“Don’t worry,” Meredith added. “A good man will come along soon enough.”
“One already did,” Evelyn replied with a sigh, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. “God already delivered me the perfect man, then called him Home to Heaven. I’m incredibly blessed to have been able to call Paul my husband for four years, and I can’t expect to ever be that blessed again.”
She brought her hand to her face to wipe away her tears. Her husband, Paul, had been killed in an industrial accident nearly two years earlier, while she was still pregnant with Julie. But the pain of his death was still fresh in her heart, as if it had just happened yesterday.
“You’re only twenty-three,” Meredith responded, reaching out to pat Evelyn’s arm and comfort her. “You’re too young to give up on finding love again.”
“Love is the least of my concerns,” Evelyn laughed. Her laughter, however, was not of the comical, amused sort. “Right now, I work tirelessly to earn as much money as I can to support myself and my children. But I’m barely making ends meet, let alone saving anything for the future, which is sure to include even more expenses as the children grow. So, for the time being, I’m more concerned with tending to our physical needs than to my emotional ones.”
“I see,” Meredith answered. “But why not tend to both?”
Evelyn looked at her friend curiously, encouraging her to go on.
TWO
“Find a man to marry!” Meredith asserted in a way that made Evelyn’s eyes roll just a bit. “Find a man you fancy, one who has a job and is open to children. Then, with the two of your incomes, you’ll be able to make ends meet—and your emotional needs will be met, as well.”
Evelyn took a deep breath and smiled. “That, my friend, is one of those things that, as they say, is easier said than done,” she replied. “You saw how that young man ran out of this store when he learned I’m a mother. And I’d expect his response would be a typical one. Most men are reluctant to take on the charge of children who are not theirs.”
“True,” Meredith replied. “Most men are. But not all men.”
“And I’m to find one who isn’t?” Evelyn laughed. “I’d be easier tasked to find a needle in a haystack! In case you haven’t noticed, single men have been in short supply here in New Amsterdam ever since the war. And those who are still here are rather picky and wouldn’t opt for an encumbered woman when there are so many unencumbered ones from which they can chose.”
“Then search for one elsewhere,” Meredith chimed back. “There are plenty of men outside of New York who are looking for brides, many of whom have standards that aren’t as strict.”
Evelyn shrugged her shoulders and searched for the right words to say.
“Get one of those mail-order bride periodicals,” Meredith continued. “I’m sure you can find a man in there who wouldn’t mind opening his heart and home to you and your kids.”
Evelyn shook her head. “I’ve heard talk of such periodicals,” she stated. “But I don’t know if they’re right for someone like me.”
“They’re perfect for someone like you,” Meredith replied. “In fact, the Matrimonial Times served my cousin Gretchen just fine. She was in a similar situation as you, you know. She had two young boys—twins—who were only three or four, when she found herself single again. But, whereas it was God who took your husband away, it was a barmaid who took hers away. Her husband couldn’t handle the stress of being a father and was wooed away by a younger woman with loose morals.
“But, in any event, Gretchen found herself hard-pressed to raise her sons on her own, and she longed for a companion and life partner. So, she turned to the Matrimonial Times, where she found a wonderful fellow in the state of Arizona. She went out west to marry him and is now quite happy, stable, and in love.”
“How wonderful for Gretchen,” Evelyn smiled. She was touched to hear Gretchen’s story, but still hesitant to consider pursuing such an avenue herself. In addition to doubting that she could not find a man as willing as the one Gretchen had found, Evelyn also doubted that she could ever fall in love again. Her heart still belonged to Paul, and she was certain that she didn’t have anything left to give to any other man. What was more, she didn’t want to give anything to any other man, both for fear of betraying her late husband and for fear of being hurt again.
“It can be wonderful for you, too,” Meredith assured her friend. “With patience, prayer, and a little work, anything is possible.”
Evelyn was about to reply, when another customer walked into the store. Recognizing her as a regular, Meredith went over to help the woman, while Evelyn went off to another section of the store to take inventory of a few things.
A few more customers came and went, and the women went about their work as they usually did, with no more talk about the topic they’d just broached. But, even though they didn’t discuss it anymore, her conversation with Meredith stayed fresh in Evelyn’s mind—though she repeatedly told herself that the prospect of finding a suitable, willing husband as Gretchen had done was both unlikely and absurd.
THREE
Once Evelyn was done with her shift, she bid Meredith a good day and left the store. On her way home, she stopped at the general store to pick up some items that she needed for herself, her children, and their home.
As Evelyn made her way around the general store, she put only those items that her family needed into her basket, and regretfully turned her eye on many a thing she wanted or craved. When her basket was full, she went up to the counter and set it down. The wife of the store owner—Mrs. Kinkaid—had been reading a book, and didn’t even notice Evelyn until she was right in front of her.
“Good evening, Mrs. Kinkaid,” Evelyn smiled. “I’d like to buy these items on my account.”
Mrs. Kinkaid looked up at her. “I’m sorry, dear,” she said with a frown. “But you can’t.”
“Why ever not?” Evelyn inquired, feeling her heart race inside her chest.
“My husband reviewed our ledger just yesterday,” the older woman replied. “It appears you haven’t made any payments on your account in over two months…He told me not to allow you to make any more purchases until you’ve paid half of it.”
“Very well,” Evelyn replied, both embarrassed and sad. She appraised the items in her basket and started weighing the necessity of each and every thing. “I suppose I’ll pay cash for the things I need most and come back to make a payment on my account once I get paid at the end of the week.”
“My dear, you don’t understand,” Mrs. Kinkaid responded, still frowning. “I’m not to sell you anything—whether paid for on your account or with cash—until you’ve made a payment. My husband feels that whatever cash you have to give us should be used to make good on your past debt, not to acquire anything more.”
“But, Mrs. Kinkaid,” Evelyn persisted, “I promise I’ll make a payment later this week! But, until then, there are things I need for my children. Julie is just a baby, and I need new nappies for her, as well as syrup to fortify her milk. Without these things, I’d—”
“Fine,” Mrs. Kinkaid said quietly, interrupting Evelyn as she looked around the store to make sure no one overheard. “Get the nappies and syrup. And get a few other items that you cannot live without…But breathe a word of this to no one, and don’t even come into my store again until you have money to make a payment on your account.”
“Oh, thank you so much,” Evelyn whispered, fully appreciative of the courtesy Mrs. Kinkaid had just shown. She sorted through her basket, cognizant of the amount of money she had in her purse, and withdrew only the items she needed most. Her heart ached over all the other necessities she could not afford, as well as over the fact that she and her children would have to continue to do without for an unforeseeable amount of time.
As Mrs. Kinkaid tallied the cost of the few items Evelyn had opted to purchase, Evelyn noticed something behind the counter, and she knew what needed to be done.
“I’ll take one of those, t
oo,” she told Mrs. Kinkaid, pointing at a newspaper on the shelf.
“A wise investment for a woman in your situation,” the other woman smiled, grabbing hold of the latest edition of the Matrimonial Times. She placed the periodical in the bag along with the rest of Evelyn’s items and collected the money that was due, leaving Evelyn with but a few cents to her name. Evelyn thanked Mrs. Kinkaid and assured her that she’d make a payment on her account later that week, then left the general store.
Later that night, after Evelyn had put the children to bed, she sat at the kitchen table with an oil lamp and started reading the advertisements in the Matrimonial Times. She read a good many that did not appeal to her in one way or another—from men who were too old or had many children of their own, to men who were incredibly romantically inclined or specifically looking for women who didn’t already have children.
She felt hopeless and started skimming the ads, rather than giving them her full attention. But then, she saw an ad that made her look again.
Successful 28-year-old law marshal in settlement outside of Fort Smith, Arkansas, seeks wife, the advertisement read. Widows with children or single mothers encouraged to reply, as I want to begin living a family life straightaway. I will provide a stable, supportive home, and I expect nothing, including romance in return, so long as my wife vows to live a good, moral Christian life once we are wed.
Evelyn read over the advertisement again, then again. She was a bit suspicious of it, since it didn’t include a name and address, but rather a post office box number. But, despite these irregularities, she felt optimistic about the ad. It seemed as if it had been written specifically for her.
Without further pause, she went to the other room, retrieved a pen and some paper, and returned to the table to write a response to the ad. In her letter, she was entirely honest and told the man everything about herself, her children, the loss of her husband, and her financial struggles. She also noted that she wasn’t looking for love, but rather livelihood, and assured him that she had always lived her life by Christian standards, and was determined to continue to do so until her time on this earth was done. In closing, she asked the man for more information about himself and details about what he sought to accomplish by getting married, given the wording of his ad.
The next morning, Evelyn took her letter to the post. Approximately two weeks later, she received a reply that answered her questions and posed one of its own. The man—one Roy Martin—explained that he desired a “family life” so as to appear a more impressive candidate for a job promotion he wanted to achieve, and he explained that he hadn’t included his name in the original post for fear of having someone he knew, perhaps another man competing for the job, find it and call him out on what it said.
Roy also assured Evelyn that, with his impending promotion, an increase in salary would come his way that would more than provide for the two of them and her two children and that, regardless of how unconventional their marriage would be, he would treat her and her offspring with respect, dignity, and kindness at every turn.
You seem a perfect match for me, Roy wrote in his last paragraph. I think we can help each other satisfy our respective needs without emotional complication. So, would you like to marry me? Please let me know as soon as possible, so that I can arrange for your travel and accommodations.
Evelyn thought it seemed a bit “cold” that a man would want to marry in order to advance his career. But, then again, what she wanted to do (provide for her children and nothing more) was a bit “cold,” as well. So, she couldn’t help but agree with Roy’s comment that they were a “perfect match” who could help each other. Besides, if she married him, rather than some man set on love, she wouldn’t have to worry about him falling for her or her having to fake feelings that she didn’t genuinely possess.
With all of that in mind, she promptly replied to Roy’s letter. She wrote one simple sentence: Yes, I will marry you.
About two weeks after sending her response, Evelyn got another letter from Roy, stipulating her travel arrangements—and one week later, after resigning from her job, paying off her debts, and saying farewell to her friends, Evelyn and her children boarded a train set for Fort Smith.
FOUR
Evelyn had traveled on a train only once before, but that had been a very long time ago, when she was but a year or two older than Jack was now. Therefore, she hadn’t remembered how trying train travel was—and, by God’s grace, she hoped that, after this journey, her children would forget it just as easily.
The passenger car was cramped for most of the journey, and there was very little open space for anyone to get up and move around. The warmth from others’ bodies combined to make it unbearably warm—and stinky—at times, and the lack of privacy made one person’s yawns, snores, burps, and other bodily functions everyone else’s business. There was limited access to fresh water, and stops where passengers could get off to purchase food or other necessities were few and far between.
All in all, the train ride proved very trying, and on several occasions, both Jack and Julie acted out against it. They, like the other young children in the car, cried or screamed from time to time; they threw fits or begged for things they weren’t able to have. But they were children, after all, and such behavior under such circumstances was to be expected—and, except for a few dirty looks that Evelyn received from people who obviously weren’t too kind, their outbursts weren’t all that bad. They were part and parcel of something she had to do to serve the greater good.
Still, when the train finally pulled into Fort Smith, Evelyn couldn’t have been more relieved. No sooner had the attendant announced their arrival and the locomotive started to slow, than Evelyn collected her children and their things and swiftly headed for the door.
She and her children were the first passengers to disembark. But, as soon as they had progressed a few paces, Evelyn came to a halt. While the others around her smiled as they rushed up to their families, friends, or other local contacts, Evelyn wore a blank expression on her face as she eyed her surroundings. After all, she had no idea what Roy looked like or how to find him in the crowd.
As the crowd began to thin out, she noticed a man standing alone near a far-off bench. He was of average height and had a pleasant plumpness to him, as well as an approachable, sweet expression on his spectacled face. Since most of the people at the station had already “claimed” other passengers, Evelyn figured that this man had to be Roy, and she headed off toward him.
The man noticed her and her children walking his way, and his smile widened. He nodded and waved at the approaching woman, and, just as Evelyn smiled back, she caught sight of a distraction.
An incredibly handsome, well-built man with impressive musculature and a face worthy of a museum portrait came rushing down the walkway in the center of the terminal. It wasn’t the urgency of his movement that attracted Evelyn’s attention, but rather the way his urgency embellished his appearance. He looked so powerful, so strong, so commandeering.
But, alas, he was just a distraction, and Evelyn turned her eyes from him quickly, to focus on the man by the bench again. But now she was very confused, for he had been joined by a middle-aged woman and two teenaged boys, whom Evelyn recognized from the train.
“My mistake,” Evelyn giggled, reaching her hand down to run it through Jack’s curly hair. She took a deep breath and started to collect herself again. “I guess that man is not Roy Martin,” she added with a sigh.
“No, he’s not,” a man’s voice sounded from behind her. “I am.”
Evelyn’s heart jumped in her chest. She was shocked and caught off guard. She went to turn toward the man, and, as she did, young Julie, whom she was holding against her chest, cooed, “So pretty!”
Now, Julie was only around eighteen months old, so she didn’t know that many words. But, lo and behold, the babe wasn’t too far off in what she’d just said.
When Evelyn faced the man who claimed to be Roy Martin, her heart jumped
again. He may not have been “pretty,” but, my-oh-my, was he striking! To Evelyn’s disbelief, he was the very same man who’d distracted her a moment earlier—only now he wasn’t a distraction anymore, but rather the main attraction, and Evelyn couldn’t get over how attractive he was.
“Are you Evelyn Taylor?” Roy asked, staring directly into her warm brown eyes.
“Yes,” she answered quite simply. “I am. And this is my son Jack and my daughter Julie.”
Roy’s eyes skimmed over the children, and a small smile swept across his face. Evelyn couldn’t help but smile in response to Roy’s smile, as it was both appealing and indicated his happiness at the sight of her little ones.
“I’m sorry I didn’t arrive until now,” Roy replied, looking at Evelyn again. “I took the afternoon off to come and retrieve you. But, unfortunately, crime doesn’t take time off…There were a few incidents in Red River that I needed to tend to late this morning, which held me back.”
Evelyn smiled and nodded, to express that she understood. As Roy registered her response, she regarded his demeanor. In addition to appearing powerful, strong, and commandeering, he also appeared quite calm and collected. He spoke in a cool, but not cold, tone, and his thoughts and words were calculated and concise.
“But I’m here now,” he went on, reaching out to take hold of Evelyn’s luggage. “And so is your chaperone, Mrs. Carey. She’s a bit advanced in years, so she didn’t join me in my mad dash through the terminal. But she’s waiting back in the carriage.” He nodded toward the end of the terminal. “So, if you’re ready—” he began.
“Yes, yes,” Evelyn fired back immediately, repositioning Julie in her arms.
The family-to-be started walking away. They had progressed only several feet before Jack started whining. “My feets hurt, Mama,” he moaned. “Carry me, too.”
“Ah, hush now, dear,” Evelyn replied. “We only have to walk a short bit. And I can’t carry both you and your sister. You’re a big boy. You can make it on your own.”
New Beginnings Spring 20 Book Box Set Page 65