They were in town for three days. Jessie wanted to stay longer to make sure Missy was better before they left but Missy made him see if they wanted to get to Texas before the end of the year, they needed to keep going. She was getting better every day. The woman at the boarding house had given her some medicine she used for the fever and it worked on Missy.
On the morning of the fourth day, they were up early and stopped at the general store and took on more supplies and extra blankets before starting out once more toward the state of Texas and their new home.
This year it seemed summer went straight into winter. The first snow came in late September. After the first snow, it seemed to be all winter. Jessie said they needed to get across the river before the weather was cold and the water would freeze. Missy thought it better to let it freeze and ride across it. Jessie told her they would fall through the ice and it would take days and days of very cold temperatures to freeze it hard enough to drive across and that would be a gamble.
They arrived at the river, knowing once they crossed it, Texas wasn’t far away. They camped by the edge of the river and had fresh fish Jessie had caught for supper. Missy thought she had cooked enough fish to last the rest of the trip.
While she was cooking the fish, Jessie was busy tying up their supplies near the top of the wagon to keep them dry while they crossed the river. That night neither of them slept, both worrying about the crossing. Jessie hoped it wouldn’t rain or snow so the water wouldn’t get any higher than it already was. It was higher than in summer but winter didn’t usually set in until late October, this year it was September.
They were lucky it didn’t rain or snow and the next morning Jessie had Missy ride up front with him after making sure all the supplies were still tightly tied up. Then he slowly started the horses into the cold water. Once they were in the water, everything was good until they reached the middle of the river. There, the water was swifter and the horses were afraid. Jessie gave Missy the reins and told her to keep trying to make the horses move.
“What are you going to do Jessie,” Missy asked.
“I have to go into the water in front of the horses and lead them through the swift water.”
“Why?”
“Because the horses are afraid and if I don’t do this they won’t move at all.”
“Okay.”
Jessie inched his was down into the freezing water and made his way to the front of the horses and slowly they moved forward one step at a time. By the time they were on the other side of the river, Jessie’s legs and feet were numb. Once on dry land, Missy made him get out of his wet clothes and she wrapped his feet and legs in sacks, then heated them beside him with some cool embers from the fire. She made him stay in the wagon and she drove on, stopping about every hour and rewrapping his feet and legs. As his limbs began to warm a little, Missy took more ashes from the fire she had started to make supper and placed them near his feet once more. Jessie told her he was alright but he knew he could have lost his feet if she hadn’t wrapped them to keep them from frost bite.
At another point in their journey, some robbers took all their food at gun point. They had been lucky enough to run upon a wagon train headed for California. Several days after they had been traveling with the wagon train, they were camped in a large opening with the wagons in a circle. Tonight there was going to be a wedding and a party afterward. Missy had spent all day washing and drying her best dress which had been her wedding dress as well. She had also washed out Jessie’s best suit, the one he had married her in. She wanted both of them to look their best at this wedding.
The cook on the wagon train had been roasting a pig and a bear someone had killed. Most of the women had been baking pies and bread all day so there would be plenty of food.
Missy put some of the hot water left from her clothes into a tub for bathing. She had just replaced her petticoat after bathing when Jessie came into the wagon.
“You came in time,” Missy told him. “Here’s the bath water.”
Jessie smiled at her. “Okay, if you think I need to.”
“I do,” she kissed him gently on the lips. Then as he tried to pull her closer she laughed and pushed him away. “Bath, Jessie.”
Missy finished getting dressed while Jessie took his bath. After she put on her shoes, she walked outside the wagon and called to the woman in the next wagon to help her with her hair. Together they pulled it onto her head and held it with pins.
She walked back to her own wagon knowing Jessie would need her to help with his shirt and tie. He was slipping into his britches as she stepped into the wagon. She held his shirt for him and helped him button it and fix his tie.
“You look very handsome Jessie,” she told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him more than once. They held each other close for a minute before they heard the wagon master call it was time for the wedding to start. Missy leaned close to Jessie’s ear and said softly,
“I love you Jessie James McCoy.”
Jessie smiled at her as he gently touched her face.
“I love you too Missy McCoy,” then he helped her from the wagon and they walked arm in arm to the center of the wagons.
The wedding went off without a hitch and everyone dove into the food. Then someone took out a fiddle and another began to play a French harp, while yet another man began to play the bottom of a large pot. The bride and groom began to dance and soon almost all the couples on the wagon train were dancing and so were Missy and Jessie. They had been dancing for about half an hour when Jessie spotted a movement on the hill to the left. He had Missy get something for them to drink and he spoke to the wagon master.
“Looks like it could be Indians,” Jessie told him.
Between Jessie, the wagon master, and the second in command, they found there were Indians on the hill but only a few braves. As they watched, more gathered, and within an hour there were over twenty five or so on the hill.
“What will happen,” Jessie asked the wagon master.
“Maybe nothing,” the other man answered. “Let’s not excite anyone. If we don’t act like they are there, most of the time they go away.”
Jessie wasn’t too worried after the talk with the wagon master and even though the party continued, before long the Indians were gone. It was well after midnight before the party died down and by the time Jessie and Missy made their way to their wagon, the Indians had been gone for hours. The wagon master said he didn’t think there was any danger but he was having some men watch all night anyway to be on the safe side.
Both Jessie and Missy slept late the next morning for when Jessie awoke the sun shone into the wagon. It felt warm even though it was late fall and the weather had been cold and snowy. Jessie rolled over and looked at Missy while she slept. Most of her hair had fallen down and was lying on her face. He took his hand and gently brushed the hair from her face. He liked watching her sleep and he thought she was so beautiful. He thanked God he had found Missy so early in his life. He had often heard his father talk about his mother being the love of his life and now he knew what he had meant. He believed he had fallen in love with Missy the first minute he had seen her. He was a lucky man.
He got up and jumped out of the wagon and once outside, it wasn’t as warm as it had felt inside. He went to the chuck wagon and fixed two plates of breakfast and carried them back to the wagon where Missy was sitting up.
“You got breakfast, how sweet,” she said.
“I did, here,” Jessie handed her one of the plates and together they ate the food Jessie had brought.
Later that day they took a walk arm in arm and it was a wonderful evening just spending time together. They turned in early that night still tired from being up so late the night before. Besides, tomorrow the wagon train would began to travel again. They had only stopped for two days for the wedding. Both Jessie and Missy knew they would be up before dawn.
Sometime after midnight Jessie woke up to the sound of the wagon master’s voice.<
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“Jessie, wake up. We have Indians getting ready to attack.”
Jessie could hear the Indian drums. Missy awoke beside him. He looked outside as Missy sat up.
“What’s happening?” She could hear the beat of the drums in her ears. “Jessie?”
“Missy,” Jessie came to her. “Get up quickly and crawl under the wagon, you will be safe there.”
“Jessie,” she caught his arm. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Missy.” He helped her out of the wagon and waited until she was under it before taking his gun. Keeping as low as he could, he made his way toward the wagon master and the other men.
Once all the men were gathered together, the wagon master told them that when the Indians came in close enough, to begin shooting on his command. They listened to the beating of the drums as they slowly grew louder. They could see the fire from the sticks the Indians were holding as they came closer and closer. The war hoops were almost deafening when finally the wagon master gave the order to fire. The guns were loud also and the Indians hit the ground hard and fast with their sticks of fire falling with them.
Somehow a few came close enough to throw their flaming sticks at a wagon. The wagon began to burn and some of the men ran to put it out while the rest were still shooting at the Indians. It seemed to end as quickly as it had begun. The Indians began to retreat back toward the hill leaving behind their dead.
* * * * * * * *
Missy, scared and shaking, sat behind the wheel of the wagon hugging her knees, tears running down her face. She was so afraid Jessie would be hurt or worse. As she listened to the drums growing louder and louder, she noticed the woman from the next wagon, whose name was Alice, was still inside the wagon.
Missy slid to the edge at the end of the wagon and looked out.
“Alice, get over here, hurry,” she called to the other woman.
She watched as Alice slid under the wagon with her. They hugged each other and suddenly the guns were going off and Indians were yelling. Missy and Alice huddled close together behind the back wheel of the wagon for what seemed to be forever. Missy had never been in an Indian attack before and Alice hadn’t either so they were both scared. They huddled close until finally Missy whispered,
“Listen, I don’t hear anything.”
“Me either,” Alice whispered back.
They wanted to leave and find their husbands but Missy said that when everything was safe they would find them. It seemed like hours they sat together behind the wheel, shivering from the cold and afraid to talk in case an Indian might be close by. Finally, Missy could hear Jessie calling her name and Alice’s husband poked his head under the wagon and Alice crawled to him. Missy came from under the wagon as Jessie rounded the rear wheel. She ran into his arms.
“I was so scared Jessie.”
“Everything’s alright, are you?”
“Yes, just frightened.”
They held each other close for a long time before Missy pulled away and asked,
“Is anyone hurt?”
“Several of the men are burned a little but not bad. One of the wagons caught on fire but we got it out.”
“I’m so glad Jessie. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, everyone’s turning in for the night and so should we.”
The rest of the night Missy heard every sound and jumped up. Jessie told her some of the fellows were keeping watch in case the Indians came back, but she knew she would not rest until they were away from there. Early in the morning, as soon as it was light enough to see, the wagon train pulled out and Missy laid down in the back of the wagon and slept peacefully for several hours. On the third day after the Indian attack, Jessie and Missy left the wagon train and headed for Texas. The wagon master had sent enough food with them to get them to Texas. The winter nights were getting colder, but finally they entered the state of Texas. Missy asked once how they would know when they would be home. Jessie smiled and told her somehow they would both know and he was right.
The weather was cold and the next day Missy was tired of staying inside the wagon so she wrapped herself in a heavy overcoat and went up front with Jessie. She watched as they traveled along the road. It was snowing a little and Missy tried to catch some on her tongue but she couldn’t. Then she saw a sign hanging on a tree.
“Look Jessie, a town.”
The sign said: WELCOME TO REDWOOD, FRIENDLIEST TOWN IN TEXAS. Missy laughed for the sign was on a large redwood tree and as they came closer into town they could see redwood trees everywhere. The town was sure named right. The town was small and there were only a few buildings. There was a general store, a saloon, and a sheriff’s office. Several of the men were putting up another building which later they found out would become a bank.
Jessie stopped the wagon in front of the saloon and helped Missy out. She looked around and told Jessie she was going into the general store. He nodded and walked into the saloon. There weren’t many men at all and no girls or maybe it was too early for the girls. He walked up to the bar and said,
“I’ll have a shot of whiskey.”
The barkeeper poured whiskey into a glass and pushed it toward Jessie.
“Where’ ya headed young feller,” he asked putting the bottle back under the bar.
“Don’t know yet. My wife and I are looking to buy a ranch somewhere here in Texas,” Jessie downed the whiskey and pushed the glass aside.
“You’re in luck. Old Mr. White has a ranch he is trying to sell if you would like to look at it. You see, the Indians burned them out and they are leaving for a safer place to live.”
It sounded like a good deal to Jessie and he and Missy rode out to see the one hundred eighty seven acres of good rich farm land. Both Jessie and Missy loved it right away and so they bought it.
At first they had to live in the covered wagon to get through the rest of winter, then one day Missy woke up to the sound of an axe and people talking. She jumped out of the wagon. There were men everywhere. Some were chopping trees not far from the wagon. Some were sawing logs already cut and trimmed. Jessie spotted her and ran over.
“Missy, these are our friends and they are giving us a house and barn raising. All the wives are over there,” he pointed to his left where at least ten women were gathered around a table someone had brought. An open fire with a large black pot wasn’t far from the table.
“Oh Jessie, that’s great. We will have a house and barn in no time.” She kissed him sweetly. “I’ll go help cook.”
He watched as she ran toward the women, smiling to himself. He was so lucky to have found someone like Missy. His heart swelled as he watched and didn’t believe he could had loved her more than he did at that moment.
With the help of their friends, the house and barn were finished in five days. The last day, they threw a party. Someone brought some homemade whiskey. Jessie offered Missy the jug but she shook her head. He looked at her strangely.
“What’s wrong,” he asked.
“Nothing’s wrong. Everything’s right. We’re having a baby,” Missy didn’t know what Jessie would do or say or how he would act.
“A baby. Waahaa, everyone, we’re having a baby. Drinks are on me.” He picked Missy up and twirled her around laughing. Missy laughed too, and the party lasted for two more days.
Not long after, Jessie came home from town with something wrapped in a sack and yelling for Missy to come outside.
“What is it Jessie,” she asked as she came out of the house.
“Open it,” Jessie took it from the horse and handed it to her.
Missy unwrapped the cloth to discover a small sapling.
“Oh, Jessie it’s wonderful.”
“It’s an oak tree. It will grow to mark our lives together.
“Where are we going to plant it,” Missy asked.
“How about over there,” he pointed to a place on the left side of the yard.
“Wonderful.” Missy gave him a hug and picked up the water bucket as
he took the tree from her. By the time she had fetched the water from the creek, Jessie had the hole dug and together they planted the small sapling that would grow into an oak tree.
“Do you think it will live long,” Missy asked him.
“As long as our love lasts,” he told her as he picked her up in his arms and carried her into the house.
CHAPTER 2
Jessie woke up one morning in the early fall to someone beating on the door.
“Coming,” Jessie sat up on the bed and pulled on his britches.
Missy sat up holding her belly and said sleepily,
“Who is it Jessie?”
Jessie leaned over and kissed her.
“Don’t know. I’ll go find out. Go back to sleep.”
It was in fact still dark out and Jessie lit the lamp on the table before he opened the door.
“Mr. Brown, what’s wrong?”
The man from the next farm was standing at his door and behind him was his wife.
“Jessie, Grace is missing. We have been looking for her everywhere but she is not on our farm anywhere,” Mr. Brown told him.
Grace was the Brown’s little seven year old daughter. Most of the time she was a quiet child and stayed behind her mother’s dress tails. She liked Missy and Jessie too because they played with her and Jessie took her riding on his horse with him.
Missy came to stand behind her husband.
“Come on in. How can we help you?”
“I need you to come with me and help look for her Jessie,” Mr. Brown said. “Carolyn will stay here with Missy while we are gone.”
“What if Grace comes back home? Is anyone there if she does,” Missy asked.
Mr. and Mrs. Brown looked at each other and it was plain to see that neither of them had thought of that. Mr. Brown said,
Portals of Time Page 2
