by Jim Cox
“I agree. Have you ever seen such a broomstick? She has no womanly attributes whatsoever.” They laughed. “And how about her hair? Isn’t it terrible? Being a redhead is bad enough but going about with your hair in braids is so childish.”
“She thinks she’s helping with her tutoring sessions, but she’s only wasting our time. If they dismissed me, my father would withdraw his support for the school. They wouldn’t dare.”
“We’d be better off if she went back to the frontier.”
“But who’d brown-nose Mrs. Dycuss if she left?” Laughter filtered through the door.
Liz was appalled and couldn’t take any more. She turned to run, but the books she was carrying hit the door frame and fell to the floor, making a loud clatter. She was picking them up to leave when her roommates came out.
“How long have you been out here, Liz?” asked one of the girls.
“Long enough,” Liz said as tears streamed down her face. “I heard what you said about me. But don’t worry, I’ll be moving. I don’t want to be ill-treated by you any longer.”
Liz ran down the steps with her roommates running after her, shouting, “We’re sorry, Liz. We didn’t mean those nasty things we were saying.” But Liz didn’t stop until she had run across the lawn to a bench where she sat sobbing. Nearly an hour passed before she could settle herself. She placed her books on the bench and started walking with no place in mind.
∙•∙
The roommates felt terrible as they sat in their room teary-eyed, trying to think of some way to make things right with Liz. They decided to meet her in the dining hall that evening and apologize. But Liz didn’t show up at the dining hall that evening, which caused the girls to become concerned. “Maybe she’s done something drastic,” said one of the girls. “We’d better go talk with Mrs. Dycuss.”
“You girls should be ashamed of yourselves. Liz is a wonderful girl and only wants to be your friend, but you won’t give her a chance. She’s a thousand miles from home and terribly homesick, but it’s of no concern of yours, is it? Why should you be kind? I’ll have her things moved to another room first thing in the morning, and I’m giving you strict orders to leave her alone. Do you understand?”
“May we ask you something, Mrs. Dycuss?” one of the girls asked.
“I’ve heard enough from you for one day. You can all go to your room for the rest of the evening.”
The girls had started for their room, but after a few steps, one of the girls turned and said, “We don’t want Liz to move, Mrs. Dycuss. We’re ashamed of the way we’ve acted and know we have hurt her terribly. We wouldn’t blame her if she never forgave us, but we want to try to make things right. We want to earn her friendship.”
∙•∙
When Liz heard footsteps in the hallway, her memories returned to the present. It was her three roommates. She folded and put away the letter she held. “I thought you girls had already left for home?” Liz asked.
“Not yet, we don’t leave for the station for another thirty minutes. We thought you might need our help.”
“Thanks, but I’ve already packed most of my things, and the rest can be packed in the morning. I don’t leave for the train station until ten thirty tomorrow.”
“How many days will it take you to get home, Liz?”
“I should be home in seven or eight days. It took ten days when I came here.” The girls groaned.
Liz smiled and countered, “It took over three months when we traveled to Colorado from the Carolinas by wagon train. This trip will seem short and easy in comparison.”
When the time came for the girls to separate, all of them cried and hugged. And as the girls approached the door, one of them turned and said, “I’ll never see you again, Liz,” which caused another round of sobs and hugs.
As the last roommate left the room, she turned back to Liz and said, “Thank you for being my friend. I’ll never forget you.”
Liz wiped her eyes and returned to the pack of her mother’s letters. She flipped to one in the middle. This one was from Bart, the only one she’d received from him. She read it twice as memories flooded her mind. Returning to the letters, she opened the one next to Bart’s. She had received it about halfway into her second year.
To my Dear Liz, it began. I hope you are enjoying yourself and schooling is going well for you. Liz looked out the window as more memories surfaced.
After hearing her roommate’s apologies and protests, Liz didn’t move. At first, it seemed impossible for any reconciliation to take place with the girls, but they were persistent in their efforts and soon a glimmer of headway was made. They included Liz in everything. Walking with her to class, sitting with her for meals, doing homework together, and trying to draw her into conversations, which were mostly about boys. They even went with Liz on her downtown excursions. But in spite of all their efforts, Liz remained a bit removed and wouldn’t forgive them.
She was helping Mrs. Dycuss clean her classroom one day when the headmistress asked, “How are you getting along with your roommates these days, Liz?”
“I suppose, all right,” she said. “They’re treating me nice and include me in their activities, but I can’t help but think it’s a put-on. I can’t believe they’re sincere.”
“How about you, Liz? Have you made an effort? Have you met them halfway?”
Liz considered the question before answering. “Probably not, Mrs. Dycuss, but how can I forgive them, if I can’t forget what they said about me?”
“Liz, I gather from what you’ve said that your mother is a strong woman with good judgment? What would she advise you to do? How would she have handled the situation?”
Liz didn’t need to study the question. The answer came quickly and without doubt. “Mrs. Dycuss,” Liz answered, “Mother would do everything within her power to reconcile the situation. She’d find a way to become friends.”
“That’s good advice, Liz. Why don’t you try it?” Liz looked Mrs. Dycuss in the eyes and nodded.
After Liz made amends with her roommates, her second year at school was enjoyable. She kept her strict study regimen and continued to do tutoring. She also became involved with the girls’ social activities. Unconsciously, Liz slowly became a leader in her class, earning the respect and goodwill of most everyone.
During the last month of school, the headmistress sent for Liz. She had no idea what Mrs. Dycuss wanted. “Sit down, Liz, I have good news for you.” Liz sat in wonderment but remained quiet. “Our annual Board of Directors’ banquet will be held in two weeks, and you, along with two other students, are invited to attend. It’s a very high honor.”
“What’s the banquet like, Mrs. Dycuss? Can you tell me what goes on and what I can expect?”
“It’s mostly a social event held every year. We have twelve directors who will be in attendance with their wives. The school staff and their spouses will also attend. After appetizers, a formal dinner will be served with all the tradition and style the school can manage. The president of the board will say some words of praise and suggest a few areas that need improving. Then everyone will be excused, so the Directors can conduct their annual meeting.”
“Why was I asked to attend?”
“That’s tradition also. Three students are always invited to attend. But your invitation was specific, Liz. Some of the directors have heard about your leadership and tutoring here at the school, and they want to meet you.” Liz wore a puzzled look. “You’ll be fine, Liz, just be yourself.” She was on her way to the door when Mrs. Dycuss called to her. “I forgot to tell you—the banquet is formal. You should dress accordingly.”
Liz meant to keep the invitation to herself, but word got around. Within three days, her roommates confronted her with an array of questions and a great deal of hype. “We’ve heard about the banquet, Liz. What an honor. We hear it’s a formal affair? Is that right?”
“That’s what I’ve been told to prepare for.” Liz tried to contain her excitement, but her smile grew a
s she spoke. “What are you going to wear? Who’s doing your hair?”
“I have no idea,” Liz admitted.
One of the roommates spoke up. “Liz, I love you dearly, and you have been a tremendous help to each of us in our studies, but to be honest, you’re not up-to-date when it comes to style. In the past year, you’ve developed a lot, losing your childish features, and we all believe with a little fixing up, you would be a very pretty young lady. We may not be much on book learning, but we’re adept when it comes to being fashionable. Liz, we’d like to teach you how to be stylish, and we’d like to start by helping you dress for the banquet. You can wear one of our formal dresses, and we can style your hair. What do you think?”
“I’d appreciate that, but you don’t have much to work with.” They all laughed.
The three roommates picked up a few things and headed out the door. “We’ll be gone for a while, but we’ll be back. We need to start getting ready for the banquet.”
After the girls had gone, Liz stood in front of the room’s full-length mirror, turning from side to side observing her figure and facial features. “I’m not bad,” she mumbled to herself. “In the last year, I’ve developed a figure with curves in all the right places. And most of my freckles are gone.”
The day of the banquet came, and even though the event wasn’t scheduled until evening, the girls started working on Liz after lunch. She was asked to remove her dress and sit in her chemise on a stool placed in the middle of the room. She saw a basket of cosmetics and two pans of water by the chair.
Then one of the girls asked, “What’s that hanging around your neck, Liz? We’ll need to replace it with a necklace more appropriate.”
But as one of the girls started to untie the rawhide, Liz reached for her hand and said, “I haven’t taken this necklace off since the day it was given to me three years ago, and it won’t be removed today.”
“What’s so special about it?” asked the girls. For the next thirty minutes, the three roommates sat uncharacteristically quiet on the floor while Liz unfolded her story. “Where’s Bart now?” asked one of the girls.
“The last I heard, he was working in a slaughter plant in Chicago.” The other girls groaned with turned-up noses and then went about their work on Liz as she sat with a smile and her mind a thousand miles away.
That evening, Liz stopped and straightened herself at the banquet entrance. She stood taking in the grandeur, admiring the men in their formal attire and the women in their lovely dresses.
Slowly, all eyes turned to the entrance, and the people were captivated by the beautiful young woman standing there. The room became quiet. The servers stopped to look at the shapely lady who stood erect with a bit of sophistication. She wore a light blue dress with a double panel of lace down the front. Her dress bloomed from the waist down, and the collar, encircled with lace, accentuated her long, swan-like neck. Her sparkly, large green eyes were accented by creamy white skin that seemed to glow. Her light red hair was curled and piled high on her head, which enhanced her beauty and her height. Her lips were full, and when she smiled, her teeth were pearly white.
Mrs. Dycuss walked toward Liz and then accompanied her into the banquet hall making introductions. When the headmistress had a chance to speak directly to her student, she said, “You’re beautiful, Liz, I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Dycuss, but I feel kind of awkward.”
“Just be yourself. Everything will be fine—enjoy yourself.”
After Mrs. Dycuss finished introducing Liz, the president of the board pulled Mrs. Dycuss aside and said, “You informed me about Liz’s scholastic abilities and her excellent character, but you didn’t tell me she was such a beauty.”
The banquet passed quickly. After dinner, the president announced, “Would the directors please convene in the Meeting Room? And, we’d like Mrs. Dycuss and Miss Douglas to join us.”
“What’s going on?” Liz asked Mrs. Dycuss.
“Wait and see,” the headmistress replied.
When all were seated in the boardroom, the president stood and called the meeting to order. Then he addressed himself to Liz. “We’ve heard glowing remarks about you, Miss Douglas. Your studies have been outstanding. You have willingly spent time tutoring your fellow students. Your morals and character are impeccable. You’ve earned the respect of your fellow classmates and teachers.” The president paused with a smile before continuing. “You have been recommended by the headmistress, and if the board concurs, we will offer you employment as a teacher with this institution.”
Liz was speechless. She sat there as all heads turned to hear her response. Several seconds passed before she stood and said, “Mr. President, and board members, I’m grateful for the kind words you’ve said on my behalf and I thank you for your confidence and your offer of employment. Being a student here has been an experience of a lifetime. The teachers have been wonderful, especially Mrs. Dycuss. This school is an institution that has earned its great reputation. To be invited to become a part of this establishment is an honor, but I must decline your offer. I want to go home. I want to be close to my family.”
“But Miss Douglas,” the president countered, “do you understand the opportunity we’re offering? Not only are we offering you the opportunity to teach and shape young women’s minds, but we’re also offering you the opportunity to live in comfort in a civilized environment, instead of a desolate wilderness.”
“Yes, sir, I do understand. But there are minds to be taught in the West as well. Many people out there can’t read or write. And there are Indian children who must learn our ways. It’s a challenge, Mr. President, but I want to be a part of it.”
Liz paused and then looked into the president’s eyes as she asked, “Have you ever seen snowcapped mountains rising fourteen thousand feet, belted with aspen and pine trees? It is a wilderness, Mr. President, but its beauty is beyond description. Have you ever seen the prairie with its waving grass, stretching as far as the eye can see? Have you seen the buffalo herds? Some herds numbering in the thousands? Have you ever heard the bugle of an elk? Or seen eagles float on the mountain air currents? Mr. President, it’s a wilderness with many challenges, but at the same time, it’s a life filled with friends who are dependable no matter what the situation may be. It’s a life with an unknown future but also a life offering opportunities for one’s inner soul. The West is the life I choose, Mr. President. The life I long for.” Liz sat down, and no one else rose to speak. After a minute or so, the president stood and started applauding her. Then the remainder of those assembled followed suit until the president said, “Young lady if there are other people like you settling the West, it will become a wonderful place. We wish you the best of luck. Please come back to visit us someday and remember, employment is always here for you.”
Liz rose, thanked them again, and left for her room.
Her thoughts were on her trip home when someone knocked at her door. It was the young lady from the adjacent room who was departing and stopped to say her goodbyes. When the girl left, Liz returned to her letters and removed the last one. She started reading.
April 5, 1875
Beloved daughter, Liz,
I hope this letter finds you well and that things are going fine with you. You have only two more months of schooling, and I am anxious for it to end. Your father, Thomas, and Jake send you their love. There have been several exciting events at the Double D since my last letter. Your father has obtained grazing rights on seventeen thousand acres of government land which will allow us enough pasture land for another fifteen hundred to two thousand head of breeding cows. We have a young Indian mother and her two children living with us. Thomas found them in the storage cave last January. They were nearly starved. Little Eagle is a very active six-year-old boy and his sister, Little Turtle, is four. They have regained their weight and strength these past few months. We’re not sure what the future holds for them, but for now, they’re part of the Double D Ranch.
> Jake doesn’t stutter anymore. I’m not supposed to write you about this. He wanted it to be a surprise, but I couldn’t resist sharing the good news. He has continued to read everything he can get his hands on and has become quite capable with numbers.
The garden has been turned over, but we won’t be planting for another two weeks. I was in town last week to buy seeds, and the women at Jenny’s Place said to tell you hello. They’re anxious to see you.
I received word three weeks ago that Bart will be coming home soon. He was offered a promotion to stay on at Swift and Company, but he turned them down.
Have you been reading his mother’s Bible?
Looking forward to your return. Be careful in your travels.
Your Mother
Liz folded the letter, retied the stack, and then continued her packing. “I’m going home,” she said to herself. “I’ll be leaving at ten thirty in the morning.” She smiled at the thought.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Scar and Maude boarded an Illinois River barge the first week of July and headed for St. Louis. When they landed at the docks in St. Louis, Scar was tempted to continue his travel to Kansas City on a Missouri River barge but decided to spend a few nights in St. Louis and then continue his travel by land.
He rode to downtown St. Louis and registered at one of the nicer hotels. It was supper time, but he wanted to bathe and put on clean clothes before eating. So after receiving directions from the desk clerk, he stabled Maude and headed for the barber shop with a change of clothes. HAIRCUT & SHAVE 15 CENTS—BATH 10 CENTS was printed on the door. Scar entered and went directly to the barber’s chair. “Leave the whiskers around my scar fairly long. I want my scar to be covered as much as possible,” he ordered.
The barber followed instructions and after a few minutes, asked, “You wouldn’t be the man called Scar who helped with a cattle drive from Colorado to Chicago a couple years ago?”
