Nan's Journey

  As Nan placed the last box on the platform, the small elderly man spoke to her, “Looks like you have managed to unload my shipment, young man. How would you like to help put all this on the shelves of my dry goods store and sweep up for me?”

  “I would love to, sir,” Nan answered quickly, “but I must feed my little brother first. Do you have a buckboard for me to load the crates onto?”

  “So that little feller is your kid brother huh? Naw, don’t bother about the buckboard; Lenny and Matt can deliver the crates to the store. As far as feed…Mama has dinner ready for me when I get there and she always makes too much for just me to eat. Come with me.”

  Nan called to Elmer and he ran over to her and the older man.

  Chapter 6

  Nate and Martha watched the hungry children devour more food than they could imagine. They ate very slowly and deliberately, relishing each mouthful. These little beggars were different than most runaways who had been fed in this kitchen. They had a real upbringing and manners. They were grateful. Nate felt a knot forming in his stomach. Ned, the bigger one, was concerned about the younger brother and was especially careful that he drank plenty of milk. Martha asked. “Ned, is the little one feeling sickly or something?”

  “Yes, he suffers from blinding headaches. He hasn’t had one today, but yesterday he hurt bad.”

  “Where are your kin?” Martha asked.

  “Oh, at home. We jumped on the train for an exciting ride after we finished fishin’, but the people who loaded the boxcar, locked it, and we couldn’t jump off like we planned. Ma is used to us getting carried away and havin’ to spend the night out campin’…only…we forgot to pack a lunch…I guess we figured we’d catch a little more fish, but no luck.”

  Elmer looked at Nan and wondered how she could come up with such a big story so quickly. Nan was surprised herself! She had come up with some of it while unloading the boxcar. The rest just came out. She would have to remember exactly what she had said.

  “Well, when you finish tidying up the store, I’ll drive you home in the buckboard,” Nate declared.

  “Oh, we can walk,” Nan responded quickly.

  “We will see after the job is done,” said Nate. Martha began clearing the dishes from the table. Nan and Elmer took their plates to the washbasin and started the dishwater as if by habit. Martha looked at the little ragged children in wonder, “Boys, I can do this, you look all done in.”

  Elmer grinned at her and said, “You’re a nice lady. You cook good, too!”

  “We really don’t mind doing the dishes Mrs.—I’m sorry, I don’t know your name,” Nan smiled sweetly.

  “Young. This is Nate Young and I’m Martha. You may find it funny that a couple so old would have the name of Young”

  “Mama, we will forever be young because of it—isn’t that right, boys!” Nate chortled.

  “Elmer, you can stay with me while your brother goes to the mercantile to help Nate stock the shelves. That would be okay wouldn’t it be, Ned?” Martha winked at Nan.

  *****

  Nan and Nate worked on stocking the shelves for the better part of the afternoon. Nan began sweating profusely and became weak as she tried to earn the wonderful dinner they had just eaten. Once she began to fall from the ladder leaned against the tall shelves. Nate put his hand on her back to brace her. She almost cried out. The look of pain in her eyes and the pink sweat all across the back of her shirt did not escape Nate’s eyes. It was then that Nate spoke, “Ned, boy, lets save the rest of this work for tomorrow. Here is a cup of water. You look as if you need it.”

  Nan drank thirstily from the cup and worried when she saw Nate studying her face.

  “Boy, I know you are a runaway. You are hurt bad. Your shirt is starting to soak with blood.” At this Nan jumped up and started to run only Elmer was still with Mrs. Young.

  “This is the truth isn’t it, boy?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Let me put some salve on your back and while I’m cleaning you up, you can tell me what is going on.” Nate went to the cupboard where he kept the salves and ointments.

  “Take off your shirt and I’ll doctor you up.”

  Nan pulled the shirt carefully from her back and held the bloody and sweaty, skunk scented rags close to her chest.

  “I have never seen anything so…”

  Nate couldn’t continue. Tears caught in his throat, “I better get the doc.”

  Nan jumped up, “No! Please don’t! I don’t want anyone else to know!”

  “Little feller, there is really angry cuts, puss, and bruises. Your skin is so hot, you have fever and it might get worse. Who did this to you?”

  “I can’t tell you,” Nan said, quietly.

  “…Your Ma or Pa?”

  “No, they would never beat me like this!”

  “Well somebody did something! I will get the sheriff if you don’t tell.”

  “Please don’t! It was my step-ma! I can’t let Elmer go back there. She was gonna start on him next!”

  “I don’t know what to do. I do know that I’ll not take you back to any person who would cut up a kid like this! Martha will know what to do.”

  Tears ran down Martha’s face as she looked at Nan’s back. She had never seen such a mess. “Ned, you said that you got this whippin’ so your brother wouldn’t get it.”

  “Yes ma’am, it really was my fault for not getting the firewood.”

  “Did you know, a long time ago a young man took a bad beating so that we could be healed by God. He was the Son of God.”

  Elmer came across the room and stood close to Nan.

  She continued. “Yes, just before he was crucified on a cross. He was beaten. The Scripture says, ‘He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities and by His stripes we are healed.”

  “What does that mean?” asked Elmer.

  “It means that He died on the cross for our sin and He was beaten so that we can be healed. Honey, I’m going to pray for you while I put some more of this salve on you.” Martha prayed a fine, simple prayer as she carefully administered to the broken flesh. “Now you must get into some fresh clothes and rest in bed. You are quite feverish.”

  “Ned, come here.”

  Nan had forgotten her new name and failed to respond. Elmer chimed in, “Nan, Martha wants you to follow her to the bedroom.”

  “Nan, is it? Dear me, a little girl? What is wrong, dearie?

  Nan blanched. She saw Mr. Dewey walking down the street past the Young’s house. Everything went black.

  Chapter 7

  Nan awoke the next morning in puzzlement. Elmer snuggled next to her in a real bed. It was soft and warm. She could barely remember what it felt like to be so fresh and clean. She gazed at Elmer as he slept. He looked good! He had been tired for so long and now he truly looked relaxed. Nan smiled as she thought of the nice couple who had fed them and let them sleep in this wonderful bed.

  A cloud slipped over Nan’s face as she remembered she had seen Mr. Dewey walking around in this very town! She attempted to muster up strength enough to get out of bed, but found weakness holding her down. She would have to speak to Elmer about what they had to do next. As long as they stayed inside they would be all right. She would rest and let Elmer rest too, and in a day or two they would be strong enough to leave.

  She let her imagination go as she thought of having a home like this to live in forever, but it couldn’t be. Mr. Dewey was here. They had to leave. The Youngs would never stand for them just leaving, so they must run away, again. Martha stood in the door and watched Nan as she laid thinking in her bed. Poor child! The pain some people inflict on mere children. Martha noticed the nervous look on Nan’s face. She knew Nan didn’t feel safe from her stepmother yet, and she knew Nan would need to leave before too long.

  With this in mind Martha went to the breakfast table to talk with Nate as he took breakfast. Nate was enjoying his bacon and pancakes. He gulped a swallow of hot coffee when Mart
ha approached him with a question, “Nate, can you think of any place those children could go where they could feel safe?”

  What is wrong with here?” Nate asked.

  “Nan doesn’t feel safe here?”

  “How would you know that?” he asked, puzzled.

  “Just a look I saw on her face.”

  “We'll, just tell her she’s okay here.”

  “No, we don’t want them running away again…landing who knows where. We need to think of something.” Martha began to wring her hands.

  “It is too bad Fred isn’t here to think of something, Mama”

  “Fred! You know that is a great idea!”

  “What? Nate asked.

  “We can send them to his house!”

  “Do you think that would be wise?” Nate’s eyebrows shot up.

  “Why not, who would think of looking for them at Fred’s house?”

  “You mean cabin?” He rubbed the stubble on his chin.

  “Yes, cabin, but he lives in the wilderness and no one would look there.” Martha said with satisfaction.

  “Let’s tell the children.” Nate said.

  *****

  Nan could hardly believe her ears that Martha and Nate understood she and Elmer couldn’t stay here even without her saying anything. What’s more, Nate was taking them to their son’s house in the wilderness of Colorado, a mountain place close to the mining town of Silverton. Mrs. Dewey would never look for them there.

  After two weeks of rest, Nate bundled the two up and placed them on a couple of pack mules loaded down with supplies. There was enough to see them through the winter. Nan and Elmer were quite strong now; it had been ten days since Elmer’s last headache. It had been a long time since Nan had felt so well cared for, and tears flowed down her cheeks as she told Martha goodbye. Martha promised her that Fred would bring them back for a visit someday or that she would come see them in the spring.

  The landscape was beautiful as well as treacherous, but with Nate’s skillful maneuvering they arrived at the cabin in a week. Fred stepped out of his cabin as Rufus, his husky, barked an alarm.

  “Hey Rufus, its Grandpa, don’t be hollering at me!” laughed Nate.

  “Pa, what are you doing here!” cried Fred.

  “I brought you some supplies and company for the winter.” The grin on Nate’s face faded as he saw the pained expression on his son’s face.

  “Pa, what were you thinking? This ain’t a place for younguns!”

  “Son, these little soldiers need a safe place to hide for a spell.”

  “What have you gotten me into?” Fred asked.

  Nan heard the exchange and fear gripped her. She hadn’t thought Fred might be different than Nate and Martha. Why hadn’t they just run off on their own? She held her head high and spoke quietly and with authority. “If we are not welcome, we surely shall not be staying. We can fend for ourselves.”

  Nate watched his son as Nan spoke to him. “Boy, I don’t know you, but if you and the youngun over their need to winter here, you can.”

  “Fred, she’s a little girl, not a boy, it is a disguise she came up with,” said Nate.

  Fred blushed and asked, “Pa, how do you expect me to take care of a girl and a little boy when I couldn’t even take care of my own?”

  “You have been blaming yourself too long; you need these kids as much as they need you.”

  “Pa, do you think any girl can survive the winters here?” Fred asked.

  “Freddy, all I know is that if Nan gets discovered by her stepmother, she wouldn’t survive another beating like the last one.”

  “Beating? No! I’m sorry!”

  “It isn’t your problem, mister. I can take care of my brother and myself!”

  “Nan, you can stay here,” Fred said firmly.

  “We will earn our keep and not be a burden to you then.”

  “Sounds fair to me, son,” said Nate.

  “I was fixing beans and cornbread. There is plenty…” Fred’s voice trailed off.

  “Let’s eat!” cried Elmer who as of yet had said nothing.

  The beans were delicious! As Nan spooned some of the bean broth between her lips she looked around the room. It was a rough log cabin. It was much rougher than her girlhood home, but there was a cozy quality to the room. The meal had been prepared in the huge fireplace. Fred had two Dutch ovens placed in the coals. One was for the beans, and the other for cornbread. The packs from the mules stood in the far corner. Nan’s eyes traveled around the room. Fred had a huge featherbed. Imagine that! At the foot of the bed, piled with blankets and clothing and other supplies, was a small trundle bed. It was odd for a mountain man to have a feather bed and then odder still for him to have this other bed, too. Fred saw her looking around and studying the room with a questioning look.

  “That bed belonged to my little girl, Joy. She and my wife, Claire, died with influenza last winter.”

  “Oh,” was all Nan could say. That explained a lot.

  “Fred, let me help you put away the supplies now and then we should all get to bed. I’ll be going home at first light.”

  *****

  Nan and Elmer watched the horizon until the last traces of their friend Nate had disappeared. He and Martha were good to them. Finally they were safe from “Ma”. As they turned and faced the crude cabin, Nan couldn’t help but wonder about the man that they were “wintering” with and how they would fare under his care. She did not want charity, but she was smart enough to know that there was no way that she and Elmer could earn their keep. She resolved to do what she could. Entering the room she saw a bucket next to the door and grabbed it, telling Elmer that she was going to the creek for water to do the breakfast dishes.

  She spied the creek and placed the bucket on edge to fill with the clear sparkling liquid. Taking a deep breath, the clear crisp air filled her lungs and renewed her energy. Cardinals were in the spruce tree making a nest. The sun was almost all the way up, and she loved the way the golden rays felt on her face. Maybe this place would be a good home after all.

  She lifted the bucket and carried it up to the cabin door. Fred saw her carrying the water trying not to slosh it as she walked. She had such a serious determined look about her that he couldn’t help but be amused. It was evident that she was trying to work for their keep. A young child like that shouldn’t have those kinds of worries. Fred smiled at her as he took the bucket. “What were you planning on doing today, little traveler? I do hope that you weren’t planning on working on such a glorious day as this one promises to be.”

  “There are dishes to do!”

  “Yes there are, but I will do them this time. You guys get some dinner things together and we will go fishing and have a picnic by the fishin’ hole.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that it is time you kids learned to have some fun.”

  Chapter 8

  The trout were delicious prepared over the open fire. They ate until they could hardly move. Nan enjoyed seeing the excitement and pleasure play across Elmer’s face each time he caught a fish. His eyes were bright and the shine had come into his hair. He had put on some much needed weight.

  Nan leaned her back against a big aspen tree and realized that she could do so with no pain. The wounds were healed. She no longer ached in her joints and the bruises were gone. A pink glow had found her cheeks and she looked the picture of healthy girlhood.

  The fishin’ hole had become a dinnertime ritual in the weeks they had been with Fred. Fred was looking more peaceful and happy himself. They made a perfect little family.

  Everyone had been working hard preparing for winter. Fred cut wood while Nan and Elmer stacked it close to the cabin—it would take a lot of firewood to get through the winter storms. Nate and Martha sent more than adequate provisions, and Fred was grateful they had so that he could have time to bring a little happiness into the lives of the children.

  He educated them in the laws of the wilderness: tracking g
ame, fishing, hunting and preserving the meat. All the meat was smoked and dried in the fashion of the nearby Indians. He showed them healing herbs and poisonous plants and how to care for their animals.

  They had a pack mule named Ruby, and then there was Rufus the dog, and the mustang stallion, Sonny. Fred was amazed at how quickly they learned. He discovered that they had very little formal schooling, so he promised them that in the winter months, he would teach them how to read and write and do sums.

  He decided that it was good for him to move past the pain of losing his wife and child to help these children with getting past their pain.

  *****

  Nan’s favorite place was the stream. As she sat there, she knew that she had never been as safe and happy since her parents died. The sound of the water splashing against the rocks and the lush meadow toward the cabin spoke to her of peace. She knew that Elmer was happy too. Happiness was such a wonderful emotion. Fear, torment and anger all seemed so far away. Fred was kind like his Ma and Pa. He hadn’t laid a strap to them yet. Of course, they were careful to mind him. He was human, and humans get angry and hurt those who aggravate them. Nan knew this well. She also knew that if he started in on them that they would just move on, after winter.

  The days were short and the sun was slipping behind the mountain peak. Nan shivered as she hurried down the path to the cabin. Inside, she smelled the welcome aroma of beans and cornbread. She had learned how to put the beans on to cook in the morning so that by supper they would be ready. Fred had cooked the cornbread. Nan was still amazed that a man would actually put his hand to cooking, but she guessed Fred was used to fending for himself and wanted the cornbread to be done so they could eat sooner.

  Everything tasted great! Of course they had to wait while Fred asked the blessing. Nan knew where the food came from, and she didn’t see that God did much to get it to their table, but if Fred wanted to say a prayer, it was fine with her. She and Elmer cleaned up the dishes after supper and Fred began to read to them from his wife’s Holy Bible. Some of the words were vaguely familiar to Nan, but it had been years since she had heard them from her mother’s lips. She and Elmer had cried when they heard Fred read about Adam and Eve having to leave the Garden of Eden. Nan thought about how awful it would be to leave this beautiful Colorado wilderness. Fred had to explain to them that even though Adam and Eve left the garden, God still loved them and was taking care of them.