Working Girl

Working Girl

The newly arrived settlers had been making sacrifices to accommodate requests made by the Southern Kansas Stage Line. They were considering accepting the offer of opening a rest station for the company and had generously served some of the passing stagecoaches even though they had no accommodations built yet on the land they recently claimed. Only the wagons the pioneers arrived in provided food and lodging so far.

Mr. Pike, the company's agent visiting the homestead, thought maybe he should stay until the next stage came on the return trip. He could take one of the four family members into the closest town to shop for supplies. Even if they decided not to set up a station he should replace the supplies they had already used. He wondered why that had not occurred to him sooner. Otherwise the whole party and all three wagons would have to travel to town. He would suggest it to Mrs. Potter in the morning.

So he did. Kendra, the seventeen-year-old in charge, had to think about which vehicle they would use for the chore. “Theo, do you think you could put some of the extra wheels on the raft wall off the goat cart so you can continue getting bushes and rocks from the river today while Mr. Pike and I go into town with the goat cart. I don't want to take the box wagon away from 'Lena. She needs it for supplies and cooking.”

“Brilliantly scathing idea!” exclaimed Theo. “But ifn Iz puts da seat and da shade onto da raft yaz have flat wagon ta haul wit'.

So he did. The two were off to town within an hour and a half after the stage that had stayed the night pulled out. Kendra packed a couple of spades, a bucket and some pots of plants. She explained why on the way. “I've leased a property in town that has plowed soil. It's planting time and we are no where close to being able to plant out on our new land. I thought I could get a head start by planting something in town. Hope you don't mind hanging around in town while I do that. I'll ask at the general store if there is a young man available I could hire to do occasional watering and weeding. I'll also see if the store has vegetable seeds I can plant. Oh, and some work gloves. We will need vegetables as soon as possible if we are running this station for you.”

“So you think you will?” Pike plied.

“I really need to see what plans are with the rest of the family we're expecting. I don't know any of their skill sets.”

“If they are family why don't you seem to know them at all?”

So... She took some time explaining the relationships and circumstances to him.

“I grew up with 'Lena's son, Tommy, in Georgia but he served on the Union side in the North and found 'Lena's mother and brother's whom I never met up there where they had been smuggled out by the Underground Railroad. They may all have wives or wives to be. We invited them to join us here. Tommy went to get them at the train in Topeka after he caught up with us on the trail.”

When they were at the only general store in town, Thornsby and Flick's, Pike asked Kendra, “I'm willing to help you plant. If I bought a pair of dungarees would there be somewhere I could change into them?”

“Only a whole house or the barn,” she grinned.

Mr. Flick recommended she check with Gurwick at the livery stable on 7th Avenue about an errand boy who may gladly like to earn extra money.

Mr. Thornsby asked her, “Aren't you the widow lady that came in with that good looking cowboy the other day? Here you are with another fellow and no more black dress.”

“Oh, I'll be working today and thought this brown dress would be better suited. And I might be working for this gentleman.”

“You one of those working girls from down Witchita way? We don't cotton much to that sort of thing in this town. Don't even allow a saloon in town, no drinking alcohol permitted.”

“But isn't that a store selling wine across the street?” Kendra innocently noted.

“He's not too happy about us passing that ordinance so might not be here much longer. Widow or not, you can't be bringing your customers in here no more either.” Mr. Thornsby chided.

“I don't understand...” Kendra looked confused.

“Let me handle this.” Mr. Pike butted in. “I am afraid you are misunderstanding, Sir. This fine lady, Mrs. Potter, has leased a place in town here and she wants to buy some seeds and do some planting today so will be working hard digging in dirt. My name is Jason Pike. I'm an agent with the Southern Kansas Stage Line and we are setting up rest stations. I'm negotiating with her to open one of our stations on land she owns outside of town so she would be working for me if she does. We are here to see if you are able to be one of our suppliers. I need to replace some supplies she has already been using.”

“Well, now that's a whole different situation, isn't it. How can we help you today? Pike?” Thornsby pondered, “Ain't ya the feller who discovered some peak out west?”

“Different feller. That was Zebulon, same last name. But it was a lofty discovery.”

Mr. Pike asked about their store making deliveries out to Mrs. Potter's location and if there might be stock men in the area to go directly to for produce. The merchant suggested the Wright brothers in Americus not far away from Kendra's location. They had fruits there, too. Thornsby also told them of the grist mill a bit down the river for flour. And he named a lumber yard. They already had the supplies loaded when as an afterthought Kendra wanted to know if the store had any cots. She bought all five they had on hand.

“Looks like resources are lining up nicely to make this venture possible. Don't you think?” Mr. Pike encouraged. “It wouldn't be nearly as hard as you might have been thinking.”

“Do you mind if we stop at the lumber place and see if they could make a delivery?” Kendra queried.

At the lumber yard, she asked the proprietor to look at her drawing for a suitable structure. Could he make a guess at the costs? He said he would need a little time. She said she would stop back in after doing some other errands. She also asked about an estimate for a simple bunk house.

They went to the livery stable and the young lad, Jay, was excited to work for her so went with them to help plant and learn what she wanted him to do.

Once they got to the house, Mr. Pike was impressed with the property. “No wonder you are hesitant about starting a station when you have this place.”

As they worked she explained. “I leased this with an option to buy before I knew about the other family members coming. Thought I may have to have some sort of business to get us through the first year before crops came in. Theo could do carpentry and black smithing in the barn and 'Lena and I could run a boarding house, for instance. Now someone may want to live here until they get something built on their own plot. So many unsettled options. That is part of my indecision. I still don't know all the things my grandfather built into those wagons. He died along the trail. I thought about bringing it all here to unpack.”

“Do you mean you lost your grandfather and your husband on your way here?”

“Yes, I've had to learn a lot about taking care of the rest of us.”

“I would say you are doing a splendid job. I'm very impressed. So sorry about your losses. I won't pressure you about the station but I'm sure you could handle it all just fine. I would find ways to make it go as smooth as possible lining up suppliers and deliveries and such. Matter of fact I can find a stockman close by and get some beef delivered to you right away. I'll teach Theo how to preserve it in a smokehouse if he doesn't already know how. I'll even take enough lumber with us today to put up the smokehouse.”

“Oh, and for a privy. With all the traffic around our place that is becoming an issue. There aren't even any trees.” They chuckled.

They took Jay back to the livery stable where she paid him the agreed upon wage. Then they went to the lumber yard and added enough lumber including nails and hardware to build the smokehouse and outhouse on their make shift wagon along with their other purchases of the day. She ordered and paid for enough lumber to build a bunk house to be delivered hopefully the next day. She'd paid for the groceries with the $100 given to her by the stage driver a few days prior to cover her expenses. And the remainder went towards the lumber they carried back with them. She figured both were necessities for the business if undertaken.

The lumber man gave her the requested quotes with the understanding they might be somewhat off not knowing all the details. He also recommended a stock man close by. They stopped in there and Mr. Pike paid for a steer to be slaughtered and delivered in two days. That should allow time enough to get the smokehouse built by the helping tribesmen.

Mr. Pike treated her to a late lunch before they headed back to camp. He realized how much he enjoyed spending time in her company. “I've really enjoyed today with you, Mrs. Potter. You are such a hard worker I had trouble keeping up with you. And you truly have a good business sense. Beauty and brains, a rare combination.”

“Why should that be such a surprise? Good looking men can make wise decisions and nobody questions that.”

“Well, well they are men and...” he fumbled. “You are correct. I apologize. You are uniquely gifted.

“What I do think is that the meals you and your cook, 'Lena, produce are far superior to what we are served here which isn't bad. That's why all the stage passengers and drivers have been raving.” Mr. Pike praised.

“That's all 'Lena's doing. I'm just her shadow. She's a natural nurturer. She loves making people happy. If you like what she provides, please be sure to compliment her. Sometimes she lacks self-confidence.”

“All the more reason to accept our offer to put up a station for you to operate. Okay, okay, I said I wasn't going to pressure you and there I go again. But can you tell how much I want you?” He appealed with a charming smile.

Kendra got a bit leery with that comment. Did she need to be more diligent? “I think we need to get started back to camp so we aren't overcome by darkness.”