Love in 1860 (An Easy English Story): Part 4
December 2, 1860
Dear reader,
I am scared.
Our new neighbors came to our house this morning. I was making breakfast in the kitchen. They knocked on our door. David opened it.
“Can I help you?” David asked.
The new neighbors are a man and a woman. Both of them are about twenty years old. Their voices were friendly. “We’re your new neighbors,” the woman said. “We are building a house near the river. It’s nice to meet you.”
David quickly said, “It’s nice to meet you too.” He added, “Let’s go talk outside. I can show you our barn.”
It was snowing outside, so I turned around. “I just made breakfast,” I said. “Would you like to eat with us? Our kitchen table is small, but it’s warm inside.” I laughed, “David, it’s so cold out! Our new neighbors will freeze.”
The woman looked at me with wide eyes. She whispered to her husband. Then her husband asked David, “Your slave calls you David?”
Slave?!
David looked at the floor. “It’s okay. I asked her to call me David.”
The woman crossed her arms and looked at my clothes. “Her clothes are beautiful.”
“We’re having a party tonight,” David lied. “I want her to look nice for our guests.”
When the neighbors left, David closed the door and sighed. “I hope this war ends soon.”
“I’m not your slave!” I yelled and threw my wooden spoon at him. “Why didn’t you tell them?”
“If they know about our love, they might hurt you,” David said. “Don’t you know that?”
I’m not good at history. But even in 1860, I will not be anyone’s slave.
But I can’t leave David and Elizabeth’s house. Where will I go?
Yours truly,
Grace Miller
Fun for Fluency! 