Call Me Jim by Maria Pavel
Author:Maria Pavel [Pavel, Maria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781412239257
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
Published: 2006-04-17T04:00:00+00:00
Chapter 5
Change Brings Challenges
Alcomdale, Alberta, Spring 1937
It was a long ride, much longer than Jimmy had expected it to be. As they came closer to Edmonton, he could see that here more land had been cleared, and there was more open farmland than Nampa. Occasionally, there were gentle swells in the land, very low hills.
Besides the scenes outside, there was so much to see and to watch on the train. People walked back and forth. He saw a few dandies, as Dad would call them, men who wore dress suits, white shirts, cufflinks, leather shoes, and fedoras. They werenât seated in this car but probably farther up in more expensive compartments. Also there was a man who came through the car with a tray of fresh fruitsâoranges and apples, but also fruits Jimmy had never yet tastedâfresh peaches and plums. Each piece of fruit was 10¢, very expensive. Mum had brought raisins for them to eat.
What a relief to finally get off that train! And there was Dad and a man with a horse and wagon to take them to their new home! Oh, they were so pleased to see each other. Lots of smiling, shaking hands, touching on the shoulders, but no hugs or kisses. That was not proper behavior.
Now the train was continuing on to Edmonton, and Jimmy realized their trunks were still in the baggage car. Oh, dear! The ticket agent would telegraph ahead. The trunks would be sent back to Alcomdale the next day and would be waiting for Dad to pick them up.
The town seemed like a copy of Nampa to Jimmyâabout the same size, a grain elevator, a water tank, a few small shops. But Nampa had more water, more wet, marshy land everywhere with virtually no rocks. Here he saw rocks as the wagon took them to the house.
The family would not have a salary, no cash from this arrangement, but there were some nice advantages to working for the Dibb brothers. The house was large. The upstairs, a good-sized loft, was the Campbellsâ private room. While Bill Dibb was on the farm from planting through harvesting, he would provide the food. He also would have wood for the stoves delivered by truck in the spring and fall. Now in the summer, Mr. Dibb milked the six cows, but in the fall, that work as well as the sale of the milk and butter would be both responsibility and profit for the Campbells. When the cows would calf each year, two calves were promised to George Campbell.
The expectations of work by the family were numerous. There were six horses which now were cared for by Mr. Dibb, but that would be a Campbell responsibility over the winter. Same for the chickens. There were no pigs and no beef cattle on this farm, but, like Mum, Mr. Dibb ordered 200 chicks each year. Unlike Mum, he ordered them mixed, both hens and roosters. As the roosters grew up, they were eaten.
Mrs. Campbell would do the cooking and washing for her family and Mr.
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