Paper Widow

The sun rose only an hour earlier, yet it already shone upon the pines with an intensity that denoted the promise of yet another scorching day.  Squirrels and chipmunks scurried about to accomplish their tasks before they were forced to seek shelter from the harshness of the Indian Summer sun.Elise bent down and carefully relieved her shoulders of the burdensome yoke balancing the water buckets she faithfully hauled from the nearby creek several times a day.  Her work-worn hands rested on her slender hips as she twisted and bent in different directions to help ease the tightness in her body that was the result of yet another fitful sleep. For what seemed like the millionth time, she lamented over blindly responding to the advertisement in the Matrimonial News for mail order brides in the west.  She was so eager to escape the mundane existence of the Boston Brahmin society that, when the advertisement crossed her path, she rushed to respond with li

Elise accepted the money Jake received for the sale of her cattle to a nearby rancher with genuine gratitude. He managed to round up enough livestock to sell to get her the funds needed to buy passage back east.  Now, she just had to make the arrangements.  Why she did not ask him for help when she first arrived was a mystery to her.“So, Mrs. Meacham, we’ll be losing ya soon,” Jake said as he mounted his horse.  “That’s a damned shame.  I got used to looking at that pretty face of yours while having my morning coffee.”“Such teasing,” Elise giggled.  “I want to go to town and wire my father before I do anything else.”“Wantin’ to let him know your comin’?” Jake asked.“I want to see if I’m welcome back,” Elise confessed.“I can’t imagine no pa not lettin’ his little girl back into his home,” Jake mu

Elise hugged Nellie one last time before boarding the stagecoach.  Although she was not looking forward to the grueling journey back east, she was excited about leaving the hardships of the undeveloped west behind her.  Her father, although stern with his words, assured her she would be welcome once again in his home.  He even went so far as to send her the funds for her return passage, along with extra for necessities along the way.Since all she had from the wardrobe she brought west with her was the traveling gown on her back when she arrived -and she had no desire to disclose to her family the simple gingham gown she wore daily that Nellie was kind enough to provide for her-  she immediately purchased a few well-made gowns, a hat, and other items to complete a modest, yet quality wardrobe.  Once she was back home, she had no doubt her father would outfit her properly so that she could return to society with her head held high.She found it

 The Pinkerton trio rode for well over an hour before the sun crested the horizon.  Joseph slowed his horse to allow him the opportunity to absorb the fiery beauty of the early upcoming sunrise while Oliver hurried to catch up with Nate.“How was she?” Oliver asked with a snicker.“From now on, you keep that trap of yours shut,” Nate scolded. Oliver laughed as he said, “She looked a sight when you came inside.  What’s that story about falling in a pile of shit?”“How can a widow be untouched is what I want to know,” Nate said, more to himself than to his buddy.“Is that a joke?” Oliver asked.“The joke was on me,” Nate replied. “Im not in the habit of kissing and blabbing about it, but I’m angry over the fact that the tart had us all fooled.”“You can’t call a virgin a tart,” Oliver objected.&n

Elise leaned her back against the rough interior wall of the small cabin belonging to Mike.  The gang was once again arguing over their nervousness of being out of familiar territory and at the mercy of someone at least half of them did not fully trust.They removed the gag from her mouth, fed her poorly seasoned rabbit stew with stale bread and bitter coffee, and allowed her to freshen up under the watchful eye of Mike’s work worn wife, Sara.  Other than Sara, she still had not seen the faces of her captors.  In truth, she did not try. More than once the perils that awaited her if she tried to sneak a peek at them were stressed. She took them fully at their word and did not argue when Sara roughly secured the blindfold in its place after she washed up.  Elise was just grateful the filthy rag was no longer stuffed in her mouth and her wrists were only loosely bound by the rough hemp rope to avoid worsening rawness of the already severe rope burns.