The Little Sparrows (17 page)

“All right.”

Rachel took the canvas bag and put an arm around the girl. “I have some friends waiting over here. They’ll take us to the Society’s headquarters.”

Josie put her arm around Rachel, and as they made their way across the grass, weaving their way among the grave markers, Rachel said, “I haven’t asked your age, but I’m guessing you’re going to turn thirteen on your next birthday.”

Josie smiled up at her. “As Papa would say, Miss Wolford, you hit the nail right on the head.”

Rachel chuckled. “Sometimes I do that.”

Josie squeezed her tight with the arm that encircled her waist. She had developed an attachment to Miss Rachel Wolford quickly.

When Rachel and Josie arrived at the Society’s headquarters, Rachel took her into the office to register her for a room and establish the date she would be put on a train for her trip west.

Rachel introduced Josie to Mildred Fallon, one of Mr. Brace’s assistants, and as they sat down in front of Mildred’s desk, Rachel told her how she found Josie at the 116th Street Cemetery, then related Josie’s story to her.

Mildred used a hanky to dab at the tears that had filled her eyes. “Well, Josie, we’re going to see that you find a good home somewhere out West. The next train that is not yet full will leave
Grand Central Station on Tuesday morning, June 16. I’m placing you on that train.”

“Oh, good!” exclaimed Rachel. “That’s the one I’m scheduled on after I make this trip that I’m going on tomorrow.”

Josie’s eyes lit up. “You mean we’ll be on the same train when I go?”

“We sure will, sweetie.”

“I’ll look forward to that!”

“Me too. We’ll get better acquainted that way.”

When the papers had been completed, Mildred said, “All right, Josie, I’ll take you to the room where you’ll be staying while you’re here. One thing for sure. You won’t be lonely. There are five other girls in the room. They will be going west on the same train with you.”

Josie smiled. “Oh, boy! A chance to make new friends!”

Rachel hugged Josie, saying she had to get to her apartment and make ready to leave on the train tomorrow morning. Josie hugged her tight, kissed her cheek, and thanked her once again for caring about her.

When Mildred Fallon took Josie Holden into the room where she would be staying, the five girls—ages eleven to fourteen—welcomed her warmly. After Mildred was gone, the girls sat down with Josie and asked about her; why she was going west. Their hearts went out to her while she told them her story.

Josie then asked to hear their stories. Two of the girls had been recently orphaned, like her. The other three told horror stories of having to live on the New York City streets for the past several years—hungry and dressed in rags. They told of friends who starved to death on the streets, and of others who froze to death during the winters. Josie’s heart went out to them for what they had suffered. Each one then told how she had been found hungry and in tatters by some member of the Children’s Aid
Society and brought to their headquarters. One girl told that it was Charles Loring Brace and his wife who had picked her up off the street and brought her to the Society, telling her they would send her out West on one of the orphan trains so she could find a good home.

The next morning, Rachel Wolford came to the room in her white nurse’s uniform to see Josie before heading to the railroad station. Josie assured her she was fine and told her how much she liked the girls with whom she was rooming.

As Rachel was about to leave, Josie hugged her. “Miss Wolford, thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Josie.” Rachel then kissed the girl’s forehead and hurried away with tears in her eyes.

As the days came and went in Cheyenne, Jody Claiborne remained in the coma. The women who had volunteered to stay at the girl’s side during the nights—including Betty Houston—were faithful to do so. Dr. John Traynor personally oversaw his nurses as they fed broth to Jody and gave her water, and he examined her several times a day, watching her vital signs carefully.

On Wednesday, June 3, Sam and Emma arrived at the clinic just before sundown. Nurse Wilma Harned was at the desk and greeted them. Emma informed her that it was her turn to stay the night with Jody.

“Bless your heart, Emma. You’ve been so faithful to come here every day and stay by Jody’s side. If I didn’t have to be here on the job every day, I would offer to take your place for the all-night vigils.”

“That’s sweet of you, Wilma,” said Sam, “but there are other women in our church who have offered to do just that. However, my wife feels she must take her turn at night, too.”

Dr. Traynor came through the door at the rear of the waiting area. “Hello, Sam, Emma.” He noted that Jody’s parents were clearly showing the strain.

Sam smiled. “Hello, Doctor. Any change since we were here to see Jody last evening?”

Traynor shook his head sadly. “No. There hasn’t been the slightest change. I’m sorry.”

“She’s been in that coma almost two weeks, Dr. Traynor,” said Emma. “Tell us your honest opinion. Do you think Jody will ever come out of it?”

“Well, with each day that passes, Jody’s chances of ever awakening become slimmer. All we can do is keep praying.”

Sam nodded. “We will do that. Okay if we go back?”

“Of course.”

When Sam and Emma entered Jody’s room, they stepped up beside the bed, their faces grim. Sam took hold of Emma’s hand as they looked down at Jody’s features.

“She’s losing weight every day, honey,” said Sam.

Emma nodded and sighed. “I know.”

Sam let go of Emma’s hand, went to the chair she always occupied, and slid it to the side of the bed. “Here, darlin’. Sit down.”

When Emma was comfortable, Sam pulled up another chair for himself. They sat side by side, watching for any hint of movement from their daughter, but it did not come. At ten o’clock, Sam said, “Well, honey, guess I’d better head for home.”

He stood up, took hold of Emma’s hand and Jody’s hand, then led in prayer. When he had finished praying, he leaned down and kissed Jody’s cheek. “Daddy loves his baby girl. Please, sweetheart, come back to us.”

“Yes, Jody,” said Emma, “please come back to us. We love you so very much.”

Sam kissed Emma, saying he would be back to get her in the morning, and with a heavy heart, made his way to the door. He paused with his hand on the knob. “Good night, darlin’. I love you.”

Emma wiped a tear from her eye. “Good night, my precious husband. I love you too.”

When the door closed, Emma arose from the chair and stood over her beloved daughter. Looking at Jody’s thin features, she said in a low tone, “You’ve been such a blessing, sweetheart. I’ll never forget how happy I was when old Dr. Ben Jones told me I had you in my womb. And how very happy I was the day you were born and I held you in my arms.”

Emma’s mind flashed back to Wednesday, February 27, 1861. It was a banner day for her. She and Sam had almost despaired of ever being parents. They had prayed earnestly, asking God to give them a child.

Sam was in the waiting room at Dr. Jones’s office when Emma was being examined. Emma had hoped that she just might be expecting and felt it was time to see what Dr. Jones could find out.

She pictured the look on his face when he looked down at her as she lay on the examining table and said with a smile, “Emma, your prayers have been answered. You are definitely with child, and should give birth about the last week of September.”

Having longed to hear this news from the doctor’s lips for what seemed like forever, Emma had said with her heart beating rapidly in her breast, “Are you absolutely sure, Dr. Jones?”

“Yes, my dear, I am absolutely positive. Now get dressed so you can go out there and tell that husband of yours!”

The doctor was out of the room while the nurse helped Emma get dressed and returned just as she was ready to go tell the joyful news to Sam. Emma surprised the aging physician by
planting a kiss on his cheek. He and the nurse watched as she literally floated out the door.

Standing over Jody’s bed with these sweet memories drifting through her mind, Emma laid a hand on her daughter’s cheek. “Oh, Jody, what a happy woman I was!”

Remembering once again, Emma recalled that she had enjoyed a fairly easy pregnancy and was delighted with each sign of the baby growing beneath her heart. She and Sam had spent hours planning their future with the child who was already so dear to them.

Stroking Jody’s pallid cheek, Emma smiled as she remembered their conversation one night in March 1861.

Sam and Emma sat on the sofa in the parlor of their farmhouse, holding hands. She turned to him and smiled. “I have a very important question to ask you.”

Sam smiled back. “All right. Fire away.”

“Do you want a boy or a girl?”

This time the smile was also in Sam’s voice. “Well, my love, either is fine, ’cause if it’s a girl, I’ll make a tomboy out of her, anyway!”

“Oh, you will, huh?”

“Absolutely.”

“Well, that’s all right as long as you let me teach her to be a lady as well.”

“Oh, of course. But I have a feeling it’s going to be a boy.”

Emma grinned. “You do, eh? Well, we will just wait and see, won’t we?”

Emma patted Jody’s face as she stood over the bed. “Sweetheart, the moment your daddy saw you on that day you were born, he
wouldn’t have traded you for a million boys.”

Her mind drifted back through time again. She recalled how the long months seemed to pass so slowly as she eagerly awaited the day she could hold her baby in her arms.

Then her thoughts fastened on that marvelous day …

Monday, September 30, 1861, dawned rainy and cold. In the kitchen, Emma stirred up the fire in the cookstove and began her morning routine.

After she and Sam had enjoyed their breakfast and had read their Bibles and prayed together, Emma slowly raised her ungainly body from the chair at the kitchen table and felt a sharp stitch in her left side.

Hmm
, she thought to herself as she rubbed the spot.
I wonder
 …

Then the pain went away.

Nothing, I guess
. “Sam, this is the last day of September. If Dr. Jones is right, and I’m to have a September baby, he or she is going to have to hurry up.”

Sam grinned as he pushed his chair back and stood up. “Well, hon, we both know that doctors are only human. Predicting the date of a baby’s birth is difficult at best. We’ll just have to wait and be patient. I’ll be working in the barn if you need me. Just give a holler.”

“Don’t worry. I will. You come in sometime around midmorning, and I’ll have some hot coffee for you. It’s pretty cold out there, with the rain and all.”

“Will do, sweetie,” Sam said, and taking her in his arms, kissed her soundly.

The day went by as usual, and they both stayed busy with their chores. Emma, of course, took a few minutes to rest periodically. Several times during the day, she stopped and rubbed her
aching back, making a fist of her hand and pushing against the offending spot. As the hours passed, she knew she didn’t feel just right. She had a few twitches, but nothing to indicate real labor.

The day grew colder and the rain came down steadily.

Late in the afternoon, Sam came in with his milk pail, chilled and damp. Emma was at the cupboard, slicing potatoes. Sam noticed that she was quite pale. He gave her a hand with supper.

When they sat down to eat, Emma toyed with her food, but ate very little.

“Not hungry?”

“Not really. I just don’t feel very good. Nothing specific.”

After the dishes were washed and put away, they went into the parlor. Sam stirred up the flames in the fireplace while Emma relaxed in her favorite padded rocking chair.

For the past two months, Sam had been rubbing Emma’s swollen feet and ankles after supper, and while he was doing so that evening, they spun their dreams of the wonderful future ahead of them.

It wasn’t long until Emma was nodding in her rocking chair. Sam took hold of her hand and her eyes popped open. “Honey, I know it’s early, but I think you need to get to bed. You go on. I’ll stoke the fire and put out the lamps.”

Moments later, when Sam entered the bedroom, Emma was already flat on her back and covered. Her swollen midsection made a sizable mound under the covers.

Sam put out the lantern and slipped in beside her.

Shortly after Emma had dropped into a light sleep, a jarring pain gripped her back and shot around to her midsection. She let out a gasp and put her hands on her belly. Sam seemed to be sleeping soundly, and not wanting to awaken him, she lay perfectly still.

However, in a matter of less than five minutes, another pain
attacked her. A small moan escaped her tight lips.

Fully aware that Emma could go into labor at any time, Sam was attuned to her every movement and was immediately awake. Turning onto his back, he raised up on an elbow, trying to see her face in the dark room. “What is it, honey? The baby?”

“I think so,” she squeaked as another pain began its route through her body.

Sam jumped out of the bed and lit the closest lantern, wanting to better assess the situation.

Wide-eyed, Emma lay on the bed, a sheen of perspiration covering her brow. Her hands were gently rubbing the girth of her belly.

“Should I go for Dr. Jones?”

Emma swallowed. “I … I don’t know. It seems so sudden. I was always told that first babies take hours and hours.”

She caught her breath after another contraction lanced through her.

“I can’t leave you to go for the doctor, sweetheart. Your pains are too close together. What if the baby came while I was gone?”

Emma had no answer.

Sam began pacing the floor like a caged animal. Several minutes passed. The sound of his bare feet on the floor was nearly drowned out by the sound of the steady rain.

Emma dared to take a deep breath. It brought no pain. Looking sheepishly at her pacing husband, she said, “Guess it was a false alarm. No more pains have come. Let’s try to go back to sleep.”

Sam stopped and shook his head. “Oh no, you don’t. My mind’s made up. I’m going for the doctor. This may very well be the real thing and the Lord has let your pains slow down so I’ll have time to go bring Dr. Jones here. You stay right there in that bed. I’ll be back with the doctor soon.”