First Dawn Read online

  FIRST

  DAWN

  IUDITH

  MILLER

  FIRST

  DAWN

  FREEDOM’S PATH • book 1

  First Dawn

  Copyright © 2005

  Judith Miller

  Cover design by Lookout Design, Inc.

  Cover photo of settlers by Wichita State University Libraries,

  Department of Special Collections

  The Scripture quotation identified NIV is from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

  Other Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright owners.

  Published by Bethany House Publishers

  11400 Hampshire Avenue South

  Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

  Bethany House Publishers is a division of

  Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

  Printed in the United States of America

  ISBN-13: 978-0-7642-2997-8

  ISBN-10: 0-7642-2997-4

  * * *

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  McCoy-Miller, Judith.

  First dawn / by Judith Miller.

  p. cm. — (Freedom’s path ; bk. 1)

  Summary: “A saga of two families that portrays the harsh circumstances and intense courage displayed by African-American sharecroppers and Caucasian men as they formed the towns of Nicodemus and Hill City in the western Kansas prairie during the late nineteenth century”—Provided by publisher.

  ISBN 0-7642-2997-4 (pbk.)

  1. African American pioneers—Fiction. 2. African American families—Fiction.

  3. Nicodemus (Kan.)—Fiction. 4. Race relations—Fiction. 5. Sharecroppers—Fiction. 6. Pioneers—Fiction. 7. Kansas—Fiction. I. Title II. Series: McCoy-Miller, Judith. Freedom’s path ; bk. 1

  PS3613.C3858F57 2005

  813'.54—dc22

  2005005867

  * * *

  TO TRACIE PETERSON

  For enduring friendship

  and blessed sisterhood in Christ

  A MESSAGE TO MY READERS

  First Dawn is a novel based upon the settlement of two towns formed by a group of African-American and Caucasian men with a vision to settle western Kansas in the late nineteenth century. Their plan called for one city, Nicodemus, to be predominately settled by African-Americans and the other community, Hill City, to be predominately settled by Caucasians.

  While grounded in fact, this book is a work of fiction and not a historical documentary. However, I have made every attempt to portray honestly the harsh circumstances these early settlers faced and the intense courage they displayed as they struggled to make a home on the western plains.

  Both of these towns continue their crusades to survive. Nicodemus is the only African-American frontier town in existence today.

  For additional information about these communities, visit the Kansas Historical Society Web site at http://www.kshs.org or the National Park Service Web site at http://www.nps.gov/nico/.

  The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,

  shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

  — PROVERBS 4:18 NIV

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  CHAPTER

  1

  Topeka, Kansas • July 1877

  The iron behemoth punctuated the sizzling Kansas skies with a solitary high-pitched whistle as it belched and wheezed into the train yard. With a powerful burp, the locomotive jerked to a quaking stop that heaved the passengers to and fro like rag dolls.

  A steely-eyed conductor with an official railroad cap pulled low on his forehead edged his way down the narrow center aisle. “Topeka!” His voice was curt as he enunciated the city’s name.

  Jarena Harban removed a folded handkerchief from the pocket of her frayed cotton skirt and rubbed the smudged train window. Vestiges of cinder and ash stubbornly clung to the outside of the glass, but she could see well enough to determine there were a multitude of people waiting at the train depot. They were mostly white folks, but she spied a few coloreds among the crowd. She swiped the window again, but to no avail. With a defeated shrug, she tucked the cotton square back into her pocket.

  Across the aisle, her sisters giggled and whispered. Apparently, they found her useless ministrations a fine source of humor. Jarena leaned forward, prepared to launch a look of disdain toward the twins, but her worn straw bonnet slid forward to conceal her annoyed expression from everyone except her father.

  “Don’t pay them no mind. They ain’t laughin’ at you. They’s jest excited to finally be here.” Her father’s rich bass voice soothed like rippling water.

  Smoothing her skirt, Jarena stood and gave her father a tentative smile. “It’s obvious they’re not aware the train ride from Kentucky to Topeka was the simple portion of our journey.”

  “Now, don’t you go borrowin’ worries, gal. Ridin’ across the prairie in a wagon is gonna be right excitin’.”

  Jarena raised her perfectly arched brows. “It’s also going to be uncomfortable and much slower than riding in a train,” she replied, making certain she spoke loudly enough for her sisters to hear.

  Truth Harban locked arms with her twin sister, Grace, and directed a smug grin at her older sister. “There’s gonna be plenty to see and do along the way.”

  “Indeed there will! I plan on you two helping with chores, so don’t think you’ll be running off to explore every hill and valley when we stop to eat the noonday meal or camp for the night.”

  “Tell Jarena she’s not in charge, Pappy. She’s only three years older than us, but she’s always tellin’ us what to do,” Grace complained. She gave her father a bright, encouraging smile.

  Ezekiel wiped his brow with the old kerchief that hung loosely around his thick neck and motioned the girls into the aisle with a swipe of his large hand. “Get on now and quit your arguing. I don’t think none of us is gonna be taking charge of crossin’ this here state. Massa Hill said we’s to meet him on the platform, so get to movin’.”

  “Mister Hill, Pappy. There ain’t nobody your master or boss no more—ceptin’ maybe Jarena.” Truth poked her sister in the side as she spoke. Once again the girls burst into a fit of giggles.

  Jarena’s father was frowning at the twins. “You two mind your manners,” he admonished.

  “And your grammar!”

  Truth cast a sullen look at her older sister. “Jest ’cause you liked getting all educated don’t mean we do.”

 
; Jarena sighed in exasperation. She had worked diligently to teach the girls proper grammar. Why they insisted upon ignoring their English lessons was beyond her.

  As they stepped off the train, the twins peeked around either side of their father, each one beaming an impish grin in Jarena’s direction. They were small for their fifteen years, and Jarena was certain their father often forgot the twins were no longer little girls, especially at times such as this, when they should be speaking proper English and acting like young ladies.

  They’d been off the train only a moment when Grace pointed toward a young man standing on the platform and banging a wooden mallet on an oversized brass gong. In between the incessant drumming, he cheerfully encouraged the passengers to partake of the fine food inside the depot dining room.

  “You think we could get us somethin’ to eat, Pappy?” Grace inquired in a wistful tone.

  Their father shook his head and pointed to the basket Jarena had been carrying with her since they departed Kentucky. She had carefully planned what she hoped would be enough food to tide them over until they reached their destination. However, when they neared St. Louis, she had begun to grow uncertain. Fortunately, her father hadn’t objected to the rationing Jarena had imposed, and they arrived in Topeka with some victuals to spare.

  Grace tilted her head and raised her nose high. “It do smell good, though, don’ it, Pappy?”

  “That it do, chil’. You girls take your satchels and then stand outta the way.” Ezekiel looked around for a moment and then pointed toward one end of the platform. “Go wait over there by that corner. Too many people rushin’ around tryin’ to get into dat fancy restaurant or find their bags.”

  Grace peered anxiously at the depot door. “Can’t we go inside and see the depot?”

  “There’s lots more to see out here dan inside that train station. ’Sides, I wanna be able to find all three of you together once Mr. Hill gets all the folks gathered to leave for Nicodemus. Don’t want none of you gettin’ lost,” their father warned.

  Jarena strained to see through the crowd, hoping to pick out a familiar face. “There’s Nellie and Calvin,” she said, waving her handkerchief high in the air. “Nellie! Over here!”

  Nellie waved in recognition before herding several other members of their group toward Jarena and the twins.

  Calvin glanced about as they drew closer. “Where’s your pappy?”

  “He went off to find Mr. Hill,” Truth replied. “You seen Mr. Hill since gettin’ off the train?”

  “Nope.” With a swipe of his shirtsleeve, Calvin cleared the sweat from his brow. “Ain’t seen Hill or Ivan Lovejoy. I thought they was both s’posed to meet us. Sure ’nuff is sweltering, ain’t it? Don’t recall it ever gettin’ this hot in Kentucky.”

  Miss Hattie, Nellie’s outspoken grandmother, stepped toward them and wagged her head back and forth. “That’s purely ’cause you ain’t old ’nuff to remember. I recall the summer of eighteen and forty—now, that there was one summer. Umm, umm! Why, it was so hot that the flies wouldn’t even alight for fear of bein’ fried when they come to rest. They’d just circle round and round ’til they dropped dead from the heat.” The old woman drew circles in the air with one finger and gave a throaty laugh.

  Nellie smiled gently at her grandmother. “Now, Granny, don’ get started on dem stories ’bout the old days or we’ll never get on our way.”

  Hattie limped toward a bench alongside the building and plopped down in the shady spot. “I sure is achy from all that sittin’. Don’ look like we’s goin’ anywhere right now, nohow. Where’s that Hill feller that’s s’posed to be in charge?”

  “Pappy’s off lookin’ for him,” Truth repeated.

  Hattie thumped the tip of her ancient parasol on the wooden platform. “Ain’t deaf, chil’, jest got weary bones.”

  “Perhaps you should raise that parasol to help cool yourself,” Jarena suggested kindly. “We may be here for a while yet.”

  “Don’ think so. There’s your pappy now. Looks like that Hill feller is with him.” Miss Hattie used her umbrella as a pointer while raising one hand to shade her eyes. She put her hand on Jarena’s arm and lowered her voice. “Ain’t sure I trust that feller. He’s got shifty eyes.”

  Jarena giggled and sat down beside the aging woman. Jarena had always felt close to her friend’s grandmother and even more so since her mother had passed away. “You don’t trust most folks until you’ve known them at least five years, Miss Hattie, but I believe you may be right about Mr. Hill.”

  Miss Hattie nodded knowingly, her head bobbing up and down in time with the footsteps of the men as they drew closer. “Yep—his eyes is shifty and watery—that’s a bad combination fer sure. Tell your pappy that man ain’t worth his salt.”

  “It’s probably better if you tell him. I said way more about Mr. Hill and this move to Kansas than Pappy wanted to hear before we ever left Kentucky.”

  The woman gave Jarena a sidelong glance. “Nellie tol’ me you was set on stayin’ in Kentucky. How come you didn’t want to give your ol’ pappy a chance to get hisself outta them hemp fields?”

  “I wasn’t trying to keep him in the hemp fields. I asked him to wait awhile—until after some of the other families from Georgetown came west. So we could hear what things were truly like in Nicodemus before he made a final decision.”

  “Ain’t got no sense of adventure, that it?” she asked with amusement as Mr. Hill approached.

  Grace giggled and covered her mouth with one hand. “She didn’t wanna leave her beau.”

  “Now I understand.” Miss Hattie nodded as a sly smile curved her thick lips. “Yessuh, I surely do.”

  Jarena opened her mouth to issue a protest, but Miss Hattie and the other travelers were on their feet, moving toward her father and Mr. Hill. The two men stepped onto the platform and waved the small group forward. The hot summer breeze whipped at Mr. Hill’s straggly blond hair, the thin tufts flying in all directions, while her father’s wiry black curls remained motionless, totally unruffled by the wind. Mr. Hill straightened his shoulders and gave them a thin-lipped smile. His brown suit jacket and pants held several layers of the powdery dust that was swirling around them as they stood in the afternoon sun.

  “Welcome to Kansas,”Mr. Hill greeted halfheartedly as he surveyed the group.

  “Pitiful welcome!”

  Miss Hattie’s whisper was a little too loud, and Jarena couldn’t help but grin as she squeezed her hand.

  Hill glanced in the old woman’s direction. “I truly am pleased to see you. If my welcome seemed less than exuberant, it’s because I must ask your further indulgence. There are several other folks interested in joining our group, and they’re not yet prepared to begin the journey.”

  When no one else spoke up, Miss Hattie waved her umbrella in the air. “How long you ’spectin’ us to sit here in this sun waitin’ fer you to finish what oughta already been done? And where’s Mr. Lovejoy? Ain’t he s’posed to be meetin’ us, too?”

  “Mr. Lovejoy departed for Nicodemus last week,” he replied as he loosened the collar of his once-white shirt. “As for the rest of your question, I should be prepared to leave in an hour or two, but for those of you who might be interested, I could take you into town in the wagon with me. That’s where I’m to meet the remainder of our settlers. You could use the time to advantage—purchase any last-minute necessities and take a gander at the capitol building they’re constructing. If everybody comes along, we won’t be required to return to the train station.”

  Miss Hattie wagged her head back and forth and leaned toward Jarena. “Ain’t fer certain I trust Ivan Lovejoy, neither. He ain’t really one of us. He’s been livin’ out here in Topeka fer nigh onto three years now—least that’s what your pappy tol’ me.”

  “But he’s from Kentucky,” Grace said, “and Pappy says he’s a good man.”

  Miss Hattie shaded her eyes as Ezekiel ambled toward them. “Your pappy don’t think bad of no one ’til they
prove they’s no account.”

  “Can we go along to town, Pappy?” Grace asked as she danced from foot to foot. “Please say yes.”

  Truth hurried to her sister’s side. “This might be our only opportunity to see the capitol building, Pappy.”

  Ezekiel scratched the back of his head and then waved the girls onward. “I reckon won’t hurt nothin’.” When Jarena remained seated beside Miss Hattie, her father waved her forward, too. “You come along with us, Jarena.”

  “You two ain’t foolin’ me none at all,” Nellie said to her friend and her grandmother. “I bet you’s wantin’ to go into town and have a look-see fer yourselves.”

  “Come on, Miss Hattie.” Ezekiel walked to the older woman and assisted her up into the bed of Mr. Hill’s wagon. “Might git to see something that’ll put a sparkle in your eyes.”

  The old woman gave a disgusted grunt as she dropped down beside Nellie and Jarena. “I seen all the new and excitin’ things I wanna see in this here lifetime, but don’ look like I got much choice about seein’ some more. Appears like all the rest of you is wantin’ to ride along and take a look at this here big city of Topekee.”

  Ezekiel’s stern look brought an immediate halt to the twins’ giggling.

  Jarena watched the girls momentarily squirm and then pivot their gaze upon the older woman. “We’re sorry, Miss Hattie.”

  She nodded her acceptance of their joint apology before turning her attention back to Jarena. “Now let’s get back to discussin’ that boy you left in Kentucky. I thought I knowed everything goin’ on back home. How’d this one get past me?”

  “He’s not my beau—just a friend.” Her cheeks warmed at Miss Hattie’s prying question. “The twins tend to exaggerate.”

  A glint shone in Truth’s eyes. “Charles Francis.”

  “Is that right? Charlie Francis?” Miss Hattie’s brow puckered. “I always thought that young man seemed a little bit sour—’specially for a gal with your sweet disposition.”

  Grace peeked around Nellie with a mischievous grin. “You won’t be thinkin’ Jarena’s so sweet by the time we get to Nicodemus, Miss Hattie. She’s got a mean streak. . . .”