by Al Lacy
Brace moved to the center of the platform and ran his gaze over the faces of the nervous but excited children. “Boys and girls, your day has come. I’m so glad each and every one of you is here and I hope you will enjoy the trip west.”
He then explained the basic rules that would be followed on the train during the trip, so they would understand what was expected of them.
“How many of you have ever traveled on a train? Raise your hands.”
Only three of the sixty-four raised their hands.
“I see. Well, this is about how it is every time we send a new group of orphans out West. Very few have been on a train.”
Brace then looked down near the bottom of the stairs that led to the platform, where five adults had gathered while he had been laying out the rules for the young travelers. He motioned for the five to come to him.
As they were mounting the stairs, Tharyn fixed her eyes on the lady in the white uniform. She whispered, “There’s a nurse among those people.”
“Will she be going with us?” queried Leanne in a low whisper.
“I would say so. I think the other people are the escorts who will be traveling with us.”
As the five people moved up beside the Society director, they smiled down at the children.
“Boys and girls,” said Brace, “I want you to meet the four people who will be chaperoning you on your journey.” He pointed to the couple who stood closest to him. “This is Mr. Mark Newton and his wife, Eva. Next to them are Mr. Colin Justman and his wife, Barbara. Mr. Newton and Mr. Justman will be riding in one coach with the boys, and their wives will be riding in another coach with the girls. The two coaches will be connected, with the girls’ coach in front. The railroad companies always put the orphan coaches at the rear of the train, just in front of the caboose.
“Aboard the train during the entire trip, there will be Bible reading and prayer twice a day, just as it has been done here at the Society during the time you have been with us.
“Please let me emphasize that Mr. and Mrs. Newton and Mr. and Mrs. Justman are to be obeyed at all times.”
Brace then looked to the lady in the white uniform at the end of the line. “I also want you to meet Miss Millie Voss. She is a certified medical nurse and will be aboard the train to care for any of you who become ill on the trip.”
Millie flashed a winsome smile and waved at the children. Most of them waved back.
“Miss Voss will be riding in the girls’ coach.”
The Society director excused the five adults, who descended the steps and sat down in the front row.
Brace ran his gaze over the sixty-four faces once again. “I mentioned that the railroad companies always put the orphan coaches at the rear of the train. Ahead of them will be more coaches. These are for the trains regular passengers. From Grand Central Station, your train will be stopping at Pittsburgh, Columbus, Indianapolis, Springfield, and Kansas City.
“At each stop from the Kansas-Missouri border on, there will be people waiting in the railroad stations, prepared to choose orphans to take into their homes as foster children.
“The first stop in Kansas will be at Topeka, which is the state capital. There will be several stops in towns across Kansas and some in eastern Colorado. You will stop at Denver, where there are usually many people waiting to choose foster children.”
Leanne leaned close to Tharyn. “Denver!”
Tharyn squeezed the hand she was holding. “Yes, honey. Denver.”
Brace went on. “After leaving Denver, the train will cross the Rocky Mountains and stop at Grand Junction, Colorado. Its final destination is Los Angeles, California, but there will be stops in southern Utah, southern Nevada, and eastern California before you reach Los Angeles.”
Tharyn leaned toward Leanne. “It must be good to know already where you will be getting off.”
Leanne smiled. “It sure is. I’m looking forward to meeting Mr. and Mrs. Ross and their other adopted children. Oh, Tharyn, I wish you could be chosen by someone in Denver so we could always be close to each other.”
Tharyn squeezed her hand again. “I wish that would happen. It sure would make me happy.”
Charles Loring Brace smiled at the children once more. “Now listen to me, boys and girls. Don’t become discouraged if you are passed over time and again. It usually takes the entire trip to see all of the orphans chosen by prospective foster parents. If any of you have not been chosen by the time the people in Los Angeles look you over, you will be brought back to New York. After some time passes, you will be put on another train west. The process will continue until every child is chosen. We’ve been running these orphan trains for over eighteen years—before any of you were born—and only very, very few have had to return to New York. And every one of them was chosen on the next trip.”
Most of the young faces showed fear when the director had spoken of the possibility of them being brought back to New York, but they changed back to normal at his latter words.
Brace then led the group in prayer, asking God to give safety to the children, their chaperones, and their nurse on the trip.
When he finished praying, he asked the chaperones and Miss Voss to make their way to the front doors of the building. “All right, children, I want you to go outside now where you will be loaded into six wagons that are ready to take you to Grand Central Station. Everyone walk slowly. No running.”
As the orphans were filing slowly out the doors to climb in the wagons, Charles Loring Brace hurried off the platform and moved up to the spot in line where Tharyn was guiding Leanne.
Tharyn said, “Leanne, Mr. Brace is here. I think he wants to talk to you.”
“I sure do,” said Brace, joining them in their slow walk.
The blind girl turned her face. “Yes, sir?”
“Honey, I know you are going to be very happy with the Ross family.”
“I’m sure I will, sir.”
“Will you please greet them for me?”
Leanne smiled. “Yes, of course.”
Brace set tender eyes on the redhead. “Tharyn, I want to thank you for looking after Leanne as you have.”
“I’m glad to do it, Mr. Brace. I love her very much.”
“That’s quite obvious. Every time I see you two together, you are doing something to help her.”
Leanne patted her friend’s arm. “I love Tharyn very much too, Mr. Brace. I’m praying that the Lord will let her be taken by a family in Denver. Or at least nearby, so we can be close together always.”
“Well, you just keep praying, Leanne. We have a great big wonderful and powerful God. He can certainly do it.”
“I will, sir. And thank you so much for guiding the Rosses and me together.”
“It’s been my joy, Leanne. God bless you.”
“God bless you too, sir.”
Brace moved on.
When it was time for Tharyn and Leanne to board a wagon, its driver stepped up and touched Leanne’s arm. “Little lady, I’m the driver. Would you allow me to lift you up into the wagon?”
Leanne smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
The driver looked at Tharyn. “You go ahead and get in. I’ll put her on the seat next to you.”
Tharyn climbed in. When Leanne was placed gently beside her, Tharyn took hold of her hand.
About two minutes later, the caravan of wagons with Children’s Aid Society lettered on their sides drove onto the street and headed in the direction of Grand Central Station.
As the wagons moved through the streets, Tharyn began giving Leanne word pictures of their surroundings. Quite often, Leanne commented that she knew about this building and that store.
“You know it pretty well, don’t you, honey?” said Tharyn.
“You might say that. New York has been my home for all of my thirteen years. We lived here in Manhattan until my father—” she swallowed hard—“until my father finished his seminary work when I was eight and we moved to Staten Island. That’s when he became past
or of the church there.”
“I see.”
“Even then, we came to Manhattan quite often, so I still have a pretty good picture of it in my mind.” She paused. “I’ve never been outside the five boroughs, though.”
“Me, neither. Kind of scary, isn’t it?”
“Oh, is it! I’ve heard stories since I was small about the Wild West.”
“Me too,” said Tharyn. “I learned a lot about it in school.”
“Mm-hmm. I can remember shivering with fear as I heard tales about wild Indians out there, and the tough towns that are overrun by oudaws and saloons filled with drunken cowboys who are always fighting each other.”
Tharyn nodded, though Leanne could not see her do it. “Yes, and gunfighters in the streets drawing against each other to see which one is the fastest.” She snorted. “One of them always wasn’t, and from what I’ve read, he always ends up six feet under at some Boot Hill.”
Leanne giggled. “For sure. It sounds like a dangerous part of the country, doesn’t it? I mean like a faraway place from which one never returns.”
“Yes. You could say that.”
“Of course, it’s not that bad now. Before you kids came to the Society from your alley, Mr. Brace was talking to us about the West, and he said life is much calmer out there in the western states and territories than it was even ten years ago. He said it’s still not as civilized as here in the East, but better than it used to be.”
Tharyn said, “It’s certainly going to be different from what both of us have known up until now. But I’m really looking forward to living out there. Since living as a waif on the streets of New York, with all its dangers, as well as hunger and cold, I’m expecting a happy future.”
Suddenly Dane Weston came to Tharyn’s mind, and a lump formed in her throat. She pictured him there in the dismal, dirty Tombs, living in a cramped little cell. O dear Lord, everything would be so good if only Dane was coming with me.
Pain gripped her heart and moisture gathered in her eyes.
Please, God, with Your mighty hand, clear him of the crime You know he didn’t commit. Let us be together again one day soon. He said he would come and find me when he gets out. He’s my big brother, Lord. I miss him, and I want him close to me.
Tharyn sighed deeply and brushed the tears from her cheeks. In her heart, she vowed to make Dane proud of her in her chosen profession of nursing.
Hearing the sigh, Leanne turned. “Tharyn, are you all right?”
“Why do you ask?”
“You just made a sad sound.”
“Oh. I did, didn’t I? I was just thinking about Dane. I really miss him.”
“From what you’ve told me, he’s really been an excellent big brother to you. No wonder you miss him. Don’t give up, honey. Like you’ve said over and over, the Lord knows he’s innocent, and the Lord is going to set him free.”
Tharyn sniffed and wiped away a tear. “I have to hold onto that.”
“Just don’t let go.”
The city sounds surrounded them, punctuated by the clopping noise of the horses’ hooves on the street.
Leanne squeezed the hand that still held hers. “Tharyn, could—could I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“I’ve never had a friend like you. Could we sort of adopt each other as sisters?”
Tharyn squeezed back. “We sure can. I’d love to be your sister.”
The other children in the wagon smiled as they watched Leanne lean close and kiss Tharyn’s cheek. “I love you, sis.”
Tharyn turned and kissed Leanne’s cheek. “I love you too, sis.”
Soon the train of wagons filed into the parking lot at Grand Central Station and came to a halt.
The driver of the wagon bearing Leanne and Tharyn lifted Leanne from the seat and stood her on the ground. She thanked him, then took hold of Tharyn’s arm as the five adults led the children inside the terminal. Since Leanne had never been to Grand Central Station before, Tharyn described as much as she could as they were being guided to the track where their train was waiting to be boarded.
Eva Newton, Barbara Justman, and Millie Voss ushered the girls toward their coach.
Russell Mims left the other boys long enough to slip up beside Tharyn. “You okay, Tharyn?”
She smiled at him. “Yes, Russell. I’m fine. A little nervous like everyone else in this group, but I’m fine.”
Not attempting to lower his voice at all, he said, “I love you, Tharyn.”
She smiled again, but did not voice the same sentiment.
Russell gave her a big grin. “I know. We’re too young. But I love you, anyhow.” With that, he hurried to catch up with Mark Newton, Colin Justman, and the other boys as they were starting to board the coach.
As Tharyn was helping Leanne climb the steps of the small platform that led into the girls’ coach, Leanne said, “You haven’t told me about your romance with Russell.”
Tharyn giggled. “I don’t have a romance with Russell. We’re both too young for that. Especially me. I’m only thirteen.”
Leanne chuckled as they passed from the platform into the coach. “Sounds like Russell feels romantic toward you.”
“He’s too young, Leanne. At fifteen, he can’t possibly know what it is to be in love, yet.”
Leanne shrugged. “Maybe not.”
Eva and Barbara moved farther back in the coach, directing girls to various seats.
Millie paused at a seat about a third of the way into the coach, turned, and smiled at Tharyn. “How about this seat?”
“Looks fine to me, Miss Voss.” Tharyn turned to Leanne. “There’s room on each seat for two people. Do you want to sit by the window, or would you rather sit on the aisle?”
Leanne chuckled. “You sit by the window, honey, so you can see out when we’re traveling.”
Tharyn’s features flushed. “Oh. Sure. Okay.”
“You can describe it to me all the way to Denver.”
“Unless she is chosen by a foster family before you get to Denver, dear,” said Millie.
Leanne pressed a smile on her lips. “I’m praying hard that the Lord will keep Tharyn from being chosen before we get to Denver, ma’am. I want her chosen there too, so we can be close to each other. I really believe the Lord is going to do it.”
Millie patted the blind girl’s arm, “What’s your name, dear?”
“Leanne.”
“Well, Leanne, God says without faith it is impossible to please Him. I sincerely hope He does it for you.”
“Thank you, Miss Voss.”
Tharyn sat down, then took Leanne’s hand and guided her onto the seat. Millie moved to another pair of girls.
Tharyn leaned close to the window. “I see lots of people out there, sis. Most of them are boarding the other coaches ahead of us. Some are telling others good-bye. No doubt family members and friends.”
Leanne’s mind went back to the day she stood at New York Harbor with people from their church and told her parents goodbye just before they boarded a ship that would take them south around the tip of Florida, then west to Tampico, Mexico. A hot lump rose in her throat. Little did I know, she thought, that I would never see them again in this life.
Tharyn continued to describe the scene on the depot platform until the engine’s whistle blew and the bell began to clang. As the train chugged out of the station, she described what she saw as it picked up speed and rolled westward across the trestle spanning the Hudson River toward New Jersey.
She grew quiet as she watched the familiar scenery slip away. Memory suddenly carried her back to the warm, loving home she had known until her parents were killed that awful day in front of their apartment building.
Hot tears welled up in her eyes. The home she grew up in was a loving place. The Myers family had been poor by many people’s standards, but they were rich in love and in taking care of each other.
Leanne noted her friend’s silence, but thought possibly Tharyn was having a hard
time leaving the only place she had ever known as home and decided not to disturb her.
Tharyn pressed her forehead against the cold window pane and softly whispered, “Good-bye, Mama. Good-bye, Papa. I will never forget you. I will always love you.”
As she let the tears fall freely for a few minutes, the pain in her heart began to ease. She closed her eyes, trying to picture what lay ahead for her in the wide open spaces of the West.
After a little more time, Tharyn began describing for Leanne what she saw out the window as the train rolled westward across New Jersey in a beeline for Pennsylvania.
When lunchtime came, Mark Newton and Colin Justman went to the dining car near the front of the train and were given two carts loaded with hot food. They pushed them back to the girls’ coach, and began to hand out the lunches as they moved slowly down the aisle.
When Mark and Colin drew up to the seat where Tharyn and Leanne were sitting, they found a problem. How was the blind girl going to hold her soup bowl, plate of bread, and cup of lemonade while she ate?
As they discussed it, Tharyn said, “It’s really not a problem, gendemen. Just hold my meal on one of the carts and bring it back to me later. I’ll help Leanne eat right now.”
Colin frowned. “But, honey, your soup will grow cold if we wait very long.”
“I don’t really care. The main thing is that Leanne gets to eat her soup while it’s hot.”
“But that isn’t fair to you, sis,” spoke up Leanne.
Tharyn patted her hand. “It’s all right. Really.”
The two men smiled at each other, then Colin said to Tharyn, “You are truly one sweet girl. We know you came from the streets and have been undernourished for quite some time. Mr. Brace pointed you out to us this morning after the meeting. He said you were taking care of this little girl and told us about your life on the streets of late. Yet, here you are, willing to delay your own meal so your friend can have her soup while it’s hot.”
“You’re to be commended,” said Mark. “I believe Mr. Brace said your name is Tharyn.”
“Yes, sir.”
Leanne pointed her blank eyes at the voices. “I haven’t known Thaiyn very long, gentlemen, but she is the best friend I’ve ever had.”