Skylark

Papa returns from town with letters for the family from Sarah’s aunts, Harriet, Mattie, and Lou. The letters detail the stormy weather they’ve had and describe how they received “[two] inches of rain by the glass measure” (20). Caleb can’t comprehend it raining so much that the rainwater can be collected in a container. Anna, however, is keenly aware of the effect that hearing about rain has on Papa. Sarah reads only part of her letter aloud, which talks of the verdant landscape fortified by all the rain.

Papa stares outside at the dry earth and declares it will be a lovely sunset. Later, Caleb comes inside when it is already past his bedtime. Anna sees that he has tied a glass to the fence to catch rainwater. In her journal, Anna reflects on when Sarah first came to them. They relished the abundant wildflowers, and Sarah taught her to swim in the cow pond. Now, the roses are dying, and everything is covered in dust.

Every day, Papa uses a rock tied to a rope to measure the water level in the well. It has dropped so low that he fears they will soon have to haul water from another location for the animals and also ration their water usage.