It was June the 12th, only three weeks into the trip to Oregon. Already the women were complaining about the trip: the dust, the lack of privacy, the difficulties of cooking every meal over a campfire instead of an iron, wood burning stove, the weary work of hauling water from the Platte, or one of its tributaries. The things they could find to complain about were endless. James could hear them morning and night as they broke camp and made camp.
Monarch iron wood burning stove circa 1850s
by Hardyplants at Wikipedia - Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
James was so proud of his young bride, Mary Ann! She was such a trooper - no complaints from her. Instead, she told stories to Mary Kyniston that made the little girl giggle, and made jokes with her mother, Nancy, that put a smile on her tired face. Oh yes, his new bride was a blessing to him, way beyond anything he had expected.
Tonight they were having buffalo stew - again. Instead of complaining that all they had was buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, Mary Ann said it was wonderful they had good meat off the hoof, and could save the stores they were hauling for when game was scarce. She had amusing comments about the monuments and wonders of the trail. Today it was Courthouse Rock - that huge block of sandstone and clay, standing up in the middle of the flat plain.
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| Courthouse Rock - a Public Domain image by Caddywagon at Wikipedia |
She threatened to throw them all in the Courthouse Rock jail if they didn't come quick to dinner while the food was still hot. The wagon train was making good time, at least on the days when they were not interrupted by soldiers, or by Indians, or by a stampede or a thunderstorm. It was a conundrum, how many things could just crop up out of the blue to deter, delay or discourage them.
James was beginning to see some advantages in the way Mary Ann, and her family, studied the Bible and learned verses by heart. Yesterday, after that awful stampede, they had first thanked God for saving their wagon and animals and themselves from harm. Then they began discussing the benefits of trials, and quoted to each other Romans 5:3 - 5 "but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed: because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
There were other similar verses they quoted, but it was enough for him to try to assimilate even one of them. Was this what made them so different from other people on the wagon train? They didn't grumble or complain, they didn't get mad and lose their tempers, or swear, and more than what didn't happen, they were kind and loving, not only to each other, but even to strangers. "I could certainly use a better attitude", thought James. "I need to pay attention and find out how they do this. How do they get this Helper they talk about, this Holy Ghost?"
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