“Yes, sir, there’s a freight out of Georgia passing through in about two hours or so.”
“It’s a freight, you say?” Justin questioned.
“Yes, sir, it’s a freight, no Pullman cars or sitting cars on this train.”
“Well, I don’t believe she could be onboard that one, but thank you for letting me know,” Justin said as he tipped the man two bits.
The agent took the tip and smiled before crossing the street to his office.
Justin read the morning paper and thought about Millicent. He pulled the tintype from his pocket and looked it over. She was so lovely, and although things weren’t going quite the way he planned, somehow he knew that she’d be worth the wait.
He thought about her letters, and how she wrote her feelings. He could almost feel her heart beating in some of the things she’d written to him.
He laughed at himself softly. How crazy was it that he was already so in love with a woman he’d never really met.
He wondered what their first meeting would be like. Would they be drawn to each other, or would the exact opposite happen?
What if she didn’t like what he looked like in person? What would he do? He’d already lost his heart. He was already in too deep.
As he sat there reading the paper and contemplating that meeting, he heard the freight train pull into the Sweetwater station.
As the train came to a stop, Uriah jumped down from the boxcar, grabbed their belongings and placed them on the ground. After all of their things were unloaded, he helped Miss Millicent down from the car.
He could feel her heart beating rapidly as he lifted her carefully to the ground.
“What’s the matter?” he asked as he watched her face flush.
“What if he doesn’t want me?” she asked.
“How could he not, Millicent?”
“But he doesn’t really know me, maybe he’ll just turn around and walk away,” she said, shaking her head as tears welled up in her eyes.
Uriah reached into his pocket, pulled out a kerchief, and passed it to her. He laughed as she took it from his hand and looked at it.
“Don’t worry, it’s clean. I’m not taken to having runny noses or teary eyes.”
Uriah’s remark made her sob, and he wondered if he’d said entirely the wrong thing.
“I didn’t mean to upset you, Millicent.”
“It’s not you, Uriah, I just think maybe I made a mistake, and I should turn around and try to find my way back home.”
Uriah put his hands on his hips and shook his head at her.
“Oh no you don’t, we didn’t come all this way for you to lose your nerve at the last minute. You’ve got to at least meet this man. After that, I’ll help you do whatever it is you want to do.”
“You mean it, Uriah, if I can’t stay you’ll help me get back home?”
“Yes, ma’am, and you know I’ve never lied to you.”
Uriah took his kerchief from her and wiped her eyes. When he was finished, he grabbed their bags and put them on the station walk. He asked the station agent to watch them while he found the folks waiting for Miss Millicent.
The station agent saw her with Uriah and didn’t seem to put together that she could be the woman that Justin had been waiting for.
She was dressed in men’s trousers and wore a man’s shirt tied to pull it in around her tiny waist. On top of her head, she wore an old Stetson that Uriah had found for her to keep the sun out of her eyes.
She probably looked more like a scrawny young man than the beauty her dusty clothing covered so well.
He didn’t bother to alert Justin or even tell him that someone had gotten off the train.
The agent agreed to watch their things while they took a look around town.
After leaving the station, she pulled her long brown hair down around her shoulders and tried to straighten it out as best as she could. She looked at Uriah several times after she’d fixed it to see if he thought she looked okay.
Uriah could tell that she was as nervous as a cat.
By the time they’d crossed the street, she was about as ready to meet Jason as she was going to get after such a long rail trip.
Chapter 15
The Meeting
With her heart in her throat, she stepped onto the walk and started down the street. She held the tintype of Justin in her hand. She didn’t even know where to begin to look for him.
Uriah fumbled with her hat as he suggested they start at the hotel, so they began walking towards the hotel sign. They had crossed the street and started down the boardwalk. It was a warm west Texas day, and a brisk wind occasionally made itself known by blowing a dust cloud down the dirt street. The dust clouds made the people on the walk bow their heads slightly to avoid the wind.
Twice Millicent stopped to clear her eyes as they continued down the walk. She was walking west towards the hotel and had no idea the man she sought was at the café only a few feet in front of her.
Jason Taylor paid his bill and got up from his table. He slipped the morning paper under his arm and then thought about it again.
“Maybe someone else might want to read this,” he thought as he started for the door.
At the last second, he turned and left a two-bit tip on the table along with the newspaper. With his business in the café conducted, he decided to step out and see what another day of waiting in Sweetwater might hold for him.
He stepped out the door just as a big gust of wind blew a dust devil down the main street, and he had to shield his eyes to keep from getting dirt in them.
After a second, the wind passed. He opened his eyes and there she was, standing right in front of him.
He looked down at the tintype in his hand then looked up at her again.
Millicent did the exact same thing with the tintype of Jason that was in her hand. She couldn’t believe her eyes. He was right there. She gasped for breath and felt faint. Jason reached for her and caught her just before she began to fall.
Uriah stepped back instead of forward and took the whole scene into view. He wasn’t sure whether he should have helped her or not. He, like Millicent, had recognized Jason immediately. She’d shown him the tintype enough that Jason’s face was etched clearly upon his mind.
This was the moment he’d wondered about. The next few seconds might determine their future together. He knew he couldn’t interfere. It was time to stay back and let his friend stand or fall on her own.
His heart hoped for her so loudly that he thought it might jump from his chest.
Uriah’s heart skipped a beat as he watched the two of them. It was like a fairy tale to him. He’d heard everything that Millicent had told him. He had to admit Jason Taylor looked exactly like his picture; there were no surprises there.
As she got her footing, Jason pulled her gently to her feet and their eyes met. It seemed as though time stood still.
Jason scanned her face as he looked into her eyes. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He had his arms around her, and though it wasn’t proper for the times, he found himself reluctant to let her go.
Millicent was speechless; he was everything that he’d told her and more. She felt his strong arms around her and the warmth of his touch, and suddenly a strange peace came over her.
Later on, she would relate that what she felt was the first time she had ever known what it felt like to feel at home.
They both realized that someone had to talk, and at the exact same moment, they both spoke.
“I found you,” he said.
“It’s you!” she exclaimed.
The both laughed and then seemed to realize what an awkward spectacle they must have appeared to those around them.
When he knew she was steady, Jason slid his arms from around her and took a half step back.
She had her balance now, and as he stepped back, she caught herself wishing the moment could have lasted a little longer.
“I suppose we need to find a place so we
can talk to each other,” he suggested.
“I suppose so,” she said nodding her head.
Uriah looked on with a smile. He already knew what was going to happen. It was like one of those wind gusts.
The attraction and the feelings between them that they’d shared on paper were coming to life. Uriah was certain that anyone on the walk that day would have felt it. It was an amazing thing to behold.
Millicent soon realized that she hadn’t introduced Uriah to Jason. She turned and smiled at Uriah.
“Jason, this is my friend Uriah, he helped me get here to you. It’s a long story that I really need to tell you about.”
Jason reached out, shook Uriah’s hand firmly, and looked him in the eye. He wasn’t sure who this fellow was, but he was certain Millicent’s story would explain it.
As Uriah shook Jason’s hand, he introduced himself completely for the first time. It was a part of the moment that made Millicent smile from ear to ear.
“I’m Uriah Parsons,” he said as he shook Jason’s hand.
“I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about,” Uriah continued and then excused himself.
Millicent looked at Uriah helplessly as he turned and walked away.
“I’ll find you after awhile,” she called out as he walked on down the boardwalk.
Jason turned towards the café and smiled at Millicent as he nodded in that direction.
“Would you like to get some coffee and talk for a little while?”
“I sure would,” she exclaimed never taking her eyes off him.
They walked hand in hand into the café neither one of them able to stop staring at the other. Uriah stopped down the walk and watched as they disappeared into the café. He scratched his head and looked on in amazement.
“Well, they say God works in strange ways,” he said before turning and walking down towards the livery.
“I suppose he’ll let me know when he’s got something else for me to do.”
He’d intended to get a drink out of a trough he saw down the street when an old man stopped him on the walk.
“I don’t suppose you’d be of a mind to help me fix a wagon wheel, would you?”
Uriah looked the old man over and shrugged his shoulders.
“I suppose I could, mister, I ain’t really doing anything right now anyway.”
The old man led Uriah to a wagon down by the livery. It was propped up but wasn’t quite high enough to put on the replacement wheel on the axle.
“What happened? Did someone start out helping you and light out on you?” Uriah asked.
“Nope, I got it up there, but I can’t get it high enough.”
Again, Uriah shrugged his shoulders then he grabbed the back of the wagon and lifted it with all his might. The wagon moved just enough for the old man to push the new wheel into place.
Once the wheel was in place, the old man smiled at Uriah, reached into his pocket and pulled out two bits. Uriah stopped him and waved his hand indicating that he didn’t want his money.
“Well then, fella, let me buy you a beer,” the old man suggested.
“I’d surely like that, but you know how they feel about my kind in a saloon,” Uriah responded.
“Come on, young fella,” the old man commanded. “Come along with me and don’t be a whiner.”
Uriah shrugged his shoulders at the old man’s remark, followed him down the street to the saloon, and went in through its double wooden doors. They walked up to the bar and the old man hollered at the barkeeper, “Bennie, give me a couple of beers down here.”
The bartender immediately poured two beers and put one in front of Uriah and the other one in front of the old man.
“Huh,” Uriah shrugged, “Where I come from black men aren’t allowed to drink in a saloon.”
The old man smiled and then took a sip of his beer.
“I suppose if you weren’t with me, they might try to treat you that way too,” the old man began. “As long as you’re in this town, I promise no one will treat you any different.”
“That’s a mighty big promise,” Uriah replied.
“You didn’t mind helping me when I needed it and wouldn’t take any money for it. That makes you a lot better than most of the men in this town. Since I own most of it and they all work for me, I suppose I’ve got the right to decide who gets a beer and who doesn’t.”
Uriah listened to the man speak and again he shrugged his shoulders.
“You’re a pretty good fellow,” the old man said, “If you’re looking for work, I think I might be able to help you.”
“Well, I’m not sure if I am or not,” Uriah replied. “I just came here to help a little lady I met during a train robbery. I had to make sure she got here safe from Philadelphia.”
“Oh, you’re the one that got her here,” the old man said as he signaled for another beer.
“You know who I’m talking about?” Uriah questioned.
“Sure, I do. So, what about this young woman? What do you think of her?” he asked.
“She’s a real fine lady and an even better person. That fella hit the mother lode when he sent for her. I just saw them meet for the first time up the street.”
“Did they seem to like each other?” the old man asked.
“They sure do. They took one look at each other and forgot that I was even standing there.”
They both chuckled a little.
“Well, I’ll be darned,” the old man scratched his head and looked perplexed.
“It sure seems like you’ve made this thing part of your business,” Uriah exclaimed.
“You bet I have. Seems like this gal might be the mother of my grandchildren. I’m mighty curious.”
Uriah started laughing and the old man joined in. He finally understood who the old man was, and not only did he feel peace that Jason could take care of Millicent financially, but he now knew what his father was like. It seemed to Uriah that Millicent’s future was looking mighty good.
“You ain’t got a thing to worry about, sir. He seems pretty smitten with her and she’s the same way about him.”
They laughed again and the two of them had another beer together. It wasn’t long before the two of them seemed like old friends.
It was nearly two hours later when Millicent began to worry about what happened to Uriah. She knew how it was where they came from, and she wasn’t sure if it was safe for him in this town.
She’d explained to Jason who he was and what he’d done for her. Jason seemed to understand her friendship for Uriah and how important he’d become to her. In fact, he was beginning to realize that he owed a debt of gratitude to Uriah for getting her to him safely.
“I guess we’d better go and find him,” Jason urged her.
They walked down the street towards the livery and found Uriah on the walk sitting in a wooden chair next to the old man. They were talking about ranching, and Uriah was listening to the old man as if he was extremely interested. Jason looked at Millicent and smiled.
“I guess this friend of yours seems to fall from one problem into another. First, he finds himself helping you get here to me, and now he’s in the clutches of the worst problem of them all.”
Millicent didn’t quite understand, but she could see that neither Jason nor the old man seemed angry at each other despite the sarcastic way Jason had described him.
She’d missed the playful “wink” Jason gave the old man while they were talking.
The old man turned and gave Jason a funny look, and then came to his feet and tipped his hat.
“I don’t suppose my son is going to take the time to introduce me so I might as well do it myself. I’m Jason Taylor Sr.”
At first Millicent smiled and shook his hand. Then, as if she thought different of it, she reached out and hugged him warmly.
The old man looked her over from head to toe, and then turned and winked at Uriah.
“You were right, young fella, she’s a pretty one.”
Jason Jr
. laughed along with Uriah and Senior while Millicent looked on confused.
“What’s this all about?” she asked.
The three of them looked at each other, and then each one began to speak after the next.
“I told Jason’s father here that you were quite a woman,” Uriah said.
“That he did, missy. I was a little worried about this until I met this fellow Uriah. I didn’t know at the time that he’d helped you get here,” the old man said taking his turn.
“He did more than that. He saved her life more than once and treated her with kindness and respect,” Jason continued.
“So I suppose that means I meet with everyone’s approval then?” she questioned.
All three men stood speechless for a moment as if they were afraid to answer. A moment passed before Millicent began to laugh at them and they all burst out in laughter with her.
The old man patted Uriah on the shoulder and told him, “You and me, young fella, are gonna put on the darndest wedding these parts ever did see.”
Millicent stepped up to Uriah and looked him straight in the eyes.
“So you’re staying long enough to see us get married?”
“Why yes, Miss Millicent. Jason’s daddy offered me a job working for him.”
“He did?”
“Sure did. He’s got a pretty big ranch himself, and he promised me he’d help me get a start on my own if I’d stay for a spell.”
Millicent looked in wonder.
“You do want me to stay around, don’t you?” Uriah asked.
She hugged him and then hugged the old man. Both of them seemed a little taken back, but quickly composed themselves.
“Of course I do. You’re my best friend, Uriah. Jason and I both want you to stay.”
Millicent and Jason were married the following week in a ceremony that consumed the whole town. During that week, Millicent got a telegram from her father wishing her well and telling her he was sorry for the way he’d treated her.
After that, she got regular letters from her family and a few years later, she and Jason even took their children by train to meet her side of the family. Oh yes, they did have children. They had three of them, two boys and a girl.
The Delivery Page 15