PT.12

Orphan Train

1894

Cheyenne, Colorado

Cheyenne was a upwardly growing town, which was a great place for Charles to start his own practice. This was his thought and plan when the offer was made to him two years ago, knowing it would be difficult for Melinda to leave her family. But as he saw it, he, Jacob, Kate and Caroline were her family now. And as hard as it was, Melinda agreed her place now was with her husband.

After a frigid winter, Charlie set out to make rounds to see all of those who couldn't make it into town all winter. Although Jacob was only nine, many times when Charlie went on these rounds, he allowed Jacob to go with him, even if it meant missing school. This was something Charlie and Melinda disagreed on. Melinda was always very avid about education but Charlie always figured she could catch him up on anything he missed. So they were up and off early this morning. Jacob loved spending time alone with his Pa.

As they came upon the first family, this was a family of six, the Coleman's. Charlie knew them well. Their last two children, Charlie delivered just weeks after arriving in Cheyenne.

As they approached the house, he found it odd not to see anyone. Knocking at the front door, not getting an answer, he noticed the door was open slightly. Entering and calling out to anyone, brought on a huge shock. Several of the children were lying huddled in blankets, looking pale and weak.

The girl Ally was now slowly walking out of the back room, herself looking ill. "Hello, Doctor Montgomery."

"Ally, where are your folks?" Now bending to kneel in front of her.

"Ma and Pa are…" Then she quickly lowered her eyes.

"Ally, what is it?" Without a word, she took hold of his hand, leading him to the back room and to his surprise, Pete and Mary Coleman were lying in their bed, blankets pulled up over their faces. He quickly went to pulling back the cover, gasping for breath, then replacing the blanket. "Ally, Honey, what happened here?"

"Ma and Pa, they fell ailing. And cold as it is, they couldn't get to town for you. Now the ailing is got my brothers."

Charlie rushed to the outer room, checking on the boys. Their bodies were cold. "Ally, honey, how long have you all been here like this?"

"Oh, three days or so but I knew you'd be along soon. I did everything I could."

Charlie turned to Ally. "Come here. Let me take a look at you." She was burning up with fever, pale and weak. Charlie did what he could to try and make her feel better but first it was important to properly bury the Coleman's. He spent the remainder of that afternoon digging graves for them, after which he remembered they had family not too far away.

Taking Ally with him and Jacob, he rode on ahead, hoping to find her family. They next they came upon the Barrett's. They were another family he found in ailing condition.

As he approached, Jack Barrett came out from the barn brushing his hands clean. "Doc Montgomery, good to see ya."

"Jack, can you tell me what is going on?"

"Well, Doctor, seems family is down with a bug, but a might serious one at that. It took my boys. I just buried them and Susan is feeling poorly. She's taken to our bed. "

Charlie quickly entered the Barrett house. Susan was lying in bed, fevered and struggling to breath. "Susan, it's me, Doc Montgomery. When did you start feeling this way?"

Rocking her head back and forth, "Days… days ago."

Jack entered the room behind Charlie. "Look, Doc, why you have the Coleman girl with you?"

Inhaling and pushing out a breath, "She's all that's left of her family and she's fevered like Susan here".

Jack brought her in from the wagon. "Might as well keep her here. Then you can take care of them both. What can I get to help, Doc?"

"Well, first get me some clean water and clean linens." Jack did as Charlie asked. Charlie remained there for two days. While Ally and Susan were resting, Charlie sat at the table with Jack. "Now, Jack, where has Susan been? I mean just before taking ill?"

"Just here…" And suddenly he stopped talking.

"What, Jack? Is there something you remember?"

"Well, she was only down by the pond with the children."

"And?" Charlie pushed.

"And that's it. Susan always takes the boys to the pond to fish and swim."

"Ok. I want to ride out there. Can you show me?"

Nodding, "Yes. Sure."

Jack and Charlie rode out to the pond. Charlie looked around trying to see if maybe they ate some wild berries or if they'd come in contact with something poisonous while getting close to the water. He detected a fowl odor. Scooping some up in his hand, he realized something poisonous was causing it to smell.

"Jack, does anyone else use this pond?"

Nodding, "Of course, the Jerrod's and well the Coleman's. All of our properties surround the pond at some point. So although it is technically on my property, no harm in letting them use it too."

As they were talking Charlie noticed three small dead animals across the pond. When he checked it out, he asked, "Jack, how long have these animals been here?"

"Don't know, Doc. They're just dead animals. That's not so unusual."

Charlie rode back to the house with Jack.

Jacob was trying to care for Susan and Ally while they were gone. "Pa, Ally don't look so good."

After several days, Ally had succumbed to her illness. He figured she'd been too long without proper care. Susan, he was able to help with medicines for infection. After taking Ally back and burying her with her family, he finished his rounds with a few more families and headed back for home.

Once home, he made sure no one went near the Barrett pond. It had been almost a week of staying there and caring for Ally and Susan but after a few days, Jacob began complaining of chills, a painful stomach, and when Melinda checked him, she saw he was burning with fever.

Alarmed, she drove him into town to alert Charlie. As she reached his office, rushed and worried, she found Charlie unconscious on the office floor. He was barely breathing. Now she had both Charlie and Jacob sick. Doing her best to get them both into bed, she did what she could to try and help them by feeding them fresh soup broth and keeping their bodies cooled down. She did all she knew from the few times she assisted him with his patients. It was only but a short week when this awful Illness took both Charlie and Jacob.

Crushed and in shock, Melinda had to arrange a burial for her husband and son. But now this left her with two little girls, only three years old. There was only one thing she could think of, and to herself she thought, "Pa and Momma. They'll know what to do."

She sent a wire.

Matthew Dillon, Dodge City, Kansas

Dear Momma and Pa,

I'm writing to you with unpleasant new. A few days ago, Charlie and Jacob succumbed to a virus type illness. My heart is broken. I don't know what I will do alone with our girls. Pa, if ever I needed you and Momma. Can you come, pa?"

Melinda

Melinda returned home. A good friend had agreed to stay with the girls. "Melinda, will you be alright?"

"Kari, yes. I sent a wire off to my folks. Thank you. I appreciate you being here for me."

"Melinda, don't be silly, that's what friends are for." Kari and her husband Noah had been Melinda and Charlie's best friends ever since they came to Cheyenne.

Red Hill, Kansas

Kitty was excited she had just received a letter from Mark and was happy he was coming home for a visit.

Matt had just come in from his trip to town for supplies. He had been given the wire while in there. His heart was sinking, thinking of how he was going to break the news to Kitty. He knew all too well what this would do to her. It was already eating at her to have Melinda so far away.

Matt entered the room.

"Hello, Cowboy. A letter came from Mark today. Matt he's coming home." Then suddenly, she was now tilting her head and furrowing her brow. "Cowboy, what is it? What's wrong?" Standing and placing her hand on his chest. "Cowboy?"

Matt grabbed both her hands holding them tight to his chest. "Kit, Honey. I got a wire from…" Now it was all he could do to steady his voice, while his heart was aching.

"Cowboy, please."

"Honey, I got a wire from Melinda."

TBC