chapter 3

Chapter 3

“You wanted to see me, Miss Periwinkle?” Madeline peeked around the frame of the door to her office. It was off the main hall before the kitchen.

“Come in and close the door.”

Madeline followed instructions and practically skipped into the room. She was so excited since speaking to the board a few days ago. They were going to allow her to escort twelve children on the orphan train, along with a couple who worked for the home. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby were a young couple employed by the home and were excellent with the babies. There would be two infants to place on this trip also.

She sat down when Miss Periwinkle pointed to a chair in front of her desk. “Before I get too excited and forget, I want to thank you, Miss Periwinkle, for speaking up about my incidents here and how I am devoted to the orphanage. I appreciate your support.”

Miss Periwinkle straightened her back, then stared intensely at Madeline, her chin rising ever so slowly. “I’m afraid it isn’t as simple as that, Miss Emmett.”

Madeline was confused. “I’m not sure I understand. The board was clearly happy to allow me to redeem myself by saving them a salary and allowing me to escort the children on the orphan train. It’s a good sign that when I return, they will be more open minded to my employment.”

Miss Periwinkle placed the fingertips of her two hands together. Madeline watched them press against each other, a clear sign there was a problem at hand. She sat back and waited, realizing the meeting had gone too well. That usually never happens. Why would she hope for something good to finally happen?

This wasn’t a good sign at all. But, then, wasn’t that her life? Taking in a deep breath, she refused to give in to the darkness that always seemed to collect itself around her. She had to continuously forge her way through the good and bad and reminded herself that this was just another hump to get over. She wasn’t going to allow anything Miss Periwinkle said to her, to ruin the experience. Not today, not ever.

“Miss Emmett. I’m sure you are aware the two of us have a special bond together. I’ve always tried to back you up no matter what you’ve done. However, even though the board is allowing you to redeem yourself by sending you on the orphan train, they are not willing to reinstate your employment when you return.”

Madeline was taken back for a moment. “They truly don’t want me here?” A deep feeling of abandonment shivered through her soul. This place was the only home she had ever known. It was all she had and even slept in a room off the kitchen so as not to take up much space. She was here day and night, working for her room and board and a few extra dollars to get by on.

“I’m afraid they no longer have a place for you, Miss Emmett.” Miss Periwinkle opened a desk drawer and pulled out an envelope. She slid it across the wooden top.

Madeline stared at it, blinking back the tears. She knew there was a chance they would reject her offer, but when she asked to ride the orphan train with the children for free and they took her up on the offer, she had thought her place of employment was secured.

Now to find out they didn’t want her to come back was a devastating blow to her whole world. The only world she ever knew. “What is this?” she asked aloud, staring at the envelope.

Miss Periwinkle sighed softly. “I simply refuse to send you on your way without some type of compensation. This is from my savings. I want you to take it. Whether you decide to buy a ticket back to Lancaster or start over somewhere else, you will need some funds to do so. I have no doubt that you will easily find work wherever you go. Now, make sure to take all of your things, Miss Emmett and meet the Kirby’s at the entrance to the orphanage in one hour. The train will be leaving by noon.”

A tear fell onto Madeline’s cheek. She reached out to pick up the envelope, holding herself back from running into Miss Periwinkle’s arms. She was not a motherly figure, but she had been a part of the orphanage since Madeline had been placed here. The woman had been strict and sullen for many years while Madeline had grown up, but now she sensed a warmth emitting from the older woman. It was a sign that Miss Periwinkle did care about her well being.

As an adult, Madeline had held Miss Periwinkle in the highest respect. Her lower lip quivered, but she wanted the chance to tell the woman how much she was appreciated. “You may not know this, Miss Periwinkle, but you have been the only person that I am truly honored to know. Thank you for taking care of me all of these years. I’m not sure what I’ll do or where I will go, but I will never forget you.”

With those words, she crushed the envelope to her breast, turned and walked swiftly out the door. She headed to her small room behind the kitchen area. Packing up her one rather large suitcase didn’t take long at all since she really didn’t have a lot of clothes. She owned four dresses including the one she wore, another pair of kid boots, and her winter coat, scarf, gloves and a hat. She never felt the need to buy other clothes since she lived and worked right at the orphanage.

Now, she wasn’t sure if she’d need more to travel such a distance. She didn’t know anything. A lost feeling came over her and she tried hard to push it down in the dredges where it belonged. Madeline had to force herself to keep going.

The envelope filled with money was placed inside of her stocking, and pushed deep into her kid boot. She wasn’t about to take the chance of the possibility that she may lose her luggage at some point on the way. She had heard horror stories before from those who rode the train and how everything was lost once they got to their stop. She even wondered at the time if some of the workers hadn’t kept traveler’s luggage for themselves. It was a theory she didn’t push aside.

There was no one else she trusted in the whole world, except for Miss Periwinkle and herself. Now that she no longer had Miss Periwinkle, she was truly on her own. Even though she had grown up an orphan, she’d always be one. She’d go through her adult life the same way she went through her childhood, as an orphan searching for a place to belong. That’s why she loved being with these children and wanting to see them find a home. She understood exactly how they felt. Each and every one of them.

Madeline closed the suitcase, then carried it down the long hallway and into the kitchen. No matter what happened from here on in, she made a promised to herself to never allow sadness to overtake her for more than a moment. She always appreciated the fact she had a roof over her head and food to eat, even if sometimes it was the same thing over and over again. She had to remind herself how lucky she truly was.

She gazed at the memories the kitchen she stood in held, knowing it would be the last time she had a meal here, or helped the cook with a meal. She’d miss the smiling faces of the children she was in charge of and she’d miss how often she had them laughing and smiling to help brighten their day.

And the stories. Oh, how she’d miss fabricating stories and tales of the places they had never experienced. She made up so many things about people and towns and places so far away, the children always wanted more. Her hand tightened around the strap on her luggage until her knuckles ached.

Maybe my time is worn out here, she thought. Maybe I need to spread my wings and find out what’s in the world outside of this orphanage. The thought was provoking and so scary. Madeline almost turned and ran back to her room. It would be so easy to lie on her small metal framed cot and put the pillow over her head and refuse to leave.

But she had no choice. Because the board made the rules and decided she was no longer worthy to be here.

Mr. and Mrs. Kirby looked up when Madeline entered the kitchen. “We’re almost ready to go,” Mrs. Kirby informed her. “The wagon is nearly full with boxes filled with sandwiches, fruits and cartons of milk. It won’t be nearly enough to make it the whole way to Texas, but we’ll purchase more food during train stops along the way.”

Mr. Kirby came over to Madeline and held out his hand. She placed her luggage into his care as he grabbed a box and took her luggage to the wagon out front. There were two boxes left.

“Would you mind taking one of those, Madeline,” Mrs. Kirby asked.

Madeline did as she was instructed and walked out the side door to where the wagon was waiting for them. Twelve children of various ages were packed into the back between the boxes of food.

Little Elijah waved to her. He stuck out like a sore thumb with his wide-brimmed hat on. It made him look like an adventurous cowboy or like he always said, an outlaw. He wore a ragged vest over a long faded shirt and a pair of boots that were no more than rubber with thick soles that were passed from an older child to him.

Madeline had promise him she’d find him a real pair of cowboy boots like the ones real outlaws wore. Without a job to come back to, she’d have to be more than careful with the money in the envelope. A pair of boots may be out of reach for now.

She was so excited to see the smiles on all the children’s faces. They were excited to be chosen for the orphan train but inside she knew they had to be terrified at what awaited them. On the way, she was determined to ease their worries a little with more fascinating stories. She never got tired of making things up.

“Can you sit with us, Miss Madeline?” Elijah stood up and made room for her. She scooted up the makeshift steps and climbed over a wooden board, then found herself amongst the children as they asked her to tell them a story.

Mr.and Mrs. Kirby instructed the driver to take them to the train station,which was on the other end of the city. She knew one of the roads they’d have to travel through wasn’t a pleasant place to be or to drive through so she began telling them a story about what the west looked like. She painted a picture of rolling hills and huge mountains, along with wild animals and farmers and families who would welcome them.

Mrs. Kirby and her husband were each holding an infant in their arms. They would be busy with the babies and it was Madeline’s job to keep the others in line and occupied. Excitement began to wield its way through Madeline as she realized she’d get to see these children finally get a home of their own.

She kept the children busy with tall tales and when they got to the shoddy part of town, she asked them all to look at her and sing one of her favorite songs. The children began to sing along with her as her voice became louder and louder the farther the wagon went down the street.

They didn’t see where homeless children and adults were leaning up against the brick walls or beggars held out their hats for money. Dirty faced men and women, along with children stumbled down the sidewalk as if they weren’t sure where to go or what to do. She did not want the orphans to see those things.

After a few miles, the wagon turned right to a much better view of the city. Even though Lancaster wasn’t as large as New York or Philadelphia, it still had those bad sections of town.

The children didn’t need to see that on their way to the train station. The idea of taking a train and traveling to a new home was all she wanted them to think about and believe in. She didn’t want them to see the orphan children on the streets that were once themselves or left behind for no one to care about.

Mr. Kirby looked back to check on them and nodded when he realized that Madeline had everything under control. She gave him one of her famous smiles and turned back to sing another tune with the children since they were begging for more.

The ride would be long, but she was determined to make sure it was a trip they’d never forget.