Nan's Journey (4 page)

“Mama told me about Jesus too. I guess I’ve been too sad about her dying and stuff to think He cares much about me.”
Nan quickly brushed a tear away.

“Nan, He does care…doesn’t He? I need Him to care.”

“Mama said He does, but I don’t really know if He does. Why would he give us such bad trouble as we have had if He really cares?"

Elmer looked at her with a determined look in his five-year-old eyes, “I think He does care.
”
His eyes were
filled with tears. He looked
pi
tiful and sweet, but Nan wasn’t v
ery sure about whether God wanted to help them with everything that Elmer was asking for. Maybe He would help a little. That was all they needed now, just a little help.

“I guess it won’t hurt us to ask for a little help
,
”
s
he grunted.

*****

The train
lurched to a stop. Nan saw
hundreds of sheep next to the train. She heard shouts from the engineer and sheepherders. The engineer was angry about the sheep crossing the track. Elmer’s eyes widened as he saw the sheepherder’s dog running this way and that, moving the sheep across the
tracks
quickly. He sprang back and routed out stray sheep that were going the wrong way. He worked quickly and efficiently.

“Look Nan, that dog is moving as if he
is
having fun!”

Nan was amazed at the grace and agility of the humble little creature. She thought again,
“
humble
”
wasn’t quite the word. She had never seen a dog trained for such a task. It was like watching a dance.

The train slowly began to roll. Nan and Elmer edged to the opposite side of the boxcar to watch the little dog as long as they could. There were two sheepherders, all those sheep, and one little black and white dog. W
hen he
disappeared
from sight
, they both were in their own thoughts.
“That surely was a smart dog, Elmer”

“Do ya think we could ever get one, Nan, for our very own?”

“Well, we don’t have
any sheep…
I don’t know.”

“Maybe we will get some sheep so we can have a little dog like that one.”

Nan had no idea about sheep. How to get them, raise them,
shear them, or anything.
Did
you have to have a lot of land?
She just smiled and thought about th
at intelligent little dog. Nan began to plan
.
Soon the train will stop, the door will be unlocked and we could get out. What will we do then?
I
must find a way to earn some money
for food
.
If she
could only think of something she could do. Maybe chop
wood or hoe in a garden or do other chores
?

The trai
n stopped on the edge of a fair-
sized town. Nan watched as several men approached the boxcar. One of the fellows was short and stout with a mass of red hair and freckles. The second man was tall and lean with balding black hair. The third person was a big young boy with a sunburned face and blonde hair. The first unlocked the boxcar door and the three of them unloaded all the crates from the boxcar. After it was unloaded, the children climbed out of their hiding place behind the hay bales. The door was left open so Nan jumped to the ground. Elmer threw the bedrolls down to her and reached out for help to the ground.

Nan tied a bedroll to Elmer’s back and one to her own. They kept the fishing poles and still had the look of two boys off fishing. Slowly they walked away from the train and over to the railroad station. There were a few men and boys milling around. Some of them were unloading freight.

“Hey, anyone, I need some help unloading these three boxcars!
…
Any takers?”

Nan stepped up, “I’ll do it!”

“Say boy
,
you’re kind of a runt aren’t you?”

“I’m strong.” Nan stated.

“What’s your name, kid?”

“Ned.”

“Alright kid, see if you can unload th
at boxcar over there. There’s fifty
cents in it if you do a quick job of it. Pile the crates on this spot on the platform.”

“Elmer, you sit over there under the tree and rest. We’re gonna eat a good meal today!”

Nan lifted and stacked the crates one by one onto the platform. Some of them were
heavy and others
felt as i
f they had nothing in them. Most
had labels: cloth, ammunition, crackers, or nails.

As Nan placed
the last box on the platform, the
small elderly man spoke to her
,
“Looks like you have managed to unload my shipment
,
young man. How would you like to help put all this on the shelves of my dry goods store and sweep up for me?”

“I would love to
,
sir
,
” Nan answered quickly
,
“
but I must feed my little brother first. Do you have a buckboard for me to load the crates onto?”

“So that little feller is your kid brother huh? Naw, don’t bother about the buckboard; Lenny and Matt can deliver the crat
es to the store. As far as feed…
Mama has dinner ready for me when I get there and she always makes too much for just me to eat. Come with me.”

Nan called to Elmer and he ran over to her and the older man.

Chapter
6

Nate and Martha watched the hungry children devour more food than they could imagine. They ate very slowly and deliberately, relishing each mouthful. These little beggars were different than most runaways
who
had been fed in this kitchen. They had a real upbri
nging and manners. They were
grateful. Nate felt a knot forming in his stoma
ch. Ned, the bigger one, was
concerned about the younger brother and was e
specially careful that he drank
plenty of milk.
Martha asked.
“Ned, is the little one feeling sickly or something?”

“Yes, he suffers from blinding headaches. He hasn’t had one today, but yesterday he hurt bad.”

“Where are your kin?”
Martha asked.

“Oh, at home. We jumped on the train for an exciting ride after we finished fishin’, but the people who loaded the boxcar, locked it, and we couldn’t jump off like we planned. Ma is used to us getting carried away and havin’
to spend the night out campin’…only…we forgot to pack a lunch
…I guess we figured we’d catch a little more fish, but no luck.”

Elmer
looked at Nan and wondered how
she
could come up with such a big story so quickly.
Nan was surprised herself! She had come up with some of it while unloading the boxcar. The rest just came out. She would have to remember exactly what she had said.

“Well, when you finish tidying up the store, I’ll drive you home in the buckboard
,
”
Nate declared.

“Oh, we can walk
,
” Nan responded quickly.

“We will see after the job is done,” said Nate. Martha began clearing the dishes from the table. Nan and Elmer took their plates to the washbasin and started the dishwater as if by habit. Martha looked at the little ragged children in wonder, “Boys, I can do this, you look all done in.”

Elmer grinned at her and said, “You’re a nice lady. You cook good
,
too!”

“We really don’
t
mind doing the dishes Mrs
.—
I’m
sorry
,
I don’t know your name
,
”
Nan smiled sweetly.

“Young. This is Nate Young and I’m Martha. You may find it funny that a couple so old would have the name of
Y
oung”

“Mama, we will forever be young because of it
—
isn’t that right
,
boys!” Nate chortled.

“Elmer, you can stay with me while your brother goes to the mercantile to help Nate stock the shelves. That would be ok
ay
wouldn’t it be, Ned?”
Martha winked at Nan.

*****

Nan and Nate worked on stocking the shelves for the better part of th
e afternoon. Nan began
sweat
ing profusely and beca
me weak as she tried to earn the wonderful dinner t
hey had just eaten. Once
she began to fall from the ladder
leaned
against the tall shelves. Nate put his hand on her back to brace
her. She almost cried
out. The look of pain in her eyes and the pink sweat all across the back of her shirt did not escape Nate’s eyes. It was then that Nate spoke
,
“Ned
,
boy
,
lets save the rest of this work for tomorrow. Here is a cup of water. You look as if you need it.”

Nan drank thi
rstily from the cup and worried when she
saw Nate studying her face.

“Boy, I know you are a run
away. You are hurt bad. Your shirt is starting to soak with blood.” At this Nan jumped up a
nd started
to run
only Elmer was
still
with Mrs. Young.

“This is the truth isn’t it,
b
oy?”

“Yes sir.”

“Let me put some salve on your back and while I’m cleaning you up, you can tell me what is going on.” Nate went to the cupboard where he kept the salves and ointments.

“Take off your shirt and I’ll doctor you up.”

Nan pulled the shirt carefully from her back and held the bloody and sweaty, skunk scented rags close to her chest.

“I have never seen anything so
…”

Nate couldn’t continue. Tears caught in his throat, “I better get the doc
.
”

Nan jumped up, “No! Please don’t! I don’t want anyone else to know!”

“Little feller, there is really angry cuts, puss, and bruises. Your skin is so hot, you have fever and it might get worse. Who did this to you?”

“I can’t tell you
,
” Nan said
,
quietly
.

“
…
Your Ma or Pa?”

“No, they would never beat me like this!”

“Well somebody did something! I will get the sheriff if you don’t tell.”

“Please don’t! It was my step-
ma! I can’t let Elmer go back there. She was gonna start on him next!”

“I don’t know what to do. I do know that I’ll not take you back to any person who would cut up a kid like this! Martha will know what to do.”

Tears ran
down
Martha’s face
as she
looked at Nan’s back. S
he
had never
seen
such a mess. “Ned, you said that you got this whippin’ so your brother wouldn’t get it.”

“Yes
m
a’am, i
t really was my fault for not getting the firewood.”

“Did y
ou know, a long time ago a young man took a bad beating so that we could be healed by God. He was the So
n of God
.”

Elmer came across the room and stood close to Nan.

She continued.
“Yes, just before he was crucified on a cross. He was beaten. The Scripture
says
, ‘He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities and by His stripes we are healed.”

“What does that mean?” asked Elmer.

“It means that He died on the cross for our sin and He was beaten so that we can be healed. Honey, I’m going to pray for you while I put some more of this salve on you.”
Martha prayed a fine, simple prayer as she carefully administered to the broken flesh. “Now you must get into some fresh clothes and rest in bed. You are quite feverish.”

“Ned, come here.”

Nan had forgotten her new name and failed to respond. Elmer chimed in, “Nan, Martha wants you to follow her to the bedroom.”

“Nan, is it? Dear me, a little girl? What is wrong, dearie?

Nan blanched. She saw Mr. Dewey walking
down the stree
t past the Young’s house. E
verything went black.