Orphan Trains
Usual Disclaimer: Just taking our Friends out to play, will put them back when I'm done!
Note: In the mid 1850's Rev. Charles Loring Brace of The Children's Aid Society and Sister Irene, a sister of the Sisters of St. Vincent DePaul's of the Foundling Hospital of New York, teamed together to try and solve the problem of homeless, abused and orphaned children in the mid 19th century. The numbers were staggering. In the 30,000 range. Their answer was the Orphan Trains!
PT.1
1910
Red Hill, Kansas
The Kansas winters were still as cold and blistery as ever before. There were only a few days or so before Thanksgiving and a lot to do. Snow was falling already and had been accumulating. The windows were building up with frost but that wouldn't stop the big celebration that was planned this year.
All the women folk had agreed to get together and start the baking and planning the meal and the men folk had their job of going out and finding the best and biggest Christmas tree they could find. This would go up Thanksgiving night, as the tradition always went. After the feast, the decorating would begin.
Melinda stood by the stove watching as the children, thinking no one was watching them, were trying to sample the goodies. While noticing them, she laughed to herself, remembering doing just the same thing herself as a child some years ago.
"Grandma, can we go make a snowman? We'll wear our gloves and boots and we won't throw the snowballs at any windows. Can we, huh? Can we?"
Smiling back at them, "Oh, ok, boys. But bundle up. It's cold out there."
They began screaming for joy and running to dress for the snow. Brushing past their Aunt Caroline in the hall.
"Hey! Slow it down some." Shaking her head as she entered the kitchen. "Momma, how much sugar have those two had today?"
"Oh, now, Caroline. You, your brother and your sister acted just like that at their age. Speaking of your sister, where is Kate?"
"Oh, ummmm, that's what I came down stairs for. We were up in the attic. Remember you told us you had some bulk fabric we could use to make dresses? Well, we were trying to find it and well, there's some trunks up there, but they're locked. Kate wanted to know if you had a key."
"Honey, I'm not sure I know what trunks you're talking about. And you say they're locked?" Now looking puzzled at Caroline. Melinda washed off her hands and looked at Caroline. "Honey, just where in the attic are these trunks?"
"Oh, Kate found them back in the alcove. You know, that part that's real small that you and Dad always told us to stay out of when we would go up there and play when we were little. There's like four big ones. Kate thought maybe they were yours or maybe Gamma's from years ago."
"Honey, you might just be right. Let's go have a look."
Melinda and Caroline joined Kate in the attic. As they entered, "Kate, Honey?"
"Over here." Kate called out. "Momma? Wow, did you know these were back in here? Look at these trunks. They are really old."
Now looking at the four trunks, covered in dust, Melinda smiled. "Oh my, Girls. I forgot all about these." Taking her handkerchief and wiping the front of the trunk where there was a brass plate with initials engraved in fancy script. KRD
As Kate and Caroline looked at the initials, "Momma?"
"Girls, these trunks are Gamma's. I guess we put them here a long time ago."
"Wow! Can we open them?" Caroline asked.
"Now, Girls, wait just one minute. What is in these trunks belongs to Gamma."
"Yeah, you're right." Kate stood brushing herself off. "Well, Caroline, are you coming?"
Looking at her sister, "Where?"
"To ask, Silly! Are you coming?"
Caroline jumped up quickly. "Yes, of course."
And they both climbed down the ladder to the hall and rushed down to the closed door at the end of that hall and quietly knocked, waiting for a response.
TBC