( Wagons East Chapter VI

What woke me up next morning was Sera yelling my name(all right Sera what do you want)"its poring the rain are we moving or staying hear?" Right now we are going to stay hear if the rain lighten up we will move out later),but later never came it pored the rain all day. Sera brought me some hard tack to eat for breakfast and lunch, the trip from the back of the wagon to where I was under the wagon had soaked her cloths throw and throw(Sera you shouldn't have got out in that rain)"Oh come on Charles I will be all right and you needed something to eat" with thaws still ringing in my ears I watched as she made the trip back .By dawn the next day it had stopped raining, but the ground had turned too mud so we spent that day in the same spot by the third day the ground had drayed some so I too0k on of the houses and rode into town picking us some beans, bacon and flour. By the time I had reached camp Sera and Bill Jr. had a fire going, coffee ready for me too drink, I downed two cups wile I watched Sera get the beans and bacon going wile I worked on my third cup she made biscuits and got them too baking. In side of 45 minutes we had our first hot meal in two days Sera and her daughter Beth starting getting things out to dry wile Bill Jr and I worked on the horses too get them in shape for pulling our wagon. It took the rest of that day and half the next to get what could be dyed finished and put up and the rest throw away, most of our food supplies were no good that way the quick tip into town for food. was made that afternoon. Once in town we stopped the wagon in front of the General Store Sera and I went in side she ordered the supplies I paid for them and watched over the clerks as they loaded our wagon. When all was ready I climb on the wagon seat with Bill Jr. and off we went, that night we made our camp on the other side it took Bill Jr and I a long time too get camp set up and a fire going(thought we weren't going find any dry wood)"yes sir I know we just got lucky I guess" we were setting near the fire watching his mother cooking, his sister was near by playing with her doll. Dinner that night was beans corn bread and fried potatoes I had two plates full(Sera that was fit for a king thank you)"you welcome Charles and if you are finished I get the dishes washed" I watched as she did her work and set by the wagon and listen too her read too the kids when she put them too bed. Up early next day I had the horses feed and fire and coffee going by the time Sera got up and started working on breakfast. When I finished eating and with Bill Jr. help we hitch the horses too the wagon wile his mother cleaned and packed things up.

We made a lot of progress that morning using the road running too Paxton City but just before reaching their turning left we headed out through open country by passing the town and the small forms and ranches near by. That night we camp in a valley dinner was three rabbits that Bill Jr have shot that day and when Sera had put the kids to bed for the night she came and set with me near the camp fire" Charles are we getting near you're sister place right"(their place is three valleys over from hear. Do you know what you are going too do when we get their?)"no I do not"(Some farm land for sell right next too their place, good place for a man and his family too put down roots)she looked my way gave me a smile" I will think about what you said" she got up and headed for the wagon. I banked the cooking fire and went too my bed roll under the wagon , I laid their listen too Sera singing as she brushed her hair. Next day we drove the wagon across the valley floor crossing the river just past noon where I made camp for the day now that we were getting near home I was no longer in a big hurry. I was no longer sure I wanted Sera and the kids gone so the longer it took me the longer they would be around." Charles why are we stopping for the day so early?"(I thought the horses could use a good rest before we take the next range of mountains is that ok with you Sera?)"its ok Charles if its what you think best" I talked her into spending two days their before we moved on and in side of a week we had reached my sister place I parked the wagon in a field across from their house spending as much time with Sera and the kid as I did with my sister and her family." You do know Charles that the land Sera wagon is setting on belong too old man Tanner and as far as we know he had no family"(So Ruth its an empty farm what of it?)"will I was thinking if a fellow was too build a cabin to live in this winter I might be able to get Tom and Tom Jr to help build a house in the spring and I'm sure that Reverend Thorn would be glad too come out hear and say some words so that the two of you would be married."(I still thinking about getting married I'm forty sis and I do not think she even thirty yet might not be fair to ask her too tie herself too a old man like me.) "You do not look or move like a forty year old man and I'm sure that a widow with two Kids too raise would be glad to have a husband like you"(

I think you might be wrong about sis)