Chapter 23
“Did you read the newspaper this morning?” Mrs. Olson asked Emma as she passed through the kitchen to go out the back door.
“I was lucky to finally finish reading yesterday’s paper.
I wouldn’t have even taken time for that, but I wanted to double-check the schedule for the cornerstone ceremony.
We should probably be ready to leave here at eight if we’re to get a decent place to watch the parade.
My folks already left to go to a Stock Growers Association meeting.
We’re going to meet near Armstrongs’ Emporium. I was just on my way to tell Rosie.”
“She’s out with her chickens. Goodness, but I never did see a girl dote over a flock like she does.”
Emma pulled on her sunbonnet. “My mother always loved her chickens. Gave some of them names even.”
“But not all of them?”
“No, she said they had to earn their name.” Emma chuckled at the memory. She made her way through the mudroom and outside. “We had one she called Henny Ninny because she was such a silly thing. Guess we’ll see what Rosie comes up with.”
Rosie had already collected the eggs, which were waiting in a basket just outside the fenced area, and now she was singing as she cleaned up the coop.
“You’ve been busy,” Emma said, noting she was nearly done. “I came to help you so we can leave here by eight. Lucille and Papa are already gone. He had business with the Stock Growers Association, and some of the wives were also going to be there, so Lucille went with him.”
“I figured you’d want to go early, so I thought to get my chores done first. I didn’t even eat breakfast. I wasn’t hungry, and besides, there will be plenty to eat at the celebrations.”
“No doubt.” Emma picked up the basket of eggs.
“Rob and I decided not to go to the ball tonight.” She bent to stroke one of the hens, then made her way out of the pen. “We don’t like to dance.”
Emma breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s wonderful.
I think I’ll forgo it as well. I’m still exhausted from yesterday, and I have no desire to spend the evening dancing with strangers or telling them that I’m not there to dance.
Seems foolish to get all dressed up and stand in the corner all night. I’d much rather spend it at home.”
“Well, if you don’t mind then, I’m going to invite Rob over. His folks must attend the ball because of his dad being the chief of police. His sister is so excited about the ball because Michael Decker asked her to go with him. They’re sweet on each other.”
Emma nodded. “I heard. What about Daniel?”
“He’s not old enough to go, so he’s going to spend the evening with the Decker boys.” She secured the gate to the pen. “As soon as I wash up, I’ll be ready to go.”
“Will Rob be coming with us?”
“No, he has to work all day. He started before dawn. There’s been some bad people taking advantage of the town with all these extra people. He says it’s been really busy.”
“I can well imagine. Well, hurry and get cleaned up, and I’ll get Mrs. Olson.”
The parade and laying of the cornerstone were over by noon, and then the partying really commenced with all sorts of races and time trials for the firemen.
One of the most attended was the hose race.
Each team of eleven firefighters started with their apparatus and hose and were to race some four hundred yards to couple to the hydrant and actually draw water.
There were all sorts of rules as to the size of cart they could use, the length of hose, and other details.
The timed test was cheered on by groups of people supporting their favorite team.
The men from Laramie seemed to do especially well.
It was all great fun, but Emma could also see how important it was for the men to be able to manage the job.
This would be critical during a fire, and mistakes would only slow them down.
After that were the hook and ladder races, dry and wet hose races, and a variety of other games that showed off the firemen’s abilities. Emma couldn’t help but wonder how any of the men would have the energy for dancing later that night.
Emma wearied of the crowds and party atmosphere. She was glad that everyone was having so much fun, but without Colton there to celebrate with her, it seemed to lack any real interest for her. She continued to think about him throughout the day and wondered how he was ... where he was.
“Are you having a good time?” Rob asked as he caught up to them on the street.
“It’s so noisy,” Rosie replied, “and no fun without you.”
He laughed and told her he was looking forward to seeing her later. “Do you want me to take you out to eat for supper? I heard the Normandy is offering wonderful selections. A bunch of the fellas were talking about going there.”
“No, Mrs. Olson said she’s laying out a feast for us all our own. Just come on over when you get off work.” Rosie glanced back at Emma. “That’s all right, isn’t it?”
“Of course.” Emma gave the couple a smile. “We can have supper and play games or just enjoy the quiet.”
“We could read a book together,” Rosie said, pushing her sunbonnet back a bit. “I always love a good story.”
“I’m sure we’ll figure out what to do with the time,” Emma’s dad said. “I think going to bed early might be how I celebrate.”
Emma laughed. “Like Rosie said, just come on over when you get off work, Rob. We’ll hold supper until you arrive.”
There was some sort of ruckus on the street ahead. Rob gave them a shrug. “Got to go do my job.”
“I’m just as happy to head back to the house,” Lucille said, looking to Emma’s father. “What about you?”
“That would please me to no end.”
Emma nodded and looked to Rosie. “Let’s go home. Mrs. Olson might need some help with dinner.”
“Sounds good to me. It’s so hot today, anyway.” Rosie took a handkerchief and dabbed it to her neck.
At home, Lucille and Papa immediately went inside to seek out something cold to drink, while Emma and Rosie went to see if Mrs. Olson needed help out in the summer kitchen.
“Everything is going just fine,” she reported. “I have a large roast of beef in the oven. I started it before we left this morning and just added potatoes and carrots and lot of onions. I know your father and Rob both like onions.”
Emma laughed. “They do. I’m partial to them with a roast myself.”
Rosie shook her head. “I like them raw, but not all cooked. They get all soggy and feel funny in my mouth.”
Mrs. Olson stirred a pot on top of the stove. “I’m with Rosie. Never could abide a slimy vegetable.”
After making sure everything was under control, Rosie went to check on the chickens’ water, and Emma went inside to the surprising coolness of the house. She pulled off her bonnet and went to the icebox for the pitcher of lemonade and saw that Mrs. Olson had smartly made two.
The drink was nice and cold, and Emma thanked God for such luxuries. She remembered times as a child when there were no such things to be had. She’d longed for shaved ice with lemon juice and sugar when they’d come to town.
“You look mighty deep in thought,” her father said as he came into the kitchen.
Emma reached for the pitcher. “Are you back for more?” She nodded at the empty glass in his hand.
“You know it. I was parched.”
She poured him more lemonade, then put the half-empty pitcher back in the icebox. “I was just remembering how we had nothing like this on the ranch when I was little. We’d have ice sometimes until the end of May, but after that we went without cold drinks.”
“It’s true. I know it will be a mess of worldly imposition and cost, but I think I’ll be glad when we get electricity on the ranch. Doubt I’ll live to see it, though.”
Emma shrugged. “You can never tell. Folks used to say that about Cheyenne as a whole. Twenty years ago, they said we were too far from the rest of the settled world to have any modern conveniences.”
“True enough. Now here we are with electricity and water running through pipes to each house.”
“It’s a great city that I have a feeling will only get greater.
I heard them say in the cornerstone speech that the Union Pacific intends to add a thousand jobs, which could bring more than three times that many people to the area.
We’re definitely going to be able to reach the sixty thousand people that they say they need for the territory in order to achieve statehood. ”
“And they chose all their delegates on Monday for the constitutional convention in September,” her father added. “I’d say we’ll get the federal government to recognize us as a state soon enough.”
“I suppose the governing officials are thinking they have Montana, Washington, and North and South Dakota coming in this year, and they don’t need to add any other states.
But I figured since we were just next door to other states, they’d include us.
” Emma shrugged. “I guess they’ll get around to us when it’s time. ”
“All things come in God’s timing and no one else’s,” her father said, smiling. “That includes finding the right mate.”
“I just want to make sure it’s God’s choice. I didn’t choose so well for myself the first time around.”
“Colton’s completely different from his brother, Em. I never felt right about you marrying Tommy Benton, but everything is different with Colton.”
“Maybe the fact that you approve of him should be proof enough for me. I know you’re a very wise man, Papa.”
“Well, whether I am or not, I think you’d best be making up your mind about that fella. He’s soon going to be back here, and I think it’s very possible he’ll come with a proposal and maybe even a ring.”
Emma didn’t want to pretend she didn’t think the same thing. “I think you’re right.” She chuckled. “Maybe I will be married before Wyoming becomes a state.”
“I’m glad you decided to come back to the ranch with us,” Lucille said as Rosie and Emma rode alongside the wagon Friday morning.