Good News And Bad News

Nell was so tired she couldn't even think. She had dirt and dust in her hair, under her fingernails and in her teeth. "I couldn't spit if I had to, she thought. My mouth is so dry. We have already come close to running out of water. It hasn't rained for days. The trail boss has limited the amount of water that we can drink and cook with. The prairie grass is starting to turn brown and the thistles are growing tall along the trail."

 When she said thistle to herself she had to grin in spite of being so thirsty. Mrs. Thistlebloom had seemed so mean, but she really wasn't. She had given Nell the option of making a baby quilt for another thirty days of rent, and made her a lunch to take on her trip.
As Nell looked ahead she saw a cloud of dust and riders riding horseback fast towards the wagon train. There was a lot of whooping and hollering that she could hear. Soon those riders and men folks were running towards the back of the train. "Water! Water up ahead! Soon we can fill our water barrels and canteens."
Nell couldn't believe her ears. Thanks goodness for the scouts. Everyone had been so discouraged. Now they could continue their trip as long as they had water. She thought, "Maybe I can take a bath and wash my hair. It has been weeks. I feel so dirty and grimy. It is starting to get cold in the evenings. I hope we can get there before winter comes. I read that Iowa is a cold state and has lots of snow. Surely it won't be long now."
Nell looked up to the sky and frowned. Far in the distance the sky was dark and she could see lightning. She had always lived in the city so she wasn't always able to see the sky during the stormy weather. Her little room had only one window. She had read in books that lightning in dry weather wasn't good because it could start a fire if it hit trees or dry brush, but rain was good too. The earth was so dry. Many many things were going through Nell's mind; good things and bad things. She was worried.

The lady that she was traveling with also was looking up at the dark clouds. She had a frown on her face as well. "What is it, Ethel, are you worried that there may be a storm?"

Ethel's reply to her new young traveling companion was, "Get everything that you can into the wagon. I'm afraid we are in for it sooner than the menfolk think. Make sure that anything that you have that is precious to you is packed well and is as water tight as you can get it in case the canvas on the wagon gives way. Hurry!"
Grandma Lu took a sip of her coffee and said, "What do you suppose Nell would have, if anything that she would want to protect from the storm?"