#13 The Families Get Larger

Several days had passed since Jimmie and Kaleb left the mountain cabin. Emerald and the others patiently waited their return. Mother Matrix was hard at work creating a new patch of tiny sparkles that would one day become new gemstones. Thousands of tiny green glitters littered on her could be seen in the light that passed the cave entrance each day. It would take many, many years to grow to be like the older gems. But there was never a rush when nature did its finest work.

One morning the peal of laughter could be heard coming up the slopes. A braying mule could also slip in her complaints as she pulled a heavily loaded cart. Jimmie had haggled with a poor man in town to buy her. Things were very hard for people during this time in American History. Many people had lost everything they owned, many were selling all that they could scrape up just to buy what little they could not to starve to death, while others still resorted to much more drastic measures as they could not handle the crash of the markets and could not handle to live. Bartering became the last measures that the simple folk of the Nation to be able to survive each day. Trading supplies and goods became the new norm. Luckily the little cabin had previssions. Canned goods in glass jars lined the walls of the modest kitchen and dry goods were stored in tins in the cupboards. packets of seeds were tucked into the luggage that was on the mule cart that had been bought in town before heading up the slopes. 'They would survive this. God willing and the creek doesn't rise,' Jimmie mused to himself. As they neared the cabin a thought that he hadn't put his mind to hit him hard, he would need to put an addition on it and renovate the attic space to account for this bigger family, as a couple of unexpected additions had not been accounted for when he left out.

In tow were four additional children aside of Kaleb. Only two extra were expected when they left. Two new babies had been born to his aunt while he had been away with his Grandfather. Kaleb was not impressed by the little demons held tightly by his two sisters throughout the journey. All in all five children would be running around making the mountain a lively place. Along with Kaleb there were Joan, Rayne, Ann Louise, and Russell. Joan being the oldest knew how to take care of the babies by watching and helping their mother. She also knew how to cook, can, and sew. Rayne was still learning from Joan, but was pretty good at baking and could identify safe to eat wild fruits. The younger two were too little to so they could only be toted around by the older ones or placed to play in a converted furniture crate lined with quilts.

As days passed the mule was being used to pull a simple plow to create a planting area for the seeds that had been in with the luggage and to pull up framed walls for expanding the cottage to accommodate the growing family. As fruits were coming into season the family canned and preserved them to use for trade in town for other goods that were needed from time to time.

One day while in town Kaleb happened to see a jewelry store that had beautiful sparking items in the window display. Such fanciful items glittering and shining. Of course this caught the eyes of the girls as well; they awed and cooed at the wonder of it all. Lost in daydreams of princely men asking their hand in marriage with dripping jewels all around. Not to be bothered with the girls fantastic dreams, Kaleb ventured into the shop to look around. An old jeweler popped his head out of a curtain to see who had arrived. Noticing the boy merely window shopping he jokingly asked, "Looking for something for one of those pretty gals outside young man?" Taken aback Kaleb pursed his lips as if swallowing a lemon slice answered back, "No Sir! I'm not buying a thing for those silly sisters of mine! I'll only get them something on their wedding day." Laughing the old man turned a bit red in the face after laughing so hard. It had been a long time since he could remember having done so this heartily. "So young man, may I help you with anything or answer any questions you may have?," he asked. Kaleb looked a shyly and asked in a soft voice, " Mister how do you get the gemstones to look so grand? Mine at home are pretty nice but look nothing like the ones you have here."