8.1 ARJ stopped to study the occupants of the wagon, fighting the desire to run inside.

Payne Township, May 1874

“Finish your tea, children.” Mum reminded them, as Dad wearily sat down in his chair. “Let Dad sit and enjoy his.”

ARJ stopped himself from asking his father another question and finished the last bite of his bread.

He remembered Dad coming home from his job as a carter in Ryde. He’d stop and wash the dirt from

his face and hands, that came from loading and unloading coal, dirt, manure, grain, and many other things, before coming into the house for tea. As a carter, he worked in the sun, rain, fog, and mist. Once the dirt was off, he looked just the same as always.

Dad looked different as a Kansas farmer. ARJ thought he always looked like he didn’t quite get all the dirt off, even though he could tell Dad had stopped and washed because his hair was still damp. He watched as Dad lifted his teacup and took a sip, letting out a soft breath of satisfaction. The hand that held the cup was sun-burnt and scratched from fixing a fence a few days ago. It was Dad’s face that had changed the most. His skin was much darker, browned in the sun and red from today’s work. Squint lines marked the edges of his eyes and when he wasn’t smiling, the creases opened to show tiny white lines pointing to his temples.

‘It’s only the end of May and the crops are just getting a good start. What would Dad look like by summer?’

“ARJ, are you listening?” Mum’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. He blinked. Giving her the answer that he hadn’t heard her.

“It looks like you’re finished. Will you please bring in some small pieces of wood for the stove and fill the wood box? It’s getting low.”

“Yes, Mum.” He said, as he stood.

He dug through the wood pile, picking out the small logs that would fit in Mum’s stove. The sound of a wagon rumbling on the dirt road landed on his ears. He turned and looked as it turned onto their drive. ARJ stopped to study the occupants of the wagon, fighting the desire to run inside. By shading his eyes from the glaring late afternoon sun, he finally recognized Mr. Brown driving the wagon, but that wasn’t Mrs. Brown next to him. A man in the back stood and jumped to the ground as soon as the wagon stopped.

“Uncle Albert!” ARJ yelled, dropping the wood, and running to him.

His uncle swept him up in the air, laughing! “ARJ! Is that you? You have sure grown since I last saw you!”

The commotion had alerted everyone inside the cabin, and they flooded out the door. Soon ARJ and JW stood staring at Ernest, who was a year younger than ARJ, and James, about two. Uncle Albert walked around the wagon and helped Aunt Rachel down.

“Let me get those bags out of the back.” Dad said. “I sure appreciate you bringing my family to me, Sid!”

“It was good timing. The coach came through and I overheard your brother asking about you. I’m glad I was there.”

Mr. Brown pointed his horses for home, and they all started for the cabin.

Mum turned to ARJ. “We’re going to need that wood now, son. I need to put the kettle back on!”