The characters and events in this story are fictional and any resemblance to real people is purely co-incidental. The following story may contain sexual or reference to sexual situations. If this is illegal in your area, you are underage or you find it objectionable, do not read any farther and exit now.tomsims563@yahoo.com Have you made a donation to Nifty" If you have thank you!http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html Headed WestChapter 4We were finally on our way once again. We were making very good time and should reach the Willamette Valley before winter. Hopeful we would be there for the fall harvest. We wanted to get our fruits and vegetables and get them preserved for the coming winter along with our meat supply.
One day Betty and I were talking. I discovered that she played the organ. I asked her if she would like to play some evening and she said yes. After the next day's travel Willie, Jimmy, Gerald and I unloaded the organ and Betty came over with a church hymnal and started playing. Soon the whole camp had formed a semi-circle around her.Betty started playing the old favorite hymn, Amazing Grace. Gerald, Jimmy and Jeff started singing and then the whole camp joined them, We sang for two more hours and then someone said we had all better turn in or we would never get out of bed in the morning.
Reverend Baker asked if the boys would sing at the church services on Sunday and if they would lead the singing. All of them beamed with pride and said they would be most happy to do so. This became their job every Sunday at the church service..
We made good time and got over the Rocky Mountains and Cascade Mountains. We had made it into the Willamette Valley before winter. Fall was just starting and this was the beginning of the harvest season. Everyone in the wagon train was able to secure jobs . Most of us took our pay in the form of fruits , vegetables, and meat for the coming winter. We worked all day and then half the night canning vegetables and fruits, smoking and curing meat, making jams and preserves. Every man, woman , and child pitched in with the work. Our first winter would be easier than expected.
Slowly the people from the wagon train started leaving the area and looking for places of their own. Mary Ann and I put the word out that we were looking for several places to buy. That Sunday, after church services one of the men from the community came up to us.
"Mary Ann and Charles, my wife and I just received news that a good friend of ours passed away. His wife has a large place, 400 acres, with two houses on it for sale. She wants to move closer to her daughter. If you are interested , we could take you there and let you look it over." "You say it has 400 acres and has two houses. It sounds like we could divide the place into two. How big are the houses?"
"One house has three bedrooms. However, the other one is very large and I know that it has at lease 4 bedrooms. I have never been upstairs. Yes, you could divide the property and make two farms out of it. Our friend, bought his neighbor out when he decided to move to California. You know that stupid gold rush put a lot of good places on the market!"
"We certainly would be interested in looking at the place. I would like to find something before winter. How long would it take for us to get there?"
"It would take two days. We would have to spend a night on the road. We could leave in the morning if you would like. I can get my son to come over and do the chores while we are gone."
"Sounds good to me. All we would have to do is hitch the teams to the wagons and crack the whip. Let's plan on leaving near sunrise."
We decided to take all our wagons and livestock with us. Every one in my party left with me. If we decided not to take the place, then we could look for another in the area. By taking everything with us, we would not have to return to pick it up. This way we could get by with just one way trip.
We were pleasantly surprised with the farm. There is a creek running down the middle of it and Mrs. Brown, the owner said it had some of the best fishing in the whole territory. We discovered that the property joined some wilderness land which had lots of game animals on it. Mrs. Brown told us that it was open for homesteading and that we could run lots of cattle on it.
The big house had 4 bedrooms, three upstairs and one down. Much to our surprise both places had hand water pumps inside. This is exactly what we were looking for.
A couple of neighbors were on hand to show the places to us. We decided to saddle the horses and take the easy way of looking at the places. We were totally impressed. When we returned, Mrs. Brown had a large cake waiting for us and hot coffee an and cocoa for the kids which we had left with Mrs. Brown.
"I am not a business woman, so I asked my neighbors to come help. So I will just turn it over to them and let them explained all the details and answer questions. I will just be a listener."
They told us that the whole 400 acres and both house came as one package. I was impressed with the asking price which seemed like a fair one to me. For an additional sum, all the equipment, furniture, and animals would be included. Mrs. Brown wanted only her personal things, bedding, linens, and memorabilia
"Mrs. Brown, this will be a cash deal. Right now, we would like to talk it over. May we use your porch swing and you will have our answer very shortly.
"You certainly may and don't rush."
"Mrs. Brown, in a few minutes you will be homeless. We have decided to buy you out.""I am glad! You see, I have my wagon all ready to go. I have a home waiting for me at my daughter's. You know I am just going to spoil my grandkids completely rotten."
"Aren't you going to take your piano?"
"No, it takes up to much space and my daughter already has one. I don't play much any more. My old fingers are getting so they don't work much any more. After ten minutes of playing, I can't pick up anything and the pain almost kills me. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did."
"Thank you very much! Betty, which do you want the organ or the piano? Your choice, however, you will have to give Mary Ann and me lessons. The kids will have to wait until they get a little older."
"Kids are never to young to learn piano. I'll give you lesson and then you can teach the kids. I'll take the organ since the piano is already in the house. No sense in moving both of them twice. Moving the organ once will be enough. I have never played a piano, even though the same keyboard is used for both.
"Charles, come with me. I have a gift for you!" stated Mrs. Brown.
We went into the first bedroom which was being used for a store room. Mrs. Brown told me to pick up a box and take it out to the piano. When I opened it, I found that it was full of hymnals and sheet music. Betty let out a squeal and grabbed Mrs. Brown and gave her a great big hug.
"There is another box of hymnals in the same room. I forgot that I had them. I know the church is need of some new ones because theirs are almost warn out. I'll let you take the books over to the church."
"Mrs. Brown, do you have a hammer and I will go and get your money.?
"Yes, but why do you need a hammer?"
"I have a barrel full of my parents and grandparents dishes in the wagon. In the bottom of the barrel is all my money.""I will get a wheelbarrow out of the barn and help you bring the barrel in here." said Jack, one of the neighbors.
"I'll help," said the other. "Just show us which barrel and we'll do all the work."
"I'll go to the shed and get the hammer." said Mrs. Brown.
"Can I go with you?" asked LeAnne.
"May I go with you and yes, you may!" smiled Mrs. Brown.
Soon the barrel was open and the dishes unwrapped and stacked on the table. I took all the old dried up hay out and put it in the fireplace. I lifted a sack of money out of the barrel. I open the bag and counted out Mrs. Brown's money. She wrote me out a bill of sale for everything on the place and signed the deed. The two neighbors signed as witnesses .
"All I have left to do is hitch the horses to the wagon and I'll be on my way."
"Mrs. Brown, I am not going to let you drive that team of horses all the way by yourself, especially with that bag of money that you are holding. Larry, please stop by my house and tell Sharon that I am helping Mrs. Brown move and that I'll be back in two days or so."
"I can do that!"
"Thanks! Mrs. Brown, we had better get a move on if we are going to make any distance before nightfall."
We all said our good byes and gave Mrs. Brown a big hug and she was off with tears in her eyes.
"Willie, let's get my wagons unloaded and then I can go to your place and help you. With all of this help, we should have the wagons unloaded in nothing flat."
Finally, the wagons were unloaded and all the things were just stacked inside the front door.. The wagons were moved to the barn and the horses turned out to pasture.
Dr. Morris, Amy Marcela and Lucy were going to start cooking something to eat. They wanted to see what it felt like to cook on a real stove and not bent over a campfire. Gerald, Mary Ann , and the kids and I headed for Willie and Betty's house. It was a short walk but Gerald and I ended up with one of the twins on our back.
The men folk were already there and had the wagon almost completely unloaded. It didn't take long and we had the Moore's wagon unloaded and everything inside the house. Mr. Moore told us to get inside his wagon and he would drive us home. I am glad that we did because we would have been carrying 4 sleepy kids.
We had dinner in our new home and the kids wasted no time going to bed. Finally it was time for us all to go to bed. "Mary Ann, Guess what? We are finally getting to sleep in our own bed."
"I am glad you said sleep. I bet you go right to sleep. It will take 45 minutes at least before we get any sleep."
"Now, you know that you like it as much as I do. Tonight we won't have to be concerned about the neighbors and kids hearing us!" We looked forward to each night and our love life was beyond belief. It was amazing what two people of the same sex could do.