CHAPTER THREE
LOOKING FARTHER WEST

The boys said Pa was troubled; he talked a lot about the world crowding in too much. He and his neighbors seemed to think local affairs, ordinary life and business under the control of the State of Missouri were coming along fairly well, but it was the Federal Government that needed to put its house in order.

The summer of 1858 men sat at our table and talked "tariff." Some argued that the tariff was a real necessity, while other said it was a protection for just one part of the country. You might know I hadn't the remotest idea what they were talking about, but I listened anyway until Pa signaled for me to take Melvin and Warwick outside, or, if it was after supper, put them to bed.

One subject I could understand was the awful slavery question. Pa hated it with his whole heart, but he gave a strange reason. It seemed this problems was splitting his beloved Democratic Party! That the arrogant new Republican Party was gaining too many recruits from Northern Wigs, Northern Democrats, and even Free Soiler. (3)

Pa slammed his first down hard on the dining table when he roared that politics was getting more and more confusing, and he couldn't honestly say he was a Democrat and a Free Soiler too!

It was my brother James, though, who sensed what was really bothering Pa. I heard James talking to Ruth, and you bet Pres and I were right there listening. He said Pa was really getting crowded out by farmers when he started raising stock. It took a lot more land to feed cattle and horses.

"What'll he do?" Ruth was asking for all of us.

James said Pa had talked to him lately about the out-west country called Texas. James said he had heard Pa talking to men in caravans heading west. They told him there was room for everybody, that it was a stock-raiser's paradise; that grass was belly height to cattle that spring gushed from the ground every mile or two: and that the colonies were springing up every where. The most important things of all was that the Federal government had stationed soldiers at forts just ten miles apart to protect the whites from the prairie Indians.

James had started to walk away from us as we stood in the yard, then he turned to Ruth to say, "I guess I better tell you the real reason that Pa is worried sick. He's heard from some friends that Ma Sallie has found where we are, and she is comin' after the little boys and Angie."

How did I feel? Like a little scared rabbit with somebody pulling at my front legs and somebody else jerking at my hind legs. Ruth was a Godsend to me right there and then. I don't remember talking very much to me, but she started piecing a beautiful quilt which was to be my very own.

Maybe the Lord had a hand in the next event, for in just a few days Marion and Geriah came by to spend the night with us. We were at the supper table when Marion announced, "I guess we'll be leavin' for Texas sometime tomorrow, Pa."

Pa questioned Marion back and forth, up and down; then he said suddenly, "Where's your first stop, Marion?

"Elm Springs, I reckon."

"Take Ruth and the young'uns with you, and wait for me there."

If Pa had shot off a gun right in the middle of the table, we couldn't have acted any more surprised. I don't remember what any of us really said. I do remember Pres letting out his best Indian yell as he stood up to grunt. "Me scalp palefaces!" We all laughed at him, and that helped all of us for the moment.

Then Marion answered, "there won't be Indians to fight, Pres. Uncle Sam has 'em under control now. They live just like white folks. But there as thick as flies. You'll get all the shootin' you want."

Pa sat right there at the table and made all the plans before you could count to a hundred. There would be three wagons, one to be filled with provisions. He told Ruth and me to get packing in a hurry. We would not take any furniture--just clothes, bedding and pot-vessels. Then Pa moved to the door and announced, "I'm going to Webster County to sell some property and bring back a few more head of horses."

That's when brother James, who had just turned eighteen, spoke up, "Have you sold this place yet, Pa?"

"No, but that won't be hard. Ol' man Baker has had his eye on it ever since we moved here."

"Leave me have it, Pa. I'm stayin' here."

"That you are not. I need you to help drive the horses."

"I'm stayin', Pa."

There was a long silence; then Ruth smiled sweetly and said, "They do grow up fast, Thomas!."

Pa matched her smile and shrugged. "All right, Son! But help us get ready as fast as you can. We mustn't hold Marion and Geriah up." Out the door he went, but Ruth walked beside him to the corral.

It was many years later that I found out what passed between them out there at the corral. (Goodness knows, I had a hard enough time worming it out of her.) Pa said tenderly, "Ruth, girl! You are rightly named, for you are like the Ruth in the Bible--'whither thou goest I will go; thy people shall be my people; thy God my God.'"

Ruth didn't swallow all that right at first, and she gave it to Pa with both barrels: "Yes, I'm going with you because I'm not the quittin' kind, but if you ever do this to me again, you'll wish I hadn't come along!"

Pa was surprised and downright puzzled, but Ruth made it very plain to him. " I need a little advance notice of your plans, Thomas McCarty! I am not one of your children; I'm your wife, and I want to make plans with you--not have yours thrown at me without getting any warning or having any say-so!"

I can imagine how really shocked Pa was; but he had the good sense to sooth Ruth by declaring he hadn't meant to be insulting--he was just in the habit of making decisions all alone all his life; he'd never asked help from anybody.

"It's time you changed y our ways, Thomas McCarty. And while you're about it, you better spread some o' your blarney near your daughter Angie. She's too quiet these days, and she wasn't finding anything to laugh about tonight. If you want my honest opinion, she's not happy about moving out there to the ends of the earth."

Pa reacted like she had slapped him in the face; then he whiled suddenly with, "Let's get back to the house."

Maybe you think I wasn't surprised when they appeared in the doorway and Pa roared, "Angie! Angie! Come here, I want to talk to you!."

I could see he was in a good mood, so I got to him in a hurry.

"How old are you, Angie?! He was teasing me; of course he knew how old I was, but I'd play this gave with him. "I'm eleven, going on twelve."

"Do you think you're old enough to ride Lady Jane to Texas?"

If he'd asked me if I could jump over the moon, I couldn't have been any more flabbergasted. Me? Ride his best race mare all by myself! For once, I couldn't think of a word to say; then I heard Pa chuckling, and I looked up at his smiling face. "Speak up, girl!"

I glanced at Ruth, who was all smiles as she nodded her head to encourage me to find my voice. " I can ride her, Pa!" I finally got it out and ran to Ruth, who knelt with open arms to brag and hug me hard, hard! Pa turned to press then and said, "You'll ride Polly Hopkins."

Most of Pa's horses could be worked to wagons or driven in a herd but no Lady Jane and Polly Hopkins. They would have to be ridden every step of the way to Texas; they couldn't even be led back of a wagon, because they would break the gait of any good race horse.

Pa was especially proud of these pares, for they were of the famous Steeldust strain--colts of a proud purebred Arabian mare and the famed steel colored bastard stallion named Steeldust. Though he was never listed in the "Who's Who" of the horse world, he became very famous because he bequeathed to his sons and daughters not only fine conformation, but very often beautiful coats flecked with shiny steel.

No wonder the whole family gasped when Pa gave me the privilege of riding his most prized possession. They were just as uneasy as I was, and the minute Pa got off to Webster County, Ruth and Pres started giving me instructions. Ruth said at the start, "Now, Angie, you know you can ride her, but you have to be calm about it. She feels you take a breath, and if you're nervous, she'll be nervous."

Pres admitted he was all in a sweat. "I sure wish you could ride astride; Lady Jane would do better for you that way, but then, Ruthie's ridden her enough that she is used to a woman. I guess it will be all right."

I just up and asked then why I couldn't ride astride. There'd be no harm in it. Pres grinned sympathetically, knowing Ruth would give all the explanation necessary. "Angie, young ladies ride sideways. You know that as well as I do." Then she smiled and softened the blow, as she always did. "You can sit several ways in a side saddle if you get tired, but wait until Lady Jane settles down, and don't try it the first day out."

Preston told me later that Pa had instructed Marion to get out of Missouri as fast as he could. It seemed he wanted as many state lines between Ma Sallie and him as he could manage. By noon the following day, Marion had the caravan ready. He would be in the lead wagon, followed by Geriah, then Ruth. Pres and I would rive the rest of the horses.

I was holding James's hand when Marion came up to tell him Goodbye. I felt my throat tighten when my two big brothers were shaking hands, and Marion said, "We sure do need you, Bud, but I'm glad you stood up to Pa. Do you remember what Allen told all of us? When we were ready to--just go. I guess he meant for us to stay, too--if that's what we wanted."

We all turned to see Pres leading Lady Jane and Polly Hopkins to the roadway. As we walked toward the mares, Pres mounted quickly and calmly like the experienced jockey he was. Marion lifted me into the saddle while Pres talked to me in a quiet voice. "Keep your hand still, Angie, so she won't start pawin' in the air."

Then Ruth called out from her wagon, "Ride her around a little, Angie, so she'll know you know what you're doing."

It was just as easy as that, but I was several miles down that road before I could take a good, deep breath to the fullest another big thrill of my life.

Two days later our caravan waited for Pa at Elm Springs. He rode up at sundown driving three more beautiful horses. None of us could ever remember seeing Pa in such high spirits. It was wonderful to see him laughing and teasing everybody. He sat at the camp-fire and explained to the boys all the fine points of these horses he had just added to the herd. He teased Geriah about a new poke bonnet which she had so carefully hung on a tree nearby.

"You'll be leavin' it tomorrow morning, and poor Marion will have to walk miles back to get it!" Gentle Geriah was pleased attention and smiling made her so pretty.

Pa looked at everybody but me and remarked in a sad tone, "There's no doubt about it, but Angie has ruined my finest race mare by this time."

This was no joking matter to me, and Preston saw me stiffen up. Maybe he was going to defend me, but he didn't get to open his mouth, for Ruth intervened with, "Too true! Too true! Angie's that heavy that poor lady Jane is a sway-back already!" Since I was nearing about eighty pounds, this brought a good laugh from all. I was so grateful for Ruth's remark. Even I could see something funny about that.

A little later Pa swung his youngest, Melvin, over his shoulder and put him down on his bed in the wagon; then he yelled at Warwick, "Come on Trail-Blazer. Up to bed with you. We got a long trail ahead." But Pa was smiling all the while.

I lay on my pallet in the wagon bed, along with Melvin and Warwick and listened to the camp fold up for the night. I could hear Marion and Geriah laughing over something as they made their bed down on the ground near their wagon. When they were quiet, I could hear Ruth and Pa talking softly as they lay on the ground not far from our wagon. Everything was so peaceful and the night so calm, but I was a little restless. I was thinking, "I'm glad I've had two days to get used to Lady Jane. The first day I got awfully tired, but I was better the next day. I'll be better every day from now on. I'll show Pa how well I can ride tomorrow......... I wish tomorrow was over, though!"

Early the next morning Pa broke camp and took the lead wagon, while Geriah and then Marion would follow. Ruth sat in Pa's wagon waiting for him to take the lines. I had a feeling she and Pres were watching me like a hawk as Pa lifted me into the saddle. I was trying to be as cool as a cucumber, but my heart was beating a little fast. Lady Jane was helping me out today; she seemed glad to have me near. She was all right, she was! I smiled at Ruth and Pres to let them know Lady Jane and I were learning to know each other real well.

Only one incident marred our first week of travel. The wagons had stopped at a blacksmith shop while Pa went in to inquire the best roads south. While he ws gone, three dirty looking loungers sauntered over to look at our horses. I had ridden Lady Jane close to Ruth's wagon and was chatting with her, so I didn't see the men approach. They were within ten feet of Lady Jane when they started talking. "I'd sure like to have that animal."

The other one drawled, "I'd like that gun tied on that saddle, myself."

The last man sniggered and looked up into my face and said, "You-all take the horse, saddle and the gun. I'll take the gal!"

I don't know what came over me, but I wheeled Lady Jane directly toward the men and flashed around to the other side of the wagon. The men scattered in all directions, then gathered near the blacksmith shop to lean on each other and slap their thighs as they roared with laughter.

Pa had turned to see the men running and rushed out to see what was wrong. "What's happened here?" He demanded.

The men took one look at my giant Pa and sobered up plenty fast, but before they could speak Ruth called out, "Lady Jane got a little nervous when the men came close, Thomas. She's all right now!"

Later that day, when Pa had saddled a horse and ridden ahead a little to look over the wagon roads, I rode close to Ruth to talk over that nasty incident at the shop.

"Ruthie, I was so mad, I thought I would die! I could just tell them men were just plain scum, and I didn't want then near Lady Jane."

"I want to tell you something, young lady. You did wrong to lose your temper that way. You could have ridden the men down and killed one of them. You should have paid them no mind at all. A lady never sees a strange man, and she never hears anything they say. Besides, do you want to see your Pa grind them into the ground with his bare hands? Watch yourself after this. You're gettin' old enough to save your temper for something useful. We don't want any low-down, trashy fights on this trip!"

The next day was exciting because the wagons had traveled just a short distance out of Washington County, Arkansas, when Pa thought he spied fresh wagon tracks ahead. He yelled at me to ride in the wagon a spell and let him see what was ahead. He changed saddles in a hurry and told all the drivers to whip up the teams a bit. It would be good to travel with another caravan even for a few days.

We made good time until sundown; then we could see smoke and light of a campfire ahead. Pa told Marion to camp where we were; he meant to ride over and see if the people wanted new comers in their caravan.

All of us waited hopefully. Ruth and Geriah would welcome the change to talk to other women. I was so in hopes there would be a few "young ladies" my age maybe some little boys for Melvin and Warwick.

Pa came back in a short time, we could feel the smile in his voice. He must have a happy surprise for us. Leave it to Pa to keep us in a stew until every member gathered; then he acted and talked like this was all as ordinary as night coming on.

We're going to travel as far as Van Buren with a caravan of Mormons."

Ruth looked disappointed and Marion looked worried. He came up with, "How many wagons have they, Pa?"

"Seven, I think."

"How many people in the bunch?"

"I didn't count 'em, but I'd say about forty with the women and children."

"Were there more women than men?" ventured Geriah timidly.

Pa shouted with laughter. "Holy Goshens! I didn't count 'em! I didn't talk to a single woman. The men made me welcome and asked us to travel with them, and that we'll be glad to do." Pa was using his most empathic tone now.

"How did you know they wuz Mormons, Pa?" Preston was frankly puzzled.

"They told me. Let's eat." That settled that. Pa had the last word, as usual, but I wanted my turn. I went to the campfire to remove a pot of smothered meat, and there I stood with a long fire-hook in my hand. Suddenly I just couldn't keep still any longer. I found myself waving that fire-hook and shouting, "Mormons! Mormons! What on earth are Mormons?"

Nobody thought that was funny but Pa. He grinned at me and looked over at Ruth. Then he teased her with, "Ask your Ruthie. She can tell you all about 'em. One was sweet on her, and she woulda gotten hitched up with him if I hadn't drug her away from him."

I was fascinated by this tale. "Did he, Ruthie? Did he take you away from a Mormon?"

"Angie! To think you'd believe such a yarn!." Then she turned on Pa, "Same on you, Thomas McCarty for spinnin' such a tale!" I could see Ruth was actually pleased and a little flattered, but she covered up with, "Let's dish up the food, Angie. Fill the boys's plates to the brim. They're half starved!" Then remembering that she hadn't answered my outburst, she came to me and said in her very sweet way, "I'll tell you all I know about Mormons after supper. I lived in a Mormon community for a few months, that's all. Let's eat, now"

Supper was over. Melvin and Warwick were gathering stick-horses which they would throw away come morning. Marion and Geriah wandered off to talk by themselves. Pa found a grassy spot hear his wagon, sat down and leaned against the wagon wheel. This was his first time of day to enjoy a peaceful pipe. Pres and I sat on the other side of the campfire so we could be near Ruth. We were ready to hear all about these Mormons.

Ruth told us the story about Joseph Smith, his revelations, his discovery of plates of gold and stones of crystal. Pres spoke up then, "Sounds as good as some of the Bible stories Pa tells us. Do you believe that fellar Smith really found them things?"

Ruth shook her head, but conceded that it didn't make any difference what she believed. "You can bet your life the Mormons certainly do!"

"They say," offered Pres in an important air, "that they're the most hated people on the face of the earth."

"Do you hate 'em, Ruthie?" I asked worriedly.

"That I do not. They seemed a God-fearin' people to me, and if folks would leave them be, I reckon they'd do not harm. O' course, the Federal government did have to force the men to see they can't have more'n one wife."

I perked up my ears. This was interesting. "Is that wrong, Ruthie?" Pres was disgusted with me. "Angie, you ninny, o'course it is!"

"It is not so," I snapped at him, "Pa has had three wives, and all of them are nice women. There wasn't a thing wrong about it at all!"

"Listen to Miss Know-It-All! Honestly Angie! You do beat all! Pa has had his wives one at a time--not all to once. Some o' these Mormons had four or five wives, or maybe a hundred for all I know, but all at one time! See!"

Pa broke this one up by getting up and yelling, "Time to turn in! We got a long ways to go!"

I never could leave well enough alone, so when Ruth walked away from the camp. I took her hand. When we were out of hearing, I asked her a question that I had no business asking, but I wasn't being mean. I was just curious. "Ruthie, does it bother you because Pa had two other wives?"

"Angie, girl! Why don't you wait until you're grown up to ask such questions? But you're the kind that always has to have an answer. It bothered me a little at first, but I was pretty young. I always felt sorry for those Mormon women who had to live in the same community and share the same man."

"Whew! Suposin' Pa was livin' with three wives at the same time!" My head whirled at the thought.

Ruth actually laughed when she said, "Right there is where the Mormon church would a lost a mighty fine member! But don't you spend much time worrying over all this. Just remember I'm your Ma now!" With that she started running toward camp, and it was up to me to beat her if I could.

I remember we really did enjoy our days with the Mormon caravan, and we said our goodbye regretfully some days later at Van Buran, Arkansas. Pa shook hands with every man in the group and thanked them heartily for being so kind to his family.

The women gathered around Ruth, Geriah and me and smiled their goodbyes with scarcely a word being spoken. What sweet, patient faces they had!

I got around to some of the older girls and begged them to deliver a message for me if they ever ran onto my brother Allen McCarty, who was still in California. "If you ever meet him, tell him I still have the side-combs and the knitting needles he gave me."

Then the Mormon caravan headed north and west, while we turned south and west. The days went by fast enough, and I wasn't even stiff anymore after a day's ride. We all noticed that Pa no longer crowded his wagons to top speed, just kept a steady pace, and before a month had passed we found we were well into Indian territory of Oklahoma.

Except for a few trading posts and fewer settlements and forts we saw no signs of civilization until we came to Boggy Depot deep in Indian territory. We would never forget this stop, for our men had hardly unhitched the horses when a swarm of horse flies swooped down from nowhere and covered our horses from head to foot. Pres and I were shocked to see blood spurting from lady Jane and Polly Hopkins each time a fly took a bite. All of us waved our arms and swung our hats and bonnets as fast as we could, but the minute we brushed one hungry swarm away, another came in to start biting.

Pa took over with swift commands. "Ruth, Geriah! Bring all your blankets and sheets. Boys! Lead your horses to the creek and get 'em in up to their necks if you can find water deep enough. Cover their backs with the blankets and sheets.

These were Geriah's best new bed sheets, but she was only too glad to have them ready in such an emergency. Pa turned to look at this strange sight all the horses decked out in strange horse blankets, with only their heads showing. Suddenly he was laughing right out loud. "The Egyptians weren't the only ones! We sure hit a plague ourselves!" That made us all feel better, if Pa could joke at a time like this, we weren't in too much trouble.

The flies nested in the trees at dark, and the family ate supper and rested a few hours, but Pa was not about to wait until daylight when these pesky pest would start eating again. He awoke camp with a shot and yelled in his loudest voice, "Up with you! We want out o' this land of depredation!"

There was a chill in the air when we crossed the Red River and Entered Texas at Fort Preston. Our Pres was so pleased and taunted us all about having a fort named after him, but he was the only one having any fun and teasing us a lot. Pa, Ruth and Marion were looking worried. They could see there was grass and water and plenty of game but they couldn't understand why there were but a few settlements and these were far between.

Pa and Marion stopped at the Fort to talk to an officer and some soldiers. When they came back to the wagons they were not joking and laughing. They learned that they had provided posts throughout Texas for the protection of the whites, but those posts were miles apart, and the Indians numbered in the thousands. The officer had spoken very plainly to Pa, "It is best for you and your family, Mr. McCarthy, to take up land near a fort, else these red devils will run you out in no time. We have forts at Bellnap, Camp Cooper, Cobb, Phantom and Cranbourne. I'd head close to one of these if I were you. Go a little to the west to. The Indians have not hit there for a long time."

Pa didn't need to hear any more. He and Marion got into their wagons and drove them faster and faster; we didn't even stop at the little village called Fort Worth. There seemed to be plenty of colony land, but still no sign of that great horde of colonists that we had heard about back home.

The nights were getting colder now, and we heard Pa tell Marion that they must be picking out a place soon now, before winter was really upon us. We traveled due west to Buchanan county, which was later called Stephens. Right at the extreme western county line we crossed Hubbard's creek. There all wagons trails vanished' all tracks stopped. Pa jumped from his wagon, looked in all directions, waited for all of us to come to him. He sounded very cheerful when he finally spoke to us. "I guess we're the first white people to bring a wagon here. Here's where we stop."

Footnote: 3. Outline from The Record of America, Adams and Vannest. Compromise of 1850 was passed, and by 1852 it seemed the question of slavery was settled. The Democrats in their convention in June of 1852 unqualifiedly approved.