Mountain Man Chapter 5

Alva prepares to court Edith 1

Alva returned home and put his supplies away. He fed his animals and fixed himself a meal. After eating, he sat down in his favorite chair and started carving, but his mind was preoccupied. He carved for an hour, then looked down at the figure in his hand. He had intended it to be a fox, but instead he saw the face of a vixen. The face looking back at him was starting to look a whole lot like Edith. He lay the piece aside and picked up another piece of wood. After carving for a few minutes, he could tell this piece was not turning out to be what he planned, so he lay his tools aside and went to his parents room. He had his own, and rarely went into their room, though he did keep it clean and neat. He rummaged through his mother's chest and came up with her favorite book of poetry. It was by Emily Dickinson and he could still hear his mother's gentle voice as she read to him from this book.2

They were poems about love, about life and about loss. He had experienced it all in his short life, but the love, and he was ready for that experience. His thoughts drifted back to Edith, and what he could do to make her look at him as a likely prospect for marriage. He'd never really talked to any girl before, but he did have the language of love, available to him in the book his mother had loved so well. He carried the book back to his chair and read until late in the night, and thought of Edith.3

Alva decided he would make her a special gift that would show her that he was not just an uneducated lout, and then he would dress in his best outfit and go to town. He was going to court his future bride and he had to make sure she couldn't say no. Alva had no paper, but this treasured book had several blank pages in the back. He counted six. He would write her six poems that would prove to her how much he already loved her and that they were meant to be together. After making his decision, he started immediately. Writing a poem wasn't near as easy as he hoped it would be, but after spending most of the night on it, and reducing his pencil to a stub, he had his first poem written and it didn't sound too bad. But he was sure he could do better, and would.4

Every night that week, Alva sat down with his lantern burning brightly and penned another poem. He poured out his love, his desires and his dreams. He told her of all the things he wanted to show her and to share with her. Finally, the pages were filled. He went outside and found a beautiful large leaf and some pieces of dried grass. He wrapped the book in the leaf and then tied it with the dried grass. He had pressed some wildflowers and tied them to the front of the book.5

Alva had finished the carving of Edith and thought it turned out quite well. He put it in a small box and lay the book gently inside with the carving. Alva went to the spring for a good bath, dressed in his finest outfit and hitched Jake to the small wagon and headed down the mountain. He was going courting. He hadn't been able to rid his daydreams of her cute little face and smile, nor his night dreams of what a woman she was. He whistled as he started down the mountain. He was in a great mood as he went down the trail. It took around five hours going down, and a bit longer coming back. It was still early in the morning and the mist had not yet lifted from the mountain. Everything was green and you could see the brilliant colors of the Rhododendron that were so plentiful in these mountains. Spider webs, covered in morning due, stretched from one tree to another and he led Jake carefully around an occasional Timber Rattler catching the early morning sun.6

Alva was pretty sure that tonight was the big Spring Hoedown and he intended to escort the prettiest girl in the county. He was full of confidence as he urged Old Jake down the mountain trail, but as they got closer, doubts started setting in. She was the prettiest girl in the county. What made him think she would just be sitting at home waiting for him on a dance night. She probably had an invitation from every available man in the county. Now he was starting to get upset. She probably hadn't spent the last two weeks sitting in her room and dreaming of him, as he had her. What did he know about women anyway? Just as he pulled up in front of the big barn where the dance was held, he panicked. What would he say to her? What if she was with someone else? What if she wasn't interested in him at all? Suddenly, all his courage deserted him and he turned Jake's head and started back for the mountain trail.7

He pitched his carefully wrapped gift in the back of the wagon and started the long trek home. As he moved further away from the town, he started thinking of all his carefully hatched plans, his dreams of walking with Miss Edith and of whirling her around the dance floor to the sounds of the fiddles and banjos. 8

Pa never raised me to be a coward, he said, as he again turned Jake's head and started back toward town. Nothing ventured, nothing gained had been a favorite saying of his ma, and she was a right smart woman. How would Edith even know he cared if he didn't tell her. He promised himself, he wouldn't get angry, no matter what transpired. He would do what he had come to do. He would pledge his devotion and then, it would be up to the lady. He was nervous, but determined to carry through. 9

About twenty minutes later, Alva pulled his wagon up to the barn, turned Jake loose to graze, picked up his gift and walked inside. The band was pickin' Ole Joe Tucker and the people were dancing in the straw on the floor and having a great time. He glanced around the wall and saw several single men on one side, and just a handful of available young girls on the other side. They were all watching him and giggling as he walked in alone with the box under his arm. All of them were trying to gain his attention while his eyes scanned the room for Edith.10

His eyes finally fell on Edith. She was in a pretty new frock and was dancing... with her father. Her eyes were twinkling and it seemed that she was quite aware that most male eyes in the building were on her. She really didn't care. There wasn't a young man there that she even cared to dance with, but she was nice, and made sure to dance with each of the young gentlemen once. She would not accept a second dance from anyone but her father. 11

When the set was over, her father escorted Edith back to where the other young girls were mingling and brought her a cold drink. She was having a wonderful time, but still had young Alva on her mind. As she stood there thinking about his beautiful smile, she seemed to sense eyes burning into her back. Her heart fluttered and she turned, just in time to meet his eyes. He was here! 12

Edith immediately looked away. She couldn't let him think she had been looking for him. She had to play this right. She had decided to try to make him jealous, but thought better of it. He struck her as being a proud man, and it could easily backfire on her. She would just be herself, friendly and open. She would not waste her time trying to be someone she was not. She was interested, and she would just let him know that she was. No games.13

As she looked over again, he was walking her way. She looked up at him and smiled as he approached. "Well, it's Mr. Jansen again. What brings you back down the mountain so soon?"14

Alva started to blush as he answered, "I came to see you. I hope you won't think me too forward, but I would like to get to know you. Will you walk with me?"15

"You're not going to ask me to dance?" she replied.16

"I really don't know much about dancing, but if you want, I'll try."17

"Edith just smiled and took his arm. For now, we can just walk or sit and talk. Maybe we can dance later," she said as she led him to one of the benches just outside the barn. They were well within sight of all the others as they sat and talked and got acquainted. They were enjoying each other's company, and Mac looked over and beamed as he saw his Edith sitting with young Alva Jansen. If she must be married off, he could think of no better match than the young Jansen boy, and he realized that his daughter had been watching the lonely mountain trail more carefully lately, as though she expected to see him come down the trail any moment. Yes, he knew his daughter was already in love. He just had to make sure she didn't get her heart broken. He would have to have a talk with young Alva.18

Alva and Edith sat and talked for the longest time. Every now and then, they would be interrupted by a young man, brave enough to approach them and ask Edith to dance. She politely declined all offers as they sat and talked. Finally, she asked. "Who is the pretty package for?"19

Alva blushed and ducked his head. "It's for you," he mumbled, as he handed her the box. She immediately started to pull it open.20

"No," he said. "It's for you, but I don't want you to open it until you're home alone. Please wait."21

Edith sat the box aside and agreed, but was dying of curiosity. "You don't even want to know what I think of your gift?" she inquired.22

"I can't wait to find out, but the next time I come down the mountain will be soon enough. Will you let me come to see you again? We will just sit and talk, or if your father approves, I can take you for a ride in the wagon."23

"I would really like to see you again. Could you come for dinner one night next week? I will tell momma and poppa and I'm sure they will agree, but poppa will never let me go for a ride with you, unchaperoned."24

"Of course, I understand. I would love to come for a meal and get acquainted with your parents." About that time, Mac walked over to check on them. He had been keeping an eye on his daughter and would make sure the young man did nothing to upset her. He seemed to be acting the perfect gentleman and he was quite pleased when Edith told him Alva was coming to dinner in a few days.25

"I'll tell yur ma. We'll be happy to welcome you to our home, young fellar. Just don't do nothin' to ever hurt my little girl, and we'll get along just fine."26

Alva stood and held out his hand and as Mac shook it, he said, "I promise. I would be more than happy to spend the rest of my days making this young lady very happy. I don't know if she'll have me, but my intentions are honorable. I intend to marry your daughter, just as soon as I can convince her that she love's me as much as I love her."27

Mac was shocked, and Edith was speechless. "Don't you think you should have let me know first!" she shouted, as she stood and walked away.28

"Oh boy. That didn't go so well, did it?" Mac laughed. "Don't you worry, she'll come around. You just come on to dinner next Thursday evening, and she'll be calmed down by then. I better go try to talk to her. At least, she knows your intentions," he winked as he started after his daughter.29

Alva glanced at the bench where they had sat and noticed his box was gone. He smiled as he realized that she had at least grabbed it and taken it with her.30

He started back up the mountain, content that he had made some progress tonight. He thought about her unwrapping the carving of her face that he had done so lovingly, and hoped that she would realize that he had poured his heart and soul into the poems he had written for her. He made the rest of the trip up the trail, feeling pleased with himself.31