SNOWFALL
CHAPTER 1
The old coal burning locomotive pulls into the station
and stops. After the released steam clears away the name of
the station can be seen, ST. LOUISE. The station attendant
walks out and places the two steps below the open door of the
train.
An attractive lady, fashionable dressed in ruffles and
high buttoned shoes, steps down from the train in a
sophisticated manner. Autumn walks into the station and up to
the ticket agent.
“Where is the livery stables located?”
“Its about six hundred feet west down the boardwalk.”
She walks down the street glancing in the windows of the
stores. People walking, riding horses, riding in buggies and
wagons make up most of the traffic on the dirt street. She
passes a saloon and a rinky tink piano can be heard as two
cowboys stagger out through the swinging doors. One of the
cowboys takes his hat off and makes a sweeping bow to her.
The other cowboy strikes him on the chin with his fist and
says “I saw her first.”
The two men become entangled in a fight and roll off the
boardwalk into the dirt. She walks on as if she never saw
them.
She approaches the attendant at the livery stable and
said “I am Autumn McElby and I mailed you a deposit on a
wagon and four oxen.”
“I wus wonderin when you’d git here.” Was his reply.
They walk out back and look at the wagon and team.
“As I recall you agreed to show me how to yoke them and
work them.”
“That’s a fact. The first thing that you have to learn
em is who’s boss. They aint sensitive.”
He hooks the team up and grabs his whip and climbs up.
She stands there for a few seconds awkwardly trying to figure
out how to get up there. Finally she steps on the spokes of
the wagon wheel and climbs up and sits beside him.
As they start moving he said “If any of them don’t pull
their load, jus crack the whip over their heads, they’ll know
the next one will burn hide.”
She spends time with him showing her how to turn, stop
and how to use the whip.
She pays him and drops him off and drives the team to
the general store. She hands the clerk a long list of items.
As the items are set out, the Clerk says “As I read them off,
you let me know if I have missed anything.”
“A shotgun, shotgun shells, dutch oven, kettle, skillet,
ax, hammer, nails, shovel, flour, cornmeal, baking soda,
dried beans, dried beef, dried fruit, molasses and sugar.”
“I would like to add 4 bales of hay, 3 sacks of oats and
a water barrel.” Autumn answers.
After those items are loaded and paid for, she heads
west.
After about two hours she stops and changes clothes. She
puts on a loose fitting pair of trousers, a rawhide jacket
and a straw hat. She straps on a 32 caliber revolver pistol,
that is mostly hidden by the jacket.
A couple more hours and she sees the trading post. She
pulls up and stops in front of the store. She takes out a
lead weight and sets it on the ground in front of the
animals. She attaches a small chain from the weight to the
ring in the nose of the two lead animals.
She glances around and notices covered wagons, teepees,
horses tied up across the front, Trappers, Cowboys, Indians
and a few Soldiers. She walks inside and said to the clerk
“I was told that I could join the wagon train here going
to California.”
“Yeah, there’s one leaving tomorrow and another one the
following day.”
“How much for your corrals?”
“Two bits per day, per head and that includes feed and
water.”
“I have four” and she hands him a silver dollar.
She walks back out and leads the animals into the
corral. They start drinking the water like it was the last
water on earth.
A man named Rusty Rockford put his two horses in the
corral next to hers and said “They’ll never make it if you
let them drink all that water.”
“Why do you say that?” She asked.
“Is bad for them to drink too much when they are hot and
sweaty.” He said.
She climbs in and ties each one to the corner of the
corral and waters each one a little bit at a time.
As it starts getting dark Rusty places his tack and saddle on
the ground next to his corral. He is wearing a black felt hat
with a rattle snake skin for a hat band. He pulls it down
almost over his eyes and uses his saddle as a pillow.
With her oil lamp burning, her shadow on the canvas of
her wagon can be seen as she combs her hair. One of the Low
Lifes that was hanging around the Duffy wagon, pulled open
the canvas flap and said to her “Do you want some company?”
She grabs for her shotgun and as she spins around, she
almost lets it slip out of her hands. When she tightens her
grip, she accidentally pulls both triggers of the double
barrel shotgun and it goes off before it reached the
Intruder, blowing two holes in the canvas the size of
saucers.
The following morning the wagons start lining up forming
the wagon train. Rusty walks up and down looking over the
formation. When he comes back He said to Autumn.
“I think I’ll skip this one and join the one that leaves
tomorrow.”
“Why would you do that if you don’t mind me asking?”
“They are headed for trouble.”
“How can you tell that?” She asks.
“See that wagon over there, its over loaded. The rims
on his wheels are too narrow. Compare those to the ones on
your wagon, your rims are twice the width of his. His will
bury themselves in deep sand. The worse problem of all is
that his water barrels are filled with whiskey.”
“Shouldn’t you tell someone?” She asks.
“Who should I tell?” He asks.
“Tell Mr. Duffy the wagon master.”
“It’s his wagon that has the whiskey”.
Rusty puts on a pot of coffee, when it’s ready he asks
“Would you join me in a cup of coffee?”
“That sounds good, I have some blue berry muffins to go
with it.”
They talk and get to know each other by introducing them
selves. She decides to wait for the next wagon train also.
CHAPTER 2
The next morning, they are eager to get started and as
they start lining up, Autumn’s wagon is the third one from
the front.
“Mr. Rockford if you like you can stash your equipment
in the rear of my wagon and tie up your other horse to the
rear.”
“That’s mighty nice of you ma’am.” He says.
Two days out and early in the morning they run across a
wagon turned upside down.
A woman and her son are standing by it.
“Aren’t you Mrs. Barton From the Duffy wagon train?”
Rusty asks.
“Regrettably yes.” Mrs. Barton answers.
“What happened to the rest of the train?” He asks.
“Duffy was carrying whiskey in his water barrels. He
sold some of it to a small band of Indians. After they drank
it, they wanted more but they had no money or anything to
trade.”
“I can just about guess what happened from that.”
“ Yeah, they started to attack him. He and all the
others tried to split up and run for it. Our wagon turned
over and my husband was killed. Two Indians came by and help
bury him.” She explains.
“Mrs. Barton, you and your son can ride with me.” Autumn
suggests. Mrs. Barton thanks her and then gathers some
personal items and supplies and loads them into Autumn’s
wagon. Then she said “If any of you want to take the wheels
off my wagon to be used as spares on your wagon, help
yourself.”
The wagon train moves on for another 5 hours and they
come across another broken down wagon.
“Are you from the Duffy Wagon Train?” Dean the wagon
master asks.
“Yes, my name is Ed Taylor. I lost a wheel. My rig is
about three miles from here. These wheels just aren't made to
be driven hard while heavily loaded.”
“I think Mrs. Barton has some spare wheels and we’ll
camp here for the night.” Dean tells him.
Some of the men in pairs start to search for anyone
surviving the Duffy Wagon Train. As they ride off, Dean the
wagon master reminds them that “They only have 4 hours of
daylight left.”
In an effort to cheer up Mrs. Barton’s son Bobby, Autumn
walks over and suggests that he get some oats from her wagon
and feed them to his colt. The colt had been given to Duffy
as part of the steep payment Duffy had charged. But when the
Indians came by and helped bury Mr. Burton, they caught and
returned the colt to Bobby.
Autumn asks “Would you care to eat with us, we have
plenty?”
Ed Taylor responds “I thank you kindly, and your
generosity is overwhelming, but I had better get back with
this wheel, so I can meet you on the trail tomorrow.”
Taylor takes the wheel, places a rope through the spokes
and sticks his arms in the loops of the rope and places the
wheel on his back like a back pack. He then rides off into
the dusk of the day.
Shortly thereafter Rusty rides in.
“Did you find Duffy?” Autumn asks.
“We found Duffy and buried him, but didn’t find his
wagon.” It appears from the tracks that some of them were able
to get back on the trail.”
“Its my understanding that Duffy was supposed to be the
wagon master to head up the wagon train from Independence on
the Santa Fe Trail to California.” Mrs. Barton said.
“They will most likely find someone that has been over
that trail before”. Autumn said as she glances at Rusty.
The wagon train grinds along the following day as Ed
Taylor, his family and two other wagons can be seen on a
knoll near the trail, waiting to join the others. As the
train passes, they pull in at the rear.
The following day Rusty and Dean are riding along
talking. Dean said “We should be getting into Independence
tomorrow.”
Rusty asks “How long before you leave on the
Oregon Trail?”
“About two days if they are all there”
While Rusty is riding along side Autumn’s wagon Rusty
Said “This will be our last chance to buy anything before we
reach Santa Fe.”
“I’ll need to buy some things that were lost when our
wagon overturned.” Mrs. Barton said.
The wagon train moves through town and after they reach
the outskirts, they see two large signs with arrows. One
reads Oregon Trail to the right and the Santa Fe Trail to the
left. The group going to California pulls into the assembly
area of the Santa Fe Trail. A rider comes in as if he was in
a big hurry and approaches Rusty.
“My name is Tracker and I’m looking fer Duffy!” He said.
“You’re in luck, the Indians got him.” Rusty said.
“The Indians got em?” Tracker asks.
“Yeah, he was selling whiskey to the Indians and some
drunk Indians scalped him.” Rusty explains. Tracker asked
“Who will be the Wagon Master on the Santa Fe Trail?”
“I don’t have any idea? How long have you been waiting?”
“Three days. I came up the Missouri by boat from St.
Louis.
That night as people gather around the fire
talking, Tracker calls for their attention.
“As most of ya’ll know, Duffy wont be going to
California with us. Has anyone here ever been a Wagon
Master?” He asked.
No one responds. Then he asks “Has anyone here ever
traveled this trail before?” No one responds. Autumn nudges
Rusty, who reluctantly raises his hand.
“I have made it two times, to and from California.”
Tracker asked “What would you charge us to be Wagon
Master?” Tracker asked.
“Its not a matter of money” Rusty explains.”
“What do you folks think about hiring this man?” Tracker
asked.
One man stands up and said “Some of us have been here
almost three weeks, and some of us have already paid Duffy.
Can we afford him?”
“You should take a vote and if you are sure that’s
what you want, there are three rules and there is no charge.”
Ed Taylor stands up and asks “What are the three rules?”
“Number one, no one firs a gun without my permission or
unless they are being attacked. Number two, no whiskey
allowed. Number three, if anyone breaks rule one or two,
they will be separated from the train along the way.”
“We don’t need a vote, who could object to this?” Ed
Taylor yells.
“All right, if that’s acceptable, we’ll roll at first
light.” Rusty said.
CHAPTER 3
The following morning all are eager to get started.
Tracker rides over to talk with Rusty and asks “Do you want
me to take the point?”
“Yeah, let me know if you see anything wrong and I want
to remind you to shoot only in self defense.” Rusty said to
him.
“Will do!” Tracker says as he gallops off.
The Wagon Train starts to move out as Rusty is riding at
the front talking and getting to know all the folks.
“Morning...What does California have waiting for you?”
“Howdy, my name is Al Larson. This is my wife Debbie and
we want some land and this appears to be the best way to get
a few acres.”
“There’s a lot of good land out there, just waiting for
you.” Rusty rides back to the next wagon.
“Howdy, that’s a fine pair of mules.”
“I try real hard to treat em right. I‘m Zakary Smith,
they calls me Zeek. My wife Annabell and I are freed
slaves. I have our papers if you want a look at em.”
“No... I don’t want to see them. Its good to be traveling
with you. Many people are starting a new life in California.”
Ed Taylor is in the next wagon.
“Morning to you.” Ed greets him.
“How’s that wheel working for you?” Rusty asks.
“Jus like it wuz made fer it.”
The wagon train moves along with routine occurrence for
the next ten days.
Tracker is riding along side the Arkansas River and
gallops up to Rusty and said “There’s some Indians riding
over the crest of that knoll.”
“How many?”
“Bout twenty to twenty five.”
“Are they wearing war paint?”
“No...They look kinda young.”
The Indians are sitting on their horses side by side
looking down at the wagons. Then they start moving toward the
wagon train.
“This is crazy... 25 Indians wouldn’t attack a wagon
train of thirty five. Pass the word don’t fire unless they
do.”
He gives the signal for the wagon train to form a
circle.
“What kinda Indians do you spose they are?” Asked Al
Larson.
“Its too far west for Osage. They must be Kiowas.” Rusty
tells him.
The Indians start riding in a circle around the wagon
train, but out at a safe distance. They are yelling and
screaming and waving their tomahawks.
“What do you think about it Mr. Rockford?” Autumn asked.
“They look like children. Bring that package in my
saddlebags.”
Rusty is too preoccupied by the riders to notice about
two hundred Indians riding along on the horizon. He takes the
package and walks out near where the Indians are riding. He
takes something from the package and lights from his stubby
cigar and throws it in the path of the horses. When the
firecracker explodes, the horses start to bolt, buck and
throw the riders. One of the humiliated youngsters rides his
horse toward Rusty and lunges at him with his tomahawk. Rusty
steps aside and lets the youth fall to the ground.
Rusty grabs the errant and holds his arms in back of him
and bends him over his knee and spanks him. When they stand
up they notice the adult Indians are riding toward them,
being led by a Chief wearing a war bonnet. The Chief raises
his staff and all but three near him stop.
Rusty looks at the Chief and said “One of us is in big
trouble.”
Autumn runs out to where Rusty is standing and
translates the Kiowa Chief’s words to the boy and the boys
reply.“Is this how you honor our tribal laws?”
“But grandfather he disgraced me in the presence of my
friends.”
The Chief tells the boy “Return to the village, we’ll talk
tonight.”
As the young Indian gets on his horse, Rusty hands him
his tomahawk.
The Kiowa Chief said “You are a wise man to be a white man.”