glorious weather after all the rains. And it was a pleasure to be wandering almost for the sake of it, rather than eternally beside her teams of recalcitrant oxen.
Maggie lifted her eyes to watch the stock grazing placidly on the verdant grass around the outer limits of the camp, loosely guarded by the camp’s older boys. The grass just seemed to go on forever, off into the prairie horizon, green blending into a sea of sky blue. Bees hovered over blossoms and quick, darting birds dove for insects. Maggie knelt to study a vividly colored butterfly as it feasted on a dandelion blossom. Unthinking, she held out her hand and it flew to her. Charlotte reached over her mother’s shoulder to grab at the resting bit of orange and yellow loveliness. The butterfly fluttered its wings and took flight once more. Maggie followed its arc.
“It seems perfect, daughter. Everything is perfect, just as God made it.”
Charlotte crowed her delighted agreement.
The day of rest passed with tranquility. When they rose in the morning to cross the Big Vermillion, humans and stock alike went at it with new enthusiasm.
NINE
Two days later, under a still smiling sky, the Chandler Party paused for nooning at an unusual rock formation that jutted from the east bank of the Big Blue River. There was rumored to be a spring of clear, cool water nearby and a waterfall of some twelve feet, surrounded by a little grove of cottonwood and cedar trees.
When Maggie searched for Jamie to collect wood, she found him already gone. Maggie unstrapped the baby from her back, tucked her into the cabin for a nap, and went off to collect branches herself. Soon she heard the whoops of laughing children. Following the sounds she came upon the falls, first tripping on a pile of hastily discarded clothing. Her missing son~and most of the other children~were buck naked, playing tag under the cascading water.
Maggie grinned at their delight, wishing she could discard her own skirts and join in on the fun. It was a joy to watch the youngsters all become children again for a brief time, stripped of their chores as well as their raiments. She was reaching a handkerchief into the cool water to wash her own face when a strong, strident step sounded behind her. It was the Reverend Winslow, with a freshly cut switch in hand and a thunderous expression upon his face. What now? Hadn’t he seen children frolicking before?
“Jedediah Winslow!” he roared. “Get thee hither! Also Jonah, Job and Jeremiah!”
Four skinny boys emerged from the water, crestfallen. The eldest dared to speak.
“But Father, we were doing no harm. We hardly spoke to the others, and certainly nothing about~”
Before he could finish, the switch was cracked across the oldest boy’s buttocks, five times. Breathing heavily, the Reverend Winslow lowered his stick to point mutely at the pile of clothing. The other three boys stood in line patiently for their own punishment.
Maggie watched with horror, too surprised by the action to respond until Winslow worked his way to the smallest, not more than four years old. Helpless to do anything else, she put out her arms in an attempt to save the trembling child.
“Out from my way, woman, lest I strike thee as well with my just fury!”
Maggie would not be budged as the little boy shivered in her embrace. An ominous silence descended in the grove as the children remaining beneath the waterfall ceased their game and stared with fright.
“ What has caused your just fury, Reverend Winslow? The children are only bathing, refreshing themselves from the heat of the trail.”
His stick remained raised. “My sons have their travelling orders. They have disobeyed their father, thus broken one of the Ten Commandments.”
“Aren’t you interpreting `Honor Thy Father’ too harshly?”
“You’ll not be telling me how to interpret scripture! But if the Commandments are not enough to
Maggie lifted her eyes to watch the stock grazing placidly on the verdant grass around the outer limits of the camp, loosely guarded by the camp’s older boys. The grass just seemed to go on forever, off into the prairie horizon, green blending into a sea of sky blue. Bees hovered over blossoms and quick, darting birds dove for insects. Maggie knelt to study a vividly colored butterfly as it feasted on a dandelion blossom. Unthinking, she held out her hand and it flew to her. Charlotte reached over her mother’s shoulder to grab at the resting bit of orange and yellow loveliness. The butterfly fluttered its wings and took flight once more. Maggie followed its arc.
“It seems perfect, daughter. Everything is perfect, just as God made it.”
Charlotte crowed her delighted agreement.
The day of rest passed with tranquility. When they rose in the morning to cross the Big Vermillion, humans and stock alike went at it with new enthusiasm.
NINE
Two days later, under a still smiling sky, the Chandler Party paused for nooning at an unusual rock formation that jutted from the east bank of the Big Blue River. There was rumored to be a spring of clear, cool water nearby and a waterfall of some twelve feet, surrounded by a little grove of cottonwood and cedar trees.
When Maggie searched for Jamie to collect wood, she found him already gone. Maggie unstrapped the baby from her back, tucked her into the cabin for a nap, and went off to collect branches herself. Soon she heard the whoops of laughing children. Following the sounds she came upon the falls, first tripping on a pile of hastily discarded clothing. Her missing son~and most of the other children~were buck naked, playing tag under the cascading water.
Maggie grinned at their delight, wishing she could discard her own skirts and join in on the fun. It was a joy to watch the youngsters all become children again for a brief time, stripped of their chores as well as their raiments. She was reaching a handkerchief into the cool water to wash her own face when a strong, strident step sounded behind her. It was the Reverend Winslow, with a freshly cut switch in hand and a thunderous expression upon his face. What now? Hadn’t he seen children frolicking before?
“Jedediah Winslow!” he roared. “Get thee hither! Also Jonah, Job and Jeremiah!”
Four skinny boys emerged from the water, crestfallen. The eldest dared to speak.
“But Father, we were doing no harm. We hardly spoke to the others, and certainly nothing about~”
Before he could finish, the switch was cracked across the oldest boy’s buttocks, five times. Breathing heavily, the Reverend Winslow lowered his stick to point mutely at the pile of clothing. The other three boys stood in line patiently for their own punishment.
Maggie watched with horror, too surprised by the action to respond until Winslow worked his way to the smallest, not more than four years old. Helpless to do anything else, she put out her arms in an attempt to save the trembling child.
“Out from my way, woman, lest I strike thee as well with my just fury!”
Maggie would not be budged as the little boy shivered in her embrace. An ominous silence descended in the grove as the children remaining beneath the waterfall ceased their game and stared with fright.
“ What has caused your just fury, Reverend Winslow? The children are only bathing, refreshing themselves from the heat of the trail.”
His stick remained raised. “My sons have their travelling orders. They have disobeyed their father, thus broken one of the Ten Commandments.”
“Aren’t you interpreting `Honor Thy Father’ too harshly?”
“You’ll not be telling me how to interpret scripture! But if the Commandments are not enough to
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