Chapter Six Forbidden Dances and Heath's Twins
The ladies brought a late afternoon snack onto the verandah as the girls returned from their covered wagon trip to the meadows and hills; the youngest and oldest woke from their naps, and the brother's wives continued to host the events.
Miranda brought in some more fresh flowers to replace yesterday's; Melly and her daughters unloaded pots of chrysanthemums onto the porch while Elize and Adrienne arranged petit fours and water on the sideboard. Audra and Maria Victoria welcomed the girls back from the wagon ride and supervised hand washing; they complimented their sketches and pressed flowers for Victoria and Jane. Each one handed them their work of the afternoon.
The matriarchs oohed, and ahhh'd over each heartfelt creation. Each granddaughter and even great-granddaughter believed that their gift was the favored and most cherished by Victoria and Jane. Both ladies had perfected the ability to make every one of their large family loved and appreciated.
Elsa Carrington began a conversation about San Francisco and the arts. Miranda asked the younger ladies who knew about the Grizzly Bear dance to ragtime music. The younger ladies tried to suppress their giggles at such an inappropriate question about these frowned-upon dances forbidden in proper society.
Maria Victoria replied with mock surprise, "Mother? Proper ladies do not do such," and nodded in resignation.
They all laughed, and Audra's daughter Caroline stood up with her cousin, Louisa, to demonstrate.
Not to be outdone, Maggie and Claire said, "Have you seen the cakewalk?"
The ladies all attempted the fad dances. Four generations of Barkley women laughing and cavorting.
Madeline went and got the gramophone from the study and music. The laughter and dancing continued.
Jane and Victoria even stood up for a few minutes and danced. They sat down breathless, and Elize brought them cold water. They were laughing and struggling for air amongst the giggles.
"I love seeing all of us together. I shall hold these memories dear forever." Vic whispered with a lump in her throat as she sat down.
The ladies carefully watched Jane and Victoria as they drank their water and took deeper breaths. Both appeared happy and with no ill effects. The conversations around the room fell back into their animated tones. Victoria's four daughters-in-law and Jane's two and Audra still stayed close to the older ladies to ensure they were fine.
Audra spoke first, "Mother, Aunt Jane—-I can't imagine anyone better to pattern my life after. You are both truly remarkable women and mothers and grandmothers." and she choked up, squeezing her mother's hand.
Elsa and Anne added their sentiments, "Our children are so lucky to have you both. We all love you so much."
"Mother, I cannot thank you enough for taking me in your family and your arms thirty years ago. I never knew my Mamere; you are all I have ever known." Elize spoke softly.
"Me too," whispered Melly.
"Me three," added Miranda.
"And me, four." teared up Adrienne.
Tears and hugs were shared for a few minutes, and Jane cleared her throat, "Well Vic, we are two blessed old crows."
Victoria smiled brightly as she dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief she had embroidered long ago, with her and Tom's initials. She looked down and squeezed it tight with her frail hands.
"Oh Tom, I pray you can see us all. You would be so proud."
—&—
Jarrod, Heath, and Nick watched their sons get their boys to bed and then stretch out themselves around the fire. Whiskey was brought out, and most took a swig. They passed it to the older men. Nick obliged, Heath took a swig and Jarrod passed. Since his heart scare, he limited himself to wine.
"Pappy, did you see the newspaper article about the aeroplane exhibition at the Lincoln County fair last month?"
"I did. Your grandmother too. She said she didn't think she would ever see such in her lifetime. Can you imagine coming west in a wagon train and seeing men fly in contraptions? She and Jane would like to see one in person. I am hoping to get one to Stockton."
Nick laughed, "Men in the air and women getting the vote. When pigs fly—things are sure changing."
David and Danny Barkley brought Douglas McColl back from cleaning up. The twin boys had been adopted by Heath and Melly when they were ten.
"Duke? Let's get this bedroll out. Will put ya right here by the fire and Uncle Nick. Good thing your hearing is going cause he snores like a bear."
"Ha! Don't I know that boy! Been knowing Nick his whole life, and my little girl is just the same age. Born the same year." and he stared off into the fire.
David helped Duke stretch out on the roll, and the foreman immediately closed his eyes. Danny pulled his hat down a bit over his eyes and checked his pulse from habit.
"He's good." he said to his concerned Uncles, who noticed the gesture.
The older immediately began a soft snore, and the twins walked over to their uncles and sat down.
Jarrod asked first, "Danny? Are you sure he's ok?"
"Yes, sir. It's just old age. Comes and goes. Heart is strong as ever. I have lots of patients in the same place. I am glad Aunt Jane has help if he wanders."
Heath handed his sons a swig of whiskey.
"Thanks, Pa."
Heath's eyes filled with mist as he looked at his youngest sons. Strong men, compassionate doctors, but they were still the little brown-eyed waifs he brought home from the mines in 1890.
Both boys had left Stockton and served in the Spanish-American war in 1898. They came back, men. Heath and Melly had worried the whole time and lived for their infrequent letters home. They ended up becoming medics in the conflict and found their calling. Came home from war and began medical school. Heath and Melly could not have been prouder.
The whole family had filled a side of the auditorium for their graduation.
Nick toasted them at a party afterward, "To my nephews. I am pretty proud of ya and glad to have doctors in the family cause there is sure a whole heck of Barkleys to be seen. Free of charge, of course. Don't forget all that pie that yore Aunt Miranda fed ya at my house."
Heath stared at the twins. He had three boys of his loin, but he couldn't imagine loving these two any less.
"Heck, I already had five kids when I brought 'em home to my Melly. She knew as soon as she saw them they was meant to be ours. Just been missing ten years from us. And little Leah was still ten more years down the road for us. What a surprise she was, too. One more little girl."
"I was working the mines north of Strawberry. Closing down all the Barkley-Sierra in that area. Moving the workers up north and helping 'em relocate Iff'n they had a family. Buying up used-up silver claims for tungsten. Most folks thought we was crazy. Ain't no way people gonna need more skyscrapers. Jarrod made us a lot of money in those days and fast—. Started off I told him in Rimfire, I could smell wolfram. Little different than sulfur. Found him our first profitable vein in Rimfire. Where I met my Melly."
"I was staying at the hotel by Harper's store. Couldn't sleep well without my Melly and just got up before dawn. Walked out back in the alley. Saw them. Eating out of the refuse bin of the saloon."
"Boys?" They took off running, and I lost them in an alley. Scraggly brown curls—and hungry, haunted eyes. The kind you don't forget. Would check later and get them a real meal. Wondered who they belonged to—-nobody knew. Just saw them around. Wondered what they would do when we pulled the mine?"
"It was two days later, I heard a scuffle at the store as they was packing up. Harper had David by the ear and a half-eaten apple in his hand. "Thief". Danny was kicking him in the shins to let his brother go. I grabbed Danny and put some coin on the counter. "Boys come with me. Let's go get some food in the cafe". One smell told me and the nits 'a moving' in their hair told me I betta get some box lunches. I did. Took them up to my room. Watched them swallow down the milk and take the chicken down to the bone. They put the rolls in their pockets."
"Sir. What we gotta do for this food? " Danny solemnly asked. David skeptically stared him down.
"Nothing boys. Just tell me about yourselves."
They looked at each other and then became defensive. "Don't want no orphans home. Already ran from one. We's just white trash and we work when we can."
"How old are you?"
"Ten. Born on St. Patrick's Day."
"Family?"
"Dead" and they started eyeing the door.
"Want to work for me this week? I need some help running messages and such. I am Heath Barkley"
"Huh? Barkleys are rich mine owners that hump the poor people for their life's work"
Heath hid a smile, "Well, I can't say where you heard that, but I wasn't raised rich, and I worked on the mine carts when I was yore age" and lowered his voice conspiratorially, "I have stolen food to eat myself."
The boys looked at each other and decided they believed him.
"Ok, what's our job?"
"Let's go get a bath on me. I need one too. And let's get a winter jacket, too. Cold will be here soon. Then we get to work."
The boys slept on the hotel floor and followed Heath wherever he went for a week. Their dreams of dark mines seemed to mirror his and Melly's. They would cry out and comfort each other in their sleep. Just like him and Melly.
They took him to their lean-to in the woods where they lived. They packed their prized possessions up: a couple arrowheads, a broken knife, their grandpa's tin cup, and one mangy blanket. Heath had them leave it behind.
"I will get ya another one. Both of ya one so you don't have to share." They grinned.
The traveling minister saw them on Main Street, "Mr. Barkley, these boys were in my care. They ran away from the home I placed them in. Orphans they are. Their grandfather died over a year ago in the hills. They live in the woods alone. What would you like me to do?"
"I know. I—"
The boys looked at each other and then at Heath. They got ready to run.
"Thank you, preacher, but I will take the boys to Stockton. My wife has a hankering for some twin hooligans."
The boys grinned ear to ear. He ruffled their curls and then frowned.
"Melly gonna cut those curls off. They'll grow back. Don't give her no lip. Just get ready. She don't take to no nits."
"Yes sir."
And I was right, my Melly took to them just like theys was from her own belly. And she knew just what to do when they cried out in the night. And she cleaned and polished them up real good. And they got medals in a war and now's they are doctors with wives of their own.