A Northern Light Chapter 5 Summary

In this chapter we learn more about the farm and why her brother left.

This year it was remarkably dry and hot, so Mattie's father kept her home from school to help with the farm because there are only around 100 frost-free days out of the year and Pa was convinced that the mild weather would hold, normally the corn was planted towards the end of May, however, he wanted to plant them midmonth, and start on the soil early too, because corn takes time to ripen. Plowing was Lawton's job, and Pa would have done it except Daisy was calving. So MAttie had to plow. They had the most stubborn mule ever: Pleasant. While Mattie was struggling with Pleasant, one of her neighbors Royal Loomis was watching and helped her plow the rest of the field. Daisy had a bull.

Royal was the 2nd oldest of 4 and his brother Daniel had just gotten engaged, but Royal was only 18.

We find out about Aunt Josie, who is full of gossip.

And Pa feels bad that Mr. Loomis had 4 good sons and he doesn't even have 1.