THE JOURNEY NORTH

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE

It was 1915, almost 1916 when Mamma started to silently pack our bags for the journey. We was goin North, where there was some jobs open up that she could take. Mamma had said that we would have a better life up there, my sisters and I could make some new friends that wouldn’t throw rocks at us and call us names. She had said we could go to school and learn all sorts of things. I sure did like that a lot.

Gold, our dog we had found when we was walking from town stuck in a deer trap, trotted over to me and dropped a stick in my lap. His thick long golden fur getting on me as he shook out his body and started to jump up and down want’n me to throw it. I giggled, took the stick and raced him outside of the little shack that was our home.

I had took a real long look at it, making sure that I would remember it. I memorized the old rotting stack of logs on the side of the old wooden shack that had some plants growin up the side of it and the broken glass window that Mamma had draped a thin cotton blanket over so when it got to cold we wouldn't be as cold as it was outside. The roof that was more or less big thick dead ‘n dry plants and what was left of the original wooden and metal roof. We had a chimney though. Not everyone had those. I engraved all that in my mind where I had hoped I wouldn’t forget.

I waved the stick in front of Gold's face, teasing him, testing his patience, before throwing it as high and far as I could. It wasn’t that far before Gold had caught it. I was proud of Gold, how he could jump that high and catch it mid air. He almost looked like a fly’n hairy golden dog with wings that you couldn't see but were there. He landed and came running back to me and dropped the stick before me so  I could throw it again. The rest of the morin was like that. Me throwing the stick, Gold jump’n and catching it in the air looking like some dog angel, and him bringing it back to me so we could do it all over again.

Around Noon, when the sun was high in the sky and a light cold wind blew in from the North Mamma had called us in. I had raced Gold to the house where Rowe and Lou and Mamma was wait’n in the doorway. Rowe had on her dull gray and pink dress with her hair braided back and to her shoulders. Lou was wear’n a nice pretty little brown dress and her hair proofed out.

“Louise, what took so long? I called you in an hour ago.” Mamma had her hand on her hips and the other hold’n Lou. That big baby was four years old. She was starting school soon, and Rowe was in school with me. We was twins as Mamma had called us. But we ain't act much alike.

“Sorry, Mamma. I was playin with Gold by the woods. Oh! I wished you could see him when he was jump’n high like a golden dog angel.” I had said, in hopes of gettin out easy.

“Must’ve been a sight.” Mamma didn't believe me one bit and had me do all of Rowe's and my chores. I couldn't wait for Lou to be six, less work for us.

“Do ya think the kids will be nice up North?” Rowe had asked me once I laid down on the straw bed next to her.

“I was wondering the same thing when Mamma said we was moving and have a new school.” The children our age don't really like us. They call us half breeds all the time just because our daddy was a white man. I can't remember much of him but I know he used ta visit us and give Mamma five dollars.

“Do ya- do ya think daddy will like us? I heard Mamma talking to a big man an she told. him we was gonna be fine and that we would be with daddy. I hope so.” I turned to Rowe and took her hands in mine,

“Yeah, an when we do we can play outside like we used to. Lou can have ‘em new dollies like that rich girl who brings a new toy to show everyday at school.” Rowe squeezed my hands with her own and we both went to sleep, awaiting our journey North.