Widowed in Nebraska by devastating snowstorm, respectable women seeking reputable men. Object Matrimony. Box 147, Last Chance Post Office
It had only been two weeks since they found their advertisement in the paper. The women were already restless waiting for responses. Heather just told them to be patient and avoid Pastor Collins at all costs. The man was on a mission to marry someone. The object of his affections appeared to change daily.
Heather was about to enter the store when she saw Pastor Collins coming her way at a brisk pace.
“Mrs. Barnes,” he called, waving his hand in the air. “Mrs. Barnes.”
Heather pretended she didn’t hear him and quickly headed towards the depot. The telegraph office was right next to it and she knew Pastor Collins wouldn’t go in there. Every time he spoke to Faith Thornton, she’d burst into tears and he would make a hasty retreat. Now he simply avoided Faith.
Heather picked up her pace, looking over her shoulder to see if Pastor Collins was following her when suddenly she hit a brick wall.
“Oomph,” she said as she staggered backwards. It wasn’t a brick wall at all. It was a cowboy that was all muscle, and a cocky grin as he looked at her.
“My apologies ma’am,” he said. “It appears I wasn’t looking where you were going.”
“Well you should pay better attention next time.” Heather scooted around him and headed into the telegraph office. The man followed her.
“Appears we are going to the same place,” he said.
Heather ignored the man as she leaned over the counter. “How are you doing today, Faith?”
“I still can’t believe he is gone.”
Heather reached over and rubbed Faith’s hand. “I know, honey. I was just checking to see if anything had arrived.”
“Nothing yet,” Faith said. The man cleared his throat. Faith’s eyes opened as if she just realized there was someone else in the shop. “May I help you?”
“I was just bringing the mail satchel,” he said pushing Heather aside so he could place the bag on the counter.
“That is rather large.”
“It has quite a bit of mail in there.”
Faith blinked a few times.
“Are you going to see what types of letters those are?” Heather asked.
“I – I -I just can’t.”
“My job is done here. I just needed to drop off the parcel. Might look around town for a bit. Ladies,” he said, tipping his hat and heading out the door.
“May I look?” Heather asked.
Faith nodded.
Heather opened the satchel and pulled out the letters. All of them were addressed to Box 147, Last Chance Nebraska. Her fears were staring, right in front of her. The letters were arriving. This meant that the woman would have to consider getting married now. Pastor Collins was adamant no unmarried woman would remain through the winter.
“I’ll let everyone know that the letters have arrived,” Heather said. She looked at her watch. “Why don’t we meet at the church at 4 o’clock tomorrow. We can go through the letters then.” Faith nodded, too consumed to speak. Heather patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t you worry at all, Faith. You just need to bring those letters to church tomorrow.”
Heather looked around the room. It was packed with women that had received word the letter sack arrived. She had run into Celia, Altar and Linda on her way out of the telegraph office. The women promised to spread the word to everyone they saw to meet at the church.
Word did get around.
Most of the women were quietly crying as the enormity of the situation was pressed on them. Pastor Collins cleared his throat. “We should begin with a prayer.”
Heather listened as the Pastor made his pleas to oversee the selection of spouse. He reminded everyone that he, too, was an available choice and then he closed out with an amen.
The chorus of amens went around the room.
“How should we do this?” Celia asked.
Faith brought forth the bag and placed it on a table at the front of the church. Heather walked up and opened the bag, dumping the letters in a pile on the table.
“I don’t know the best way to do this. I wasn’t in my wildest dreams, expecting a response like this to the advertisement. Does anyone have any suggestions?” The women shook their heads. Heather cleared her throat. “Why don’t we line up then and we can each pick a letter. We’ll just take turns until all the letters are gone.”
The women nodded in agreement and started to move from the pews to the aisle in front of the table.
The women moved steadily taking a letter and then returning to the end of the line.
Claire Braden approached the table. Her eyes were red from crying. “I only want one,” she said picking up a letter from the table.
“You should get another,” Celia said.
“No,” Claire replied softly. “This one is just fine.” She took her letter and moved to the back of the church.
When the round was over, Heather took a letter, and the women began again. Finally, there were no more letters on the table.
“That’s it,” Heather said. She had six letters in her hand. Some women had seven, some women stopped at three. It was a lot to take in. She handed the empty mail sack to Celia as Faith was still too overcome with emotion to do anything.
The women started filing from the church. Heather gave Millie a little smile and went to get her wrap.
She needed to remember Ruth and even though she had lost everything, she wouldn’t lose her faith.
