A Life Worth Living (13 page)

As daylight faded and stars twinkled overhead, they were overwhelmed by the beauty of the universe.

“Tell us about the settlement of this area,” Dora sug-gested to Allen.

Modestly, he answered, “I’m not the one to ask about that—you should discuss it with Vance the next time we visit them. But I’ll tell you what I know.”

Dora moved closer, and he put his arm around her. Leaning against a large boulder, Allen said, “The Cherokee, of course, were well-established in these mountains before Europeans ever set foot on this continent, and that would have been sometime around the late 1600s. At first the native settlements were located in the river valleys. At the end of the French and Indian War, European settlers moved into this area. This caused a conflict with the Cherokee, who still held legal title to a great portion of the land. The Cherokee joined the British at the outbreak of the American Revolution, causing American forces to invade Cherokee Territory. Several years later the Cherokee were more or less forced to give control of the Great Smoky Mountains to the United States government.

“Although most of the natives moved westward along a road that was called the ‘Trail of Tears,’ other Cherokee hid in the mountains to escape forcible removal. They were the remnant who managed to keep their land and make up the eastern band of Cherokees in the Carolinas today.”

“Why was it called the ‘Trail of Tears’?” Dora asked.

“That was the name given when the government forced Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States to move westward into what is now Oklahoma. They suffered from exposure, disease, and starvation before they reached their destination, and thousands of them died.”

“Kinda sad, isn’t it?” Timothy said.

Shrugging, Allen said, “That’s what I’ve always thought, but if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have the property I do today. I try not to criticize people of the past for what they’ve done, for who knows what decisions I would have made if I’d been in their shoes?”

Snuggling closer to him, Dora said, “I know what you would have done—you’d have made an honorable decision.”

Allen put his arm around her waist. “You’re prejudiced.”

“That’s true, but I’m looking forward to a long life with you and the people of North Carolina. Although I didn’t know Him then, I realize now that God was guiding me when I decided to visit the Vanderbilts. I’m anticipating many happy years as your wife.”

epilogue

The next two years passed quickly as Allen and Dora adjusted slowly to marriage. They were both so self-reliant and independent that it was difficult for them to consider one another before they made decisions. However, as she contemplated the years they’d been together, Dora knew they had done well. They both brought to their union the determination that the marriage would work. As she thought of the months they’d been married, Dora knew they had slowly reached the realization that “two shall become one,” as it was supposed to be.

The textile mill had prospered under their manage-ment. Fairfield had also increased in population—not so much that it had lost its small-town atmosphere, but enough that it was recognized as one of the most prosperous towns in western North Carolina.

From the first, Dora and Allen had planned to have children, and they were disappointed when two years passed before Dora finally became pregnant. Allen was surprised when she said one evening, a few weeks before their baby was due: “Would you mind if I turn the management of the mill over to you and become a full-time mother?”

Allen had hoped that Dora would come to this decision, but he’d been wise enough not to broach the subject. He’d always heard that pregnant women often developed cranky attitudes during their pregnancy, so he tried to be tactful in his response.

“Well, I don’t know. It would be tough operating without you, but I can see why you would want to take care of the child yourself. I would be happier to know that you’re taking care of our baby rather than some other woman.”

Allen had always prided himself on being able to cope with any situation without undue concern, but as the day of the birth drew nearer, he was a nervous wreck. Six weeks before the child was to be born, Dora stopped going to the office. And despite the fact that Maude was with Dora, he went home every few hours to be sure she was all right.

Finally, Dora told him, “You’re making me nervous. The doctor and Maude say that I’m doing great, so please stop fretting about me.”

“You’re nervous!” he said. “What about me? I can’t keep my mind on anything except you and the baby.”

Dora didn’t have an easy delivery, and when the birth pains started, she tried to persuade Allen to go back to the office, but he refused and sat beside her hour after hour until the doctor finally told him it would be better for Dora if he would leave.

“She’s in a lot of pain, which she tries to hide from you, and that will make the delivery more difficult. Why don’t you take a walk? Or even sit on the porch and wait? If you want to help your wife, that’s the best way to do it.”

Unconvinced, Allen sat on the porch for several hours before Maude came out of the house, carrying a small bundle wrapped in a blanket.

“You’ve got a sweet little girl, Mr. Allen.”

Allen jumped up quickly. “How’s Dora?”

“She came through the delivery like a veteran. She’s sleeping now.”

Maude handed the baby to him. “Do you want to hold her?”

Being the oldest child in a large family of children, Allen was no amateur in caring for a child, so he took the baby eagerly. He sat down in a chair and rocked his baby for the first time. When the doctor came to the door and said Dora wanted to see him, he carried the baby into the bedroom and laid her beside his wife.

Kneeling beside the bed, he kissed her. “How are you?”

“Sleepy now. The doctor gave me some medicine, so the birth wasn’t too bad. How do you like her?”

“She’s wonderful—looks just like you must have looked when you were born.”

She smiled slightly. “I don’t remember that.”

Although they’d discussed both boy and girl names, they couldn’t agree on any definite choice. “What are we going to name her?” Allen asked.

“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to give her my mother’s name—Elizabeth Faye.”

“Elizabeth Faye Bolden,” Allen said. “I like it.”

❧

During their two years of marriage, Dora hadn’t made any contact with her father, nor had he communicated with her. So she was surprised when she received a letter from him not long after Elizabeth’s birth. Apparently he still subscribed to the Asheville newspaper and had read about the baby, or perhaps he had a spy in town who reported what she and Allen were doing. She wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn he was doing that.

Daughter:

I know I haven’t been a very good father. Although I haven’t contacted you the past few years, I understand that you have prospered. I kept thinking you would make a failure of the mill and turn to me for help. That hasn’t happened, so it’s obvious you don’t need my help. That makes me angry and happy at the same time. I’m happy because I have a daughter who’s enough like me to make a success of anything you try. On the other hand, it’s not flattering to not be needed. Regardless, I want you to know that I have written a new will that makes you my only heir, and there are no strings attached to it.

I’m so happy to know that you named the child for my beloved wife. If you and your husband can find it in your heart to forgive me for the past, I’d like to visit you sometime and see my granddaughter. Please let me know your reply.

Love,

Your Father

“What do you think I should do?” Dora asked Allen when she received the letter.

“I certainly don’t want him to try to take control of Elizabeth’s life, and I wonder if we can trust him.”

“He may very well try to interfere in her life, but you and I have the upper hand in that situation. Having never known my own grandfather, I wouldn’t want Elizabeth to be deprived of hers. I’d suggest that you make it very plain that the child is ours and that we’ll not allow him to interfere. If he wants to act as a grandparent rather than a guardian, that will be all right.”

“Will you answer the letter, please?”

In spite of what they suggested, Allen considered that Mr. Porter would still try to interfere in Elizabeth’s life. He was determined that wouldn’t happen, but he didn’t want to offend the man. He prayed that God would give him the grace to handle the situation in a Christian manner. After a day of indecision, he sat at his office desk and spent an hour or two trying to compose a letter. He wasn’t satisfied with his final draft, but he wrote the message, put it in an envelope, and took it to the post office.

Dear Mr. Porter:

You’re welcome to visit us at any time, but we believe it’s only fair to tell you that we will not tolerate any interference from you as far as supporting the child is concerned. Our mill provides us with more than adequate income, and we can provide everything Elizabeth will ever need. What you do with your vast estate upon your death is your affair; however, we will not accept any large gifts of any kind for Elizabeth before she comes of age, when we will no longer have the right to accept or reject anything from you.

If you’re agreeable to the above stipulations, we will welcome you to our home at any time.

Sincerely,

Allen

Two weeks later when Mr. Porter arrived with boxes of gifts for the child and a repentant attitude, he was welcomed.

“I’m still very hazy on my Bible knowledge,” Dora said, “but doesn’t it say somewhere that, ‘As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise’?”

“Yes, and it might be one of the most important verses for us to know when we realize our responsibility not only to God, but also to others.”

Although he stayed overnight at the local hotel, Mr. Porter spent most of his time at the house and, as far as they could tell, Dora and Allen believed that he wouldn’t interfere with Elizabeth’s upbringing.

❧

After the birth of the baby and the reconciliation with Mr. Porter, Allen supposed their lives would settle down and they could continue without change for a few years. That didn’t happen. Soon after Elizabeth’s birth, Timothy came into the office one day, which wasn’t unusual, but immediately Allen detected a difference in his brother.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

Timothy took off his cap and twisted it in his hands. “Well, as you know,” he started, “when I stopped here to see you, I was on my way to California.”

Allen’s stomach sank. When his brother hesitated, he prompted, “Yes?”

“I’ve liked it here, especially getting to know you and your family.” He hesitated again. “But I’ve never given up the desire to cross the country to California. When I met Kitty and we loved each other, I thought I’d be happy here, but I’m not. It seems like there’s something always over the next hill pulling me westward. Do you understand what I mean?”

Allen extended his hand across the desk, and Timothy grabbed it in a firm grip.

“I know exactly what you mean. It must be a family trait. That’s why I left South Carolina years ago. I wasn’t completely satisfied in Canaan, so I came here. I’ll admit there have been times when I’ve looked westward and wondered what’s over the next mountain, wondering if I’d stopped too soon.”

Timothy smiled. “Then go with us.”

Allen shook his head. “No. I made my choice when I married Dora. We have a good business here and she’s happy. I wouldn’t ask it of her, especially now that she has the baby.”

“I’ll bet she wouldn’t hesitate one minute if you told her you wanted to go to California. She would say, ‘When do we leave?’ and start packing.”

“I know that, but we can’t do it now. It’s isn’t only that we have Elizabeth, but what would we do with the textile mill? No doubt we could sell it, but we pamper our workers. A new owner might not be so generous and lenient as Dora is. You know that a transcontinental railroad already connects the East with California, and someday I intend for us to visit the West Coast, but not now. Do you plan to go on the railroad?”

With a sheepish grin, Timothy shook his head, pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket, and handed it to Allen. It was an ad from an Indiana paper, posted by a man who was organizing a wagon train trip from the Indianapolis area with San Francisco as his destination. “I’ve saved enough money to pay our fare.”

“What does Kitty think about it?”

“Oh, she’s as excited about it as I am, but her mother isn’t.”

Allen nodded. “That’s understandable, but most parents have to deal with that. When will you leave?”

“I figure I’ll have to go in two weeks to get to Indianapolis on time.”

“Probably so. Well, I’m not going to discourage you or encourage you either. You’re old enough to make decisions, but I’ll help all I can. Choose the best wagon on the farm as well as a good team of horses. That will be your wedding present.”

“Thanks. I’ve saved almost all the money you’ve paid me for taking care of the farm, but I’ll probably need all of that to buy supplies.”

After Timothy left the office, Allen sat for a long time, envisioning the trip and the experiences, both good and bad. He knew if he mentioned to Dora that he’d always thought he would like to go to California, she would go with him without a murmur. However, he wouldn’t ask it of her. So a month later, they stood with all the other Fairfield residents and watched Timothy and Kitty drive through town, westward bound.

Although Allen had tried to conceal his thoughts from Dora, he knew he hadn’t succeeded. When the covered wagon passed out of sight and they turned toward their home, Dora said, “Never mind, my dear. As soon as they arrive at their destination and get settled, we’ll go visit them. I’ve always dreamed of seeing California, but right now I’ve found all I want with you.”

He lifted her hand and kissed the palm. “I know what you mean. God was looking after us when He brought both of us to Fairfield.”