Mollie's Journey

By Lee Ann Turner

All Mollie McGuire has ever wanted is to have a home and family of her own to love and care for. After a serious accident, her father is not able to provide for his family so Mollie starts out from Memphis across the Arkansas wilderness to join some cousins and find work.

After prospecting in Oklahoma Territory for years, Jack Evans is back in Montgomery County. He's ready to settle down in one place and raise a family. He buys the Davis homestead and starts to put down roots.

Mollie's money runs out in Little Rock, but she finds work, witnesses a murder, and flees toward Hot Springs. She works at whatever work she finds, but through some unfortunate incidents finds herself penniless, trudging along the forest road with a baby goat and two carpetbags. She finds shelter in Jack's cabin, but new problems arise, and trouble follows her.

The pair seem like a perfect match, but the road to love and happiness is rocky and dangerous. Even the trip to Mount Ida for a marriage license has its share of tribulations (or is that a skunk?) 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lee Ann Turner
• Release date: Feb 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224711604

Book preview

About the Author

Lee Ann Evans Turner is a retired teacher, holding a BSE and an MSE from Henderson State University. She taught, at various times in Arkansas and Alaska. She taught students from kindergarten to adult, including college and community continuing education classes. Most of her teaching experience was in combined primary grades.

Lee Ann and her husband live on a small farm in southwest Arkansas in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains where they enjoy gardening and bird-watching. She quilts, reads and enjoys genealogical research in the colder months. She also enjoys cooking holiday meals for their children, grandchildren and now, great-grandchildren. She has produced and published two family cookbooks.

Lee Ann has also written a historical romance novel, Unexpected Journey, as well as several articles for historical and genealogical magazines and newspapers.

Copyright © 2024 Lee Ann Turner

Cover design-Jerlyn Stone

Publisher - Tall Timber Publications

Newhope, Arkansas

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All Rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews. The reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereinafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system is forbidden without written permission of the author, Lee Ann Turner.

To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, place and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, business establishments, event or locales is entirely coincidental.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and always, I thank God, the giver of all good things.

Thanks to Linda, Patsy, and Patricia for proofreading the manuscript, and offering positive critiques.

Thanks to Jerlyn Stone for beautiful book covers and computer magic.

DEDICATIONS

Always to my husband, Wallace, for a lifetime of love and caring. And for inspired ideas.

This book is for my entire family. They are always there when I have a question or need another point of view. They are ever supportive and great public relations people.

This book is also for my quilting family, especially The Thursday Afternoon Quilters. They give me inspiration and confidence with their helpful and truthful comments that keep me going.

Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:9 (KJV)

Chapter One

The normal bustle of pedestrians in front of the Rector Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas was interrupted that cool spring morning in 1859 when loud voices preceded the couple scuffling as they burst through the front door of the prestigious hotel.

What is wrong with you? The indignant young woman protested. She jerked her arm, trying to free it from the grip of an equally indignant older man who propelled her toward the steps leading down to the rocky and dusty street.

What have I done that makes you treat me this way? She twisted her body to keep from falling off the hotel porch.

You harlot! You Jezebel!  You are no longer employed here.  WE run a respectable hotel. Puffing from exertion, he pushed her down the steps as he released her arm. There is no room here for your kind. The pompous, portly hotel manager picked up her two bags from a porter nearby and threw them down onto the dusty street to land by her feet. He straightened his tie, pulled down the front of his waistcoat, and adjusted the coattail of his pin-stripe suit. He sniffed and stood looking down his nose at the struggling, confused young woman.

Mollie McGuire regained her balance and turned to face her accuser. Her mouth hung open in disbelief. I don’t understand what you mean, she protested. I was married yesterday, she indignantly continued. I am no ‘harlot’! I am a respectable married woman! She put her fists on her hips and stomped a foot, raising a cloud of dust from the rutted street.

Ha! Married? I don’t think so! Dan Taylor, the man you were sleeping with, already has a wife. He is here to meet the stage today and take her back home. The hotel manager preened, twisted the tips of his handlebar mustache and didn’t try to hide his smirk.

He’s married already? Mollie was astonished. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  No, not possible. I don’t believe you! she shook her head and propped her clenched fists on her hips. He took me to a preacher and we were married yesterday. I don’t understand why he would do that if he already had a wife.

What was the preacher’s name? the manager inquired.

I think his name is Sam Cook, Reverend Sam Cook.

The manager shook his head.  Girl, you have been played for a fool. Sam Cook is a drinking buddy of Dan Taylor.  They have pulled this stunt before when Dan’s wife goes to visit her family.  Sam can quote the Good Book as well as anybody, but has no morals about using that talent if somebody offers him money.  Everybody around here knows that.

Well, I’m not from around here, she groused. I’ve just been in town for a short time. Mollie dropped her hands to her side and her shoulders slumped dejectedly.  She hung her head and started to babble. I should have known it was too good to be true when he offered me a ride in his wagon the day I went walking out in the country exercising my baby goat. When I saw him again at the hotel, he spoke to me again and said he had fallen in love with me, that it was love at first sight. He told me his wife had left him, and he had a young baby at home that need someone to take care of it.  He asked if I liked children and would I come with him to his farm to take care of it. When I said I loved babies and would take care of it, he said we would need to be married before he took me out to his homestead and he knew a preacher that would marry us. He took me to a cabin down the road and Reverend Cook said the words and married us. When we got back to town, he said we must sleep together once for the marriage to be real.  He said that after that we didn’t have to sleep together until I came to love him, then we could start our new life together for real.  Mollie was desperate for the manager or anyone to believe her tale.

Well, now you know. Your marriage is not real anyway. The manager offered no sympathy. Dan Taylor is a slick liar and you are too gullible by far. You got taken in by his stories.

Shock drew all the color from Mollie’s face as the reality of her situation struck. She swayed and felt as if she were going to faint and fall into the dust and dirt of the busy street.

I am sorry for your circumstances, but you can no longer work here. As I said, the manager shook his finger at Mollie, We run a respectable hotel here and we can’t have the likes of you around our clients. We would never get any custom from Christian families if the likes of you were known to be employed here. The self-righteous little man sniffed and put his nose in the air as he turned away and adjusted the fit of his suit coat. He ignored the mitigating circumstances Mollie outlined, and said over his shoulder, Come around to the back door, and I will hand you the wages you have earned as a maid. I do want to be fair.

Fair? Nothing about this whole situation is fair! Is it my fault that a scoundrel lied to me and took advantage of my good nature and inexperience? Why does Dan Taylor get to stay in this respectable hotel when it is his lying and cheating that got me in this position? Why did I ever believe such malarkey? How could I have been so stupid?  Mollie moaned and shook her mop of curly brown hair as she dejectedly gathered her bags and brushed off the thick layer of dust. She glanced around and became aware that she was the focus of a small crowd of spectators that had gathered on the sidewalk on either side of the hotel entrance to watch the drama play out. Mollie’s face flamed red with embarrassment as she scurried around the corner of the building to get away from the curious gazes of strangers.

At the back door of the hotel, the manager waited to hand over a paltry sum without a word and quickly returned inside and closed the door as if he could be contaminated by her mere presence.

And good luck to you, too. Mollie said to his retreating back as she slumped down on the back steps of the hotel with her worldly possessions at her feet. The money was not nearly enough to get her a passage of any kind over to Dallas in Polk County where a cousin lived. She realized that as soon as the story of her so public dismissal got around the town, no one was going to be hiring her for anything half-way respectable. How could I have been so stupid? How? What am I to do now?  It’s spring.  No one is going to want knitted scarves or mittens made of wool. Anyway, my store of yarn is getting low. I’ll just have to find some other kind of work. However for sure, it won’t be here. That scene out front of the hotel made sure of that. Gathering her inner strength she brushed the salty tears from her cheeks and collected her few possessions as she stood.  She bowed her head as she turned and followed the alley behind the businesses along the street. She made her way slowly to the livery stable located at the end of the dusty street.

No more than they weighed, it was hard work hauling her two bags. As she walked, she tried to plan what she should do or even what she could do, but her mind was still reeling from the unfortunate and distressing circumstances and the accusations heaped on her head. She finally reached the small livery stable where she had left her most prized possession, her Angora kid named Nanny Annie.  The little goat recognized her and ran to the side of the pen and bleated for Mollie’s attention.

Hello, baby. Mollie scratched behind Annie’s floppy ears and almost burst into tears at the unconditional love of her pet. It had been a struggle, rearing the kid from a newborn. The mother goat had delivered twin kids, but would not accept one of the babies.  The shepherd that lived down near Arkadelphia was grateful when Mollie offered to care for the rejected kid. The goat had delivered the kids earlier in the spring and Mollie fell in love with the tiny furry creatures. It seemed an act of fate that she was able to take the kid and provide enough milk to feed it until it was big enough to eat solid food. The shepherd realized what a strong bond formed between Mollie and the kid and was moved to give it to her as a gift. She hoped to be able to shear Annie by fall of the year to replenish her stock of fleece to spindle into yarn. She was sure she could charge a premium price for her knitted products using the high value mohair. She had made a few dollars selling hand-knitted scarves and mittens from some fleece she bought from the shepherd. In the future she hoped to be able to support herself by growing a small herd of goats when she was settled with her cousins.

First, I’ve got to figure out how to survive the summer. Mollie absent mindedly stroked Annie’s soft, curly ringlets of fleece as she tried to think of what she could do in her desperate circumstances.

Ben Collins, the owner of the livery, came around the corner of his barn and walked up to where Mollie stood petting her goat. He hooked his boot heel on the bottom rail of the fence and braced his elbows on the top rail. He took a toothpick out of the corner of his mouth and said, Hi Mollie. Heard about the dust-up down the street. Just wanted to tell you that I don’t think any less of you for letting that old reprobate, Dan Taylor, get the best of you. He’s a very convincing liar.

Thank you, Ben. That helps my feelings some. I can’t believe that I bought his story, hook, line and sinker. I thought I had half a brain at least, but he sure sweet talked me and pulled the wool over my eyes, so to speak. I guess I wanted a place to settle down and raise my goats so much, that I was willing to ignore my uncertainties and misgivings. Mollie stared into the horizon for a minute, then heaved a big sigh.  I am in a real pickle, Ben. I can’t stay here. Nobody here will hire me to do anything with my reputation ruined. I can’t afford the fare to go on all the way to Dallas. I have to think about feeding Nanny Annie and the wages from the last few days at the hotel won’t last for long anywhere I go."

Tell you what. I can let you sleep in my barn loft for tonight. You can put Annie in one of the empty stalls. I was going to tell you when I saw you again that some men rode by early this morning, and I heard them mention how tasty lamb chops would be for supper. We need to put Nanny Annie out of sight in case they get all liquored up tonight down at the Rector Tavern and come back to rustle a lamb. When I close the shop, you can go inside and lock the doors from the inside. You and Annie should be safe enough for one night. There are some horse blankets in the tack room. They may not smell too sweet, but you can use them to keep you warm in the hay loft.

Oh, Ben, thank you! I don’t know what I would do if something happened to Annie. She is such a special little goat. You know I want to start a herd of Angora goats for their wool. That is worth a lot more than a few ‘lamb chops’. Lamb chops, indeed! Don’t they know a goat when they see one? Those men will have ‘lamb chops’ over my dead body!

Don’t get all het up Mollie. Those men may have just stopped for a drink and then ridden on down the road.

If you don’t mind, Ben, I think I will feed Annie in the stall and fix her a bed in there. Maybe she will sleep there, then I can climb up in the loft. It has been a long stressful day. I just want to hole up and try to decide what I can do now.

Do you want me to go over to the tavern and bring you back some supper?

Oh, no thank you. That’s very thoughtful of you, but I don’t think I could eat a bite without throwing up. And I had just as soon no one knows where I am. People might think it odd if you start carrying food around. You have been so nice to me, I don’t want to cause you any problems.

You may be right. I will bring you something for breakfast. Ma always cooks too many biscuits now that my brother has moved out to his own farm. Maybe you will feel more like eating then. Ben turned toward the front of his business. Say, I hear a wagon pulling up out front. I’ll go see what they want. You can stay back here with Annie out of sight until they are gone. I will pick up your bags and set them inside the door for you.

Mollie walked over to the gate, went inside the pen and sank to the ground. Annie came over and lay down beside her and put her head in Mollie’s lap, expecting more petting. They sat that way until the shadows crept over them and the light from the setting sun dimmed. Mollie realized how late it was getting and rose to her feet. Come on, Annie. Let’s go down to the creek so you can browse a few minutes and get a good drink of water. I will give you a little grain when we get back and locked up in the barn.

Ben just missed seeing the pair when he came back around the side of the barn. He knew Mollie would be back later to gather her belongings and settle in for the night, so he went on home to his supper.

CHAPTER TWO

The next morning, after a night of disturbed sleep and nightmares, Mollie was up before the sun peeped over the horizon. She had gone over and over the preceding day’s events in her mind, searching for a clear path forward. Finally she got up and dragged her carpetbags down the ladder from the loft. She found a water bucket with a gourd dipper and slaked her thirst, trying not to think of who had used the dipper before herself. She went to unlock the front door just as someone began banging on it. Ben was standing on the other side with a tin plate full of biscuits, scrambled eggs and pork sausage, all covered with one of his mother’s beautifully embroidered tea towels. He had a bottle of milk under his arm.

Ma sent you some breakfast. Ben handed her the plate and bottle as he walked into his establishment. She said to tell you that she wishes you the best and will be praying for you. She was mightily upset to find out what an episode that scoundrel, Dan Taylor, had pulled off right there in a respectable hotel.  She and her church ladies will be calling on the manager. They want to try and prevent him from renting Dan Taylor a room in the future.

Between bites of the still warm and delicious breakfast, Mollie said, Thank your mother for me. I am feeling a bit better about things this morning, but I cannot believe that I let that man deceive me so. I am so angry with myself for being so gullible.

Don’t beat yourself up over one mistake. You can’t let that man ruin your whole life. Ben gathered up some grain in a cedar bucket and started to feed the animals left in his care. Have you decided what you are going to do now?

I thought about what to do all night while I was tossing and turning, didn’t get much sleep. The idea that I could work my way across the country doesn’t seem to be working out the way I expected, Mollie ruefully answered in an understatement. Nobody in this town will be willing to hire me for doing anything unless it would be working for Scarlet down at the bordello that she calls her boarding house. That is something I don’t think I could ever do, never mind what would happen to Annie if I tried that life. Heaving a huge sigh, Mollie continued, Since I have very little money, I suppose I will just have to walk down the road until I get far enough away that someone will hire me.  About all I know how to do is keeping house, knitting and caring for goats. I am willing to learn just about anything, but was sent to a girl’s finishing school and brought up being told that a woman’s place is in the home. I learned about goats from the shepherd and the old couple I stayed with and worked for during the winter. She saved most of the milk in the bottle for a treat for Annie and set the plate and utensils aside. She pushed up from the bench against the wall and started to gather her belongings. She decided she would feed Annie well and then they could start walking.

After he finished feeding the livestock, Ben returned to the front of the barn. Would you be willing to work for a ride to Mount Ida? he asked Mollie. Before she could answer, he continued, That wagon that came in late yesterday just as I was about to leave, belonged to a young couple. The wife is in the family way, and it doesn’t look to be too long before she will deliver. She was just plain exhausted, leaned on her husband all the way down the street to the Rector Hotel. I heard him tell her that he would inquire if there is a woman around here willing to ride along with them as far as Mount Ida, to help her out with any cooking if they have to stop along the trail but most of all just to be a companion.

That is another thing that sounds too good to be true. I would be most happy to be a companion and help the woman, but I don’t know much about birthing babies. Helping them out would all depend.

Depend on what?

On whether they would be willing to have Nanny Annie along. I can’t leave her here. You know I want to use her to start a small herd of Angora goats. In the meantime, I will be depending on her to furnish fleece for me to spindle into yarn and knit as she gets older. This coming winter I think I can make money to live on by selling my knitted scarves and mittens, or even some fleece. Mollie sighed, I just need to figure out how to keep body and soul together until then.

Won’t hurt to ask, Ben encouraged. Their wagon is not loaded real heavy.  There is some space in the back where a little goat could ride if she couldn’t keep up with the horses."

Ben you surely are an optimist. Mollie smiled "You don’t know how much I appreciate the help you and your mother have been to me. Yesterday was the worst day of my life, bar none. If not for your compassion, I don’t know