Golden Stagecoach

by Waggoner, Robert C.

  Dirk rose up and helped his wife stand. They said a silent prayer and returned to Denver. The next day, the Land Rover loaded down with gifts, they went back to see Grandmother Longfellow. Janet was back home as they saw her little pickup parked next to the house.

  She was at the door when they stopped. Dirk smiled and asked for some help carrying in a few things. Janet's eyes popped out when she saw the car loaded with boxes and sacks from town. Dirks first trip was to bring in the instant coffee. No electricity was available just yet; but Dirk had a surprise for the Longfellow clan. Janet had told them after she finished her degree she planned on marring some handsome man and living here.

  Grandmother watched with a grin on her lined face as the boxes and sacks filled up the living room. After all was removed from the car, they sat down to a cup of instant coffee. Grandmother said, "You'll be going back across the big water soon?"

  "Yes, very soon. We've seen and learned a lot in a very short time. Both of us will continue to read your history written by Native Americans. We're very proud to have met you and some of your extended family. I realized it's a little late in your life time, but we made arrangement to have electricity run to your house. I've also left an avenue for payment of usage. It's a small gift from us to you," said Dirk.

  -XXX-

  Dirk and Hanna were welcomed back with a special party. Dirk couldn't keep his mouth shut and blurted out he was going to be a daddy. Both families were ecstatic with happiness. Grandkids are hard to come by in any society and are welcomed by grandparents worldwide.

  Upon leaving Denver, they donated the motor home and the Land Rover to the Longfellow family. The donation couldn't have gone to a more deserving cause.

  After the nice welcome home gathering, Hanna returned to school and Dirk sat down with his parents to decide what to do for the future. He told the story from start to finish leaving no detail out. On his father's desk he sat the two canning jars of gold and silver, along with the gold dust from the stagecoach for them to admire. Cliff was very surprised upon hearing about the appearance of the grey hair Indian on his horse. Ingrid sucked in her breath holding her hand over her mouth.

  Father said, "Well, what now son?"

  "I've no idea father," said Dirk.

  "One thing nice son is that money is not a problem. Doing something with it seems a slight problem for the moment."

  "First thing is to build a house; or something like that. Hanna has another year of school then she will have her master's degree. I guess I could practice law seeing how I have a fine law degree from Harvard. However, at this point in time that doesn't seem to interest me."

  "How about going to Salzburg lease or buy a house and see what develops while Hanna is writing her thesis." his mother said.

  "Not a bad idea mother."

  1973 ~ Present

  As it turned out, the Stanten Foundation purchased an ocean going research vessel for the specific purpose of earth study. The scientists were, Dirk's sisters Anna and Angel; his wife Hanna and Dirk was captain of the ship. Dirk had developed into a fine cameraman and sailor.

  Hanna had Joel Will Stanten the Third in 1974. Needless to say, a proud father and grandparents; both sides carried many pictures showing their grandson off. Hanna's parents never went without. Dirk hired some physical therapists and after a few years, Hanna's father could walk with two canes.

  Eventually the crew of the research ship hired some university graduates and soon, both of Dirk's sisters were married to one from Spain and the other from France.

  Young Joel the III, after he was old enough to sail with a nanny, who was from the Longfellow family, became an avid sailor. Later when he attended school he only spent summers aboard ship.

  He too thought earth science and oceanography was his calling. After graduation he and his girlfriend took the same trip his father and mother did back in the seventies. However, he didn't know the story as yet because he was only twenty one. By the time he was twenty five he'd taken the captains job from his father. Father was demoted to full time cameraman. Dirk loved to dive and to film the scientists at work under the sea and above the sea too.

  When Joel III turned twenty five the ship was anchored off the coast of Greece. After a celebratory birthday dinner, Dirk took his son to his cabin. By now computers were an old item. Dirk brought up the old Stanten Mills and said to his son, "Sit down son, I've a story to tell you about your family history. You're not going to believe some of it but all is true." Dirk flipped an 1884 double eagle twenty dollar gold piece to his son.

  End