American Falls

By Wilson Zaring

This is an historical tale of a young man coming of age and his journey to find answers to the questions in his life. At the age of 16, Christian Miller left his home in Pennsylvania. His desire to travel west had to do more with his desire to leave behind his troubling memories than his desire to have an adventure. However, adventure was what he found. During his travels he found spiritual enlightenment, was disillusioned and found more truth than he expected to find. This adventure novella gives us a look at the early 1800’s and the trials and hardships that came with the time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wilson Zaring
• Release date: Sep 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476083278

Wilson Zaring

Wilson M Zaring is a retired Associate Professor of Mathematics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He coauthored four mathematics textbooks during his teaching career. After retirement, Wilson began delving into his passion with earnest—genealogy. He has published three genealogical works, as well as coauthoring a history of the First United Methodist Church of Champaign, Illinois. Born and raised in Kentucky, Wilson moved to Champaign, Illinois to start his career in mathematics. He, and his wife, raised two children in Champaign, where he currently is enjoying his retirement by researching genealogy and writing fiction.

Book preview

American Falls

By

Wilson Zaring

David and Nora Zaring, Editors

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Published by Glorious Expressions at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Wilson Zaring

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchase for your use only, please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank your for respecting the hard work of the author.

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Table of Contents

Chris Miller

Chris Begins His Journey

Arrived at Harrisburg

Turning 18

Reached St. Louis

New Friends

Questioning the Preacher

The Law of the West

They Reach the Falls

About the Author

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I do not know if fate or purpose brought Chris’ grandfather to this land. I only know he came to Pennsylvania in 1753. There, he married and began a family. When shots rang out at Concord, he joined the Lancaster County Militia. He was with Washington on Long Island and fought at Brandywine. Chris’ grandfather is gone now, but his musket hangs over the fireplace at home and his memory lives on.

Chris was born in 1824 in a log cabin that his grandfather had built. He was proud of that fact. I don’t know why; he just was. Chris delighted in the stories his grandfather told. In the evenings, as he drifted off to sleep, he fondly relived his grandfather’s Revolutionary adventures. It was as if Chris climbed into the boat with that old gentleman as they fled Long Island. He grasped the oar with his grandfather as they rowed through fog so thick they couldn’t see where they were or where they were going. Every evening as he dozed off, he and his grandfather made their escape only minutes before the British arrived to take them prisoners-of-war.

Chris loved life on the old farm. Spring came early to the fertile land of eastern Pennsylvania in 1840. Spring was always a slow paced season, with time to appreciate the fact that winter was past. New life was emerging from the rich soil. An early spring meant a long period of relaxation for the family, because they farmed by the calendar. No matter how early spring came, they didn’t plant corn until the 10th of May. There was no rush to prepare. Plowing would come in its own time. In the spring, they planted gardens early but never corn. Gardening was a joyous time for the entire family as they worked together tilling, planting, and anticipating the fruits of their labor. Once the farm year began, it was an all out effort of sun up to sun down work plowing, planting, cultivating. No break came until the crops were laid by, perhaps in July. By early to mid July, the corn and tobacco could no longer be worked, so they went unattended awaiting harvest time. This was welcome leisure spent repairing, beautifying, courting, and quilting.

For generations, nature’s resurrection from the death of winter had lifted spirits and brought new life to the land and its people, but not in Chris’ house that spring. An untimely death touched all who resided there. Death was not uncommon among the early pioneers, nor was it unknown to the Müller family. Chris’ parents lost their first-born son soon after birth, dedicated him to the Lord, buried him on the hill, and returned to life. Theiss’ death was different. Theiss had grown to the age of responsibility and was known and loved in ways not possible with a lovable, but very small infant. The main burden of Theiss’ death was the dreadful circumstances. An unlikely accident snuffed out a young life and placed a heavy burden of guilt on all who survived, especially on Chris.

I don’t recall the date. It isn’t important. It was a sad day. Not the first, but one of many to come. Theiss’ untimely death made Chris’ home a dark and foreboding place, where joy no longer resided. Chris blamed his father; his mother blamed everyone. Mother’s silent reproof was more than Chris could bear and his father’s presence was a continuous reminder of Theiss’ dreadful death, so he decided to do what many do in unpleasant circumstances,