Chapter 6

David headed north toward Minnesota. The journey was fairly uneventful. As David passed through towns, he sold off a piece or two of his wife's jewelry. The buyer always commented on how he never saw anything like it before. David accumulated a tidy sum of money. Since his schooner was motorized, he traveled farther than the 12 to 20 miles a day that settlers traveled. The floatation worked perfectly and he crossed rivers with no problem.

David stopped when he reached a little town called Green River. The name was not from the color of the water but from the lusciousness of vegetation around it. The prime "waterfront" property was taken, but he wanted to live on the edge of town anyway.

He lived in his schooner until he completed his log cabin in about a week. Since he was away from the rest of the town residents, he used his power tools freely. He did his best to make his house look like those in the area. He did add window screens to keep bugs out and brought modern day sealants to eliminate drafts. Another modern feature was laminate tile that he rolled out over the floor. He didn't want to constantly sweep out his house. He went into town and hired men to help build the fireplace and to dig his well. The men were grateful for his generous pay.

Word quickly spread that someone new lived in town. His first visitor was a young thirteen year old girl. She arrived with a basket and met him near the ladder as he worked on building a barn.

"Hello, I'm Esther Byrd. My mama made some bread to welcome you to the neighborhood."

He took the basket. "Tell your mama, 'Thank you'."

"You can tell her yourself if you want. You're also invited over for dinner."

"I'll have to take a raincheck."

"Raincheck?"

"Do it another time?"

"Okay. What's your name?"

"Sanders," he instinctively replied then caught himself. "Daniel Sanders." He just decided his name.

"So you by yourself?" she asked

"I don't have any workers today."

"No. I was meaning are you married?" She looked around.

He paused and thought about Mandy.

"No," he said.

"So why you move out here?"

He wanted her to head back home, so he could continue his work.

"Can I see your house?" She asked abruptly and headed off that way before he could stop her. She opened the front door. "What is that?" She pointed down.

The newly named Daniel Sanders moved in front of Esther before she impulsively entered the house.

"That's a special floor covering," he said. "You cannot tell people I have it, Esther."

"Why not?"

"I have a lot of things other people do not have. It is better that others do not know about it. You will need to trust me and keep it our secret."

"I trust you, Daniel," she said.

Something about the way she said that made him think she did trust him and would not tell.

"I'll see you later, okay?" he said, encouraging her to leave.

"Okay."

"Thank you, Esther," he said as she left. "You are my very first friend in Green River."

She smiled big. His flattery worked.

Esther was a spunky, bold girl, he reflected. Her looks had similarities to his daughter Zarah.

After a month, Daniel was fairly settled into his new homestead. On the outside, his home and barn looked like any other. On the inside, he had modern items to make life more comfortable. He wanted more protection from the elements than the typical settler had in this day and age.

He immediately made friends with the owner of the general store because he ordered a plow on their first meeting. The owner was happy to have an expensive sale. Plowing was hard work, but Daniel did it. It was already late-summer so the growing season was almost over. He grew a few things before winter came. By next spring, he would become a real farmer.

He ran pipes from the river to set up an irrigation system and put running water into his house.

As he set up home, the girl Esther Byrd, appeared every few days. She often asked him about coming over for dinner, but he thought she came over just because she was curious about him. He admitted he enjoyed when she came over. She was a very nice friendly girl.

He made the mistake of offering her a drink out of a plastic cup. It was one more thing to start her going.

"Remember, I have things you cannot talk about," he reminded her.

"I was not going to tell," she replied. "I just like to know things."

Esther was full of questions.

"So why don't you go to church?" she asked one time while they sat together on his porch. Most houses did not have a porch.

"I just want to get everything set up and livable first," he answered.

"So you will go to church then?"

"Yes. Church is important to me. Do you like church here?"

"It's okay," she shrugged. "I don't understand much. I just know I should go."

"Maybe I can teach you," he said.

"Really?" She was excited.

"Be right back." He stepped into his home and came out with his Bible.

The Bible cover was intriguing by itself to Esther. The binding and leather cover of the Bible were also something she never saw before.

"You even have your own special Bible!" she said in awe.

"I bought it somewhere far away," he replied. He opened it. "Can you read?" He knew many people were illiterate and sometimes fathers cared little if their daughters were educated.

"Oh, yes!" she said with excitement.

He handed her the Bible. "Why don't you read John 3:16?"

Esther did and Daniel explained the meaning of the verse.

"You are smart," she said later.

Daniel shrugged. "There's a lot I don't know about living in Green River. Maybe you can teach me?"

"Me?"

"Why not?"

Esther liked that idea.

Daniel finally accepted an invitation to dinner with the Byrd family. Esther greeted him with a big hug. Esther was part of a typical large family. Samuel and Rachel Byrd had seven children. Esther told him everything about them before dinner was ready. Jonathan was the oldest at seventeen. He moved to Chicago and her parents did not like to talk about him because of that. Her older sister Ruth was over with her husband Thomas. Ruth was only fifteen and her husband was forty-five which was the same age as her father. Papa Samuel and Thomas were good friends. Ruth had two children already. Daniel had forgotten that marriages often occurred at young ages in these times. Esther's mother Rachel emphasized that point to Daniel even more. She was only thirty-two which was two years younger than Daniel and she already had seven children. Samuel and Rachel married when he was twenty-six and she was thirteen. Esther's older sister married when she was twelve. Daniel was uncomfortable with the young marriages even though he knew it was normal.

Daniel continued to take in 13-year old Esther's details about the family. After Esther was born there were her sister Hannah, age eleven, brother Peter, age ten, and twins, David and Daniel, age nine.

"Why are you not married, Daniel?" Papa Samuel asked him.

"I am a widower," he replied. "My wife and children were killed."

"There are many lovely women in this area," Rachel told him. "Aren't there, Esther?"

"Yes, Mama." she replied.

"A man needs a woman," Samuel replied.

Not always, Daniel thought.

After dinner, the conversation was awkward. Samuel talked about finding a good, hardworking man for Esther. Daniel stayed quiet and pretended to be interested in the topic. Samuel liked to talk.

Daniel's interest in the conversation perked up when Samuel said, "If sometime you are interested in courting Esther, I approve. You seem to be an honest and responsible man. Most importantly, you are a God-fearing man. I know you are a man who would take good care of her and treat her properly.

"Thank you," was all Daniel thought to say. He was rendered speechless.

As Daniel left and started to walk home, Esther ran and caught up with him.

"Papa said he gave you permission to court me!" She was ecstatic.

"I did not say I would do it." The remark instantly burst her bubble.

"Why not?" The change from big smile to sad face was rapid.

"You are only thirteen."

"I know. I will be fourteen next year. I am getting old."

"No. You are too young to be married."

"My sister was twelve when she was married. Mama was thirteen. My friend Mary was thirteen when she got married. She married some real old, old guy not like you."

"I am thirty-four. I am older than your Mama."

"That is not that old. You look young."

"Thank you, but I do not know if I ever will want to marry again."

The conversation did not stop Esther from coming around. She walked over to his place two or three times a week. He learned more and more about what it was like to live in 1880. She often sat with him at church or walked over if she saw him at the store. He asked her to dance at the town picnics. He enjoyed her company. Her Papa was not as friendly however.