In the Valley of Hope Page 16

  “I am so sorry but...”

  “We had a deal. Maybe we can let the fact that you didn't come over in that rainstorm last Sunday slide but you showing up here uninvited on Saturday is unacceptable. And another thing. That letter you wrote to Mable was indecent. The two of you barely know each other and then you have the nerve to write a poem about how much you love her and how you want to take her to some foreign place with you.”

  Charlie was as surprised as Mary Shown to hear the content of the letter and he tried to make his case for leniency, but she wouldn't let him talk.

  Moses attempted to appeal on Charlie's behalf, but Mary was too fired up to stop her tirade and when he finally did speak his mind it only made matters worse. “Charlie is homeless and he lost everything.”

  There might as well have been a sign hanging around Charlie's neck that said “loser” because she then launched into a sermon about him being irresponsible and unfit to call on her daughter.

  Not wanting to be disrespectful and get into an argument with Mrs. Shown, Charlie again said that he was sorry and turned to leave.

  “Wait,” said Moses. “Mary you need to calm down and hear what he has to say.”

  Charlie wondered how such a sweet, gentle, and proper woman was capable of pitching such a fit. She answered that question after finally listening to his story saying apologetically, “It's a mama's job to protect her children and nobody's going to hurt my baby girl without hearing from me.”

  Before summoning Mable to the kitchen, Charlie promised that as soon as he saved enough money that he would buy a new suit so that he could join them for church on Sundays. Then he mustered up the courage to ask that Mable be allowed to join her old friends from Stover School for a picnic the following Saturday. As usual, Mary hesitated to give her blessing but ultimately gave in with a list of rules that were to be strictly followed. Frank Wissler was to drive his motor car no faster than a horse-drawn wagon. There would be no touching, smooching, or sweet talking. The girls were to sit together in the back and the boys in the front and Mable was to be brought safely home before dark.

  “Go into the parlor and I'll see if Mable is up to talking to you,” said Mary.

  Before Mary could complete her sentence, Mable was down the stairs and on the sofa beside him. Unlike her mother Mable let Charlie tell her about all that had happened in recent days and the reason for not showing up the previous Sunday. Upon hearing the news, she was sympathetic, supportive, and very concerned that he was living in a barn, but he assured her that the arrangement was only temporary until he could get a place of his own.

  She was thrilled that she would be permitted to go on an outing with her old buddies. It would be her first time to ride in an automobile and even more important, in her mind, it sounded like a double date. A perfect arrangement. Frank and Cilla. Charlie and Mable.

  Orkney Picnic – October 5, 1918

  Eleven years had passed since their last meeting so they were excited at the prospects of getting together again. Frank Wissler III was in charge of transportation, Mable and Cilla handled the catering, and Charlie's responsibility was to get far enough ahead in his work to be able to join the party.

  Their destination was the Grand Hotel at Orkney Springs, a popular resort primarily for those in need of the healing powers of the nine mineral springs located near the hotel. Since the middle of the nineteenth century, Orkney had been a favorite gathering place for the elite upper class of Virginia and surrounding states.

  Frank's first stop after leaving Strathmore was at Moe Snider's Hardware and Filling Station in Mt. Jackson. From there he would travel to the Miller farm to pick up Cilla and Charlie and then onto the Shown home where Mable would join them. All the traveling back and forth over country roads to retrieve his passengers and then to the final destination at Orkney Springs would take nearly an hour.

  Wherever Frank went in his Buick Touring Car, he was the center of attention and this occasion would be no exception. When he arrived at his first stop, the Buick was quickly surrounded by the Miller family admiring his fine vehicle. Cilla was ecstatic that she was getting to ride in such a fine automobile, but Charlie just played it cool and acted as if it was no big deal.

  Charlie helped Cilla load the food she and her mother had prepared in the back seat. “Hope you like fried chicken and potato salad,” said Cilla to which both of her companions were agreeable. Unfortunately, the Buick didn't have a trunk so the girls would have to manage their cargo on the floorboard and in their laps if need be.

  By the time they headed for their next stop to pick up Mable they were already cutting up and laughing. Charlie warned them about Mary Shown's rules and that it was important to be on their best behavior.

  “I want to sit up front,” said Cilla.

  “Mrs. Shown gave strict orders that the girls are to sit in the back seat.”

  “Then let me up there and then we'll just switch places before we get there.”

  Frank stopped the car to fulfill Cilla's request. When he pulled back onto the road Cilla wanted to know what other rules were to be followed.

  “No way I could remember all of them,” said Charlie. “I do remember that there is to be no sweet talk or smooching.”

  “Well then,” said Cilla. “No problem. I promise I won't kiss Mable. But I just might plant a big old kiss on one of you fellas, maybe both. What's Mr. Shown look like? I might be of a mind to kiss him.”

  “Please behave when you get there, Cilla,” said Charlie fearing that she would spoil Mable's chances of going on the picnic.

  When they arrived at the Shown home Frank's automobile again attracted an audience. “Mighty fine machine you got there,” said Moses as he inspected the vehicle. “Don't expect you have to clean up after these contraptions like you do horses.”

  Even Mary Shown admired the vehicle. “Lawd, Lawd. Will you look at that?”

  Charlie introduced his traveling companions. “Mr. and Mrs. Shown, I'd like you to meet Cilla Miller and Frank Wissler.”

  “Feel like we already been knowing you,” said Mary. “Mable has talked about you since you were kids.”

  “Mable, you all ready to go?” said Charlie.

  “I could use some help bringing out the food.”

  “Ever ridden in an automobile, Mrs. Shown?” said Frank.

  “Can't say that I have.”

  “Why don't you and Mr. Shown hop in and I'll take you for a little ride while Charlie and Cilla help Mable.”

  “Perfect,” thought Charlie. Getting the Showns involved in the fun was a great idea and so far, Cilla was on her best behavior.

  Once inside the kitchen Mable pointed to her preparations for the outing. “There's ham salad sandwiches, fried chicken, cole slaw, potato salad, iced tea, peach pie, and butterscotch cake.”

  “All that?” said Priscilla. “There's just four of us.”

  “Then you'll have some to take home,” said Mable.

  When they headed back out of the house, Frank was returning with some jubilant passengers. “You reckon I could honk that horn?” said Moses.

  “Have at it,” said Frank.

  “Act your age,” said Mary unimpressed at the loud beeping.

  “We'll have her back before dark,” said Frank as Charlie and Cilla tried to find a place in the back seat to store all of Mable's food.

  After Mary had given a quick review of her rules Frank assured her that they would have Mable back before dark, and then off they went, considerably more reserved than when they left the Miller farm.

  It didn't take long for the laughter to return as they began to recall their days at Stover School under the fearsome tutelage of Miss Beulah.

  “Saw her kissing old man Weezer behind the outhouse,” said Cilla.

  “No, you didn't,” said Charlie.

  “Can't imagine how old Weezer could kiss something that looked like that.”

  “Didn't look like he had much choice. She just grabbed him and wouldn't let go. T
hought she was gonna squeeze the stuffing out of him.”

  “Wonder whatever happened to her?” said Mable. “I'd like to see her again.”

  “I hear she died a year or two ago,” said Frank.

  “That would be one scary ghost,” said Cilla.

  The joking and fun continued all the way to Orkney Springs and they were all plenty hungry, and thanks to Mable, there would be more than they could possibly consume in one picnic.

  “Makes that little bit of chicken and potato salad I brought look kind of sad,” said Cilla.

  “Can't wait to try it,” said Mable. “I'll bet it's delicious.”

  Frank parked the car and they toted their picnic lunch to the gazebo overlooking the pond across from the Grand Hotel. A crowd of visitors had assembled on the lawn to listen to a brass band concert. The bright mid-day sunshine lit up a beautiful Orkney landscape adorned by a sea of golden, brown, and red fall foliage. Except for the chill in the air, it was a perfect day for their reunion.

  Cilla ran ahead of the others and when she arrived at the gazebo, she announced the writing on a sign at the entrance. “Reserved for the Wissler party.”

  “Nice job, Frank,” said Charlie as he stood patiently waiting for instructions on what to do with Mable’s large picnic basket.

  “Hotel manager is a friend of the family,” said Frank.

  Cilla removed a table cloth from her basket, spread it over the picnic table, and then they put out the food.

  “Now that's some banquet,” said Frank. “Thanks, gals. This is great.”

  Everything was running smoothly until they took their seats. That's when Cilla plopped down beside Charlie which forced Mable to sit on the opposite side with Frank, not at all the arrangement she had in mind. It wouldn't have bothered her so much if Cilla had not been so blatantly flirting with him and practically sitting in his lap.

  Frank posed a question that none of them could really answer. “How is it that all of us are still single?”

  “I say we go find us a preacher and get hitched today. What about it, Charlie? Will you have me as your wife?” said Cilla while grabbing Charlie's arm and pulling him closer. “Frank, how do you think Mable would fit in over at Strathmore?”

  “We would treat her like a queen,” said Frank. “How about it, Mable? Want to be the queen of Strathmore?”

  “Why would we have to live with your parents?” said Mable pretending not to be bothered by Cilla's advances on Charlie. “If you really loved me you would come live with my parents.”

  “Do I get to keep my car?”

  “Nope. We Showns prefer to travel by mule.”

  “Charlie, you haven't answered my question yet. You gonna marry me or not?” asked Cilla while Charlie cut another piece of butterscotch cake.

  “Don't want to hurt your feelings none but I expect I'll be marrying whoever baked this here cake.”

  “I guess it's gonna be me and you then, Frank,” said Cilla, “and I'll let you keep the car and I'll gladly be the queen of Strathmore.”

  After they had stuffed themselves, Frank took them on a tour of Orkney Springs and while they walked Cilla continued to hang onto Charlie which did not sit well with Mable. She was even more perturbed with Charlie, who couldn't stop laughing at Cilla's silly jokes and crazy antics.

  This had become a day of firsts for Mable. First ride in a car. First trip to Orkney. First double date. It was also her first experience with jealousy, and consequently, the first time she had ever wanted to scratch the eyes out of another woman. Lord, give me patience, she prayed as she did her best not to be obvious about her real feelings.

  Inside the Grand Hotel, they stepped into an impressively ornate ballroom and as the brass band continued to play on the lawn, Cilla grabbed Charlie's hand and tried to get him to dance. “Come on, let's do the Turkey Trot.”

  “Don't know nothing about dancing,” said Charlie as he stepped away from his wannabe dancing partner. “Come on, Frank. You Wisslers know how to Turkey Trot don't you. Come on over here and let's show them how it's done.”

  As Mable and Charlie watched, Cilla and Frank demonstrated the popular dance. They hopped on one foot and then on the other and then threw in some scissor-like flicks of the feet followed by fast trotting and sudden stops.

  “Where did you learn to dance like that, Cilla?” said Frank panting from the aerobic workout.

  “College.”

  “You went to college?”

  “You don't think I'm smart?”

  “Just didn't know you went to college. Come on and join us, Mable” said Frank doing his best to keep up with Cilla.

  “No thanks,” she said all the while thinking that the dancing was embarrassingly vulgar.

  “Reminds me of the old gobbler that ended up on our dinner table last Thanksgiving.” said Charlie.

  With the dancing exhibition concluded they departed the hotel and walked down a path through a wooded area leading to the mineral springs of Orkney that allegedly healed people of everything from gout to measles.

  “It's just water,” said Mable. “You don't think it can actually make people well do you?

  “Let's try it out,” said Charlie. “Cilla you jump in and see if it'll heal you and make you act like regular folks.”

  “Nope. Too cold,” said Cilla as she snuggled up to Charlie. “Get me warm.”

  Mable was about ready to explode but felt some relief when Charlie quickly pulled away from Cilla's embrace to point out a cat that had just scampered up a tree. When Cilla looked up to see what was happening, a bird on a branch above her made an ample feces deposit on her nose causing her friends to laugh uncontrollably.

  Then came a shocking cursing tirade followed by an urgent request. “Somebody get me a towel or something before I throw up.” Frank quickly responded with a handkerchief and Cilla slowly calmed down and then joined in on the laughter.

  No one enjoyed the unexpected episode more than Mable. Serves you right, she thought. Then she quietly thanked God and the bird for their part in Cilla's misfortune and actually got up the nerve to break one of her mother's rules. She took Charlie's hand in hers and the two then walked together all the way back to the gazebo as Cilla was suddenly uncharacteristically quiet.

  “Better get this stuff packed up so we can get back before dark,” said Frank.

  Mable smiled all the way home and chuckled as she recalled the bird dropping incident.

  “You OK back there Cilla?” said Frank. “Ain't like you to be so still.”

  “Just tired I reckon.”

  Before sundown, Mable was dropped off at her home, just as her mother had demanded. When Charlie got out of the car to help her carry the leftovers, she stopped him. “Take it back with you so you'll have something for your supper.”

  Charlie stared into Mable's eyes and wondered if this would be the appropriate time to kiss her goodnight.

  “Hurry up, Charlie,” said Priscilla. “It's almost dark.”

  “See you soon,” said Charlie smiling.

  “Can't wait. By the way, you never told me your new address.”

  Charlie was caught off guard by Mable's request so he improvised. “Uh, keep sending your letters to my old address. My sisters will see that I get them.”

  As Frank Wissler's green Buick faded from sight, Mable walked toward the house and thought about how wonderful it felt to hold Charlie's hand. She even felt victorious in the battle with Priscilla for Charlie's affections. It was indeed a great day.

  Showdown – October 16, 1918

  It didn't take long for Charlie to adapt to his new life at the Miller farm. Most of the menial tasks that were once his responsibility when working for his father were now handled by someone else allowing him to focus his attention on the livestock farming that he loved. More importantly, for the first time ever his talents and abilities were appreciated.

  Russell Miller was so impressed with Charlie's work he decided to see if he was ready for the buying and selling part
of the livestock business. A trip to the stockyards in Woodstock would be Charlie's first test and an opportunity for Russell to show off his impressive new hire.

  As they headed for the wagon to the show barn, Russell spotted an old friend and couldn't wait for him to meet Charlie. “Hey, Buster. Over here.”

  When Buster saw Russell he took leave from his partner and pushed his way through the crowd to say hello. Meanwhile, Charlie's attention was on the other man he saw with Buster.

  “Fancy meeting you here today you old Sidewinder,” said Russell.

  “How you been?”

  “Been doing mighty fine. How's the Wisslers been treating you?”

  “No complaints.”

  “Buster, I want you to meet the feller that replaced you. This here is Charlie Polk.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Charlie.”

  This was exactly the kind of meeting that Russell wanted. Buster Funkhouser was a good friend and it hurt his feelings when Buster left his farm to work at Strathmore.

  Come with me. Got somebody I want you to meet,” said Buster motioning for Russell and Charlie to follow him.

  “Like you gentlemen to meet my boss, John Wissler.”

  “Gents.”

  “John, this is my old friend, Russell Miller and sorry, but I forgot the name of the feller with you.”

  Much to Russell's surprise John Wissler shook Charlie's hand first. “I know Charlie Polk. Haven't seen you in the longest.”

  “Good to see you again,” said Charlie. It has been a long time.”

  Suddenly Russell wondered if it was such a good idea for Charlie to be talking to John Wissler. He wanted Buster to know that Charlie was the perfect man to take his place, but he sure didn't want John Wissler to steal another one of his workers.

  “If you gents will excuse me, I've got some business in the sales office,” said John Wissler, which was welcome news to Russell.

  “Come sit with us,” said Russell. “You buying or selling today?”

  “Little bit of both, I reckon. How about you?”

  “Gonna leave that up to Charlie. Never met nobody that knows more about animals,” said Russell, who delighted in bragging on his new found talent.