Cathy Gohlke

Cathy Gohlke http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html Cathy Gohlke That is when I heard the church bell, chiming somewhere in the night. At first I thought my mind had conjured it. But it came again and again, ringing the midnight, ringing in Christmas morning! http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#0 32edf58a-28a9-4b80-9bd7-bb44f4e9ed5b http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0134.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0134.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_1">That is when I heard the church bell, chiming somewhere in the night.  At first I thought my mind had conjured it.  But it came again and again, ringing the midnight, ringing in Christmas morning!<br/></p></div></div> . . . When the tolling of the bells was directly above us and to our right, we climbed the hills and entered some woods. We stopped at the edge of the pines surrounding the church, peering through the dark, trying to see if anyone was there. The church was well lit, so we stepped back into the trees and waited. http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#1 7317843f-084c-4497-9599-5a359b2285ae http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0091.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0091.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">. . . When the tolling of the bells was directly above us and to our right, we climbed the hills and entered some woods.  We stopped at the edge of the pines surrounding the church, peering through the dark, trying to see if anyone was there.  The church was well lit, so we stepped back into the trees and waited.</p></div></div> . . . I was afraid to leave Stargazer alone in the woods, unsure of where we could tether him that he wouldn’t be seen. So we led him up the plank steps and into the church. http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#2 8292514a-b7a0-47f8-8e4c-b425078f682d http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0096.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0096.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">. . . I was afraid to leave Stargazer alone in the woods, unsure of where we could tether him that he wouldn’t be seen.  So we led him up the plank steps and into the church.</p></div></div> . . . “It don’t seem right, bringing a horse into church,” Jeremiah said. http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#3 cee4e8be-5279-4d55-96d9-56125badce95 http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0119.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0119.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">. . . “It don’t seem right, bringing a horse into church,” Jeremiah said.  </p></div></div> “We can’t leave him outside. Somebody might see him. Anyhow, if the Baby Jesus was born in a stable with animals then it’s all right to bring the animals into the church,” I reasoned. Jeremiah wasn’t sure. http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#4 7b944f1a-6ef2-4e68-8944-3c2ad20e1d9b http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0110.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0110.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">“We can’t leave him outside.  Somebody might see him.  Anyhow, if the Baby Jesus was born in a stable with animals then it’s all right to bring the animals into the church,” I reasoned.  Jeremiah wasn’t sure.<br/></p></div></div> . . . The smell of cedar filled our nostrils and we climbed up and around, up and around, our hands braced against the roughly hewn timbers. http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#5 822c3472-04c5-41ff-b21f-4ce63e67a2de http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0102.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0102.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">. . . The smell of cedar filled our nostrils and we climbed up and around, up and around, our hands braced against the roughly hewn timbers.  </p></div></div> We pushed open the top door and, in the darkness, felt our way into the small slave gallery. . . http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#6 367b91ce-becc-4494-9172-88af60b9a34a http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0101.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0101.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">We pushed open the top door and, in the darkness, felt our way into the small slave gallery. . . </p></div></div> The bell tower sat between two sets of backless plank benches. I knew this was as close as slaves could sit to white churchgoers or their preacher. In summer this gallery would be stifling. In winter it was freezing. http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#7 5f43bdd7-8452-4760-aa63-5eae19ea8800 http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0112.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0112.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">The bell tower sat between two sets of backless plank benches.  I knew this was as close as slaves could sit to white churchgoers or their preacher.  In summer this gallery would be stifling.  In winter it was freezing.</p></div></div> . . . Sleep must have beat out my wonderings because the next thing I knew, bright sunlight steamed through the gallery’s windows and danced in patches across my face. . . . “We got to get out of here. It’s Christmas Day and somebody’s like to come by the church for sure.” http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#8 a5ad1029-98cf-4789-85bf-75793f9fffb1 http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0109.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0109.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">. . . Sleep must have beat out my wonderings because the next thing I knew, bright sunlight steamed through the gallery’s windows and danced in patches across my face. . . . “We got to get out of here.  It’s Christmas Day and somebody’s like to come by the church for sure.”</p></div></div> The latch clicked downstairs. We froze. “Hello?” A voice called from below. . . .The heavy church door closed. “Anybody here?” Silence. . . “Hello? Anybody leave a horse outside?” My heart caught, and I knew in that moment that whatever happened I’d lost Stargazer. http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#9 c6cc4d35-b5f5-4369-b24c-8a88ad98c594 http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0106.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0106.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">The latch clicked downstairs.  We froze.<br/></p><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; " class="Caption">“Hello?”  A voice called from below. . . .The heavy church door closed.  “Anybody here?”  Silence. . . “Hello?  Anybody leave a horse outside?”  My heart caught, and I knew in that moment that whatever happened I’d lost Stargazer.</p></div></div> We heard feet stomping the snow off boots below us, then footsteps shuffling toward the front of the church. We pulled the door behind us and held the latch, afraid to set it into place. http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1.html#10 b779b537-e676-44a9-8abf-67af7100d119 http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0118.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.cathygohlke.com/Site/William_Henry_Photographs_1_files/Media/IMG_0118.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_532_119"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">We heard feet stomping the snow off boots below us, then footsteps shuffling toward the front of the church.  We pulled the door behind us and held the latch, afraid to set it into place.</p></div></div>