Today I received a message to come to the store to pick up a box that has arrived for me! For me! I have never received a box that came throught the mail before. I hitched up the buckboard to my horses, Tatar and Spud and took off slow while I was still within eyesight of Mother. Soon as I got around the curve I took off at a trot. When I got to Schriff's General Store everyone there knew I had received a package from my beau, Avery Longworth! It was a big box and quite heavy. Matt Schriff put it in my buckboard with a smile. He was disappointed that I did not open it right there.
When I got home, Mother had my brother Teddy carry the box into the kitchen and cut it open with his pocket knife. It was a beautiful wood jewelry box on legs. It had a place for necklaces to hang. And little drawers that open and close that would hold treasures and protect them from the dust. When I opened the top music played. When I closed it the music stopped. It contained a message written on plain white paper that read; To Rachel in appreciation of becoming my wife in a few months. Avery Longworth. That was it. Very simple, but nice. It made me feel better about this marriage thing.
I really hope I will get to see him in person soon. Wouldn't it be nice to get to know each other first? Or for our families to spend a day together or something? Now I am really paying attention to married couples we know. Noticing things I never paid attention to before. Like Father opening doors for Mother. Or the way he lights the lamps for her so she doesn't have to walk through the house in the dark. My brother always harnesses his wife's horse up for her when she is going to town. I have always done that myself. Especially since I have always had my own buggy horses, as well as our two riding horses and a small work horse I use to plow our kitchen garden. Will I be able to keep my own horses when I marry and move from here? These are the thoughts that are filling my head day and night.
Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016
Updated 2016
