Chapter 105

Oklahoma Territory
Crow Ridge Cattle Company
August 4, 1889

Jon David, Amanda, Sissy, and Analisa told Eli yesterday that they needed to be at the office early this morning. They let Chane and Jon Jr. spend the night with Shawn, Karly Jo, Clara, and Maryanne.

Eli stepped out on the front porch earlier than usual that morning since he had all his Little Bucks here for the day. He drank the last of the coffee from his mug and stood looking down at the river before turning to look over toward the cattle pens and oil loading facilities. He could see the top of the office and warehouse above the cattle pens. There were oil tankers lined up on both the loading spur and the sidetrack loop. The switch engine was rumbling, with brakes screeching as it clanged the tankers together, spotting them in place to be filled with oil.

They never shut down the loading operation unless there was a breakdown.

As he stood looking over that way, Miranda came to the door and called him to breakfast. The Little Bucks were up and eating breakfast already. He’d promised them they would ride over to the loading pens early this morning to watch the loaded oil trains leave out.

Eli stood staring toward the loading pens for another few minutes before going inside to eat. He saw something over there that for some reason seemed out of place to him.

He forgot about it when Tin Yu opened the door to call him again before his breakfast got cold. Whatever it was, he and the Little Bucks would be headed over that way soon and they’d see what it was that had looked so out of place.

Joe was sitting at the table already eating when Eli walked in. He was grinning as he talked with the Little Bucks. They seemed more excited today than usual about riding horses with him and Joe.

“Daddy, you need to hurry up. You promised us we would be over at the loading pens early and Uncle Joe has already saddled the horses for us,” Maryanne fussed at him when he sat down beside her.

The six of them were dressed in buckskins and moccasins, just like Eli and Joe.

“I’ll be through by the time all of you get the egg washed off your faces and get your hats. Where are all your Grandpas? Did they get out early this morning too?” he asked.

“Yes, they told us last night that they needed to go see a man about a horse and would be gone early. They said they’d meet us over at the loading pens though,” Shawn told him, then looked around to see if his momma was in the kitchen, before wiping his mouth on his shirtsleeve.

Eli shook his head and grinned as he looked at his three daughters, two grandsons, and his son, Shawn.

It didn’t seem like they ought to be this old. Maryanne would be six a day or two before Christmas. Jon Jr. and Chane would be five in January, Shawn would be five in February. Karly Jo would be five next June and Clara would be five in July.

Eli knew that their grandpas were already spoiling the six of them, but that was alright too. Whatever they didn’t give his Little Bucks, he would.

“Joe, where did all the womenfolk get off to so fast?” Eli asked when he noticed that none of them came back into the kitchen.

“They asked me to hitch the buggy horses up to the surrey as soon as I got here with Sissy this morning. They left out about the time you came in to eat, saying something about seeing that same man about a horse that the grandpas were going to see. Didn’t make a lot of sense to me, but then they set me a plate of eggs and biscuits about that time and I didn’t let it bother me long.”

“Let’s get these Little Bucks over to the cattle pens and see what all the fuss is about over at the office since Jon David, Amanda, Sissy, and Analisa had to be in such a hurry this morning,” Eli told him.

The Little Bucks weren’t allowed to ride alone yet; they still rode two on a horse with a big saddle. They’d been after Eli ever since they came back from Pecan Ridge to get them their own Paint horses like the others had.

When they rode up to the office, Joe and Eli helped the Little Bucks to the ground and they took off toward the office door. The surrey and their small buggy were near the hitching rail where the horses were tied.

The switch engine at the oil loading station was rumbling, banging cars and moving in and out on the loading spur. The small locomotive had pulled past the spur with another twenty tankers loaded with oil when Eli looked around.

“Joe, what’s that train engine and the Pullman cars doing on our sidetrack?” Eli asked and started that way.

“You got me, Eli. I reckon they needed to park there to let another train go by,” Joe said, just as the Little Bucks raced past him and Eli, headed toward the railroad.

“YOU LITTLE BUCKS GET BACK HERE!” Eli yelled and the six of them slid to a stop in the red dirt and looked back at him.

“Where do you think you’re going? You know you’re not supposed to go near the railroad!” Eli scolded them, pointing toward the sidetrack.

All of them pointed over toward the sidetrack where Jon David stood near the shiny black, full size locomotive with Big Eddy, Hat, and Willis.

“All of you come go with me, there’s something going on here and we’ll find out what it is,” Eli said, as he and Joe walked toward Jon David.

“Eli?” Joe called his name before they reached the tracks and pointed toward the Pullman cars. Eli looked over to where Joe was pointing and saw the writing on the side of all three Pullman cars.

THE CROW OIL LIMITED was lettered on each of the Pullmans, the coal car, and on the cab of the locomotive.

“Daddy, is that our new train?” Maryanne asked as she stood next to her dad.

“Maryanne, it sure looks like it is. Let’s see what this is all about. Grab your sisters’ hands and lead them across the tracks,” Eli said as he and Joe grabbed the boys by their hands.

“Dad, what do you think?” Jon David said when Eli walked up, still looking down the line at the engine, coal car, and three Pullman cars.

“Jon David?” was all Eli said as he looked from the train to his son.

“Dad, we wanted to do this for you and for the family too. I hope you approve,” Jon David told him.

“Three Pullmans?“

“One is a sleeper, one is a business coach, and the other is a diner car. We got a good deal on them and I got a really good deal on the locomotive,” Jon David said as he walked with Eli over to look up at the shiny new engine.

“Jon David, I just don’t know what to say. You mean they belong to Crow Oil? We own them? We own the locomotive too?”

“We sure do, bought and paid for in full. Come look inside, the women and grandpas are all in there now. We wanted to surprise you and we knew this was the only way.”

“Maryanne, were you Little Bucks in on this?” Eli said as he looked at her.

“No, Daddy. We were surprised too when we went in the office and saw the pictures and papers of the train cars all over the desks. Then Jon looked out to see Jon David by the new train and we took off over here.”

Eli turned to Willis, Hat, and Big Eddy, “Willis, did you and Hat and Big Eddy know about this?” Eli asked, grinning.

“Eli, Jon David told us day before yesterday that this Crow Train was coming. He wanted Big Eddy and Hat over here early this morning so they could learn how to fire this thing and drive it down the rails,” Willis explained.

“Boss, me and Hat’s done been all over it. I didn’t want to mess with it too much until they pulled the surprise over on you, but we’ve already decided that we can drive this train without a hitch,” Big Eddy said with a grin as wide as his face.

“Hat, I reckon you’ll be the fireman?” Eli said and Hat nodded his head and grinned at him.

“Let me get these Little Bucks inside this Pullman and look things over good. I’ll be back in a few minutes and you can show me all about this engine too.”

Eli and Joe picked the little ones up and stood them on the rear deck of the first Pullman, then Eli turned to Jon David.

“Son, you never stop amazing me. I often wondered what it would be like to have our own train. Now we’ll get to go see all of our hotels and travel wherever else we want to go,” Eli said as he grabbed Jon David, picking him up in a bear hug and swinging him round and round.

“Dad, it wasn’t just me. All I did was place the order when Sissy, Analisa, and Amanda picked out the ones that best suited Crow Oil and our families. Come on in and look it over, you’re going to love the big leather seats and all the other fine furnishings inside.”

“Did the others know about it beforehand too?” Eli asked as they stepped up onto the rear platform.

“Not until this morning when Sissy told them they needed to come over here before you and the Little Bucks did. The grandpas knew about it the day I ordered them. They were standing there when I made my first long distance phone call to Chicago, then the second long distance call I made was to St. Louis to buy the locomotive.”

“Jon David, I don’t even want to know what the cost of all this was. But whatever it was, it was worth it. Not just to me but to the women and kids. Just wait until we drive this thing over to Crow Valley and the Bucks and my girls see it. They’ll want to take a trip on it right away.”

When Eli walked through the door of the business coach, the women and the grandpas were sitting in the oversize leather seats. They jumped up all at once and started clapping their hands and hollering surprise at him.

As he made his way through the coach, each of the grandpas shook his hand and told him he deserved this for all the hard work he’d done to make this possible. The women each came to him, Sissy first, and she had tears in her eyes as she hugged her dad and told him how much she loved him. Then there was Rose who grabbed her brother and she too cried as they held each other.

“Eli, we’ve come a long ways from Catchers Creek, Missouri. I am so proud of my brother. I suppose you know we’re already planning to travel like you’ve always promised us we would someday?”

“I’m ready, Rose. Where’s Jefferson and Howard?”

“They’re in the diner car. Big Eddy’s wife and Hat’s wife are going to travel with us and be our cooks. They already have coffee made; let’s go get a cup, Eli,” Rose told him and smiled at her brother as he wiped his eyes.

He looked up to see Tin Yu standing near him, smiling. He never spoke; he just reached for her and pulled her close.

“Eli happy?” she asked as he held her.

“Very happy, Tin Yu. I love you like I never thought I could.”

“Tin Yu love Eli too. We so happy to see Eli smile and not work so hard.”

Catt was standing near him when Tin Yu let him go. He reached for her and pulled her close. “I love you, Catt. I reckon I never say that enough to any of my women, but please never forget that I do love you. This is special and I’m happy we can now take the family, the little ones and our friends with us when we go stay in our new hotels.”

“It makes me feel good to see you so happy, Eli. I’ve never thought much about traveling, but now I’m looking forward to it, just like the other women,” she said and pulled him closer.

“Eli, remember the night you slept with Eva and me in the bedroll at Pecan Ridge?” she whispered.

“Yes ... Catt, did we make a baby?” He whispered in her ear.

“Yes, Eli, and Grandmother told me we would have a little girl. Oh Eli, I love you so much. I’ve always wanted us to have a little girl like Rose, Clarissa, and Tin Yu. Eli, I never knew what happy meant until you came back to get Eva and me, Juni, and Tin Yu that winter you married Mary.”

“Tell me when I can come to your room again, Catt. I want to hold you.”

“I will soon, Eli. Go see Eva now, she’s waiting for you.”

Eli turned to see Eva. She was smiling as she ran to him, her arms out as she reached up to hug him.

“Eva, I love my beautiful Cherokee woman. I never say that as much as I think it. I’m telling you now that I love you and I’m proud you are my woman.”

“Eli, I love you too and I have a surprise for you.”

“What, Eva? I see you smiling like Catt did. Tell me, Eva,” Eli said as she smiled at him.

“Eli, you and I are having a little girl too. We made a baby the same night you and Catt did. Oh Eli, Catt and I have always wanted to have your daughters, now we will and we’ll spoil them just like you spoiled your older girls. We have already planned to raise them just as wild as Lee Yu, Lilly Beth, and now Maryanne. I want our daughter to be just like Maryanne. She is so happy and so smart. She’s as wild as a bird too, Eli, and I just love her so much.”

“My little Maryanne is wild?” Eli said, backing up as they laughed. He kissed her cheek and leaned over to whisper.

“Tell me when will be a good time to come to your room. I want to hold my Cherokee woman.”

“Soon, Eli. I will let you know.”

“Eli?” Miranda said as he turned to see her standing close by.

“Miranda, come to me. Did you know about this train?”

“No, Eli. Not until this morning, and when we learned about it, we were so excited we had to hurry over here to see it.”

“I love you, Miranda. We’re going to travel and see the hotels we own and see places in America we’ve only heard about. I’m happy we have our own train now so we can all travel and take the little ones and our friends.

“Don’t forget about the babies, Eli.”

“Miranda, you said that in a way...”

“Eli, remember the day you came back from your trip to Mexico and we were celebrating? We made a baby that next night. Grandmother told me, Catt, and Eva that the three of us were going to have girls. Eli, I am so happy.” Miranda hugged him tighter as they laughed together.

“Three girls? I was already hoping for more girls, now we’re getting three at once. I’m proud of you, Miranda, and I love my Cherokee wife.”

“I love you too, Eli. Now go see the rest of the train. Analisa and Clarissa are waiting over there to hug you. All of your women are so happy for you and happy to be here to see this train with Crow Oil on the side of it.”

Clarissa was right behind Eli when he turned. She reached for him and he pulled her close.

“Clarissa, each time I see you with your red hair wild and free, I think of that Christmas back in Fort Smith when you came to live with us. You’re like a sister to Rose, and you are like a rock for me to lean on. I have loved you since I watched you step from that carriage into the deep snow. We have two beautiful daughters and I’m so happy that we now have our own train so we can travel together.”

“Eli, if the others weren’t here right this minute, I’d have you on the floor of this Pullman car. You have made my life complete and I am so proud of you. I’m ready to travel and I hope we go to every one of those fancy hotels you told us about.”

Eli kissed her cheek and turned to see Analisa with her big smile and her scorching black eyes flashing at him. She rushed him, just like he knew she would; just like she always does.

“Analisa, Jon David told me you helped pick out the train cars. I’m proud of you and I love you even more.”

“Eli, I love you more each day I live. I am so happy here with my Crow family. I never knew my life would be so full of laughter and fun times.”

“Have you ever ridden on a train other than the time we came up from Las Cruces to Little Tree, Analisa?”

“No, Eli.”

“Analisa, the first night we travel on our new train, I want to sleep in your berth.”

“Oh Eli! Can we leave now?” she asked, smiling up at him with her dark eyes sparkling.

“No, but real soon. I love my Mexican woman and the mother of my son, Levi.”

“Eli, when Levi is one year old, will you let me have your baby again? I still want to give you a baby girl.”

“I want us to make that baby girl too like we talked about, Analisa.”

“Eli, can she really be wild like her sisters?” she asked and smiled.

“As wild and free as the prairie winds and as beautiful as her momma.”

“Oh Eli.”

Eli turned to see Amanda smiling at him from the doorway at the far end of the Pullman. He walked straight to her and pulled her to him. She was laughing as he swung her around and around.

“Amanda, you are more like a daughter to me than a daughter-in-law. You’ll never know just how happy I am that you and Jon David came up here to run this big outfit for us. You two have made us millions of dollars just by investing and watching over our money. Thank you for helping Jon David and the others get this Crow Train. I’m ready to pick out a place on the map and go now.”

“Dad, I’m as excited as you and Jon David are about this. He and I talked about it for a long time, then we asked Sissy and Analisa what they thought. The more we talked, the more we wanted to do this for you, and for all of us.

“Wait until you see the Pullman Sleeper we bought; it is even larger than the one we picked out. When Jon David called the man in Chicago to order the cars we wanted, the man asked why we needed such a large sleeper. Jon David told him that we had a very large family. Then the man told Jon David he had one Sleeper that was even larger than the one he’d asked for. Jon David bought that one so we would all have a place to sleep.”

“Is the Sleeper the next car?” Eli asked as she took his hand and walked through the door to the connecting vestibules.

“No, the next car is the diner car. We didn’t want to try and make meals in the business coach, so we spent more of your money and bought this,” she told him as she opened the door.

“Dad, how do you like the way the vestibules at the ends of the cars are enclosed making passage between cars safer for us and especially the younger ones?”

“Amanda, this is just too much!” Eli said as they stepped from one car to the other on an enclosed platform connecting to the diner car. When Amanda opened the door of the diner, there sat Howard, Jefferson, Duncan, and Moses at a table drinking coffee.

“Eli, come in and have a cup of hot coffee with us. The service is fine and the view from this table is the best in this part of the country,” Howard told him as he and Jefferson stood.

“Jefferson, did you and Howard know about this beforehand?” Eli asked as they shook hands and grinned at each other.

“No, Eli. Amanda and Jon David told us yesterday that we needed to be at the office early this morning. They said that they had some papers we needed to look at,” Jefferson said.

“Eli, what do you think of all this now that they’ve bought this train with your money? Do you think we can take some time off now to travel a little?” Duncan asked as the other men joined them to drink coffee in the new diner car.