will be a fine one different from Iowa Papa’s a good farmer and it looks like he won’t have to cut down trees She gave a laugh We won’t have a mortgage either Still she said I hope the house Papa built for us will be better than the dirt huts and tar-paper shacks we saw along the train tracks I wouldn’t want Mama to live in something like that Belle agreed They had had a nice home in Iowa a brick house with white jigsaw trim hanging from the roof The house was big with four bedrooms and there was running water in the kitchen And an indoor bathroom But the crops had failed over the last three years and the bank took away the farm And then Mama was sick long before the baby came The doctor said she needed a change of climate He told Papa to take her west where the air was clear and dry So Papa decided to try his hand at homesteading The govern ment promised to give a man 320 acres of land for free All he had to do was live on it for five years and farm it That sounded like a fine opportunity So Papa set off for Mingo to file for a homestead leaving his family to follow later Belle looked out across the high plains once more She believed she could almost see the earth curve She’d learned at school that the earth was a giant ball A dusty ball in 6 HARDSCRABBLE
Chapter One Colorado she thought as she watched far off on the horizon as tumbleweeds rolled across the plains The conductor on the train had pointed out the weeds to them saying they were Russian thistles but everybody called them tumble weeds because of the way the wind sent them tumbling across the fields She stared in that direction for a long time and then she grabbed Frank’s arm excited Look I think that’s a wagon Papa Carrie said She went to Mama and took her arm See over there a wagon It has to be Papa We knew he’d come Of course we did Mama replied looking around her as if she hadn’t realized her children were worried I never doubted it for a minute The wagon moved quickly across the open ground and in a few minutes it was at the depot Papa jumped out and landed on the platform with a bound He grabbed Mama in his arms and hugged her I’d have been here sooner but the wheel on the wagon broke just as I was leaving I had to go to the neighbor’s to borrow this wagon We knew there was a reason Mama said beaming at him But what does it matter Now you’re here Beck 7
Papa hugged her again then turned to the others Carrie what would your mother have done without you And my little Bluebelle sassy as ever He hugged both of his older daughters then shook hands with Frank telling him he was glad there was another man now to help with the farm He shook hands with Gully too Then he picked up Sarah and Becky one girl in each arm and said they’d grown so much he wouldn’t have known them Why last time I saw you Becky you couldn’t even walk Becky stared and then asked Are you Papa Of course I am I’ll never stay away from you this long again At last he went back to Mama and peered down at the baby Why who’s this button here I believe you’ve added another little Martin to our family He certainly seems to be a Martin Just look at those ears The baby’s ears stuck out just like Papa’s and Frank’s What do you call him Baby Carrie put in Mama says you’re to name him Just like you did all of us Papa nodded He had named Carrie and Frank after his parents Belle was supposed to be named for Mama’s mother but when he saw her bright blue eyes Papa had said they 8 HARDSCRABBLE
Chapter One were the color of bluebells So he’d called her Bluebelle Sarah and Gully were named after Mama’s folks and Becky after himself What name do you favor for this little one Louisa he asked Mama He should be called something for our new home But I don’t see any bluebells out here Mama replied There’s buffalo grass but that’s not much of a name for a boy Papa thought a moment and then he reached for the baby who was so small that Papa could hold him in one hand He peeled back the blanket and grinned at the infant What name would you like young sir What would you think of Louis It’s a good deal like your mother’s name He glanced over at Mama What do you think of it Louisa I never favored it Mama told him He ought to have a western name a Colorado name Papa looked out across the prairie then turned to us and grinned What do you say to Sagebrush he asked First name will be Louis and middle name Sagebrush We’ll call him Sage Sage Mama repeated I think that’s a fine name She took back the baby and told Papa Now it’s time to take Sage to his new home We’re all of us tired out 9
