Across the Border (13 page)

The scenery didn't seem to fly by as swiftly going home as it had when they had traveled south. Ethan watched out the window absently and thought of the little Mexican town they had left. Its crooked streets and empty warehouses were as clear in his memory as though he were still there. Even though he might never again see Carlos or the other fellows, they wouldn't be forgotten. He could hear Pa and Luke discussing the crops, and Ma and Polly talking about the house and garden. Everyone had plans for the year ahead.

When the train steamed into Willow Creek, Ben and Lydia Archer were the first people they saw. Manda greeted her friend with delight, then looked around at the others who had gathered to welcome them.

“My, your children have gotten big,” Edith Watkins exclaimed. “I believe Will is as tall as Ethan was when they first came here.”

Will is almost the same age I was
, Ethan thought.
He's almost nine.
Then suddenly Ethan remembered. It had been just five years ago today that the Coopers had first set foot on this platform. Many of these same people had been here then, wanting to look over the orphans and perhaps take one home. So much had happened since then!

Not all of it, Ethan reflected, had been happy. His new father had been a harsh taskmaster.

“He treats you boys like his pa treated him,” Polly once told Ethan. “I ain't sayin' it's the best way to raise a young 'un, but Chad's become a successful man. Folks ain't never gonna understand him, but they respect him.”

He's the only father I've had
, Ethan thought,
and I've learned a lot from him. I'm thankful for a home where I can keep the others with me. I hope all the orphans on that train are as well off as we are.

Someone poked Ethan on the shoulder, and he whirled around to find a grinning Bert standing behind him. They greeted each other joyfully, with much pounding on the back and playful shoving.

“I didn't think I'd see you this time,” Ethan said. “Luke and Polly and I are going on home to South Dakota with the evening train. Pa is staying to drive the wagon and the rest of the family back.”

“Would I miss bein' here today of all days?”

“You remembered what date it is, then.”

“No, but Mama did. She celebrates it every year, just like our birthdays. It kinda sneaks up on me. We been so busy, what with a new baby and all. Wait till you see my sister. She looks just like me!” Bert laughed at his joke. “I'm kiddin'. She looks like Mama. And it's a good thing too.”

By the time the late train arrived, their plans were made to leave for school as soon as the harvest was over in the fall.

At last Luke, Polly, and Ethan settled into their seats for the final lap of the journey.

“I made my last trip bouncin' across the country in a wagon,” Polly declared. “My bones can't take no more. I don't want to go across the country again unless I can fly!”

“Looks like you're homebound then,” Luke said. “You're never gonna fly till you go to heaven.”

The summer passed quickly for the family. Henry and Amelia moved into their new home, and between them, Amelia and Polly kept the farmhands well fed. Everyone worked at something, even Will, who celebrated his ninth birthday in June.

All too soon for Manda, fall arrived, and with it school. Frances would teach in Winner, and the younger children would go with her each day. Ethan, though still torn between his desire to learn and his reluctance to leave the place where he felt secure and cared for, was ready to leave for Kansas.

He looked back as the wagon carried him down the road toward the train depot. The others were waving to him. Simon was ten and a half and nearly as tall as Ethan. Alice was a young lady at twelve. And Will was no longer the round-cheeked boy that Ethan had been responsible for. The rest of the family was lined up at the fence to watch him leave too.

Ethan waved to them, then turned to look down the road toward the future. Luke slapped the reins on Ned's back, and another chapter of the orphan's journey began.

What lay ahead? Ethan didn't know, but he was sure that God was going with him, just as He had from the beginning.

When a rockin' concert comes to an end,

the audience might cheer for an encore.

When a tasty meal comes to an end,

it's always nice to savor a bit of dessert.

When a great story comes to an end,

we think you may want to linger.

And so we offer …

… just a little something more after

you have finished a David C Cook novel.

We invite you to stay awhile in the story.

Thanks for reading!

Turn the page for …

• Author's Note

• Write, Talk, Imagine

• About the Author

• Other Books by Arleta Richardson

Remarkably little has been written of the thousands of children who were placed in midwestern farm homes and small communities between 1854 and 1929. The Orphan Train Heritage Society, based in Arkansas, has collected valuable information about those years from the children or their relatives. Many orphans have been reluctant to discuss their experiences, while others speak with deep appreciation of their adopted homes.

It was inevitable that some children would be placed in the care of people who regarded them as extra workers for the farm or business, without regard for their spiritual or emotional needs. Some reported cruel treatment that led to their removal from the home or impelled the children to run away. Many others stayed in situations that were less than perfect, and through their experiences became strong, self-reliant adults.

Such was the case for the real “Ethan Cooper.” Reflecting on his life after he reached his nineties, he recalled long hours of hard work and harsh discipline, minimal schooling, and few times of fun and childish activity. Yet his attitude was always, “I had a home. I learned a lot. I'm a better person for it.” There is no doubt that Ethan's strong faith in God was the anchor that held him through those years.

The real Ethan died at the age of ninety-six, before this book was finished. I was pleased to be able to present
Looking for Home
and
Whistle-Stop West
to him several months before that. He looked at them carefully, then said, “My, my. Who would have thought anyone would ever write a book about me?”

I couldn't have chosen a better subject. During the four years that the books were in process, I grew to love and admire Ethan the child … and the man I learned so much about through his family.

If Ethan was surprised that his life could be the subject of a book, those who knew him and his family were not. Ethan married a lovely young lady whom he met at a Christian college. Together they had four sons and twin daughters, now teachers, businesspeople, and missionaries. They in turn have raised children to honor the Lord. There is every reason to believe that the influence of this godly man will continue on through succeeding generations.

Although Ethan remembered much about his early life, the Orphan Train, and his adopted family, many of the details were left to my imagination. His children recognize a number of the incidents retold and have been gracious enough to agree that the story hasn't strayed so far from the truth as to be pure fiction.

Of particular interest to me was the time the family spent in Mexico. The circumstances leading to the homesteading for oil, which drew Chad Rush to the country, did occur. The events surrounding Pancho Villa and the revolutionaries actually took place over a period of several years rather than the few months portrayed in the story. Ethan did remember seeing the infamous general who later, as Pancho Villa predicted in the story, was assassinated by his own men.

There is a story in every life, no matter how unimportant it seems to the one living it. Those of us who believe that God has a design for every day as we follow Him will find our years more exciting than anything a novelist could ever imagine!

Write about It

Ethan learned at a young age to trust God for the future. Is it easy or hard for you to trust God for your future? Why?

Write about a situation in your life right now where you are struggling with trusting God.

In Mexico, Ethan soon finds himself in big trouble when he gambles with the other boys. But God helps him through his trouble. When has God helped you in the midst of trouble? Tell the story.

Ethan and Frances lived in the days before there were computers, cell phones, and cameras. To record life's important events, Frances kept a journal, and Ethan drew pictures. For the next month, write or draw about your life each day. When you're done, you'll have a record to look back on and remember how God was with you in both good times and bad times.

Talk about It

Do you believe that God answers prayer? Why or why not?

Alice's adventure in the woods results in an answered prayer. How does Luke's view of God change as a result?

Why does Ethan decide to give his cherished key to Pancho Villa? What is the result of Ethan's generosity?

When have you been generous to someone else without anyone prompting you to do so? When has someone been generous to you? Tell the stories. How did it feel to be on the giving end? The receiving end?

Think of an older person you know who loves God and ask them, “How did God meet your needs during your toughest times in life?” Then sit back and enjoy the fascinating stories!

Imagine It

Imagine you are Ethan. You have a chance to leave the hard work of the farm behind, as well as the heavy responsibility of taking care of your two brothers and sister. You could go to school in Kansas with your best friend. Would you choose to pursue your dream? If so, when? If not, why not?

Imagine you meet the “bandit” general Pancho Villa on the road or in town. How would you respond? What would you say?

Imagine you could meet the real Ethan in person after reading this Beyond the Orphan Train series. What questions would you ask him about his experiences?