THE CHIPPEWA FALLS DAWSONS
Chapter Seven
Rose was happy to finally be in Chippewa
Falls. The train station wasn’t very big, but then neither was the town. Rose
turned, and saw Jack coming up behind her. She couldn’t help but smile. He
is carrying everything we own, she thought. And I am completely happy.
"Well, Jack, don’t you think we should find someplace to leave that?"
"It’s not that heavy. I want to see if
we can catch a ride to the Leary farm."
"You’re the guide. Lead away."
Jack took Rose and led her down the main
street of this small town. Everywhere he looked brought back memories. They
approached the stores, and Jack led her into the grocery store. Just as he had
thought, not much had changed. Mr. Riley was still behind the counter. The
small store was still as fully packed as it had been before he had left.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Riley. Have you seen any of the Learys today?"
"No, Jack. They don’t come into town
much anymore. You thinking of going out there?" Mr. Riley responded as if
he had seen Jack just yesterday instead five years ago.
"Yes. I’d like to visit."
Mr. Riley made a sound in his throat.
"You can go see for yourself, then," he said, and turned back to
stocking the shelves behind him.
*****
Jack and Rose looked down the long driveway
that led to the Leary farm. They had caught a ride on a wagon that was heading
that way. Jack was worried that something was very seriously wrong. Mr. Riley
had been very tight-lipped about what they would find. "Come on, Rose. I
need to find out what could have happened." Jack took Rose’s hand and
started down the road. As he got closer to the farm, he saw nothing that would
give him a clue. The buildings were in good repair, and the fields looked like
they had every April in the past. As they got within shouting distance of the
house, three dogs ran up and started barking. Jack bent over and started to pet
them. They were the same dogs that the Learys had had five years ago. Jack
looked up, and saw Mrs. Leary coming out of the house, wiping her hands on her
apron.
"Hello, Mrs. Leary. Is Mike home?"
"Jack? Is it really you?"
"Yes, Mrs. Leary. It’s me. And I’d like
you to meet my betrothed, Rose DeWitt Bukater."
Mrs. Leary slowly walked up to Jack, and look
at him hard. Suddenly, a large smile broke out on her face, and she grabbed
Jack and starting hugging him. "Jack, we have missed you so much. Rose, go
ring that bell over there, and call the men in. I know they’ll want to see
Jack!"
Rose walked over to the bell, and looked at
it. She had never been on a farm before, and she wasn’t sure what would happen.
Taking a deep breath, and smiling slightly, Rose rang the bell. She looked up
and saw that men were coming from everywhere. Two out of the barns and one the
trees beside the house. She also heard the door open behind her, and saw a
woman, about her age, holding a small baby. Rose walked over to stand beside
Jack, who was having a hard time keeping the dogs from jumping on him.
"What’s the matter, Ma?" the man
who had come out of the woods asked, leaning his ax against the porch.
"Who’s this?"
"Thomas Leary, don’t you recognize the
man who used to push you in the manure every day?"
The man looked up, studying Jack’s face.
"Jack? So, you came back."
"What’s the matter, Thomas?" But
before Thomas could answer, Michael Leary had come up, and hugged Jack even
harder than his mother had.
"Jack, I’m so glad you’re back. I missed
you. Never mind Thomas. You two never did get along." Michael laughed.
"How long are you staying for?"
"First I’d like to introduce Rose,"
Jack said, reaching out and taking her hand. "Rose, this is Michael, my
best friend when I was growing up."
"Pleasure, miss."
"Do you have someplace to stay, Jack?
You can’t expect your betrothed to sleep on the ground," Mrs. Leary broke
in. "You’ll be staying with us. I know you can earn your keep for a day or
two."
Jack looked over at Mrs. Leary. "I was
hoping we could stay here. It would mean a lot to me. I have come back to see
if I can’t rebuild my father’s farm."
"Jack, have you seen it since you
left?" Michael asked.
"No."
"Take our wagon, and go over and take a
look. Then we’ll talk tonight after dinner."