Authors: Susan Leigh Carlton
Amandas's Mail Order Cowboy: The Story of A Mail Order Bride and Her Mail Order Husband (Mail Order Brides Book 14) (5 page)
chapter Eleven
They exchanged two more letters, with questions and answers about ranch life, school teaching and other things encountered in their day to day lives.
Dear Number 9206,
I have authorized the editor to release my name in this letter. My name is Amanda Taylor and I live in Elmira, New York. Elmira is an old town, compared to yours. It was created in 1788 under another name and became Elmira in 1808. It is about 230 miles from New York City. During the Civil War, there was a Confederate Prison Camp here. It did not have a sterling reputation. My ex-boyfriend worked there at one time. He turned out to not be such a sterling person either. Enough of that, and enough of the geography lesson.
Mama is more comfortable with me writing now. My allowing her to read your letter was a stroke of genius on my part. I have not afforded her that opportunity again, preferring to keep them to myself. I feel she still has the same concern, but doesn’t vocalize it. She probably senses my resolve.
I was glad to hear about the progressive nature of your town. Somehow, I had visualized your schools as all being of the one room type. As a teacher, I am simply amazed at how the teachers managed to teach anyone when all grades were in one room. How many students were there? Your description of the availability of merchandising was good news also. I would be most interested in learning about life on a ranch. Just what is involved? How in the world do you milk all of the cows, and what do you do with all of the milk? Still so many questions. Until the next time, I remain,
Sincerely yours, Amanda Taylor
* * *
Lazy K Ranch…
Amanda Taylor, now that is a nice name.
Rance thought; as he sat down to compose his answer in a letter into which he had put a lot of thought.
Dear Amanda, It was a most pleasant surprise to learn you had gained enough trust to give me your name. I appreciate it. I am Rance Kendall. I live on the Lazy K ranch outside Cheyenne, Wyoming. Let me explain the name, before you ask. Picture the letter K lying on its side. A lazy K if you will. It is also the brand we use to mark our cattle for identification purposes. On another point. We raise and sell cattle for food, not milk. Our beef is sold to the Army, the Cheyenne market, and shipped to packing houses in Kansas City and Omaha.
As I mentioned in my last letter, we are about seven miles from town… Cheyenne. I have taken the liberty of asking my pastor Clem Hutchison to write a letter of reference for me. I’ve also asked my good friend Cal Pierce to write. I only gave them the newspaper address, so you should have no concerns there. I did this in hopes of lessening the fear of the unknown for both you and your parents.
We’ve been corresponding for some three months now. Would you be willing to take the next step of meeting? I realize it would be a daunting experience for you to travel to Cheyenne unchaperoned. I have inquired at the train station regarding an itinerary. It would involve Elmira to New York City, thence to Chicago and Omaha, Nebraska. From Omaha, the rest of the way is on the same train. As I look at it, it frightens me. Nevertheless, I would like your thoughts on a meeting. Of course, I will pay for transportation and return if necessary. Please give this some thought. I eagerly await your response.
Sincerely, Rance Kendall.
Elmira two weeks later…
Amanda found another letter in the mailbox two days later. It wasn’t from the newspaper. When she opened it, the handwriting was unique, and bold. It had a name and not a number…
Cheyenne, Wyoming. That’s one of the places I guessed he lived. No wonder it’s cold. It’s on about the same latitude as we are, but a higher elevation.
He wants us to meet. It sounds logical. It’s why we started writing. It is scary. Can I do that? Do I want to do that? I would never see my family again if I lived there. Changing trains three different times. What if I missed a train, or got on the wrong train. Would I have enough money to back track or return home? I don’t know.
Amanda decided to share her thoughts.
Dear Rance, A name. How nice to have a name after these months. It is not a name I’ve heard before. As soon as I read your letter, I went to the atlas to see where Cheyenne is located. It is almost the same latitude as Elmira, and a long way from New York. Using a ruler, it would appear we are about sixteen hundred miles apart. When I read the itinerary you so thoughtfully provided, the three changes of trains is imposing. Three opportunities for me to miss a train or get on the wrong one. That bothers me quite a bit, since I’ve not had the opportunity to travel. It would be quite an adventure, one I’m not sure I’m capable of undertaking. I have to give it some thought. I’m sure how my parents would react to the idea, but it is my decision and not theirs. I’m not opposed to the idea of meeting; it is the getting there part. I will write again as soon as I decide whether I’m capable of such a challenge. I must apologize if I have led you on. The magnitude of such an undertaking had not settled on me until I was presented with the decision. I don’t have anyone to whom I can turn for advice.
Sincerely, Amanda
.
Two days later, another letter came, this one from The Matrimonial News. It contained two letters, one of which had a feminine handwriting.
Dear Number 9508,
My name is Jennie Pierce, I am a neighbor of Rance Kendall. Rance asked my husband to write a letter of reference for him. My husband asked me to write the letter, since I have experienced the situation you are facing. First, Rance Kendall is a wonderful, thoughtful neighbor. We attend the same church. I find him to be a generous man who has undertaken the care of a small child orphaned in an Indian raid.
The one thing I would like to share, is I am a mail order bride myself. Cal and I met through the same newspaper. When he was faced with my reluctance to travel, he came to South Carolina to fetch me and my son. We have a good, happy marriage and have a daughter ourselves. Gather your courage. It is worth it. Rance is a fine man and will make an excellent husband. I look forward to having you as a friend and neighbor.
Sincerely, Jennie Pierce
.
Amanda went on to read the second letter. It began:
Dear Number 9508. My name is Clem Hutchison, and I am the pastor of the Methodist Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Rance Kendall is one of my congregants and asked me to write a letter of reference attesting to his character. It is my pleasure to do as he asked. I regard it a privilege to have him among my closest friends. There is not a finer man in the entire territory. He is a generous donor to the church and is a friend to all.
“Mama, I want you to read these letters. They are from friends of number 9206, whose name is Rance Kendall, by the way. She handed the two letters to her mother.
chapter Twelve
Amanda’s mother read the letters and gave them back. “His friends certainly think highly of him. He seems to be a nice person. If only he wasn’t so far away,” she said.
“I would like to meet him,” Amanda said, “but it is so far away. The idea of such a trip alone scares me.”
“That’s been one of my concerns from the get-go,” her mother said.
“I’m just going to tell him that,” Amanda decided.
Dear Rance, After two long, nearly sleepless nights, my thoughts run along these lines. I would truly like to meet you. However, my fear of making such a trip alone is more than I can overcome. I understand this may be upsetting to you, and my fears may be irrational, but they are my fears. I do apologize for being unable to accept your invitation at this time.
Sincerely, Amanda
Five days later, Amanda received a telegram, the first one ever.
Would you agree to my coming to you stop answer collect wire end. Rance
She sent an immediate answer.
Absolutely. Provide details stop I will meet your train end Amanda
The next day, another telegram came.
Arrive Elmira Thursday next, train from NYC end Rance
Elmira Train Station…
The afternoon train from New York City was ten minutes late. Amanda had gotten permission to cut her last class of the day short, and stood waiting on the platform when she heard the whistle of the train, and saw the smoke trailing back from the stack as it rounded the curve, a block from the depot. The engine pulled past the station, leaving the two passenger cars in front of the wooden deck of the platform. Sparks flew as the steel wheels locked when the brakes were applied.
The conductor put a metal step in place to make it easier for the passengers to step down. Six passengers stepped from the end of the car onto the metal step. No, make that seven. One was a child. A tall man, handsome and nicely dressed, wearing a gray Stetson hat and carrying a little blonde girl approached her.
“Excuse me, Miss. Would you be Amanda Taylor?” he asked, a smile on his face.
“Yes,” she answered. I’m Amanda. Are you…?
“I’m Rance Kendall and this is Abby.”
“Hello. Abby. I’m so happy you came to visit me,” Amanda said. Abby turned her head into the tall man’s neck.
“It’s so good to finally meet you,” Amanda said. “I’m especially pleased you brought Abby.”
“I debated whether to bring her or have Consuela look after her. In the end, I decided it would be best for you to see and meet her too. She’s an important part of who I am.”
“It was the right thing to do,” Amanda said.
“Abby, will you stay with Amanda while I get our things?”
Amanda said, “May I hold your hand, Abby?” Amanda asked. Abby nodded. Amanda took her hand and they followed Rance to where the luggage waited.
After Rance retrieved their luggage, Amanda pointed out her carriage. He loaded the luggage into the carriage, and said, “I presume Elmira has a hotel?”
“Yes we do, however, Mama has asked if you would stay with us. It would allow them to get to know you.”
“Why don’t we meet them and then decide?” he said.
“If you like. We have plenty of room. How long will you be staying?” she asked.
“How long will it take?” he asked in return.
“Take for what?”
“How long will it take for me to convince you to return to Cheyenne with us?”
“That depends,” she said.
“On what?”
“On whether Abby wants me to be her Mama.”
The Taylor home…
“Mama, this is Rance Kendall, and this beautiful little girl is Abigail, but everyone calls her Abby. This is my mother, Ellie, and my father, Albert,” Amanda said.
Albert shook hands with Rance, and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you sir. Amanda has told us about you.”
“Welcome to our home, Mr. Kendall. We’re pleased to have you. You’re right, Amanda, Abby is a lovely child,” Amanda’s mother said.
“How long will you be in Elmira, Mr. Kendall?” her mother asked.
“Amanda asked me the same question. I’ll give you the same answer I gave her. As long as it takes to convince her to be my wife, or she tells me I’m wasting her time,” Rance said,
After two hours of small talk, with many questions about ranch life and Wyoming, Rance said, “Abby is past due her nap. I need to get her to the hotel.”
“Please, won’t you stay with us,” her mother asked.
“I think it would be best for us to go to the hotel. It will give you time to compare notes and thoughts without us hovering,” Rance said.
“Could I prevail on one of you to give us a ride to the hotel? I’ll rent a carriage to use the rest of the time we’re here.”
“I will be happy to take you to the hotel,” Albert said.
“Thank you. I appreciate it; Amanda, I will see you tomorrow after your classes, if that is okay.”
“I arranged to take tomorrow off, so I’ll be home all day.”
“Then we would like to see you in the morning.
Rance, Abby and Albert left for the hotel. Her mother turned to Amanda and said, “He is one of the nicest men I think I have ever met.”
“I liked him too,” Amanda said. “I think Abby is adorable, but she’s so… so serious,”
“She does seem that way, doesn’t she?”
“Papa, what do you think?” Amanda asked when her father returned.
“A man’s man. I like him. I would be pleased to have him as a son-in-law.”
“What are you going to say if he asks you to marry him?” her mother asked Amanda.
“I’m going to say yes,” Amanda replied.
The next morning…
At ten o’clock, the carriage pulled up in front of the Taylor home. Rance stepped out, and lifted Abby and swung her in a large circle before putting down. “Did you like that,” he asked.
She nodded her head.
Albert Taylor had gone to his job at the bank. Amanda and her mother were sitting in the living room. “Tell me more about Wyoming, Mr. Kendall,” Ellie asked.
“Call me Rance. Please. Mr. Kendall makes me sound so old. Do you have all day? I could go on and on about Wyoming. It is a beautiful, unspoiled place, for the most part. Now that I have traveled much of the way across the country, I haven’t seen anything to rival it.”
“I want to hear about the Lazy K,” Amanda said,” How large is it?”
”It’s just over 30,000 acres. I reckon there’s four or five thousand head of cattle. After we round up this fall, and fill our contracts, we’ll be down around to around 2,500 or so. We do the breeding in the fall; they’re born in the spring. It’s a cycle pretty much everyone sticks to,” he said. “Do you have a pencil and paper?” he asked. “I’ll show you our brand.”
Amanda produced a pen and paper. “I was saving this to use for letters,” she teased with a grin.”
“We’re hoping you won’t need that anymore,” Rance said.
