A family apart-letter to ma

                         Dear Ma!

            I, Frances Mary am writing to you letter to tell you about what happened to us after we had left the Aid Society building. Ma, we were very upset and we couldn’t understand your decision regarding sending all of us to the West, to be placed with new families. I know your life wasn’t easy and , you struggled a lot after Da  passed .I know, we didn’t always have enough food to eat , but we had each other. Ma, as I promised you I do that I decided to change my appearance from a girl to a boy. I became a Frankie .Dear, Ma we met a lot of nice people while we ware traveling. Especially I liked Andrew MacNair and Katherine Banks.

 They ware Mr. Brace scouts, they job was to make sure we will be adopted by good families. They ware very nice to us, and they explained to us that when families adopted us we will be treated like a kin. They also told us that we would be expected to do chores along with the rest of the family, in exchange for schooling, warm bed and plenty of food. Page 61.

      Ma, I have to tell you about Mike, you could be very proud of him, he make the children forget their aches and fears by singing and dancing .Page 74. He also helped with a fire which broke up in a train; he saved one of the gentlemen life. His name is Mr. Crandon.  After we changed the train we experience the outlow attack. They asked every one to put their money and valuables in to the sack. Ma, Mike was able to take back one of their sack, and he give back Katharina’s ring, because that ring meant lot to her. Ma, he did such a good job.

Others told Mike, that he is a fine young man. Page 83. Ma, after we arrived to St Joseph, Missouri I was terrified, that Petey and I could be separated. I held him in my laps, hen I had Peg, Danny, Meg and Mike next to me. I was frightened, so I was unable to think of what I should do. I was thinking that no one wanted us. I did not know what will happen to us. Page 92-93. After avile we started to introduce our self’s, then people came to talk Andrew and Katherine, they were pointing at children they anted to adopt. Ma, after few minutes some nice people asked about Danny and Peg. Danny and Peg were adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Swenson’s. They couple wanted only two children, boy and a girl. Ma The Swenson’s looked like a good people, so I told Peg and Danny to go with them. I was thinking what will happen next.  After some time couple name Emma and Benjamin Browder, wanted to take home with them a Meg, they also l looked like nice people so Meghan went with them. Many of the children had already left the platform, only me, Petey and Mike left. In few moments later Andrew spoke to me and told me that a couple want to adopt me and Petey. Ma, Mr. and Mrs. Cummings asked us if we wanted to go with them we agreed. I was wary about Mike , but at the last minute other couple to showed up, they didn’t looked very friendly , but Mike had choose to go or not to go with them. He chooses to go with Mr. and Mrs. Friedrich. All of us said good bay to each other and then we started to drive to our new homes. Ma, it was so hard to be separated first from you and then from my brothers and sisters. Dear Ma we ware very lucky with Petey. Jack and Margaret Cumming’s are very good and nice to us. We have a good food and beautiful house. They have a farm, I am helping them with daily chores .I have to be very careful, so nobody notice I am a girl .Every day is getting harder to keep my secret. Ma, I have to tell you I met here lot of nice people. To make my story shorter, I will tell you about two people I met in The Cumming’s barn, they were slaves. I rally want to help them to escape to Canada. Jack and Margaret are a part of the Underground Railroad, they where

helping slaves to go through to Canada ,so they can be free.. The bounty hunters 

were looking for them every ware . Suddenly Jake got sick, so I decide to help Janus and Odette .I drove them to our friends – The Mueller’s Farm. That was very dangers, but I decided to due this, because  I wanted them to be free and have better life. When I was driving to the Muller’s house the bounty hunters stopped me, but I never told them any thing about the slaves. They informed me that anyone who helps slaves escape can get sent to prison.

     Oh Ma, when I arrived in the Muller’s farm Mrs. Muller explained to me what sacrifice is mean. She said to me that sacrifice is not easy to understand. That means that someone or something else means more to you that your own self. Sacrifice means that you can love someone or some idea enough to give up something that you prize, in order to make peoples life better. She said also I made sacrifice when I helped Janus and Odette. Ma, I finally realize that you were trying to tell me, what sacrifice is now I understand. Page 152-153. I ‘m very sorry that I was angry and hurt to really listen to you, Ma I really love you and I hope you forgive me. Ma, thank you for writing to me a letter witch Katharina and Andrew delivered to my new house, you saved me again. They came just in time, because bounty hunters couth me wearing Odette scarf. The Marshal was going to arrest me, Katherine told Marshal my biggest secret –that I am a girl, so he let me free. Thank you Ma .I wish I will see you soon, and we could be together again. Please write soon and tell me what is happening with you. I hope you well.                                          Love

                              Frances Mary /  Frankie