Under the Distant Sky (5 page)

Five minutes later, father and daughter came through the door. Patty Ruth was in her father’s arms, leaning her head against his.

“Everything all right, now?” Hannah asked.

“Yes, Mama,” Patty Ruth said. “I got spanked because I broke the rules, and even more because I lied to Papa. Lyin’ is a sin. But I won’ do it no more.”

Breakfast resumed with Biggie beside Patty Ruth’s chair. This time she looked down at him and said, “Even if you starve to death, Biggie, I’m not feedin’ you at the table ever again.”

Everyone ate quietly until Patty Ruth said, “Mama, are you still gonna take me to the Square today, even if I was bad?”

“Of course, honey. You’ve paid for being bad. Mama’s promise still holds true.”

“That’s how God does it, huh, Mama,” B. J. said. “When He forgives us, He doesn’t keep on punishing us, does He?”

“That’s right. When we confess our sins and ask His forgiveness, He forgives us and cleanses us. He doesn’t hold it over our heads.”

Before breakfast, Mary Beth had told her brothers about their parents’ conversation the previous night. Now they looked toward their father eagerly when Mary Beth said, “Papa…Mama…I overheard some of your conversation last night. Are we going to move west?”

“Well, dear,” Hannah replied, “let’s just say that Papa and I are seriously praying about it. We want the Lord’s will in our lives… and by ‘our,’ I include you children, too.”

“Papa,” Patty Ruth said, “how come In’ians masker white people?”

“How come they what?”

“Masker ’em. You know, kill ’em. Lots of ’em.”

“Oh, massacre them. Where did you hear about Indians massacring white people?”

“From me, Papa,” Mary Beth said. “After I heard you and Mama talking about the Indian problems out west, I went back to our room and found Patty Ruth awake, and we talked about it.”

“I’ll explain about the Indians later, sweetheart,” Solomon said.

“So what about it, Papa?” Christopher asked. “Do you think we’ll buy a covered wagon and move to Oregon? Or California?”

“Or Colorado?” B. J. asked.

The head of the Cooper household finished off a gravy-drenched biscuit before replying. “Like your mother said, Chris, we’re praying about it. It’s a big step. It would mean selling the farm and the store. Might be pretty hard to do.”

“We won’t have any problem selling the farm and the store if the Lord wants us to move west, Papa,” Mary Beth said. “If that’s what He wants, He will provide the buyers.”

Patty Ruth chewed a mouthful of scrambled eggs and waited to see her father’s reaction to Mary Beth’s wise words.

Solomon deeply appreciated his oldest daughter’s faith in the Lord. He loved each of his children the same, but he had a different relationship with each one. Mary Beth was his “buddy.” She often came to the store to spend time with him, and sometimes they would take walks together and talk about spiritual things. He smiled at her and said, “The Lord certainly can supply the buyers, Mary Beth.”

Christopher, who was lanky and tall for his age, spoke up. “I think we’d better pray a whole lot before we get serious about moving from Independence, Papa. We’ve had the store since I was two years old. And we’ve got our church here, and all of our friends.”

Patty Ruth didn’t even wait to swallow the mouthful of eggs before she said, “I know why you don’t want to move west, Chris. You don’t want to leave Lula Mae!”

Chris’s face went pink, and he looked at his father.

“Young lady, that’s enough,” Solomon said. “What did I tell you last night about teasing Chris?”

“Well, I was jis—”

“I know what you were doing. Now, there’s nothing wrong with Chris liking Lula Mae. She’s a fine Christian girl. Her parents are both good Christian people.”

Patty Ruth knew she was walking on dangerous ground, but she gambled a little further. “But he likes Lula Mae because she brags on how good he rides Buster.”

Solomon’s eyes were stern as he spoke. “I said that’s enough.”

Patty Ruth wilted under her father’s eyes, and Chris smiled at B. J., who smiled back.

“Patty Ruth,” Hannah said, “what have I told you about talking with food in your mouth?”

“I’m s’posed to swallow it ’fore I talk.”

“Then let’s remember that.”

“Yes, Mama.”

Solomon ran his gaze over the faces of his children and said, “As Mary Beth heard in her eavesdropping last night—”

“Papa, I wasn’t exactly eavesdropping. I was just wanting to hear what you and Mama were saying about moving west.”

Solomon chuckled. “Anyway, as Mary Beth heard last night, your mother and I are talking seriously about joining a wagon train and heading west to make us a new home. You know we’ve talked about it before, but last night we decided to pray in earnest about it. Since the government came up with the Homestead Act, it’s pretty tempting to go to new territory and pick up a hundred and sixty acres of free land. But we’ll only do it if that’s what God wants for us.”

“What about the Indians, Papa?” Mary Beth asked. “I wouldn’t want us to be massacred like those people in Kansas last year.”

“I don’t either, sweetheart. But from talking to those wagon masters who come into the store, I’ve learned that the Indians don’t bother wagon trains that have fourteen or fifteen wagons or more. The wagon masters said that once in a while the Indians will try to frighten the people in the trains by riding close with war paint on. But they usually just want some food.”

“So the people the Pawnees killed were attacked because there were only five wagons in their train, right, Papa?”

“That’s right. It’s asking for trouble to travel in such a small convoy.”

“Papa,” Patty Ruth said, “couldn’t you just real quick tell us why the In’ians kill white people? Did we do somethin’ bad to ’em?”

Solomon glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. “Well, honey, to put it real quick…I’m sorry to say that when white men started moving west several years ago, they stole land from the Indians and killed their deer, elk, and buffalo. This made
the Indians angry. Now many of the tribes make war against all white men who travel through their land or move in and settle on it.”

“But they won’t make war on white people if they’re in big enough wagon trains, right, Papa?” B. J. asked.

“That’s right, son.”

Patty Ruth had come to her own conclusion. “Then if Jesus tells us He wants us to go out there where the In’ians are, He will protect us, won’t He, Papa?”

“He sure will, darlin’. He sure will.” Solomon looked around at the others. “All right, it’s time for Bible reading and prayer.”

Solomon’s Bible lay on the cupboard within reach. As he picked it up he said, “We’re going to pray every morning and every night about moving west until the Lord gives us a yes or a no.”

“How will we know, Papa?” B. J. asked. “God doesn’t come and talk to His children today like He did in the Old Testament days, does He?”

“No, son. But He has a way of letting us know His will. Sometimes by something we read in His Word. Sometimes by circumstances. Sometimes by both.”

“Papa, what’s circum—circum—”

“Patty Ruth, circumstances are things that happen in our lives that show us what the Lord wants for us.”

“Oh. Like if Chris falls off of Buster while he’s showin’ off in front of Lula Mae, it means God doesn’t want him to do that.”

“I haven’t fallen off of Buster ever, little sister,” Chris said, “so God must want me to—”

“That’s enough,” Solomon said. “Both of you.”

Mary Beth looked at both of her parents. “Mama… Papa…what about Grandpa and Grandma? From what Grandpa has said, nobody’s going to budge him from
Independence. Can we just go off and leave them?”

Solomon answered. “Well, sweetheart, Grandma and Grandpa are Christians, so God has His will for their lives. It may not be the same as His will for our lives. The Coopers will do what God wants, and I’m sure the Singletons will, too.”

After Solomon had gone to the store and the three older children had gone to school, Hannah and Patty Ruth walked into town to see the wagons and people gathered in Independence Courthouse Square. The Square was quite large, and afforded room for as many as four normal-sized wagon trains to form at the same time.

Their route took them down Main Street and past Cooper’s General Store. The business section of Independence took up six blocks, with the huge Courthouse Square in the middle.

Patty Ruth was all eyes, watching the wagons coming into town from the east. As they walked past the store, Hannah looked in and saw her Solomon and Randy Chase waiting on a great number of customers.

“Looks like Papa and Randy are going to have a busy day,” Hannah said.

Soon they neared the Square. The area was a hubbub of activity.

“Oh, Mama! Look at all the wagons…an’ mules…an’ oxes… an’ people!”

Dozens of white-canopied wagons were jammed into the Square. Hammers pounded, dogs barked, and children laughed and played together. Two girls ran by screaming as some boys chased them with frogs in their hands.

Men were leading ox and mule teams through the crowds, and riders moved along the periphery on horseback. You could
tell who the wagon masters were by all the people standing around them, asking questions.

Patty Ruth clutched Ulysses close to her chest, and tried to take in every detail as she walked with her mother among the wagons.

“Oh, look, Patty Ruth!” Hannah said. “It’s Betty Wilson!”

Patty Ruth had always liked the Wilsons, but she liked Raymond Wilson even more since he had saved her from the big horse’s hooves yesterday.

As they came close to Betty, who was casually strolling among the wagons, Hannah called to her. Betty turned and smiled. “Hannah,” she said, “I’m glad to see you—I’ve been dying to find out if it’s true.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, Ray told me that after the incident yesterday, Patty Ruth asked if you and Solomon were going to buy a covered wagon and move west. He said your answer was rather vague. Now, c’mon, honey. Your ol’ friend, Betty, here, wants to know if there’s anything to it.”

Hannah smiled. “All I can tell you at this point is that we’re giving it serious consideration and praying for the Lord’s guidance. I read an article about the emigration west in the
Kansas City Sun
a couple of weeks ago. I haven’t said anything to Solomon about it, but the article pointed out that for the men, the move west is a great adventure. It appeals to their male self-esteem, and they enjoy the challenge and excitement of conquering the rugged frontier. For women, however—”

Betty cut in, nodding in a knowing way. “Mm-hmm… just a lot of hard work and frustration.”

“That,” Hannah said, “and many fears. They leave all they hold dear, except for the family members going with them. It’s hard to face leaving home and going off to some strange, unfamiliar place where there are dangers on every side.”

“Oh, I agree, honey. Plus the men don’t have to tend to
the children on the trail like the women do… or give birth traveling in a prairie schooner.”

“That’s for sure, Betty. But despite it all, if the Lord gives us peace about striking out west, I’ll back Solomon all the way.”

“Of course you will, Hannah, because that’s the kind of woman you are.” Betty drew in a short breath and said, “Ray and I have talked about doing the same thing.”

“You have?”

“Yes. But, of course, there are a lot of things to consider. We’d have to sell the house and the shop…and the shop is doing quite well for us.”

“Well, it’s certainly not anything to hurry into,” Hannah said with a sigh.

Just then the women noticed a young mother with two small daughters coming their way. One child, who looked to be about two years old, was in her mother’s arms. The other was about Patty Ruth’s age.

“Good morning,” Hannah said, flashing her winsome smile.

“Hello,” the young mother said. “I’m Darlene Watson, and these are my daughters, Emily and Eliza.”

“I’m Hannah Cooper. This is my youngest daughter, Patty Ruth, and this is Betty Wilson.”

Eliza, who was exactly Patty Ruth’s size, was eyeing Ulysses.

Patty Ruth felt a slight unease with her bear under such scrutiny.

“Hi,” Eliza said. “I like your bear. What’s her name?”

“It’s not a her, it’s a
him.
His name is Ulysses.” As she spoke, Patty Ruth clutched the bear tighter.

“He’s cute,” Eliza said. “Can I hold him?”

Patty Ruth froze. All she could manage was a shake of her head.

“Please?”

The two girls now had their mothers’ and Betty Wilson’s attention.

“No,” Patty Ruth said. “Ulysses only wants me to hold him.”

“All I want to do is hold him. I won’t take him anywhere. I promise.”

Patty Ruth turned herself so that Ulysses was farther away from Eliza’s reach and snapped, “No! He doesn’t want you to hold him!”

Hannah had seen and heard enough. “Patty Ruth,” she said, “why are you talking to Eliza like that? She asked you in a nice way if she could hold Ulysses.”

Patty Ruth’s lower lip protruded as she looked at Eliza, then back at her mother. “He’s my bear.”

“Patty Ruth, what have I told you about being selfish?”

“That it’s naughty.”

“Then you’re being naughty, aren’t you? I heard Eliza very politely ask you if she could hold Ulysses. Now you let Eliza hold him for a few minutes.”

“Mrs. Cooper,” Darlene Watson said, “it’s all right. Eliza understands.”

Hannah smiled and turned back to her daughter. “Patty Ruth, let Eliza hold Ulysses.”

When she saw the stubborn look in Patty Ruth’s eyes, Hannah set her jaw.
“Now
.”

Patty Ruth extended the bear and said, “Don’t drop him.”

Hannah cleared her throat.

Patty Ruth looked at Eliza and said, “Please. Don’t drop him,
please.”

“I won’t,” Eliza said, pressing Ulysses to her cheek then holding him at arm’s length to study his shiny black eyes. She adjusted him in the cradle of her arm and traced the bear’s smile with the tip of her forefinger.

The little redhead watched her closely.

Eliza looked up at her mother. “He’s really a nice bear, Mommy. I like him.”