Starry eyed Lily

  We must pack and leave immediately “said Josiah to Penny as he read the telegraph.” it stated “Please come as quickly as you can, your brother has become ill with Pneumonia. It is now up to me to run the farm, signed Hadley. Lily, yes mother “she responded”. We need to start gathering our things. We are to head to Redwater to help your Aunt Hadley with the farm. Yes, ma’am Lily replied. The family loaded up all their belongings, leaving behind what they could not carry.               As the day grew to a close, Josiah and Lily set up camp while Penny made stew. We will need a good night’s rest “said Josiah”. We had another full day of traveling before making it into Redwater, he continued to explain. During the night, the rain began to rain harder and harder, washing out the road that would take them into Redwater, leaving the family to turn back and travel a road less traveled. The road led them to a river which Josiah knew he needed to cross.               When reaching the other side safely, Josiah saw a man riding up to him. As the man got closer, he noticed he was in a military uniform. Where are you headed, the stranger asked? We were headed to Redwater. We had to turn back. The road was washed out. As the family continued to travel, they could see the city getting closer. Welcome to Ashburn, Penny saw a sign.               What is your name “Lily asked”? You will have to excuse my daughter," replied Josiah. Where are my manners, young Miss? My name is William Dandridge of Romsey, Mississippi. You are a long way from home, aren’t you? “She replied”. Lily!!! “Penny scolded,” it is none of your concern when Mr. Dandridge is headed. I am so sorry. I did not mean to be rude “replied Lily”. No nonsense" he replied to both ladies. I was a soldier in the war. I am headed home now to see what is left of my family “Mr. Dandridge replied with worry in his voice”.               I hope you find your home, Mr. Dandridge “replied Lily”. After settling in for the night, Lily could not sleep much. She heard a large bang outside the tent. She scurried to the door to find Mr. Dandridge chased a small dog around camp. Let me get that poor thing something to eat “said Lily.” The dog finally finished her scraps and slept next to the fire while Lily and William talked. We are headed to my Uncle's farm in Redwater. He has gotten ill with pneumonia and my Aunt needs help until he is feeling better “said Lily”. Oh, I see," replied William. I joined the War to keep my younger brothers from joining, said William.               So, you are heading back home to be with your family “asked Lily”? Yes, I have heard word of a terrible fire that has swept through our city, leaving hardly anything behind, but no word from my family. As the morning sun began to rise, Josiah and Penny joined Lily and William for breakfast and afterwards they broke up the camp to begin their final day of travels. While saying goodbye to Mr. Dandridge The family continued their journey until reaching the city of Redwater. The little dog that Lily found at camp followed the family into the city.               Pa, is it OK to explore the city a bit while we are here? “Lily asked.” Yes, it is, but be back here in 30 minutes so we can make it to The Pullman Farm. While walking around, Lily took in the beautiful town and wondered what it had to offer her. She walked into the Taylor General Store. This is our daughter Lily “said Josiah.” We are heading to my sister’s farm, The Pullman Farm. Ah yes, I know of your sister, Miss Hadley, and her Mr. Jed. He passed yesterday and said a woman’s voice coming through the back of the store. Hi, I am Abigail's family. I am sorry for your family's disappearance. You must come by for some tea sometime, replied Abigail.               The family finally made it to the Pullman Farm and began getting settled in, while Josiah took over the chores. We got here as quickly as possible, Penny told Hadley. It's OK, what matters is you are here now, she responded. So, Miss Lily, what is your dog’s name? Sadie, I am going to call her Sadie “,Lily replied”. She found us while we traveled there begging for scraps. She needs a bath. She is filthy! Yes ma’am “replied Lily”, but we will get that taken care of tomorrow. It is time for dinner.               After traveling for 3 days, a nice home-cooked dinner sounded fantastic. Hadley had been preparing for her brother and his family’s arrival for a week now. I am sorry to have you come all this way. I just did not know what to do with the farm, or how I was to take care of it by myself. No worries “replied Josiah”. I will begin the fence mending in the morning while you ladies tend the animals and garden.               Lily awoke to hear pots and pans clanking together. What is with all this noise, she muttered to herself? She got up and dressed and went to join the others at the breakfast table. Lily, we are now on a working farm and we must all help to get everything ready for the fall harvest. I want you to begin by helping your mother. It was not even light outside when Lily headed out to begin her chores. First she went and found her mother feeding the chickens, as she was gathering eggs. She could not stop thinking of Mr. Dandridge. Did he find his family, she thought? Or what if something terrible happened to him “she thought”. After finishing her chores, Lily headed into town with her father to pick up supplies for the farm. Making it to the general store, Lily ventured around looking at the different shops.  She caught herself staring at an elegant dress, the kind she hoped to wear one day.               One day I will have a dress like that to wear for my husband.  “She muttered?” While standing still daydreaming, a group of school kids ran past her. Where are you headed, she asks one of the girls? We are going to the pond to fish. Would you like to join us? After a minute she found herself staring at the most beautiful pond she had ever seen. Lily could hear her father calling for her from the general store. Are we ready to head back now? Yes, father “,Lily replied”. Father, have you heard the town will be getting a railroad soon? Yes, I have heard this to be true.               While heading back out of town, Lily was taking in all the new scenery. She could not help but feel excited to be in a new place with new adventures around every corner. It was nearly dark by the time they reached home. After arriving, Lily helped her father get the horses settled in and fed them for the evening. She then went and joined her mother and aunt. After preparing dinner. The family sat together eating and quietly talking about the day's adventures until a loud noise came from outside.  Next came a woman knocking on the door with a crying child.               Josiah opened the door, hello, how are you? I am Shelby and this is Luke. I am terribly sorry to bother you fine people on this late evening. We are tired and we are hungry. We have been traveling for weeks trying to find some shelter and place to call our own. We are traveling from Kentucky; we lost our home to the bank. We were foreclosed on. We had no choice but to leave everything that we could not carry with us. Where is your husband if you do not mind me asking you? He hadn’t come home from the war. I haven’t heard from him in months.               Without thinking, Josiah knew he could not leave the poor woman and her child outside with nowhere to go and no food to feed her child. Yes, you are welcome to stay here for a few days and get well rested. Please forgive me, I am Josiah Pullman, my wife Penny, daughter Lily and Sister-in-law Hadley. You are now at Pullman Farm. Come on in, we will get you something to eat. After you have finished eating, I will show you where you and your son Luke can sleep.               After tossing and turning all night, Hadley and Penny were already up getting breakfast together while Josiah had already gone out the door to check on the gardens. Lily got up and began working on bringing in wood for the fire. Good morning, Shelby said as she went into the kitchen with Luke. Luke was only a few months old, was smiling and cooing, he seemed like he was a very happy little one, Hadley replied. Yes, he is unless he is hungry. Taking care of the farm on my own has been awfully hard while taking care of a baby. My husband has been gone for 6 months now and not a day goes by when I hope to see him coming through our gates.                Mother, Father? Are you here? William made it to the Dandridge farm but learned it had been abandoned. Where could they be, he asked himself? While rummaging through the house, he found a letter saying, William, if you have found this letter, we have left for a better life. With the town fire, it has made it hard for everyone here to try and survive. I hope to run into you someday soon. Love Mother. Without much thought, William got back on his horse and rode away, looking for his family. Where could they be, he thought? How can I even begin to look for them?               After traveling for a few hours, William decided to call it a night. He had made it to Howe, Mississippi, a very quaint little town with not a lot going on, William thought. Arriving at the hotel, William went down and ate some dinner, beef stew and cornbread. The aroma was so pleasant that he could not resist a second helping. While eating, he saw a group of well-dressed men walk in and sit down for their meal. After finishing up, William was heading to his room for the night when he heard one of the gentlemen ask if anyone was looking for some work. William’s curiosity got the best of him. As he approached the man, the gentleman introduced himself as Nate. I am with the Union Pacific railroad company; we are looking for hard workers looking to earn a wage. The job would be a traveling job. William was already used to the traveling type work-since he had been in the war. It came naturally to him. Without thinking more, he took the job. He had made a deal to work as a foreman until he was able to find his family.  William sent word to each town they visited to try and find some of his family members. A year had gone by with no luck of finding his parents. He felt as if he would never find any of his family until he came upon the town of Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received a telegraph from his foreman stating, William, I have located your brother Samuel and his wife Millie. They are living in Ashburn, without thinking. Without packing his belongings, he left a note stating he would be back within a week’s time, and went to his brother. Can I help you sir? “Asked Millie.” Yes, I am looking for my brother Sammy, I have been told he lives here. I am William.               Ah yes, you must be William? I am Millie, she replied. I am married to your brother Samuel. Please come in, I will make you something to eat. While waiting for his brother to return, he had wondered what kind of man he had become, after not seeing him for nearly 6 years. Where are my parents, and Jack? I am so sorry to tell you they all became ill with smallpox and passed on. Oh, I see, he replied. I have been looking for our family since I left the war; I went home to find an empty abandoned house. We had no choice but to leave Millie Replied. Most of the town was destroyed by fire.               From a distance, William could hear a man’s voice with children getting closer to him. Sammy my boy, is that you?? “Asked William”. William gave his brother a big hug. How the heck are you? Where have you been, Brother? “Asked Samuel”. I have been searching for you since the war ended; I thought the worse of you. I am so happy to see you, to have you here with us. This here is your niece Claire and your nephew Blaine. Have you settled down and got yourself a family, no “William Responded?” I joined the Union Pacific Railroad while I tried to locate you.               Railroad life is not for the faint of heart. I have been so focused on trying to locate any of the family. Outside of that, the railroad has been my life for the last year.  It is time to turn in for the night, William. We have a spare room you are welcome to stay in as long as you need it, said Millie. When morning time came, everyone was up and ready for the day to begin. The children had their chores done and headed off to school while Millie started preparing the meal for dinner. William headed into town to grab a few things for his brother and wife. He had so much to learn about his brother’s new family. He knew the first thing was, first, he wanted to spoil his nephew and his niece.  When arriving back at his brother’s house, he gave Millie some fresh meat to cook for the stew and gave gifts to his niece and nephew. It was like Christmas in July for everyone.               After supper, the family all sat around the fire listening to Samuel and William talk about their past growing up together. Do you remember the time pa caught us skipping school down by Briar Patch pond? Asked Samuel? How could I forget, William replied, if it wasn’t for Miss Hawlings. She was only concerned about our well-being, I guess. I could not sit for a week; Pa really used that hickory well. While everyone began to laugh at the story, William was not looking forward to the next morning’s adventure.               William soon said goodbye to Samuel and his family; he knew that his job at the railroad needed him back. William returned to Union Pacific with great news about his family but still knew something was missing. He had planned to return from the war and was ready to be married and settle down as his brother had done. The building of the railroad consumed most of his time, leaving him hardly any time to court the beautiful ladies of Cheyenne.               The schoolteacher, Ms. Anna needed to take a short term of absence and needed to find a replacement while she was gone. Knowing this would become an issue with the town, she hosted a small-town meeting telling all of the townspeople she needed to go back home for a while to be with her sick mother. Her mother had fallen ill and needed someone to look after her until she was feeling better. Who will look after the kids while I am gone, she asked? Lily raised her hand and said she would love to do it. After all, she was one of the star students at school. With agreement from everyone, Lily settled in as the new schoolteacher.