Home Fires

by Susan Cameron

  “Oh Alfie, that’s great news. What’s she like?”

  “She’s kind and beautiful, and not at all bothered that I’m missing a hand. When I see your youngsters, Annie, it makes me want to start a family too.”

  “Well, Catherine is lucky to have you. You’ll make a wonderful father and husband.” Annie triumphantly slapped a card on the table, “Ha! I beat you again!”

  Alfie shook his head. “I’m not a quitter and I’m a stubborn Norwegian. We’re going to keep playing until I win!”

  Annie laughed for a moment but then turned serious. “You know, with three of us here in Canada now, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have Mother come and stay with us? I really do miss her.”

  “I know that Mother is very close to you, especially since Pappa died. That would be a grand plan someday, Annie.”

  Early the next morning, Alfie hugged her goodbye and left for the railway station. Her brothers’ visit had passed so quickly that it seemed like a dream. She was somewhat comforted when she reminded herself that George was now living and working just forty miles away.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Jim returned home a month later. He had sent Annie a telegraph telling her when he would arrive, so she decided to meet him in Jackpine Junction. As if knowing why Annie was walking to the station, Mike followed her. When Jim stepped off the train, he looked well-rested, and he had gained a few needed pounds. His sisters must have pampered him, she thought with a smile. She was glad that he had been able to get home, but wished that she could have gone too. Together they walked the gravel road from Jackpine Junction to their home, with Mike bounding on ahead then retracing his steps. He trotted around Jim in an unabashed display of canine happiness. Jim slung his canvas bag over one shoulder and took Annie’s hand in his. It was a sunny spring day and the air was filled with birdsong.

  “How was your mother?” she asked him.

  “She was quieter than usual, but I know that my brother and sisters will look after her. I brought your letters to your mother.”

  “I’m so relieved you saw her. How is she?”

  “She looked well. She sends her love to you and the boys.”

  Jim had some news; his father left him a small inheritance. Jane had explained to Jim that his father, Charles, had had a difficult childhood. His family became destitute and for a short period, when he was only three years old, they had lived in a workhouse in Norfolk. When Charles’ mother died of consumption, he left Norfolk to live with his brother John in South Shields.

  “I understand now why Da was so careful with money. He never wanted his children to experience the same hardships that he did. He must have saved every spare penny.”

  “He was a lovely man. I’d never have guessed that he had such a difficult childhood.”

  “Well, he never talked about his life in Norfolk. But this has helped us, Annie. On my return home, I stopped in to see Alfie in Toronto and repaid him. He didn’t want to take the whole amount, but I insisted. I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to be free of our debt to him.”

  “That was the right thing to do.” Annie reached up and kissed Jim’s cheek. “Alfie is seeing a lovely young woman and he wants to propose. He’ll need that money now. And it does feel grand for us to be debt-free!”

  Annie was turning over the soil in anticipation of planting, while Hal was playing in a sand pile at the edge of the garden. It was a warm day for early June and she loved gardening. It was her reward for coping through another long, dismal winter. The appearance of tender green sprouts pushing up through the soil renewed her. She was deep in thought, planning her garden, when a large black mass, hovering over the ground in the distance, caught her attention. She put the shovel down and shaded her eyes to get a better view. The black cloud seemed to fly closer and closer.

  “Oh shit! Bloody hell!” Blackflies again.

  She snatched Hal from where he was playing and ran towards the house. Her panic was infectious and he began screaming. The swarm reached then before they could get inside. Annie sank to the grass and tried to protect Hal’s little body, tucking her apron around him. She cringed as the tiny wings and bodies brushed against her exposed neck, arms and head. Incredibly, instead of biting, the insects flew around her and continued their journey. Confused but relieved, she decided to stay in the house for the rest of the afternoon.

  That evening she told Jim about her close encounter with the hundreds of blackflies.

  “I’ve seen those swarms before.” Jim replied. “The males hatch first but they only feed on nectar. It’s the females that bite.”

  Annie sighed and glanced down at Hal. He was on the floor, playing with wooden blocks, building a tower. He gingerly placed one block on the top but then his construction collapsed with a loud crash.

  “Oh shit! Bloody hell!”

  Jim looked sternly at the toddler. “Hal Kidd, what did you just say?”

  Hal’s lip quivered and he began to whimper. Annie went over and picked up the little boy. She looked at Jim sheepishly, “Unfortunately, Hal heard that from his own mother when we were swarmed.”

  “Really? Well, I’m sure I said much worse the first time I was eaten alive by blackflies. I’ll cut some spruce boughs tomorrow and put them beside the garden, so we’ll be prepared for them.”

  Hal buried his face against Annie’s neck and she absently patted his back. “You’re not in trouble, Hal. Those were just some bad words that we shouldn’t say.” She was tired of having so many challenges in her life, and was ashamed to have exposed her youngest child to such words. Just when she resolved to try to bloom where she was planted, much like the sprouts in her garden, something else would uproot her. Hal reached up and stroked her face with his small hand and snuggled his warm body against her. Though the toddler tugged Annie away from her self-pity, she couldn’t help but wonder what her next trial might be, because, whatever it was, it seemed inevitable.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Annie had brought a kitchen chair outside and was reading the newspaper while Hal played in his sand pile. Jim walked over from the wood shed and sat down on the grass. Whenever he wasn’t working at the station, Jim was busy felling trees and trimming them into sixteen-foot lengths. But then he had to pay a man with a team of horses to deliver the wood to the rossing operation to remove the bark. It was heavy work with little reward. Many local men had given up and decided to clear their fields with fire.

  “I’ve sold thirty cords of pulpwood,” Jim said, “but that’s my last load. There’s not enough profit in it.” He wiped the sweat from his brow. “Annie, I’ve been thinking. Now that I’ve been paid for that last load of wood, we have the money to get you your hot water tank.”

  “You’re not just teasing me, are you?”

  Jim shook his head. “I mean it.”

  “We’ll have hot water whenever we want! I’ll feel like a queen.”

  “Well, I have to admit I’d enjoy it too. Imagine taking a bath without filling and emptying pots. Anyway, I’m going into town today to spend my hard-earned pulp money.”

  Annie glanced up wistfully and said, “I’ve been thinking that we need a root cellar to store our vegetables. Do you think you could build us one over the summer? I’m sure that Bobby could help you. And what about getting a few hens this summer so we can have our own eggs? Jack and Georgie are old enough to help. Maybe Bobby can even sell some eggs on his paper route.”

  Jim held up his hands in protest. “Whew! Maybe I’ll just go back to cutting wood!” They laughed.

  Jim continued, “Actually, I was thinking about getting some hens too. I’ll order about ten hens when I’m in town and pick up some wood and wire to build the henhouse.”

  Within two weeks, Jim had the new hot water tank hooked up to the kitchen stove and a henhouse built beside the garden. The hens arrived, and Annie soon had her own fresh eggs for cooking and baking, and many more to spare for Bobby’s paper-route customers.

  Over the summer, Annie watch
ed Bobby and Jim build the new root cellar. They dug a deep hole and built wooden walls and a roof with a trap door. Then they built a shed over the roof for easy access to it in the winter.

  When it was completed, Annie declared to Jim, “Just you wait and see. I’ll have it filled to the brim this autumn with the vegetables from my garden!”

  There was an explosion of activity at Bear Falls that summer. The new pulp mill was building a village seven miles away, just for its workers. Plans included a town park, a school, a hospital and a company store.

  Many local men were anxious to get a job at the mill. It had been a tough year. The roads promised by the government still hadn’t been constructed and most farms were deep in the bush, too far from existing roads. “I hear that many families are barely surviving!” Jim told Annie.

  Annie envisioned the new town homes with proper plumbing and electricity. She imagined the convenience of a store close by, as well as a school and hospital. But she kept her fantasy to herself. She knew that Jim would never give up the property they owned, and she would never give up her home to move into a rented house, however grand.

  At least they were safe from the war that threatened to erupt in Europe.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Two months later, in August, Annie read in the newspaper that war was declared in Europe. The repercussions were felt in New Ontario. Suddenly, there was a huge market for newsprint and raw resources. Jim was seeing hundreds of people pass through Jackpine Junction, all looking for work at the mill or the nearby mines. There were men from the Ottawa Valley and the Maritimes, French Canadians from Quebec, Americans from New York, some Brits and Europeans too.

  “Who would have thought a war so far away would have such an impact on our remote corner of the world!” said Annie. “I imagine we’ll see a lot of changes around here now. I hope that some of these men bring their wives.”

  It wasn’t long before the European war touched Annie personally. She had just latched the door to the chicken coop when she saw Jim coming home from work. He was walking alongside a tall man. Her heart skipped – it was her brother George. She put down her egg basket and ran to greet him.

  “George! What a wonderful surprise. We haven’t seen you for over a month. How long can you stay?”

  “I’m just stopping by for a quick visit. I’ll catch the train to Toronto tonight, then board a ship home.” George explained that he had enough money saved so he and Elizabeth could get married. “To tell the truth though, when I have too many long, lonesome hours and some spending money, I waste it on whiskey. I never learn, do I? Elizabeth will keep me in line.”

  Annie felt a lump in her throat. She was happy for George, but she would miss him. She felt a pang of envy and wished that she, too, could travel to South Shields and see her mother.

  “Well, I wish you every happiness. It’s been lovely having you so close. Come inside and we’ll have dinner before you have to catch the train. The boys are going to be thrilled to see you.”

  Jim added, “Congratulations, George. Annie’s going to miss you something fierce. Although you’re twice her size, she still thinks of you as her little brother.”

  “What will you do for work, George?” asked Annie.

  “After we marry, we’ll have a little holiday, and then I’m going to join the Royal Navy.”

  The boys squealed with excitement when they saw their Uncle George. After a noisy, chaotic meal of roast chicken and garden vegetables, George reached into a pocket and pulled out a bag of toffee for the children. He thanked Annie and Jim for dinner, and said he should leave to catch the train.

  Everyone gathered by the door to say goodbye. Annie handed him a bag filled with sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, biscuits and a large jar of tea.

  “We wish Elizabeth all the best and we welcome her to the family. Give Mother my love. Have a safe voyage.”

  “Thanks for everything. I’ll write you when I get to England.”

  He gave her a tight hug, shook Jim’s hand and ruffled the boys’ hair, then turned to leave. Annie tearfully watched him walk away towards the train station, and wondered if she would ever see him again.

  Annie’s garden provided plenty of vegetables that autumn and the children helped her fill the new root cellar. She dug up the potatoes and knocked off the excess soil, then placed them in the shade for a few hours to harden. She stored turnips, carrots, beets and onions. Annie used sand to pack the vegetables to prevent rotting. The walls of the root cellar were lined with shelves and Annie filled them with her preserves.

  One morning in late October, Jack came back in after feeding the hens, his face pale.

  “We’ve lost at least six hens! I think they froze to death.”

  Annie followed him back to the hen house and looked around in disbelief. Dead birds littered the coop floor. There were just four weak chickens left alive, huddled together for warmth. Although they were a food source, she pitied the ones that had slowly frozen to death.

  “I suppose we can bring the live hens to the wood shed for now,” she said. “We’ll have to keep the dog outside until we figure out what to do.” She kicked herself for not planning better. “I should have known the chickens need a heated coop for the cold weather.”

  Annie cleared a spot in the wood shed and the boys helped her bring in the hens. That night, when Jim went to get an armful of wood from the shed on his way in from work, Annie heard him exclaim, “What the hell?” She went out and, over the noise of the hens, told him of their loss. He shook his head.

  “We should have guessed this would happen on the first hard frost,” he muttered. “I’m afraid, we’ll have to kill the remaining hens. I can’t keep the dog in here with the chickens. We can share half the poultry meat with Pierre and Marie. They’ve always been generous to us.”

  While Jim attended to the unpleasant job with the hens, Annie pickled all of the remaining eggs and stored them in the root cellar. Tears welled up and she sniffled while she worked. When Jim came back inside to wash up, he could tell she had been crying.

  “We’ll be fine. Don’t worry, love. You’ve got the root cellar filled to the brim, and although my job doesn’t pay a lot, it helps to buy our necessities.”

  Annie nodded.

  “The saddest thing, though,” Jim continued, “is that we are better off than many families around. Many are still trying to manage by farming.”

  Annie felt a lump in her throat. We may be better off, but what’s the best of nothing? Maybe we would have been better off if we stayed in South Shields, she thought, not for the first time.

  Another long, cold, dark winter slowly passed. Annie was relieved when the snow finally melted and the warmer weather returned. That spring, their fourth in New Ontario, she noticed a strange new presence in town when she went in to pick up supplies. There were men in army uniforms all around. The army was recruiting experienced miners for the Algonquin Regiment. They needed men for tunnel and trench construction as well as men with experience in railway and explosives. It brought the distant war in France and Belgium much closer to home. She overheard the recruiters say that the unit would be made up entirely of northern Ontario men, even the commanding officer; other officers were local men from the mines and mills.

  She was glad Bobby was only thirteen and that the army didn’t recruit farmers. Not that we’re really a farm, but we could pass for one if we had to. It was difficult enough knowing that her brother Jack was in the merchant marine and now George was joining the Royal Navy. Thank goodness Jim will never get involved with this war, she thought.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The smell of burning wood was common now throughout the area. Jim fulfilled his obligations under the homesteader’s regulations and cleared a few more acres on his land, but this time he used fire. To Annie it seemed a shame to burn the wood, but she knew it wasn’t worth the work and expense to cut and sell it.

  She decided to keep hens again as egg production was profitable. The previous
summer, Bobby had been able to sell quite a few eggs on his paper route, and Jack and Georgie had taken good care of the birds. The boys repaired the hen house and Jim ordered another ten hens. Annie found the scratching and pecking in the hen house comforting while she worked outside. She was happy to plan and plant her vegetable garden once more, and had once again added flowers just for their beauty. Things seemed much better in the summer months. Her garden was bountiful, and she was becoming an expert on storing vegetables in the root cellar.

  One day when Annie was outside working in the garden, she stood and stretched her back, then went to the lilac bush by the well and buried her nose in the blossoms. She was sure their scent nourished her soul. Jim was nearby, chopping wood to build up their supply for the winter. He smiled when he saw her and laid down his axe. She felt a little guilty for getting caught daydreaming, but he walked over and wrapped his arms around her.

  “You’re smiling. What are you thinking about, old girl?”

  “I was just thinking how nice it is to have you home more often, even if it is because we can’t sell our wood. Troubles and worries vanish this time of year.”

  “Aye, that they do.”

  The long-awaited first letter from Annie’s brother George finally arrived in September. Jim brought the letter home after work one day and handed it to Annie as soon as he entered the house. Annie kissed him hello, and sat down at the kitchen table to open the envelope.

  George wrote that he and Elizabeth had been married in a very small ceremony in the same church where Annie and Jim were married. He took Elizabeth for a holiday in Scotland for a couple of days and they had a grand time. He said Elizabeth had never travelled out of Shields before and he was thrilled to spoil her a bit. As promised, when they returned to South Shields, George signed on with the Royal Navy. Elizabeth was going to stay with her parents until he returned at war’s end.