Orphan Train Romance 1 - 5 (2 page)

Amanda noticed a commotion at the front counter of the General store.  She could see a group of ladies crowding around the counter, with Mrs. Estelle Davis behind it talking loudly, waving her arms around as she talked.  Amanda put the scissors that Craig had given her back on the display rack and gathered up her chosen fabric and notions.  She walked towards the counter to see what was going on, leaving Craig to follow if he wished.

When she got to the counter she leaned over to one side and noticed a large poster laying on the scarred counter.  It said “Wanted: Homes for Orphan Children.”  The words confused her.

“What does the poster mean?”  She asked a nearby woman who happened to be one of her neighbors, Mrs. Charlotte Moss.  Mrs. Moss ran a bakery with her husband that was located next door to her dress shop. 

“There are a group of orphans that are coming to Maple Grove on the train in a few days from New York,” Mrs. Moss explained as the women around them continued talking.  “Evidently these children are from an orphanage called ‘The Children’s Aid Society.’  They all have lost their own parents for some reason or another and they need new families.”

“Orphan trains have been taking children to new families for the last 10 years or so,” the doctor’s wife, Mrs. Pamela Collins, added to their conversation.  “The train drops them off to different farming communities and families are given a chance to adopt them.  If some of the children aren’t placed, they get back on the train and go to the next town.”

The reverend’s wife, Mrs. Abby Watson, added further to the conversation.  “There will be about 18 children coming here to Maple Grove in a few days.  It would be wonderful if all 18 were placed in our own community.”

“May I see the poster?”  Amanda asked Mrs. Davis.  She handed the poster to Amanda as she continued to loudly let everyone know that she and her husband planned on doing their duty in taking a child.

Amanda leaned over the poster in her hand and faintly noticed Craig standing beside her reading along with her.

WANTED: Homes for 18 orphan children!

A group of orphan children from the Children’s Aid Society of New York will arrive in Maple Grove, Texas.

These children are intelligent, well disciplined, and in good health.  There will be both boys and girls of various ages.  A local committee from Maple Grove will help assist in selecting the families in which to place these children.  Applications will be accepted on Wednesday, May 24th at 10:00 a.m.  in the Town hall.  The children will arrive on Friday, May 26th and will be available to meet in the Town hall at 2:00 p.m.

Come see and meet these children and hear the address of Mr. Thomas Carver, the children’s placing agent, along with his wife Mrs. Darlene Carver.

Amanda looked up, amazed that this event was even happening.  She handed the poster back to Mrs. Davis and silently listened to the chatter of the other women.  She learned that most of them were wanting to take a child.

Eventually the women drifted away from the counter and Amanda was able to purchase the supplies she needed.  As she left the store, Craig placed his purchases down on the counter and ran after her.

“Maybe I will take a boy, since you keep refusing my offer,” Craig said to Amanda as he rushed to open the store door for her. 

“It would be irresponsible to adopt a child just to work for you!”  Amanda said forcefully to him as they stepped outside in the Texas sunshine. 

For the first time, Craig looked angry at her.  ”If you think that is the only reason why I would want a boy, you don’t know me at all.” He turned and walked back into the store to pay for his purchases.

Amanda sighed with relief that Craig was finally leaving her alone and walked the short distance to her shop.  Once inside, she put away her purchases and walked over to her sewing machine to continue her work on a light green dress she was making for a little girl.  As she worked on the hem, she thought over the events of the afternoon.  She felt so frustrated that Craig kept pursuing her.  She had no plans to marry again, and she definitely wouldn’t marry unless there was love between them like there had been between David and her. 

She then started to think about the orphan train and the 18 children what would soon be visiting the town and quite possibly staying.  What if she tried to apply for a child, a little girl? Why not a widow like herself?
I would be a good parent,
she thought to herself. 
I have a lot of love to give.  There might be a little girl who would be happy with just having a new mother.  I could provide a suitable home and could even teach her how to sew, so she would have a skill to use when she was older.  It would be better for a child to have one parent than no parent at all.

As Amanda made plans to submit an application for a child, she felt a peace in her heart that this was the right thing to do.

****

Craig hurried back in the store to purchase the items he needed for his farm.  He couldn’t believe Amanda would think so little of him that he would want a child just to work the farm.  Who did she think he was?  She really didn’t know him for her to make a judgment like that.

Craig was ready to settle down and start a family.  He started having this desire when he first met Amanda at a barn raising a year ago.  She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, with her dark brown hair and almost black eyes.  Her hair had some red streaks in it that shown in the sun.  Her hair was always in place just right and she always wore beautiful dresses, most likely wearing the clothing she had made herself. 

He climbed on his horse and headed north out of Maple Grove.  As he rode along, he started to calm down and thought more seriously of adopting a boy.  Would it even be a good idea? He didn’t need a boy to work the farm.  He had his friend and his wife helping him.  John Sitting Horse had worked with him for a number of years with Craig on various cattle ranches around Texas and the surrounding states.  When Craig purchased his farmland, he asked John to live on his land and help him.  John recently married a woman named Lily.  John agreed and he acted as a foreman rather than a hired hand.  Craig provided John and Lily with a small house and food.  He also paid them a small salary.  Lily helped keep Craig’s farmhouse clean and did all the cooking. 

He didn’t need Amanda to help keep house.  He admitted to himself that he was lonely and that he was ready to marry and start a family, but Amanda had rejected his proposal of marriage many times.  He had thought he just needed to be patient, that Amanda just needed convincing and some more time to get over her husband’s death.  Maybe he should just admit defeat and look to see if there other available ladies around who he might want to marry.

But no, he only wanted Amanda. 
I’ll keep trying to get to know her,
he decided. 
I just need to be more patient.   I am going to see if there will be a boy from the orphan train who would like to live on a farm.  Maybe he will not care if he only has a father as his new family.

Craig rode his horse onto his farmland and stopped in front of his house.  He got off his horse and tied the reins to a fence.  It was almost lunchtime, so he decided to get something to eat before he headed out to help John with some fencing.

Craig stood and looked at his two-story house.  It was a large home, too large for one man.  The previous owner had had a large family, so there were six bedrooms upstairs.  The kitchen was a nice size to cook in and Lily had told him she loved to work in his kitchen because there was so much room to move around from one project to another and so many places to store a variety of food.  There was a room off the kitchen that could be used as a parlor if he had a wife who would want to use it as such.   There was another smaller room he used as an office and to keep track of his farm finances.  He spent most of his time in this room when he was in his home.  There was a large built-in bookcase on one end of the room where he was slowly collecting good books to read.

Yes
, Craig thought to himself. 
I need to start filling this house up and I might as well start with an orphan.

The next day, Amanda got up early so she could get ready to meet with the Town Committee about adopting a little girl.  After her husband had died, she had converted the parlor into a dressing room where her customers could try on dresses and she could take their measurements.  There were two large mirrors and a small area she had blocked off with a movable wall to be used as a small changing area.  Opposite of the mirrors was her sewing machine and a long table where she cut fabric. 

She kept the kitchen for herself and a small room off the kitchen as her bedroom that her husband had used as a study and office.  She had another room located behind the parlor where she stored her fabrics and notions so her customers had something to immediately choose from.  This room used to be the bedroom she had shared with David.

Amanda decided to wear a forest green dress with black trim that was more suited to colder weather, but she chose to wear this dress to meet with the Town Committee because she felt it made her look her best.  She brushed out her long brown hair and put it up in her usual bun on the back of her head.  She slipped on her sturdy black shoes and then she was ready to go. 

When she opened the door to leave, she saw a woman walking on the pathway that led to her house.   It was the mayor’s wife, Mrs. Margaret Porter.

“I am so glad I caught you!”  Mrs. Porter exclaimed as she approached.  “I do hope you haven’t purchased the fabric yet, because I want to make some changes to the dress I ordered a few days ago.”  Mrs. Porter walked right into the house without being invited, continuing to talk as she did. 

“Last night I was talking to my dear friend, Mrs. Mabel Brown, you know who she is don’t you?” Mrs. Porter walked over and sat down on a chair that Amanda had set up for her customers, continuing to talk without waiting for an answer from Amanda.

“She told me that I should include some more lace around the collar and I shouldn’t have as much ribbon.  She says that the styles are constantly changing in the East and this way my new dress will be exactly like they wear back there.”

Amanda followed Mrs. Porter into her sewing room, sighing silently to herself.  She hoped she could get Mrs. Porter to leave before too long so that she wouldn’t miss being able to talk to the committee.  Mrs. Porter did love to talk and talk she did for the next 30 minutes.

When Mrs. Porter finally left, after making the decision to stay with the original plans for the dress, Amanda sighed to herself in relief.  She should still be able to make it.  She grabbed a shawl and quickly left her house before another customer showed up. 

She quickly walked to the Town hall and into the big room where the town meetings were held.  In the middle of the room was a large table with five men sitting behind it.  There was the mayor, Mr. Richard Porter; the reverend, Mr. Owen Watson; Dr. Brad Collins; and two other men who worked with the mayor and did not contribute to the interview.  One of the men listened to the proceedings and the other was busy writing.

Amanda introduced herself, though most of the men knew who she was.  The mayor invited her to sit down on a chair in front of them.

“Tell us why you feel you would be a good candidate as a mother to an orphan child,” the reverend requested.

Amanda proceeded to tell the men a brief history of her marriage and then death of her husband and how lonely she has been since.  She talked about how she regretted not being able to have children with David and how she thought she had a lot she could contribute to an orphan girl.  She would love her and educate her and even teach her the skills of sewing so the child would be able to contribute to society and have the means to support herself when she was grown. 

After Amanda was through talking, each of the men were given an opportunity to ask her questions.  One question posed by the mayor was about finances and Amanda was able to reassure the men that she could support a child without any outside help.

Then the doctor spoke.  “I think we should grant Mrs. Drake her wish to adopt a child.”  He looked at the other men.  “Although she is a woman and single, I think she will do well as a mother, and remember we did give Mr. Craig Parker permission to adopt.”