It was Lord’s Day morning. Jan once again sat with her family to hear God’s Word. Sunlight filtered in through the windows, but this morning Jan did not notice. She was surprised to find how interesting Sunday School and God’s Word were today.
She listened closely as various ones spoke of Jesus Christ as the Lord. Some things were too difficult for her to understand. Yet Jan could see now that Jesus wanted her to live to please Him. Jan was mostly used to pleasing herself. She was glad when she heard that Jesus was always there to help His followers do what is right in God’s eyes.
She heard of the importance of reading the Bible every day and praying. Jan was amazed how much sense these things made to her. Just a short time ago she had laughed at Julie for spending so much time reading her Bible.
Outside afterward, Jan had to explain over and over about her broken arm. It was kind of fun to be the center of so much attention.
But the drive home seemed to take forever. And dinner dragged on and on. Jan didn’t know or care what she was eating. All she wanted was to go to Gramp’s house!
“Jan,” Mom said, “it won’t help to hurry dinner, you know. We’re not supposed to be at Mr. Hinkle’s until about three o’clock anyway.”
“Can we go too?” Candy wanted to know.
“Yes, we’re all invited,” Dad answered.
“Oh, goody,” said Candy who was always happy to go.
“Nuts,” was Steve’s feelings on the visit. “Michael wanted me to come over after dinner. He has a new car racing set.” Steve frowned.
“I believe Michael is going to Mr. Hinkle’s also,” said Mom. “Aren’t the Bakers, invited?”
Julie said they were, and Steve’s frown disappeared. “Oh, that’s O.K. then,” he said.
After dessert, the twins and Mom quickly cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher. Mom checked to see that all four children were neatly dressed and clean. After what seemed like hours to Jan, it was finally time to go. The whole family followed the path over the creek and up to the barn.
They were met at the barn by Gramps leaning on his cane. Jan saw that the Bakers and the Huas were already there. The children greeted one another eagerly just as though they had not seen each other only the day before.
Quang hung back a little. But Jan had told the others of his visit and apology, so he was soon convinced to join the rest. Everyone seemed willing to forget the past and be friends.
“I’ve left the ladder you gentlemen brought in the cellar opening,” Gramps was saying. He led the way into the barn. Jan saw he had taken the trapdoor right off.
“Perhaps some of you would care to go down and see the place,” Gramps invited. “Myself, I’m too old for such things.” He chuckled and stood back.
Only Jan stayed with Gramps. She could hear eager remarks floating up. But she had no interest in going down there, at least not right away.
“How’s the arm, Jan?” Gramps asked kindly.
“Oh, it doesn’t hurt much any more, thank you,” Jan answered politely, “but I can’t play some of my favorite games for a long time to come.”
“Perhaps you should come visit me when the others are busy with their games,” said Gramps. “I have a trunk full of old clothes that belonged to my Grandad. I believe his old Civil War uniform is in it. And I know there are some very old dresses of my grandmother’s.”
“Oh, Gramps, I would love to look through that trunk!” Jan exclaimed her eyes shining. She clapped her hands fogetting her arm in her excitement. “Yeow!’” she yelped.
Mrs. Davidson came up the ladder just then. “What’s the matter, Jan?” she asked hurrying over.
“It’s all right, Mom. I just forgot and tried to clap. But Mom, Gramps has invited me to come look through an old trunk of his. Please say I can!” Jan begged.
“Why, that’s very kind of you, Mr. Hinkle. I can see no reason why not,” Mom replied.
Jan gave her mother an awkward but excited hug.
By then everyone was up. Gramps led the way slowly toward his house. Grown-ups and children alike were busy talking about the secret cellar. Jan heard the same question asked over and over. What had Mr. Roberts used that room for?
Gramps’ house was cool after the heat of outdoors. Mrs. Ray was ready with tall glasses of iced tea for the adults and ginger ale for the children. Everyone sipped the cold drinks gratefully.
Jan heard a knock at the front door and saw Mrs. Ray hurry to answer it. Soon she came back with a man of slight build. He had dark hair and large glasses that made him look like an owl.
“Hello, Mr. Taylor, glad you could come,” Gramps said in greeting. “Now if everyone could find a place to sit down. I know it is a bit crowded, but perhaps the young people could sit on the floor.”
The young people could, for Gramps was right. The small living room with its large, old-fashioned furniture was bursting with people. At last everyone had found a seat and the room grew quiet.
“I have invited Mr. Taylor here today because he knows a great deal about the history of North Falls. As the editor for the North Falls Town Press, he has written a series of articles about local history. When I called a few days ago and told him what had been found in my barn, he was as excited as I. He said he would be happy to come and tell us what he could. So Mr. Taylor, let me introduce you to all these people and then I’ll allow you to take over.” Here Gramps went around the room and gave everyone’s name.
“So you’re the Jan who found the cellar?” Mr. Taylor asked when Gramps came to her.
She blushed. “Well, sort of. Actually my twin, Julie, and Fred and Susan were all part of finding it. I went down when I shouldn’t have,” she finished holding up her arm.
Mr. Taylor had to laugh. “I guess Mr. Hinkle did tell me about that.”
He paused a minute. “It appears from what Jan found in the cellar that Mr. Hinkle’s barn was used at one time as a station on the Underground Railroad.”
His words caused a surprised murmur from the grown-ups.
Gramps handed Mr. Taylor the metal box Jan had found. Mr. Taylor opened it and pulled out several sheets of very yellow paper. “We had to break the lock to open the box, but it was worth doing.” He took a deep breath before he went on. “These pages are lists of names, dates, and destinations of over one hundred escaped slaves whom Mr. Roberts helped over a period of ten or so years. The note Jan found seems to be a sort of introduction of the runaways to other ‘conductors’ along the way. By this means the fugitives were certain to reach the proper person to help them escape to Canada.
“I wrote in an article a few weeks ago that Greentown Drive was supposed to be one of the routes used by the Underground Railroad. I guess these findings prove it was.”
He looked around the room. “I can see you children are still puzzled by all this. Let me see if I can help you to picture it.
“Suppose you were a slave. Someone owned you, said you belonged to him. If you disobeyed, he could beat you with a whip or whatever he wished. Then, you hear it is possible to escape and go north to Canada. There you will be free.
“Somehow you and a few others manage to escape. Hiding during the day and traveling at night, you finally find people to help you.
“These kind people have nothing to gain by aiding you. In fact if they are caught they may go to jail and be fined a great deal of money. Still they give their help freely.
“They are part of a system that came to be called the Underground Railroad. Each ‘conductor’ along the way does his part. He may hide you in his wagon and drive you a few miles to the next ‘station’. Or he may use his home or barn as a ‘station’ where you as a runaway can hide and rest and have a meal.”
All at once Jan interrupted to say, “Julie, this is the same thing Mom was telling us that night at dinner, remember?”
Julie did remember, but Mom said, “Jan, you are interrupting Mr. Taylor. What she says is true though, Mr. Taylor. We did discuss the Underground Railroad one night after the children saw your article about Greentown Drive. We never dreamed that Gramps’ barn might have been part of it though.”
Mr. Taylor nodded. “Neither did I when I wrote that article. But to go on with my explanation, it is true that Gramps’ barn was one of those stations. Mr. Roberts hid slaves in that secret cellar. There they could rest in peace and perhaps have a meal before going on with their journey. And they were hidden if someone came looking for them to take them back to their owners.”
“Whew,” Fred whistled, “so that’s what happened to Mr. Roberts. Imagine helping a hundred slaves!”
“Yes,” Mr. Taylor agreed. “Perhaps he knew he was about to be arrested, or maybe he always kept those lists in the cellar. Whatever the reason, he hid the metal box down there before his arrest. And it has been there until you children came along and found it.”
“Wow,” Susan said, awe in her voice.
Jan felt the same. History seemed to jump out of the past. No wonder Mom finds it so interesting, she thought.
“We too have escaped from slavery of a different sort,” Dr. Hua spoke softly. “That is why we are so grateful to be where God’s Word can be freely preached.”
Jan heard his words in surprise. She knew there were many places in the world where people were not free. But it really had not meant very much to her until she had met the Huas.
Candy sighed a big sigh. “Now can we go outside?” she asked.
The grown-ups laughed. All the children were glad to escape outside. They had been sitting long enough.
“But don’t go into that cellar!” Gramps warned as the children went out. “Don’t worry,” Jan answered.
She heard the adults chuckling as she closed Gramps’ front door. She followed the other children to the barn. Steve, Michael, and Candy took turns swinging on the rope.
The older children sat down away from the rope swing on the barn floor.
“What my father say is true,” Quang said. “At first I not believe. But God has changed my heart.” He shook his head in wonder.
Everyone was silent.
Finally Julie said in her soft way, “Well, we aren’t perfect. But those who love the Lord Jesus especially love true freedom.”
“Yes, I see,” Quang said.
Fred cleared his throat. “I think maybe Quang should be in the FACT Club. That is if he wants to be?” Fred looked at Quang.
“Yes, thank you. Is an honor,” Quang answered with a big smile. Again silence. But for Jan it was a nice, friendly silence.
All at once Fred exclaimed, “Hey, you know what, fellow officers? The FACT Club finally has a member!”
He jumped up and pumped Quang’s hand up and down hard.
“Oh, Fred!” shouted Jan.
Everyone joined her laughter.
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