The Little Sparrows (35 page)

Lance was aware of someone standing over him in the aisle. He looked up to see the conductor standing over him. “Mr. Adams, are you all right?”

Lance nodded. “Yes, sir. I’m fine. Just doing some praying.”

The conductor’s eyebrows arched. “Oh. I’m sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Adams. I didn’t realize—”

“It’s all right. You didn’t know whether I was ill, or something like that. I appreciate your concern.”

The conductor smiled. “I’ll move on so you can proceed.”

Lance eased back on the seat, closed his eyes, and whispered, “Lord, when those seven remaining orphans are being inspected and interviewed at the San Francisco depot, I could tell Carol that You spoke to my heart about Jimmy, and we’re taking him home whether she likes it or not, but that wouldn’t be fair to her. With a foster child comes much responsibility. It wouldn’t be right for me to force him on her. In Your Word, You said, ‘Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.’ You know how very much I love Carol, and because I do, I can’t do something that would make her miserable and unhappy. I’ve got to know that You have dealt with
her on this issue before I can tell the Stanfields and the Conlans that we want to take Jimmy home with us.”

He took a deep breath and let it out without opening his eyes.

“Lord, I’m trusting that You are working in Carol’s heart, even as You have been working in mine. You know that we walk by faith and not by sight. So I won’t know for sure when we pull into the depot that You have prepared Carol to be Jimmy’s mother like You’ve prepared me to be his father. I’m just asking You to give me wisdom when I meet Carol and talk to her.”

He thought of Laura Stanfield and the fact that she was in the girls’ coach, praying that the Lord would work in Carol’s heart. He smiled to himself as the sensation in his heart and mind continued to make its presence known.

In the boys’ coach, Jimmy Kirkland sat alone, staring out the window. He missed Barry Chandler and wondered if he liked his new home. Fear chilled Jimmy’s mind as he thought about the many couples who showed interest in him in all those depots … until they heard him talk.

His lips quivered and tears filled his eyes as he whispered, “M-Mithter Adamth wanth me. He really doeth. B-but he keepth th-thaying he can’t t-take me home to live with h-him.”

Jimmy felt sure that Mr. Adams had a wife, but he wondered if he had children and couldn’t take him because he had no room for him.

His mind went back to the orphanage and how the children picked on him there. He drew a shaky breath and whispered, “I w-would rather live with M-Mithter Adamth and hith f-family, even if I h-had to thleep on the f-floor. I know M-Mithter Adamth would’n let n-nobody pick on me becauthe I talk f-funny.”

Jimmy looked up to see Gifford Stanfield coming down the aisle. He stopped to talk to the other three boys in the coach, who were purposely cramped together on one seat several rows ahead. Alex Geisler, Jared Rice, and Perry Dugan had become good friends on the trip.

Jimmy knew they were ten or eleven years of age and wanted nothing to do with him. This did not bother him. At least they hadn’t picked on him like Jason Laird and Rick Schindler did. He was glad that Jason and Rick were gone.

After a few minutes, Stanfield left the three boys and moved on down the aisle. Jimmy managed to make a smile for the man.

Stanfield matched the smile and leaned over the boy. “How you doing, Jimmy?”

Jimmy shrugged.

“Hey, partner, it’s going to be all right. San Francisco is a big city. Lots of people live there. There’ll be some man and woman who will see what a fine boy you are and they’ll come to me and say, ‘Mr. Stanfield, we want that handsome boy with the blond hair and the big blue eyes.’ ”

“B-but when they hear me t-talk, they’ll l-look at me funny an’ w-walk away. Juth’ l-like they alwayth d-do.” He wiped saliva from his lips and chin.

Stanfield laid a steady hand on the boy’s thin shoulder. “Now, Jimmy, don’t you give up. God’s got a family in San Francisco who will want you.”

Jimmy nodded. “Th-that’th what Mithuth Th-Thtanfield thaid t-too.”

“Well, she’s a real smart lady. You keep in mind what she said.”

Jimmy nodded again, but did not comment.

“Well, I’ll see you later.”

“Yeth, th-thir.”

Jimmy watched Gifford Stanfield turn around, walk back to the front of the coach, and sit down across the aisle from Derek Conlan. They were chatting happily about something.

Jimmy wished he had something to be happy about. He turned on the seat, leaned against the coach wall just below the window, and closed his eyes.

Soon the steady clicking of the wheels beneath him and the rhythmic sway of the coach lulled him into slumber.

J
immy Kirkland awakened and drowsily sat up on the seat. The train was slowing down. He looked out the window and saw that they were pulling into a big railroad station. He had overheard Mr. Conlan telling some of the other boys yesterday that San Francisco’s station was quite large.

Jimmy looked around and saw that the other three boys were now sitting in separate seats near the front of the coach, pushing their faces out the open windows while Mr. Stanfield and Mr. Conlan were rising from their seats close by them.

Jared Rice said excitedly, “I’m gonna get chosen here, I know it!”

“Yeah, me too!” Perry Dugan said.

Alex Geisler laughed. “I’ll get chosen first!”

Gifford Stanfield stood over them with Derek Conlan at his side and smiled down at the boys. “Well, no matter who gets chosen first, the rest of you will be chosen before it’s over.”

Derek Conlan looked back at the little boy and chuckled. “And that includes you, Jimmy!”

Jimmy smiled back at him.

The train came to a halt. Gifford Stanfield said, “I want all four of you boys to sit tight, as usual. It’ll be a little longer this time because all the regular passengers are getting off here.
Mr. Conlan and I will be back in a little while to take you to the platform for the lineup.”

When the two men were gone, Jimmy saw the other three boys leave their seats and head down the aisle toward him. They stopped at Jimmy’s seat and all three looked down at him. He blinked and frowned at them questioningly.

Alex Geisler made a face at him, bugging his eyes. “You’re goin’ back to the orphanage ’cause nobody wants a kid who spits and stutters when he talks.”

The other two laughed, and Perry Dugan said, “If you’d keep your mouth shut and never talk, maybe somebody would choose you.”

Jimmy’s countenance fell. He was surprised at this behavior by these three boys. They had never picked on him before. They had always been nice to him.

Jared Rice chuckled. “Too bad, stuttermouth! You might as well plan on goin’ back to the orphanage. Nobody wants a boy who can’t talk without slobberin’ all over himself.”

Flame leaped into Jimmy’s eyes. He slid off the seat and pushed past them into the aisle. He said in a high-pitched voice, “Oh y-yeah? Well, you’ll f-find out! Thomebody ith g-gonna take m-me home!”

Jared sneered. “Sure, spitmouth, and just who’ll that be?”

Jimmy stiffened his back and squared his shoulders. “Mithter Adamth, th-thath who! I’m gonna g-go to hith houthe and live w-with him!”

Alex gave Jimmy a stiff push with the heel of his hand, sending him flying backwards. Jimmy fell flat on his back in the aisle. Tears were forming in his eyes as he looked up at Alex and the other two beside him, peering down with a wicked glint in their eyes.

Alex stuck his tongue out at Jimmy. “You’re lyin’, slobber-mouth! Mr. Adams ain’t takin’ you home! He’s got better sense than that!”

“Yeah!” said Jared. “Your slobberin’ would ruin the rugs and the furniture in Mr. Adams’s house!”

Jimmy summoned the necessary strength and sprang to his feet. “I’m not l-lyin’! Mithter Adamth ith g-gonna ’dopt m-me!”

Perry made a face at him. “He ain’t, neither! You’re lyin’!”

Jimmy made a wild wordless shout and jumped at all three, fists swinging.…

Suddenly a voice penetrated Jimmy’s dream. He opened his eyes to see Derek Conlan bending over him where he lay on the seat, grasping for his swinging fists.

“Jimmy!” Conlan was saying. “Wake up! Wake up!”

Jimmy blinked, shook his head to clear it, and saw the three boys and Gifford Stanfield draw up. He could feel the train slowing down on the tracks.

Alex Geisler said, “He must’ve been havin’ a bad dream.”

Conlan released the boy’s fists. “Is that it, Jimmy? Were you having a bad dream?”

Jimmy nodded and rubbed his eyes. “Yeth, thir.”

Conlan reached into his shirt pocket and took out a comb. “Here, Jimmy, let me comb your hair. You’ve got it all messed up. I want you to look nice, because we’re about to pull into San Francisco.”

Lance Adams’s nerves were taut across his back and shoulders while he looked out the window as the train ground to a halt in the San Francisco terminal. He spotted the blonde he loved so much standing on the platform among a crowd of people, waiting for him.

His heart began pounding in his chest. “Dear Lord,” he
whispered, “the moment has come. I’ll know for sure that You want us to have Jimmy if I find Carol willing to take him, once she has heard his story.”

Lance purposely waited until all the other passengers had left the coach, then picked up his briefcase and headed toward the rear exit. A glance out the window showed him Carol craning her neck while searching the faces of the passengers as they alighted from the other cars.

When he moved out onto the coach’s small platform and started down the steps, Carol saw him and hurried through the dwindling crowd with open arms.

Carol’s lovely features were lit up with a smile. “Welcome home, darling!”

They embraced for a brief moment, then Lance kissed her soundly, told her he loved her, and held her tight once again.

She breathed into his ear, “I missed you so much, darling! I don’t know if I’ll ever let you go to one of those conventions again!”

Lance laughed, eased back, and looked her in the eye. “But I always learn a lot at the businessmen’s conventions.”

Carol giggled. “I don’t know about that, but I’m sure when you gave your lecture, they all learned things they’d never heard of before.”

He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re not just a little bit prejudiced on your husband’s behalf, are you?”

“Why, of course not! I can’t help it if the Lord gave me the world’s smartest businessman to be my husband, can I?”

Lance saw Rachel Wolford lining up the three girls and the four boys. At the same time, the Stanfields and the Conlans were talking with prospective foster parents, making their approvals, and getting them ready to begin the interviews.

Carol took hold of Lance’s arm. “Well, darling, let’s be going.”

Lance’s arm stiffened. “Honey, we can’t leave yet.”

Carol blinked and looked at him questioningly. “Why not?”

Lance took her hand. “Come over here with me.”

She frowned as Lance led her toward a cluster of people on the depot platform who were gathered close to some children who stood in a straight line.

I wonder what’s going on?
she thought.
Something is in the air with Lance. I felt it the instant I saw him get off the train. For one thing, he’s always among the first passengers to leave the coach he’s been riding in. Just now, he was the last. He seems a bit distracted. I wonder if something went wrong at the convention. Or maybe he’s worried about something. Maybe he’s
—

They came to an abrupt halt quite near the spot where the children stood.

Carol ran her gaze over the seven children, then noted the people standing around, and the two women and two men who held clipboards while talking to some of them. “What’s this, Lance?”

“Honey, this is an orphan train.”

“Oh, really?”

“Mm-hmm. I’ve been watching people take orphans as foster children in railroad depots ever since Kearney, Nebraska. There were sixty-one to begin with. It’s been something to behold.”

Lance saw curiosity in Carol’s eyes. “That’s interesting,” she said, looking back at the children.

Lance pointed at the Stanfields and the Conlans, who were each engaged in conversation with a couple. “See those four people with clipboards?”

“Yes.”

“They’re the officials on this train from the Children’s Aid Society. Right now, they’re talking to couples who are interested in becoming foster parents to these children. They have many
questions to ask them so they can make sure they qualify.”

Carol nodded. “I see. Guess they have to be careful.”

“Those precious boys and girls have already been through horrible times in their lives. The sponsors want to do the best they can to see that they are placed in the right kind of homes.”

“Mm-hmm. I’ve read about Charles Loring Brace’s burden for the orphans, and I know these people from the Society have to feel the same way.”

Lance gestured toward Rachel Wolford. “See that nurse over there?”

“Yes.”

“She travels with the children so if any of them get sick, she’s right there to take care of them.”

“Oh yes. I recall reading about the nurses on the orphan trains.”

At that moment, the prospective foster parents began moving along the short line, of which Jimmy Kirkland was last.

Lance pointed to him. “Honey, see that little blond boy at the end of the line?”

“Mm-hmm. He looks a little frightened. Isn’t he cute? Look at those big blue eyes.”

“His name is Jimmy Kirkland. His parents abandoned him on the doorstep of one of New York City’s orphanages when he was only a few days old.”

Carol’s brow furrowed. “Oh. Poor little fellow.”

Lance felt his pulse quicken. “I’ve gotten to know Jimmy pretty well. Such a precious little boy. But so far nobody has chosen him.”

A smile curved Carol’s lips. “Well, tell you what, if I was looking to take one of them home, he’d be the one I’d choose. He looks so scared, but isn’t he cute?”

Lance’s pulse throbbed the more. “He
is
scared, honey.”