A Home at Trail's End (43 page)

Elizabeth grimaced. “That would be too bad.”

“But Hugh says it's bound to happen.”

They discussed the town's future at length until it was time for Lavinia to leave. Elizabeth sighed. She didn't like feeling sorry for herself, but it was strange feeling as if everyone and everything was moving right along and passing her by.

Mrs. Taylor came to visit on Saturday. She brought a pair of booties she'd made for the baby. She told about the latest goings on at school and how she hoped that Belinda and Amelia might start taking over for her more. “I still want to be involved, but to be honest, I am not getting any younger. I don't think I can keep up with the youngins the way I'd like to.”

“You have done a wonderful job,” Elizabeth assured her. “My children both love you. JT wouldn't be able to read music if you hadn't worked with him.”

“Yes, and that is exactly what I've been wondering about. I think I could give music lessons to the children if the parents were able to pay. I would happily trade too. What do you think?”

“I think it's a great idea. I know my children would be happy to have lessons with you.” They talked at length about how Mrs. Taylor could do this, and by the time she left, it seemed they had put together a good plan for next year.

On the women came throughout the next week, all of them bearing gifts for the baby. Doris and Ruby, Evelyn Prescott, Georgia Holmes, Martha Levine…but Elizabeth's favorite visitors were Mara and Rose. Dressed prettily in matching pink calico dresses that Mara and Martha had sewn, Mara and Rose looked happier than Elizabeth had ever seen them. “These are for your baby.” Rose handed Elizabeth a tiny pair of deerskin moccasins with intricate beadwork.

“They are lovely,” Elizabeth told her.

“Ma made them,” Rose proclaimed proudly.

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” Rose said politely.

“And these are for you,” Rose handed Elizabeth a beautiful pair of oyster white moccasins, also decorated with beadwork—delicate roses in shades of pink and red. They were very similar to the ones she'd given Mara.

“Oh, Mara, these are beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much.”

Mara leaned over and grasped Elizabeth's hand. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I feel that you gave me a life.”

On Monday, Elizabeth woke up with a backache and a sense of foreboding. But she tried to act cheerful as the children prepared to go to school.

“I have all my valentines finished,” Ruth told her. “One for every person in school. Even the teachers.”

“Good for you.”

“I'm not giving valentines,” JT said. “That's girl stuff.”

Elizabeth smiled at him. “Well, someday you might have a sweetheart, and you might want to give her a valentine.”

He wrinkled his nose.

“JT
does
have a sweetheart,” Ruth teased. “He just doesn't want anyone to know.”

He tossed his sister a dark look.

“If he doesn't want anyone to know, Ruth, why would you tell?”

“We better go or we'll be late,” JT warned.

“Have a good day,” Elizabeth called. But as soon as they were gone, she was in pain. “Mother,” she called weakly.

Clara came quickly, tending to Elizabeth in every way she knew how, but it seemed clear that this baby was on its way. “I sent Eli for Malinda,” Clara told Elizabeth as she urged her to drink some cool tea.

It wasn't long until both Malinda and Clara were with Elizabeth, doing what they could to make her comfortable and trying to cheer her. “This is only a couple of weeks early,” Clara told her. “And it's possible you got the dates wrong.”

“That's right,” Malinda said as she wiped her forehead with a cold cloth. “Just look how big you are. That baby must be plenty big.”

And when it came time for the baby to be born, Elizabeth had to agree with her friend. The baby was plenty big. And when it emerged into the world, screaming loudly, it sounded perfectly healthy too.

“You have a boy,” Clara proclaimed. “A big, beautiful, baby boy.”

As Clara worked to clean the infant off, Malinda announced that she was going to tell Eli the good news. It wasn't long until Clara handed the precious bundle to Elizabeth. The moment she looked into his wrinkled little red face and examined his fingers and toes, she burst into tears of happiness. “He looks just fine,” she told her mother. “Just fine.”

Soon Eli was in the room with them, inspecting his son with awe and relief. He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “You did well.”

“She certainly did,” Clara said.

“What are you going to name him?” Malinda asked.

Elizabeth looked up at Eli. “His name is Eli Dawson Kincaid.”

Eli smiled.

“And he will grow up to be a good man in the Oregon frontier.”

It wasn't until two weeks later, when Elizabeth was up and around and able to care for her household again, that some surprising news reached the small town of Riverside. It was a mild day, and Elizabeth had taken Eli Jr. outside with her, safely nestled in a basket, as she took down the dried wash. Meanwhile Eli was working nearby on the ever-expanding chicken yard. A scene of bucolic peace and contentment.

But suddenly their serene day was shattered when the children came running and shouting. “We have news!” they cried out together.

“Big news!” Ruth shrieked.

With his saw still in hand and a worried expression, Eli hurried over to see what was wrong.

“Let me tell it,” JT said reaching them first.

“Wait for me!” Ruth cried as she hurried to join them.

“We have
big
news,” JT said breathlessly. “Big, big news! It happened on February fourteenth—”

“That's Valentine's Day,” Ruth exclaimed.

“Yes. And the same day our baby brother was born,” JT added.

“But that's not the news,” Ruth said.

“No.” JT shook his head. “The news is that on that same day, the thirty-third state was added to the Union.”

“Oh?” Elizabeth wasn't sure why that was such news.

“Our state!” Ruth told them.

“
Oregon
!” JT declared. “Oregon is the thirty-third state in the Union.”

“We are a state!” Ruth shouted.

Eli and Elizabeth exchanged looks. “We are a state,” she said with wonder.

“Imagine that,” Eli said. “The state of Oregon was born on the same day Eli Jr. was born.”

Elizabeth smiled down at her baby and then at her family. “May God bless them both—our new baby and our new state.”

“And our family,” Eli added. “God bless our family.”

“And God bless our friends and neighbors,” JT declared.

“And our animals,” Ruth added as Flax came over, wagging his tail eagerly. “God bless them too.”

O
REGON STATEHOOD
, F
EBRUARY
14, 1859

Discussion Questions

1. While on the Oregon Trail, most of the pioneers couldn't wait for the arduous journey to end. Yet many hardships were still ahead. What do you think was the best thing about settling? What was the worst?

2. Imagine that you were a pioneer just arriving in the western frontier. What do you think you'd miss the most from your old life back east?

3. What was your initial reaction to Eli's disappearance with Elizabeth's wagon and beloved team? What did you imagine had happened to him?

4. Malinda is Elizabeth's best friend, and yet they sometimes seem at odds. Why do you think their relationship was so strained?

5. Imagine again that you're a new settler. What, besides food and shelter, would be your first priority in creating your homestead? How would you go about securing it?

6. Elizabeth's stay with Malinda was necessary but stressful. Fortunately it only lasted for a season. Describe an era in your life when you had to endure some discomforts for a spell. What helped you to get through that time?

7. Malinda seems driven to have the perfect wedding. Why do you think she was so obsessed with this?

8. What was your initial response to Reverend Holmes? To Mrs. Holmes? How did you feel about them later on, after you got to know them better?

9. When Malinda planned her quilting bee, she seemed to intentionally leave Elizabeth out. How did you react to her seemingly bad manners? How did you feel later on when you discovered she was actually making the quilt for Elizabeth?

10. Although the Indians were “relocated” from the area, Elizabeth manages to find one of the few still remaining. Considering the other settlers' opinions on these matters, as well as the welfare of her own children, do you think Elizabeth was wise to reach out this woman? Why or why not?

11. There are a number of strong women in this series. Elizabeth, Clara, Jessica, Malinda, Lavinia…to name a few. Describe the qualities you think best sustained women in the western frontier.

12. After Eli and Elizabeth wed, Elizabeth finally got to see the home Eli had built for her and her children. Naturally, she was ecstatic over every little detail. What did you like best about their rustic cabin?

13. Elizabeth knew Mara and her children would survive only if they integrated into White culture. How did you feel when Mara was getting her “makeover”? Describe your reaction to the tea party where Mara met her mother-in-law, Martha.

14. Confined to bed rest toward the end of her pregnancy, Elizabeth was understandably antsy and anxious. For a hands-on frontier woman, doing “nothing” was a challenge. Describe a time when you felt your hands were tied and all you could do was wait. What helped you get through that era?

15. Eli and Elizabeth's first son together was born on the same day Oregon became a state. What do you imagine Eli Jr. would have been doing 40 years later—in 1899?

16. Did anything in this series change the way you look at life? If so, describe.

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