THE AMETHYST NECKLACE
Historical fiction by Sandra Sagehorn
Trade paperback: $17.00
D E S C R I P T I O N
Set in northern Illinois during the latter half of the nineteenth century, the story of The Amethyst Necklace follows young Mariah Allison as she navigates the uncertainties of the Civil War—and the crucial era that follows—toward a life of self-realization and independence.
A Constitutional Law professor rushes into the classroom with the announcement that Confederate batteries have opened fire on Fort Sumter. Joseph Allison leaves for home, convinced he and his brother Henry will muster in the Illinois Infantry. Joseph’s sister Mariah,
concerned for her brothers, prays for their safety. Her faith is tested when the family learns Joseph is severely wounded and Henry is missing. Will Mariah ever see her brothers again?
Mariah and Newt, an intriguing young man, are both determined to become teachers by attending the same normal school. Mariah accepts a compelling invitation from another young man to meet Frances Willard, American educator, temperance reformer, and women’s suffragist. Newt leaves school in a jealous rage. How will Mariah navigate the turbulent waters of romance and her career?
Mariah’s journey into adulthood touches on quintessential American themes that are especially relevant in the 21st century: the trauma of war, women’s rights, education and moral character, social justice and the immigrant experience, faith and family values.
While this may be the saga of a particular woman and her family, it illustrates that the light that shines through a single life continues to illuminate for generations.
E X C E R P T
The cracking sound of another breaking support timber brought the terror of more grain sacks falling around him. Sacks ripped apart. Mounds of wheat continued to grow around him. Thick air, a mix of dust, flying grain, and smoke made Josie struggle for breath. He forced a cough and took in the heavy air. Instant dizziness caused his knees to buckle. He felt himself falling through smoke until a stab of pain shot from his shoulder to his knee when his left side hit the floor. “Don’t blackout. Stay conscious.” He shouted at himself while staring at the inferno closing in around him. Is this it? Will Doc and I die here in the mill? “No-o-o!” He howled. If I can stand, I can wade through the piles of debris. Rising from the floor, Josie inched forward. His boots began to fill with grain, making it even harder to move. Smoke stung his eyes and clogged his throat. Heat burned his face and neck. Lifting his arms toward his face for protection, he glimpsed blisters on the palms of his hands. There must be a way out! He willed himself forward even as pain surged through his legs. Disoriented by the heavy smoke, Josie stretched his arms forward, moving his hands in front of him, hoping to find a window. He hit something hard. The mill wheel! Josie worked his hands along the spokes of the wheel until he found the flume. A flood of relief washed over him when a square of light, clouded with a smoky haze, appeared in front of him. My chance to escape! At first his burned fingers refused to grip the wooden frame of the flume, but desperation compelled his bleeding hands and shaking arms to pull his body into the trough. Josie began to crawl over the flume’s rough floor. Keep going. Do not stop. The command repeated itself in his mind. He squeezed through the opening, one shoulder at a time. Rolling his body over the flume edge, he fell to the ground. His arms and legs splayed around his body. He tried to scream—no sound. His torn, charred clothes whipped in the persistent wind. He lay on his back gasping air into his singed lungs. Tears froze on his burned face. Someone will come. Someone will come. The words repeated in his mind over and over until the ringing in his ears grew more intense and everything went black.