Girl Talk

Photo Credits: Liam Quin

Eliza came over today and we went down to the creek with my sisters. We waded in the water even though it was really cold. Now every time I do anything with them or anyone, I keep thinking I will never do anything with them again. I imagine my sisters will be coming to my new house and spending some nights there every now and then. It is not like I will not see them again. Eliza goes to Norwich shopping about every three or four months. She likes to get her supplies at Wilson's because it is cheaper. So I will see her too. I had fun skipping rocks with them and walking in the cold water. We found some fossils and took them home.

Eliza came to sit beside me on the rocks as I unwrapped some brownies Mother had put in a sack for us to snack on. She said, "Rachel, can I ask you something?"

I looked up and said, "Sure. You can ask me whatever you want."

"It is kinda personal...........if you know what I mean."

I looked at her and said, "Now what could be too personal for you to ask me? Must be about me getting married?" I figured that is the topic on everyone's mind lately, including my own.

"It is." she looked at me with a questioning look.

"Ask away! But first take your pick of Mother's brownies." She came over to me and took one of the brownies, took a bit and sat down on the rocks.

"Aren't you going to be scared to go home with Avery Longworth after your wedding? You don't know him very well and I don't think you have even kissed any boy ever."

"No, I haven't kissed a boy. I never got a chance." I laughed. "But I know my parents would not be sending me to marry Avery Longworth if I wasn't going to be safe with him. He wanted to marry me. So must be he likes me or even loves me."

"Do you love him?"

"Not yet. I think I will learn to love him. Mother says that I will."

After we left the creek and Eliza left, I was in the kitchen helping to prepare supper and I was thinking about the questions Eliza asked me. Do I love Avery Longworth?  I think deep down, I have grown used to the idea of marrying him and being his wife. Being Mrs. Avery Longworth. I am looking forward to the luncheon on Saturday with his family. But especially because Avery will be there too. My future husband.

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016

An Invitation

Photo Credit: Mead Clarke

Today I have not been feeling very well. I admit it, I am scared. I am scared of getting married. I am scared of leaving Father and Mother, my sisters and yes, even my brothers. I know I can take my horses with me. And that is a comfort to me. But I will be alone with Avery Longworth every day for the rest of my life. What will we talk about? What if he does not like me once he gets to know me? What if I cannot cook and keep house good enough for him?

He is older than me and has been out in the world. I know nothing outside of my little country home and small town. I have only been to a city once in my life. And I did not like it. Of course, I was only 8 years old at the time. We had to go to Binghamton and it was a long ride. Mother's brother, Aaron was getting married to Aunt Dora and that is where she lived. It was a very fancy wedding and that was fun. But the city was full of wagons and people and very uncomfortable for me. The ride was long and rough and I could not wait to get out of the wagon.

Yesterday I received a note from Avery Longworth's mother, she wrote:

My Dear Rachel,

I am looking forward to your upcoming marriage to Avery. I  would like to have you and your family come to our home in Norwich for a luncheon on June 4th at noon. It would be nice to get to know you a little better before your wedding. Avery will be present and is looking forward to seeing you again. 

Fondly,

Abigail Longworth 

I have been reading this note over and over. Mother seemed happy about the invitation. So are my sisters. They like any invitation to go anywhere. Today they were working on hemming some pillow cases that we made. I will wait and do the embroidery work on them later on.  After I am married, the cold winter evenings can get long without something to do. I have always enjoyed doing needlework by the fire.

Avery will be there. That is only 5 days away. What if her note had not been received in time? It seems to be short notice for a special luncheon. Maybe she didn't know if Avery would come? I do not even know if he lives with his family or not. Or what he does for living. I need to ask him some questions when I see him. He is a mystery to me and yet, I think he knows everything about me.

I better go put my clothes together for Saturday. I need to wear a special dress. Maybe my blue pale one will do. It is my best dress from two years ago but it fits good since Mother let it out a little. She exclaimed, "Rachel, you are growing up so fast that I can barely keep you in decent dresses! Before long you will be married and sewing for your own family." I remember thinking to myself, "Never! I am never leaving you and Father." Now here I am doing just what she said.

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016

The Wedding Gown

Photo Source

I tried on my wedding gown this morning. Mother has worked so hard on it. Aunt Dora came over and helped her sew the lace edging on. Aunt Dora had a piece of white satin that she sewed netting to and made a veil. It is beautiful. I can't believe how it all came together so quickly. Father came in when I was wearing it and Mother was pinning the hem. I looked up at him and he had a tear in his eye. He quickly wiped it away and smiled at me. I felt a lump in my throat and could hardly speak. He looked at me again and said, "Rachel, you are going to make a fine looking bride." Coming from Father that was something I will never forget. He doesn't give compliments easily.

After we finished with the gown and I hung it up. We made lunch and sat in the kitchen and talked. It was a fun day. Aunt Dora is Mother's youngest sister. We love when she comes for a visit. She is the mother of five boys, Edward, Fred, Samuel, Timothy, Lawrence, and two girls, Martha and Louisa. Both of the girls are in school today or they would have been here with her. She told us all the news of her home. Her husband, Uncle Daniel raises cattle. My cousins, the boys all help him and work hard on their farm. They go to school when they can, which is not often. But they live well. They have a big farm and a big white house with pillars. She hugged me before she left and pressed in my hand a gold broach. "Oh Aunt Sara! It is beautiful. But I can't accept this from you. You need it for Martha and Louisa." It was very beautiful and very old. I knew it must have been handed down to her from my grandmother.

"Nonsense, Rachel. This goes to the first girl to get married in each generation in our family. It goes to you. I only had it because your Mother gave it to me for my wedding and would not take it back. So we kind of broke the tradition. Time to get it started back up again." she smiled at me.

"Thank you, I will treasure it."

"Just remember to give it to your first daughter to get married," and with that she was out the door.

I stared at it for a long time. Thinking about her words, "Just remember to give it to your first daughter to get married." I would some day have a daughter of my own getting married doing the same things I am doing today. How can that be? Last year I was playing with my dolls with my sisters. Now I am thinking about having babies with a man I hardly know.

Later that night, I went to Father to tell him good night after we had our prayers. I wanted to tell him how much I would miss him. I went to him and grabbed his hand and looked into his blue eyes. I just stared at him thinking of all the times we spent together in the barn with the horses. How he taught me everything I know. How he made me get back on the first horse that threw me off. Even when I was crying that I would never ride another horse again. Ten minutes later I was back on the same horse again and riding him around the paddock. I was glad he made me get back on. "What is it missy? You got something to tell me?"

I just looked at him and shook my head but held his hand tight. I was going to miss him terribly. "Good night Father."

With that he pulled me to him and gave me a big hug, "Good night honey. See you in the morning."

I crawled into bed and cried myself to sleep.

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016

The Bridal Shower

Photo Credits: Kathleen G. Lupole

Eliza had a bridal shower for me at her house last Saturday. It was a pleasant day. My girlfriends from school were there and Eliza's sister-in-law, Suzanne, who is pregnant. Two of Avery's cousins, Rebecca and Fern, and my own sisters of course. Eliza had decorated the house in lavender and yellow and had fresh cut flowers everywhere. We ate chicken salad sandwiches, potato soup and fresh vegetables. She made a beautiful cake and wrote on it with frosting, "Best Wishes Rachel." It was almost too pretty to cut.

We played games and talked about what it means to be a wife. They teased me about what my life would be like. I received many beautiful presents. I will never forget any of my friends. Amanda Wilson was one of my closest friends when I was in lower grades. She is a shy girl with a talent for doing any kind of needlework. She works quickly and can easily make something in an afternoon. She gave me a beautiful bedspread that she made, and she worked hard on it. It is an embroidery with horses running across a field and a girl riding one of the horses bareback.  I loved it!

Eliza gave me a nightgown she had sewn. It was light pink with roses on it. I will save it for my wedding night. The others all gave me gifts they had made and a couple of them gave me a box of canned fruits and vegetables to take to my new home. I can hardly believe it will be really happening, and soon too. I am beginning to feel like a grown woman already.

Suzanne, being the only one of us who is married, and pregnant too, gave me some ideas of what married life is like. She said she likes it most of the time. She is very excited about having her first baby. She said it makes her feel tired during the day. Being pregnant that is. She said she tries to take a nap in the afternoon so she has the energy to finish making dinner and other chores. She said her husband, Nathan is very considerate of her, and treats her good. Nathan, of course, is Eliza's brother, and I have known him my whole life. I think of him as a boy who always picked on us. Now I see him in a new light.

Rebecca, who is Avery's cousin said Avery has been busy building our house. She said it is very nice, and has a big barn with a paddock, and a huge garden. I am so curious about it. I would love to see it now. I wanted to ask her more questions about Avery since I know little about him. She did say he has his own business. Now my parents never told me that! What kind of business I wonder. I started to ask her when her sister, Fern spoke up, and said, "Rebecca! You are not supposed to tell her anything about Avery! Remember what Ma said!"

Rebecca made a face at her younger sister and said to me, "She's right. Ma said we are not to gossip or tell anything about Avery to you today at the shower, or else we could not come. She made us promise. Sorry."

I replied back a little disappointed, "That's okay."

She answered, "I know you are curious. We really don't know a lot about Avery himself. He has always been busy, and we never saw much of him anyway."

After the shower was over and everyone helped me load up my buggy, they hugged and kissed me good bye. I knew the next time I saw some of them would be the day of my wedding to Avery Longworth.

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016