Even If It's Not True Irish Stock
Daniel and Emma woke to the unfamiliar sounds of St. Louis. The sun streamed through the window and in the street below they could hear the sounds of people already up and getting the day started. Daniel sat straight up in the hotel bed and stared out the window for a moment. Emma sighed and stretched next to him.
He looked down at his young wife, and smiled. Letting his gaze linger only for a moment though. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and stared at the tub of cold dirty water. Well there was no help for it now, he quickly stripped off his nightshirt and stepped in. With a gasp he sat down, Emma sat up in bed giggling.
"I told you to do that last night." She laughed. Then she climbed out of the bed herself and set about getting dressed. Occasionally she glanced back at Daniel who had begun scrubbing himself earnestly.
As Emma was pulling her hair up into a tight bun for the day, Daniel was already half dressed. She smiled as she looked at him, and realized exactly how much she truly loved him. He stepped across the room, and pulled her into a deep hug, then leaning down he kissed her gently.
"Let's go get some breakfast." He said smiling. Together they left the room and went downstairs. At the front desk he inquired about food, and was informed that they had slept through breakfast. With that they left the hotel and started out in search of a place to eat.
The air was hot and dusty; there were wagons everywhere. The noise of the city was unsettling, yet captivating. The two newlyweds walked hand in hand through the throngs of people. Soon Emma noticed a sign in a window that read, "Breakfast served till ten daily," under that it said, "Bacon and eggs with buttermilk, thirty-five cents." Quickly she pulled Daniel through the crowd, and up the steps.
Through two swinging doors they stepped into a quiet room, with a dozen or so tables. Large windows provided plenty of light; each table was set with cloth napkins and flat ware. The rooms was empty, and a warm wonderful smell hung on the air. The comforting smell of coffee and bacon.
The door to the kitchen at the back of the room swung open and a plump matronly woman bustled into the room. Her eyes lit up as she looked at Daniel and Emma.
"Mercy sakes alive, come in, come in. Have a seat, as you can see we're not busy at all this mornin'." She said as she urged them towards a seat. "Now what can I get you folks? Coffee is only five cents and then there's the special, for thirty-five cents. Or if you'd rather, I can have Henry whip up some buttermilk flapjacks for only fifty cents."
The woman spoke quickly, but her tone was warm and friendly. "Oh how rude of me. I'm Rachel Jackson, my husband is Henry, he cooks right good for a man, and his talkin' ain't so good so I run the front and tends to the kitchen. Now what are your names?"
Daniel grinned and introduced himself and Emma. After a brief discussion, they both decided to have the special, and Daniel ordered a cup of coffee as well. Over the course of the meal, they discussed their plans for the day.
First Daniel wanted to head to the general store for some basic supplies that wagon master MacGregor had told him to bring. Then Emma wanted to find a store where she could find her first store bought dress, she had been dreaming of having one for months. Then after lunch, they would go meet with MacGregor. He was holding a meeting on the outskirts of town with those who would be joining the train to discuss some of the dangers and other things pertaining to the journey.
The time flew by quickly. After buying the supplies they needed, Emma did indeed find a store, and the dress she bought was beautiful yet practical. It was blue with white buttons down the back. Soon the were making their way to the meeting.
As they approached the wagon yard, they could hear the shout of a man who seemed very angry. His voice carried above the noise of the city. They could also hear laughter each time the man yelled; this seemed to make him yell louder.
Daniel and Emma stepped around the corner of the wagon. Two men stood arguing.
A large man with tight red curls towered over a short man with long red hair that hung to his shoulders. The short man noticed the couple; he turned and smiled mischievously.
"Now Michael," he said, "ye shouldn't be carryin' on like so in front of Ian's customers. They might get scared and cross the plains with that scoundrel Gregory Rice." He winked at Daniel.
Michael turned with a start. Then he glared back at the shorter man before stepping forward.
"Mr. and Mrs. Watson, I presume," he said as Daniel stepped up to shake his hand.
Behind Michael, the short man had uncorked a bottle of a strong smelling drink and was drinking lustily. Michael turned quickly, grabbing for the bottle. But the other man dodged quickly and grinned.
"Now Michael, what are ye doin'? A Sullivan should ne'r be without his whiskey. Even if it's not true Irish stock. Ye should be knowin' that more than most." He smiled again at Daniel, bowed graciously to Emma, then walked away.
Michael shouted after him. "Ye be sober come time to leave. I'm not askin' for me, but for our own mother. She sent ye here so I could look after ye, Liam, and I'm not about to have ye turn out like our da, the drunk old weasel." With that, he turned to Daniel and Emma. "I'm sorry ye had witness that, me brother likes his whiskey. As for leavin', that'll be at four in the mornin'."
Go back to our Table of Contents