Scouts had ridden into camp declaring that just a few hours away there was fresh water for them to fill up their water barrels. Everyone was very happy, but the older lady that Nell was traveling with had seen the storm clouds and had told Nell to make sure that anything that was precious to her to make water tight inside the wagon. She just had a feeling that they were going to have a terrible rain storm. Nell had forced the precious thimble that her mother had given to her when she was just a child inside the crack on the sewing machine leg. She had reinforced it with an old rag to make it even more secure.
Grandma Lu said, "You know in those days you just couldn't up and move a team of oxen and heavy wagons like we do nowadays by getting in our car, putting a key in the ignition and head down the road. There were no roads in those days. Often the pioneers considered themselves very fortunate if there was a trail to follow that had been made by other wagon trains.
Oxen are very strong but move very slowly. Ethel and Nell got up on the seat of the wagon and urged their oxen to follow the other wagons. They were going to try to find some kind of shelter from the oncoming storm, for now they all had seen the signs in the skies that a fierce storm was on the way.
The land they were traveling on was flat with few to no trees. They wanted to stay away from trees because of the lightning, of course.
Soon the trail boss came riding towards their wagon and yelled above the wind and the thunder, "Ladies, we are going to make a large circle with all of the wagons. That will help us be safer if the storm gets worse. We will make the circle as small as possible. I will send a man back here to help you if you need it. Nell looked to Ethel for an answer. Ethel said "We can do this. These animals are slow, but smart. Go tell the rest of the folks about the plan, we will follow the wagon up ahead. And that's what they did. For many hours it seemed to Nell the rain blew into the side of the wagon, but it held steady on all four wheels. The rocking of the wagon and the cracks of thunder kept her and her friend awake and very frightened. She and Ethel had gone to the back to try to keep as dry as possible. There were ties that when they pulled on them really tight closed the canvas on the ends so that the majority of the rain stayed out. They were called drawstrings. Suddenly it was very quiet. Too quiet. Nell said, "I am going to go look to see what's happening. In a flash she yelled, "Ethel come quick! Look! It's a miracle, Ethel!" There in the sky was the most beautiful sight they had ever seen.
"What was it?" asked, Spencer. Grandma Lu grinned and said, "Well, the storm had actually lasted through the night into the morning. It was still raining, but not very hard and the sun was shining. When that happens it makes a beautiful rainbow. In this case it was a double rainbow or two rainbows. It was so beautiful it took their breath away.
People were getting out of their wagons and looking around to see if there had been any damage to the wagons or animals. One little dog could be heard yipping and barking. After much searching they found him hiding in the prairie grass. He was all wet, but safe.
The folks on the wagon train did have some damage to their wagons and had lost some of their possessions, so they would stay where they were for that day. The storm had delayed their trip by at least one day. The rain had caused the ground to become very muddy. So muddy that even the oxen had to strain to pull some of the wagons onto higher ground. One wagon had a broken wheel that needed to be fixed. That took time and the use of a spare wheel. Those were always on a wagon just like we always have a spare tire in case one of our tires go flat. Some folks were asked to take some of their heavier things out of their wagons and leave them on the trail so the oxen could pull the wagons through the thick mud. Nell was so afraid that they would ask her to leave her precious sewing machine.
One good thing had happened. The men folks had gotten together and gathered up the water barrels during the storm. They now had plenty of water to cook and wash with. However, winter would be coming soon. They needed to get to Iowa as soon as they could.
*******
This is just one picture that Grandma Lu may have shown the folks listening to her story at Marleewood. As you can see they were moving very heavy things. This particular family was moving a cast iron cook stove along with many many other things. How many things can you name in this picture? Are there some things that you don't know the name of? What can you think of that is missing in the wagon?
If children ask you what some of the things in the wagon are have some fun and make some butter with your mixer and tell them how the pioneer ladies had to do it in a churn. Notice that books were so very important.
ReplyDeleteI actually have a butter churn and coffee grinder, lotsbof things packed in the wagons, guitar, bed, table ,trunks, clothes, blankets lanterns, stoves, cooking utensils, food, flour,feed just to name a few. so much but so little.
ReplyDelete