Evelyn sat on a bench in front of the train station. The sun going down in the west seemed to be a reflection of her darkening mood. As if seeking something to occupy her mind, she pulled a well-worn volume of Tennyson from her bag of school supplies.

As she paged through it her eyes fell on a poem that seemed strangely suited to her circumstances. Without really thinking about it, she began to read the words into the chilly winter air.

Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean,

Tears from the depth of some divine despair,

Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes,

In looking on the happy autumn-fields,

And thinking of the days that are no more.

Evelyn took a breath and was startled to hear a familiar voice continuing the story she had just started.

Fresh as the first beam glittering on a sail,

That brings our friends up from the underworld,

Sad as the last which reddens over one,

That sinks with all we love below the verge;

So sad, so fresh, the days that are no more.

“I never thought of you as someone who’d know the poetry of Lord Tennyson.” Evelyn exclaimed as she watched Simon shuffling toward her.

“An why wouldn’t I be interested in fine English poetry?” Simon wiped a string of snot from his nose and then rubbed the sticky residue into his overalls.

“Well...I...never mind...”

“What happened to you? This mornin you were busy plannin the big weddin.”

“Oh. You know how it is...people start talking and...oh, it looks pretty bad Simon.”

“You know, the thing about life is that things ain’t always what they appear ta be.”

“Maybe so...but I’m a school teacher, my board expects me to live a life above reproach. I can’t be involved with a man who likes to chase other women.”

“Ma’m. I’ve known Adam for a while now...He’s havin a pretty good day if he can get himself motivated ta chase one woman.” The heavy wooden box that Simon carried gave off a thunk as it hit the ground.

“That’s what I always thought, that’s why I waited for him for all these years. I thought he was a man worth waiting for...but...things aren’t always what they appear to be are they?”

“You know, my father always told me…son, when yer lookin at a buncha bull, ya gotta look at both sides of it...that way ya can see the bull fer what it really is!”

“Bull!” Evelyn laughed despite herself. “What does that have to with anything?”

“I’m just tryin ta say, there’s two sides ta every story and maybe ya should lookin at ‘em.” Simon grabbed a crowbar from a nearby toolkit and began prying at the lid of the wooden box at his feet.

“You didn’t hear all the things they said! They were horrible!”

“If you ask me, them busybodies said far more than they had any right too!”

“That may be...but they sure seem to be on to something.”

“Ain’t that getting a little carried away? You’ve waited fer this boy fer ten years now. Why throw all that waitin time away just cause of what some busybodies hafta say?” With that, the lid popped off the box and clattered to the side.

“They seemed pretty sure of themselves.”

“Busybodies always are.” Simon took a look inside the box and shook his head. ” Tell ya what! I gotta go an get some more decorations from William’s Brothers Hardware Store. Why don’t ya think fer a bit, an when I get back, we can talk more about it?”

“Alright, but as far as I’m concerned, the wedding is off!” Evelyn would have said more but Simon was on his way back into town.

“That is a very sensible decision. Especially since he didn’t even ask you to court him yet.” Gertrude swept from the train station as if she were the Queen of England on her way to a royal engagement.

“If you ask me. You can’t be too careful when it comes to men.” Hilda echoed as she followed in her master’s footsteps.

“Not with all them busybodies roamin around this town!” Margaret spat on the ground as if to bless it.

“That’s the first thing you’ve said today that I’ve been able to agree with.” Evelyn hardened her expression, determined not to give her enemies the satisfaction of seeing her weep.

“Whether you agree with us or not isn’t the point. We’re right. Come with us.” Gertrude and Hilda grasped the arms of the school teacher and pulled her to her feet.

“Where are we going?”

“We’ve been talking it over and we’ve made up our minds.”

“What…What do you mean?”

“That woman doesn’t dress properly...she doesn’t speak sensibly.”

“She’s French! She’s a danger to all the young men in Gladstone!” Margaret began to push Evelyn from behind even as Gertrude and Hilda pulled her forward.

“I don’t know about that. Marie is hard to understand sometimes...but I think...”

“Bah. What is thinking going to help?”

“We already told you all the horrible things we saw out there this morning!”

“It’s high time ta decide which side you’re on! Our side or the wrong side!”

“Come along Evelyn...it’s time to run that newcomer out of town!”

“No! Leave me alone! I didn’t agree to any of this...I...” Despite her protests, Evelyn found herself being rushed along the station platform.

“For your information, my daughter is a wonderful young woman.”

The progress of the busybodies came to a sudden halt.

“Oh. So she’s fooled you too, has she?” Hilda stopped as the realization of what had just happened dawned on her. She turned to face the elderly gentleman they had just raced past. “What did you say?”

“I just said that my daughter is a wonderful young woman.”

“And why should we believe ya?” Margaret seemed the most worried of the busybodies. Still, they were ready to defend their prey against all comers.

“Because I’m her father...and because I happen to be a clergyman.” Fire flashed in Andre’s eyes as he began limping toward the gang of women.

“Good. Then we can teach you a lesson too.” Gertrude looked down her nose at the kind face of the man beneath her.

“Oh. Really. What type of lesson did you have in mind?” Andre’s grey eyes didn’t flinch as he stared back at his enemy.

“Um. Gertrude...I don’t think you should be saying things like that to a man of the cloth.” Hilda whispered this but the whisper was loud enough that everyone on the station platform could hear it.

“You know, if there’s anything I’ve learned in my thirty three years as a Minister is that it’s a lot easier to teach other people a lesson if you’ve learned a few lessons yourself first.”

“How can she be your daughter? You speak like you belong here. Her English is...”

“Her English isn’t as good as someone who was raised in England, like I was. My daughter was not. Now, perhaps you’d like me to address some of the other things you’ve been saying about us. ”

“We were just saying...I mean...I’m starting to think that...”

“You’re starting to think are you?” Andre crossed his arms. “Perhaps it have been better for everyone if you had started to think earlier on!”

“But we saw her out there with our own eyes! She’s a common tramp!”

“My daughter is a common tramp is she? I’ll have you know that she is a very highly educated young woman! Someone who comes from a very respected Christian family!”

“I don’t believe you! We saw her out there in the wilderness, just this morning.”

“Why don’t I tell you what was really going on out there in the wilderness?”

“Bah. How do you know anything about what happened way out there?” Gertrude’s superior tone returned as she sensed victory.

“Because this morning, my daughter told me all about it on the telephone! She was out there by Big Grass Marsh, heading for the Muller family, when she saw Adam chopping wood. Marie came up to him and asked him for directions to the Muller place. Adam volunteered to help and then they ran off together to help the Muller woman.”

“I know. We saw it all! Runnin off together like that, it was disgraceful!” Margaret fired an especially vicious blob of spittle toward the ground.

“Disgraceful is it? My daughter was never very good with directions, that’s all!”

“She’s not good for much else either.” Hilda retorted.

The standoff seemed about to explode. However, just when it seemed that the two parties would come to blows, Evelyn’s quiet voice rang out with an authority that caught everyone by surprise.

" Tell you what? How would you ladies like to do something useful instead of talking so much?”

“What exactly did you have in mind?” Gertrude said. Oddly enough, she seemed to be sincere in this question.

“Well. Like I’ve told you before. The ladies fundraising committee has been busy raising money for the poor and downtrodden. We’d would love it if you could help us out.”

“No. Let’s not and say that we did.” Hilda crossed her arms as if she was prepared to continue the fight.

“Exactly. That’s what everybody else does when ya ask’em ta help out.” Margaret chimed in.

“I don’t know. Perhaps we’ve let our own romantic failures cloud our judgement. Why don’t we take a moment and discuss this? Come along ladies.” Summoned by their leader, the busybodies moved off into a private huddle.

“Discussing is fine. Just remember what too much talking does!” Evelyn grew visibly calmer as she straightened the arms of her rumpled clothing.

“I must say. It’s good to hear something sensible after listening to that bunch of gossips.” Andre extended a hand of friendship toward the harried schoolteacher.

“Eveyln Hawkins. I’ll have to say, I really appreciated what you said.”

“They deserved it. Andre Fontaine. Hm. Eveyln you said? My nephew often wrote me of you.”

“Really...who is your nephew?”

“Adam Bertrand.”

“Adam is your nephew!?”

“He sure is. Do you know where he is now?”

“Wait a minute. Did I understand you correctly? He’s your nephew? Marie and Adam are only cousins?”

“They have been since the day they were born. I hope that’s alright with you.”

“Of course. Of course. It’s more than alright. It’s wonderful! I just didn’t realize that Adam had relatives living around here.”

“He didn’t until we arrived about a week ago. Now where is my nephew hiding himself?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been asking that question all day.”

“Alright, it’s settled, let’s do it!” Gertrude’s commanding voice boomed out from the huddle of busybodies.

“What do you want to do now?” Andre’s grey eyes flashed with fire as the busybodies streamed back toward them.

“We’ve decided Evelyn. We’re going to do something different for a change.” How strange, Hilda seemed almost apologetic now. It was a Christmas miracle.

“We’re gonna make ourselves useful!” Margaret proclaimed.

“What exactly would ya like us to do for you?” Gertrude asked.

It a moment for Evelyn to recover from her shock at this shift in attitude. Finally, she recovered her composure enough to reply. “Oh. If you’d be willing to sell violets for us, we’d sure appreciate that. They’re raising quite a bit of money for the cause.”

“Selling flowers? I don’t know.” Gertrude wrinkled her nose. “Is it hard?”

“No. Most people are happy to buy a violet to show their support for poor and downtrodden. All you really have to do is...” Evelyn continued her lesson in doing good. Meanwhile, unseen by her, at the other side of the platform another twist was about to unfold. Adam, a professionally dressed young man, had walked onto the platform.

Adam really was a good looking lad. Young, strong and full of energy. A sense of mission drove his progress forward. As he caught sight of Andre he came to a sudden halt.

“Uncle Andre? When did you get into Gladstone?”

“About fifteen minutes ago. I understand you already met your cousin Marie?”

“Of course, she said you were coming soon but...I didn’t think it would be so soon.”

“We can go back over to the old country if it’s too soon for you.”

“No...no...I’m glad to see you. It’s just that I...Oh. Evelyn...there you are.”

Evelyn broke free from the cluster of busybodies and made her way to her man. Her slender face was flushed with anticipation.

“Adam. Where have you been?”

“Over at the schoolhouse, looking for you.”

“School was closed early to give the children extra time to celebrate Christmas.”

“I just found that out.”

“Well. You’re here now, that’s the most important thing. Well...?” Evelyn leaned forward as if anticipating a question of great importance. Faced with this invitation, Adam lowered his head. Overcome by bashfulness. Lured by the prospect of a rare exciting development in the town of Gladstone, the busybodies began to cluster around the young couple.

“I don’t know how many times I was wandering around out there in the snow, waiting for you to come out of that schoolhouse.” Adam spoke haltingly, as if he were unsure of what exactly to say.

“Indeed...ahem, now what was it you were so anxious to talk to me about?”

“It makes sense I guess. If the children did good work, why not give them some time off to enjoy themselves?”

“Yes. Yes. It all makes perfect sense. Adam, what was it you really wanted to see me about?”

Adam took a deep breath as if summoning up courage from an inner wellspring. “Evelyn, I’ve been wanting to ask you this for a long time.”

“I’ve been waiting for a long time!”

“I know. You’ve been very patient with me, far more than I deserve...and...”

Everyone on the station platform leaned forward, anxious not to miss a second of this exciting situation.

“Yes. And...what?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to catch that motion picture playing at the opera house tonight?

There was an awkward pause. The busybodies began muttering among themselves and pointing accusing fingers at Adam.

“Oh.” Evelyn struggled to gather her thoughts. “Of course. I thought you’d never ask.”

Adam took her arm as if he were taking hold of a stick of dynamite. Then, like the gentleman he was, he began to escort Evelyn along the station platform. Sensing an exciting opportunity slipping from their grasp, the busybodies, lead by Gertrude, raced after the happy couple.

“Don’t you think you ladies have caused enough trouble for one day?” Andre, always the voice of reason, had shouted this question.

Gertrude halted at this challenge to her authority. Her two unsuspecting friends charged into her. They struggled to untangle themselves from the human pretzel they had created. Still, even as they worked, Gertrude fired back at her enemy.

“Never you mind! Evelyn told us to go downtown and pick up our violets....from Naomi and Patricia, I believe. That’s just where we were going. Weren’t we ladies?”

“Of course.” The busybodies chorused as they struggled to untangle themselves from each other.

“I’m glad ta hear you want to be useful. But if your heading downtown, I have a feeling that you’ll get there a lot faster if you go that way.” Andre pointed toward the trail optimistically called a street.

“Of course. We knew that.” Gertrude couldn’t help but furrow her brow as she watched the young love birds fade into the distance. It was clear that whatever was going to happen between them would not be supervised by her.

It was a dark day for civilization. Still, they would do what they could.

“Let’s go and get our flowers ladies. Good evening Andre.” With that, Gertrude lead her group of busybodies toward the trail called a street.

“Good evening ladies.” Andre tipped his hat as they filed past him. As they vanished from sight, he couldn’t help but air his true feelings. “I sure hope everybody in Gladstone isn’t like that bunch.”

“I take it ya met our local busybodies.” Simon shoved an empty box of Christmas decorations to the side and made his way over to investigate the newcomer.

“I suppose I just did. I’m wondering if I ever should’ve come here.”

“Oh. Don’t let’em bother ya. The rest of us in town are pretty reasonable. Hmm. Don’t think I’ve seen ya around here before, mister...?”

“I just got in. Andre Fontaine.”

“Simon Westlake, pleased ta meet ya.”

“Simon Westlake? I think you might know my family. Adam Bertrand is my nephew and Marie Fontaine is my daughter.”

“Course I know’em. Matter of fact, yer daughter Marie just told me ta give ya this...” Simon fished out the key he had been given of a pocket. After a moment of searching through his overalls, he found the key and extended it toward Andre.

“What is this?”

“It’s the key to room number four at the Alhambra Hotel.”

“The Alhambra Hotel?” Andre took the key and studied it. “I suppose my daughter is expecting me to stay here awhile.”

“Why not? It’s Christmas time! I’m sure yer family will appreciate ya stickin around.”

“I suppose I could stay for awhile. I’ve often read about life on the Canadian prairie. It’d be nice to see it up close.”

“I sure hope ya don’t believe everythin ya read!” Simon wagged a finger of warning in the face of the well-dressed preacher.

“Oh I know better than that. But one there’s thing I’ve been wondering about since I got here...there’s so many houses to be seen, when do you Canadians move into your igloos?”

“Igloos?” Simon attempted to cover up a laugh. “Usually around July but that depends on how much maple syrup we’ve been drinkin.”

“You’re laughing at me aren’t you?”

“Tell ya what mister. They’ve got mighty fine food in this train station. Why don’t we go in there an sit a spell, I’ll tell ya a few things about life around here.”

“I wouldn’t want to take you away from your work.”

“No trouble at all.” Simon smiled as he surveyed all the Christmas decorations he had managed to put up throughout the day. Even the Christmas tree was in place now. “My work here is done. Come on. I’ll buy ya supper an teach ya what ya need ta know ta get settled in.”

With that the two men entered the welcome warmth of the train station.