As Eppie grew on she remained content with the knowledge that Silas was her father and her mother had passed away when she was an infant.
This lasted until the day of her twenty-first birthday. On that spring morning Eppie awoke with a feeling of happiness. It was going to be a beautiful day and although the sun was just rising, Eppie could hear a happy melodic chirping out in the fields; the birds were singing. Quickly she dressed and proceeded into the kitchen to greet her father. Though the occasion was happy and the day was now bright a look of concern and a heavy heart troubled Silas. Today was the day that he would have to tell Eppie the truth. A secret he'd kept for nearly twenty years would soon be let out. Eppie sensed remorse and could feel his sadness, even without knowing his reason.
Silas forced a smile and opened his outstretched hand to reveal a small, cloth-covered box.
eppies great race 3
eppies great race 4
eppies great race 2Eppie reached over and with a bit of fear she slowly grasped the box and began to untie it's ribbon. She too forced a smile. When the gift was finally open, after what seemed to be an eternity, Eppie reached in and delicately lifted out a small golden locket.
Immediately she smiled and was happy to receive a wonderful gift. She ignored the sadness she had sensed only a moment ago. Eppie reached out and hugged Silas but her face was dampened with tears which were not her own; Silas was crying. Eppie, confused, asked why he was crying. His reply was simply "you don't remember dear, you can't remember." Still utterly baffled, Eppie gently opened the locket. Inside she found a photograph of a small baby and one of a beautiful young woman who strikingly resembled Eppie herself. Silas began to explain that the baby was Eppie and the woman was her mother. Eppie was happy to learn of this wonderful news. Finally she would be able to remember her mother, something she'd only dreamt about. "It's beautiful, I love it. Thank you daddy." Silence filled the room. "She looks awfully young, how old was she?" Silas did not answer her or even look up for a long time. Eppie began to think of how it should have been; how her mother should still be here. Still hoping for an answer, Eppie asked Silas why there was such an outstanding age difference between him and his wife, her mother. Silas said "Molly, your mother, was never my wife and I am not your father." Eppie was not more confused than ever and now she now felt the pain of a long lived lie fill her heart. "Godfrey is your true father and your mother, well,... she was my daughter. Eppie laid her head across her arms and wept, more confused than sad but all the same, she wept. All of this was just too much for her to handle, soon she was sobbing uncontrollably.
Silas left the room dismissing himself with a cold and unusual "I've got work to do." The common sounds of the weavers work filled the small house. It was too much, Eppie also left the room. She went far into the woods until she found the tree she had once had a tree house in, climbed up to the very top and wept some more. It was a sad sight, her body strewn across two branches, the tree damp with tears and what's more, a golden locket glittered somewhere in the tall grass. As the day grew dim Eppie realized that she needed to go home eventually. Slowly she lowered her tried, lifeless body from the tree and began trudging towards home. As she entered the house she found Silas at the kitchen table with a glazed look on his face. As soon as he realized she was there he lifted his head and looked her straight in the eyes. "Eppie, let's talk. Okay?" He asked her. Nodding, Eppie took the seat beside Silas. Silas told her all about his past and how his wife left him and took his daughter many years ago. "She was just a child and her mother filled her head with a whole bunch of hogwash about me being a horrible person." "Oh, but you're not Da... Grandfather. You're so gentile and kind. How could she do that?" Silas told Eppie about how he tried visiting his child but she always hated him. When he could tell no more, Silas lowered his head and simply told Eppie he loved her. "I love you too Grandfather " Eppies eyes brightened again "and I'm glad mother is not here if she hates you so much. She's crazy to hate you." Silas explained that it wasn't her fault, that she never knew any different. Eppies eyes suddenly grew large as she remembered the locket in the woods. "It's okay, I don't need anything but my father" Eppie silently told herself and from that moment on, Eppie called Silas father and nothing else would be heard from.
eppies great race 1
Apostle Silas
English: Eppie Callum's Oak
Silas Titus and Family circa 1858; L to R Silas Wr...