CHAPTER 6

 

 

            After retiring early, Sarah and Effie were both wide awake early the next morning.  Sarah had bathed herself and the baby before retiring, so it didnÕt take long to get ready.  Emmaline and Nellie were in the kitchen fixing a filling breakfast Òto sustain them on the roadÓ, they said.

            Sarah could hardly believe that the time had arrived and she was actually going to make this trip she had looked forward to for so long.  Even Elisha seemed to be in an especially good mood, smiling at everyone who came up to him.

            Jessie had promised to have Lizzy, the mule, at the door by the time they were ready to go.  So after eating their breakfast, they started carrying their provisions out to the front gate.  They heard a noise and looked up to see Jessie approaching with the wagon hitched to a couple of horses, with Lizzy tied to the back of the wagon.

            He said, ÒIÕve decided to give you a good send-off by drivinÕ you down the trail Ôtil about time for your rest stop.  Then after eatinÕ a lunch Ma fixed for me, IÕll turn around and head back.  I can probably get you as far down the trail by noon as you two would otherwise get to by night.  Now doesnÕt that make sense?Ó

            Sarah was so surprised and pleased, but said, ÒAre you sure you want to do that, Jessie?  TakinÕ time away from your work here?  ItÕs just too much to ask of you, but I sure do appreciate your offer.Ó

            ÒThen jump in and get comfortable while I load your supplies in the wagon.  WeÕll let Lizzy take it easy Ôtil noon.Ó

            After bidding everyone goodbye, they climbed aboard and were off, dressed in their long wide-skirted dresses, high-topped lace-up shoes, and sunbonnets to guard against sunburn.  This was the usual garb of most women in the area.  Sarah looked back and saw the family still standing outside and waving until the wagon was out of sight.  In fact, as they rode along for a few miles, people were outside by the gates waving, having seen them coming up ahead.  Everyone for miles around by now knew of the trip and were hoping that all went well.  This is with one exception.  Pansy Wydebutte, an eccentric neighbor who rarely smiled, yelled, ÒYouÕll be sorry, Sarah Sanders!Ó

            Jessie kept the horses moving at a pretty good clip, and there was nothing for Sarah and Effie to do but sit back and enjoy the ride.  Jessie was very familiar with the countryside so didnÕt need the maps that had been prepared.  He told them, ÒIf anyone needs to stop, just yell at me.Ó

            It was a lovely day for just such an outing.  The temperature was mild, with a slight breeze blowing.  The sky was a lovely blue and the leaves on the trees were gradually turning to a riot of color.  It was a great time of the year in this part of the country.

            All was quiet as they rode along, each with his or her own thoughts – the baby sleeping away.  ÒWhat a great idea Jesse had,Ó Effie thought.  In fact, she was so relaxed she found herself almost dozing off a couple of times.  Actually she hadnÕt slept so well the night before because of worry about things that might go wrong and wondering if they were prepared for every situation.

            But in no time, it seemed, the sun was straight up overhead and Jessie started pointing out possible places to stop.  They all agreed on a nice spot where they sat to eat their lunch.  Emma had wrapped some leftovers from the previous day so there was no preparation involved.  Being outdoors gave them a great appetite, and they thoroughly enjoyed the lunch.

            Afterwards, they each gave Jessie a big hug before he took off down the trail for home.  In a way, they hated to see him go, even though they looked forward in anticipation to starting their walk.  Before he left he had helped them make sure that their provisions were all tied down securely on LizzyÕs back and they were ready to start out on their own.

            With little Elisha happily ready for the trip, snuggled in his little pouch on his motherÕs breast, Sarah in her excitement took off walking pretty fast down the trail.  Effie had to remind her to slow down a bit, telling her that she needed to pace herself or she would tire soon.  She said, ÒRemember, we have a long way to go.Ó

            This part of the state was made up of a number of small farms homesteaded by settlers from Tennessee and elsewhere who had preferred to stop here rather than going on further west.  So far they had passed only two or three farmhouses, and most of those were not close to the trail.  As the sheriff had said, they were passing along a heavily wooded section filled with many birds of all kinds still around, flitting in and out of the trees, singing away.

            In the middle of the afternoon, they stopped for their first rest break.  By that time they were thirsty and felt the need to sit a few minutes.  Elisha too was stirring around a bit, no doubt ready for his next feeding.

            They had no difficulty finding a nice spot.  Apparently there had been enough rain lately, which had kept the grass still green, even though the leaves were changing colors.

            They were soon back on the trail, eager to make up for lost time.  So far they had yet to meet up with another human being, but this was fine with them.  They were just enjoying the beauty of nature as they walked along.

            Shortly after sunset, growing tired, they decided it was time to stop for the day.  Effie thought they should give themselves plenty of time before dark since it was their first night in the woods.  They found a grove of trees not far off the trail, unloaded their provisions, and let Lizzy free to help herself to some of the grass.

            They decided there was no need to build a fire since they still had enough of the leftovers Emma had packed for them.  They also had plenty of water in their jug for drinking, washing their hands, and washing any utensils used.

            It was good to just sit and relax after eating, both being quite tired.  Effie assured Sarah that they would grow more used to so much walking each day and would be less tired and achy.

            At twilight they decided to lay out their bedrolls and call it a day.  TheyÕd been curious about whether there would be night noises, but up to the moment there had been nothing but snapping sounds in the tree branches, which they assumed were made by the birds bedding down for the night.  They had no trouble falling asleep.

- * - * - * - * - * -

            The next morning dawned bright and clear.  Both couldnÕt believe it was time to get up already, having slept soundly.  They were so eager to get on the road again that they simply had some fruit and bread with water to drink, not wanting to bother making a fire to make coffee or tea.

            After they had the mule pack on and ready go to, Effie said, ÒLetÕs set a goal for the day.  LetÕs try to make it to Bryant Creek by noon.  I think we can do it easily since Jessie gave us such a head start.Ó

            By mid-morning they were approaching the big creek.  Oh, how nice the flowing water looked to them.  They had been told they could easily walk across, so they stepped right in, pulling up their long dresses as best they could.

            They had a bit of trouble urging Lizzy to keep going since she wanted to drink for long periods and just stand in the cool water.  But they finally made it across, refilled their jugs, and just rested for a little while before starting on.  They had enjoyed the experience and hoped to reach another stream soon, but had been assured that if they got in need of water, they could stop at any farmhouse where folks were always ready to share their water with strangers.

            Late one afternoon, desperately in need of rest, Effie decided they should pull into a grove of large trees along the trail that looked inviting.  Sarah, as always, welcomed her decision. 

            But before sitting down to rest, Effie, telling Sarah she would be right back, took Lizzy by the reins.  She led her down to the little creek just over the rise a short distance away to let her get her fill of some nice cool water, and also to fill up their drinking jug.  Lizzy, enjoying her moment standing in the water, took her time.

            Starting back up the rise toward where Sarah and the baby were resting, Effie glanced around to see if she could spot any wild berries or other delicacies. Just at that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she was startled to see a saddled horse standing up on the opposite side of Sarah behind a large bush.  And almost immediately she spotted a somewhat dirty, shabbily dressed, bearded character quietly creeping up and toward Sarah and the baby.

            By his manner, Effie realized he was up to no good.  So grabbing her rifle and dropping LizzyÕs reins, she ran up the rise, aiming the gun directly at the man.

            In the meantime he had approached Sarah and, as she later reported, said, ÒHowdy maÕam, whatÕs a purty little thing like you doinÕ out here all alone?  YouÕre just what IÕve been lookinÕ for.Ó

            At about that time, Effie burst into view yelling, ÒStop right there, Mister.  If you take one step closer to that girl, IÕll blow your head off!  You get right back on your horse and get on out of here.  I knew you were up to no good when I saw you creepinÕ up to our camp instead of approachinÕ in the normal way!Ó

            He said, ÒAh, I wuz just beinÕ friendly, and hopinÕ youÕd share a little bite to eat with me.Ó

            ÒDid you hear what I said?  I said get on your horse and get out of here. By the time I count to five, I want you gone.Ó 

            He said, ÒYouÕre crazy, and probably just jealous Ôcause I didnÕt come on to you.  IÕll bet you donÕt even know how to shoot that thing.Ó

            With that, Effie fired off a shot that went right through the top of his hat and knocked it off his head.  ÒThatÕs just a warning,Ó she said.  ÒThe next time, IÕll aim a little closer.  Now get on, and if I catch you cominÕ anywhere near us again, the next time I wonÕt hesitate to blow you away!Ó

            After calling her a few more names, the man walked back to his horse, mounted, and rode away without a backward glance.

            Visibly shaken, Effie told Sarah to move back into the grove of trees where she couldnÕt be seen for a while until she got back.  ÒIÕm gonna follow along behind that no-good so-an-so to make sure he actually leaves and doesnÕt just ride down a ways and hide someplace, thinkinÕ to visit us again.Ó

            About a half hour later she returned saying she had followed him for a mile or so and was satisfied he was actually leaving the area.

            Sarah was relieved to see Effie return and to hear her voice.  The incident had shaken her up a bit.  Still she smiled and said, ÒYou see what I mean?  I knew you could handle any situation that might come up!Ó

            ÒWell, maybe I went a little overboard.  I performed a little frontier justice, acting as sheriff, judge, and prosecutor.  But in my forty years I have learned a little about human nature; and when I saw that character crawling on his hands and knees like an animal up toward you, I knew right off what he had in mind.Ó

            After calming down a bit, Effie decided they should move on and find a place more hidden to spend the night.  They both had a little trouble getting to sleep, especially Effie, who slept with her gun hidden under the blanket right by her side.

- * - * - * - * - * -

            But the next morning they were up and ready to hit the trail again, trying to put yesterdayÕs incident out of their minds.  They enjoyed both the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, with soft white rolling clouds like huge balls of cotton.  Each day so far, a nice breeze had been blowing which kept then from getting too warm.  It had been a pleasant surprise to see wildflowers still blooming along the roadside and at the foot of the rails of the split-rail fences of the farms.

            Each day was an adventure – traveling through countryside they had never seen before, anticipating what lay ahead, being out in the fresh air.  Each night after eating their evening meal, they reminisced about their lives growing up.  As a result, they grew closer, becoming like sisters.

            Doing laundry was a bit of a challenge.  The only way they could manage it was to wash some items at night when camped by a stream and hang them to dry on tree limbs.

- * - * - * - * - * -

            Back on the farm, it had been a while since Nell had seen her friend Edward Duffy.  He hadnÕt been in church the last two Sundays, but she had enjoyed dancing with him at the Barn Dance she and Jessie had attended two weeks ago.  Nell was a good dancer so never lacked a dancing partner.

            But just before noon this morning, as she was standing near the kitchen window helping prepare their dinner, she looked up and saw him pull up to the front gate and get off his horse.  She was surprised to see him.  She became all flustered and said to Emmaline, ÒMa, will you go and greet him?  Just give me a minute to change my apron and brush my hair a bit.  I wonder what brings him over here,Ó she said as she dashed out of the room.

            Emmaline slowly walked out the door to say hello and to invite him in.  Just about the time she had him seated in the parlor, Nell walked in.  Emma, after reminding Nell to see if Edward would like a cold drink, backed out of the room and left them alone.

            Nell said, ÒIÕm so surprised to see you.  ItÕs been a while.  Are you just takinÕ a day off from the farm?Ó

            ÒNo, Nell, something has come up and I just had to come and tell you about it.  IÕve been notified that IÕm beinÕ recruited into the Army almost immediately, so I drove over to say goodbye.  In fact, IÕm leavinÕ tomorrow morning at the latest.Ó

            For the next half hour they discussed the situation, until finally Edward said he must take off because he had a number of things to do before the day was over.  But before leaving, he took NellÕs hand and said, ÒI hope you realize that youÕre one of the main reasons I hate to leave.  IÕm not exactly sure how you feel about me, but you mean a lot to me.  I think of you so much all the time and would like to think that someday we might be married.  Is that too much to hope for, Nell?Ó

            ÒOh, Edward, I havenÕt thought that far ahead, but I do like you tooÉ.a lot, and IÕm certainly goinÕ to miss you.  I promise that IÕll write to you often just as soon as you let me know where I can send letters.  And, do be careful.  WeÕll pray for your safe return.

- * - * - * - * - * -

            The next morning after hitting the trail, Sarah and Effie were walking along at a pretty good pace.  As they turned around a curve in the road, they saw a man and a young boy approaching them riding in a wagon piled high with fresh produce. They assumed it was a local farmer.  Effie raised her hand to stop them, inquiring about the road up ahead.

            After giving some information, the farmer asked, ÒAre you ladies lost?  I donÕt recollect seeinÕ you around these parts before.Ó

            ÒWell, youÕre right,Ó Effie said.  ÒWe live over in the next county, about thirty miles from here.Ó

            ÒIs that so?Ó he said.  ÒWell you know, it isnÕt often IÕve seen two women with a baby walkinÕ that far from home.  Can I ask you where youÕve headed?Ó

            Sarah quickly spoke up, saying, ÒMy name is Sarah Russell Sanders and my husband, James Sanders, is serving with the Army up in Rolla.  HeÕs been away since before the baby was born.  I just decided to take my baby to Rolla so James can see him and know he has a healthy little boy, not knowinÕ when heÕll get back home and before the long winter sets in.Ó

            ÒWell, IÕve heard of the Sanderses.  Are you any relation to Sam Sanders, the school teacher?Ó

            ÒYes, he was JamesÕ father.  He passed on about a year ago.Ó

            ÒAh, IÕm sorry to hear that.  From all IÕve heard, he was a good man.  And who are you, Miss?Ó he said turning to Effie, who told him who she was and explained why she was along.

            ÒAnd I intend to see that she gets there and back safely!Ó Effie said.

            The gentleman smiled and said, ÒI see you have your shootinÕ iron, so I assume you are pretty good with it.  You wonÕt be bothered by me or my son.  His name is Amos, by the way.Ó

            The gentleman continued, ÒYou seem like real nice folks, and I wish you a safe journey.  Oh, and I just bet you could use some fresh produce, so if you have a bag or some kind of container, I want you to help yourself with enough to last you a few days.  No charge.Ó

            ÒMy goodness, how nice of you. We certainly could use some fresh vegetables.  ThereÕs nothinÕ better.  But weÕd be willinÕ to pay for them.Ó

            ÒNo, no, you go ahead and take what you want.  And another thought just occurred to me.  If you stay on this trail, about one-and-a-half miles up ahead on your right, you will come to my place.  My wife, Bess, is there with our other children.  IÕm sure she would welcome some company, especially the two of you and the baby.  She doesnÕt get many visitors back here in the woods.

            ÒYou just tell her that Albert and Amos suggested you stop by to have a hot dinner and to rest a spell.  Would you do that?  Amos and I wonÕt be back Ôtil late, so you-all can have a nice visit.  Call her by name and remember to tell her youÕre Sam SandersÕ family.Ó

            And saying goodbye, off they went, after allowing Effie to choose a large flour sack full of yams, turnips, and Irish potatoes.

            True to AlbertÕs word, about an hour later they were able to see a farm up ahead.  They turned down the lane and rode up to the door of a neatly maintained farmhouse.  A woman and two young girls came out of the door to greet them.

            Effie said, ÒHello, Bess, we met Albert and Amos down the trail a while back, and after a little chat, Albert suggested that we stop by to meet you, have a hot dinner and rest a spell, as I recall his words.  He wanted us to also mention that Sarah here is the school teacher Samuel SandersÕs daughter-in-law, and that IÕm her cousin.  Now we donÕt want to put you to much trouble, but we did want to meet you and your daughters and rest a bit.  WeÕve been on the road for a while, and the thought of sittinÕ down in a real chair sounded good.Ó

            Bess graciously bid them welcome, and after chatting briefly, insisted that they join them for lunch.  The aroma coming from the kitchen was so inviting, Sarah and Effie could hardly refuse.

            ÒCome on in,Ó Bess continued, Òand make yourself comfortable.  WeÕll have lots to talk about.  I canÕt wait to hear more about you.  But while youÕre gettinÕ refreshed and comfortable, IÕll go in and put some more vegetables in the soup pot and see if the bread has risen enough to stick in the oven.Ó

            And so, by the time Sarah had fed, changed, and put Elisha down for a nap, and they had both visited the outhouse and freshened themselves, Bess and her daughters had placed a large pot of soup on the table, with some golden loaves of freshly baked bread, plus an apple cobbler Bess had baked earlier that morning.  Sarah and Effie both agreed they had never tasted anything so delicious.  Oh, how they had missed sitting down to a meal like this!

            Bess and her daughters were gracious hostesses, giving them a history of the family and how just a few years ago they came to Missouri from Tennessee, traveling by covered wagons along with several other families.  They explained that after coming this far and falling in love with the land, its many streams and low rolling hills, plus being tired of traveling, they decided to homestead here.  ÒSome of the families traveled on, eventually settling in Kansas and elsewhere, we understand.  But those of us who stayed here have been happy we did so.  WeÕve all gotten along well with our farminÕ and cattle raisinÕ operation like most of the people weÕve gotten to know.

            ÒOur biggest concern now is the war and the unrest created by it.  Up to now our family has been lucky.  We havenÕt been bothered too much by it.  But itÕs all so confusin.Õ  WeÕre not sure which side we should be on, except that weÕre against slavery.

            ÒBut enough about us, I want to hear about you ÉÉ. where youÕre from and where youÕre goinÕ,Ó said Bess.

            So they all sat quietly while Sarah told her story, which she ended by saying ÒSome people think I have gone out of my mind, but as far as I know IÕm sane.  I just couldnÕt bear the thought that it might be months and months before the war is over and James is back home with us.  WeÕd been married for such a short time, it seemed to me, before he left.Ó

            Bess said, ÒWell, I donÕt think youÕre out of your mind.  I donÕt know if I wouldÕve had your courage when I was your age, but I do know that under the circumstances IÕd have been tempted to do the same.Ó

            Just at that moment they heard Elisha starting to wake up, and Effie jumped to her feet and said, ÒSarah, just as soon as you tend to Lish a bit, we should be on our way.  WeÕve taken up enough of their time.Ó

            Bess said, ÒBut you didnÕt really get much chance to rest.  We wanted to learn all about you and didnÕt give you a chance to relax. And since it wonÕt be long until dark, why donÕt you just spend the night?  We can manage to find room for you to sleep comfortably, IÕm sure, if we all double up a bit.  We have two bedrooms upstairs and one down here.  Albert and Amos will be home soon and IÕm sure theyÕd also be glad to have you.Ó

            ÒOh, we couldnÕt do that.  WeÕve imposed on you enough, just barginÕ in like this and eating your food.  WeÕll just be on our way.Ó

            ÒBut you canÕt get very far from here before dark, so you may as well stay.Ó

            Sarah spoke and said, ÒEffie, why donÕt we ask if we can camp in their barn?  At least we would be under a roof tonight and wouldnÕt have to leave right away.  Would that be all right with you, Bess?Ó

            ÒWell, certainly, if you insist, and you could join us for breakfast in the morninÕ before you start out.Ó

            ÒOK, then, that settles it,Ó said Effie.  ÒThe time we have lost on the trail will be well worth it.Ó

            Shortly thereafter, Albert and Amos arrived.  They seemed pleased that Effie, Sarah, and the baby were there, and they too wanted to hear more about their story.  Sarah, of course, was only happy to re-tell their story, while Effie joined Bess, who was in the kitchen preparing a light supper. The girls were happily taking care of little Elisha.

            After their meal and more conversation, Sarah, Elisha, and Effie bedded down in the barn just as they did on the trail, except this time their beds were on a soft pile of hay.  They slept well.

            The next morning, after a sumptuous breakfast of pancakes, syrup, and bacon, they took their leave, promising to stop by on their way back and let them know how the trip went.  Effie and Sarah were so grateful to the family and doubted very much if theyÕd meet anyone nicer on the whole trip.

- * - * - *-

The next days dragged a little slower.  The newness of the adventure was beginning to wear off and they were eager to get to their destination.

As they trudged on, occasionally passing little farmhouses off in the distance, they were tempted to turn down the lanes and stop in.  But after thinking it over, they realized it would mean more time on the trail.  So except for occasions when they needed fresh drinking water or some other need occurred, they didnÕt stop often.

They had been amazed so far at how friendly most of the people along the way were.  In fact, they were often asked to stay and have a hot meal, which always surprised them since they were complete strangers.  Most were sympathetic after hearing SarahÕs story, and Effie decided having the baby along helped.

They were pleased that their food supply was holding up fairly well.  Most of the fresh food they left home with was all gone.  But they managed pretty well with what had been given to them, plus the nuts, berries, and wild salad greens they found along the way.  One day they came upon a little creek where they stopped to catch a couple of fish with her little fishing pole.  The fish were delicious cooked over an open fire that evening.

Their luck ran out the next morning, when for the first time on the trail it started raining.  Not a downpour, but just a slow, drippy rain.  They plodded along for a while using oilslicks to cover their heads.  But it was slow going and not very pleasant, so they took an early break in order to get out of it, hoping it would let up soon.  Sure enough, after being in the trees for only a short time, it finally stopped and the sun came out again.

That night the skies were clear and beautiful after the rain.  Effie still couldnÕt get used to the wonder of sleeping outdoors with the stars shining above them and the bright moon casting its glow over everything.  No candles or lanterns were needed when the moon was bright enough.

On those nights when it wasnÕt cloudy, she lay there looking up at the sky before dropping off to sleep. She thought about how huge the universe was and how she was just a tiny speck here on earth.  It reminded her to say thanks to God for keeping them safe on the journey so far.

Early the next morning, it was bright and clear so they tried to make up for lost time.

* - * - * - * - * -

Back at the Sanders farm, things had been going along smoothly.  More and more, Nell was assuming the greater role in looking after things because Emmaline just didnÕt seem to have her old vitality since Sarah and the baby had left.

One morning while Jessie was busy in the barn, Nell heard a knock on the door and opened it to see three men in the blue uniform of the Union Army.  One was standing in front of her and the other two were still sitting on their horses at the gate.  The gentleman at the door said, ÒGood morning Miss, we would like to speak to Jessie Sanders.  We have an important matter to discuss with him.Ó

ÒIÕm sorry, heÕs not here right now,Ó she said.

ÒMay I inquire as to his whereabouts?  As I said, it is necessary for us to speak to him as soon as possible.Ó

In the meantime, Emmaline had walked slowly into the room, standing where she could not be seen.  She started trembling because deep down she knew why they had come.  She whispered, ÒDonÕt tell them, Nell!Ó

ÒI—Ôm not sure,Ó said Nell.

ÒWho else is in the house with you?Ó

ÒMy mother.Ó

ÒMay I speak with her?Ó

Emmaline slowly came to the door.  Her knees were so weak that she wasnÕt sure she could make it.  The officer said, ÒMrs. Sanders, will you send your daughter immediately to fetch your son Jessie.  As you must know, the Army needs all the manpower it can get right now and it is his duty to come forth and serve his country at this time of need.Ó

ÒBut heÕs just a boy yet, and we need him desperately here on the farm.Ó

ÒMaÕam, heÕs old enough and capable of serving.  And we know that you have a son-in-law who helps run things here on the farm. In fact, you are luckier than many other families for that matter.  So again I say, tell us immediately where we can find him.  You have no choice and I have no choice in the matter.  I have my orders.Ó

Emma turned to Nell and said, ÒNell, run up to the barn and see if you can find Jessie.  I think thatÕs where he might be.Ó  To the officer she said, ÒGive her a few minutes.Ó

Pretty soon Jessie and Nell came in.  The officer had walked back out to speak with the other two men, so Jessie went out to meet them.  The officer shook his hand and said, ÒJessie, as IÕve told your mother and sister, weÕve come to recruit you into the Union Army.  All young men of your age are expected to serve in this important cause, so weÕd appreciate it if you would pack a few items in a small bag.  You wonÕt need much because most anything you need will be furnished after you are enlisted.  It will be necessary, though, for you to ride one of your horses, which you can keep with you on the base.Ó

Jessie was still in a daze and didnÕt know what to say.  He just mumbled, ÒYes, sir,Ó and walked back toward the house.  Once inside, he looked at his mother and said, ÒMa, I have to go, and theyÕre in a hurry.Ó

Nell had her arms around Emma, trying to comfort her.  ÒHow can they do this?Ó Emma said, starting to cry.  

ÒThey can because they represent the government,Ó said Nell.  ÒThereÕs nothinÕ we can do about it, Ma, so try to keep calm.  Remember your health.Ó

After packing a few small things, Jessie was ready to go.  ÒI wish I had time to speak with Caleb, but theyÕve cautioned me to hurry.  But heÕll know what to do to keep everything runninÕ even more than I would.  Also, tell Sam that James and IÕll be countinÕ on him to pitch in and help as much as possible.

ÒTheyÕve ordered me to bring one of our horses for me to ride and keep there, so IÕll take Old Jake.  I will not give them one of our good younger workinÕ horses.Ó

Giving them a final hug, he walked out the door and never looked back.  Nell stood at the door and watched them leave.  Emma collapsed in tears.  ÒDear God, how can this be happeninÕ to us?  How will we manage now, Nell?Ó

ÒWeÕll manage, Ma.  Remember, this is happeninÕ to all families everywhere right now, not just to us.  And as the man said, weÕre lucky to have Caleb.  And remember that Sarah and Elisha will be back soon.  So think on the positive side.  WeÕll come out of it OK.  The war canÕt last forever.Ó

* - * - * - * - * -

One afternoon as Sarah and Effie passed along by the edge of a family farmhouse in the distance, Effie spied a couple of apple trees by the fence.  And there hanging from the branches, sparkling in the sunshine, were a half-dozen ripe, rosy, red apples, apparently overlooked at picking time.

She was ecstatic.  ÒLook at that, Sarah!  A gift from God! I told you when we left home that he would watch over us.Ó

As she started gathering them to put into a sack, she cried out, ÒWhat beauties!  Thank you God.Ó

Their luck continued the next afternoon.  When they were passing another farmhouse, again close to the trail, a large older woman wearing a sunbonnet and apron saw them coming and walked over to the front gate; curious, no doubt, as to who they were.

She introduced herself as Clara Newton, and after a brief discussion, invited them to come inside, rest on her front porch, and enjoy a nice cold drink of water.

After hearing of their plans to find SarahÕs husband in Rolla, she told them they were getting close to their destination and could be there in another day or so, if all went well.  ÒThereÕs been so much activity in and around Rolla lately, with skirmishes between the different factions, and troop movements.  ItÕs become a busy place with the cominÕ of the railroad, as you can imagine.  But you look like a couple of smart ladies, so you probably wonÕt have any trouble.Ó

As they were leaving, Clara filled a flour sack with beets, onions, and a head of cabbage, which they added to LizzyÕs pack.  Then, promising to stop by, if possible, on the way home, they bid their farewell and started back on the trail.