Golden Dreams, Chapter 1 - The Future is Bleak

Bart — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 19:18:10 GMT

July 30, 1846 Portsmouth, Virginia A queer thing happened today, the bank president, Mr. Luke Johnson, paid papa a visit in the corn fields. This afternoon there was much tension between mother and papa. Adena Barton. Chapter 1 The Future is Bleak Adena Barton's golden blonde hair glistened in the summer morning sun. Her boots making a click-clacking sound as she made her way along the wooden walkway. Her pace quickened as she approached the bank, hoping that Mr. Johnson wouldn't see her. At fourteen, she was the last young woman in her class not to have a gentleman caller. She knew Luke wanted to call on her but she wanted nothing to do with him. Suddenly, Luke Johnson, a portly man, stepped from the bank just as she reached the doorway. "Good morning, Adena. Isn't it a lovely day?" She feigned a smile to be polite. "Mornin', Mr. Johnson." Luke smiled as he looked over her shapely young body as if he were judging cattle. "Don't you look nice this morning......my, my, haven't you grown up to become a fine woman." How she detested this man! He made her skin crawl, and the way he was looking at her! She swore he was undressing her with his eyes. Yes, he was very wealthy, but something about him told her that he made his money in ways other than legal. "Thank you," she replied softly. "Is your father in town?" Luke asked as he looked up and down the near empty street, seeing only Jessie Barton, her uncle, stepping from the telegraph office. "No, Mr. Johnson. Just my mother and my younger sister, Allison. Everybody else is back at the farm." Luke took a gold watch from his vest pocket and checked the time. "I just need to have a talk with your father." "Papa, William, and Eric are working the lower corn field today," Adena replied then went on her way. Luke watched her for some time until she disappeared into the Mercantile. “I'd like to make her mine sometime,” Luke told himself as he went back into the bank. Moments later, the bank's heavy wooden doors swung open, breaking the silence in the bank as Jessie Barton entered the building. His excitement was only exceeded by the news he was carrying. He glanced over the shoulder of the skinny, white-haired teller looking for the president. Not seeing him, he asked, "Where's Mr. Johnson?" "Right here," Luke replied stepping from the storeroom. He took his seat behind the polished oak flat top desk and leaned back in the hardwood swivel chair. "What are you all hot and bothered about?" "The news we've been waiting just arrived a few minutes ago," Jessie said. He looked around and only the teller was in the building. "Can he be trusted?" "Al, take a break," Luke told the teller. "Thanks, I'll be across the street at Mary's Bakery." "That will be fine. Be back in about half an hour," Luke instructed and when Al left the bank and closed the door, he asked, "What's up?" "Senator Lawson was right,” Jessie said excitedly. “The War Department will be constructing some kind of a Navy base not far from here, He wired me the information." "Let me see the telegram. I want to read it myself," Luke said looking up at Jessie. Taking the folded yellow paper from his pocket he handed it to Luke. He unfolded the telegram and read the message aloud. "President Polk signed the Military bill last night. Stop. Two naval bases will be built one in Portsmouth and the other in Norfolk. Stop. War Department will start buying land in your area within 6 months. Stop. I expect you and Luke to keep our deal quiet. Stop. Will visit you in 3 months for a progress report. Stop." "That is great news! Better than we expected! We're going to have move fast before the news leaks out," Luke said as he returned the telegram to Jessie. "What about Frank? Will your brother sell?" Jessie shook his head. "I've been working on him. He's stubborn. He hasn't budged an inch. Kinda hoped you just might have an idea or two." "I do. Been thinking 'bout Frank for sometime now," Luke said taking out a cigar. He clips the tip off, studied it for a moment, lit the tip, and took in a deep breath. He blew out the match with the exhaled smoke. "Your brother is in the rears five months on the mortgage on that farm, maybe more. The bank can rightfully foreclose." "Do it," Jessie said without hesitation in a soft, but firm voice. "Then I'll take the farm off the bank's hands for next to nothing." "Hmmmm......Two cents on the dollar sounds like a fair price to me," Luke offered. "Deal," Jessie agreed. Both men laughed heartily and shook hands. "When are you going to tell him the good news?" "This afternoon. He's working in the corn field. I'm goin' to be fair with him, I'll give him thirty days to pay off the mortgage and the seed loan. Got to see the Judge first an' make this legal and all." "Good. This evening Frank and the family are coming over for supper. I can't wait to see him squirm and beg me for help.” He paused as he thought what was about to happen and said in a soft tone, “Finally, that farm will be mine." "Just long enough to sell it to the War Department for top dollar," Luke said. "You'd better be going. I've got a lot of work to do. Better go out the back, Adena and Sarah are in town." In less than twenty minutes, Luke was standing in front of the elderly Judge. He had no difficulty getting Judge Parker to sign the foreclosure papers on the Barton's farm. While he was in the Judge's chambers, he had the judge sign the papers to foreclose on several other farms in the Portsmouth area. He mounted his gray horse and headed towards Frank Barton's farm. His was light hearted and cheerful as he went by farms he planned on foreclosing within the next few months. All this land was going to be his, then the government's. He was going to be richer than his wildest dreams. Two hours later Luke had reached the Barton place. Just as Adena had told him in the morning, he'd found Frank and his two sons pulling weeds and tilling the soil. This was of little use as the corn was undeveloped and the soil was dry. He dismounted and wiped the perspiration from his brow. "How do Frank? Kind of hot today," Luke said. "It is," Frank agreed. "What brings ya out this way?" Luke surveyed the sad state of the crops before answering. "This is far worse than I imagined. Yes sir, much worse. We need to talk." "So talk. Figure it must be might important or ya wouldn't be paying me a visit." Luke nodded. "It is. The bank needs a payment from ya right soon. Y'all 'bout half year behind on yer payments. We've been patient this long 'cause yer pa and I were friends." "Plannin' to come in an' gettin' settled up when we harvest this crop." "Yer dreaming Frank, that ain't goin' to happen," Luke stooped down and picked up some dry dirt. He let the sand-like soil sift through his fingers before continuing. "Look at this field....just look at it! This crop is dead. There ain't going to be a harvest come this fall. No sir, yer dreaming Frank. Not to mention yer other fields, they are in the same condition.....or worse. No sir, it ain't goin' to happen. No harvest this year." Frank swallowed hard. "All I need is two, maybe three good storms an' this crop will come back." "Yer dreaming again, Frank, many of these plants don't even have silk let alone husks. If the storms do come, ya may get 'nough to feed the family but nothing to take to market. This crop is beyond help." There was a long silence. Frank didn't know what to say. He knew in his heart that Luke was right. It hurt to admit that fact. "It's clear to me that y'all won’t be able to make yer payment. I’ve got to protect the bank’s interest. No sense in beatin' round the bush. The bank is calling the note due and payable," Luke said as he took the court document from his pocket and handed it to Frank. "We'll give ya to the first of the month to pay off the mortgage and I think that is being more than fair." Frank took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We ain't got that kind of money and you know that Luke. No farmer does until the harvest is sold." "Then there's the matter of the seed loan. The bank wants that money too….by the first of the month." "The seed loan ain't due until after the harvest," Frank reminded him. "Harvest?" Luke laughed. "Who's goin' to harvest this dead corn?” Luke’s voice suddenly became deadly firm, “The money is due at the first of the month or the farm will belong to the bank." "This farm was my pa's an' I ain't givin' it up without a fight!" Frank said loudly. His voice drifted across the quiet field for his sons to hear. "There ain't goin' to be a fight. Look at the paper work, Judge Parker already signed the foreclosure note. If ya don't pay, the Sheriff will take ya off the bank's land. It's all legal like." "Get off my land!" Frank ordered at the top of his lungs. Luke mounted his horse. "I'm leaving for now. This land won't be yours much longer, if ya don't pay up by the first of the month, this worthless farm will be the bank's." Eric and William arrived just as Luke rode off. "What was that all about pa?" Eric asked. "Nothing," Frank told his eldest son in a whisper. "Must have something important fer ya to yell at him. 'Sides, it ain't like Mr. Johnson to get his fat ass out of the bank," William said as he took off his straw hat and wiped his brow. "Yeah," Eric agreed with his younger brother. "It was nothing, I said," Frank snapped. "It's time to head in and get cleaned up if we're goin' to Jessie's place fer supper." The three men walked slowly deep in thought. Eric sensed there was a serious problem but he'd learned in his 23 years that in due time the problem would come to the surface. The run-down house they called home came into view. Seeing the men folk coming, Sarah stepped onto the porch joining her daughter, Adena. "Thought y'all forgot 'bout goin' to yer brother's place." "Wouldn't do that," Frank replied. "Too hot out there, so we quit early." Adena smiled proudly. "I finished making the preserves. I even made a pie with the left over berries." "Jessie does like your huckleberry pie," Frank told her as he flopped down in the worn sofa. "Now boys I want ya to get cleaned up," Sarah instructed. "And put your Sunday-goin'-to-church-clothes." William wrinkled his nose. "Do I have to take a bath too?" "Do ya want to smell like ya been in the barn all day?" "'Pose not, ma," William replied. "We'll all bathe in the creek," Frank said. "Go get yer clean clothes and a towel." When the boys went into their room, Sarah asked, "Did Luke Johnson find you? Adena told me that he wanted to talk to you." Frank went to the window and looked out at the large oak tree. He remembered his grandfather planting that tree when he was a young boy. Frank lowered his head. "Ya, he did." "What did he want?" she asked. He didn't answer. He thought about how he grew up in this very house. His children were born in the same bedroom he came into the world. He looked out at the family grave yard. The tombstones of his parents seemed to jump out at him. "What did he want?" Sarah repeated her question. "It was nothing," Frank said without turning around. "It ain't like Luke to leave the bank. I'm sure he didn't want to talk about the weather." Frank turned around quickly and yelled, "I said it ain't nothin'." "Y'all tell me when ya think the time is right," Sarah sighed. The two boys came out wearing only their drawers and boots. Frank hurriedly undressed down to his underwear. "The water should be cool, goin' to feel mighty fine," Eric said. "Race ya," William challenged and ran towards the creek with Eric not far behind. Frank was last as he walked towards the creek with a heavy heart.

My writing

Bart — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 20:21:59 GMT

I will be posting one chapter at a time of my manuscript I call "Golden Dreams". This title may change as it is a "working title" This is in the old west genre and the story is fiction, but losely based upon the life of my great-great grandfather's life. The primary plot and story line is why they left the comforts of the east coast, the trip across country in a wagon train, the hardships and incidents they faced on the trail, and the discovery of gold on the property they homesteaded. I discovered the basis of this story while doing my family tree. I learned that I enjoy doing the research as much as I do the writing. My research encluded family letters, diaries of pioneers, visiting museums, going to the Oregon Trail Historic Interpative Center in Baker City, Oregon, and following and camping along both the California and Oregon trails. I atempted to make my writing as accurate as possible while mixing my fiction with events that actually occured on the trail. The photo was sent to me by my relatives and they said it was my great great grandfather on the trail "taking a break."

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Golden Dreams, Chapter 1 - The Future is Bleak

My writing