Life on the Oregon Trail
Name
Course Title
Date
Instructor Name
Life on the Oregon Trail
The day began like most other days; I began the day making breakfast for my husband Ben and our three children. The morning sun on that day in May of 1848 was glorious. As I walked the two oldest children, Mark and Zeb to school, I can hardly believe how tall and handsome my little men are at the ages of nine and eleven. As I pushed the carriage, with our two-year-old daughter, Margaret, along the quiet street of Waterfront, Kentucky I heard thunderous storm of horses approaching. I gave little thought to the horses or men on their backs as I entered the gate of Katherine and William Gaither’s front yard. My thoughts turned to Katherine’s well-manicured lawn and the smell of lavender and roses. Ben and I had been friends with the Gaither family for nearly nine years, when Ben and William joined as law partner. Our children played together, while Katherine, William, Ben and I played cards in their parlor most every Saturday afternoon.
Katherine met me on the porch with a tea tray filled with baked pastries from the bakery, her beautiful English porcelain tea set, sugar and piping hot tea. By this time Margaret was sleeping, so Katherine and I enjoyed the quiet of the morning socializing. We discussed dresses worn to the Fuller’s anniversary party days before. We reflected on conversations we engaged in while at the party. Ironically, we had been discussing the Louisiana Purchase and the acquisition of Wyoming that morning. Jokingly, we talked about moving to Wyoming, but both of us knew we would never give up the lifestyle we enjoyed in Kentucky. We were free shop in town, purchase most any dress we wanted, and not have to worry about the cost because our husbands could afford most anything we desired.
Katherine and I were startled when we heard the horses roar down the street towards us. This time the horses were dragging water wagons and carts...