Free The Wedding Dress by Marian Wells

others learn to teach.”
    The idea caught on, and Bishop Taylor was given the task of educating the teachers. On the first evening, Rebecca looked around the room and her heart sank. Tired housewives harbored little enthusiasm for learning. But there was David Fullmister.
    Immediately Rebecca was drawn to David. When she heard the deep cough, she guessed why he wasn’t in the woods helping the men cut and haul wood. His gentle eyes made her think of Jamie.
    On the evening of their first meeting, Brother Taylor rapped smartly on the table. “We’ve our school cut out for us. Brother Brigham says we’re to teach religion, and if they by chance learn any reading, writing, and arithmetic from the Scriptures, so much the better. Becky, commence reading.”
    â€œSir, I was hoping that we’d learn a little arithmetic and history.”
    â€œWe’ll start with the feeding of the five thousand and divide them into groups. How’s that? Then we’ll study the history of the American Indians.”
    â€œAmerican Indians?”
    He gave her a puzzled frown, “Surely you’re familiar with the Book of Mormon.”

    Ann Samuels picked up the dishtowel and began drying the dishes Rebecca had washed. “I hear things are kinda dragging for the teachers at the school.”
    Rebecca nodded, “It’s hard to keep interested when there are no books.”
    â€œBut you have the Bible and the Book of Mormon.”
    â€œBrother Taylor’s scratching the bottom of the barrel,” Rebecca admitted; “he set us to memorizing the Bible.”
    â€œI hear that David Fullmister’s a little soft on you.”
    She laughed, “He’s just looking for someone to snip at him. I’ve never seen a person who could cause an argument over so little. Now he’s decided he’s going to memorize more Scripture than I can.”
    As winter wound down through January, the morale of the Saints was beginning to spiral down too. There was much sickness. The inadequate houses were drafty, and spirits sagged with the effort to keep ahead of the demands of living.
    One day Rebecca pried herself away from a cozy fire and crossed the settlement to Cora’s house. Under her shawl she was carrying a tiny knitted cap. As she walked, Rebecca’s skirt dragged through the heavy wet snow, gathering a crust on its hem. She paused to shake it before she hopped the ice-bound creek.
    â€œRebecca!” John, one of her pupils, ran toward her. “I hear tell that you and David Fullmister are going to be treatin’ us at the Valentine’s party.”
    â€œWhat party? I didn’t know—what are we to do?”
    â€œOh, they’re trying to get up a little funnin’. The bishop said since you and David were good at scrappin’ with each other, you’ll do your Bible memorization.”
    â€œA contest,” she wailed, “I’ll not—”
    â€œEverybody’s betting on you to put that uppity David down.” He ran off laughing, and after a moment, Rebecca shrugged and continued on her way to Cora’s.

    As Valentine’s Day approached, the late winter air was astir with excitement. The talk began by centering around valentines and ice cream; now the excitement of ice cream took second place. Talk focused on David and Rebecca.
    Bishop Taylor warned her. “It looks like the whole settlement is going to be at this party. Are you prepared to give them a good show?”
    â€œOf quoting the Bible?”
    â€œYou can’t let them down.”
    â€œI didn’t expect our little funning to come to this.”
    â€œNeither did David. Plan on living up to their expectations.”
    With dismay she said, “I don’t feel right using the good Book this way.”
    â€œAt this time of the year,” he said dryly, “anything, even a dog fight, would draw a crowd.”
    At dinner that evening, Mr. Samuels asked,