{No Turning Back- part IX}
June 4th, 1847 Chimney Rock
Now this is an impressive rock. It really looks like a chimney, with its little "finger" stickin' straight up in the sky. I took the time to walk over to it and carve my name in the base with Andy.
Then I went back to our camp. Tonight as the sun went down, I watched it, that rock. The sky turned pink and purple and gray, and turned that tan rock the color of pitch with a shadow.
And I thought of how the Bible says that the whole earth is full of the Lord, and I thought, "How good God is to give us such beautiful things to look at."
June 6th, 1847
Passed Scott's Bluff off in the distance today. Seems that these strange rocks in the middle of grasslands is pretty regular.
Every day we pass more graves along the sides of the trail. I can't help but think that we'll probably add some markers from our own train. Pa says the worst of the trail is yet to come.
Must run... I hear Miss Myrtle calling for me.
Later
We are in trouble! Miss Myrtle came and got me and drug me by the hand to the Brewer's wagon. Once we got there she yelled to Viola, "Get outta there, girl!" she reached in the wagon, where Viola was, and pulled her out by the hand. "You crazy?" she added.
"I'm sorry, Miss Myrtle, but Carl needs me!" Viola cried.
"No, honey, he needs you to keep away from him." Miss Myrtle said before turning to me. "Callie, I wants you to take Viola here, and keep her with you for now."
"Why, Miss Myrtle?" I asked.
"Cause, chile, her husban's got the cholera, an' we can't have her gettin' sick and losin' that baby!" she gestured toward Viola's large belly.
"Cholera?" I said quietly.
"Yes'm, and I'm gwine stay and nurse him, so you take her with you fo' now."
"Yes ma'am." I said, my eyes wide. My insides trembled. I put my arm around Viola and led her to our camp. Then I put her to bed, where I heard her crying and praying.
Cholera is a real dreaded disease on this trail. It practically drains your body of all its fluids, and then you most likely die. Pa says Carl ain't the only one with it, either. Three others in the train got it, and it could spread.
Dear God, help us, I prayed over and over.
June 7th, 1847 nooning
Went over Robidoux Pass today. Trail is rough.
Buried one of the cholera victims this morning. A little girl, three years old. The disease works fast in little tots, they say. Her poor mother could hardly be pulled from the grave. She has four other children, all older. That was her only girl.
Clint drives Carl's wagon. Miss Myrtle rides in the back with Carl, trying to help him. Trying to save him. Viola walks with me, watching her wagon which is up farther in the train, hoping and praying. I held her hand as we walked. I tried to make her talk.
"What if he don't make it, Callie?" she turned to me, her face pale. "What'll I do without him? What'll we do?" She placed her free hand on her belly.
"Have faith, Viola." I told her.
Later
Andy came up to me just as I wrote that last line, saying he felt funny. I felt his forehead, but he didn't have a fever. Then he ran to some brush nearby and started to vomit. I went over with him and saw that he was retching clear.
Andy's come down with cholera too. I sat with him in the wagon all afternoon, trying to get him to drink water. He just kept throwing it back up. I felt so bad for him, all cooped up in the little space of our wagon, throwing up all the time. Miss Myrtle came and told me to give him some laudanum to stop the vomiting and the runs. It has helped enough to where I can leave him be for a spell.
O God, please save us all!
June 8th, 1847
I feel weak, probably from sitting with Andy. He seems to be rallying a bit. Found out Sam has it, too, 'long with his ma. Carl's doin' better. Miss Myrtle says that is you survive at least the first two days, you'll more'n likely recover.
Sitting round the fire tonight, I notice we all are exhausted. From the trail, from extra work, from worry. Clint's long body is stretched out beside the fire, his arms're under his head, and he's dozing.
Pa says, "You're lookin' puny, Callie Jo."
"I'm fine, just tired." I say.
Must go help Andy.
Now this is an impressive rock. It really looks like a chimney, with its little "finger" stickin' straight up in the sky. I took the time to walk over to it and carve my name in the base with Andy.
Then I went back to our camp. Tonight as the sun went down, I watched it, that rock. The sky turned pink and purple and gray, and turned that tan rock the color of pitch with a shadow.
And I thought of how the Bible says that the whole earth is full of the Lord, and I thought, "How good God is to give us such beautiful things to look at."
June 6th, 1847
Passed Scott's Bluff off in the distance today. Seems that these strange rocks in the middle of grasslands is pretty regular.
Every day we pass more graves along the sides of the trail. I can't help but think that we'll probably add some markers from our own train. Pa says the worst of the trail is yet to come.
Must run... I hear Miss Myrtle calling for me.
Later
We are in trouble! Miss Myrtle came and got me and drug me by the hand to the Brewer's wagon. Once we got there she yelled to Viola, "Get outta there, girl!" she reached in the wagon, where Viola was, and pulled her out by the hand. "You crazy?" she added.
"I'm sorry, Miss Myrtle, but Carl needs me!" Viola cried.
"No, honey, he needs you to keep away from him." Miss Myrtle said before turning to me. "Callie, I wants you to take Viola here, and keep her with you for now."
"Why, Miss Myrtle?" I asked.
"Cause, chile, her husban's got the cholera, an' we can't have her gettin' sick and losin' that baby!" she gestured toward Viola's large belly.
"Cholera?" I said quietly.
"Yes'm, and I'm gwine stay and nurse him, so you take her with you fo' now."
"Yes ma'am." I said, my eyes wide. My insides trembled. I put my arm around Viola and led her to our camp. Then I put her to bed, where I heard her crying and praying.
Cholera is a real dreaded disease on this trail. It practically drains your body of all its fluids, and then you most likely die. Pa says Carl ain't the only one with it, either. Three others in the train got it, and it could spread.
Dear God, help us, I prayed over and over.
June 7th, 1847 nooning
Went over Robidoux Pass today. Trail is rough.
Buried one of the cholera victims this morning. A little girl, three years old. The disease works fast in little tots, they say. Her poor mother could hardly be pulled from the grave. She has four other children, all older. That was her only girl.
Clint drives Carl's wagon. Miss Myrtle rides in the back with Carl, trying to help him. Trying to save him. Viola walks with me, watching her wagon which is up farther in the train, hoping and praying. I held her hand as we walked. I tried to make her talk.
"What if he don't make it, Callie?" she turned to me, her face pale. "What'll I do without him? What'll we do?" She placed her free hand on her belly.
"Have faith, Viola." I told her.
Later
Andy came up to me just as I wrote that last line, saying he felt funny. I felt his forehead, but he didn't have a fever. Then he ran to some brush nearby and started to vomit. I went over with him and saw that he was retching clear.
Andy's come down with cholera too. I sat with him in the wagon all afternoon, trying to get him to drink water. He just kept throwing it back up. I felt so bad for him, all cooped up in the little space of our wagon, throwing up all the time. Miss Myrtle came and told me to give him some laudanum to stop the vomiting and the runs. It has helped enough to where I can leave him be for a spell.
O God, please save us all!
June 8th, 1847
I feel weak, probably from sitting with Andy. He seems to be rallying a bit. Found out Sam has it, too, 'long with his ma. Carl's doin' better. Miss Myrtle says that is you survive at least the first two days, you'll more'n likely recover.
Sitting round the fire tonight, I notice we all are exhausted. From the trail, from extra work, from worry. Clint's long body is stretched out beside the fire, his arms're under his head, and he's dozing.
Pa says, "You're lookin' puny, Callie Jo."
"I'm fine, just tired." I say.
Must go help Andy.
Comments