back to Ernest
who looked amused.
“Well then,” Ernest began and motioned to the
box, “I’m sure you’ll do a fine job. You should probably hurry
along. You shouldn’t let a good donut go to waste.” He tipped his
hat in a way that indicted a mock politeness and continued on down
the sidewalk with his friend.
Chogan gritted his teeth and went down the
other way on the sidewalk. Whatever was Julia thinking when she let
Ernest court her? The poor woman probably had no other prospects in
the small town she’d been in. Even then, she had the good sense to
say no when he asked her to go to Fargo with him.
Deciding it didn’t matter since the past was
the past, Chogan turned back to his task and delivered the donuts.
After that, he did some light cleaning and retrieving items that
others needed. It reminded him of when he was a youth who was on
his first buffalo hunt. He’d been a scout, searching for buffalo
roaming the fields. He’d also brought water or anything else the
more experienced hunters needed. He worked his way up to being the
leader of one of the hunts, but it’d taken years and
perseverance.
Patience. Hard work. No matter what the task
or his heritage, he was sure the same things would work in
Bismarck. He would not stay at the bottom forever. One day, a young
new worker would be bringing him coffee and donuts. He’d prove he
could do just as well as, if not better, than the white men who
worked at the Bismarck Tribune.
***
Julia poured tea into Millicent’s cup and sat
across from her. “It’s nice of you to stop by.” She added a little
more sugar to her own cup of tea and stirred it. Letting the spoon
linger in the cup, she glanced at her cousin. “Has anything new
happened?”
Millicent took a sip and settled her cup back
on the saucer in her hand. “Not for me, though I dare say you’ve
had quite the adventure...of sorts. You’re married?”
Julia blushed. “A little over a week
now.”
“Why didn’t you come over and tell me? Or why
wasn’t there a church wedding? Such a thing would have been most
delightful to attend. I do so love church weddings. The gowns, the
suits, the flowers, the music... They’re all so pretty.”
“To be honest, I didn’t want to wait.” With a
shrug, she stirred her tea again. “Besides, I don’t care for large
gatherings.”
“Oh, not all weddings have to be large. Some
are small. In fact, a private affair can be most quaint.”
“Then I suppose you could consider my wedding
a quaint one.”
Millicent sighed. “It must have been
beautiful. I do so wish I’d been there to see it. And a good match
too. Why, Ernest will make a fine husband.”
“Ernest?” Julia frowned and gave her cousin a
good look. “I didn’t marry Ernest.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Didn’t you? He was here
that day when I came to see Aunt Erin.”
“Yes. That was quite awhile ago.”
“I thought he’d been courting you. You did
mention him when we last talked if I recall.”
Julia finally set her spoon on the tray which
was on the table between them so she could sip her sweet tea. It
was still a little hot but not to the point where it’d burn her
tongue. She took in Millicent’s curious expression before she
explained, “Yes. I did mention him. He and I knew each other from
when we lived in Sykeston. Then he left for Fargo, and I didn’t see
him again until Aunt Erin and I moved here.”
“Yes. I remember you saying that. But why
didn’t you marry him? It was obvious that he entertained feelings
of a romantic nature toward you.”
“I don’t know. He’s nice enough. I’d always
been fond of him to a point.” She picked up the spoon and stirred
the tea again, realizing her nervous habit for what it was. What
was it, exactly, that made her uneasy around Millicent? Was it the
woman’s proper mannerisms? She doubted she met up to Millicent’s
standards of propriety, whatever those standards were. Clearing her
throat, Julia shrugged.
who looked amused.
“Well then,” Ernest began and motioned to the
box, “I’m sure you’ll do a fine job. You should probably hurry
along. You shouldn’t let a good donut go to waste.” He tipped his
hat in a way that indicted a mock politeness and continued on down
the sidewalk with his friend.
Chogan gritted his teeth and went down the
other way on the sidewalk. Whatever was Julia thinking when she let
Ernest court her? The poor woman probably had no other prospects in
the small town she’d been in. Even then, she had the good sense to
say no when he asked her to go to Fargo with him.
Deciding it didn’t matter since the past was
the past, Chogan turned back to his task and delivered the donuts.
After that, he did some light cleaning and retrieving items that
others needed. It reminded him of when he was a youth who was on
his first buffalo hunt. He’d been a scout, searching for buffalo
roaming the fields. He’d also brought water or anything else the
more experienced hunters needed. He worked his way up to being the
leader of one of the hunts, but it’d taken years and
perseverance.
Patience. Hard work. No matter what the task
or his heritage, he was sure the same things would work in
Bismarck. He would not stay at the bottom forever. One day, a young
new worker would be bringing him coffee and donuts. He’d prove he
could do just as well as, if not better, than the white men who
worked at the Bismarck Tribune.
***
Julia poured tea into Millicent’s cup and sat
across from her. “It’s nice of you to stop by.” She added a little
more sugar to her own cup of tea and stirred it. Letting the spoon
linger in the cup, she glanced at her cousin. “Has anything new
happened?”
Millicent took a sip and settled her cup back
on the saucer in her hand. “Not for me, though I dare say you’ve
had quite the adventure...of sorts. You’re married?”
Julia blushed. “A little over a week
now.”
“Why didn’t you come over and tell me? Or why
wasn’t there a church wedding? Such a thing would have been most
delightful to attend. I do so love church weddings. The gowns, the
suits, the flowers, the music... They’re all so pretty.”
“To be honest, I didn’t want to wait.” With a
shrug, she stirred her tea again. “Besides, I don’t care for large
gatherings.”
“Oh, not all weddings have to be large. Some
are small. In fact, a private affair can be most quaint.”
“Then I suppose you could consider my wedding
a quaint one.”
Millicent sighed. “It must have been
beautiful. I do so wish I’d been there to see it. And a good match
too. Why, Ernest will make a fine husband.”
“Ernest?” Julia frowned and gave her cousin a
good look. “I didn’t marry Ernest.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Didn’t you? He was here
that day when I came to see Aunt Erin.”
“Yes. That was quite awhile ago.”
“I thought he’d been courting you. You did
mention him when we last talked if I recall.”
Julia finally set her spoon on the tray which
was on the table between them so she could sip her sweet tea. It
was still a little hot but not to the point where it’d burn her
tongue. She took in Millicent’s curious expression before she
explained, “Yes. I did mention him. He and I knew each other from
when we lived in Sykeston. Then he left for Fargo, and I didn’t see
him again until Aunt Erin and I moved here.”
“Yes. I remember you saying that. But why
didn’t you marry him? It was obvious that he entertained feelings
of a romantic nature toward you.”
“I don’t know. He’s nice enough. I’d always
been fond of him to a point.” She picked up the spoon and stirred
the tea again, realizing her nervous habit for what it was. What
was it, exactly, that made her uneasy around Millicent? Was it the
woman’s proper mannerisms? She doubted she met up to Millicent’s
standards of propriety, whatever those standards were. Clearing her
throat, Julia shrugged.
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