A New Bride Reflects On The Past And Hopes For The Future

 It seems impossible, yet very real to Sarah that six years had passed. She would soon be seventeen and a new bride in just two days. Her ma had told her that every young woman should take one day to reflect on the past as well as the future before her wedding day. She had chosen today to do just that. She was going to send a letter to her best friend that she had left behind all those years ago to come to Cherokee County, Iowa. She opened the drawer to her mother's little desk and took out her stationary and pen. The blotter was with the bottle of ink in the corner of the drawer. She began her letter with a faraway look in her eyes.

My Dearest Violet,

In just two days I will be a married woman. It hardly seems possible that I was just a child and a willful one at that when I started on the journey to my new home with my family and new pa. Oh, I had so many lessons to learn. I learned how to obey my parents without asking questions that's for sure. I almost got attacked by a bob cat just because I wanted a bath. I know it sounds silly now, but I was indeed dirty. 

The wish for a bath seems so trivial now compared to other things that happened on the trail. I actually saved my stepfather's life! I know. I was so young, but he had taken my brothers and I fishing for supper one evening. The rocks were slippery with moss and he fell in. He could swim, but his foot had been caught under a rock, the current was swift and I jumped in! I can't believe I did that, but I was able to loosen his foot and he was able to swim to shore. They all had to save me because my skirts were heavy with water and I almost drowned. Oh what days those were.

The day we drove into the lane with our dirty faces and clothes after being on the trail for weeks, there were so many people waiting for us. They had organized a barn raising for us to surprise us. It wasn't completely done, but it was enormous. They had brought tables of food and drinks. There were so many people that were anxious to meet us. I learned that day that my new pa was a good man. Folks here share their work and get together often. That barn has stood throughout the years and is being used as a landmark for folks to find their way. The Hayes barn they call it. It was a good thing too, because the cabin was so very small that my brothers had to sleep out there for a while. The cabin would soon seem smaller. Ma and Pa announced to us that a child would be born in a few months. Well let me tell you I was not happy girl. In those days I thought we had too many children as it was. Of course, I couldn't choose who not to have as a brother if that was the case.

Oh, Violet, I do sound such a spoiled child, but at the time I was the only girl and did have my ways. We had to live in that cabin for months, because we had trouble getting lumber for our new home. The saw mill was miles away and so many other problems that caused the delay of getting our new home built. I seem to be rambling, but reflecting is the word my ma says.

I had so much to learn about being a young woman in this new land. Oh you will be amused at this. The day that my mother taught me how to make soap. I knew how to make a little liquid soap on the trail. I would make just enough to do the dishes and to wash our hands. Making a barrel of soap to last a year was entirely different. It was a difficult and dangerous job that actually took a whole year to prepare for.

I hope this missive finds you well and happy. Please let me know how your life is faring. I do miss you so and wish you could attend my wedding.

 I will sign off for now. I will enclose my new name and address in this note. My new husband has purchased the farm adjoining ma and pa's so we will be able to see each other often. As a new wife I'm sure I will be a bother to her with all sorts of questions and problems.

Your friend as always,

Sarah

After she had put her letter in an envelope and addressed it she sat back in her chair and thought about that soap making day, oh my what a day. "That will be a good story to tell my daughter one day," she thought to herself. Oh it was a beautiful morning....