“One good thing that had come out of the war was the prosperity it had brought to the area. Lumber was in high demand, so the mills thrived. Little towns were built at these mills so the workers and their families could live there. Anyone who was willing to work hard was able to sell all their produce and meat to the folks who lived in these mill towns. Roads had been improved and bridges were constructed. There were even a few folks with automobiles in the area. The dairy in town had a truck that came and picked up our cream. Rural mail delivery had begun in several areas. We even had our own local municipal telephone system.
When Royce and I got married, the Coalter farm was a real going concern. They grew acres of potatoes which were shipped by rail to one of the big mill towns. They also sold eggs, beef, pork, and other produce. Cream, their mainstay, was sold to the dairy in town.
I was almost three months pregnant when we had married. I had told Royce about the baby at the end of March. Royce was thrilled with the news. He wanted a family in the worst way. He asked if I wanted to up the wedding date, but I told him no. It was only five weeks away anyhow. We had decided not to say anything to anyone until after the wedding. We told Royce’s folks first. I figured that I would soon be showing, so they needed to know. When we started sharing our news with everyone else, no one had really suspected anything. We had been married for over a month by then. Ma was the only one who said anything. She had figured I was pregnant on our wedding day. She said that I had that glow.
My second pregnancy was a lot easier. I didn’t have any swelling in my ankles or high blood pressure. Everything progressed along normally. I didn’t gain the excessive weight I had with the twins. That in itself was good news. I was quite able to help that summer with all the farm chores and huge garden we kept.
It was nice to have Royce around while I was pregnant. He was a real doting husband. He enjoyed watching my body change, knowing there was a little person in my tummy that was a part of him. He loved to lie in bed at night with his hand on my belly hoping the baby would move or kick so he could feel it. He wanted a little boy, but I reminded him that there was only a fifty percent chance. I had kept all the twins’ baby things, so I was prepared for a girl or boy.
Royce’s mother was excited. She got busy with knitting and sewing baby things. She made an awful lot of pink things. Of course, she was rooting for a little girl since she’d only had boys. She wanted a little granddaughter named Charity. She’d picked that name out for a daughter years ago and had had boys instead. That had been her mother’s name. I didn’t discourage her excitement. I liked the name Charity for a girl. Royce and I settled on it. If we had a girl, she would be named Charity Anne after Royce’s grandmother and me. If we had a boy, he would be named Chase Allen after both our fathers.
At Thanksgiving Murray and Mary Beth turned six. I couldn’t believe how fast they’d grown. They would start school the following September. They were both very happy about that.
Shortly after midnight, on the first day in December 1921, Charity Anne was born. She came so fast that Royce didn’t even get time to harness the horses to fetch the doctor. His mother helped me deliver her. Everything went perfect. Royce was more worse for the wear than I. He was in such a panic.
Royce’s mother was so thrilled. She got her granddaughter, Charity Anne. Royce was happy, too. He picked up his tiny daughter and kissed her little cheek. He had tears of love and joy in his eyes as he held her. He turned to me and said, “Savannah Coalter, I love you more than words can ever say. Thank you for our perfect little daughter.” In that moment, I couldn’t remember ever being happier. Royce was a wonderful man, and I loved him with all my heart.
Well, I must say, Murray and Mary Beth took to having a little sister really well. I had been somewhat apprehensive since they had never had to share me in six years. Mary Beth was like a little mother to Charity herself. She was always ready to help if I needed anything. She sat by the cradle singing as she would rock Charity’s cradle. She was so happy to have a little sister.
Charity was a happy and healthy baby. She was the focal point of the whole household. Every time she squirmed or squawked, Mary Beth or Grandma Coalter was there to pick her up and spoil her. Even Grandpa Coalter took his turn wanting to rock her in the evenings.
Royce sure loved his little daughter. He liked to keep her in our bed at night after I had nursed her and watch her sleep. It made my heart sing to watch him admiring her. He was such a proud father. It was wonderful having a new baby to hold and fuss over. Having Royce at home was such a comfort to me. I was so content to be his wife and the mother to our children. As much as Jed and I had loved each other, we hadn’t been able to share this experience together. I knew I had made the right decision when I married Royce.
Murray and Mary Beth were thriving. Life had moved forward for them, too. They were loved by Royce and his folks as if they were their own kin. Murray was always out helping Royce and his father on the farm. He was a good little helper. It did him the world of good being out with the men folk learning how to do everything around the farm. Mary Beth seemed to enjoy helping Grandma Coalter and me tend to all the household chores. She loved going to the stable with Murray to play with the kittens and feed the calves. They would usually go together to tend to the chickens and collect all the eggs.
By the time we celebrated our first wedding anniversary, I was pregnant again. Of course, Royce was thrilled. He wanted a house full of children. I must say I was happy, too. We weren’t getting any younger, so if we wanted to have a big family, we had to keep at it.
We had such a good summer that year. It was an excellent growing season. The wild berries were plentiful, and we picked many baskets of them. I remember canning and preserving until we ran out of jars. Everyone around had a great garden, and the field crops produced an exceptional yield. The hay crop was almost double from most years. We thought that the barn would surely burst at the seams.
We had an excess of potatoes, over and above what the mill folks could take, so Royce found a grocery store in the city to the north of us to sell them to. He hauled them to the railway siding and shipped them by train. He talked about buying a truck with the extra cash he made. Life was good during those times. Looking back, I remember thinking that everything had fallen into place. Things looked pretty rosy.
That fall the twins started school. They were so excited to head off, but I was a little melancholy. The old house seemed pretty quiet throughout the day without their tireless chatter. My babes were growing up. It was hard for me to believe that so many years had passed by so quickly. Thank goodness I had Charity. She helped to fill the void in their absence, and soon we’d have another little one to love.
Of course, Royce and I had hopes of having a whole passel of children, maybe six or eight. We were prepared to love and enjoy each child we would have, no matter how many, and by that time we were looking forward to the next little one that was on its way. Royce was hoping for a boy, but only time would reveal that answer. By my figuring, the wee one was due in mid-January. If we did have a boy, his name would be Chase Allen, and if it were a girl, Royce really wanted to name her Savannah. He loved my name and was one of the few people that never shortened it to Anna. It was a form of endearment between us, and I always liked the way it sounded when he said my name. It was the tone of his voice. It sounded soft and sensual, but taunting at the same time. I still melt when I think about it. It’s funny how those things stay with you, Beth. Even after all these years, I can still hear him say my name.”
“I’m glad you and Royce got together, Gran. He brought happiness back into your life. I know he still holds a special place in your heart by the way you speak of him.”
“Yes, dear, he does. Royce was a good man.”