Whoever the buildings belonged to, he knew that the inhabitants would take him in and offer him a meal and something hot to drink. It was the way things were done out here in the mid-west. People didn't stand on formality in Missouri, like they had back in Texas. If someone was in need of help, no matter what kind it was, there was always someone willing to help that person out. They didn't even have to know the person they were helping, they simply did it because others had done the same for them at one time or another in their own lives.
It amazed him at how friendly and giving these simple people were. Back home in Centerville, there hadn't been anyone he had known that would willingly help another person out, without hoping to get something out of it in return. It was sad, but true. His own pa was one of these people. Even though his pa had scratched out a living for himself, before he had become a successful rancher, there was nothing humble about him. Their ranch was the largest one in Centerville, their home the biggest, their horses the best. Rance went out of his way to let people know who he was and how he expected to be treated. Most of the people in the town were afraid of him. They willingly did Rance McCloud's bidding, for fear of what he would do to them if they didn't.
His pa was the main reason he had decided to leave Texas and go to Missouri. He no longer wanted to be known as Rance McCloud's son. He didn't want people to be afraid of him. He wanted to be known and liked for who he was and not because of his name. The knowledge of how hard and mean a man his father had become, didn't hit Jeremiah until he brought Theresa home for dinner. The entire meal had been spent with Rance glaring angrily at Jeremiah, his mother staring at her plate and Theresa barely holding back the tears that had threatened to fall. After he had escorted Theresa home and returned, his father had laid into him and ordered him to never see Theresa again.
When Jeremiah had refused to do what his father had asked, Rance had hit him. Never once in his life had his father ever struck him and to have him do so now because of Theresa was uncalled for. He had already fallen in love with Theresa and asked her to be his wife. They had planned to tell his parents about the engagement that night at dinner. Jeremiah knew that he could never tell his father about his engagement. He went to see Theresa at the mission and they concocted a way for them to be married and for him to continue to work for his father until they had enough money to leave. His father, believing that he had complied with his wishes, took him to the bank and set up an account for him to use on whatever he needed. The sum of money had been considerable and although he initially felt bad about taking it for the reason his father had given it to him, Jeremiah had eagerly accepted it. That night he went to Theresa and told her to pack. The next morning, he and Theresa left Centerville on horseback and never looked back.
As he continued to walk towards the buildings, Jeremiah began to see names on the buildings and knew he had reached Independence. He stop and said a quick thanks to God for seeing him through the blizzard, then hastened his step. The quicker he was able to purchase the supplies he needed and borrow a horse to carry them back home with him, the sooner he could return to Theresa and the girls. Knowing he would soon see his family again, filled with happiness. The McCloud's would see the rest of winter through just fine.
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