Chapter 1
“Martha Jane, Frank, call your horses and get the bridles from the barn.” Robert’s voice called from the coral.
“Is it time, Pa? Is it really time now?” Ten year old, Martha Jane Cannary asked excitedly, “can we ride today?”
“Not today, Sugar,” Pa said, “but go and get the bridles.”
Martha Jane and her brother Frank, a year younger went to the barn and whistled for their ponies, Chocolate and Biscuit. They got the bridles they had made out of raw hide and returned to where their father waited.
As Martha Jane and Frank came out of the barn, Chocolate nuzzled Martha Jane’s hand wanting his treat. Martha Jane put her hand in her pocket pulled out a carrot. Biscuit did the same to Frank.
“Now,” Pa said, “take the scarf off your pony’s necks and put the bridles on. Lead them around the yard for a few minutes.”
Martha Jane and Frank did as they were told then lead the ponies around the yard showing off to their younger brother, Willie and sister Lottie.
“See,” Martha Jane said. “When you are old enough you can do this too.”
Then Pa said. “Let them go now, back to the field.”
“But, Pa,” Martha Jane pleaded, “You said we...” She had been waiting a whole long year to ride her pony, Chocolate. Pa had told them that when the horses were two years old and she was ten she could learn to ride.
“No I didn’t,” Pa said, “you asked and I said not today. I’ve told you over the years that this would take time. You want Chocolate to love you and if necessary give his live to save you.”
Martha Jane reached up and hugged the two year old’s sleek brown neck and kissed his soft muzzle and whispered. “I don’t want you to give your life for me,” she said, “but I would give mine for you. I’ll be your Guardian Angel. I think that is what Pa means when he talks about love.” She released him and let him follow Biscuit into the field.
Pa continued explaining to his children about taking time with the training. “You can’t make them your friend by throwing a saddle on their backs and riding them until they stop fighting. That is just an ordinary riding horse, anyone can do that.”
“Like the horses you train for the army?” Martha Jane asked. “They just want riding horses.”
“That’s right, Sugar. The army just wants horses to ride. Time for you go help your mother with dinner. Frank, come with me.”
Martha Jane went into the kitchen where her mother was stirring the stew for dinner. “Can I help, Mama?” She asked.
“Yes dear,” Mama said. “You can get some butter from the churn. It should be ready to use now. Then get the soda buns out of the warming oven.”
“Are we having school after dinner?” Martha Jane asked.
“Yes dear,” Mama said. “Tell me what you remember from yesterday’s lesson.”
Martha Jane recited the sentences she had learned the day before. “Ma why did you teach us The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. It seems like such a silly sentence.”
“Well, Martha Jane, think about it. It has every letter of the alphabet in it doesn’t it? It helps you with your hand writing. “You get to write ever letter in one sentence.”
“Yes it does.” Martha Jane said in amazement!
“Go call your father and brother for dinner.” Mama turned towards the living room where Willie had just came in and sat down with his baby sister Lottie. “Willie wash Lottie’s hands and bring her to the table for dinner please.”
It was another long week of waiting for Martha Jane and Frank but now they were riding their horses. Charlotte taught her daughter to ride her side saddle. That was a treat for Martha Jane as she was the only one to ride the polished leather and silver saddle.
“You have to take care of it,” Mama told her, “remember that the other girls will want to learn too when they are old enough. You will have to share it.”
“Yes Mama, I know but for now it’s mine. Riding side saddle is completely different than riding astride.”
“Yes, dear, it is,” Mama said, “You don’t have a leg on either side of the horse as you do when you ride astride. With the side saddle you have both legs on the left side of the horse with one knee hooked over the pommel, which is the only hold you have to the saddle. It is the only way ladies ride in the east when they ride a horse. It is too hard to ride astride in a long skirt.”
“That’s funny, Mama,” Martha Jane laughed, thinking of her mother in a long skirt riding astride a horse. “Did you ride this saddle when you were my age?”
“No dear, my father, your grandfather, gave that saddle to me on my sixteenth birthday. He thought it was time I learned to ride like a lady not the tomboy I was. I would ride with my skirt up around me knees and Papa didn’t like it. He didn’t think that was very lady like.”
“You never told us about your Pa. What was he like, Mama?” Martha Jane said as she lovingly put the side-saddle away.
“Well dear,” Mama said, “my Pa was a caring loving man, who believed in learning by doing. If you made a mistake you would learn from it and not make the same mistake again.” Her eyes misted over for a minute.
“Mama, are you alright?” Martha Jane asked.
“Yes dear, I was just thinking of your grandfather had how much he would have loved you, your brothers and sisters. How much I love him still. He died before I married your father.” She wiped her eyes with her handkerchief as she walked towards the house and said, “Come, dear, it is time to start dinner.”
