Chapter 1 - WAGONS HO!
Poppa were driving the heavy wagon and Uncle Gil, Momma's younger brother, were driving the wagon that had Momma, Dink, Maggie and all our personal things in it. Uncle Gil was a nice fellow, but he sure didn't know nothing about horses and such! Before I knew it, Joe's pony was tied to the wagon and he was driving in place of Uncle Gil. Momma was laying down and had Dink with her. Uncle Gil were walking alongside the wagon, I guess that were better than him being in Joe's way when he were driving! Almost immediately, the road began to rise, we hoped to get over Gore's Pass today, it would be mostly downhill from there to the river. Poppa has hired three flat boats to carry us from there. Lordy, how are we ever gonna get Uncle Gil to California, he twisted his ankle and now he is laying in the wagon with Momma! The road is really rough after all the winter rains and the bullocks is making heavy work of it pulling up the grade. I have to ride next to the lead beast, just to keep them moving! Poppa said something to Uncle Gil, I don't think he liked it much, but like Poppa told us, we all got to pull our own weight or we won't never get there.
We stopped for bit, Poppa gave me a quirt thing so I can whack the lead bullock if he gets the stubborns. My new horse rides real easy, he a fine animal. Going up the final grade to the pass, Joe let the right wheel get off the roadbed. It took Poppa and me most of two hours to jack the wagon back on to the road. He told Joe to be more careful, poor Joe almost cried. I went back afterwards and told him I thought he done a good job, heck, that roadbed is all over bad since the winter rains and the levy men was supposed to work on it but they never did. We stopped at the top of Gore's Pass, golly, I can see all over, Poppa says that haze way over is the river. We gonna meet the barge men at Dale's Landing day after tomorrow. I got the hurts on my bottom, Poppa says it will be worser going down hill! Gotta go, Poppa is waving his arm to movem' out!
The grade got steeper going down, so I tied my horse onto the wagon and rode the seat with Joe so I could stomp on the brake, Joe is a mite light to do that real good. We come around a tight turn and here come some idjit driving upgrade and not blowing his horn like he were supposed to. No way, you can't back bullocks upgrade, he had to pull off the roadbed so we could pass. Poppa and I helped jack him back on the road after. It were almost dark by the time we got to the bottom meadow, so Joe had to hold the lantern while Poppa and me greased all the wagon wheels. Momma made supper with Uncle Gil helping her, hope he makes better stew than he drives! It were a long day, I ate my supper and went right into my bedroll. I had to get up one time to dump the coffee I had drunk, but there weren't no scenery to be looking at, so I went back to bed. Good grief, Poppa is ringing that bell and it ain't even light yet! UGH!
The bullocks was stubborn this morning, they didn't want nothing to do with the yoke! Poppa had to help me latch the yoke down, they was fighting me so bad. Momma made griddle cakes for breakfast with some of her fine honeyberry jelly! Hope there be honeyberries in California! The road has leveled out some and we is making good time, Poppa thinks we might even make Dale's Landing by dark tonight! We had to stop at noonday, the right front axle on Joe's wagon was screeching somethin' awful, so Poppa and me had to pull it off and replace the pin, it were wore near out! Still, we pulled into Dale's Landing in time for supper, there was two other wagons gonna go downriver with us. I met two boys my age, Low and Ned. Theys going to California along with us, I kinda like Ned, he tell some bodacious stories! Their wagons are smaller than ours, it be just Low and Ned and their Poppa. Their Momma died last year of the consumption. Joe just came running, he seed the three flat boats being poled around the bend.
It took near all day to get the wagons and bullocks on the boats, they don't like it much and tried to get away. Poppa showed me how to use the quirt, flick the bullocks just above their eyes. We bedded down inside the wagons, the boats make a creaking sound, kept me awake near all night! It were hot and sticky inside the wagons so Uncle Gil took his bedroll out to sleep on deck. The mosquito bugs had him running back inside in just a few minutes done woke me up! Seemed like I just got back to sleep and Poppa was beating on the durned bell again! Oops, he better not see that word! Anyways, we had boiled oats for breakfast - ugh. Poppa caught me snitching a second cup of coffee and he swatted my hand, I best be more sneaky in the future! Soons as the sun were up good, the boat men let loose the ropes and poled us out to the center of the river. We was on our way! They told Poppa it would take five weeks to get St. Louis, we will be near crazy by then! Our boat had an old black man helpin' them, he started to sing. He was amazed, he sang all day and I don't think he repeated a single song! There wasn't much for Joe and me to do, we did a little pole fishing but when I pulled in the most ugliest fish I ever saw, big whiskers and a flat mouth, Joe and me decided we didn't like fish meat all that much! We stopped each night and camped on the shore mostly so's we could graze the bullocks, except when we was in swamps. Poppa and I took turns on night guard, I guess he didn't much trust Uncle Gil to stay awake. A couple of nights Joe stood with me, but he be only eleven, so he got tired quick. We seed a big black snake in the water, one of the boat men shot it. He called it a moccasin and said it were deathly! He said there be alligators about, too but we didn't see none.
Chapter 2 - ST. LOUIS
We finally turned into a big river, the boatmen said it were the mighty Mississippi. He told Poppa we was about a week out from St. Louis. Mr. Casey added four additional pole pushers to each of our flatboats to push against the current, goin' upriver to St. Luis. It were a mighty job, they was plumb wore out each night! Momma had Joe and me pull our Sunday Meeting clothes out of the trunk and air them out, she said we was going to Church so's we not be heathens. Maybe there will be some pretty girls there to talk at? We finally arrived at Casey's Landing where Mr. Casey was assembling his wagon train. There weren't many wagons there yet, but we wouldn't be leaving until next spring anyways. The first thing Poppa did was get out his travelling forge and he started putting new rims on our wagon wheels. Some other folks paid Poppa to do the same on their wheels. Sunday come around, we couldn't find a Methodist Meeting House, so we went to a Baptist Church nearby. It were a bit different than back home, but I met a girl there, Alyce Jane Grigsby. Her Momma and Poppa were also going to California with our wagon train next spring. She sure were pretty, but I don't think her Momma much likes me, she glared at me like a hunting hawk all the while we was talking. Poppa smiled and whispered something to Momma and she grinned at him, I guess I was kinda making the fool! Anyways, it be a long ways to California! Fall and winter passed so slow, Uncle Gil started a school for us boys, there was near twenty of us. I was the oldest boy, he were a better school master than he were a wagon driver! We celebrated the Lord's Birthday, it were bitter cold and snow everywhere. Poppa bought a newspaper there were a story in it about Mr. Lincoln wanting to be president. Poppa didn't think he had a chance. There was some kind of shooting at some ferry and a bunch of folks got killed. The newspaper was two weeks old, so it weren't new news. As spring got closer, everybody wanted their wagon wheels checked, Poppa made near a hundred dollars fixing wheels. Cash money! Finally, it were May first and Mr. Casey said we would leave the next day!
Wow, Alyce Jane Grigsby and her folks are in the wagon directly behind ours! Her Momma still watches me like a hawk, I can't even smile at Alyce Jane without her Momma standing there with her arms crossed! I told Poppa about it and all he did was laugh! He said something about wild oats, but that don't mean nothing to me. We started off early the next morning, everybody were confused and tempers run short. Even Poppa was short with Joe and me, but he apologized later. Mr. Grigsby fell off his wagon and broke his foot, I carried him back to his wagon. Maybe they won't think so bad of me in the future. It seemed like it were early, but Mr. Casey had us stop out in the middle of nowheres and showed us how to circle the wagons. Wagon with women and little children were in the inner circle, then the next ring were families with older children and the outer ring were wagons with no children and the freight wagons. He put me on guard duty right after supper and Poppa was supposed to relieve me about midnight. Hoo, boy, its gonna be a long trip to Denver! That's where Mr. Casey said we would spend the winter before crossing the desert to Salt Lake. He said there probably wouldn't be no trouble until we got to the Platt River, he said there some wild Indians there called the Muscobees that had attacked him the last trip. It was a tiring first day and I was sorely glad to see Poppa when he come to relieve me. I don't even remember crawling into my bedroll before Poppa was ringing that durned bell to get up! Joe had a shorter shift, he spent about two hours on his pony with that old 'Bus across his lap right after supper. Mr. Casey told us the really dangerous stretch were between Salt Lake and Mormon Station in Nevada Territory. Theys be Paiutes and Shoshones there and theys don't like us settlers much.
Each day seemed like the other, the land didn't change much, we just plodded along day after day. Every couple of days, Poppa and me pulled our wagon wheels off and greased the pins good. Poppa found a crack in one of the wheel rims, so he pulled out the travelling forge to weld it back together. Pretty soon, a dozen folks were standing there, all with wheel rims to be repaired. Poppa charged them a dollar each except for poor old Mr. Shultz, he secretly gave the dollar back to him. He don't have much money, but he sure is a good storyteller! He can spin a yarn near as good as my Grampa! You don't know he were pulling your leg until he starts that cackling laugh! He wife were dead and he had his Grandson, Jimmy with him. Jimmy is about the same age as Joe and they pal around all the time. Ned and I hangs around much as we can, but our Poppas always has chore for us! After we hit the south side of the river, the countryside began to change, it got more hilly and sandy, a couple of times we had to stop and dig a wagon out of a sand hole. Towards the end of summer, we began to see high mountains, I asked Mr. Casey if we had to climb them and he said some, but mostly we would between them. He hoped to be in Denver in about two weeks. He said he were trying to beat the first snows.
Chapter 3 - DENVER
What a dusty, dreary place Denver is. The wind never stops blowing and the only way to keep the dust out of my nose is to tie my kerchief over my face like a bandit! Mamma is feeling poorly and Poppa is worried about her. They don't say anything to us kids, but I can see it in his actions. Joe and I took Dink today, just so Momma didn't have to worry about him. He is just beginning to walk and you got to watch him every minute! Poppa took Momma to see a doctor and when they came back I found Poppa crying back behind the wagon. I put my arms around him and he broke down completely. He said Momma would probably not last the winter, something is wrong with her blood. He asked me not to tell Joe or Maggie, they wouldn't understand. I know he is wrong about Joe, but I will abide his wishes. I sat down on my bedroll and cried like a baby, how can we live without Momma? Ned found me bawling and pretty soon figgered out what were wrong. He went through it with his own Momma. He sat with me while I cried, he didn't say nothin' just patted my back.
Every day I watch Momma and it seems every day she is a little bit weaker. Joe knows something is wrong, he caught me over at the well and demanded I tell him. I just couldn't hide it any longer, I broke down and told him Momma were dying. I think Poppa knows I told Joe, he saw us hanging on to each other like two drowning men. Joe is a man, now. He is near as tall as me and has a chest like a water keg. He is five years younger than me, but he is gonna be bigger! He agreed not to say anything to Maggie, but I think she suspects, also. Maggie is only a year younger than Joe! By Christmas, Momma couldn't get up out of bed and two weeks later, Poppa called me into the wagon and told me to go fetch the preacher man, Momma was gone from us. I could hardly see through my tears as I raced down the street to the Methodist Meeting House. Mr. McDonald come right away and his wife helped the other ladies get Momma ready for burial. Dink didn't understand but Maggie near broke my arm hanging on to me, Joe had this awful blank stare on his face and, finally he broke. We must have hung on each other for hours, me, Maggie and Joe. I overheard some ladies saying that they ought to take Dink and Maggie from us and raise them as orphans, I musta made a plumb fool of myself, I started screaming at them that nobody was gonna take my little brother and sister away from us, they would have to kill me first! Old Mrs. McGovern backed away from me and said that nobody would do such a thing. After that, she always called me Mr. Blount just like she did Poppa. I never heard anymore talk like that, but I started wearing Poppa's spare pistol off my belt! Poppa didn't say a word when he saw me with it and I never told him what the ladies had said. At last, it looked like winter were breaking, maybe we can just leave this place of awful memories.
I had turned seventeen just after Momma had died, Poppa never said a word about my birthday until we was hooking up the bullocks to the wagon. He walked over to me and handed me a cup of something to drink. God, it were plumb awful, I must have splattered it all over the dusty street. He smiled and told me it were whiskey, I be a man now, but he hoped I wouldn't take up a man's drink. Not me, that stuff was worser than any medicine I have ever had! My relationship with Poppa has changed, he consults with me on many decisions and asks my opinion on how things should be done.
Chapter 4 - SALT LAKE
We left Denver behind us, I didn't much care if I ever seed that place again! We finally pulled up over a pass Mr. Casey called Rabbit Ears, I guess it were because of the two higher peaks either side of it. From there, he said, it were all downhill to the Great Nevada Desert. It would take us until next fall to get to Salt Lake. He said that some folks was calling it Great Salt Lake now, but to him it would always be just Salt Lake. Mrs. Grigsby seemed more friendly since we left Denver, at least she doesn't scowl every time I tip my hat to Alyce Jane! Maybe that be progress? Poppa handed me a new razor and told me to go shed myself of my chin fuzz! Golly, I just got it to where it showed! When I came back, Joe was rolling in laughter, I were bleeding like a stuck hog! Even Poppa were snickering! We pulled up over a sharp hill and there out before us was sand as far as the eyes could see. Mr. Casey had us fill all the water barrels at the last stream we crossed, the water tasted nasty but at least it were wet.
We started out across the sand, some days we only progressed a mile or so, men would have to help roll the wheels through the deep sand. Mr. Shultz's wagon broke the rear axle and there were no way it could be repaired. Poppa told them to put their things in our wagon and they could go on with us, I thought Mr. Shultz was going to sit down and cry. Poppa took him by the shoulder and walked off a piece. They talked for a long while, but he finally agreed and Joe and I helped his Grandson, Jimmy cart all their belonging to our wagons. Poppa made a tether and a yoke for an additional bullock on each wagon team. He put Mr. Shultz's bullocks in team with ours, three bullocks on each wagon made less work for us in that loose sand. Jimmy and Joey became close friends, a friendship that would last their lifetimes. I knew Jimmy were sweet on my sister, Maggie but she seemed to ignore him. What did I know, but that all happened later. It were day after day of plodding across the never ending sand, occasionally we would come across a water seep, but Mr. Casey warned us that most of them was poison! A couple of them had dead animals laying near them, even the buzzards wouldn't eat them! Some days the goin' was so bad, we only made a mile or so progress. That loose sand got into everything and Poppa and me had to grease the wheel pins most every day.
We come to this huge blue water lake right there in the middle of that sand and rock desert. Before anyone could rush to the water, Mr. Casey said it were pure salt! Joe had to go see for himself, he spit the water out with a blah, he said it were bitter and awful! There was a white salt crust covering the sand and if a wagon got to close, it would fall into a sinkhole! One wagon was lost completely, we never did get it out. It were a suttler's wagon full of store goods. We saved most of the goods, but he lost the wagon and one of the bullocks. We finally got to the town of Salt Lake. The folk there didn't seem to like us much, Mr. Casey said they was Mormons. I had to ask Poppa what that was, he didn't know a whole lot about them. They treated us ok but they sure were not friendly like they was in Denver! They made it plain that we was supposed to stay out of their town, except for trading and purchases on certain days. It were a long, cold winter, there were no trees to break the wind and it just howled around our wagons. The bullocks and horses was beginning to look kinda bad, Mr. Casey said that there would be sweet grass near Mormon Station, a place some folk were now calling Genoa in Nevada Territory. We would rest up there before trying to cross the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Mr. Peter Lassen's Trail. Spring didn't come early to Salt Lake Town, it were mid-June before Mr. Casey yelled, "WAGONS HOOOOOOO"
Chapter 5 - NEVADA TERRITORY
We slowly trekked out of the valley that held Salt Lake Town, the wind were blowing salty dust all around us, I had to tie my kerchief around my face to keep the dust and salt out of my nose. We skirted some dry, barren mountains, there were a little village of sheepherders, they called the place Ruby. It weren't no gem to my thinking! Theys had but one water well and the water was pure awful! A day out of Ruby, Mr. Casey fired a warning shot and we all circled the wagons. Poppa and me pulled out our rifles and laid them across our laps as a group of wild Indians rode up to Mr. Casey. The talked for a long time and finally Mr. Casey shook his head and pulled out his rifle. We all brought our rifles up, wondering what were happening. Mr. Casey and his trail hands came back to us, they told us that the Indians was demanding tribute to cross the valley. He said they was Paiutes and that he had never had any problems with them before. We later found out that some other wagon trains had stolen some of their horses. Mr. Casey had all of us that had horses ride outrigger with our rifles at the ready. We started off slowly and the Indians followed us all the ways across the valley and into the next one, but they never did us any hurt. It were scary though, there sure was a lot of them! Theys was all painted up, some carried spears, but most had rifles or a 'Bus across theys lap.
We bedded down for the night, Poppa had first shift watch and I was to relieve him at midnight. I had hardly gotten to sleep when shots rang out in the darkness. We was all awake now, Joe were beside me under the wagon, he was holding Maggie and I had Dink. The Indians tried rushing the wagons and we beat them off twice before daylight. I never saw Poppa but supposed he was with the other men. Mr. Casey came to get me, I looked at him wondering what he wanted. He took me to a wagon and there was Poppa, laid out with bandages on his head and shoulder. I ran to him, crying. He held me and said he would be ok, but I was going to have to be The Family Man for a while and run things for him. About that time, Uncle Gil walked up say that he would take charge, that was too much and I lit into him like a badger in a hen house! I were eighteen and I would care for my Family, if he didn't like that, he could walk to California! He looked at me and shook his head, walking off. I turned to Poppa, he had a grin on his face and he just hugged me. I weren't gonna let nobody interfere with my Family! Mr. Casey led me away and told me that Poppa's wounds were indeed very bad serious and that he might not survive. I started to cry again and then thought, "I must be a man, I cannot let Joe and Maggie and Dink down!" I straightened up and thanked Mr. Casey for being honest with me. My face must have betrayed me, Joe looked at me and then hugged me saying that whatever happened, we would face it together, sometimes it be hard to believe that my little brother is only thirteen years old! Uncle Gil come around wanting to know how we was doing, I stood up to him and told him he were on his own and not to come around no more. Joe stood behind me, holding Poppa's long rifle. We wasn't gonna let Uncle Gil nor nobody else take over.
We rested for two more days, I did not see Uncle Gil in all that time. Just as we started to hook up the bullocks to the wagons, Uncle Gil showed up with some other men and told me they was taking charge. I told him that wasn't going to happen and drew my pistol, pointing it at Uncle Gil's stomach. I said for him to back off, NOW or be carried off! He started to argue when Mr. and Mrs. Gilsby and Mr. Shultz came up behind me, all was armed and pointing their rifles at Uncle Gil. Joe came from the other side and we could hear him cock Poppa's Kaintuck long rifle. Maggie was holding the old 'Bus like she meant business! Joe said, "You heard MY brother, now get your things from our wagon, we already told you that if you didn't like the way we ran things, you could walk. NOW you walk!" Faced with all that firepower, his friends decided to go elsewhere, leaving him standing there to face down four rifles and a 'Bus! We never saw Uncle Gil again. I started to feel giddy and say foolish things like, "Mr. and Mrs. Gilsby, may I escort your daughter to supper?" Mrs. Gilsby actually smiled and told me I could! WOW! The next morning, as I went to Mr. Casey's wagon to check on Poppa, he stopped me. I looked in his face and knowed that our Poppa were gone. I couldn't let myself cry, not just yet, I had to be there for the others. Joe had to be my main helper, I took him aside, he also knew before I said anything to him. I handed him Poppa's pistol. Joe put it on his belt and looked at me dry eyed saying, "Later Brother, let us bury Poppa proper like!" I know he cried that night, I could hear him, but neither of us never did mentioned it.
The next day, Mr. Shultz came to me saying that he had been a lawyer and asking to see any papers that Poppa had. I got Poppa's case out and showed him, there was a map on how to get to our property in California and the deed to that property. It said that I were the sole owner of four thousand acres in Marysville, California! Poppa never told me that! It also said that Joe, Maggie and Tim (Dink) were to be cared for by me until they married or was twenty-one years of age! Mr. Shultz asked me if I were eighteen and I told him I were and my birth certificate was also in Poppa's case! He told me that Poppa had everything in order and nobody could never contest my ownership or guardianship over my Family! I am sure he was thinking about Uncle Gil, but we never heard from him again, he and his friends had rode out the night before. We buried Poppa that afternoon near a small cottonwood tree. I carved his name on a board and drove it into the ground. We, Joe, Maggie and little Dink and I knelt at Poppa's grave and told him goodbye, that we loved him and I silently told him I would do right by my brothers and my sister. We gathered up everything and made ready to move out the next morning. As we got rolling the next morning, the Indians were gathered to bar our way, Joe pulled up Poppa's rifle and pointed it directly at their leader. The Indian never flinched, but he also didn't make no move to stop us. I feel sure Joe would have shot him between the eyes if he had moved a muscle! We surely didn't have no love for them Indians right then.
Chapter 6 - MORMON STATION
We didn't see no more Indians until we got to Mormon Station, there they was crowded around the trading station, most of them seem to be asleep or drunk. Mr. Casey led us to a flat field where the grass was knee high and very green. It were a sight for tired eyes after so much sand, salt and rocks! It were already September and we was to winter here. There was bountiful grass and I used some of Poppa's wheel repair money to buy grain for the horses and bullocks. For a treat, I bought some penny candy for Maggie and Dink, they sat happy in the wagon enjoying their treats. Joe were sick all that night, I later found out he had tried some chewin' tobacco, he never said nothing but I know he never did try it again! While the weather were still good, Joe and I pulled the wheels on the wagons and replaced all the pins. Several rims needed replacing and Poppa had showed me how to do it so's I pulled out his travelling forge and got to work. Soon, several folks brought their wheels to me and asked if I could repair them. I were able to replace all the money I had spent for the grain and then some. I weren't worried about money, Poppa had showed me where he had hidden five thousand dollars under the floorboards of the wagon in a steel box - all gold coins. He didn't much like paper money no how, he insisted on coin. I bought some food stores, flour and some rice and some dried meat the trader said would keep for a year. Christmas time came around and there were no church there, so Joe, Maggie and Dink and I knelt and prayed on this Lord's Birthday, the Grigsbys soon joined us and so did Mr. Shultz and his Grandson, Jimmy. Mr. Shultz had a squeeze box and we sung some carols, I guess we was pretty awful, but we had a good time. Joe turned out a pretty good rabbit stew, I had boughten some dried vegetables from the trader and Mrs. Grigsby brought a rice pudding with raisins in it. It were purely good! After my brothers and sister went to bed, I knelt there under the stars and prayed to God asking Him for His help to finish what Poppa had started and to care for my little Family. The two boys, I knew how to raise, but what about Maggie? What did I know about raising a little girl? As I knelt there, a kind of peace come over me and I knew that everything would work out. I slept better that night than I had ever since Poppa died. Two weeks later I turned nineteen years of age, we was into the third year of our trek, early next summer would see us at our new home next to Uncle William, Poppa's older brother and Grampa. The winter passed slowly, the ice and snow loosened its grip in April and by mid-May we was hooking up the wagons to find Mr. Lassen's trail to Redding Town in California.
Chapter 7 - HOMECOMING
Mr. Casey had us travel north along the slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He said there were a great cliff that ran along the mountains and was only a few places folks could get over it. We traveled slowly, not working the bullocks hard. About a week out of Mormon Station we come to a big pile of stones Mr. Casey called a cairn. That were his marker for the start of Mr. Lassen's trail. We headed west, the bullocks was making heavy work of the grade. It were a pretty smooth trail, but all the rocks was sharp, like glass! Mr. Casey told me it were lava from a volcano! After a couple of days of climbing hard, we had to stop and use ropes to lift the wagons over a cliff, we was told that were about the only place we could get over it! It took us near a week to get everyone over the cliff and get hooked back up. We even had to rope the bullocks and lift them up! As we travelled further into the mountains, the air smelled like gun powder. I asked Mr. Casey if there were a war, he laughed and told me it were sulfur from the volcano! He pointed to a high, snow covered mountain that had smoke coming from the top. He said that were the volcano. I didn't much like that and hoped we got away from that mountain soonest! We come across places where hot water and mud bubbled up out of the ground, it reminded me of the description our preacher man give us of Hell! The water smelled nasty and Mr. Casey if we drunk it, it would make us sick, so's I told Joe to keep Maggie and Dink away from it and not let the beasts drink it neither. It took us two more weeks to get past that mountain, I sure were glad to see it gone. We arrived in a little camp where some men were building a lumber mill. They called it Burney Falls and the water was to run the saws. The wood didn't look very good to me, all knotted pine, but I guess I ain't a lumber man. We rested the bullocks there for a few days, Mr. Casey said it were only another two weeks or so to Redding Town! I didn't know how I were going to find Uncle William or Grampa, but I will figger that out when we get there.
We started the last part of our trip, we had cleaned the wagons and Joe and I pulled all the wheels and replaced the pins. It were the last of our grease, but it should get us there. I were sittin' to supper when Mr. Shultz came up to me an Joe. He has taken to calling me Mr. Blount like I was Poppa. He asked if he and his grandson could come and work at our new farm. He said he was getting too old to start a new farm and would be content to work for us. Joe and me talked about it and figgered it might be a good idea, so's I said yes. Mr. Shultz hugged me and said we was good people. We finally reached the valley floor, there were green grass as far as we could see and a clear river, full of water running through it! Joe caught some fine eating fish in the river, it sure were a good change over that dried meat I had gotten in Mormon Station! As we approached Redding Town, we started to see built up farms, it sure were good to see something like back home again. We pulled into a huge field that Mr. Casey used for his wagon trains. Joe and I loosed the bullocks in a fenced yard, they were purely glad to be out of harness! Joe took Dink and I held onto Maggie's hand as we looked around the town, suddenly Joe screamed and pointed to a big sign on a building, "WILLIAM BLOUNT, GEN'L STORE"! Joe looked at me and we both wondered if that were Uncle William? We went into the store and I bought some penny candy for Dink and Maggie. I saw this lady behind the counter so I asked her if Mr. Blount were about. She pointed to a door that was marked "Office", so we all trooped up to the door and knocked. All of a sudden, Uncle William was hugging us and crying, he told us that Uncle Gil has passed through and had told him we was all dead and that the farm should be his. He hadn't believed Uncle Gil and refused to do it. He had never liked Momma's brother and never had trusted him. We told him about our trip and that both Momma and Poppa had passed. He cried and hugged us, then he called the lady who we had asked over and introduced her as our Aunt Emma! He said that Grampa was doing poorly and had stayed home that day. He closed the store and we got our horses, Dink rode with me and Maggie rode with Uncle William. Aunt Emma had a little surrey and Joe were sitting long-legged on his pony! We all headed to Uncle William's house, Aunt Emma said we all looked hungry and she were gonna fix that!
This ends the first book of Isaac Blount's story. Next, he will tell us of starting the farm and building a home in Marysville, California for his brothers and sister. Be patient!