Grasping Emma’s hand, the woman led her forward. “I’m Mrs. Berger, but you must call me Mae.” Without pausing, she added “and who are you?”
“How do you do?” Emma finally got to speak. “I’m Emma Cooper, and yes we did just arrive with the latest wagon train. I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Well, then, Emma, what can I help you with?” Mae moved behind the counter and smiled brightly. Again, before Emma got a chance to speak, she added, “and I see you’re expecting a little one? Oh, how wonderful. Is this your first? I guess you’ll be needing things for the baby soon also. Unless you’ve been preparing for the little one along the way, although that doesn’t seem likely. I know so many of the people who came across on the wagon trains. Such a hard time they had. Very difficult, especially for the poor women.”
Emma wondered if Mrs. Berger would faint from lack of air just as the woman’s tirade came to an abrupt stop and she looked expectantly at her.
“Ah, no.” Startled by the sudden silence, Emma added, “I haven’t done anything for the baby yet. It was hard work and wearying traveling all that distance, but I have a few months yet. Right now I need to get some supplies for my husband and myself.”
“Yes, yes, of course, and we’ll fix you right up. And when the time comes, I have some lovely flannel that will make wonderful diapers and sleeping sacks for your baby.” She reached out a pudgy hand and patted Emma’s arm.
Emma produced the list of things she’d composed on the rickety desk in the hotel room. Entertained with cheerful chatter from Mrs. Berger, or Mae as she wanted to be called, Emma wandered around the store, choosing items. Within a short time, the counter was loaded with her selections.
While Mae tallied up the total, she continued her monologue, telling stories and relating bits of gossip about people Emma didn’t know. She merely nodded and smiled in her direction.
“Dear, I’ll have Mr. Berger load these things into your wagon when you’re ready.” She grunted as she lifted a heavy bag of flour onto the counter.
“That will be fine, Mrs. Berger, ah, Mae. My husband took the wagon to replace one of the wheels.”
* * *
Davis stopped the wagon in front of the blacksmith shop. He hopped down and entered the dark, hot structure. A man the size of a grizzly, with long hair, a bushy mustache and a patch over one eye looked up, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a massive arm. In the other hand he held a glowing piece of metal.
“Howdy. I’ll be right with you.” He continued to work with the piece of metal until he was satisfied, and then wiping his hands on his long leather apron, ambled toward Davis and stuck out a huge hand.
“I’m Seth Campbell. How can I help ya?” He continued to swipe his forehead.
“Hi, the name’s Davis Cooper. My wife and I just arrived on the wagon train. I have a wheel here that’s ready to fall apart. Can you help me with that?” Davis hoisted the ragged wheel onto the counter that separated customers from the hot, dirty work of smithing. “If an iron band around it would keep it together, that would be good, but if not, maybe you can direct me to where I can get another one.”
“That’s a sad looking piece, all right.” Seth examined the wheel, turning it one way and then another. “Are ya planning on keeping the wagon, then? Some of the emigrants sell theirs when they get here.”
“No, we’ll need it to live in until I can get a cabin raised. Then I plan to take the canvas off, and use it to haul hay and supplies.” Davis used his bandana to also mop his forehead of sweat coming from the heat blazing behind Seth.
“Well, I can fix it for ya. Just leave it, and I can get it done in a couple a hours.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.” Davis turned to leave, then snapped his fingers. “I also need to hire a couple of hands to help get my cabin built. My wife is expecting, and I prefer to have her inside as quickly as possible with the winter coming on. Where’s the best place to pick up a couple of men?”
“You’ll be sure to find plenty of no accounts hanging around.” He let loose with a hearty laugh. “But if you want a couple of honest, hard-working men, I can recommend my two brothers, Caleb and Joshua. They both just came home from the army, and when my ma gets done spoilin’ them, they’ll need to earn a living.” He smiled at this last, which led Davis to believe not just his ma was happy to see them home in one piece.
“That would be great. My wife’s over at the mercantile right now loadin’ up on supplies. Then we’re headed to the hotel where we have a room. Can you have your brothers meet me there when the wheel is finished? I want to get started as soon as possible.”
“I’ll have them put the wheel on your wagon and meet you and your wife at the hotel in a couple of hours. Say, three o’clock?”
“That’s perfect. I’ll see them over there. And thanks. Oh, and what do I owe you for the wheel?” He reached in his pocket and withdrew a wad a folded bills.
“Tell you what, since you’re giving my brothers work, the wheel fixing’s on me.”
Pleased with the way his morning went, Davis left the sweltering shop for the cool afternoon air and headed to the mercantile. Emma was just finishing up her business with a jovial looking woman behind the counter. He strolled up behind his wife and touched her arm.
Emma glanced over her shoulder and nodded in the direction of the older woman. “This is Mrs. Berger, who wants to be called Mae.” Emma’s eyes glowed with humor. “She and her husband own the mercantile. Mae, this is my husband, Davis.”
Davis nodded in the direction of the woman. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Berger.”
“You must also call me Mae.” She looked up from the bill she was totaling and wagged her finger. “Your lovely wife tells me you’re settling in Willamette Valley? Such a wonderful place to raise a family, which I see you and your wife have already started on.” She spoke bluntly on a subject most women danced around. “Mr. Berger and I have four sons, all grown now and moved away. We keep hoping one of them will come back to help in the store, but they like the idea of wandering around, which drives Mr. Berger crazy.
“You and your charming wife must come for dinner sometime soon. We would love to introduce you to our city, and help you settle in. How would Sunday be? And do you go to church? We belong to a lovely church, and would be happy to have you join us.” He flinched when he realized she had stopped talking and was waving the totaled invoice at him.
Reaching in his pocket, he withdrew some bills. Amidst stories of other townsfolk, and tales of the escapades of her sons, Mrs. Berger assured them she would hold all their purchases right there on the counter until they returned later in the afternoon with their wagon to pick them up. At that time, she hoped they could set a day for them to join her and Mr. Berger for dinner.
Holding back a grin and tugging on his hat, Davis guided Emma out the door into the bright sunshine. They had only gone a few steps when they both burst out laughing.
Davis handed her his handkerchief so she could wipe the tears from her eyes.
“I have one question about Mrs. Berger, darlin’.” He grinned.
“What’s that?”
“When does the woman breathe?”
19
Caleb and Joshua Campbell arrived bright and early at the hotel where Davis and Emma stayed the night before. After the meeting with them the day before, Davis had decided to visit the lumber mill. He was pleased to learn from the Campbell brothers there was a lumber mill in Oregon City, which would save them a lot of work in building the house.
“Just think, honey,” Davis said excitedly as they readied to meet with the men. “We can have a much finer house if we use lumber from a mill instead of having to cut down trees and make a log cabin.”
“I would have been happy with a log cabin, anything with walls. I’m tired of living out of the wagon.” She braided her hair, and wrapped it around her head, anchoring the heavy mass with hairpins.
“This will save a lot of time, too. I really wanted something
up before winter, and now it looks like we’ll be able to do that. And using cut lumber, we can make it bigger, so we won’t have to add onto it for a while.”
Finished checking the mirror to inspect the ties of her bonnet, Emma grabbed her wool cape and joined Davis at the door of the room. After tugging on her gloves, she retrieved her reticule from the sagging dresser and smiled brightly. “Let’s go. I’m ready.”
The hotel dining room hummed with visitors and locals. They spotted Caleb and Joshua, then joined them at their table. Both men had large platters of eggs, ham, potatoes and biscuits in front of them. They rose from their seats as they spotted the Coopers coming across the room.
“Oh, please, sit and eat your meal.” Emma waved to their plates as Davis pulled out a chair for her.
Soon a young girl arrived with more coffee for the brothers. “What can I get for ya?
“I’ll just have some toast and coffee,” Emma said.
Pointing to the food quickly disappearing into his tablemates’ mouths, Davis said, “You can bring me what they have. And plenty of coffee.” He turned to Emma. “Don’t you want more than that, honey?” He leaned close to her ear. “You’re eating for two, you know.”
She blushed and glanced at the brothers who seemed to not have heard his comment. “I’ll have scrambled eggs, too.”
The waitress nodded, then stopped at a nearby table to refill coffee cups before returning to the kitchen.
Davis settled back in his chair and crossed his arms. “So how far is this lumber mill?”
“It’s out at Willamette Falls, just north of the city.” Caleb stopped eating long enough to answer. “David Bidwell runs the place for the owner, Hudson Bay Company. I’ve worked with Bidwell before. He’s a reasonable guy; I think you’ll do okay with him.”
Finished with his meal, Caleb pushed his plate away, and pulled his coffee cup closer. Both Caleb and Joshua resembled their older brother in their massive size. Davis wondered what the parents looked like to have such huge sons. But he was glad to have these giants working for him.
* * *
One reason Oregon Territory attracted so many emigrants was the weather. Winters were mild, summers not too hot. Late October brought chilled temperatures and rain.
A fine mist settled on their faces as the small group rode out to the lumber mill in a rented buggy. Emma snuggled under a warm blanket, tucked close in next to Davis. They occupied the back seat, with Caleb and Joshua up front.
The beautiful colors of autumn were fading fast as winter loomed closer. A recent windy day took most of the dried up dangling leaves off the trees, leaving them looking bare and forlorn.
Buzzing of the saws reached them long before they saw the bustling lumber mill. Dozens of men swarmed around as they went about their work. Rounding the bend, they came upon the bunkhouses where the lumberjacks lived. Most were big, blond, and fair skinned.
“These men come here from the Scandinavian countries.” Joshua turned, and shouted over the noise. “They’re a hard drinking, hard-working crew who faced dangers every day. Not unheard of to end up crushed under a tree, or lose a foot to a poorly aimed axe.” He steered the buggy to a flat, long building, and pulled the horses to a stop.
As the group climbed out, a man dressed in a flannel shirt and canvas pants held up by suspenders ambled toward them. He was a big man, but still dwarfed by the Campbell brothers.
“Howdy folks, the name’s Joseph Hastings.” He stuck out his hand and shook with the three men. “What can I do for ya?” Looking in Emma’s direction, he nodded his head. “Ma’am.”
“I’m Davis Cooper, Mr. Hastings, and this is my wife, Emma, and Caleb and Joshua Campbell. We’re needing lumber to build a house. I have plenty of trees on my property, but since I’d like to get something up before winter, we’d like to purchase our lumber from you.”
“Where ya settling in?” Joseph shifted a wad of tobacco from one cheek to the other.
“We claimed land out in Willamette County. Just arrived a couple of days ago, and anxious to get started.”
“Well, I’m sure we can fix you up. Mr. Bidwell usually does the figuring, but he’s laid up with an injury right now. Let’s go into his office and we’ll see what we can do for you and your misses.”
He nodded again in Emma’s direction. “Ma’am, with all the cussin’ goin’ on, this ain’t the best place for a lady, so if you’ll step this way, we’ll try to get this done as quickly as possible.”
The group followed Joseph to the squat building. Two wooden desks, scarred from age, ate up most of the space. Four kerosene lamps provided the room with scant light. A small stove sat in a corner with a cheerful, blazing fire. Davis walked Emma over to one of the chairs in front of the stove.
“Keep your coat on,” he said as he settled her in the chair, “we won’t be long, and you’ll stay warmer that way.”
Another older man sat at one of the desks, pouring over paperwork. He didn’t look up as they all entered, and continued to ignore them as they conducted their business.
“Now, Mr. Cooper, tell me what size you’re wanting this house of yours to be.” Joseph moved around behind his desk and sat on a chair that looked like it wouldn’t hold his weight for long.
Davis produced a piece of paper from his pocket. “This is a drawing of what we would like to have. Caleb and Joshua will be helping me get it built.” They all huddled around the drawings, making comments and suggestions, and eventually Joseph took out pencil and paper and began scratching figures.
Emma relaxed by the fire and let her mind wander. A home of her own, finally. Even though she and Peter had a nice farmhouse in Indiana, it had been Peter’s grandmother’s and he didn’t want Emma to change anything about it. Even her new curtains and oilcloth for the table weren’t well received. Now she could decorate any way she wanted.
She mentally went over the things they were able to bring with them, and what they would still need to either buy or have built. She just hoped it would be completed before the baby came. She still needed to get diapers and gowns made. Trying to accomplish that while still living in the wagon would be a challenge.
About an hour after they’d sat down, Davis stood, shook hands with Joseph and strode to where Emma sat.
“Time to go, darlin’. Joshua went to fetch the buggy.” He took her arm in his and headed toward the door.
“Thank you for your help, Mr. Hastings.” Davis tugged on the brim of his hat. “I look forward to doing business with you.”
Davis and Emma climbed in the back of the buggy and they headed to town. Davis, Caleb and Joshua talked all the way back, making plans to start as soon as the lumber arrived in two days. Davis instructed them to pick up the necessary hammer, nails and other building supplies they would need. He had already stopped by the supply store and set up an account in his name they could charge the items to.
A stop at the mercantile to get the flannel she would need to make the diapers seemed like a good idea. Even though she would be living in the wagon, she could use the time in between her chores to start on that project.
The small bell that hung over the door of the comforting store chimed softly as she entered. Mae waved her hands around, speaking with a customer who slowly backed away toward the door, most likely planning her escape. When Mae glanced up and saw Emma, she stopped and gave her a big smile.
“Hello, Emma. It’s so good to see you. How have you been, and how are you feeling?” As she came around the counter to greet her, the customer scooted past Emma and made a quick exit from the store.
Mae gave Emma a big hug. “You’re looking well, Emma. Come on to the back of the store, and I’ll fix you a nice cup of tea.”
“But what about your customers?” Emma eyed the space as Mrs. Berger spirited her through the curtain that separated the living area from the store.
“Oh, not to worry, little mama, I’ll send Hans out to keep watch. He’s in the back checking supplies. It will do him good to go
out front once in a while anyway. That’s the part of being a storeowner he hates the most. But, I say, if you’re going to run a store, you have to look at the customers in the eye now and again.” She laughed heartily. “So, take off your coat and sit down; I’ll put on the water for tea.”
She ushered Emma to a chair, then hurrying to the section behind the staircase called out to her husband. “Hans, you must come out here and watch the store while I have tea with Mrs. Cooper.”
A grunted response followed.
“Now, Hans, you need to see to customers. I’m going to be busy. Come now.”
“Mae, I don’t need a cup of tea, if it will be a problem.” Emma darted a glance down the dim hallway.
Mae waved her hand in the general direction of Hans. “Ouch, not to worry, missy, he always fusses when I ask him to do that. Now tell me what’s been going on with you and your handsome husband. Did he start your house yet?” She bustled around getting out the tea things, placing a plate of cookies on the table, along with teacups, a pitcher of milk and sugar.
As Emma opened her mouth to respond, Mae added “So handsome is that husband of yours.” She placed her hand over her heart. “I remember when my Hans was young like that. He was a big, strapping young man. All the girls in our village flirted with him, but it was me he asked to court. Oh, the girls were all so jealous.” Her eyes shined as she remembered her conquest. She shook her head, and gave a sigh. “So, Emma, tell me, what’s going on with your new house?”
Finally able to get in a word, Emma told Mae about their visit to the lumber mill that morning. She described the layout of the house they had drawn up together, and how Caleb and Joshua Campbell were helping Davis with the building.
“It’s nice to have help with the house,” Mae broke in, “that way you can get settled before the baby comes. And those Campbell boys are hard workers. Just got out of the army, did the two younger ones.”
Oregon Trail Boxed Set Page 17
