P
PoetLore
Guest
Charles Kincaid and his family saw Independence sprawled out before them in the distance with welcome eyes. Their journey had been a difficult one that had started just south of Charleston, West Virginia. The loss of his wife had taken a toll on the father of five, and the children as well. It seemed the wisest thing to do, was to pick up and move to a place where their mother's memories were not smacking them in the face every minute of every day. He'd had many sleepless nights wondering if he was doing the right thing, but it was too late to change course now. Everything they owned was in these two wagons now, and they were committed monetarily and emotionally to this new life.
Clara, the youngest, poked her head out of the flap of the cover on the wagon and smiled, "Is that it Daddy?" nearly bouncing out of the wagon for her excitement.
Robert pulled her back, "Let me look."
"Be nice to your sister boy."
"Yes sir."
Margaret, the oldest daughter, did a masterful job of hiding her excitement. "It's a lot bigger than I expected." Was all she said by way of comment seated there on the bench of the wagon with her father.
The two oldest boys, Theodore and James were driving the wagon behind this one. They were lucky to have gotten a good price for his farm and equipment to afford two wagons and two sets of supplies, so that they would have a much better chance of surviving this trek across untamed lands to a hopefully better and new life in Oregon.
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Jacob and Emma Garver had arrived two days ago to the same destination with the same goal in mind, to forge a new and better future in the promised lands of the far west. Their wagon was already one of those lined up for departure in two days time, and they had already paid the trail boss the first half of their fees for being part of the wagon train. The two were only just wed two weeks before in a small ceremony in Emma's home town of Lexington, Kentucky with all of her family in attendance. Jacob's family had moved to Lexington when he was about ten from Providence, Rhode Island hoping that moving away from the city would strength Jacob's little sister, but such was not the case. It left his parent bitter and coarse, but Jacob was a dreamer. He had plans and he believed he could achieve them through hard work and perseverance. Emma had always had a soft spot for Jacob, ever since his sister had died and she had witnessed the tender way he had treated her before that time. She believed in Jacob implicitly, without reservation of any kind and though her family was not happy with Jacob's decision to go west, she married him anyway. She brought along all of her things, gowns and pretties, and so far she had not been forced into the realization that this was going to be a difficult journey. So far she was blissfully unaware of the hardships ahead, and exactly how ill-prepared she was for them
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Frank Layton Sat in the saloon and ate his breakfast. He didn't have a wagon like the others, though he'd be joining them on their journey. All he had was a sleeping roll and his guns. The trail boss has a chuck wagon for the men so they would have food for the journey, which was part of the wages he could expect to earn. He didn't much care either way. He didn't have any better place to be. Rubbing a hand through his thick beard he wondered if he shouldn't try to consider settling down somewhere. He wasn't getting any younger. Maybe it was time to at least look around for a wife, not that any respectable woman would have a man like him, but maybe he could save a woman who wasn't so respectable from a life she didn't prefer? He huffed at the thought, He was pretty sure even a soiled dove wouldn't have him anymore. He finished his breakfast and headed out to keep watch, it was his turn to guard them. He slipped his black hat onto his head and the silver buttons on the tape around it, shone in the sunlight. He moved through town to the stables, where he was keeping his horse until they headed out. He saddled the mare up and gave her a carrot and a brush to her nose before sliding his booted foot into the left stirrup and lifting his right leg up and over. His guns were easily visible on his thighs, one for each hand. He'd garnered a bit of a reputation as the duel slinger, since he could fire equally well with either hand. he thought it was funny that people valued something he didn't have to think about much to accomplish, but it did get him steady work. His blue eyes scanned the horizon and he could see more wagons coming in. This was going to be a long one...hopefully half of them made it to the end.
Clara, the youngest, poked her head out of the flap of the cover on the wagon and smiled, "Is that it Daddy?" nearly bouncing out of the wagon for her excitement.
Robert pulled her back, "Let me look."
"Be nice to your sister boy."
"Yes sir."
Margaret, the oldest daughter, did a masterful job of hiding her excitement. "It's a lot bigger than I expected." Was all she said by way of comment seated there on the bench of the wagon with her father.
The two oldest boys, Theodore and James were driving the wagon behind this one. They were lucky to have gotten a good price for his farm and equipment to afford two wagons and two sets of supplies, so that they would have a much better chance of surviving this trek across untamed lands to a hopefully better and new life in Oregon.
*****************************************************************************
Jacob and Emma Garver had arrived two days ago to the same destination with the same goal in mind, to forge a new and better future in the promised lands of the far west. Their wagon was already one of those lined up for departure in two days time, and they had already paid the trail boss the first half of their fees for being part of the wagon train. The two were only just wed two weeks before in a small ceremony in Emma's home town of Lexington, Kentucky with all of her family in attendance. Jacob's family had moved to Lexington when he was about ten from Providence, Rhode Island hoping that moving away from the city would strength Jacob's little sister, but such was not the case. It left his parent bitter and coarse, but Jacob was a dreamer. He had plans and he believed he could achieve them through hard work and perseverance. Emma had always had a soft spot for Jacob, ever since his sister had died and she had witnessed the tender way he had treated her before that time. She believed in Jacob implicitly, without reservation of any kind and though her family was not happy with Jacob's decision to go west, she married him anyway. She brought along all of her things, gowns and pretties, and so far she had not been forced into the realization that this was going to be a difficult journey. So far she was blissfully unaware of the hardships ahead, and exactly how ill-prepared she was for them
*****************************************************************************
Frank Layton Sat in the saloon and ate his breakfast. He didn't have a wagon like the others, though he'd be joining them on their journey. All he had was a sleeping roll and his guns. The trail boss has a chuck wagon for the men so they would have food for the journey, which was part of the wages he could expect to earn. He didn't much care either way. He didn't have any better place to be. Rubbing a hand through his thick beard he wondered if he shouldn't try to consider settling down somewhere. He wasn't getting any younger. Maybe it was time to at least look around for a wife, not that any respectable woman would have a man like him, but maybe he could save a woman who wasn't so respectable from a life she didn't prefer? He huffed at the thought, He was pretty sure even a soiled dove wouldn't have him anymore. He finished his breakfast and headed out to keep watch, it was his turn to guard them. He slipped his black hat onto his head and the silver buttons on the tape around it, shone in the sunlight. He moved through town to the stables, where he was keeping his horse until they headed out. He saddled the mare up and gave her a carrot and a brush to her nose before sliding his booted foot into the left stirrup and lifting his right leg up and over. His guns were easily visible on his thighs, one for each hand. He'd garnered a bit of a reputation as the duel slinger, since he could fire equally well with either hand. he thought it was funny that people valued something he didn't have to think about much to accomplish, but it did get him steady work. His blue eyes scanned the horizon and he could see more wagons coming in. This was going to be a long one...hopefully half of them made it to the end.