along with a couple of washcloths.

I guess the little table was also there for setting down a lamp because that's where Morgan conveniently put hers. Then she went about shucking her dress and finally she hung it on a clothing hook on the wall to the right of the doorway.

I just sort of watched as she moved in the bathroom and went about her business. She'd left her camisole on. It went to just slightly lower than her hips. It was obvious her panties were drenched and taking them off she tossed them in the sink.

She nonchalantly sat down and peed. When she finished, she took a toilet wipe, swiped beneath herself and tossed it into the toilet. After repeating that a couple of times more she got up, turned and pulled the handle on the long chain.

Once again water surged into the toilet. 'Guess that really works.', I thought to myself as the water swirled around in the toilet and finally disappeared. It made the familiar gurgle as the flush ended.