All My Tomorrows

by Al Lacy

  Deena nodded.

  Before Margie could say more, Betsy sniffled and said, “Don’t feel bad, Deena. I want you to know.” She turned to her friend. “Margie, would you tell them?”

  “Sure, honey,” said Margie, squeezing her shoulder firmly. “It happened just over three weeks ago. The Gilders lived on the fifth floor of a tenement on Manhattan’s north side. Betsy’s father, Lyle Gilder, is a heavy drinker. He came home in a drunken stupor late one night. He and Betsy’s mother, Elizabeth, got into an argument. They were both very angry, and Betsy saw her father throw her mother off the balcony of the flat. Her mother was killed when she hit the ground.”

  The twins frowned, then Donna set sympathetic eyes on the battered girl. “Oh, Betsy, how awful!”

  Betsy bit down on her lips.

  Margie pulled her closer and said, “When the police came, Lyle Gilder told them his wife fell off the balcony, and they believed it. When the police had gone, he warned Betsy that if she ever told anyone what she really saw, he would beat her to death.”

  The twins shook their heads in silent pity.

  Margie went on. “The very next day, when Betsy’s father came home from work, he overheard two women who lived in the tenement discussing his wife’s death. One woman said to the other one that she had been told that Elizabeth didn’t fall, but that Lyle was drunk and threw her off the balcony. Lyle assumed it was Betsy who had told the woman and stormed into the flat. He swore loudly at Betsy and started beating on her. Neighbors heard Lyle’s loud profanity and Betsy’s cries, and summoned two policemen from the street.

  “Lyle was still beating Betsy when the officers burst through the door. They seized him, put him in handcuffs, and placed him under arrest. When they picked Betsy up off the floor, they found that her left arm was broken and her face was severely bruised. Soon everyone in the tenement was aware of what happened and were gathering in the hall outside the Gilder flat. The two women Lyle had overheard talking about Elizabeth’s death told the officers that one of the elderly tenants who lived two doors down from the Gilders on the same floor had seen Lyle throw Elizabeth off the balcony, but she was afraid to get involved. She had only told the one woman about it less than ten minutes before Lyle came home.”

  Deena was shaking her head slowly, tears in her eyes. “Oh, Betsy, I’m so sorry you’ve had to suffer like this.”

  “Me too,” said Donna. “So what about your father?”

  Betsy drew a shuddering breath. Her voice was strained with emotion as she said, “He stood trial for murdering Mother, and he will be executed nine days from now,” When those words had come out, Betsy broke down and sobbed incoherently.

  Deena left her chair and threw her arms around Betsy. Donna followed and did the same while Margie looked on. Slowly, Betsy’s sobbing subsided. The twins still held her in their arms. Deena looked at her sister. “What happened to us with our parents putting us out on the streets was bad enough, but what happened to Betsy is far worse.”

  Donna nodded. “That’s for sure. How were you orphaned, Margie?”

  Margie’s features pinched. “My parents were both killed in a train wreck up in Massachusetts. I’ll tell you more about it sometime. It happened a little over a month ago. I just don’t want to talk about it right now.”

  “I understand. But I’m sorry for your grief and heartache.”

  Margie managed a smile. “Thank you.”

  When Letitia Brace left room number ten, she went upstairs to a large walk-in holding closet and chose three dresses for each twin to begin wearing immediately, along with two more expensive dresses each for when they would be traveling on the orphan train. She would explain that when both boys and girls traveled westward, they were dressed especially nice for being examined and questioned by prospective foster parents. None of the dresses were identical, as Deena and Donna were, but Letitia was sure they wouldn’t mind.

  As she folded the dresses over one arm, a satisfied smile graced Letitia’s pleasant face. She looked heavenward. “It’s such a joy, Lord, to be able to help these dear young ones, and thank You, again, for the bounty You brought our way today through Mr. Kottman.”

  With a smile on her face, she left the closet and headed downstairs.

  The twins loved the dresses and made an immediate change. They both embraced Letitia, thanking her for all the dresses. Letitia returned to the office, and for the rest of the afternoon, the twins got better acquainted with their roommates. Betsy and Margie took them on a tour of the rest of the building, explaining that it was once the Italian Opera House. While touring, the twins were introduced to both boys and girls who were also waiting to be sent west on orphan trains.

  While Betsy and Margie were giving the twins a tour of the grounds, Margie explained that she would be leaving on the orphan train that was going west next week. Betsy said sadly that she was going to miss her.

  At that moment, they saw Charles Brace come out of the building and head toward them. When he drew up, smiling, he said to Margie and Betsy, “Giving your new friends a tour of the place, are you?”

  “Yes, sir,” said Margie.

  Brace ran his gaze to the twins. “I talked to your mother and explained that we would be sending you out West on the March 30 orphan train. She shed some tears, saying she misses you, but also said she is glad you will have the opportunity for a good life that would never have come to you here in the city. She said to tell you that she loves you and wishes you the very best.”

  The twins exchanged glances, blinked at their tears, and thanked him for letting their mother know about them.

  On returning to their room, the girls washed their hands and tidied their hair in preparation for going to supper, which was always at six o’clock. Margie helped Betsy with her hair, since Betsy only had one free hand.

  At ten minutes before six o’clock, the girls left their room and joined other girls who were heading for the dining hall.

  When they drew near it, delicious aromas were wafting toward them. Betsy sniffed and said, “I wonder what we’re having tonight.”

  Donna sniffed, also. “I can’t tell what it is, but if it tastes half as good as it smells, it will be wonderful!”

  The four girls entered the dining hall and sat down at a table where they joined four other girls. Johnny Smith, Teddy Hansen, Jerry Varnell, and Clint Albright were seated at an adjacent table with some other boys. Margie introduced the twins to the four girls, and the girls welcomed them.

  Soon a large bowl of beef stew with potatoes, carrots, and thick dark gravy was placed before them. A basket of hot biscuits was passed around as well as creamy butter and strawberry jelly. A mug of milk was at each place. The twins felt their mouths watering.

  Donna could wait no longer. She quickly buttered a biscuit, dabbed some jelly on it and was about to take a bite when she heard a light cough from the front of the room, and looked toward the sound. It had come from Charles Brace, who was looking at her. The biscuit was suspended an inch from her mouth as he said, “Let’s pray, children, and thank the Lord for the food.”

  Embarrassed, Donna lowered the biscuit and bowed her head as the others around her were doing. While Charles Brace was praying, Donna felt her sister squeeze her hand in sympathy with her near mistake.

  When Brace said his amen, he smiled at Donna, then ran his gaze over the entire crowd. “Okay, boys and girls, enjoy your supper.”

  All the children dug in, eagerly complying.

  When the meal was finished, Charles Brace stood before the crowd once again and introduced the Mitchell twins to them. Following this, one of the staff men stood before them and gave a Bible lesson, which included the gospel. Before having prayer time, he had two teenage girls come to the front. He announced that last night after the Bible lesson and prayer time, the two girls had received the Lord Jesus Christ into their hearts as their Saviour. They wanted to give their testimonies.

  While the girls were telling of their salvation, Deena and Donna
looked at each other blankly. This was something totally new to them.

  On Tuesday morning of the next week, those children who were scheduled on the March 30 train watched as the others were lining up and being taken to the wagons parked beside the building.

  Betsy Gilder clung to Margie Lehman with her good arm, tears running down her face. Margie, also weeping, kissed her friend’s cheek. “Good-bye, Betsy. I love you.”

  As Margie hurried to get in the line, both of the twins put an arm around Betsy. When the wagons pulled away, the departing children waved, and those left behind waved back.

  Deena squeezed the weeping girl. “Don’t you worry, Betsy. Donna and I will take care of you like Margie did.”

  “Yes, we will,” said Donna. “The three of us will be together on the next orphan train.”

  Betsy hugged them both individually with her good arm. “I’m glad for that,” she said, sniffling and blinking at her tears, “but I’m also dreading the day when at some railroad station, some family will choose you two and take you home.”

  Donna laid a palm against Betsy’s cheek. “It may happen the other way, honey. It could be you who gets chosen first.”

  Betsy nodded. “It could happen that way, I guess. But whichever way it goes, I’ll miss you two something terrible, and I’ll never forget you.”

  During the next few days, Johnny Smith and Teddy Hansen’s friendship grew deeper and stronger. Johnny also became closer to Jerry Varnell and Clint Albright. The other boys who had been in their room had been taken on the latest orphan train, but they now had three new boys rooming with them.

  On Wednesday night, March 29, when it was close to bedtime, Johnny, Teddy, Jerry, and Clint sat on their bunks and talked about their upcoming train ride and what it was going to be like to have foster parents and live in new homes. The new boys sat quietly and listened.

  Teddy looked at Johnny. “You talked the other day about how once you wanted to be a policeman like your father when you grow up, but maybe now you won’t do that. Have you thought any more about it?”

  Johnny grinned. “Yeah. I still might be a lawman. I’ll know more about whether I want to once I get out West and have a chance to see how it is for the men who wear a badge out there. What about you, Teddy? What do you want to be when you grow up?”

  Teddy rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, after seeing how nice the people were at the Thirty-second Street Orphanage to Jerry, Clint, and me, I’ve been thinking that when I grow up, I might like to establish an orphanage and provide a home for children like me.”

  Clint’s eyes lit up. “Hey, Teddy, that’s a good idea! Maybe I’ll do that, wherever I end up.”

  Jerry grinned. “You know, I’ve been thinking the same thing.”

  Johnny ran his gaze from Teddy to Clint to Jerry. “Hey, guys, I hope all three of you do that. If I don’t end up being a lawman, I might just do something like that myself.” He yawned. “Well, right now, I think we’d better get to bed. We board that orphan train tomorrow morning.”

  Chapter Six

  The next morning just after breakfast, the children who were going on the train that day were led into the Children’s Aid Society’s auditorium and seated in the center section. There were thirty-three girls and twenty-nine boys.

  They were all dressed in their new clothing and carried their new coats. The boys also had caps and the girls had scarves. Most of the girls had their hair done in pigtails, and every boy had his hair combed neatly.

  Though there was some apprehension in the hearts of the children about the trip on the train, they were happy with the prospect of being taken into homes. There was a resonance of chattering voices that filled the auditorium as Charles Loring Brace entered from a side door with three women and four men following. They mounted the steps of the platform.

  Some of the children noticed them, while others were busy talking.

  Brace moved to the center of the platform, raised his hands and said above the lively voices, “All right, boys and girls, let’s get quiet. I want to talk to you.”

  The chatter faded quickly, and each child settled on his or her seat. Their expectant eyes were fixed on him, and he took just a moment to look at their anxious faces and breathe a silent prayer for God’s hand on them, and that eventually each one would come to know Jesus as their Saviour.

  Brace motioned for those on the platform with him to step up close. “Children, I want you to meet the staff members who will be going along on the train as your sponsors. Standing next to me are Mr. Dale Radcliff and his wife, Lorinda. Next to them are Mr. Royce Nelson and his wife, Shelley. The men will travel in the boys’ coach, and the women will travel in the girls’ coach.”

  He gestured toward the young woman in the white uniform who stood beside Shelley Nelson. “And this lady is Miss Mandy Hillen. She is a certified medical nurse. She will be on the train to take care of any boys or girls who need her.”

  The sponsors and the nurse ran their eyes over the small crowd and smiled.

  Brace went on. “I am usually able to go to the depot and give the children a sendoff with a small speech, but today I have other obligations, so I will make my speech now.

  “First, I want to say that when you stand in line in the depots where the prospective foster parents come to talk to you and look you over, I want you to be polite and courteous. You are to answer any questions the people ask you.

  “Second, let me caution you not to be discouraged, even if you have not been chosen after many stops out West. Your train is going all the way to Los Angeles and there will be many stops between the Missouri River and the Pacific Ocean where people will be waiting to choose children to take home with them. In our twenty-three years of carrying children out West, there have been very, very few who have had to be returned to New York because they were not chosen by the time they had arrived at the last stop. And let me add that even those children were all chosen when they rode the next orphan train west.

  “I also want to mention the Bible lessons you have had while staying here at the Society’s headquarters. Although many of you have opened your hearts to Jesus as a result of the Bible lessons, some of you have not. I want to remind those of you who have not been saved that it is the greatest need you have in your lives. You will be having Bible lessons on the train, taught by your sponsors. Mr. and Mrs. Radcliff and Mr. and Mrs. Nelson—as well as Miss Hillen—will always be ready and willing to lead you to Jesus if you will let them. I want to pray for you now, before you leave for Grand Central Station.”

  After Brace prayed for the children, asking God’s protection on them as they embarked on their journey, the children put on their coats, caps, and scarves, and were led by him and the sponsors outside to the wagons that would carry them to the depot.

  Before boarding the wagons, many of them—especially the girls—gave Brace hugs, thanking him for what he had done for them. Included in that group were the Mitchell twins and Betsy Gilder.

  When the wagons rolled into Grand Central Station’s parking lot, the children were unloaded and led into the terminal by the sponsors and Mandy Hillen. They went immediately to the track where the train they would ride westward stood ready for boarding.

  Most of the children had never been this close to a train before. They stood in awe at the monstrous engine with billows of black smoke roiling skyward from its smokestack. Steam was hissing from the bowels of the engine.

  Dale Radcliff stood before them and explained that the two coaches just ahead of the caboose were reserved for them. The boys’ coach was the one next to the caboose. The other three coaches were for the regular passengers, who were now ready to board.

  At that moment, the conductor stepped out of the first regular passenger coach. “All aboard! All aboard!”

  The young travelers boarded their respective coaches in an orderly manner, with their sponsors standing at both front and back doors of the coaches to give directions and answer questions. The sponsors could tell that
the children were apprehensive about this new adventure, but excited about finding homes in the West.

  In the girls’ coach, Donna and Deena Mitchell chose a seat at the very front, which had them facing the rear of the coach. Betsy Gilder took the next seat, which allowed her to look into their faces.

  As Betsy settled on the seat, she said to the twins, “I don’t know if I’m more excited or more scared, but it’s kinda fun!”

  The twins looked at each other and grinned.

  Donna chuckled. “It’s sure a lot more fun than sleeping in a wooden crate in an alley!”

  Deena nodded. “You can say that again, sis!”

  Donna shrugged with an impish look in her eyes. “Okay. It’s sure a lot more fun than sleeping in a wooden crate in an alley!”

  Donna’s stab at humor caused both her sister and Betsy to laugh and relax.

  In the boys’ coach, Dale Radcliff stood at the front and said, “I want to explain that the first stop where prospective foster parents will talk to you and look you over is in Overland Park, Kansas. We have to cross Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, first.

  “Along the line after we leave Missouri at Kansas City and cross the Missouri River into Kansas, people in the towns where we will be stopping, all the way to the west coast, have been alerted that the orphan train is coming. The local newspapers in all the towns along the line are carrying articles that announce the arrival times of this orphan train so those who are interested in taking in foster children will know when to be at the depots.

  “The next stop in Kansas will be Topeka, which is the state capital. And after that, we will stop at Salina. There will be more stops in Kansas, then at points west in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. Just thought you might like to know these things. My wife is giving the same information to the girls in their coach.”

  Royce Nelson, who was standing beside Dale, said, “So just relax and enjoy the ride, boys. Remember, Mr. Radcliff and I are here to help you in any way we can.”