“Mr. Wilcox, can you get wallpaper?” Amanda asked. “I want to decorate Abby’s bedroom.”
“Is that what it sounds like?” he asked.
“Yes, it comes in rolls and you use paste to get it to stick to walls.” Amanda said.
“Let me see if I can find anything on it,” he said.
“While you’re getting the order ready, I want to introduce Amanda to Clem and Margaret,” Rance said.
“I’ll check on this wallpaper while you’re gone,” Sam said.
Back on the boardwalk, Rance carried Abby as they walked toward the church.
“Clem and Margaret have a house around the corner from the church, but usually they’re in the church. Clem works on his sermon while Margaret gets it ready for the Sunday services. Church is the place the townspeople and ranchers get together and keep up with what’s going on.
“About once a month, folks bring in food and we have a picnic after the service. I believe there’s one this coming Sunday. I think you might enjoy it.”
As they crossed the street, Rance said “The schools are right down the street here. They hadn’t been built when I went to school. The school I went to after the one room elementary burned.”
At the church…
Just as Rance had said, they found Clem polishing his sermon for Sunday. Margaret had her hair tied in a blue bandana, and was carrying a feather duster.
“Clem, look who’s back,” Margaret called out.
Clem came out of the small room that served as the church office. He smiled and shook hands with Rance.
“Amanda, these are two of my favorite people in the entire world. After you of course. Clem and Margaret Hutchison, this is Amanda. We were married Sunday before last, in Elmira, New York.”
“I’m pleased to meet you. It was so kind of you to write the letter. I had made up my mind, but it helped mother reconcile herself to my going off into the wilderness with a stranger. She was at peace with the idea after reading your letter.”
“It was my pleasure,” Clem said. “Will you be joining us on Sunday?”
“I most certainly will,” Amanda said.
“We are both happy for Clem to find someone to share his life. And for Abby as well.
“How is Abby adapting to this?” Margaret asked.
Rance smiled. “Abby, who is this?” he asked.
“Mama,” Abby said.
“They were friends from the get go. Amanda got her to come out of her shell.”
“She is a delightful little girl. Aren’t you, Abby?” Amanda asked.
Abby nodded.
“I am tickled to death,” Margaret said. “She’s been through a lot and deserves someone to hold on to.
“Sunday is picnic Sunday, isn’t it?” Rance asked.
“Yes it is,” Clem said. “Amanda, I like to introduce newcomers to the congregation. Would it embarrass you if I did that?”
“Probably,” Amanda said, “but I’ll get over it. I would be pleased to have you do that.”
chapter Nineteen
Meeting Friends
Sunday at the Lazy K Ranch…
Rance was finishing his morning chores; Amanda, Abby and Consuela were sitting at the table. “I’m going to get dressed for church, and then we’ll get you dressed,” Amanda told Abby. “I would like for you to wear one of your new dresses today, all right?”
“I show you, Mama,” Abby said. She led Amanda to her closet and pointed to a blue polka dot dress, with lace around the sleeves. “This one.”
“Good choice. You’re going to look really pretty in it.”
“Yes.”
At church…
Rance had shown them to a seat on the left side of the church. “This is where we usually sit,” he said. “We’ll scoot down to the end; we’ll have company before long.”
“When did you get back?” a tall, lanky man, with dark hair standing in the aisle next to their row asked. He was accompanied by a striking red haired woman.
“Day before yesterday,” Rance said. “Amanda. This is Cal Pierce and Jennie. This is Amanda.”
Cal stood back and let Jennie in the row, so she could sit next to Amanda.
Cal smiled and said hello.
Jennie took Amanda’s hand and clasped it in both of hers. “I was hoping you’d decide this way,” she said, her southern voice was smooth as honey. “You’re going to love Cheyenne.”
“I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciated your letter,” Amanda said. “It meant a lot to hear from someone that had taken the same steps.”
“I was glad to do it,” she said. “I knew how big the decision was, and when the time came, I couldn’t bring myself to take the step. Cal showed up on my front porch one day, unannounced, and here I am. He convinced my son to leave the farm and come with us.
“Where are you from,” asked Jenny.
“A small town in New York,” Amanda said.
“We’re not the only mail order brides in Cheyenne. There’s at least one other couple. They talked to Cal before he took out an ad, the same as we did with Rance.”
“Maybe we should start a club,” Amanda said.
A hush came over the congregation. Clem walked to the altar. With his arms outstretched, he said, “Shall we pray?” And the services began. There was an opening hymn, and then he began the announcements.
“I have the great pleasure to announce we have a newcomer to Cheyenne with us today. Allow me to introduce you to Amanda Kendall, newly wed to our own Rance. Amanda, would you please stand so everyone can see you?”
Amanda smiled, stood, and turned so everyone could see her face.
“We’re blessed to have you with us, Amanda. At the picnic after services, everyone is sure to introduce yourselves and make Amanda welcome.”
After the services, Amanda and Jennie resumed their conversation.
“You’re a teacher?” Jennie asked.
“I’ve taught at the elementary level since I graduated from college. I also gave piano lessons from home. I would like to continue teaching. I enjoy being around children and I think I’m a good teacher.
“Do you have children, Jennie?”
“I have a son, who is now seventeen, and we have a daughter, who is almost one, and now, we’re hoping for a boy. We don’t always bring Becky with us to church. Our housekeeper, Angelina is taking care of her today.”
“I would love to have a baby,” Amanda said. “I dearly love Abby, but I would like to have one of my own. I guess time has passed me by on that one.”
“I don’t know. You’re not as old as I am and we have Becky. She’s the joy of our life.
“In case you’re wondering how I come to know how old you are, Rance showed us your ad in the paper.”
“Maybe it could happen. I’ve been blessed in so many ways, I almost feel guilty about hoping for anything else,” Amanda said.
“Are you two exchanging secrets?” Rance asked as he walked to where they were seated.
“No secrets, we were talking about babies. I guess you know Cal and Jennie have a baby?” Amanda said.
“I do. How is she doing?” he asked.
“She’s doing well, being spoiled rotten by her father, but she’s fine.”
“I’m not spoiling her,” Cal protested.
“Oh, at the smallest sign of a cry, he picks her up. He even changes her.”
“Aw honey, you didn’t have to tell them that,” an embarrassed Cal said.
“This big old cowboy is under the thumb of a one year old,” Jennie said. “And I love it.”
A couple stopped by their table. “Priscilla, I’m glad you stopped by. This is Amanda. She’s one of us. Amanda, Priscilla and Harlan Trotter.”
“So you’re the other couple,” Rance said. “Clem told me there was another couple in the congregation. He didn’t tell us your name of course.”
“We’ve been married over two years now,” Harlan said. “Thank God for The Matrimonial News.”
“Cal said the identical words after we found out I was with child,” Jennie said.
“The people here are so open and friendly,” Amanda said. “I’ve felt welcome since we stepped off the train.”
“They are open and friendly and friendly people,” Jennie said. “I guess it comes from being on the frontier. Neighbors have to rely on each other out here. Our neighbors in South Carolina helped Chris and me in every way imaginable, but it’s different here.”
Abby tugged at Amanda’s dress, and held her arms up. Jennie picked her up into her lap. “How’s Mama’s girl,” she asked.
“Fine. Can we go?” she asked.
“Not yet, dear, we haven’t eaten. Are you hungry?”
Abby nodded.
“Let’s get you a plate,” she said and set her on the ground. “She’s ready to eat,” Amanda said. “I’m going to get her a plate. May I bring you something?”
Watching her walk away, holding Abby’s hand, Jennie said, “Abby sure has adapted quickly.”
“It’s been that way since the first day. Amanda is the one who got her talking again.”
“That’s so wonderful,” Jennie said.
“I’m going to join them,” Rance said.
“We’ll be right behind you,” Cal said.
chapter Twenty
The Russell House
Breakfast at the Lazy K…
“Have you checked on Abby’s ranch recently?” Amanda asked.
“I haven’t, and I need to do that. Empty buildings fall apart. It’s my responsibility to keep it up.”
“I would like to take a look at it. There may be some of Abby’s things she can still use. Unless you object, I would like to take Consuela over and clean it up. The only problem with that is I don’t think it would be good for Abby to see it.”
“I think you’re right. Why don’t the two of us go over? You can go through the inside, while I check the outside,” he said.
“Let’s do it.” she said.
She gathered some supplies, put a bandana over her hair, and pronounced herself ready. At the Russell ranch, Rance pointed out where the bodies had been found in front of the burned barn. He also showed her where he and Clay had buried Abby’s parents.
“After you check the outside, would you mind cleaning the grave site?” she asked.
“No, of course not. There are probably some tools that didn’t get ruined in the fire.”
“I’ll get started inside.” Everything was dusty, so she opened the windows and began dusting.
Two hours later, Rance came in and said, “The well is in good shape, and I saw some loose boards, but I don’t have the tools to do anything with them. I’ll send a couple of hands over here to check the roof and fix the boards.”
“I’m going to go through the bedrooms and see what should be kept,” Amanda said. “Some of the parents' clothes might still be usable. Clem and Margaret might know of someone who can use them.”
In the bedroom Abby had used, Amanda went through the clothes Rance had left behind, and pronounced most of them too small for the growing Abby. She gathered them up and bundled them in a sheet.
In the parent’s bedroom, Rance said, “She was under the bed there, and wouldn’t come out. I sent for Consuela and she was able to get her out. She didn’t say anything the first couple of days. I finally figured out her mother had told her to be quiet and not talk. She was obeying her mother.”
Amanda had tears in her eyes. “That poor girl. I feel so sorry for her. We owe it to her to find out what we can.”
In searching through the bedroom, the closet and the bureau drawers, she found some faded letters. I would have expected a Bible,” she said.
“There was one. I used it to read over the graves, and took it home. When we get back, I’ll get it for you.”
Amanda laid all of the clothes on the bed, intending to go through them later.
The kitchen utensils were worn, and of little value. There were a few things in the pantry, but they were long since spoiled.
“A pitiful few things left from what was probably a happy family,” Amanda said.
Cora was a mail order bride too,” Rance said.
“That means they were probably married in Cheyenne. There may be some records in the Clerk’s office,” Amanda said.
“Those records may be in Cheyenne, but they might also be in Laramie. I had to go there to be appointed Abby’s guardian and put the property in a trust.”
“This is going to be interesting,” Amanda said.
Laramie County Clerk’s Office…
The Office of the Laramie County Clerk had a marriage license application for the Russells in their records. The journal entry was for a James Russell and Cora Beckendorf. The address of record for both was the Rocking R Ranch, Cheyenne.
“Well, that’s the end of this,” Rance told Amanda. Laramie won’t have any more information. This is the official record.”
Lazy K Ranch…
Rance gave Amanda the Bible he had found in the Russell home. It was an old family bible, so she turned the pages carefully to protect against tearing a page. Pages in the front contained records of births, deaths and marriages in the Beckendorf family. She found references identifying Cora’s parents and two siblings. She found no addresses on any of the pages.
Amanda laid the Bible aside, and turned her attention to the sack filled with what she found in the bureau drawers. She found handkerchiefs, trinkets, and things a person should throw away, but stashed them away instead. Near the bottom of the sack she came across two faded, yellowed with age envelopes. She laid them aside and went through the rest of the contents without finding anything.
“How is your search going?” Rance asked.
“I found some family references in the Bible, births, deaths, marriages and the like. I found the names of Cora’s parents, and when they married, and I found the entry of Cora’s birth, along with that of her brother and sister. That’s about it. No references to locations.
“Oh, I also found these two letters, but I haven’t looked at them yet,” she said.
“What have you been doing this morning?” she asked.
“Oh just routine things,” he said. “I want to get a head count of the cattle and see where we stand in that regard. I sent two men over to the Russell place to fix the things I saw yesterday.”
“Would it be practical to rent the place out? Are we using the land for anything?” she asked.
“So far, I’ve left their cattle in place, and kept the strays rounded up. We will take some to market in the fall, but we need to get the calves branded with the Rocking R brand. To answer your question, it would be easier to keep the house up if we did. We could pay someone to live there, but frankly, with the free land and low prices of land, I think we’d have trouble finding someone.
“I’m already keeping a separate set of books on the ranch, and it’s profitable, but not on a real large scale. Frankly, I think Jim and Cora were struggling to get by. He never asked for help, though.
“I would be against selling the land, unless we sold it to the Lazy K. We’d have to hire someone to determine the fair market value. I’d just as soon keep it in the trust name for Abby, he said.
“You know best,” Amanda said. “I think you’re doing the right thing in keeping her interests above board, so there can be no question of our being honest about it.”
chapter Twenty-one
The Letters
Amanda turned her attention to the two letters she had found. The writing on the envelopes was faded and almost illegible; She made out the beginning of a last name. It was “Bec.” That has to be Beckendorf. Unable to read the return address she used a small magnifying glass, but could only make out the state. I’m pretty sure it’s Pennsylvania. The actual letter had not faded as much as the envelope. She still couldn’t read it. It was not English. Probably German, with a name like Beckendorf. She turned to the other letter. The handwriting appeared to be that of the same pe
rson. The address had faded completely. Inside, proved to be unreadable also, however, the signature read “Mutter.”
I wonder if there is anyone Rance knows who speaks German. I’ll have to find out. She asked when he came in from the range.
After he kissed her, he said, “I don’t know. There may be. Clem would know. We can check on Sunday.”
The Methodist Church, Sunday…
“I don’t personally know of anyone,” Clem said, when Amanda asked. “The priest at the Lutheran might himself, or he may know of someone. The Lutheran Church is rooted in Germany. Why don’t you go over after our services?” he asked. “Someone will probably still be there.”
“Thank you, we’ll stop and see.”
After the customary socializing, they stopped at the Lutheran Church and spoke to Pastor Mueller.
After they explained what they were doing, he said, “I do speak German, though it’s a bit rusty. I will be glad to look at your letters.”
“I can’t make out a goodly portion, but it appears to be from a mother to a daughter,” the pastor said, as he stroked his long white beard. “Mutter is mother, and dotter is daughter. Both words appear in both letters. There is a reference to Germantown, but it is vague. Germantown is an old town in Pennsylvania. Quite a few Germans settled there, and many of them moved on to Minnesota. I, myself came here from Minnesota.”
“Thank you, Pastor,” Amanda said. “We thought it would be nice if we could find any family of Abby.”
“What would you do if you found someone,” he asked.
“I would imagine they might like to know the fate of their relatives,” Amanda said.
“Is this the child?” he asked, indicating Abby. “And what of her?”
“I suppose we would tell her at some point. I don’t think she’s old enough to understand at her present age,” Amanda said.
“And what do you propose to do if they want to assume responsibility for the child? Blood runs deep in the German culture.”
“I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” Amanda said.
“It would be wise for you to do so,” the kindly old man said.
Rance shook the pastor’s hand and thanked him. A visibly shaken Amanda held on to his arm as they returned to the wagon.
Amandas's Mail Order Cowboy: The Story of A Mail Order Bride and Her Mail Order Husband (Mail Order Brides Book 14) Page 8
