Elizabeth Carter and Memory Lane

 by Genevieve W. (ages 14-17)

“Mother, how did you first meet Father?” Andi Prescott asked one afternoon as she bent over her sewing, concentrating on the small stitches of her sewing as she sat with her mother, Elizabeth, and her sister, Melinda Carter.

“Well,” Elizabeth started, a dreamy look crossing her face. “It was such a long time ago, but I remember that day I first met your father. He had just gotten back from a trip out to sea with his father – your grandfather – and he was ready to start a new life in gold digging.”

**********

 

San Francisco, September, 1849

Twenty-one year old Elizabeth Johnson hummed quietly to herself as she placed her cans of provisions in neat little rows on one of her shelves in her small mercantile. The main door to the small store on her left opened, and a young man stepped through, pulling off his hat and glancing around.

“Hello, can I help you?” Elizabeth asked as she quickly went to the counter behind her.

“Thank you, but I think I’ll manage.” The young man grinned before wandering down the one aisle of the store. After going to the end, he stopped and spun around to find Elizabeth watching him expectantly. “Well, I guess I could use if your help,” he admitted. He rubbed the back of his neck and waited.

“What is that you need?” Elizabeth asked, folding her hands to keep them from straightening the few items out of place.

“Do you happen to have flour, sugar, and salt?” The young man’s gaze flicked about, hoping to spot the items he had named.

“Yes, I do,” she answered as she walked past the man to the back corner, pointing out the flour that was cradled between the walls. “Did you say sugar and salt, also?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the man nodded his head.

Elizabeth showed him the sugar that sat beside the flour and then went to grab a small container of salt that was seated on the shelves behind the counter.

“Thank you very much.” He smiled briefly before walking over and grabbing the sack of flour at the top. When he lifted it, though, the top of the sack ripped off and flour cascaded all over the floor, billowing everywhere when the sack fell to the ground.

Covering her mouth to hide her smile, she rushed over to where her customer stood shaking his head. His face turned a slight shade of pink from embarrassment and lifted a corner of his mouth in an attempt to smile.

“You know, I’ve learned that if you lift the sack from the bottom then it won’t rip.” Elizabeth advised, using all her will to keep a straight face and not burst out in laughter.

“Yeah, I think I know that now.” Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair before lifting another sack, this time from the bottom.

Elizabeth quickly went to work at sweeping the flour off the floor while the man went in search for a few more items. She finished just as he placed his last chosen item on the counter.

“I am so sorry about your flour,” the man apologized for the tenth time. “I can pay for it since I spilled it all.”

“That’s okay, sir, but you needn’t worry about it.” Elizabeth said, shaking her head with a small smile. “I was able to save some of the flour, which I might use myself.”

“My name is James Carter, by the way. What’s yours?” James Carter said as he slid his money across the counter.

“Elizabeth Johnson,” she replied, counting the money to make sure he hadn’t paid extra for the spilt flour.

“You’re not from around here, are you?” He asked as Elizabeth put his groceries into a paper bag.

“No, my family had moved out here a few months ago from Pennsylvania.” Her heart ached with a longing to see her family, who had left back for her home state after her father had died from influenza. “What gave that away?”

“Your accent,” James replied instantly. “It’s different than the people born and raised here.”

“Were you not born and raised here?” She had noted how he had separated himself from the normal townsfolk.

“Nope, I also come from back East. I had lived in Massachusetts before coming out here with my father in his ship. Now I guess you could say I’m one of those gold-diggers.” He grinned before touching his finger to his hat. “Have a good day, Elizabeth.”

Once the door had shut behind James, she allowed a smile to spread across her face and giggled as she remembered how he had just grabbed the flour from the top and lifted. Looking around she could still spot some of flour either floating in the air or giving some shelves a lighter color.

**********

Andi and Melinda laughed as their mother finished her story. Elizabeth couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across her face as she remembered the amusing time with James.

“Did Father really rip the flour sack?” Andi asked, covering her hand with her mouth as she continued to giggle.

“Yes, he did, and that was not the last time.” Elizabeth stated, her smile growing slightly larger. Andi and Melinda shared an amused look as they both imagined their father ripping more flour sacks open.

“How did you know Father was the right one for you, Mother?” Melinda asked as she took a sip of her tea. She set her cup back down on its saucer and watched her mother curiously, waiting for a reply.

“Well,” their mother started, “I prayed to the good Lord and asked Him. I also asked my own mother what she thought a good husband should be like.”

********

Elizabeth Johnson sat at a small table in her apartment above her store, a Bible open with a small journal and quill beside it. She clasped her hands and prayed silently, bowing her head and closing her eyes to try to block out the noises rising from the streets below.

Dear Lord, please help me to know if James is a good man, and if he’s the one you want me to marry. Give me understanding about this situation and please don’t let me do something I will regret. I want to honor You with our friendship, and if You want us to be just friends then please help me to know that. If You plan on letting us be more than friends, please guide my steps and don’t let me follow Satan, but rather You. Please guide me in Your way, Amen.

Lifting her head, Elizabeth let out a sigh and picked up her Bible. Holding it with two hands, she read out loud, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She percieveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her housefold: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

“Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

Placing her Bible on the table, Elizabeth once more folded her hands and closed her eyes. “Dear Lord, please help me to become like the woman in this passage. Help me to be a blessing to my future husband and children, if it is Your will for me to marry. Please let me know what it is that You want, and don’t let my love for James to cloud my thinking. Help me to know Your will, please, my Lord. In Your Name, Amen.”

A gentle peace settled over the young woman as she continued to sit there unmoving. She forced herself to not think about anything but to sit quietly, listening for the Voice of her Father.

***********

“I wasn’t sure at first if the Lord had wanted me to marry this special man, but in time I began to feel that marrying James was the Lord’s will.” Elizabeth explained as she set down her tea. She smiled over at her daughters and felt a stir of pleasure that she had married James and had been blessed with three beautiful women and three handsome men.

“How did Father propose to you?” Melinda asked, curiosity sparking in her eyes. She took a small sip of tea before leaning back and waiting for her mother to start another story.

“Oh, it was the best proposal any young woman could possibly ask for.” Elizabeth said with a wistful smile. “When he asked me to marry him, I couldn’t believe it. I had never expected that he would propose to me the way he did. When I was a young girl, I had made up stories of men proposing, but James’s way was the best way any girl dream of.

***************

“What do you have planned today?” Elizabeth asked as she was helped into a wagon hitched to two brown horses. She settled herself down on the hard bench and waited as James pulled himself up beside her. He grinned over at her and winked, letting her know that something exciting was most likely going to happen.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?” He asked as he clucked to the horses to encourage them to get into a gentle trot.

“Well, I guess not,” she agreed, watching as the scenery transformed from a city to a gorgeous countryside. Hills rose up out of the ground and created ravines and cannons between each other, and occasionally she’d spot herd of cattle grazing in a lazy fashion, with cowboys waving their hats at the passing wagon.

“It sure is pretty out here, don’t you think?” James asked after awhile of comfortable silence. Elizabeth smiled and nodded her assent.

“I have never seen a more pretty country than this. Even on the long trip out here have I never once been where it is so green and open here.” Elizabeth whispered in awe, her voice showing just how much she adored the views.

About half an hour later, James pulled up in the reigns to halt the horses and jumped out, catching Elizabeth around the waist and swinging her down onto the ground in front of him. He quickly went to work at putting on the brakes to the wagon and tossing the reins over a few branches.

He grabbed a picnic basket from the back and pulled out a red and white checkered blanket, setting it on the ground for them to sit on. He allowed his love to set out the plates and food as he got himself comfortable.

“After we eat, I was hoping to take a walk around,” James said after he had prayed for their food, which consisted of sandwiches, cold chicken, cheese, apples, a few cookies, and lemonade in a watertight container. “I heard that there is a great view near here and wanted to see it for myself.” He smiled as Elizabeth nodded excitedly.

“That sounds like I good idea,” she responded.

The two lovebirds were quick to finish their meal, telling each other comical events that had happened to them in their childhood. One of the tales James had told Elizabeth was when he was a teenager and had gotten himself locked in the tack room for almost half the day.

“It felt like an eternity to me,” James was saying, “and I was nearly ready to knock someone’s head off if they didn’t come let me out. The stable master finally heard me shouting and had opened the door for me. I’m sure I was a bad sight; I had been crying most the time because I was afraid that I’d end up being stuck in there for the rest of my life and starve to death.”

“Oh, my, I’m sure you had fared better than I would have.” The young lady exclaimed, standing up and brushing a few crumbs off her skirt. James held out his arm and she slid her hand into the crook of his elbow.

They started off, and it wasn’t long before they came along a small stream that spilled over a cliff which overlooked a large valley and hills. The sight took their breaths away, and no one dared to speak for fear of shattering the scenery.

The water splashed down into a small pool straight below, and a few grazing cows came wandering over to get a drink from the crystal clear water. Further out small, rolling hills stretched out to the horizon and a few trees could be spotted, bending and waving their branches in the breeze that blew from the top of the hill all the way out to the sunset.

“It’s…” Elizabeth’s voice slowly died away as she groped for a good word that would describe the scene. “It’s so beautiful.” She turned to James and her hand flew to her mouth in shock as she saw him down on one knee, holding a box that in turn held a simple wedding ring with a single diamond in its midst.

“Elizabeth Johnson, will you marry me?” The young man asked, not bothering to say anything fancy or poetic because he knew he would end up botching it.

“Oh, yes, yes, yes!” Her face broke out into a wide smile as she held out her hand for him to place the ring on her finger. As James stood up, Elizabeth threw her arms around his neck, grinning like she had just found enough gold to buy the whole world. “I’ve got to write to Mother as soon as we get back to town. She’ll be overjoyed with the news.” Her voice faltered slightly at the last sentence for she knew that her mother hadn’t responded to any of her last letters that she had sent back home.

************

“It was one of the happiest times of my life as a newlywed. Your father was the best man any woman could ask for, and he gave up so much to make me happy.” Elizabeth’s chin quivered slightly and a tear rolled down her cheek. She had loved being married to James, and knew that she would do it all over again if she had to. She smiled at her two daughters and sniffed, smoothing out her skirt with shaking hands. “I haven’t visited Memory Lane in a long time. Thank you for asking me about those events.”

Standing up, she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and swallowed past the lump that was settling in her throat.

“I’m sorry if we caused you heartache, Mother.” Andi said as she, too, stood up. Melinda nodded and gathered up the teacups and saucers to take to the kitchen.

“Oh, my dears,” Elizabeth whispered, looking at each of her daughters. “You have caused me joy, not heartache. I haven’t had much time lately to stop and think about the good times with your father. These are tears of happiness that you see and not tears of sorrow.”

“Thank you for the tea,” Andi said as she gave her mother a hug. “I should probably head back to my own ranch. Riley is most likely getting hungry and will want something to eat.” She grinned as she got ready to leave.

“Thank you for visiting me, dear.” Elizabeth said, tucking her handkerchief in her sleeve and composing herself. “I should probably fix dinner myself. Would you like me to send something with you?”

“I’m good, but thank you.” Andi nodded at her mother and sister before heading out into the warm summer air.

“Have a safe trip, Andrea.” She waved as her daughter climbed into her wagon and clucked to her two horses that were pulling the wagon. Turning back to the house, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out, preparing herself for dinner.