It has been three weeks since I had lunch with Ruth. I still have not heard from Avery. Mrs. Longworth, his mother and his sister, Margaret came for a visit yesterday. They told me this is normal for these long freight deliveries. Sometimes the weather gets bad or something happens to a horse or the wagon and it slows him down. I am still worried but will not show it to anyone now. I am trying to overcome my feelings of abandonment. So I have been working on the house and the gardens.
And the harvesting of the vegetables had barely started when I had to harvest the cherries and strawberries. Much of them I am sun-drying. The berries and currants I am making into preserves and jellies. I am fortunate to know how to preserve foods, as Mother taught all of us girls how to do that, until we could do it without her assistance. Today I made a barrel of brine for the cucumbers I am harvesting. Yesterday when Margaret was here, she was quite surprised about all the work I had done. I am sure they thought I was too young to know how to do so much. I will be sure to teach my children how to do things just like Mother and Father taught us.
I was outside feeding the chickens when a wagon pulled up. It was Ruth Adamson's man, Mr. McCleary. "Mrs. Longworth, a morning greeting to you today," he called to me as he scrambled down from his seat.
"Good morning, Mr. McCleary.What can I do for you?" I answered back wondering what had brought him out here.
"Mrs. Adamson sent me to check on you and to ask a favor of you."
"I am fine. Been very busy harvesting from my garden and berry patches. What is the favor?"
"She would like to buy some of the those berries you brought for a gift."
"She don't have to buy any. I will give her all she wants."
"Oh no, it's not for her. For the hotel guests. She'd like to make a deal with you for a supply for the hotel."
"I don't even know what they're worth or if Avery would allow me to do that. I will have to talk to him when he gets back."
"Okay. I have a few dollars here for a bucket of some today."
"Oh, sure. I have plenty."
With that I was in the business of supplying Ruth's hotel with berries for the whole summer. It kept me busy and her hotel guest loved having fresh berries and cream in the morning. Now if only my husband would get back home everything would be wonderful for me.
Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2016
Updated 2016
