Chapter 9

Almanzo's new life in Currie turned out to be interesting. The entire month went by pretty quickly, he had to admit. He got to see Laura every day, but not without Minnie tagging along. He still took her back and forth on weekends, this way Laura could see her Ma and Pa and he could keep an eye on his sister's place too.

If seeing her every day was going to as great as this, he couldn't wait to marry her. He was one very lucky man

The whole conversation went easier than he had thought with Eliza. Laura had done what she said she would do, she had persuaded Eliza Jane to accept Minnie's proposal.

"All Almanzo's going to do for the month is to bring us back and forth to the Brewster school. He's going to help Miss Trimble with her exercises and do some odd jobs around her house."

"Her fence needs mendin' and she could use a little patchwork on the ceilings and doors," Almanzo told her.

"Isn't there someone in town who could do this for her?" Eliza Jane asked.

"I told her what Almanzo could do, Miss Wilder," Laura said. "She was impressed. And the doctor did suggest that she take it slow. Anyway, I must have talked her ear off about Almanzo. She's been wanting to meet him for a while now."

And so Eliza Jane nodded and gave her approval as Pa and Ma had the night before. As long as Miss Trimble gave her blessing, there would be no problem.

They liked each other from the minute that Laura introduced them and Minnie was impressed that he was such a hard worker. He was handy and inventive and could do any task he was given well. Almanzo fitted her buggy with new wheels and greased them. He repaired the top and painted the outside. Minnie would probably need it next week, when she drove out to the school for the first time in two months. Laura was finally going back to Walnut Grove to stay.

It wouldn't be much longer now. It was Thursday morning, with the end of March closing in, April not far behind. He'd get his old job back at the Feed and Seed and then he'd propose, as long as he had some money coming in. They could be married by May or June, depending on how he was doing at the Feed and Seed. He planned to buy and fix up the old Talbot place so that he and Laura would have a place to live. It was an ideal location, in between his sister's house and his in-laws and the land was great for planting.

He already put down payment on an engagement ring and a wedding band from one of the local merchants with the extra money he gotten from the odd jobs he was doing around the neighborhood. Minnie had recommended him highly.

There was going to be special supper that Laura was making tonight, it was his favorite cinnamon chicken. After that, he and Beth would go star gazing.

Tomorrow, they would pack their bags and head out with Minnie to the Brewster school where Minnie would catch up with the kids and with Laura. Mr. Williams had offered to come pick her up as she would let Laura and Almanzo leave early for the long trip back to Walnut Grove.

The two had gone out to the lake on their last night in Currie. "I'm gonna miss this place," Almanzo said, as he stared up at the sky.

"It'll never be like Walnut Grove," Laura said, watching another shooting star sail across the sky. "I think I'll miss Minnie and the kids most of all."

"I made her a pipe stand," Almanzo said. "She really doesn't have one and I think she'll like it. She's been good to us both, Beth. She's gotten me a lot of work the last month and I've paid her back for the room and board. She wants me to continue to help out for a while; I figured maybe on Saturdays or early Sunday after church. You could come too and keep Minnie company. And we can take more of those buggy rides."

"I would like that," Laura said. "I like driving Barnum."

Almanzo smiled. "And I think Barnum likes you. You were right, I think, about him takin' to a woman's touch. So I try to handle him a little differently. But he still knows the difference."

They both laughed.

They sat quiet for a while, just staring up at the stars.

"You never told me about your first horse," Laura said, breaking the silence.

Almanzo looked over at her. "We were still in New York when Pa gave me one his colts. I named him Starlight after the white star on his head. Beth, he was beautiful, I wish you could have seen him. I raised him and broke him myself. He came out with me when we moved to Spring Valley. He's there right now, Beth, but of course, he's not as young as he used to be."

"Do you have your guitar here?"

Almanzo smiled. "I left that back in Walnut Grove, but if you want we can sing without it."

They sang "Buffalo Gals," "John Brown's Body" and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," which went round and round in circles until they both fell over in fits of laughter.

"We'd better get back," Almanzo said, as he helped her up. "We've got a big day ahead of us."

He helped her into the buggy, and drove Barnum to Miss Trimble's house, where he kissed her goodnight.

Author's Note: The song "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" is an English nursery rhyme and was later adapted into a song, usually sung in a round. It is listed in The Franklin Square Song Collection, published in 1881. The tune is credited to Eliphalet Oram Lyte, an American teacher and author of several grammar and composition textbooks.