Softer Mountains

Dearest Hank,

What a commotion! If it weren’t for the fact that it’s your farm, and all I did was join you in wedded matrimony, I would resign the whole dad-blamed place and run away. As soon’s you left, my Pa saw them dollar signs a-swimmin in his head, and tried to take the farm for hisself. Tad, bless him, must be feeling all of fourteen years and reared up on his hind legs and roared at my father to git off the property. That’s our boy! But then turned around and musta been seeing them dollar signs hisself, ‘cause suddenly he wanted to plant the whole property in wheat! No hay for the cattle, no corn for the hogs, just wheat! And tried to take MY herb garden for his first field, and the rose bush you planted for me! I took the ax outta his hands and boxed his ears something fierce, telling him in no uncertain terms what would happen to his arms if he so much as laid a finger on what’s mine by right. Son or not of ours, Tad’s gotten a bit too big for his britches, and I’ll still give him a whuppin if he thinks to do it behind my back.

Having our oldest down the road helps some. Will came a-runnin when he heard about the fuss, and told off both Pa and Tad. He’ll help some, when he can, ‘cause Sarah’s fit to burst any moment now. I told Will I’ll trade him Sarah for Tad, Sarah being such a biddable thing who’ll need a helping hand with the little mite a-comin, and Will laughed at me. Sarah’s momma is there already, and will help out. Our first grandchild! I’d be more excited iff’n I had time to knit, but threatening to lop off Tad’s extremities will have to suffice.

Come back soon, please? I don’t care if the railroad won’t build itself, or progress and all that, I just want you home. How did your cousin talk you into this scheme? Surely we don’t need the money that much, do we? Iff’n this turns into another one of his cockamamie scams, be certain sure that I’ll whup him too!

All my love, Millie

*******

Dear Millie,

I want to assure you that I’m doing the best as I can to stay safe, but I won’t lie, this is some backbreaking work we’re in. Oh, this would offend your sensibilities, but the gaming dens and brothels that spring up outta nowhere! They want us to spend our pay before we can send it home, to keep us here and working. That’s why I’m sending receipt and pay packet to you, so’s you can see I’m not spending it on wine nor wimmin. I can swing a hammer, and I can lay rail, and that’s what I’m doing. Nuthin else. I’m ready to take this hammer to the foreman, though, he thinks screaming gets the work done faster. Lots have quit and gone home in disgust, and Cousin James or no and his dratted silver tongue won’t keep me much longer.

You’d be proud of me, Millie, he’s been trying to sucker me into his get-rich-quick schemes, and I refuse to budge. I get up, I work, I eat their company food, and I go to sleep in a company tent. I’m a-thinkin that James is running one of the gambling dens hisself, and he keeps wanting me to help, and I’ve just straight-out refused. I did! No hard likker for me neither. Beer with my food, and sleep. I want to live to come home, and that means not facing a hidin from you when I get there. Small wonder his wife went home to her parents crying, if this is what she had to put up with.

But it’s good money, that I won’t argue. My first pay packet should get there before this letter, so you can see what I mean. When I get home, we’ll be able to rest much easier! And enjoy our grandbabies! I look forward to that, spoiling them and then sending them home.

Tell Tad I’ll add to his whuppin iff’n he takes your herbs or rose. It’s MY land, not his, so he can go sit on a tack.

Love, Hank

*******

Dearest Hank,

It’s a boy! Little Franklin Henry Miles came into the world on the tenth. Early, like I ‘spected. Sarah’s a bit torn up and doing a touch poorly, but the boy’s nice and strong, and Will thought ahead and got a milch goat to help out. The doc was a bit of a nutter, so Sarah’s ma and I stitched her up. Mary used to help a midwife when she was young, did you know that? Quite useful. Will’s in a dither, blaming hisself, but we told him that’s a woman’s lot. What nonsense do you menfolk believe, thinking that birthin babies is easy and nacheral?

We’re keeping an eye on everyone. So far, so good. Tad’s still in a lather over not gettin his way, so’s I told him he’s of an age to apprentice, the wood mill’s lookin to hire. Or he can shut his gob on his brilliant ideas, since he thinks hisself as good as James, and can follow you to the railroad? Or maybe learn to cook and look after hisself? He got smart with me, so I gave him the promised hidin, and tossed him out to sleep in the barn. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, boy. He should durn well know better.

I did get the money, and it’s safe. I see what you mean, but it ain’t worth the fuss, I reckon. You’re needed here, with your family. I said following James would lead you to a bad end, and I’m afeared for the worst. Money like this only comes from danger, and I worry a foreman knows somethin he’s not tellin. Come home soon, and let James fester in his danger seekin.

All my Love, Millie

*******

Dearest Millie,

A boy! What a blessing! I can’t wait to meet the little one. Did you give him the cradle I made for our kids, or did Mary have one?

You’re spot on about that foreman, Mil. He’s a shady character, that’s for sure. James isn’t talkin to me much, he’s still sore about me not helping with the gambling. But I talk to some of the others, and I have eyes. Men are going home, taking their pay packets and getting right back on the train that brings them. Those same trains bring more and more Irish from the east, and Chinamen from the west. Chinamen! Mil, you’ve never seen such a sight! They’re so small, but they put us boys to shame some times. Can’t speak their chatter, but they sure make good noodles. I tried some, fancy that! They can make food outta parts I didn’t know you could.

It’s so strange out here. The bison are huge and scary, but we eat well off of them. It’s flat, and the mountains are square and sharp. Too much brown, not enough green. I like our mountains back home, nice and soft and colorful. Ah, now I’m getting sappy. Maybe it’s time to git on the next train coming back, and to heck with James and his scheming.

Love, Hank

*******

Dear Hank,

Welp, Tad’s runned off. Took his good shirt and pants, too, so Lord knows what foolishness he’s getting to.

I caught him skulking around a few times, but I refused to feed him till he could mind his manners. Well, I had an inkling, so’s I took the money from the safe place I put it and hid it where he couldn’t get to it. Sure enough, the old hidey hole wasn’t like I left it come morning.

The neighbors are keeping an eye out for his whereabouts, but I don’t have time for his sulks. We’re keepin Will busy ‘tween the two farms, and he falls sound asleep most nights. Mary and I take turns cookin for them, and since it’s just me now at home, I just bring a little extra along to add to the pot and eat with them most nights.

But the loneliness eats at me. I need you home, Hank, and money be damned. I know, and I shall ask forgiveness for that sentiment come Sunday, but this is the outside of enough. I can’t worry bout both you and Sarah! She’s doin a mite better, but still gets tired too often for our taste. Mary and I whisper, and we’ve butchered a few chickens to make her some liver pap. It helps, it does, so the rest of us eat chicken porridge. The herbs make it taste nice.

Come home, please. The nights are the worst.

All my love, Millie

*******

Dearest Millie,

The train’s just left, and I’m on it. I’ll post this before we reach Chicago, and it should reach you before I do.

James is gone, Millie. Dead. You were right. That foreman didn’t know how to tell the Chinamen how to set the dynamite charges, and it blew most of the crew to smithereens. Body parts everywhere, Millie, it was hideous. I’m bringing what parts we could find of James home with me, but I’m sure there’s Irish and China parts in with him. He’ll just have to cope with it on the other side.

He wanted more money, because the boys caught him cheating at cards. They beat him up good and took all the money he had, which was considerable. He thought to make it back quick, which meant the more dangerous jobs – setting the dynamite.

I’m done. I can’t, not after that.

I’ll look for Tad a bit when I get closer, see where that dratted boy got to. If I find him, I’ll make him carry James back. That’ll larn him, what happens to shysters.

I don’t know what else to write. I feel empty inside, seeing that – what I saw. I don’t feel it yet. I fear I will later. I see it when my eyes close, and it hurts, Millie. It hurts. So much red. Too much.

You and Will might have to do the butchering for a year or two. I helped clean up and sort parts. There are two big graves out there now, one on each side of the tracks. Irish, and Chinamen. The rest are with me, on the train. And James. He’s not the only body in the freight car. I did my best to sort them properly.

The stars are really pretty out here, but not as pretty as your eyes. Or our kids, or the stars back home. I want to hold our grandson, and rest a while. Watch corn grow.

Stop’s coming up, I better post this. I’ll be home soon.

All my love, Hank