Sweetbriar Autumn

It is amazing what people endured as they went West to make a new home for themselves. It is a pleasure to read a little of the history of the early years of Seattle, Washington in this work of fiction by Brenda Wilbee. She stays as true to the story as possible, and makes the people come alive back then. This story only covers about 2 weeks in the life of Louisa and David, but it is full of action, fear for ones life and a love that stands the test of time.

An Indian war has begun and the folks in and around Seattle begin to wonder if it will reach to them. A U.S. Navy ship docks off their shore and it gives everyone the feeling of relative safety. Some think they are safe and live on their land without listening to the advice of those show more who say to come into the town where they would be safer. Tragedy will strike and people will flee their homes with nothing but the clothes on their back. Some will make it to safety and some will not. David must leave with a group of men to check on the outlying areas and Louisa is left with her 2 year old and expecting another. Will David return back to her? For Louisa there is only hope and faith in God that will sustain her as she waits.

One of my favorite sections of this story about hope was by Louisa and her thoughts as she waited on David to return. "Hope! Hope brought peace to the troubled. Hope encouraged the discouraged, comforted the sorrowing, assured the fearful. Hope was nothing less than a gift from God, enabling them all to take life as it came - because God was bigger than their lives. He redeemed all things, even death. . . . We're in God's hands. And is it not in him, she asked herself, that we place our hope? Redeeming and eternal? Even in death? That thought scared her. She didn't want to die! She didn't want anyone else to die either! Not her own David, or Emily Inez!" show less