Melinda and the Wild West

by Linda Weaver Clarke

  Gilbert’s heart felt heavy as he listened and knew that it must have been very difficult to overcome such a tremendous fright. He was surprised that she still acted positive about the West, and this made his admiration for her grow.

  Jenny looked at her father and excitedly announced, “Did you know that we celebrate Thanksgiving because of Abraham Lincoln?”

  “No, I didn’t, little darlin’.”

  Jenny blushed furiously and quickly leaned over to her father and whispered, “Pa! Don’t call me that in front of company.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Jen,” Gilbert said quietly while trying very hard to suppress a chuckle. “So, tell me about it.”

  “Well, Miss Gamble taught us that George Washington wanted to make it a national holiday, but some were against it.”

  “Against it?” Gilbert looked at Melinda and smiled. He noticed how beautiful she looked and then turned back to Jenny. “Why on earth would anyone oppose such a thing?”

  “It was because of Thomas Jefferson. He didn’t like the idea.”

  Gilbert turned to Melinda and said, “Is that so?”

  She nodded. “Unfortunately. The idea brought a lot of discord because many felt that the hardships of just a few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday.”

  Gilbert’s eyes widened. “Just a few Pilgrims? They sound a bit snooty to me.”

  She laughed. “As Jenny was telling you, it wasn’t until Abraham Lincoln became president. He proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a National Day of Thanksgiving.”

  “Well, I’ll be! A person can never stop learning no matter how old they are.”

  That made Jenny burst into laughter. After getting her breath back, she said, “I thought you knew everything, Pa.”

  “Not by a long shot!”

  Melinda joined in the laughter. Then she excused herself to help Aunt Martha. She walked into the kitchen to help her aunt put the food on the table. Aunt Martha looked over at her and smiled contentedly.

  “Oh, Melinda dear, will you please go into the utility room and fill our large barrel up with plenty of water? I have a couple of buckets sitting beside the sink in there that you can use and I placed the barrel on the floor. I want us to bob for apples afterwards. It will be so much fun.”

  “I’d be glad to, Aunt Martha.”

  “Thanks, my dear. I appreciate it. If it weren’t forty degrees outside, we’d go out there to do it. But…” She let her words trail off, busying herself again.

  Melinda headed for the utility room. It was the place where they did their wash, dried and bottled fruit, and washed vegetables from the garden.

  When Gilbert saw her leave, he hopped up from the sofa. He had been watching her intently from the living room and heard what Aunt Martha had asked of Melinda. He thought he could help, so he nonchalantly walked past Martha and followed Melinda into the utility room.

  Melinda looked up and saw him approaching while she was vigorously pumping the water into the first bucket. When she picked it up to move it out of the way, Gilbert appeared beside her and quickly took the full bucket of water from her hand. The sudden movement jolted the bucket and made the water slosh over the edge and onto Melinda’s beautiful pink-flowered dress and upon her shoes, soaking her through from her waist to the floor.

  Gilbert quickly jumped back as the water sloshed over the edges, so he would not get wet. Then looking at Melinda’s wet dress and shoes, he chuckled. It was quite a humorous situation. He had come out to help her but ended up spilling water all over her instead.

  Melinda looked down at her dripping dress and wet shoes in despair and then looked up at Gilbert, who by now was laughing heartily.

  With a combination of bewilderment and frustration, she asked, “What are you doing?”

  He chuckled once again, “I thought I would come and help.”

  “Help?” The irritation in her voice was obvious. “You’re laughing like a hyena. Look what you’ve done to my dress and shoes.”

  “It was an accident.” Gilbert looked her up and down and tried to suppress another chuckle that wanted to burst through. “Did you think I had planned this whole thing so I could make you look silly? I must seem like a very devious person to you.”

  His eyes were full of amusement as he grinned at her, trying with all his might to hold back his laughter.

  With an indignant tone, she answered, “No, I didn’t think that at all. I just got impatient because you spilled water all over me and you didn’t even say you were sorry. All you did was just stand there and laugh at me.” She put her hands on her hips and shook her head.

  As Gilbert emptied the rest of the water from the bucket into the barrel, Melinda began filling the second bucket.

  Gilbert was still chuckling as he said, “No, you are wrong there. I didn’t laugh at you. I was laughing at the situation. I had come to help, and in helping I hadn’t really helped at all, but made everything worse. Don’t you see the humor in it?”

  Melinda looked up at him and saw a grin on his face. She thought he had a very twisted sense of humor and all at her expense, too. Quickly she picked up the bucket and walked over to the barrel and poured the water in with a sober and irritated look on her face.

  “Melinda, you are so independent. Why don’t you just let me help you with the water? You could have been filling one bucket as I dumped the other. We could have gotten this whole business over with a lot faster if you hadn’t stopped to get angry with me. Where’s your sense of humor?”

  Melinda glanced up at him and then turned away. “I have a sense of humor.”

  “Well, this situation would have been very funny if you would have stood back and looked at it from a distance.”

  She glanced at his cheerful face and ignored him. Then she went back to the sink and began filling both buckets up.

  Gilbert grinned at her stubborn attitude and asked, “Now may I help you with the buckets this time?”

  After filling both buckets full of water and placing them on the floor, she put her hands on her hips and said in a sober tone, “Help yourself.”

  Gilbert could see that she was out of sorts with him and he needed to smooth things over. So he walked up to her, looked into her stubborn green eyes and then took her by the shoulders and said, “I’m sorry for laughing. Will you forgive me? That was rude of me and I should’ve apologized for spilling water all over your beautiful dress. You look real nice this afternoon and I spoiled it all. Please forgive me.” When she didn’t respond, he cleared his throat. “I’m sort of eating humble pie right now.”

  Melinda looked into his eyes and saw his pleading look. Then she gave a slight smile. “I do have a sense of humor. You just haven’t seen it yet.”

  Gilbert smiled, dropped his hands from her shoulders and took the two buckets.

  Melinda looked down at her soaking wet dress and then turned on her heels and walked toward the door.

  “I’ve got to get changed.”

  As Gilbert dumped the two buckets of water into the barrel, he watched her leave and thought, “I’ve never met a more independent and stubborn woman! We’re as different as night and day.”

  As Melinda passed Aunt Martha, she noticed a questioning look on Martha’s face as she saw her dress. Before Martha could say a word, she said, “Don’t ask, Aunt Martha.”

  After everyone was seated, Uncle William said the prayer. Then he looked around the table and said, “Before we eat, we have a tradition in our family. We all say something that we are thankful for. All right, I’ll begin. I’m thankful for my sweet wife and that she puts up with me no matter how ornery I get.” He looked at Martha and smiled. “I love you, dear.”

  Melinda noticed the love that her aunt and uncle had for one another and it touched her heart. Aunt Martha was next.

  “I’m thankful for you, too, dear. And I’m thankful for the nice fire that makes us feel cozy and warm and for this food that we can share with others.”

  Melinda smiled and thought fo
r a moment. Then she said, “I’m thankful for living in this beautiful land here and I’m thankful for my students.” She smiled at Jenny.

  It was Jenny’s turn and she said, “I’m thankful for school and learning. I didn’t know it could be so much fun to learn.”

  Gilbert was next. He hesitated. He looked around the table. Then he cleared his throat. “I’m thankful for many things. But, I’m especially thankful for new beginnings. When I lost my wife eight years ago, I thought my life was at an end. Then Jenny filled my life with joy and we had one another. She filled every need that I had. I had someone to take care of and someone to protect. This was all I needed, I thought. But, lately I’ve found that I can find room in my life for others, for all of you. And I never thought I would find room for anyone else. So, I’m thankful for new beginnings.”

  The room was quiet and everyone sat still thinking about what he had said.

  Gilbert turned to William and asked, “May we eat now?”

  Uncle William laughed and began carving the turkey while Aunt Martha passed the rolls, mashed potatoes, and relish around. After eating a hearty meal, Aunt Martha announced that everyone was going into the utility room to bob for apples.

  Everyone stood around the barrel and watched as Jenny knelt on the floor. After several tries, she decided to try a new method. She searched for just the right apple. Then with her teeth, she clamped down on the stem of the apple and pulled it out of the water. Everyone laughed at her ingenuity.

  Jenny took the apple out of her mouth and grinned. “That’s how it’s done. Miss Gamble, it’s your turn now.”

  Melinda shook her head vigorously and said, “I’ve already gotten wet once today. No more!” Then she looked at Gilbert and he grinned.

  “Pa, how about you?” Jenny said.

  Gilbert smiled at his daughter and said, “All right, Jen. I’ll show you how it’s supposed to be done.”

  He knelt on the floor beside the barrel. Just before he stuck his face into the water, he grinned at Melinda as if he were a schoolboy getting ready to show off. He eyed the floating bright red apples that bobbed on the water and found one that appealed to him. Then guiding it to the edge of the barrel with his mouth and nose, he pressed the apple firmly against the wooden frame of the barrel. With this maneuver, he was able to sink his teeth into the flesh of the apple. After a short while, his face popped out of the water with the apple in his mouth. Everyone cheered as Martha handed him a towel to dry his dripping face and the spirit of happiness spread from one person to the next.

  While everyone was cheering the difficult feat that he had accomplished, Melinda remembered the twinkle in his eyes and his smile just before he went after the apple and she wondered why he seemed so charming. He had a boyish sort of grin and he was so pleased when he came up out of the water with the apple in his mouth. When he grinned at her, it seemed to light up the atmosphere.

  Melinda was not quite sure how she felt about Gilbert. All she knew was that he was a very good father and she was attracted to him, regardless of how exasperating he was at times.

  Chapter 13

  CHRISTMASTIME

  The snow gracefully fell to the ground, upon Melinda’s hair, and on her nose. She looked at the snow-capped mountains. Every cliff and valley was dotted with snow, accentuating the rugged mountains. The limbs of the pines were weighed down with snow and it sparkled in the glow of the sun. It was almost Christmas.

  Melinda watched a playful kitten that was batting its paws at the fluffy flakes. She mischievously tapped the snow-capped branch, which disturbed the snow and a small amount tumbled to the ground. It startled the kitten and it arched its back and hissed at the clump of snow. Melinda laughed out loud as the hairs of the kitten stood on end. She stooped down and brushed the snow off the kitten, picked it up and cuddled it in her arms.

  She was about to take it back to the shed when Melinda heard the clip clopping of hooves. She immediately looked up and noticed Gilbert and Jenny reining in their horses.

  Gilbert had a broad smile on his face and he seemed to be amused at Melinda’s playful ways. He said softly, “Playful kitten.”

  Melinda had forgotten they had been invited over for supper that evening. Jenny slid off her horse and scooped up a handful of snow in her gloved hands. She padded it tightly and took aim.

  “Pa, watch out.”

  Just as he looked toward her, the snowball hit him in the chest. Surprised, he quickly slid off his horse and grabbed a handful of snow and hid it behind his back.

  Walking toward Jenny, he said, “So, Jenny. You want to play? You want a snowball fight, eh?”

  Jenny smiled and nodded.

  “All right, you asked for it.”

  Quickly he swung his arm forward and the snowball hit Jenny right on the chin.

  Jenny was not ready for such a sneaky move and was startled. Then she burst into laughter, “Hey, Pa. That was fast thinking. I didn’t even have time to duck.”

  Noticing a handful of snow in Jenny’s hand, Gilbert warned, “Hey, Jen. If you want Saint Nicholas to visit you this Christmas, you’d better be good to your pa or a piece of coal may end up in your stocking this year.”

  As Melinda watched, she was silently laughing at the fun that a father and his daughter could have together.

  Jenny giggled as she dropped the snowball on the ground. She understood her father’s warning and he did not have to say more. They tied their horses to the hitching post and walked arm in arm toward the house.

  As they sat around the kitchen table talking, Gilbert noticed the beautiful Christmas tree through the doorway. It was decorated in red and gold with a star on top. There was a wreath above the fireplace and a toy train had been placed around the tree for decoration. A few presents had been placed under the tree and just above the kitchen doorway was mistletoe for fun and tradition.

  Gilbert grinned at the mistletoe and looked over at Melinda, but when his eyes met Aunt Martha’s, she winked at him, which made him laugh. It was a low, pleasant sounding laugh and Melinda suddenly turned her head and looked at Gilbert in a questioning manner, but he only shrugged and smiled.

  “So, where are you going for Christmas, Melinda?” he asked.

  “Back to Boston. I leave tomorrow morning.”

  “That’s near the ocean, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, the Atlantic.”

  “Do you get snow there?”

  “Yes, but not like this. I’ve never seen such deep snow as this before. And the mountains? Goodness. We don’t have mountains in Boston. There are beauties here that I never imagined.”

  Gilbert smiled. He loved this area, living in the Rocky Mountains. People called it the Wild West because it had not been tamed. But many moved to the West for peace of mind, away from the noises and humdrum of city life. There was something peaceful about the West, yet exciting at the same time. There was a touch of danger to those who were not used to the West, but they soon learned how to deal with it. Paris was Gilbert’s home and he was proud of it.

  After supper was over, Melinda sat at the piano and played Christmas carols while everyone lounged in chairs and sang along. After a while, Gilbert stood and walked over to the piano and watched Melinda’s hands dance gracefully across the keys as he sang. His deep, rich baritone voice rang through the room and Melinda was very surprised that this rugged rancher had such a lovely voice. She was learning more about him each time he came over for Sunday dinner, which was nearly every week. For some reason, Aunt Martha had taken him under her wing and he was becoming a regular guest in the home.

  When the song came to an end, she turned in her seat and looked up into his face. “You have a lovely voice.”

  Gilbert could see the surprise in her eyes and hear it in her voice. He raised his eyebrows and said jokingly, “Thanks. I sing to my cows so they’ll give me more milk.”

  Melinda laughed at the thought of Gilbert singing to his cows. “Now that’s something I would like to see.”

&nbs
p; Gilbert enjoyed her delightful laughter and noticed that her eyes glowed with happiness. Her charm was like a fairy gift from angels. And she had an ethereal beauty about her that made it difficult to stop gazing at her. Was it because it was Christmas that made her seem lovelier to him? Was it his imagination that she was more at ease around him or were they just getting to know one another better? He had noticed his attraction toward her was growing with each visit and he looked forward to every Sunday meal at Martha’s home.

  “Mr. Roberts, have you heard of ‘Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains’?”

  “Yes, I have. And please call me Gilbert.”

  She smiled but didn’t respond to his request. “Did you know that it was composed by John Macfarlane from St. George, Utah?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  Gilbert was amused that Melinda would underestimate his knowledge of music. He did not know the classical composers and music like Melinda did, but when it came to Christmas music he had no competition. Christmas was one of his favorite times of the year. He did know one classical composer, though, and that was Handel because he had written “Joy to the World.”

  With sort of a bragging tone, he said, “In fact, Melinda, did you know that he woke up in the middle of the night with the tune and words in his head?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “It was so strong that he couldn’t go back to sleep, so he woke his wife up and asked her to help him. He played and sang the song as his wife wrote down each note and word. They stayed up all night until they finished the song.”

  Melinda’s eyes lit up. “I didn’t know that.”

  “He died four years ago in 1892.”

  “I didn’t know that, either.” She smiled. “Do you want to sing it with me?”

  Gilbert nodded and she turned back to the piano, flipped the page over, and began playing.

  Gilbert’s rich baritone voice blended beautifully with Melinda’s mellow alto voice. The blend of harmony was so beautiful and each word was sung with such feeling that a hush came over the room as they sang.