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In the late 1800’s, Mayme Watson boards a train bound for Eagle Rock, Idaho. What she finds there is the start of a new life. Disillusioned by her parents and completely alone, she finds a place to stay and a job to support herself. When Mayme discovers that most of the girls in town are just biding their time until they can marry, her heart calls for a change. She embarks on an adventure to overcome her feelings of failure. And what a change that is. She disguises herself as a boy and manages to hire on as a Post Rider for the United States Postal Service.
Follow along with Mayme on her often dangerous journeys as she discovers that waiting for the future is not an option. This book is for young and old and all those who dreamed of living back in the days of the Wild West. |
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"I loved how the author built up the story. I loved her vividly depicted and wonderful detailed world and therefore I had no trouble visualizing the scenes and the captivating people Mayme meets along the story. The author is a great lover of pristine nature and that's very noticeable in this story and I greatly appreciate that. Mayme is a truly inspiring woman, a brave young woman and her journey is dangerous and exciting. I highly recommend this great adventure." — Loek Krancher, Goodreads review
“All aboard!”
Mayme took a quick look around. People were moving toward the various cars. She stood up on her tiptoes but there was no sign of her father. He hadn’t changed his mind. She wadded up the ticket in her hand and took hold of the suitcase handle. She summoned her courage and walked toward the small crowd.
The second and third car filled up so she and the last ten people were ushered to the first. Once inside she tucked her suitcase under her seat and slid over to the window. She looked up and down the outside waiting area. It was now deserted except for a man dressed in a red and black formal coat.
He wore a black top hat and carried a pocket watch as he paced up and down alongside the train. He checked it several times before trotting toward the engine. Evidently it was time to go.
The iron wheels screeched beneath her. She watched as puffs of sand sprayed outward from the sides of them. Some of it had to have landed on the rails because the driving wheels finally took hold and they began to move.
Puff, puff, puff
She considered herself among the fortunate to ride in the first car. But she quickly realized luck was not the case. Her compartment was connected to the train tender, which held the coal fuel for the firebox. She knew it also held water for the boiler as she’d seen workers pumping water into it. As the train got underway, rancid puffs from the burning coal wafted into the car.
The train inched forward and strained to gain momentum. Once it had snaked its way out of the bland and grey outskirts of Chicago, she turned her attention to the interior of the car. It was decorated quite ornately. The seats were covered in pale green cloth and were supported underneath by a thick elaborately carved wooden base. The teak walls were polished to a shine and a chandelier hung from the equally glossy ceiling. It reminded her of her parent’s sitting room. Up front, a wood-burning stove sat to the right of the door. The black smoke pipe extended straight up through the roof.
Clicky-clack, puff, clicky-clack, puff, clicky-clack, puff.
Every second, every repetition of the steamer wheels took her further and further away from the home she knew. She stared vacantly out the window. Her head and shoulders lulled in time with the movement of the train. Long stretches of boring barren land flew by, broken only by the appearance of a wide scattering of seemingly deserted flat board houses.
She sighed and turned her attention to the book. Despite its condition, she hoped it would provide her with a little entertainment over the miles. But it wouldn’t be enough to make her forget Father’s cold, unforgiving eyes when he’d shoved the ticket into her hand and wordlessly walked away without so much as a hug or goodbye.
The words on the cover swam and blurred. She rubbed at the tears that escaped and rolled down her cheeks. One dropped onto the page before she could catch it.
“Ticket please.”
She blinked and looked up. A kind-faced, slender built man waited at the end of her seat. He seemed tall from where she sat, but not imposingly so. His brown hair was streaked with grey and politely slicked back. His hazel eyes held a warm friendliness that put her at ease.
“Your ticket?”
She realized she still clutched the crumpled ticket in her hand. She gave the ticket master an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”
“It’s quite all right, madam. Are you traveling alone?” He straightened the ball of paper and studied it.
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh my dear. Eagle Rock is a long way.”
“Is that in Idaho?”
“Yes, ma’am. Will you be going on from there?”
She lowered her head and tried to control the quiver of uncertainty in her voice. “I don’t honestly know. Father made all the arrangements and told me to get on this train.”
He smiled down at her. She read sympathy in his eyes. “My name is Clarence. If you require anything, just ask. I generally come through here once or twice an hour.”
“Thank you.”
“It says here that you’re to have meals in the dining car.”
She realized she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and then it’d been only a piece of toast before dawn. She hadn’t had much of an appetite. But now her stomach clenched in hunger at the mention of food.
She shrugged. “I guess I don’t know much about that. I didn’t look at the ticket.”
He cocked his head. “Do you know where you’re headed, child?”
“Idaho, I’m told. But that’s all I know.”
“Do you have family there?” She shrugged again. He narrowed his eyes. “Did you get into trouble? Are you being sent away?”
She nodded. “I got in trouble at school.”
He raised his eyebrows. She knew what that particular look meant. She’d seen it many times.
“Not with a boy,” she said quickly.
“Ah. Something else then.”
She nodded quickly, secretly hoping he didn’t ask for details of her exile. When he didn’t she allowed herself to relax a little.
“Would it possible to get something to eat?”
He took hold of a chain that was attached to button and plucked a watch out of his breast pocket. He pried it open and stared at it intently for a few seconds. “I’m sorry. Not for a little while yet.” He reached into the deep pocket of his coat and pulled out a cloth wrapped parcel. “I would offer you this though. It’s not much, but at least it’s something to hold you over.”
“Oh no. I couldn’t. But thank you.” As hungry as she was and as much as she appreciated his generosity, she couldn’t take this charitable man’s food.
“How about half?” He smiled and she wondered if he understood her dilemma.
She deliberated for a moment and then nodded.
“You hold onto this. I’ll be back for the other half once I collect the rest of the tickets.” He handed it to her and winked.
He was gone before she could thank him. She quickly unwrapped it and was pleased to find a thick wedge of cheese between two slices of buttered bread. She held it in the middle so she’d be sure to only eat half. She took a bite, chewed slowly and swallowed.
She peered out the window and watched as miles of prairie went by. A small herd of pronghorns watched the train’s progression from a short distance away. They didn’t seem to be afraid of it, yet she assumed they were right to be wary. It appeared that all had horns, but one stood out amongst them. She wondered if he was the buck. She smiled when a fawn sprang up from the ground and disappeared behind the group. In short order they were out of sight and the landscape seemed empty again.
She looked down at her empty hand and was horrified to realize that she’d eaten the entire sandwich. A heated flush of embarrassment crept across her cheeks. Now Clarence would go hungry. Dammit. Once again she didn’t think. And wasn’t that what got her into trouble in the first place? She’d acted purely on impulse and didn’t give a thought as to what would happen if she were to get caught.
She slid deeper into the seat and clutched her folded knees against her chest. Not quite lady-like, but she didn’t give a damn. She looked out the window and wondered what kind of life she’d find in Idaho. Maybe she could get a job on a ranch and rustle cattle. She could ride well enough, but she’d have to learn how to throw a rope. Or maybe she could learn to drive a stagecoach. She smiled at the thought of galloping a team of horses over miles of uninhabited lands, transporting people to various places all over the west. Maybe if Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show came to town, she could get a job taking care of the horses. Or maybe clean Annie Oakley’s guns for her. Heck, maybe she could learn to shoot as good as her and they could perform together in the show.
Endless ideas and possibilities streaked carefree through her mind like the sparks of a fire, flying every which way. The daydreams relaxed her and made her forget for a while. She rested her forehead against the window and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and fell into a deep sleep.
Mayme took a quick look around. People were moving toward the various cars. She stood up on her tiptoes but there was no sign of her father. He hadn’t changed his mind. She wadded up the ticket in her hand and took hold of the suitcase handle. She summoned her courage and walked toward the small crowd.
The second and third car filled up so she and the last ten people were ushered to the first. Once inside she tucked her suitcase under her seat and slid over to the window. She looked up and down the outside waiting area. It was now deserted except for a man dressed in a red and black formal coat.
He wore a black top hat and carried a pocket watch as he paced up and down alongside the train. He checked it several times before trotting toward the engine. Evidently it was time to go.
The iron wheels screeched beneath her. She watched as puffs of sand sprayed outward from the sides of them. Some of it had to have landed on the rails because the driving wheels finally took hold and they began to move.
Puff, puff, puff
She considered herself among the fortunate to ride in the first car. But she quickly realized luck was not the case. Her compartment was connected to the train tender, which held the coal fuel for the firebox. She knew it also held water for the boiler as she’d seen workers pumping water into it. As the train got underway, rancid puffs from the burning coal wafted into the car.
The train inched forward and strained to gain momentum. Once it had snaked its way out of the bland and grey outskirts of Chicago, she turned her attention to the interior of the car. It was decorated quite ornately. The seats were covered in pale green cloth and were supported underneath by a thick elaborately carved wooden base. The teak walls were polished to a shine and a chandelier hung from the equally glossy ceiling. It reminded her of her parent’s sitting room. Up front, a wood-burning stove sat to the right of the door. The black smoke pipe extended straight up through the roof.
Clicky-clack, puff, clicky-clack, puff, clicky-clack, puff.
Every second, every repetition of the steamer wheels took her further and further away from the home she knew. She stared vacantly out the window. Her head and shoulders lulled in time with the movement of the train. Long stretches of boring barren land flew by, broken only by the appearance of a wide scattering of seemingly deserted flat board houses.
She sighed and turned her attention to the book. Despite its condition, she hoped it would provide her with a little entertainment over the miles. But it wouldn’t be enough to make her forget Father’s cold, unforgiving eyes when he’d shoved the ticket into her hand and wordlessly walked away without so much as a hug or goodbye.
The words on the cover swam and blurred. She rubbed at the tears that escaped and rolled down her cheeks. One dropped onto the page before she could catch it.
“Ticket please.”
She blinked and looked up. A kind-faced, slender built man waited at the end of her seat. He seemed tall from where she sat, but not imposingly so. His brown hair was streaked with grey and politely slicked back. His hazel eyes held a warm friendliness that put her at ease.
“Your ticket?”
She realized she still clutched the crumpled ticket in her hand. She gave the ticket master an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”
“It’s quite all right, madam. Are you traveling alone?” He straightened the ball of paper and studied it.
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh my dear. Eagle Rock is a long way.”
“Is that in Idaho?”
“Yes, ma’am. Will you be going on from there?”
She lowered her head and tried to control the quiver of uncertainty in her voice. “I don’t honestly know. Father made all the arrangements and told me to get on this train.”
He smiled down at her. She read sympathy in his eyes. “My name is Clarence. If you require anything, just ask. I generally come through here once or twice an hour.”
“Thank you.”
“It says here that you’re to have meals in the dining car.”
She realized she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast and then it’d been only a piece of toast before dawn. She hadn’t had much of an appetite. But now her stomach clenched in hunger at the mention of food.
She shrugged. “I guess I don’t know much about that. I didn’t look at the ticket.”
He cocked his head. “Do you know where you’re headed, child?”
“Idaho, I’m told. But that’s all I know.”
“Do you have family there?” She shrugged again. He narrowed his eyes. “Did you get into trouble? Are you being sent away?”
She nodded. “I got in trouble at school.”
He raised his eyebrows. She knew what that particular look meant. She’d seen it many times.
“Not with a boy,” she said quickly.
“Ah. Something else then.”
She nodded quickly, secretly hoping he didn’t ask for details of her exile. When he didn’t she allowed herself to relax a little.
“Would it possible to get something to eat?”
He took hold of a chain that was attached to button and plucked a watch out of his breast pocket. He pried it open and stared at it intently for a few seconds. “I’m sorry. Not for a little while yet.” He reached into the deep pocket of his coat and pulled out a cloth wrapped parcel. “I would offer you this though. It’s not much, but at least it’s something to hold you over.”
“Oh no. I couldn’t. But thank you.” As hungry as she was and as much as she appreciated his generosity, she couldn’t take this charitable man’s food.
“How about half?” He smiled and she wondered if he understood her dilemma.
She deliberated for a moment and then nodded.
“You hold onto this. I’ll be back for the other half once I collect the rest of the tickets.” He handed it to her and winked.
He was gone before she could thank him. She quickly unwrapped it and was pleased to find a thick wedge of cheese between two slices of buttered bread. She held it in the middle so she’d be sure to only eat half. She took a bite, chewed slowly and swallowed.
She peered out the window and watched as miles of prairie went by. A small herd of pronghorns watched the train’s progression from a short distance away. They didn’t seem to be afraid of it, yet she assumed they were right to be wary. It appeared that all had horns, but one stood out amongst them. She wondered if he was the buck. She smiled when a fawn sprang up from the ground and disappeared behind the group. In short order they were out of sight and the landscape seemed empty again.
She looked down at her empty hand and was horrified to realize that she’d eaten the entire sandwich. A heated flush of embarrassment crept across her cheeks. Now Clarence would go hungry. Dammit. Once again she didn’t think. And wasn’t that what got her into trouble in the first place? She’d acted purely on impulse and didn’t give a thought as to what would happen if she were to get caught.
She slid deeper into the seat and clutched her folded knees against her chest. Not quite lady-like, but she didn’t give a damn. She looked out the window and wondered what kind of life she’d find in Idaho. Maybe she could get a job on a ranch and rustle cattle. She could ride well enough, but she’d have to learn how to throw a rope. Or maybe she could learn to drive a stagecoach. She smiled at the thought of galloping a team of horses over miles of uninhabited lands, transporting people to various places all over the west. Maybe if Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show came to town, she could get a job taking care of the horses. Or maybe clean Annie Oakley’s guns for her. Heck, maybe she could learn to shoot as good as her and they could perform together in the show.
Endless ideas and possibilities streaked carefree through her mind like the sparks of a fire, flying every which way. The daydreams relaxed her and made her forget for a while. She rested her forehead against the window and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and fell into a deep sleep.
Other Books by Laurie Salzler
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