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Overview
Learning that some of their family, that had never been heard of, may be living in Colorado, grandfather Lucas and grandson Mark take a trip from their New York home to find the truth. They stopped in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Chicago, Wisconsin, S. Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado to see special sites and keep from going stir crazy just driving and staring at highway signs and lines on the road. They reached their destination and found a wonderful family, a wedding to attend which brought Lucas’s wife to the ranch, and a young girl who won Mark’s heart. The two families bond as they learn why they had been kept apart and how close they’d become. When Lucas and Mark return to NY for Mark to attend college, the connection continues and their lives become a great family togetherness with romance, growing families and ranch activities.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781481711142 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 01/31/2013 |
| Pages: | 300 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.67(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
A Summer's Adventure
By Sally M. Russell
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2013 Sally M. RussellAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4817-1114-2
Chapter One
Shivers of excitement are going through Mark Gillette's body as he's driving the big shiny new Lincoln Navigator along Interstate 90 in Ohio. The car actually belongs to his grandfather, Lucas Gillette, who is sleeping soundly in the passenger seat. Mark had to grin as he'd glanced over and saw his grandpa's head a little crooked on the pillow, his mouth open, a soft occasional snore, and a smile on his face.The two of them are heading from New York to Colorado on an adventure to try to discover a somewhat forgotten, or unknown, part of their family. Mark had never been as thrilled as when Grandpa Lucas had called and asked if he would come see him about a rather special subject. He had always loved his grandfather and been very close to him, but that day was the one he most likely would never forget.
Mark hadn't had any idea what he was going to do all summer. He was to graduate from High School in two weeks and then enter college in the fall, but the long hot summer loomed before him like a vast empty space which he had to fill in order to survive. While growing up, his life had always seemed to be lacking something, but he could never quite put his finger on what it was. The teen years had been filled with all the normal boyhood activities such as baseball, swimming, hiking, and camping during the summer months, and he'd had a lot of basketball, bowling, downhill and cross- country skiing in the winters. His interests at church had filled a lot of hours, too, being counselor to a group of younger boys and the activities with his peers, but there had always been a hunger to explore beyond the areas that were the usual for his very conservative family.
When he'd reached his grandfather's house, he had been a little concerned that the church may have asked his grandfather to try to change his mind about being a counselor at camp this summer. He'd done that the last two years, but had decided to decline this year because he wanted to do something entirely different before starting college, even though he still hadn't known what that was going to be. He'd just hoped that camping wasn't the reason he'd been asked to come today.
Grandfather Lucas had met him at the door and immediately asked him to join him in his study. His grandmother hadn't been there to welcome him, as was the usual custom, so if it hadn't been for the big smile that he knew so well, Mark would have thought he was in big trouble. When they'd reached the beautiful big room where he had played, read, and talked to his grandfather since he was a little tyke, he'd remained standing until he was told to please sit down. He'd then waited for his grandfather to speak.
"Mark, you and I have talked about many things and have also done quite a few things together over the years while you were growing up, but I have now made a decision to do something that I've been wanting to do for the last two decades, at least. My problem is that it might take this whole summer, and I desperately need someone I can tolerate, and also trust, to go with me to help with the driving and keep me company. It'd be impossible for me to do this alone.
I imagine you remember the few stories I've told you about my mother's family who supposedly settled in Colorado. She'd never wanted to talk much about the time she'd lived there, and there were always tears in her eyes when she did. It seemed as if she was trying so very hard to convince herself it couldn't be true, but she softly whispered once, when we were talking, that they hadn't acknowledged her as their daughter after she'd decided to come and stay with her grandma and grandpa for awhile. I tried to get her to tell me more, but she wouldn't elaborate, so consequently, I have very little information about them.
She did mention that there was a big ranch, but a very small town named after her father, Jeremiah Hayes, who had studied to be an attorney and also learned the duties of a mayor while living with the Whites after his mother and father died. She'd related that she didn't like the town or want to stay there after she'd lost her older sister during WWI. She'd also admitted that it was mostly because of all the letters her Grandma White had written to her about the grand things that went on in New York and the pictures she had sent of the big stores and lovely homes.
Of course, as a teenager, she had been intrigued and had finally asked her parents for permission to go and live with the grandparents and finish school in New York. After she'd arrived here, however, she said she never saw any of those things but had continued to believe her grandma that she would someday. She said she'd written lots of letters back to her parents, which Grandma had always offered to mail for her, but she'd never gotten any replies. One day she'd been told that her parents had probably disowned her because she'd wanted to come to New York.
After a few years, she'd met my dad, your great grandfather, and was married, but apparently had never mentioned that she might have some family in another State until Dad suffered a stroke and was on his death bed in 1972.
For some unknown reason, Great Grandma White never mentioned anything about Mom's family either, although it would have been her daughter. My Great Grandpa died shortly after I was born so I've come to believe she may have been afraid she would lose my Mom, too, if she'd informed anyone about this possible family out in the western part of the country. Her only child, Rebecca, had apparently married this Jeremiah Hayes and then gone off to Colorado with him in 1895. I guess I was about twenty years old when Great Grandma died at 103 years old, but I still had never been told about my grandparents who might be living in Colorado.
Dad called me to his bedside and told me what Mom had confessed to him about the possibility of some family out in Colorado. So now, before I get too old to travel, I have to discover if there is any truth to the few stories I finally persuaded my mom to tell me several years after Dad had passed away. Although she was still younger than I am now, she either didn't want to go, or was afraid to go, but her excuse was that she was way too old to travel that far, especially alone.
I didn't feel I could get away right then because I was the only one in the law office, after Dad had had his stroke, then it was James starting college and on to Law School, and Katherine in the process of planning her wedding after she'd finished college. Sadly, going to Colorado never got discussed again before Mom's sudden death in 1986, the year when I could've finally gotten away. Now, I feel very strongly that it is up to me to find out how the rest of that family has grown over the years and if they'll even want anything to do with us New Yorkers.
I understand there was an older brother, Nathaniel, so maybe his descendants are still around that area. My sister, Rebekah, apparently named for her grandmother, is very interested in the findings, but her husband's health keeps her from doing any of the actual searching. I'm hoping that what I find could possibly give our family and the next Hayes and Gillette generations a whole lot of happiness in knowing there are quite a few more of us than we could've ever expected. Your dad and Aunt Kate haven't been too excited so far about the information I've given them, but maybe, if we find some real people, they'll get enthused, too, about the family heritage. Your two siblings, Steve and Deborah, being in college and law school, have too many other things on their minds right now. I don't know about Kate's two Army career boys, but I feel you have always seemed interested in family ties.
What I'm slowly getting around to asking, Mark, after talking all this time, is whether you would even want to consider spending a rather dull summer with your old grandpa who wants to go hunting for family that may no longer be there. I do know that there is a small town of Hayes located not too far from Pueblo. I also know that there was a well-known attorney in Lakewood, NY, by the name of Hayes, who died from pneumonia along with his wife, in 1890. And, just recently after I thought to search, I actually found in the county records that a Jeremiah Hayes and a Rebecca White were married in 1894. So, what do you say, Mark? Will you go hunting with me?"
"It sounds really exciting, and I'd love to go, Grandpa. You know I couldn't turn down a trip to Colorado. I remember when I was still pretty young, you would tell me stories about a possible ranch in Colorado, and I had so many wonderful dreams of horses, cowboys, and even Indians becoming good friends just because my great, great grandfather was a man who everyone looked up to. The only thing I couldn't understand, and it made me so sad, was why Great Grandma never returned to Colorado, even for a short visit, to see her parents and the other relatives who might have been born after she left. I really can't believe it about her family disowning her, so to speak, so I just hope and pray that there are still some members of the family living there. We can hear their side of the story, and hopefully have a great big family reunion. When were you planning or wanting to get on our way?"
"Do you think you can be ready about a week after graduation? I don't want to pull you away from your family too fast, but I'm so anxious to get started now that I've done all the research that I can think of. I'm just looking forward to a very exciting adventure."
"Don't worry about my family. They'll probably be glad I finally have something to do to keep me out of their hair all summer," he laughed. "I'll be ready to go whenever you say the word, Grandpa, so just let me know when.
Chapter Two
Exactly three weeks later, Lucas Gillette started the drive from Jamestown, NY, to Hayes, CO, with his grandson, Mark Gillette, as his passenger and companion. He could easily see the excitement and anticipation in his grandson's eyes and actions, but he also couldn't help but wonder how long it would last as the days of driving, sitting, and looking at highway stripes started taking their toll."I think we'll pick out some interesting places to stop along the way, Mark, and maybe we'll spend two or three days in some places if we're enjoying the area. That way, we won't get so tired of seeing only highways and industrial areas which are usually found along the outskirts of the cities and alongside the Interstate Highways. As we get farther west, I understand it turns into acres and acres of flat farmland, grazing cattle, and miles of very little to look at. Did you get a chance to read or see on the map any places of particular interest that you'd like to stop and investigate?"
"Don't plan to stop because of me, Grandpa, because I'm really anxious to get to Colorado and find our missing family. I also want to find out if there are possibly any horses on this ranch. I've wanted to ride a horse for years."
Lucas had chuckled. "I hadn't known about this horse craze of yours, but I hope the dream of riding will come true. I also know you're anxious to please me, Mark, but you don't yet realize how far we're going to be driving and just how hard it can become on your mind and your body, not to mention your disposition. We don't want to be two old grouchy guys when we meet this family we'll want to make an impression on, now do we?"
"I see what you mean. I did look at the maps of the different states we're going to be driving across, and it did appear to be a long, long way. I'll look at that map of Ohio again and see if there is anything that I think would be worthwhile stopping for."
When they'd reached Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania, the traffic was noticeably a bit heavier, but it was moving along smoothly and it didn't seem very long until they'd entered Ohio. "I know you've seen the Conneaut Historical Railroad Museum, Mark, but in less than an hour, we should come to a road that will take us to the Fairport Marine Museum. I've been there once before, but I'd like for you to see it. I think you'll enjoy it very much."
The museum was interesting, but Mark kept thinking it was too soon to do a lot of stopping and sightseeing. He and his family had seen most of the places in Ohio anyway, and he was much more enthused about being on the way to Colorado. When they'd gotten back to the car, Grandpa remarked, "We'll stop for some lunch somewhere on the west side of Cleveland and then I'll let you do the driving. It'll be time for my little nap that I like to take after I've eaten lunch, but we'll look over the route so you'll know where to turn off to get to Detroit as long as we're so close. I'd like to visit the Automotive Hall of Fame so I've decided we'll spend the night there. If we still have time this afternoon, we'll do it after we find a place to stay. Otherwise, we'll see it before we continue on in the morning. Does that meet with your approval?"
"Anything you say, Grandpa. That really should be interesting because I love cars."
When Mark got behind the wheel, his grandfather gave one final word of driving instructions as he got settled in the passenger seat. "Remember now, you wake me if you get confused or need anything." Mark hadn't expected him to be asleep in less than five minutes, but it certainly warmed his heart to realize his grandfather trusted him that much with this new car that he had bought especially for the trip. Mark had always been considered a pretty careful driver and he'd had an old truck of his own for two years, but to get permission to drive this new Lincoln Navigator, while his grandfather was sleeping, no less, had to boost a guy's confidence just a little. They had checked the map and figured it was around 120 miles to the Detroit turn-off. As if an alarm had gone off, Grandpa woke up just as Mark was approaching the exit and had started slowing down to ramp speed.
"You made good time, Mark, and I had a wonderful nap. This trip would've been so exhausting if I'd had to drive it alone, but I'm really going to enjoy it with you along to share the monotony of driving. We probably could've flown, but I wouldn't have felt quite right imposing on absolute strangers, even if we'd really found a family, to get us where we wanted to go, and I hate rental cars. I haven't gotten one yet that I felt comfortable in. I know I can relax now with you behind the wheel, and it's been a while since I've taken a nice scenic vacation trip by car. Your grandma and I used to jump in the car without even a destination in mind. We'd find an interesting looking country road and just drive and enjoy the scenery until we'd get tired and hungry. My only regret now is that your grandma decided she'd rather not make the trip this time, but it sounded like she was pretty confident that there would be a next time, didn't it?" he chuckled.
"I sure hope we discover a lot of relatives and then all the uncles, aunts, and cousins can be united to become a big happy family. I wonder if Aunt Kate, Uncle Bill, William and Paul will be willing to join us. They always seem to be so involved with their careers and not too interested in the rest of the family."
"It is disappointing that we can't get together more often, and it will be wonderful if we can find more relatives to get acquainted with. We'll just have to wait and see, though. At the moment, I see it's only about 60 miles up to Detroit, but we'll want to change routes up here a little ways so we'll be nearer the Museum when we stop for the night."
They discovered that the University of Michigan-Dearborn wasn't a great distance from the Museum, so after they'd found a motel and eaten a nice dinner, they drove over so they could walk around the campus for awhile just to stretch their legs. Lucas noticed that Mark was quite interested in all the different buildings and the landscaping of the school, so it wasn't a surprise when he remarked, "I've read where the University of Michigan is one of the top universities in the country. Everything is really nice here, but I'm pretty sure The Law School is in Ann Arbor. Maybe we could stop there and see what that campus looks like, too. When I was researching colleges, I learned a lot about Michigan and had even considered applying there for my regular college classes.
Of course, Dad was constantly hinting and hoping that I'd decide on Amherst since practically all of our family has gone there. To be honest, I really wanted to stay a little closer to home my first year, too. Law School, however, seems to have been individual choices and I think several different ones have been attended."
"That's true, Mark, and you certainly couldn't find a better one than Michigan. We can definitely stop and see the campus at Ann Arbor, if you'd like. It might help make your decision a little easier when the time comes."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from A Summer's Adventure by Sally M. Russell Copyright © 2013 by Sally M. Russell. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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