My story begins in a covered wagon. The sharp winds blew across my face; the prairie grass seemed to dance. My bonnet refused to stay on my head just right, so I had to continuously readjust it. It really was a tricky thing, but it kept my wild, unkempt hair in its place. Lord knew my hair liked to spring out in the most unknown places. I listened with rapt attention to the winds; they whistled through the wagon like flutes.

Nature, to my belief, was a fascinating wonder. As a child I always enjoyed doing my schoolwork in the sunshine; I never minded the tremulous cries of baby animals across the way. So as I sat in my wagon, I admired the outside world. I had many questions. Would nature change in the west? What would disappear, and what would be new to me?

“Coralia, dear, would you be well if we stopped here for a night?” My husband asked me from the front of the wagon. I turned to him from where we sat in the driver's seat. I took a quick overview of our surroundings and then nodded my head.

“Yes, this seems nice.” I smiled. “Oh, look over there, a river! Oh, John, what a great place to stay! Yes, we should stay there tonight.” I clasped my hands and gasped in delight. John nodded in response, beginning to steer the horses in the direction of the small river. I stood up, steadying myself as to not fall, picked up my dress, and jumped. Yes, a daring move. Alas, I landed right nicely on the prairie ground.

I walked alongside the wagon; I needed to stretch out my legs. Our dog, Kip, trotted alongside me with his tail wagging happily. After a little while we stopped our days travel to settle down. Kip walked right to the river and started to drink the water.

John began to unhitch the horses, and I climbed into the back of the wagon. Laying side by side were two children, one girl and one boy, quietly sleeping. I bent down and tapped on their shoulders. “Wake up, you two. Papa and Momma need your help!” They started to move, so I continued. “Caleb, why don’t you go and help Papa hitch the horses?”

Little Caleb sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. “Okay, Mamma.” He said very obediently. With that he climbed out of the wagon. Caleb loved to help his Papa. Next was Mary, who was already sitting up and stretching her legs.

“Momma, could I help you? Please?” She asked in a small voice.

“Of course, why don’t you help me unpack the pots and pans for dinner?” I pointed to the wooden crate that held all of our china and dining needs. “I must go and find some firewood. I will be back shortly.” With that I gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Climbing out of the wagon, I waved to John and Caleb, and started towards the river. It was small; about 4 feet in width. However, it was blooming with wildlife; trees, berries, and shrubs. If there was one thing I learned about traveling west, it was that you must use your resources. Luckily, there were plenty of sticks lying around; they were perfect for a fire.

I grabbed an armful and headed back to the wagon. Mary had set up the hanging pot and made a ring of rocks for the fire. Beside her Caleb had a knife in his hand. “Now, why do you have that?” I asked in concern.

“Oh, Mamma! I hope to catch a fish from the river. Do you suppose I could? Pappa said I’m a growing boy, and a growing boy should learn to catch a fish.” Caleb explained with much enthusiasm.

“May I catch a fish Mamma?” Mary’s face lit up with excitement.

“What if you slip and fall in the river?” I voiced my concerns, all the while glancing at John who was walking over. “We can’t risk you getting hurt.”

“Oh, Coralila, let the kids enjoy the time tonight. The river is quite shallow, is it not? Suppose 2 feet? Why, I wouldn’t mind a dip if I do say to myself!”

I huffed while thinking over their arguments. “Alright,” I sighed in defeat. “But be careful with that knife! You must report back to the wagon when the sky begins to turn. John, watch over them.”

The kids squealed in delight and took off, John following behind. “Well, I suppose I should start heating up some porridge.”
 

This blog post has been written by: Kilikani Ebbets