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Read Online [Canadian West 01] - When Calls the Heart by Janette Oke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janette Oke
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hesitant.
"I'm sure that they wouldn't place me in an objectional
home," I said, trying to sound confident. In truth, I had little faith in Mr. Higgins' concern for my well-being. I did not
know how far he might go in gaining revenge.
"But remember ..." Mary said, and I assured her that I
would.
Jon drove me to the train, and William, Sarah and Kathleen rode along. Kathleen, very serious, asked me, "Aunt
Beth, will you 'member me if I grow up while you're gone?"
"Of course I will, sweetheart," I assured her. "But I'm not
going to stay away nearly as long as that."
She seemed comforted by my reply.
"Wish you were gonna be my teacher," William pouted.
"Me, too," Sarah echoed with great feeling. She was to begin school the next Monday and, though she was looking forward to it, she had some fears also.
"So do I," I said, hugging them. "But I promise I'll write
and tell you all about Pine Springs and my pupils there, and
you can write me about your new teachers and friends."
They brightened at the thought of a letter.
After the final good-byes, I boarded the train and chose
what I hoped would be a comfortable seat. A cigar-puffing
man across the aisle made me realize that I had chosen unwisely, but I was reluctant to move for fear of appearing rude.
His wife finally demanded that he put out his cigar; she
couldn't stand the closeness of the "foul-smellin' stuff." I was
delivered.
I thought that the train would never reach Lacombe. We
limped along, stopping at any place with more than one building. The train hissed and coughed and shuttled and groaned,
seemingly forever, at these tiny train stations before finally
rolling on.
We spent an especially long time at a town called Red
Deer. I watched with interest as dray wagon after dray wagon
drove away with loads of freight-sacks of flour, unmarked
crates, even a stove. At last, when I was sure that they must
have removed even my luggage, we resumed our forward
crawl.
The landscape had changed over the miles. We had left the
prairies behind and now rolled through timbered land. Here and there were fields where settlers had cleared the land for
the plow. Large piles of logs and stumps were scattered about,
some of them surrounded by planted grain.
The crops that had been sown were now nearly ready for
harvest, and much of the talk of my fellow passengers was centered on yield, quality and the weather. It was conversation
unfamiliar tome, and I found myself listening intently.
It was well into the afternoon before the conductor came
through calling, "Lacombe! Next stop, Lacombe."
I began to bundle together the items that I had brought
with me. I carefully tucked away the wrappings of the lunch
that Mary had insisted upon sending. I had been most reluctant to comply at the time she suggested it, but I was now glad
that she hadn't allowed me to talk her out of it. I had eaten
every morsel of the lunch and been thankful for it. I brushed at
my lap for unseen crumbs and stood to my feet to smooth my
skirt.
The train squealed to a jerky halt. I clutched my belongings and went forward to meet Mr. Laverly. Stiff and bedraggled after only these few hours on the train, I had difficulty
imagining how I had endured the four days it had taken me to
journey from Toronto.
As I descended the steps, my eyes searched hastily about
for a man that looked like a Laverly. I easily spotted the one
who had been sent to meet me; he was the other nervous person on the platform. I introduced myself, and he suggested
that I might like a cup of coffee before we started out. He
would stay and load my belongings. His daughter, Pearlie,
was pushed forward with instructions to be my guide to the local hotel tearoom. I was glad to fall in step with Pearlie. The
hotel was only a short distance, and she led me at a brisk pace.
We found a table in the corner, and after we had placed our
orders and I had caught my breath, we began to chat. I was
pleased to find
"I'm sure that they wouldn't place me in an objectional
home," I said, trying to sound confident. In truth, I had little faith in Mr. Higgins' concern for my well-being. I did not
know how far he might go in gaining revenge.
"But remember ..." Mary said, and I assured her that I
would.
Jon drove me to the train, and William, Sarah and Kathleen rode along. Kathleen, very serious, asked me, "Aunt
Beth, will you 'member me if I grow up while you're gone?"
"Of course I will, sweetheart," I assured her. "But I'm not
going to stay away nearly as long as that."
She seemed comforted by my reply.
"Wish you were gonna be my teacher," William pouted.
"Me, too," Sarah echoed with great feeling. She was to begin school the next Monday and, though she was looking forward to it, she had some fears also.
"So do I," I said, hugging them. "But I promise I'll write
and tell you all about Pine Springs and my pupils there, and
you can write me about your new teachers and friends."
They brightened at the thought of a letter.
After the final good-byes, I boarded the train and chose
what I hoped would be a comfortable seat. A cigar-puffing
man across the aisle made me realize that I had chosen unwisely, but I was reluctant to move for fear of appearing rude.
His wife finally demanded that he put out his cigar; she
couldn't stand the closeness of the "foul-smellin' stuff." I was
delivered.
I thought that the train would never reach Lacombe. We
limped along, stopping at any place with more than one building. The train hissed and coughed and shuttled and groaned,
seemingly forever, at these tiny train stations before finally
rolling on.
We spent an especially long time at a town called Red
Deer. I watched with interest as dray wagon after dray wagon
drove away with loads of freight-sacks of flour, unmarked
crates, even a stove. At last, when I was sure that they must
have removed even my luggage, we resumed our forward
crawl.
The landscape had changed over the miles. We had left the
prairies behind and now rolled through timbered land. Here and there were fields where settlers had cleared the land for
the plow. Large piles of logs and stumps were scattered about,
some of them surrounded by planted grain.
The crops that had been sown were now nearly ready for
harvest, and much of the talk of my fellow passengers was centered on yield, quality and the weather. It was conversation
unfamiliar tome, and I found myself listening intently.
It was well into the afternoon before the conductor came
through calling, "Lacombe! Next stop, Lacombe."
I began to bundle together the items that I had brought
with me. I carefully tucked away the wrappings of the lunch
that Mary had insisted upon sending. I had been most reluctant to comply at the time she suggested it, but I was now glad
that she hadn't allowed me to talk her out of it. I had eaten
every morsel of the lunch and been thankful for it. I brushed at
my lap for unseen crumbs and stood to my feet to smooth my
skirt.
The train squealed to a jerky halt. I clutched my belongings and went forward to meet Mr. Laverly. Stiff and bedraggled after only these few hours on the train, I had difficulty
imagining how I had endured the four days it had taken me to
journey from Toronto.
As I descended the steps, my eyes searched hastily about
for a man that looked like a Laverly. I easily spotted the one
who had been sent to meet me; he was the other nervous person on the platform. I introduced myself, and he suggested
that I might like a cup of coffee before we started out. He
would stay and load my belongings. His daughter, Pearlie,
was pushed forward with instructions to be my guide to the local hotel tearoom. I was glad to fall in step with Pearlie. The
hotel was only a short distance, and she led me at a brisk pace.
We found a table in the corner, and after we had placed our
orders and I had caught my breath, we began to chat. I was
pleased to find
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