Mail Order Bride: Found In The River

By Doreen Milstead

A young woman from Rhode Island takes the trek west to become the mail order bride of a rancher, but things rapidly deteriorate and her dream of becoming a mail order bride are left in the dust of the small Texas town.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susan Hart
• Release date: Feb 3, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310956423

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Mail Order Bride: Found In The River

By

Doreen Milstead

Copyright 2016 The Sweet Romance Network Presnts…

Synopsis: A young woman from Rhode Island takes the trek west to become the mail order bride of a rancher, but things rapidly deteriorate and her dream of becoming a mail order bride are left in the dust of the small Texas town.

Felicia sighed quietly as she closed the door. The doctor’s visits were coming far more often than she liked and each time he came, the house echoed with things unsaid. Felicia’s Aunt Moira was not one to dwell on the unpleasant and quickly brushed aside any concerns for her health but Felicia knew time was running out.

Silently, she went to the kitchen to prepare the early supper she knew wouldn’t be eaten. As she went, her eyes strayed to the pile of mail lying on the hall table. At the top there was a thin envelope with a blurred postmark. It appeared rather battered as if it had been on a long journey. Felicia’s curiosity was dulled by the worries she had about her aunt and the letter lay untouched.

As she toasted the thin slices of bread, her thoughts wandered. Her life had been simple enough up ‘til now. When her parents had died, Felicia was only twelve. Her great-aunt took her in to live in Providence. Aunt Moira didn’t care much for schooling beyond learning to read and write. Felicia had no friends her own age so she spent all of her time with her aunt and her friends.

Always tall for her age and thin, too thin, if the opinions of others mattered; clumsiness was a quirk that plagued her. Aunt Moira stopped counting the number of broken teacups and dishes soon after Felicia’s arrival. The ladies endeavored to turn Felicia into a graceful young lady but over the years, hopes of arranging a suitable marriage for her were growing dim.

Adding to the concern was her aunt’s illness. It was clear Felicia would have nowhere to go once her aunt had died. Marriage seemed to be the only practical option left for her.

The ladies in their circle had carefully considered the eligible men they knew in Providence and the surrounding area, but each one had fallen short in some way. Aunt Moira knew a young woman with no dowry was not going to be thought of as a great catch.

Felicia’s fiery red hair and fair skin gave her a very unique and pleasing appearance but her temperament was equally matched and her quick tongue often betrayed her.

It was her aunt’s friend, Beatrice that had come up with a prospect for Felicia. The news from the recently settled states to the West spoke of the need for suitable wives for the ranchers, the shopkeepers, and the farmers. Mail order brides were highly sought after and little consideration was given to dowries or breeding. Good, sturdy women with strong backs and the ability to bear children were far more prized among the men of the West.

After carefully discussing the matter, the ladies decided to pursue this plan and they got in touch with a Mrs. Humphries. Mrs. H. had the connections to arrange such marriages. She would often take it upon herself to escort the young ladies west each spring. It was an arduous task but she felt it was the Lord’s work and had been assigned to her as such. It was a task she took very seriously and she staked her reputation on her vigilance.

An appropriate suitor had quickly been found and Felicia was destined to find her new life in the young state of Texas. Felicia had been little more than an onlooker in these discussions and Mrs. H. had made little effort to include her in the matter. Her enthusiasm or lack thereof for this plan was not considered to be important.

Because the ladies knew naught of life in Texas, conversation was focused on having a good attitude. Their favorite Scripture was quoted often as

Reviews for Mail Order Bride

[benn9314 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A short story about the life of a young lady and how it changed