the house doesn’t look as tidy as you would like.”
“I do have some questions.” Mrs. Barron held up her piece of paper.
“Feel free.” Elizabeth moved the kettle to the center of the stove. “Perhaps you would like some tea.”
Nearly two long hours later, Mrs. Barron was finally on her way…and somewhat satisfied with Elizabeth’s answers, although the greedy woman clearly wanted everything she could get her hands on. If Elizabeth had been forced to endure one more “You’re taking that to the wilderness?” question she might have canceled the entire transaction. The mere idea of that pushy woman becoming the lady of this sweet old house grated on her so badly that she was tempted to announce the house was no longer for sale. Of course, she could not do that. And so for the sake of her parents and brother and her children, she had bit her tongue.
But truly, the sooner this was all over and done with and the sooner they were on their way, the happier she would be. Her one consolation was that this house had been in James’ family, and James had always wanted them to go to Oregon to join the rest of his family. So despite her ill feelings, Elizabeth prayed that God would bless the Barrons with this house. The sooner the better.
On Saturday, Elizabeth and the children headed for her folks’ house for dinner. “Grandpa told me he has a surprise for me,” Jamie told Elizabeth as he drove the carriage.
“What about me?” Ruth asked with dismay.
“I don’t think you’re old enough for Grandpa’s surprise,” Elizabeth told her.
“Do you know what it is?” Jamie asked.
Elizabeth just smiled and unbuttoned the top of her coat. Although it was early February, the weather was unseasonably warm. If this held out, they might be setting out on the Oregon Trail sooner than usual. However, the weather was always unpredictable this time of year.
“Just think,” Jamie said eagerly. “One week from now we will be leaving Selma for good.”
“Just one week?” Ruth’s eyes lit up. “And we’ll get to go on the riverboat?”
“We’ll spend one day in Paducah, shopping for some supplies. And then we’ll board our first riverboat.” Elizabeth could hardly believe how quickly the past few weeks had flown by. With the departure date so near, she felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement. Was this really happening?
Her father was waiting for them on the porch with a twinkle in his eye. “Ruth, you go inside and help your grandma,” he instructed. “Elizabeth and Jamie, you come with me.” Then he led them back behind the barn, where he had set up what appeared to be a shooting range of sorts. Elizabeth knew that Asa planned to teach Jamie how to shoot, but she was surprised when her father presented Jamie with a very large gun. “This is a Colt shotgun,” Asa told Jamie. “But not any ordinary shotgun. This is a revolving shotgun with four chambers, which means you have four shots.”
“Oh, Father.” Elizabeth frowned. “That’s too much gun for a boy.”
“Please, Ma?” Jamie looked longingly at the long gun.
Asa winked at Elizabeth. “I’m fully aware that this gun’s a little big for Jamie, but he’ll grow into it. Besides, you can both use it if need be. I ordered the thirty-inch barrel, which is the shortest they make. It’s an excellent gun, patented in 1850, but only made available this past year. I was lucky to get my hands on one.” He turned back to Jamie. “And I expect you to treat it with great respect, son.”
Jamie nodded as he smoothed his hand over the sleek wood stock. “Is it really mine? To keep?”
“That’s right.” Asa grinned. “I s’pect we’ll want to do some hunting on the trail. And it’s possible you might need it to protect your family someday.”
Elizabeth was still uneasy. “Are you sure he’s old enough to handle a firearm like this, Father?”
Asa laid some ammunition on the board he’d set up as a table. “Of course he’s
“I do have some questions.” Mrs. Barron held up her piece of paper.
“Feel free.” Elizabeth moved the kettle to the center of the stove. “Perhaps you would like some tea.”
Nearly two long hours later, Mrs. Barron was finally on her way…and somewhat satisfied with Elizabeth’s answers, although the greedy woman clearly wanted everything she could get her hands on. If Elizabeth had been forced to endure one more “You’re taking that to the wilderness?” question she might have canceled the entire transaction. The mere idea of that pushy woman becoming the lady of this sweet old house grated on her so badly that she was tempted to announce the house was no longer for sale. Of course, she could not do that. And so for the sake of her parents and brother and her children, she had bit her tongue.
But truly, the sooner this was all over and done with and the sooner they were on their way, the happier she would be. Her one consolation was that this house had been in James’ family, and James had always wanted them to go to Oregon to join the rest of his family. So despite her ill feelings, Elizabeth prayed that God would bless the Barrons with this house. The sooner the better.
On Saturday, Elizabeth and the children headed for her folks’ house for dinner. “Grandpa told me he has a surprise for me,” Jamie told Elizabeth as he drove the carriage.
“What about me?” Ruth asked with dismay.
“I don’t think you’re old enough for Grandpa’s surprise,” Elizabeth told her.
“Do you know what it is?” Jamie asked.
Elizabeth just smiled and unbuttoned the top of her coat. Although it was early February, the weather was unseasonably warm. If this held out, they might be setting out on the Oregon Trail sooner than usual. However, the weather was always unpredictable this time of year.
“Just think,” Jamie said eagerly. “One week from now we will be leaving Selma for good.”
“Just one week?” Ruth’s eyes lit up. “And we’ll get to go on the riverboat?”
“We’ll spend one day in Paducah, shopping for some supplies. And then we’ll board our first riverboat.” Elizabeth could hardly believe how quickly the past few weeks had flown by. With the departure date so near, she felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement. Was this really happening?
Her father was waiting for them on the porch with a twinkle in his eye. “Ruth, you go inside and help your grandma,” he instructed. “Elizabeth and Jamie, you come with me.” Then he led them back behind the barn, where he had set up what appeared to be a shooting range of sorts. Elizabeth knew that Asa planned to teach Jamie how to shoot, but she was surprised when her father presented Jamie with a very large gun. “This is a Colt shotgun,” Asa told Jamie. “But not any ordinary shotgun. This is a revolving shotgun with four chambers, which means you have four shots.”
“Oh, Father.” Elizabeth frowned. “That’s too much gun for a boy.”
“Please, Ma?” Jamie looked longingly at the long gun.
Asa winked at Elizabeth. “I’m fully aware that this gun’s a little big for Jamie, but he’ll grow into it. Besides, you can both use it if need be. I ordered the thirty-inch barrel, which is the shortest they make. It’s an excellent gun, patented in 1850, but only made available this past year. I was lucky to get my hands on one.” He turned back to Jamie. “And I expect you to treat it with great respect, son.”
Jamie nodded as he smoothed his hand over the sleek wood stock. “Is it really mine? To keep?”
“That’s right.” Asa grinned. “I s’pect we’ll want to do some hunting on the trail. And it’s possible you might need it to protect your family someday.”
Elizabeth was still uneasy. “Are you sure he’s old enough to handle a firearm like this, Father?”
Asa laid some ammunition on the board he’d set up as a table. “Of course he’s
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