Read Online In Search Of Love: The Story of A Mail Order Bride (Mail Order Bride Series) by Susan Leigh Carlton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susan Leigh Carlton
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accompany them to the station. The carriage came, Patrick and the driver loaded the luggage onto the wagon. Katerina hugged her mother, kissed her goodbye and said, “Thank you Mama for taking care of me all of these years.”
“It was my responsibility,” her mother said.
“I love you, Mama. Take good care of Papa, he’s going to miss me.”
To her father then, she hugged him fiercely. “I love you, Papa, and I am going to miss you every day.” Tears streaming down her cheeks and reluctant to let him go, she clung to him.
“I love you too, Liebchen. You are a good daughter, and I will miss you. I’ve always been proud of you. Be a good wife to Patrick. He is a good man. Make us some enkelkinder, and God be willing, we will see them someday.”
He stepped back, reached into the pocket of his leather apron and said, “Liebchen, promise not to open this until you are at your farm,” and he handed her a small package.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s a small present for you, now promise,” he said.
Between the sobs, she said, “I promise, Papa. You have been as good a papa as any girl could want. I love you so much it hurts. Goodbye, Papa.”
Patrick helped her into the carriage and it moved off toward downtown Columbus and the train station. She turned and looked back. Her father was still standing in the same place watching them go. She waved, “Goodbye, Papa. I love you,” she whispered.
Patrick put his arm around her. She turned her head into his shoulder and cried, all of the way to the station.
Chapter 13: The Train Journey Westward
Katerina’s luggage had been turned over to the agent at the depot. She would not see it again until they arrived in Oregon. Patrick had all of his things with him, while Katerina had a small carpet bag to carry the items she would need during the four and one-half day trip to Oregon City. They were seated in the second car back of the engine, in their assigned seats. At Patrick’s insistence, Katerina sat by the window. The car jerked twice and began moving slowly out of the station, gradually picking up speed. Through the window, she could see the thick black smoke belched from the engine as it drove the large steel wheels, It moved through parts of Columbus Katerina had never seen. Then it was traveling past the farms. These were of particular interest to Patrick and he paid close attention. He pointed out the crops, “That is wheat, just like on our farm, and that is corn. This is good farmland. Not as good as Oregon, but good land.”
They arrived in Chicago at 2:30PM. Having made the trip eastward, Patrick was the experienced traveler. Taking Katerina’s bag under his arm and his in hand, and led her to the train they would ride the rest of the way.
“Patrick, don’t forget about my clothes? They were in the back of the train,” she said.
“They have handlers to move baggage between trains. I paid the man extra to make sure it gets put on our train. It will be there the same times we are,” he said.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“I’m sure, honey. It’s okay,” he said.
She stopped. “You never called me honey before.”
“Well, you are. You’re sweet, so you’re my honey,” he said.
When he came eastward, it was dark as he passed through the stockyards. This time, he could actually see the cattle. He pointed them out as the train moved past. “It’s kind of sad, seeing all of those animals, knowing they will be killed tomorrow or the next day,” she said.
“It’s what they are raised for, honey. They help feed the country, just as what we grow on our farm.”
“Do we have cattle?” she asked.
“Only a cow for milk,” he answered. “It takes a lot of land to raise cattle. You have to have grass where they can graze, then as they eat the grass
“It was my responsibility,” her mother said.
“I love you, Mama. Take good care of Papa, he’s going to miss me.”
To her father then, she hugged him fiercely. “I love you, Papa, and I am going to miss you every day.” Tears streaming down her cheeks and reluctant to let him go, she clung to him.
“I love you too, Liebchen. You are a good daughter, and I will miss you. I’ve always been proud of you. Be a good wife to Patrick. He is a good man. Make us some enkelkinder, and God be willing, we will see them someday.”
He stepped back, reached into the pocket of his leather apron and said, “Liebchen, promise not to open this until you are at your farm,” and he handed her a small package.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s a small present for you, now promise,” he said.
Between the sobs, she said, “I promise, Papa. You have been as good a papa as any girl could want. I love you so much it hurts. Goodbye, Papa.”
Patrick helped her into the carriage and it moved off toward downtown Columbus and the train station. She turned and looked back. Her father was still standing in the same place watching them go. She waved, “Goodbye, Papa. I love you,” she whispered.
Patrick put his arm around her. She turned her head into his shoulder and cried, all of the way to the station.
Chapter 13: The Train Journey Westward
Katerina’s luggage had been turned over to the agent at the depot. She would not see it again until they arrived in Oregon. Patrick had all of his things with him, while Katerina had a small carpet bag to carry the items she would need during the four and one-half day trip to Oregon City. They were seated in the second car back of the engine, in their assigned seats. At Patrick’s insistence, Katerina sat by the window. The car jerked twice and began moving slowly out of the station, gradually picking up speed. Through the window, she could see the thick black smoke belched from the engine as it drove the large steel wheels, It moved through parts of Columbus Katerina had never seen. Then it was traveling past the farms. These were of particular interest to Patrick and he paid close attention. He pointed out the crops, “That is wheat, just like on our farm, and that is corn. This is good farmland. Not as good as Oregon, but good land.”
They arrived in Chicago at 2:30PM. Having made the trip eastward, Patrick was the experienced traveler. Taking Katerina’s bag under his arm and his in hand, and led her to the train they would ride the rest of the way.
“Patrick, don’t forget about my clothes? They were in the back of the train,” she said.
“They have handlers to move baggage between trains. I paid the man extra to make sure it gets put on our train. It will be there the same times we are,” he said.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“I’m sure, honey. It’s okay,” he said.
She stopped. “You never called me honey before.”
“Well, you are. You’re sweet, so you’re my honey,” he said.
When he came eastward, it was dark as he passed through the stockyards. This time, he could actually see the cattle. He pointed them out as the train moved past. “It’s kind of sad, seeing all of those animals, knowing they will be killed tomorrow or the next day,” she said.
“It’s what they are raised for, honey. They help feed the country, just as what we grow on our farm.”
“Do we have cattle?” she asked.
“Only a cow for milk,” he answered. “It takes a lot of land to raise cattle. You have to have grass where they can graze, then as they eat the grass
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