The Blanket of Blessings

by Betty L. Milne

“Get up, girl!” Homer yelled outside the wagon. “Time to eat and then we gotta be on our way!”

  The morning had come so soon. Angie felt like she had barely closed her eyes and it was time to wake up. She stretched and then searched for her brush to work the snarls out of her hair.

  As she entered the house, Gertie smiled and said, “There’s some water over there for washing up.” She was pointing to a basin on the table. “I’ve laid you out some lye soap and a towel.”

  “Thank you,” Angie said as she walked over to the table.

  “You’re a mighty quiet girl,” Gertie observed, “Don’tcha talk much?”

  Angie shook her head.

  “Oh, that’s alright,” Gertie said, “I don’t think I said much at your age either.”

  Angie eyed Gertie with curiosity as Gertie laid more flapjacks down in front of her for breakfast.

  “We’ve all had breakfast,” Gertie told her, “I imagine you’ll be on your way soon.”

  Gertie then went outside where Homer and Elmer were hooking up the mules.

  “I’ve decided we need three more mules. How much ya want for ‘em?” Homer asked her.

  Gertie thought for a moment. “Fifty US dollars each.”

  “Fifty dollars?!” Homer exclaimed.

  “That’s a right fair price,” Elmer told him.

  Gertie held her smile.

  “Humph!” Homer grunted, “Long as I have my pick.”

  “Deal!” Gertie held out her hand.

  Homer pulled out a small bag from his pocket and placed the coins in Gertie’s hand.

  “Help yourself!” Gertie said as she pointed to the corral. “But only three mind you!”

  As Homer tied the three newly purchased mules to the back of the wagon, Elmer had gone back into the house to get Angie.

  “You done eatin’?” Elmer asked.

  Angie nodded and rose from the table. She collected the dirty dishes and took them over to the counter by the stove.

  “Well, ain’t that nice,” Gertie said as she entered the house. “You’re quite the little helper. Could sure use you around here.”

  “I’m going to Sacramento,” Angie said quietly, “to live with my aunt and uncle.”

  “So I hear,” Gertie smiled, “Come give me a hug before you go.”

  Angie hesitantly gave Gertie a little hug and then backed away quickly.

  Elmer gave Gertie a big hug and lifted her into the air. “I meant what I said Gertie,” he smiled, “I think I’m gonna have to marry ya when I come back through.”

  Gerta laughed. “Well, we’ll just have to see about that Elmer Smith. We’ll just have to see about that!”

  As Elmer lifted Angie into the back of the wagon, Gertie came running out of the farmhouse with a tattered basket in her hand.

  “Wait!” she called, “I have some jerky and some leftover flapjacks for you.”

  Homer was already sitting on the front bench with the reins in his hand. Elmer walked over to Gertie as she was starting to blush.

  “Thank ya kindly, Gertie,” he smiled as he took the basket from her hand. “This’ll surely come in handy.”

  They stood there staring into each other’s eyes until Homer groaned, “Come on Elmer, time to go!”

  Elmer made a snap decision to give Gertie a kiss on the cheek and then jumped up on the wagon. A huge smile came across Gertie’s face as she touched her cheek. Homer yelled at the mules and began to turn the team around. As they headed down the trail out to the main road, Gertie waved goodbye and watched until they were out of sight.

  Angie could hear Homer criticizing Elmer for his behavior with Gertie, ranting and raving, accusing him of being downright ridiculous, but Elmer didn’t seem to mind. The heated words went on from Homer for what seemed like an hour or more, but never a word escaped Elmer’s mouth… only a little laugh once in a while.

  Late that afternoon, they arrived at the little town of Sweet Springs and found a corral next to the blacksmith shop where their mules would spend the night. After making an agreement, Homer paid the owner to allow them to park the wagon for the night.

  “We’ll be in Independence tomorrow,” Elmer told Angie. “Then we’ll be gettin’ a new wagon and some supplies ‘fore the wagon train leaves on the 15th.

  Angie was beginning to like Elmer, but was still unsure of Homer. He seemed so gruff and sometimes mean.

  “Where can a body get a decent meal around here?” Homer asked the blacksmith.

  “At the saloon down the street,” the big burly man answered. “But I don’t think you’ll want to take the little girl in there.”

  “Aw, she’s alright,” Homer replied as he took Angie by the arm.

  Elmer removed Homer’s grasp and took Angie by the hand. “Stay by me, I’ll make sure you’ll be alright.”

  Angie smiled up at him and stayed close by his side as they entered the only saloon in town. It was loud and filled with smoke. Angie held her nose, but to no avail. Her eyes were beginning to burn from all the smoke and she wished she could leave this horrible place.

  “Over here,” Elmer said as he guided her to a table in the corner. Homer had already gone up to the bar.

  As they sat down, Elmer looked sympathetically at Angie. “Don’t worry, little lady. We’ll eat and then be out of here in no time.”

  Angie looked around her and was fascinated by the piano player. The music that came from the old instrument was fast and friendly, and the few ladies that were in the saloon were in brightly colored dresses and laughing. But mostly she saw men playing cards and enjoying a drink on this hot summer evening. She realized most of the people were staring at her, and it made her feel uncomfortable.

  Where are all the families? She asked herself, Where are the children?

  “Supper’s a’comin,” Homer said as he set himself a drink down on the table, and one before Elmer, and then sat down at the table to guzzle the cold beverage.

  “They’s got any milk in this place for the youngin’?” Elmer asked his brother.

  “Didn’t think to ask,” Homer answered as he continued to stare at the piano player and the colorfully dressed lady that leaned against the wall listening to the music.

  “Stay right here, missy,” Elmer said to Angie, “I’ll find ya somethin’ to drink.”

  Angie kept her eyes on Homer who was more interested in the goings on in the saloon than in her.

  “Here ya are,” Elmer sat a glass of sassafras down in front of Angie. “Fraid they ain’t got no milk.”

  “That’s alright,” Angie said and tasted her first glass of soda water. It tasted a bit strange but quenched her thirst.

  Elmer tried to talk to Angie to distract her from the business of the saloon, and was relieved when the steaks arrived.

  The owner set down a steak in front of Homer, and one in front of Elmer.

  “Hey!” Elmer objected, “Got anythin’ for the little lady?”

  “Soups coming” the grumpy saloon owner replied as he walked away.

  “Soup?” he asked as he turned to Homer.

  “Steaks a little too much for a little girl, don’tcha think?” Homer answered.

  “She could use the meat for the long trip ahead of us,” Elmer reasoned.

  “Soups good enough for her,” Homer said as he shoved a huge slice of meat into his

  mouth.

  “We’re supposed to be takin’ good care of her!” Elmer objected.

  “We is!” Homer angrily began to seethe. His eyes became narrow and he warned Elmer with just a look.

  “There’s your soup,” the owner said as he set the huge bowl down in front of Angie.

  “An’ some bread with that,” Elmer told the man waiting on them.

  The saloon owner looked annoyed, but came back with a couple large slices of bread and set them down in front of Angie.

  “Well, eat why don’t ya,” Homer pointed to Angie’s bowl, “Can’t be wastin’ it. Long way to go tomorrow an’ not sure wha
t we’ll find to eat at Independence.”

  The soup was bland, but there were a few vegetables at the bottom of the broth. The bread was better and she ate both slices.

  Elmer cut a large chunk of meat off his steak, chopped it into pieces and dumped it into Angie’s bowl. She smiled up at him and gratefully accepted it. She ate the meat, vegetables and bread, and realized she was full. All that was left was broth.

  “If ya ain’t gonna eat all your soup, that’s fine with me, but I don’t wanna hear yer hungry later on, ya hear?” Homer shoved his face too close to Angie’s for her own comfort.

  She nodded and shoved the half empty bowl a few inches away from her.

  Homer grabbed the bowl and proceeded to drink down the rest of the soup like it was a cup of water.

  “Well, let’s go,” Elmer suggested. “We all could use a good night’s sleep.”

  Angie was glad to be climbing under her own blanket and to be by herself. Elmer was nice to her, but she still didn’t feel safe around Homer. As her eyes started to get heavy, she could hear Homer and Elmer talking to each other about reaching Independence the next day to meet up with the wagon train. She heard them setting up their tents, and that was all she remembered.

  Another early morning came for Angie. She began to realize it would be just the start of many early mornings. After a plate of flapjacks, some bacon, as well as some coffee for Homer and Elmer, Angie waved goodbye to the piano player who blew her a kiss. One of the ladies in the saloon giggled at the little girl and the three started the last leg of their journey to Independence, Missouri.

  The skies were threatening and the rain began to gently fall, causing the road to turn to mud. Homer was not pleased at this turn of events and made his distress known. Angie sat back against the side of the wagon and placed the Bible on her lap. She enjoyed trying to pick out words she recognized and it helped pass the time. Once in a while she would look up and gaze out the back at the three mules tied to the back of the wagon. She decided to name them, Franklin, Washington and Hamilton. The two mules in the front would be named Betsy and Martha. She didn’t know if the mules were males or females, but she didn’t seem to care either.

  The skies soon began to clear and the sun brought out the warmth. Angie found herself leaning out the back, resting her chin on her arms, talking to the mules. The animals seemed to understand her with their sympathetic eyes.

  Soon, Angie noticed several other wagons following behind them and she no longer felt alone. She was interested in seeing new faces and wondered if they were headed to Independence as well. A little girl was sitting next to her father in front of the wagon behind them. She waved to Angie and Angie timidly waved back. More and more wagons sat along the side of the road and Angie realized they were finally entering the bustling town of Independence. The wagon finally stopped and Homer tied up the mules in front of a General Store and then disappeared down the street on foot.

  Angie was anxious to get out of the wagon and stretch her legs, but Elmer instructed her to stay in the wagon while he walked around the wagon and checked the mules. After what seemed like an eternity, Homer came out of the store and talked with Elmer about the provisions he had arranged; a new pioneer schooner especially built for the one way journey, pulled by four mules instead of two, tying the fifth mule to the back for an alternate, as well as two to three months of food, soap, cooking utensils and tools. Elmer lifted Angie out of the back of the wagon and she walked with them to a small dinner house where they could freshen up and eat a hearty meal of stew and bread. After the meal, Angie walked with Elmer back to the wagon to wait for Homer to bring the larger wagon. She became excited when she saw the new prairie schooner coming down the road with Homer sitting next to the previous owner. The fresh white canvas stretched over the hooped framework looked welcoming and more spacious.

  After taking his horses off the prairie schooner and hooking them up to the old ragged wagon that had once belonged to Homer and Elmer, the jolly heavy man with the huge mustache waved goodbye to Homer, yelled “Git Up!” to his horses, and pulled the wagon away to sell to someone else.

  While Homer was hitching four of the mules to the front of the wagon, Elmer was busy finishing loading their belongings inside the wagon from where he had left them next to the boardwalk. Angie helped hand the lighter items up to him. She was anxious to climb up and see what the new wagon looked like inside.

  Homer went into the General Store and had the clerk help him bring out wooden crates, barrels and sacks of flour, beans, dried fruit and vegetables, slabs of smoked bacon packed in bran, jerky, coffee, sugar and lard. He also bought eggs packed in cornmeal, salt and pepper, and some baking powder. Among the other items he bought were a shovel, broad axe, and a mallet. He already had his hunting knife, shotgun and pistol, so the only other essentials he needed was horseshoes for the mules and a change of clothes.

  Elmer took Angie by the hand and led her into the store and looked around until he found just what was on his mind.

  “There ya be,” Elmer said as he reached up and took down a pretty white sunbonnet. He placed it on Angie’s head and tied it haphazardly under her chin, “For the sun.”

  A smile spread across Angie’s face and she hugged him around his waist.

  “Yer welcome, little lady,” Elmer smiled.

  “Quit wastin’ our money!” Homer scolded Elmer as he came back into the store.

  Elmer ignored him and placed the $2.00 on the counter.

  “Last time I give you any money,” Homer fumed as he grabbed a bag of chewing tobacco and a new felt hat for himself.

  The down mattress that the McKennas had provided was placed on top of the boxes of supplies, leveled out to make a bed for Angie. She climbed inside and marveled at the fresh smell of seasoned hardwood and the cleanliness of the fresh new canvas that hovered over her.

  Before the sun set that night, Homer drove the wagon up to a camp located just a short distance from the old Independence Landing situated north of the city of Independence. This would be the point from where the wagon train would gather and start out the very next day for the West.

  Angie thought she would be excited about finally starting the trip to her aunt and uncle’s home and within two to three months be able to settle into her new life, but she wasn’t.

  As Elmer volunteered to take care of the mules, Homer set up the tents next to the wagon.

  “Good night, little lady,” Elmer called inside the wagon.

  “Good night, Elmer,” Angie answered as she lay down on the feathered mattress and wrapped her blanket around her. Panic began to fill her heart.

  Tomorrow we’re actually leaving for California, she thought, a long way from everything I know. A long way from everyone I know. A long way from Columbia, Missouri, from Elma and George, from Pastor Johnson and Miss O’Brien.

  And then she smiled, And a long way from Pearl!

 

  The Trail