A Hundred Miles to the City
by
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The wind. Not the typical winds of March, but a steady, unyielding force that drove everything not securely attached to go flying off into the careening air like so much chaff before the storm. The winter’s yard clutter, swept up against the picket fence, vibrated like a child’s paper and comb toy, making not music but a low moan that seemed to lament its predicament. There had been times when Dona thought she heard the house sing, with gentle breezes teasing a loosened screen, perhaps. But this day the movement was palpable, as if the whole house quivered. The air, though moving with unprecedented speed, was thick with the detritus of the previous season. For two years now the drought had held and even the winter’s ice and snow had not yielded enough moisture to bind the particles of soil together that now swirled along at the whimsy of the gale. Sometimes Dona wondered why Jimmie was going ahead with soil preparation. A decent crop was nearly unthinkable at this stage. But he and Dale were down on the bottom, tilling the dry fields just as if it were a normal spring.
The consuming body of the fire was now a funnel of flame shooting north toward the park like a gigantic blowtorch. . . flaming bits of roofing sailed northward on the relentless wind, igniting the dry tops of trees. . . It hurt too much to think of specifics. It was like dying a little bit at a time, with a thousand tiny wounds. She’d rather have one marauding blow and have it over. It was all lost. Everything. That’s the only way she could stand it—all together.
Her gaze wandered down the hill to the machine shed. The pickup truck was backed into the shed with its precious load of seed corn—sacks of hope Jimmie had sought to shelter, believing it would rain, believing they had a future. She could see him at work in the lot, carrying feed to his animals. If she looked in his direction, she could almost imagine things were still the same as yesterday morning. From here the farm looked the same, except today the dust was gone, and she could see a hint of green as she looked across the edge of the park.
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About the Book
More than a poignant story of the homefront during World War II, Dona Schmit’s life saga is bracketed by her childhood in the years of the Great Depression and her challenges during the crisis in
Beginning with her strong-willed father, Dona is influenced by the men in her life. Two men eventually own her heart, one the father of her three daughters, around whom she fashions her own existence. Independent and determined, she feels she has found her life partner, but finds disappointment instead. She yearns to escape from rural hardships and finds, when thrust into life in the city, that she loves the excitement and pace of that experience.
Torn between her desire to live in the city and her wish to provide a stable home for her children, Dona thinks she can forget the pleasures and conveniences of her stay in the fascinating metropolis. Further crises in her personal life cause her to cling to the small community she has adopted and that has adopted her. Many ties bind her to the place and time she inhabits, and she is ultimately filled with deep affection for the simple existence she acquires. Both blessings and tragedies flavor her life, many related to the tenure of the railroad as it passes through its own short tenure in
About the Author
Author’s Note
Those interested in the era of the Great Depression or in the culture-altering times of World War II will find historical information included in the setting. Much has been written of “the Greatest Generation,” featuring those who made sacrifices for the war effort. We can’t forget that those who stayed home were also people of valor. This book offers a look at some who faced challenges on the home front. It affords a glimpse into the backgrounds of those stalwart souls and describes the paths their lives took following the intense war years. The most stirring scenes, however, are those that occur against a rural backdrop during times of change in the structure of the family farm. This is a romance novel, but the depth of devotion for the home place is an over-riding theme throughout the story.
Ms. Samson received her Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degrees in Education from