Ribbons of Steel

by Carol Henry

  “I know just the thing for you young man,” Mrs. Shay said, her finger pointing up in the air, her head bobbing sideways. “A nice tall glass of squeezed lemonade. I had a delivery of ripe lemons the other day and kept them in the root cellar for just such an occasion.”

  Mrs. Shay spun around and entered the house to fetch the lemonade. Emily turned once again to Sheriff Coulter.

  “Could you do one more kindness for us this morning, Sheriff? Mrs. Aderley is in need of a pain killer. My supply of Dover’s powder has dwindled. I wondered if perhaps you would check with the others, see if someone might have some laudanum on hand. The poor woman’s broken ribs are extremely painful. She isn’t able to get the rest she needs, and I’m afraid Dr. Shay took what was left of his supplies with him.”

  “Leave it to me, Ma’am. I’ll see what I can do.”

  Levi Coulter tipped his hat, then sauntered back across the street toward the saloon where many of the stranded had been filing in for a noon-time meal. Although off limits to women in the evening, the Bottoms Up Saloon served a grand spread during the day for the stranded passengers and trainmen.

  “That should quench your thirst, young man,” Mrs. Shay said, returning with a glass in hand and a smile on her rosy face. “Now, you just call out if you need anything else. I’ll go inside and tidy up your room and check on your mother.”

  “Looks like everyone is heading in for a noon-time meal,” Emily stated the obvious to the Weaver sisters as they came out of the house.

  “Yes,” Pansy replied. “We were just off to partake.”

  “Would you like us to bring something back for you?” Violet asked.

  “Thank you, you’re very kind, but I’ll make my way over in a bit. I’ll sit here with Jonathan and keep him company for awhile.”

  The Weaver sisters preceded down the steps, then crossed the dusty street, arm in arm. Mr. O’Leary opened the swinging doors for them and then disappeared inside.

  “Why don’t you get yourself something to eat, Mrs. Carmichael?” Mrs. Shay said. “I’ll keep an eye on this young fellow now his mother is all settled.”

  “I’ll send something over for Jonathan. A growing boy has a hunger needing to be satisfied. He looks to be wasting away.”

  “I’ll be fixing some broth for the boy’s mother, don’t you worry about her.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Shay. You’ve been too kind to us already.”

  “I’ve enjoyed your company. We don’t get many visitors way out here. Now, you just get on over there and get yourself something. You need to keep your own strength up. You worry about others more than you do yourself.”

  Emily didn’t hesitate to cross the dusty street. She paused in front of the saloon’s swinging doors, not feeling right entering an establishment full of rough men. But she couldn’t deny the townspeople had welcomed them all with open arms. They’d even kept the night-time escapades to a minimum until after the passengers from the train finished their evening meal.

  She swung the doors open, entered, and then cautiously stepped inside. The din of conversation and rattle of china and utensils filled the large room. Emily scanned the open space, and spotted Mr. O’Leary, who immediately spotted her. Like a gallant, kind gentleman, he came to her aid.

  “Well now, Mrs. Carmichael. Will ya be joining us for some lunch? ’Tis not much, to be sure, but ’tis not bad for having to feed the bunch of us.” He tucked her arm inside his and led her across the bare planked floorboards to his table.

  Emily wanted to lean on him and let him carry her burden, he was such a gentleman; a truly caring person. However, with all the sleep and rest she’d indulged in over the past few days, she had gained a bit of strength and was determined to walk on her own two feet.

  “What be bringing such a sad look to yer sweet face, me dear?” he asked.

  Emily stepped aside. She forced a smile for his benefit.

  “Mrs. Aderley is still not well. Her son sits on the front porch and is in need of some nourishment.”

  “Of course. Of course. We will see he gets a heaping plateful. Now, Mrs. Aderley. What can I be doing to help her?”

  “Her pain is still fierce, I’m afraid. She isn’t sleeping very well, nor is she eating as she should. Mrs. Shay is preparing broth for her.”

  Mr. O’Leary pulled out a chair for her. “You will eat. You look to be ready to pass out yerself. I will arrange a dish from this bountiful spread these kind folks have laid out for us and send it over to the lad.”

  “Thank you. But I wonder, Mr. O’Leary, do you know of any of the passengers who might have something for pain? The doctor is not back yet, and he might not return for a couple more days. I am afraid Mrs. Aderley’s mental well-being is deteriorating because of her unfortunate incident. I’ve given her a touch of my Dover’s powder the last two days, but, like I said, I have little left for myself. I would have asked right away, but I thought the doctor would have arrived before now. I’m sure he’ll be able to prescribe something for her when he gets back to town, but in the meantime I don’t have much left to share, and she does need something to ease the pain .”

  “To be sure I can help. Ya see, my dear lady, I can be of assistance m’self as soon as I have something sent over for the boy. You sit here and relax a wee bit and eat.”

  Mr. O’Leary, with his twitchy long beard and Irish brogue, made his way to the far end of the room and returned with a cup of hot tea. He then returned with a plate piled high with a thick slice of ham, baked beans, and fried potatoes.

  “My land, sir, I don’t think I can eat all this. Perhaps you should send some of it back.”

  “Nonsense. Do what you can. I’ve found someone to take a plate to the boy.”

  Emily took the fresh, warm biscuits apart and savored the yeasty aroma as the steam rose up to meet her nose. She smeared a dollop of butter on top. The taste was as divine as they looked and smelled. The people of Silver Springs had come out and done a fine job of taking care of everyone, making sure there was enough food and lodging. Perhaps Elizabeth Young would do well here, after all.

  “I didn’t know you were a doctor, Mr. O’Leary,” Emily said when he returned and sat down with his own full plate. “I would have called on you sooner. Mrs. Aderley will be grateful for your help.”

  “Oh, my dear lady, ’tis not a doctor I am, but a bit of a chemist. To be sure, I can provide some medicinal help that might reduce the fever a wee bit and even ease the pain, ’tis all. T’will make her comfy ’til the doctor arrives. Now, you just sit here and finish your meal. As soon as I finish, I’ll get me bags and step across to visit Mrs. Aderley. Don’t ya be a worrying, now. She and her son will be just fine.”

  Emily did worry. Was Mr. O’Leary one of those traveling salesmen who peddled snake oil and other ointments which promised to cure everything coming down the pike but didn’t? For Marian Aderley’s sake, she hoped not.

  She finished eating then returned to Marian’s bedside to find both she and her son resting comfortably. She tiptoed from the room, then made her way back out to the front porch and settled in one of the comfortable rockers. She closed her eyes and wondered how her children were fairing. Was Catherine taking good care of baby Sarah? And what of her own young boys, wild as the wind? Oh, how they would love the West and enjoy the experiences Emily had gone through. Just like Marian’s boys had until their unfortunate mishap. And her Charles? Emily sighed. She missed him most of all.

  Emily woke to the sound of a player-piano plunking out a rollicking tune across the way. Both male and female voices sang Oh! Susannah at the top of their lungs, as off key as the player piano. She stretched, then leaned against the white railing to look toward the Bottom’s Up Saloon. Like a beacon in the evening sky, the saloon was all lit up for the night, calling to every man in town. Several of the trainmen swaggered through the swinging doors. No sign of a single Women’s Christian Temperance Union member protesting outside the establishment like there would have been back in Candor. />
  At least not here in Silver Springs.

  Since the trains had joined the east coast to the west coast, Emily figured it wouldn’t be long before the Temperance Movement inched its way out through the desert, too. Candor’s ladies met at the Town Hall on Main Street. Emily knew several of them, and although she had no liking for those who imbibed, she didn’t have the time or the where-with-all to join with those who rallied against the bottle. She blessed the saints above she was fortunate her Charles wasn’t one to over indulge in such spirits.

  A loud commotion exploded across the street. Emily’s heart set to pounding. Her hand flew to her bosom. The saloon door burst open, and several men tumbled out, voices raised. It wasn’t hard to discern a couple of rowdy locals had taken exception to a few of the trainmen sharing their brew. And more than likely their ladies. She spotted Sheriff Coulter saunter down the street to her left. He fired a couple of shots into the air. The men separated. The trainmen, huffing and puffing, had held their own. The others were in no better shape.

  Sheriff Coulter took care of the incident and rallied one of the men toward the jailhouse on the corner. Once again, the evening quieted.

  The nighttime sky hung wide open, appearing larger than life. No single cloud obstructed the view of the twinkling stars. One could get lost in such a place. The Wild West was beautiful country if the hardships that many endured could be overlooked. Emily hoped Elizabeth Young would be able to see the beauty of it, and the good sheriff would keep the young mother safe out there on his homestead.

  The noise from the saloon drew her back down to earth as another fistfight broke out. This time Sheriff Coulter corralled the culprit and didn’t hesitate to strong-arm the man and drag him off to jail.

  Emily turned her back on the ruckus and walked to her room at the back of the house without disturbing the others. Lord, she was anxious to leave Silver Springs behind. She prayed they’d be on their way tomorrow. She changed into her long, white night dress and rinsed her face and hands in the washbasin next to the window. She braided her hair, took a dram of Dover’s powder from her skirt’s pocket, and washed it down with a glass of water Mrs. Shay had placed on the night stand. Hopefully, the medication would help her get a good night’s sleep despite the commotion still coming from the Bottom’s Up Saloon.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Dr. Shay returned to Silver Springs during the night. Just in time to confirm the Aderleys were in good shape to continue traveling by train.

  “Mr. O’Leary’s new Elixir of Paregoric seems to have done the trick, along with the Willow Bark tea my wife administered while I was away,” the good doctor informed them.

  Mrs. Shay beamed with his praise.

  “I’ll talk to the man myself and see if he has more,” the doctor said. “Perhaps he will continue to administer to her on the ride to San Francisco.”

  “I’m sure he won’t mind,” Emily said. “I’ll see they both are looked after.”

  “I understand you are almost out of your own medicine. I’ve prepared a packet for you to carry in case you need it.”

  “Thank you. It is almost gone.”

  “Sheriff Coulter stopped by earlier and informed me the depot received a telegram this morning saying the train will be arriving tomorrow,” Mrs. Shay reported. “I’m sure everyone is looking forward to moving on.”

  “Yes,” the Weaver sisters chimed in as they entered the sitting room.

  “It’s been rather a long journey. Harrowing for some. I’m sure everyone is looking forward to arriving at their final destination,” Pansy said.

  “I’m afraid the Aderley’s broken bones will heal sooner than their broken hearts,” Mrs. Shay said.

  “Yes, I do not envy their circumstances,” Emily addressed Mrs. Shay. “Thank you for your care and kindness. You’ve made our stay here more comfortable.”

  “My dear, I will miss the company more than you know. It isn’t often passengers stop by and stay for a spell. It’s been my pleasure.”

  True to Sheriff Coulter’s words, the train screeched into Silver Springs at 1:05 in the afternoon the following day. Emily stood alongside the trainmen and passengers on the depot platform clapping and cheering the train’s arrival. For some, their welcome in Silver Springs had worn thin. It was past time to leave.

  “Sorry for the delay, folks,” the new conductor called, stepping down from the long black passenger car as steam hissed out from around large silver iron wheels.

  “A bit of a problem with the strikers stopping all trains coming and going. We were lucky our train was able to get out before things really het up.”

  An hour later everyone rallied to get on board.

  Elizabeth Young, her young babe in arms, and Levi Coulter were there to wave them off.

  “You take care, now,” Emily said. She hugged the young mother and kissed the baby. She looked up at Sheriff Coulter and smiled. “Keep her safe. I don’t want to hear she’s been mistreated.”

  “Yes, Ma’am. I’ll look after her, for sure. Trust me.”

  “I hope so.”

  Emily lifted her skirt to step up into the train. Sheriff Coulter stepped forward and took her hand, guiding her up the steep steps.

  “Have a good journey,” he said. “I’ll make sure Elizabeth contacts you before long.”

  “I’d like that,” Emily replied. He let go of her hand. She found her seat just as Pansy and Violet Weaver waved from the back of the coach, catching her attention.

  “Come, my dear. Come sit with us. They’ve taken Mrs. Aderley and her son to the sleeping car where they will be more comfortable.”

  “Thank you,” Emily accepted their invitation. At least the rest of her journey would be entertaining.

  Although resting on this train wasn’t any easier than it had been on the one they’d traveled on coming from the East, Emily managed to get a modest amount of rest in between the two sister’s continuous disagreements. Lord, couldn’t these two agree on anything once in awhile?

  The noise of the wheels clacking along the track, the cranking engine combined with the puffing and smell of the smoke from the fire, and the unsavory aromas of cheap cigars made Emily nauseous. Not able to take any more, she excused herself and made her way out to the observation car to get some fresh air. Emily settled at the far end of the open car, remembering the last time they had been in an observation car. She’d never forget the sight of those thundering buffalo and the high-pitched calls of the Indians as they raced across the desert. She closed her eyes and let the rocking motion of the train soothe her frayed nerves and lull her to sleep.

  The train made several stops at small stations along the way, leaving Silver Springs far behind. Emily joined the others as they disembarked to enjoy a drink of fresh water, use the facilities, and walk about. The stops, although too short, were a reprieve from the closed proximity to the Weaver sisters who still at this late juncture of their travels found something to argue about. It also gave her a chance to check on the Aderleys, who were still finding it difficult to deal with their injuries and their loss.

  The final morning of their journey, clean, wet wash towels were handed out. Emily washed up, then helped the Aderley’s prepare for a short stop and their morning meal. Once accomplished, Emily took her leave to go to the observation car. Pansy and Violet had decided to do the same.

  “We’re almost there,” Violet said to anyone who was listening, her voice filled with excitement.

  “Well, not quite,” Pansy injected a bit more pessimistically. “I can’t smell the ocean yet.”

  “You don’t know what an ocean smells like,” Pansy assured her in no uncertain terms.

  “I’ll know it when I smell it.”

  They were in the California Territory now. She couldn’t smell the ocean either, but the train had passed over mountains and valleys. There were fields of vineyards growing in profusion everywhere; orange groves and fields of vegetables unlike anything Emily had ever seen before. The vastness of the
se farming pursuits was beyond her imagination.

  “It’s lovely landscape, nevertheless.” Emily smiled at the two sisters.

  Thankfully they agreed, and to Emily’s chagrin, the two spent the rest of the time in peaceful solitude viewing the grand sights before them.

  Two hours later the train slowed as they approached their final destination. San Francisco was a big thriving town, and the train station was impressive for a western territory. Goods from the other eastern trunk lines were transported by way of a different route not affected by the strike and were being unloaded onto waiting wagons. Mail was taken into the station through a special entrance. Mr. O’Leary helped Marian Aderley and Jonathan off the train and whisked them away before the platform and station became over crowded. The white-gloved porter helped Emily and the sisters off the locomotive. Once Emily stepped onto the platform, she quickly caught up to the others.

  “Mrs. Aderley,” Emily called. “I pray you and your son will receive proper medical attention, now you’ve arrived to stay with your sister. Your husband will be very anxious to hear from you, I imagine. I won’t keep you a moment longer.”

  “Thank you for all your help, Mrs. Carmichael,” Marian said. “And, of course, you too, Mr. O’Leary. You have both been so kind. I don’t know how I can ever repay you. If either of you need anything, please look me up. I hope wherever you’re going, Mrs. Carmichael, someone will look after you as you’ve looked after us.”

  “My cousin Marybelle is expecting me, as you know. I’ll be in good hands. She’ll be here soon, I’m sure.” Emily gave Marian a quick, but gentle hug. She bent and gave Jonathan a hug as well.

  “You help take care of your mother, young man. She needs you to be there for her as much as you need her.”

  Mr. O’Leary took her hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze.

  “If ever you are in need, I hope you will call on me,” he said. “I’ll be remaining in this town for some time, ya know. I’ll be making sure Mrs. Aderley and her son are settled in with her sister. ’Tis the least I can be doing.”