They gathered in the front parlor. This would be difficult, but he had to get it right. The more he thought about it, the more certain he was. He was meant to be a farmer. If he could just convince his family.
Sharon’s face was tear-stained. Mary looked glum. He had’t yet begun, and he was already two votes down. Ruby bounced into the room. “Daddy is it true? Are we going farming?”
“That’s what we’re here to discuss,” Mary said. “Just sit down, Ruby. As soon as Catherine gets here, Dad will tell us all about it.”
Sharon flopped into the straight-backed Quaker chair and rocked as if the frenzied movement could whisk this nightmare away. “Well, where is she? She’s usually the first one here.”
“Don’t be cross,” Mary said. “I asked her to find something. She’ll be here soon.”
Will was glad to delay the confrontation. He hated making life harder for Mary. It seemed their marriage had known nothing but hardship lately. He knew that she loved Ashley Springs. Like in Hinton, her birthplace down the road, the rock houses that protruded from the hills were all that remained of her Cornish heritage. Taken from the escarpments which anchored them, those houses would stand long after their wood-framed neighbors had rotted and collapsed, long after their own beautiful home was gone. And Will knew she didn’t want to leave.
Catherine rushed into the room clutching a paper bag. Whatever could Mary have asked her to find? Will paused for a moment but knew he must get on with it. No use delaying the inevitable, but… “Did you hear about the old man who woke one morning and said, ‘I’m dead.’ His wife said, ‘Don’t be silly, Chester, what makes you think you’re dead?’ He said, ‘I woke up this morning and nothing hurts. I must be dead.’”
“Daddy!” Sharon shrieked. “Are we leaving Ashley Springs?”
Will looked away.
Ruby leaned toward him. “We’re going farming, aren’t we, Dad? We’ll have cows, chickens, and pigs. Must we get a tractor? I don’t like those loud, smelly things.”
“No tractors and no pigs,” Will said. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I have a chance to buy a farm at Willow, down on the Wisconsin River.”
“On the Wisconsin River? That far?” Sharon screamed. “Leave my friends? I won’t do it. I won’t go.” She sobbed.
“Sharon,” Will said, “I want your support. That’s why we’re here now. I want to go, and it’s time. I’ve always been a farmer at heart. I hope you understand that.” He set his jaw and straightened in his chair. “I’ve put it off too long. This is an opportunity I don’t want to miss.”
“I’ll go,” Ruby said. “I can’t wait to ride the horses. I’ll ride every day.”
Will thought that it might not be so much fun when she had to do it every day.
“Let Dad tell us,” Mary said. “Can we make a living at it, Will?”
“It can’t be much worse than the car business right now. And we’ll not go hungry, that’s for sure.”
Catherine raised her hand.
”Yes, Catherine?” Mary said.
“Can we take the Fannies and Mabel?”
“Everyone else is buying tractors,” Mary said.
“We can’t afford a tractor,” Will said.’ Besides, I’ve seen enough engines for a while.”
“How can we afford any of it?” Sharon said. “If we don’t have the money to live in town, how can we afford a farm and cattle? It doesn’t make any sense, none at all.” She broke into tears once more. “I don’t want to go.” She stopped rocking and stomped her foot on the floor. “I won’t go!”
Will turned toward Sharon, but Mary, ignoring her irate daughter, looked toward Will and said, “Go on, Will.”
“I’ve got an offer for the business that will give us the thousand down payment and five hundred more for working capital. The bank is eager to loan money. They’re selling for the balance on the loan, and their terms are generous, too. They’ll even give the money to buy the cattle we need, but I hate to take that much debt. You never know — ”
“They must want it off their books,” Mary said.
“I’m sure they do, but I can’t get in too deep. If we can sell the house, I’ll use that money to buy cattle, equipment, and seed.”
“What if it doesn’t sell right away?” Mary said.
Will saw the fear in Mary’s eyes, but she sat straight and tall, like a teacher facing her first classroom.
“We’ll rent until it sells. I’ll have to borrow more, but the rent will make the payments.” He eased off his chair and slowly circled the parlor, hands folded behind his back. “I’ve been thinking. I’ve got lots of ideas for farming. Better than what they’re doing now.” He stopped in front of his wife and reached to her. “We can make it, Mary. I know we can.”
“I won’t go!” Sharon screamed. “I’ll ask Aunt Kate if I can stay with her. I won’t leave Ashley Springs!”
Will kneeled before his daughter and took her hand. “I don’t want the family to break up over this.” He turned back to the others. “Do you feel the same as Sharon?”
Ruby stood, hands on her hips. “I want to — ”
But Mary waved her down. “Hush, Ruby. Not yet.”
Ruby scowled at her mother. “Well fiddle-dee-dee, at least I don’t throw a conniption like her.” She pointed at her older sister, but she sat down.
“I asked Catherine to find something for me, and I think she’s got it,” Mary said. “Bring it here, dear.” Mary took a picture from the sack. “I found this picture in the bottom of Grandma’s trunk.”
“What is it?” Ruby said.
Will smiled when he saw the picture. “That’s my Grandma O’Shaughnessy, my dad, and his brothers and sisters. That’s their farm in the background.”
“It is,” Mary said. “It’s their homestead, and there’s a message written on the back. Read it, Catherine.”
Mary returned the picture to Catherine who read, “‘This is for you, Father. The farm you always wanted but never saw.’”
“Grandma O’Shaughnessy wrote that on there,” Will said.
Sharon took the picture and looked closely.
“Tell them again, Will,” Mary said.
“My grandfather saved every penny he earned back in Ireland so that he could start anew here in America. He didn’t want to spend his life working to pay someone else’s debts. He wanted his own land. His brother had come here before him, so Grandpa sent him money to buy land outside of Ashley Springs. Why, he bought the land from Governor Dodge himself. But Grandpa never saw that land. He died of pneumonia twelve miles from his new home.”
Mary stood and faced Sharon. “I think that Great-Grandpa should be the last O’Shaughnessy to not realize his dream. Let’s sleep on it and gather after breakfast.”
* * *
Late that night, Sharon stepped into the parlor where her father sat alone, his head in his hands. “Daddy, I want what’s best for us all. I want to stay part of this family, even if it means leaving Ashley Springs.”
Will reached for Sharon and pulled her close. He may have an uncertain future, but he still had his family, and he knew that was far more important.
Early the next morning, while dressing for the day, Will told Mary about Sharon’s decision. “I know that she’s not happy, but she doesn’t want to break up our family either. It’s an awful bind I’ve put you into, isn’t it my dear?”
“Will, I don’t need to tell you how I hate to leave Ashley Springs, hate to leave my nice home. But when we married, I said for better or for worse. I may not be convinced that this is for the better, but I know that it’s not the worst. During these last few years I’ve seen so much worse every day. I do know how lucky I am.”
And Will knew how lucky he was to have a family that cared for each other. He knew he was assuming a heavy load, that he had to make this new venture successful so his family could live happily ever after. But he also knew that it wouldn’t be easy. Happy endings were only certain in fairy tales.
* * *
“But, Daddy, why do we have to wait until spring?” Ruby said. “Can’t we go now?”
“Most farmers freshen their cows for spring, so it’s hard to find a cow that gives milk in winter. We’ll need to get settled and be ready to milk at the beginning of March.” Will was certain that Grade A milking was the road to profitable farming, although most everyone else in Iowa County milked Grade B. But he couldn’t go Grade A without good cows. He worried that he couldn’t find the high producers he wanted.
“And Mother needs to pack a house full of memories, yes she does. You’ll just have to be patient, Ruby. If I can find the right cows, we’ll move to Willow at the end of February.”
“I don’t like being patient.”
Will sighed. He knew that Ruby expected the world to bow to her wishes immediately, and not a moment later. “Ruby, my dear, you’ll learn that a stew needs to simmer all day before it reaches full flavor. Not everything should be done right now.”
Will heard footsteps in the hall. “Ruby wants to go farming now,” he called to Mary. “She doesn’t want to wait until February.”
Catherine shouted from outside, and Ruby ran from the room.
“It does seem inefficient to milk only three quarters of a year,” Mary said. “But I’m no farmer, so I probably don’t understand.”
“There are better ways. And I plan to make lots of changes, but it’ll take time.”
Will had thought about farming ever since he’d come to town. But he shouldn’t regret too much; the car business served them well for a long time.
Mary took a hot iron off the cook stove and began to press the girl’s blouses. “Don’t you think it’s time we find a renter? It doesn’t look as if the house will sell anytime soon.”
“Paul Swartz was — ”
“It’s disappointing. I hoped the house money could go for a tractor.”
“I’ll not be needing a tractor. Four or five horses will suit us fine. Besides, I think tractors are too expensive for these small plots. And I’ve always been fond of my horses, you know that.”
Mary set the cool iron back on the hot stove and shoved the handle into the newly heated one. “Horses aren’t the modern way. I thought you wanted to be modern.”
“I do. Oh, about Paul Swartz. He was in today. He still wants to rent the house come spring. He says with a new youngster coming they’ll need more rooms.”
“I feel sorry for his wife,” Mary said. “She has all those kids and now had another on the way. But I’m not sure we want him. I’ve heard he spends too much time in the taverns.”
“He’s held a job at the feed mill ever since the war, and he earns a steady paycheck. That’s better than most these days.” Will edged toward his wife, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled his cheek against her neck.
“Will.” She pulled away. “This iron’s hot.”
He lifted his head but didn’t let go. “You can’t hold a few drinks against him. Besides, he goes to Church every Sunday.”
Mary set the iron onto an asbestos tray and twisted to face him. “Will, sitting in a pew doesn’t make him a saint anymore than sitting in a stall makes you a horse.”