The children did not go back to the barn. It was too late to work on plans for the carnival any more that day. They decided just to call it a day and come back the next morning.
Jan was busy thinking. She could not decide where she had just heard of Greentown Drive. Someone recently had been talking about that street, but who? Maybe Mom would remember, she thought all at once.
“Fred,” she called. He was ahead of her on the path. “Could I use your newspaper? I’ll give it back tomorrow.”
He waited for her to catch up. “What is this about my newspaper?”
“I thought I’d ask my Mom to read that article in your newspaper. She used to be a history teacher at North Falls High, you know.”
“A teacher! Here I thought your Mom was such a nice lady too!” He shook his head sadly and wrinkled up his whole face.
Jan had to laugh. Sometimes Fred’s face seemed made of rubber.
The four parted with promises to start plans for the carnival next day without fail.
Jan ran up the side steps and burst into the kitchen. “Mom, please read this article. It’s about Greentown Drive.” Jan was hopping up and down.
“Wow, Jan,” said Mom wiping her hands on a towel, “calm down. Now what is this about?”
“Fred read us this article about the Underground Railroad. The story said that Greentown Drive was part of it,” Julie answered.
“Hmm, now that is interesting. What newspaper is it?” Mom wanted to know.
“The North Falls Town Press,” Jan answered. “Fred begins as a carrier this week so he got his copy early.”
It was just a weekly paper. Most of the people of North Falls got their daily paper from the large city nearby.
Mrs. Davidson took the paper from Jan and sat down to read the article. “That certainly is interesting,” she said a few minutes later, “let me think for awhile. Then at dinner I’ll try to tell you what I know about the Underground Railroad in Ohio. Right now, how about you two go wash your hands and set the dinner table.”
Soon thanks was given and everyone was served his dinner. Then Mom said, “While you girls were setting the table, I looked up some facts in one of my history books.”
She thought a minute. “I don’t want to bore you with a lot of details. Stop me if you don’t understand something I say, all right?”
The twins nodded. Jan was eager to hear. She wished Mom would hurry up.
“It is hard to put a date on the Underground Railroad. But it was very busy all of the 1800’s right up to the start of the Civil War.”
Jan interrupted, “But what is the Underground Railroad, Mom?”
“Well, you know that one cause of the Civil War was slavery in the South, don’t you?”
The twins did.
“In the Northern States where there was no slavery, people felt that no one should own another man. Southern people disagreed, of course. Anyway, whenever a slave managed to escape his master, usually he would try to get to Canada.”
“Why not just a Northern State?” Julie asked.
“There was a Fugitive Slave Law that the Congress had passed. This law made it illegal to help escaped slaves in any way. Then too, the Southern men, who had lost the runaway slaves, came looking for them. The slaves were their property by the law. So Canada seemed the only safe place.
“This is where the Underground Railroad comes in. Northern people wanted to help slaves escape from slavery. But they could not just help them get a home and a job. So Northern men and women opened their homes as ‘stations’ and used their carriages and wagons to help slaves get to Canada and freedom. Each person along the way did his part to help. These people were called ‘conductors’. The routes of escape were called ‘lines’ of the Underground Railroad.”
“Oh, I see,” said Jan, “it wasn’t a real railroad at all.”
“No,” said Mother laughing.
Here Mr. Davidson spoke, “It seems to me, Lucy, that one of the actual causes of the Civil War was that Fugitive Slave Law. Didn’t the Congress pass a stricter law or something?”
“I think you’re right, Chuck,” Mom answered. She left the table and went into the next room. Soon she came back with a large book in her hand.
Everyone was quiet while she leafed through the pages. Finally she said, “Yes, here it is. I’ll read it: “‘The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was more stringent than the old law of 1793. Those who aided fugitives were given heavy fines and up to six months in jail. Slave owners could sue anyone convicted under the law for one thousand dollars per slave lost.’
“It goes on to say that the law increased the number of people against slavery. They were called ‘abolitionists’ because they wanted slavery abolished or done away with.”
“And to think Greentown Drive was one time a route of the Underground Railroad,” said Jan. “Wow, that makes history seem so real.” Then she remembered what had started her interest in the first place. “Who was talking about Greentown Drive not too long ago, Mom?”
It was Dad who knew. “I believe Mr. or Mrs. Murphy said the Huas live on that road.”
Through all this Candy and Steve were quiet. But now Candy said, “I’m through eating. What’s for dessert?”
Everyone laughed. Nothing could make Candy forget her sweets.
The rest of the family had finished dinner too. So Mom served frosty bowls of orange sherbet.
Then, as he did each evening, Dad opened the Bible. He began reading from the book of Proverbs.
Tonight Jan felt less interested than usual. Her mind was very busy thinking about the Underground Railroad. She tried to picture wagons full of poor runaway slaves rumbling over Greentown Drive late at night. It gave her tiny shivers up her back.
Dad was reading, “‘Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.’
“You see children, God is interested in the things you do, too. He cares about the actions of children the same as grown-ups.
“One thing you must do is receive Jesus as your Savior. Then your works can be pure as it says here. O.K., I guess that is enough for tonight.”
Someone was pounding on the back door. Jan ran to answer it. It was Fred looking excited.
“Jan, you know the empty lot down at the corner and across the street?”
“Yes, what about it?” she asked.
“Well, my Dad says the builder told him no houses will be put there. It is to be used for recreation. So I asked him if he thought we could play softball on it. He said he couldn’t see any reason why not. Come on, let’s see if we can find enough other kids for a game,” he finished.
“That would be fun. Julie and I have to help with the dishes first then we’ll come.”
“Will Julie play? I know she didn’t at the Fourth of July picnic,” Fred remarked.
“Maybe she will. Sometimes she does. Anyway I’ll see if I can talk her into it,” Jan answered.
“I’ll get my ball and mitt and meet you down there,” he said.
“All right. See you later.”
With both girls working, the dishes were soon rinsed and in the dishwasher.
Julie agreed to come with Jan. “But I’ll just watch,” she said.
When they got to the empty lot, Fred was there and a few other children. Jan saw Susan too. They were already choosing teams.
“Come on, Suzy, be on my team,” Fred was half pleading, half teasing.
“Fred, stop calling me ‘Suzy’. You know I can’t hit a ball or catch one either,” Susan said.
“We don’t care. We need a few more players or we won’t have enough,” he answered.
“I’ll play if Julie will,” Susan said. She surprised herself and Julie too.
“All right, I will,” said Julie.
“My hat is off to you, my lady,” said Fred. He bowed low and swept an imaginary hat off his head.
Julie blushed and giggled. But she did play and so did Susan. Not that they played very well. Once a ball was hit to Julie and instead of trying to catch it, she ducked. And neither Susan or Julie were able to get on base.
Jan couldn’t help laughing when Julie ducked the ball. But Julie was a good sport about it and joined the laughter. Everyone seemed to be having a good time playing.
It was while Jan was waiting for her turn at bat that she saw Quang. He was standing near the street watching the game.
“Quang,” she called on impulse, “come play.”
She thought he looked surprised. Then he came toward the children slowly. He seemed fearful, yet Jan could tell he wanted to play.
“This is Quang,” Jan told the others. She told him the names of as many players as she herself knew.
The game went on. When Quang had a turn at bat, he hit the ball hard. And could he run. Those on his team pounded his back as he came into home plate.
Then it happened. Quang’s team was in the field. The person at bat hit a high fly ball. Quang raced to get it. Just as he reached out, his foot slipped. The ball bounced away from him.
“Too bad,” Jan called as someone else got the ball and threw it to base.
“You dirty, stupid, yellow boy!”
Jan gasped as one of the bigger boys yelled insults at Quang.
Quang turned pale. Then without saying anything, he threw down the mitt he had been wearing and walked away.
“Quang, wait,” Julie tried to stop him.
But he never looked back.
Some of the kids were laughing and saying other mean things. Jan heard one boy say, “That Quang is so dumb. He was in my class at school part of last year. He can’t even speak good English.”
The boy who had yelled in the first place pulled his face stiff like Quang had. The others around him laughed.
But the game was spoiled for Jan and Julie. Soon Fred and Susan joined them on the sidewalk.
“Whew,” said Fred, “that sure took a nasty turn.”
“I guess,” said Jan.
They walked toward home in silence.
As they parted Julie said, “No wonder Quang doesn’t want to be friends with anyone.”
When Fred and Susan were out of sight, Jan told Julie about her bike accident the first day in the new house.
“I guess I was mean to Quang, Julie,” Jan said slowly. “You know how angry I am when I get hurt.”
Julie nodded. “Perhaps we can find a way to show him that everyone doesn’t hate him.”
“Maybe,” Jan said, but she couldn’t see how.