Julia's Last Hope by Janette Oke

time was up. Mrs. Clancy’s first clients made other plans and did not show up at all. That meant Mrs. Clancy would have the next people on the list. Eventually an elderly couple wrote for accommodation.
    Julia had received permission from four shop owners to use their facilities. The women, along with their husbands, got busy preparing the space to display merchandise. They expressed some disappointment at the meagerness of their stock as they tried to make so few items fill such big shelves.
    “It will be much better next year,” Julia encouraged. “We will have all winter to prepare things for the stores.”
    Although the women looked a bit more hopeful, Julia knew they were all wondering where they would get the funds needed to buy supplies to make the items.
    “These will have to do for now,” Julia continued. “It does look much better to have some of the boards off the shop windows along Main Street.”
    Summer was drawing to a close when two letters arrived. A family of three wanted a quiet accommodation for a two-week period and a “genteel” couple requested two rooms for an undetermined number of days. Julia hastily called a committee meeting for that afternoon.
    “We don’t have much time,” she told the group. “Both parties plan to arrive next week.”
    The Adams family was next on the list, so the committee decided they would get the guests staying for the more certain period of time. Julia was given the genteel couple.
    “Will you need help getting ready?” Julia asked Ruth Adams.
    “Thank you, but I’m as good as ready right now. After all, I’ve been waiting all summer.”
    “Is there anything you need?” asked Julia. “Vegetables? Linens?”
    “I could use some new potatoes—and perhaps a few carrots,” the woman admitted.
    “I’ll send the girls over with some,” promised Julia.
    Next Julia asked for a report from the craft shop.
    Matilda Pendleton shook her head. “We haven’t had much business this summer. One couple bought three or four things to take home to family, and some men from the train looked in. One bought a lace collar for his wife. That’s all.”
    It was a discouraging report but Julia tried to make the best of it.
    “Well, that’s a start. We’re getting a good stock of summer jams and jellies now. Once word gets around, the train crews might do a lot more purchasing.”
    The other women didn’t look too hopeful.
    Julia sensed their discouragement and brought the meeting to an end. “Hettie, I think we could all use some tea,” Julia prompted. As the ladies gathered around the serving table with cups of steaming tea and lemon tarts, their spirits were lifted in friendly chatter.

    “Do you think it will be like the last time?” asked Felicity when the family gathered for family worship in the evening.
    “Impossible!” John answered. “The world couldn’t contain two such families.” He rolled his eyes and put a horror-stricken look on his face to entertain his daughters.
    Felicity laughed and Jennifer smiled at John’s antics.
    Julia hoped John was right but she feared that two such families just might exist. She breathed a quick prayer that she might not be called upon to endure them both in one summer.
    “This will be a new family,” John reminded them. “They may be ‘different’—but that’s what makes this venture exciting. We never are quite sure what kind of folk we will be entertaining.”
    “I hope they don’t have a boy!” exclaimed Jennifer, remembering the last one.
    “If they do, we’ll need to tie down the flower pots,” put in Felicity.
    “And chain down the swing,” added Jennifer. “And—”
    “They don’t have a boy,” said Julia. “The next guests are just a couple.”
    “Old?” asked Felicity.
    “I don’t know. The letter just said ‘genteel.’ ”
    “What’s genteel?” asked Jennifer.
    “Well, that means they have good manners—good breeding. They are used to fine things,” Julia