The Old Wagon - Part 4

Hello FFFs,
It's a rainy morning here at my grandparents'. We are going to help my aunt get her new house organized and decorated today and, since we have to move many boxes, we're rather hoping the rain lets up before we get to work. :)

Last week's History Day was such fun! And it didn't rain. :) There were so many different era's represented that it would make the post much too long to post individual pictures of each outfit. However, I will let you see the group shot.

L-R: 1760s, 1770s, 1810s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870, 1880s, 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, 1980s

My writing has gone better this week than it has all month. I wrote more than 3,000 words. And the first chapter of the new Graham Quartet is written. It hasn't been checked at all, but it's written. :) Anyone interested in reading it on here? Let me know.
I'm hoping I'll be able to write more next week as this story is quite fun. :) I think you'll like it.

But now I'm going to end this post and go eat some breakfast. Enjoy the next to last part of 

The Old Wagon

Part 4

    Well, the days and seasons passed. I grew used to carrying the Bergman family into town to church or for shopping. I brought supplies for the farm out from town or carried sacks of harvested grain to be milled into flour. Some of my most pleasant memories of that time are of carrying the family and friends out onto the prairie for picnics, and later taking Elijah and Wesley to pick up their girls for a social function in town.
    The time passed swiftly, and it seems like just yesterday when I think of the children growing up. Elizabeth grew up too, and though I think she was still fond of me, she was busy. A young man started calling on her, but to my sorrow, he had a buggy of his own, and it wasn’t often I had the delight of carrying them places. On her wedding day I did carry her, her parents, and Will and Ester into town to the church. It was a lovely spring day and the windows of the church were opened, so I heard part of the doings inside. It will always be a regret of mine that I didn’t get to carry Elizabeth and her new husband on their first trip as Mr. and Mrs. Erik Mattingly.

    More time passed and I thought I would remain there with the Bergman family the rest of my days. But then one day Elizabeth and her husband, arrived at the farm in their buggy with their three children. That wasn’t unusual, for the Mattinglys lived only on the other side of town, but something was in the air. I could tell. After the children had run off to play, the adults began talking as they strolled slowly towards the house. Pausing beside me, Elizabeth placed a hand on me and suddenly asked, “Pa, is this wagon still in good shape?”
    Mr. Bergman looked surprised. “Sure it is. I wouldn’t have gotten a new wheel for it if it wasn’t. Why, I’d say this wagon is good for another thousand miles of travel and at least another fifty years.”
    “Would you consider selling it to us, sir?” Erik asked.
    “Sell it? Whatever for? You folks aren’t thinking of moving west are you?” Mr. Bergman looked somewhat sharply at his son-in-law.
    It was Elizabeth who answered. “No, Pa, not west. We want to move south.”
    “South? How far?” Mrs. Bergman asked quickly.
    Looking up at her husband, Elizabeth waited for him to answer.
    “We aren’t just sure yet. Some folks have a yearning to head west and settle in the vast land beyond, but our calling is to the south. We heard that Texas is an open land.”
    There was much more talking, but I didn’t get to hear more, for Mrs. Bergman suggested they go inside out of the sun where they could sit down. I was left to wonder and dream. South. What land lay to the south which would attract and draw folks? Travel. Another trip with a family. Elizabeth’s family. I was pleased about the prospect, and even the thought of the heavy load I must again carry, were I chosen to go, couldn’t keep me from being eager to get started. After all, I had been built for travel.
    When at last the family came from the house, Elizabeth patted me once again and said, “I’m glad we can take this wagon with us. It was such a good wagon on our trip out here.”
    And Mr. Bergman said, "Do you recall how you said good night to it every evening before you would go to sleep?”
    “Yes. And it always said good night to me.” Elizabeth smiled. “No one else could hear it, but I did.”
    So it was true. I was going to be going south.

    I remember the day we started off. I had been loaded almost as full as I had when I was carrying a family of seven, and now I only had a family of five. But there was no cow, and no chickens were tied to the side. There were horses pulling the wagon and not oxen, so I knew we might move at a faster speed than on my first trip. I felt like a veteran as the wagon started forward and good byes were called to Mr. and Mrs. Bergman, Will and Ester. Even Elijah and Wesley, with their families, had come to see their sister off for the great southern lands. I wondered if I would ever see them again.
    That first day was spent getting everything settled in the most comfortable position for me. Of course, Erik complained that things must not have been packed right, but I think Elizabeth knew I was just trying to get comfortable. After all, I wasn’t a new wagon any more. My canvas top had been replaced with a new one, and I was glad because the old one had become torn and dirty. I would have been embarrassed for Elizabeth to ride in a wagon with such a cover on it.
    Crossing small streams and rolling across the flat prairies, we traveled south. Then we came to the hills. I heard folks talking and they called them the Ozark Mountains. All I know is they were very difficult to cross. There were times when the rocks caused me the greatest difficulty staying upright. I got so tired of fighting those hills and rocks and steep slopes that I was strongly tempted to just tumble over on my side and roll down to the bottom. But then I would remember who was riding in me and I would put forth my greatest effort to remain upright. I knew that if I fell over, it would cause immense trouble not only for myself, but also for my Elizabeth and her family. So I fought those treacherous places and kept going.

Will you come back for the last part?

Do you want to read the first chapter of the new mystery?

Which era did you like best?