The Tender Flame (29 page)

“The Lord never makes mistakes, Josh. Even after bringing Clay and me together and giving us a precious marriage, He saw fit to take him from me and let me live the rest of my days as a widow. I must accept this as God’s will for my life.”

Josh reached across the table for her hand. “I wouldn’t be too sure of that.”

“Hmm?”

“Spending the rest of your life as a widow. I doubt you’ll do that.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a very lovely lady, and you’re only in your midforties. It would surprise me if the Lord didn’t bring some real nice Christian man into your life. You deserve to be happy and have a full life yet.”

Lydia warmed him with a smile. “You’re a sweet boy, Josh. Thank you for trying to encourage me. I’ll admit this widow’s life is a lonely one, even though I have my church and so many friends.”

“I’m sure it is. Of course, when that man comes into your life and you marry him, he’ll take care of the place and look after you, and I’ll be out of my Saturday morning job.”

Lydia laughed.

“And more than the job, I’ll miss these scrumptious lunches!”

The ten days prior to Jessica’s departure were busy and emotionally full from daylight till she fell asleep at night. On the day her father bought her railroad and stagecoach tickets, she sent a letter to Brenda Simmons, telling her she was going to Oregon City to marry Josh Cornell.

In the following days, it became routine for Jessica to sit beside Carrie’s bed and reminisce about the past—sometimes with tears—and talk of Jessica’s future.

On her good days, Carrie did what she could to help Jessica sew and prepare her wedding dress. They also made tea towels and embroidered pillowcases, tablecloths, and napkins, which Jessica
would take in the small trunk Grant had bought her.

“Honey, let me give you some advice on being a wife,” Carrie said as they embroidered napkins one afternoon.

Jessica smiled. “Coming from the most wonderful wife and mother in the world, I will pay close attention.”

“Jessica, always keep the Lord first in your heart, and everything else will fall into place. You and Josh are desperately in love, just like your daddy and I were, and still are. In one beautiful sense, you will be one flesh. But you are still two different individuals, and you will have differences of opinion at times. Because you’re human, there will arise times when you’ll even have arguments.”

“You and Daddy never argue.”

“Something else for me to admonish you about. When God gives you children, and you and Josh have your disagreements, never let your children see it.”

“Oh, so that’s it.”

“Now, let me remind you of some Scriptures that will help keep things right in your marriage, even when serious disagreements arise and threaten to become arguments. Proverbs 15:1 says, ‘A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.’ When husbands and wives snap at each other, it only makes things worse. God knows what He’s talking about.”

“Yes, Mama.”

“And when you do get angry at Josh, remember Ephesians 4:26: ‘Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.’ Don’t you and Josh ever go to sleep mad at each other. Talk it out until you can pray together and settle your differences before you go to sleep. Wrath has a way of growing if it’s left to fester. I know that right now it seems impossible that you and Josh could have a disagreement and even become angry at each other. But it happens, even in Christian marriages. This is why God has given His children advice in His Word. Understand?”

Jessica nodded.

“Something else,” Carrie said. “You’ve heard this many times from our pastors over the years, but I want to bring it up again. God
has structured the home with the husband as its head. That doesn’t mean He looks at women as inferior to men, but in His great wisdom, he knows that anything with two heads is a freak. Paul wrote in Ephesians that Christ is the head of the church. The church has one head—Jesus Christ. And Paul also said the husband is the head of the wife, and that she is to submit to him as to the Lord. There is one head in the home—the husband. Along with his God-given place as the head of the home, the husband also has God-given responsibilities. You understand that, don’t you?”

“Yes, Mama.”

“God has given you a wonderful, godly man to marry, honey. If you will always submit yourself to Josh, you will become in his eyes like the submissive wife in that marvelous thirty-first chapter of Proverbs: ‘Her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.’ ”

Jessica’s eyes misted. “Oh, Mama, I want to be the very best wife I can be to Josh. Thank you for telling me these things.”

As the days drew nearer for Jessica’s departure, Grant also gave his daughter sage advice on marriage. And Daniel and David spent extra time with their sister. The bond between Jessica and her family deepened in those few days, and as with all things done in God’s will and God’s time, He gave them immeasurable peace and grace.

On the morning of June 14, the boys loaded Jessica’s trunk and luggage into the family buggy. Grant had arranged that after putting Jessica on the train, they would all go to the boardinghouse where Bessie Williams lived and bring her home with them to begin her duties.

Carrie was not feeling at all well, but she was determined to go to the depot with the rest of the family to see Jessica off. She wanted it to be as joyous an occasion for her daughter as possible. In the privacy of the master bedroom, she dressed herself carefully, fixed her hair in an upsweep before the mirror, and pinched color into her pale cheeks.

Soon the Smiths were on their way to town, with Daniel at the
reins. It was a tight fit, sitting among Jessica’s luggage and boxes.

They arrived at Denver’s Union Station some forty minutes before departure time. Grant saw that Jessica’s belongings were checked in the baggage coach, all except for her small overnight bag, then rejoined the family on the platform.

“Well, Jess, it looks like you’re gonna do what you said you wouldn’t,” Daniel said.

“What’s that?”

“Become one of those abominable mail order brides!”

“Well, at least I’m getting married. That’s more than will probably happen to you!”

Daniel was about to come back with a wisecrack when the conductor shouted, “All aboard!”

Passengers began to move toward the line of coaches.

Suddenly the light mood the Smiths had prolonged was over. Jessica wept as she gave hugs and kisses to her teary-eyed brothers, telling them she loved them. When she turned to her parents, she found them losing their own battle with tears.

Carrie embraced her daughter, holding her close, and said, “You be happy, honey. Please write often. And I promise, as soon as I’m well enough to travel and Daddy can get the time off, we’ll be on our way to Oregon City to visit you.”

Jessica’s whole body shook. “I’ll be looking forward to it, Mama. I love you.”

“I love you, honey.” Carrie smiled at Jessica with a God-given radiance and kissed her tenderly on each cheek. “Go with my blessing, and have as much happiness in your marriage as I have in mine.”

Jessica turned to her father, and he held her close. “I’ll miss you, sweetheart … more than you’ll ever know.” Grant took his daughter’s tear-streaked face in both hands and gently wiped away the moisture. “I love you,” he said, and kissed her cheek.

“I’ll miss you too, Daddy. I love you.”

“All aboar-r-rd!” came the conductor’s call once more. The bell on the big engine was clanging.

Grant motioned for Carrie and the boys to come close. For a brief moment, the family was knit tightly around Jessica, arms locked together.

They heard the final boarding call.

Jessica’s face was wet with tears as she picked up her overnight bag and headed toward the train. Inside the coach, she found a seat on the depot side. She placed her bag in the overhead rack then slid over to be next to the window.

Her family was huddled together, and she could see that the boys were supporting Carrie. Jessica stuck her hand out the open window and waved just as the engine whistle let out a blast. Steam hissed from the bowels of the boiler. The steel wheels began to move and the train lunged forward. As it chugged out of the station, Jessica leaned from the open window and waved until her loved ones were just a blur among all the other people on the platform.

Soon the train was in open country, traveling due north toward Cheyenne City, where she would transfer to another train for Ogden, Utah. Jessica eased back on the seat and let her mind settle on the man she loved and the happy life ahead of her as they served the Lord together as husband and wife.

It was almost two o’clock in the afternoon on June 22 when Josh Cornell drove the family buggy onto Cornell Lumber Mill property and headed for the office building. He smiled to himself when he saw his sister standing on the porch, talking to Casey Harmon. Josh got their attention as he swung the buggy in front of the office and reined in smartly.

“I thought you were supposed to be working up at the camp,” he said, grinning at Casey.

“I am,” Casey said. “Luke needed a volunteer to come down here with a message for your dad. He’s busy right now, so I gave the message to his beautiful secretary.”

Josh stepped out of the buggy and moved toward them. “Sure
was nice of you to volunteer, Casey.”

Casey shrugged. “Somebody had to do it.”

“Of course, the fact that you would get to see Dad’s secretary had nothing to do with this sacrificial gesture.”

Casey and Mary Ann grinned at each other, then Casey said, “Oh, maybe a little.”

Josh shook his head. “What lengths some men will go to in order to spend time with a pretty girl.”

“Tell me, Josh, can you blame me?”

“Casey, ol’ pal, you’re a mess, you know that?”

Brett Cornell and one of the mill workers came out the door. The worker greeted the young people and then headed for one of the outbuildings.

“You ready to go, Josh?” Brett said.

“Sure am. Casey’s got a message for you from Luke. I’ll help baby sister into the buggy while he delivers it.”

When Mary Ann was settled on the front seat, she said, “My big brother looks awfully excited.”

“That’s putting it mildly. I’m about to explode.”

“I can’t wait to see her,” Mary Ann said. “You suppose she’ll know me?”

“I don’t know. It’s been a long time, and you’ve changed a lot … but so has Jessica. Both of you have gotten more beautiful.”

“Bye, Mary Ann!” called Casey as he headed for his horse.

She waved. “Bye, Casey.”

Brett climbed in the back of the buggy. “All right, kids, let’s go pick up your mother and head for that stage station!”

Twenty minutes later, Josh pulled the buggy up near the Wells Fargo office. The whole family alighted and made their way to where the stage would stop.

Jessica was enthralled by the beauty of the majestic Cascade Range. Like her, the other four passengers had never been to Oregon before,
and they all marveled at the sight. As the stagecoach descended out of the mountains and followed the well-beaten trail through giant conifer trees, the driver called, “Oregon City … straight ahead!”

Five more minutes of driving brought them into town, and when the stage turned onto Main Street, which was lined with two-story, false-fronted buildings of clapboard, Jessica’s mouth went dry and her heart banged her ribs.

The stage rolled up the broad street for two blocks, then slowed as it approached the Wells Fargo office. Suddenly, Jessica saw the man she loved waiting at the edge of the boardwalk, looking more handsome than ever. His parents stood behind him with a grown-up and lovely Mary Ann.

The stage came to a halt, and the Wells Fargo agent moved past the Cornell family to open the door. “Welcome to Oregon City, folks!”

Jessica was the closest to the door. As she started to rise from the seat, the agent offered his hand. “I’ll help you out, ma’am.”

“Pardon me, Ralph,” said Josh, crowding close, “but I’ll help this young lady.”

“Oh, sure, Josh. I forgot your fiancée was to be on this stage.”

“It’s all right. Thanks for being a gentleman.” He leaned into the coach and said, “May I help you out, Miss Smith?”

Jessica took his hand and said, “Of course, Reverend Cornell.”

When Jessica’s feet touched ground, Josh took her in his arms. “At last. I can hardly believe you’re really here, I’ve waited so long. Would you mind if the future groom kissed his future bride?”

“Of course not.”

After the discreet kiss, Brett, Martha, and Mary Ann moved forward and gave Jessica a warm welcome. While Brett and Martha were embracing their future daughter-in-law, Pastor and Mrs. Farrington appeared, and Josh introduced them to Jessica.

“Josh,” Farrington said, “we’ll take your family and Jessica’s luggage in the wagon so you can take Jessica to see her new home before bringing her to our place.”

Jessica held on to Josh’s arm as the happy couple drove through town. When they pulled up into the small driveway, Jessica gasped. “Oh, Josh, it’s beautiful!”

It was a small, one-story frame house with a recent coat of creamy yellow paint, white trim, and a gray roof. As Josh helped her from the buggy, Jessica eyed the inviting wraparound porch on three sides, and was already planning the flowers that would adorn the porch and yard.