Book Series: Barrington Family Saga
Publishing Date: 2008
Author: Anita Stansfield
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Category: LDS Contemporary Romance
Point of View: Third Person Limited- Eleanore and JamesCategory: LDS Contemporary Romance
Chapter Count: 14
Page Count: 237
Acknowledgements
The author thanks many friends, colleagues, and of course her family and last but not least Heavenly Father, Savior and the Holy Ghost.
Prologue
Iowa City- 1856
It is July. James Barrington rides around the Mormon encampment silently checking on everything. These poor travelers with 1300 miles still to go, building handcars and scrambling to get ready for the journey.
But James has troubles of his own for he seems to have come down with some kind of lung issue. He doubles over, struggling to breathe as he unsaddles his horse in the barn which is how his wife, Eleanore, finds him. She insists they get him to the doctor. James and Eleanore are 56 and 34 respectively. Eleanore reminds her husband 50 is the new 40 but James moans how they can't count on him to live forever, he fears Old Age has finally caught up with him. He'll be dead by morning, just wait!
Their friend and fellow live-in servant who is even older than James, Frederick, hitches up a buggy and they take James into town.
The doctor doesn't have a clue what might be wrong. If James suffers shortness of breath while doing heavy lifting, then he should take it easy. That's what servants are for, after all.
Back at the house, a horse belonging to a young man who has been coming over often to call on Iris is tied to the front porch. The family is hoping he might be the one but, alas, just as Eleanore and James reach the steps, the front door bursts open. A young man storms past, declaring in no uncertain terms their daughter is a shrew and good luck marrying her off! He mounts his horse and hightails it out of there.
Well, the parents sigh, there goes another one...
Chapter 1 The Impediment (hindrance or obstruction in doing something)
Casey "Case" Harrison is still wet behind the ears from his recent baptism, he's originally from Texas but visiting his only brother back East when he met Mormon missionaries and and joined up. Now he's off to Salt Lake but needs something to do and was referred here, to the Barrington place for work. James meets him outside, basically tells him he's hired and offers the spare room in the attic but warns him about his oldest daughter who will immediately assume daddy is trying play matchmaker-again. Casey smiles, A challenge! He glances toward the front porch, sees two women, one dark and lovely the other blonde and tall and asks James which daughter was he talking about. James points out Eleanore is his wife (That's right, Casey, I'm a sugar daddy) and this young man would do well to remember that. He leads Casey over for introductions. Eleanore greets him warmly, Iris just glares.
Inside, Case is further introduced to "the gang" there's gray haired Lizzie, wife of Frederick also from England, red haired Stella who was hired in the last book to replace Amanda the family cook who joined the church with her son and left for Salt Lake. While the reader knows Stella, like Iris, is also very single (and old-she was over fifty when the family hired her) narration only explains Fredrick and Lizzie's connection to the family. Case realizes he hit the jackpot. These people are LOADED! Yet they're so modest and humble. The children troop in from playing outside all day and more introductions are made. For Case, all this instant family is just too good to be true.
Upstairs, Iris is brooding. Sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and a nice smile don't excuse the fact that Casey Harrison is still very single like her and fears they will be forced to get together. Not if SHE can help it! Iris marches downstairs to give her parents a piece of her mind. How DARE they bring this (very attractive and very single) stranger into their home as an impediment to her feminine aspirations? (But Iris, you don't have any aspirations) Unfortunately, they tell her, it's true. They want so much to see Iris marry and settle down and (finally) be happy that they've welcomed Casey into this house with open arms and expect nothing less from Iris who growls and exits.
And let's not forget Ben, the boy the family adopted in the last book. He's 19 years old now, growing up fast and he brought Casey some extra bedding sent up by Eleanore. The two males talk about being the only non-blood, unmarried relations but still perfectly accepted under this roof and how blessed they feel.
At supper there's 12 people at the table. Iris is tending her baby sister, Mariah, in her high chair (high chair?) She's the only one scowling as the rest of the family greets Casey warmly. Dinner is pleasant but Case notes Iris doesn't say much, but never mind that because this poor deprived man is so grateful to have found this perfect family he can hardly keep from bursting into tears.
Chapter 2 Precious Iris
Ben feigns offense when he discovers Case already up and doing the chores in the barn. Together they milk, gather eggs, pitch hay and tidy up the barn. Not that they have a lot of room in here. Casey stops and stares as he sees what they're keeping over in the far corners...
The Barrington family already has four wagons filled with everything they need so when the time comes to go to Zion, like the children of Israel, they are ready to flee. Ben tells Case his story: adopted nine years ago when he was ten, entire family killed by evil mobs, now the family he's come to love has been waiting all these years for the Lord to finally give the "Yes" to migrate to Zion. Case sheds tears hearing all of this-the sad sad tale of what Ben experienced in Nauvoo and the fairy tale ending. As for himself, Case grew up on a farm in Texas but there wasn't a lot of love in his home. His dad drank and never did any work while he and his older brother did learn the work ethic and as soon as he could that older brother graduated from law school and moved as far away from home as possible. He's married with kids now while Casey rebelled and led a questionable lifestyle...until he joined the church.A few days later, a family project to paint the outside of the barn throws Casey and Iris together so they have to converse and get to know each other a little bit more. Casey realizes he just might be attracted to Iris! That she just might become precious to him (which isn't creepy at all). Later that night, the sticky August heat drives Iris outside to walk around the front yard in the cool grass but she discovers Casey, also unable to sleep who saw her outside and came out so they could talk pleasantly some more.
Casey learns Eleanore is not Iris' biological mother (which is a relief because such a child bride would've been around 12 years old when Iris was born) and the family lost her older brother David many years ago when Iris was 10 which was very hard for her. But both children grew up fully accepting Eleanore as their "real" mother and that's the way it will always be. Casey is very moved, of course.
Chapter 3 The Message (or should we just call it "The Massage?" Whoot Whoot!)
Weeks pass as Casey fits in perfectly. The younger children adore him and he has no qualms letting them tag along on trips into town to run errands for the family or helping to babysit when needed. He marvels constantly at the instant family he found-a family that's happy ALL THE TIME who work hard but also find plenty of time to have potato sack races, square dances, picnics and outings (to Sears).
One October afternoon, Case is alarmed to find James in the barn, bent over and wheezing. He hasn't told anyone else in the family yet but the doctor diagnosed him with asthma so he can't overexert himself and he'd appreciate it if Casey wouldn't mention this little incident to anyone.
Weeks later, after another awkward talk with Iris who suggested Case is borderline redneck with his uneducated ways, the family is gathered in the parlor for family scripture study-reading the Book of Mormon. James asks Casey what his favorite BofM story is? Case declares Alma the Younger; he can relate, you see. The family murmurs sympathy in all the right places as Casey repeats his story (again) of his abusive upbringing. During prayer, Casey is amazed and humbled when Iris, in a complete 180, slips her hand into his which he interprets as a message from heaven-Iris is THE ONE!
Chapter 4 Falling (literally!)
Casey tries to speak to James about his growing, almost desperate attraction to Iris but he spends at least three pages stumbling over the words. James just laughs and slaps him on the back. He felt the same way about his decision to propose to Eleanore back in England!
In November, Casey happens upon the lovely Iris hanging out in the library reading a book. He's so turned on he has go outside and lean against the house to catch his breath! His future wife has been right here in front of him all along. Too bad Iris hasn't gotten the same revelation yet.
A few days later, the rest of the family, including the servants, pile into the buckboard for a trip into town. Iris is not going and, for some strange reason, Casey feels he shouldn't go either. It soon becomes apparent why when he enters the house just in time to see Iris take a tumble from a step ladder in the library where she'd been dusting the high shelves. He catches her just in time. Iris sobs in relief and embarrassment in his arms while Casey murmurs soothing words, telling her its okay. The attraction Iris has been battling since their first meeting come rushing in as he kisses her and she almost responds but stops herself and runs from the room. But Case, despite feeling triumphant in getting at least one step closer to matrimony, finds he isn't feeling very good at all. After breaking Iris' fall, the ladder also fell on him. So when James and Eleanore return and find him sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands and Iris explains what happened, the doctor is immediately sent for.
Chapter 5 Risk
Iris and Case talk some more. He tells her more about his horrible, abusive childhood. She urges him to lie back down on the parlor sofa to rest. Eleanore returns with more bedding and Iris has to go out into the hall to get control of her emotions.
Eleanore has children to care for, so it's up to Iris to tend to Case who joins the family at the table for dinner before James escorts him to his makeshift bed in the other room. With everyone waiting on him hand and foot, Casey is a little embarrassed. Everyone else, including Iris, just shrugs it off.
Later that evening, Iris comes in to talk some more. She's curious to know what it was Casey had come in to talk to her about before her fall in the library? She's coy. Casey almost blushes but, with her face so close to his, he kisses her instead and this time she responds. He'd like to tell her his reason for initiating a conversation but it would involve some...risk on his part. Iris tells him to just go for it-share your feelings. Casey takes a deep breath and...
Chapter 6 Practicality and Convenience
Turns out Casey's intention of coming to find Iris today in the library was to ask her to marry him.
Iris laughs but quickly turns sober when she realizes Casey is quite serious. She questions if this is love or infatuation. Perhaps his real intention in wanting to marry her is so he can be an official member of this family-and she does not wish to be loved for her family. Casey admits it's temping to admit that IS a strong motivator-he would never manipulate her. Love can grow with time, he tells her and he's willing to wait. Neither want to make the same mistakes their own biological parents made in marrying for the wrong reasons.
Iris goes to bed, smiling. It's nice to be wanted.
A few days later, after scripture study and family prayer in the room where Case is convalescing, the children are all sent to bed but James and Eleanore linger so Iris and Casey can question them about their early courtship and how it led to marriage-Iris can barely remember it she was too young to even understand what was going on. Both are astounded to learn James and Eleanore did not marry for love, not at first, but for practicality and convenience. She needed a way to get to America, he felt the same desire to go and, beside, his children needed a mother. It wasn't until years later they realized they DID love each other and it all worked out.
James and Eleanore excuse themselves to go to bed. Iris and Case part from each other feeling much better about everything. The following night, James and Casey have a nice long heart to heart talk about Casey's intentions toward Iris. It's no secret she's been a different woman over the last four days-happy, cheerful, smiling! Of course they have James' blessing, if Casey wants to start courting their daughter go right ahead.
Chapter 7 Perfect Winter
Even though he hasn't "officially" popped the question yet, Iris starts holding hands with Casey and they spend all their free time, including staying up late at night, just talking by the fire. Christmas comes and goes and it's the best one Casey's ever experienced (of course his Dickensian childhood did NOT include Christmas-just winter). One winter evening in February, Iris and Casey are sitting by the fire talking when Casey mentions he actually has two brothers-one back east, yes-but he had another brother who died. He declines to talk about it and Iris doesn't press it.
Finally, one cold but clear evening in early spring, as the happy couple sits outside on the porch, Casey finally urges Iris to marry him...soon. She states she isn't ready yet, stands, and exits the scene leaving Casey feeling very frustrated.
He lets one month go by before asking Iris again to talk to him. She sighs and shares her story. When she was sixteen, she went through a rebellious stage (see the last book) went steady with a guy and did a little too much kissing. That's all. And since she didn't have a bishop to confess to, she told her parents instead. She thought she had put the whole painful break up behind her but...guess not.
Casey can do her one better. Remember that deplorable life he mentioned he'd been living before he joined the church? Well, it included a lot of drinking and even more relationships with women. LOTS of women. How many? Casey won't say. Iris presses him for more details but he gets offended insisting it's all in the past. Iris blows up and storms off.
Casey has a good cry and another heart to heart with James who reassures Casey he's not fired and can certainly keep courting his daughter. Just give Iris time, he assures Casey. She'll come around.
Iris is not surprised when her father knocks on her bedroom door so they can talk but the conversation turns sour when Iris accuses her father of taking Casey's side. James bristles. He is NOT letting his personal bromance with his hired help interfere with this lover's quarrel. Iris leaves the room, goes for a long walk, then hides in her room for the rest of the evening. Eleanore brings her something on a tray from dinner and informs her Case didn't come to dinner either. Iris cries on her mother's shoulder. James enters and offers silent comfort as well.
So much for a perfect winter.
Chapter 8 The Favored Child
And who brought poor Casey a supper tray? Frederick of course. But Casey doesn't feel like talking and cries himself to sleep. For the next several days, Iris is back to treating Casey the same way as when they first met-silent treatment and giving him the evil eye whenever they're in the same room together.
Then Fredrick takes a tumble from a ladder outside where he and Casey were doing roof maintenance on the house. Eleanore is expecting again and now that Frederick is bedridden for the next few months, James declares the family will most certainly NOT be relocating to Zion this year.
More days pass and, to Iris's dismay, Casey's easy relationship with the rest of the family continues. He takes the younger boys fishing, and after Iris finds him laughing and joking with Eleanore in the kitchen she can't take it any longer and calls him out on it. Yes, she IS speaking to him for the first time in weeks, someone has to. He's weaseling his way into her family-James already made a notation in his will and Casey treats Eleanore like a queen, helping her down from buggies and kissing her hand. Well, she won't stand for it! Never mind the rest of the family trusts him. She doesn't! Casey just laughs and tells her she's being ridiculous.
Which she is.
James enters the barn to correct Iris on her false accusations and sends her back to the house which Iris is only too happy to do. James and Casey talk, again.
Just so there's no temptation, the author decided to kill off Stella. Everyone is heartbroken over her death (Alas, poor Stella, we hardly knew thee!) Iris especially since she was the one who found her that fateful morning, dead in her sleep-a good way to go. A funeral is held and life goes on. Then Casey finds James in the barn one day, sitting on a bale of hay, wheezing. He just received news from Salt Lake about the Willy and Marin handcart companies. Those poor people!
James drops the bomb on Iris-despite it looking like Casey is a favored child, he DID alter his will to officially include him as one of the beneficiaries. Iris is livid. How could her father do this? She leaves to take another walk.
Chapter 9 Following Orders
Unaware of the recent drama, Casey is working inside the barn as rain falls steadily outside. He had no idea Iris went for a walk and still hasn't returned until he is summoned to the house. Everyone is worried about Iris. Since no one else is offering, Casey returns to the barn, mounts a horse, and rides off in search of her. He finds Iris safe and brings her back but Iris is not very appreciative. James and Eleanore wave from the front porch so Iris and Casey can have another lover's quarrel in the barn where they end up kissing passionately before Iris remembers she's still mad at him for being a player and they argue some more. Trust was broken which is the entire plot complication here. (Because STD's haven't been invented yet?)
Inside the house, Iris weeps while soaking in a hot bath over her confusing feelings but later she mounts the outside stairs to the attic/apartment where Casey lives and initiates another conversation. She wants to break up, officially. He questions her true motives and she bristles again. And by the way, why hasn't he joined one of the companies camped on their property and immigrated to Salt Lake? (A very good question!) Casey replies James asked him to stay and he's just following orders.
One week later, narration informs us it is now late May. James turns in after another day, after family prayer and scripture study then kissing his wife's neck as she's brushing out her hair before they say their own prayer together. James falls asleep quickly only to be awakened with a VERY STRONG PROMPTING It is time James, take your family to Zion.
About time, Lord!
James also knows how to follow orders. He informs Eleanore of the big prompting and the rest of the chapter is spent with the rest of the family finding out and starting their preparations for the big move. James feels he and Eleanore should request priesthood blessings from Fredrick and Casey. Eleanore agrees.
For once, nobody is crying.
Chapter 10 Looking Ahead
Iris notices Casey, Fredrick, her father and her mother all go into the parlor and shut the door. From Casey's point of view, priesthood blessings are given: first to Eleanore then James and everyone is crying by the time they are finished.
Back to Iris's point of view, a family meeting is held to discuss the big move. With four fully loaded wagons it is naturally assumed the four men will do all the driving but Iris insists SHE be the fourth driver as it was already decided before HE (meaning Casey) came and ruined everything. Casey just shrugs and agrees to let Iris drive. He'll ride alongside on his own horse and keep an eye on her.
Iris is not happy about the move but doesn't complain. She cries herself to sleep the night before they leave and tears stream down her cheeks as she navigates the wagon she so badly wanted to drive. She's already homesick for all the luxuries they are leaving behind, such as hot baths and sumptuous meals. James warns them not to look back (or they'll all turn into pillars of salt?)
They are traveling with a wagon company of fellow Latter-day Saints of course but the family manages everything by themselves, including evening scripture study and prayer under the big sky. Roughing it out in the wilderness most definitely does NOT agree with Iris. She hates everything about this journey. The cooking outdoors amidst the bugs and dirt, sleeping on hard ground, but again, she keeps her feelings to herself.
One week into the journey, as promised, Casey rides up alongside her wagon on his horse to check on her. Iris snaps she's fine, never better, she doesn't need anyone, thank you. Casey hurls a rather cruel, arbitrary barb asking if she's also planning on having children and getting herself to the Celestial Kingdom all by herself too. Iris scowls and doesn't answer. Rain is falling today and it is difficult to drive a wagon through mud. Iris can't wait to get to Salt Lake and civilization.
It is now one month since they left. So far there's been the usual hardships of prairie travel-lost and lame animals, another family in the company losing a wagon while crossing a creek, a child taken by a sudden illness. Nothing major for the Barrington family though everyone is keeping a special eye on a very pregnant Eleanore.
Finally, one day during a rest stop, Iris can't take it anymore and wanders off by herself to find a private place to have a good cry which is where her mother finds her. Iris explains how much she HATES everything about this journey. Eleanore just smiles and informs Iris SHE hates it too, but since they must always be looking ahead and having faith, that's why she's not wallowing in self pity. Iris feels better.
Chapter 11 Reckoning
Eleanore presses further, asking Iris what's REALLY wrong for it is obvious it isn't the hardships of the journey that's troubling her most, she's been unhappy for a long time now-ever since she broke up with Casey. She gives her daughter a long speech about faith and trust in God and for the next few days, Iris ponders her mother's words, knowing she's right.
As if to mirror Iris's attitude, a stampede brings death to the camp. Their Captain calls everyone together chastising them for not honoring their covenants to the Lord, to repent and come together as people of Zion. Iris knows this is true and she's just as guilty. She commits herself to doing better and the company moves along in relative peace and safety.
On the 24th of July, talk in camp is special because it was exactly ten years ago the first wagon companies entered the Valley. A few days after that, they cross the Platte River and are moving along at a steady pace when Casey hurries up and takes the reins from Iris. Her mother is in labor and is asking for her. Iris wastes no time hurrying over to the wagon and climbing in while it is still moving slowly along. It is still too soon for Eleanore to be giving birth but Lizzie is also here to assist and when the company stops to make camp that evening, Eleanore has delivered a healthy baby girl.
Iris is a bit shaken up by the entire experience. She'd never witnessed a live birth before. As she exits the wagon with the soiled linens, taking them to a nearby creek to wash, Casey joins her. Asking after her distraught demeanor, she tells him about the horrifying yet equally wonderful experience it was. She is grateful for the listening ear of her former boyfriend.
The baby is named Olivia and Iris stresses over her conflicting feelings of wanting to experience childbearing for herself yet knowing, with her impossibly high standards, no man in the world could ever make her happy. But Iris is also struggling with low self-esteem. Lies told her as a young child by her wicked mother and even the servants often told Iris she was just like her mother. How could any man ever want her? Iris pours her heart out about all of this to her father when he comes to talk to her in private. He also gently suggests she apologize to Casey, she's been very cruel to him and even Iris admits he's right. She agrees, adding perhaps the reason she's never married is because she compares all suitors to her perfect father. He just chuckles and they share another warm hug.
Chapter 12 Breathless (Helpless?!)
After a few days spent studying her scriptures and making more effort in her prayers, Iris feels the spirit return-helping her work up the courage to follow her father's advice and apologize to Casey who accepts. James can feel his asthma settling in as the air grows drier and the day increasingly hot and dusty. When they stop to make camp, James breathlessly asks for a blessing. Fredrick gives it. The rest of the family is concerned but Iris is hurt. She had no idea James had been suffering from this health condition all this time. Everyone knew except her. She turns and stalks off.
After the blessing, James and Frederick marvel at the spirit that literally showed them both in vision how to treat James' illness. He will ride in the wagon, with the canvas tied all around, wear a bandanna every time he steps outside and take a cold plunge in whatever water source they can find to wash off any pollen and irritating dust at the end of each day.
Later that same evening, Casey finds Iris and they have another long heart to heart talk. Iris sheds tears, apologizes again, and just wants to be alone to reflect and pray. Now that she's seen Casey's devotion to her father and her family, she realizes how wrong she was about him. Again, Casey accepts her apology and walks away, respecting her desire to be alone.
Chapter 13 Trust
In a spirit of fasting, Iris returns to camp. Since supper is over and cleaned up, this works out well. She talks to her father in the wagon where he is resting with her two little sisters sleeping peacefully on each side. They talk of Iris' lack of trust in people, such as Casey, whom James would trust with his life. He confides to Iris, the minute Casey showed up on their doorstep, he started praying to know if Casey needed to be "adopted" into their family. Regardless of whether or not he and Iris got together. He's known for months now that Casey needed to be part of this family. That's why James included Casey in his will. It was divinely inspired. Iris understands better now why her father did this.
So, when Iris and Casey talk again, it's another Anita Stansfield writing tic with pages of them exchanging long speeches with each other about past hurts and sharing their feelings. Iris weeps as she remembers how much she thought she loved her last boyfriend, Miles, (see chapter 7) who ended up being a player who got another girl in town pregnant and broke Iris' heart. Thank goodness she never slept with him, but still.
Casey reminds her again, he WAS that man. The one who got drunk every night and slept with women in order to forget. Forget what, you once asked? Well, his dysfunctional family was a big part of it, then he found the gospel and now he's happy all the time. Except now. Talking to Iris about these awkward and uncomfortable subjects makes him growl and turn his back. Iris gently prods him to share his feelings, his burdens with her, so they can be equals. Casey takes a deep breath and tells her about the worst day of his entire life, the day all three boys watched as their evil father beat their mother to death. In shock and rage, that brother, the one he told her died, well, he grabbed the rifle and shot their father in cold blood. Fearing retribution from the law or social workers who would split them up and put them in foster homes or whatever, they all packed and left town as fast as they could. They mostly stuck together until that brother took his own life-out of guilt and remorse for committing an unforgivable sin. It was nobody's fault. Yet, the memory of that dead brother, doomed to rot in hell forever, haunted Casey most of his adult life. Thank goodness he found the gospel so he could find closure and peace over it.
Iris gives Casey some time over the next few days so they can both come to terms with their feelings and as she watches this good man helping around the camp, taking care of the younger children, pulling his weight, and especially the way he ministered to her sick father and her mother still not fully recovered from childhood...STD's be hanged! It becomes pretty obvious to Iris THIS is the man she needs to marry.
About time, Iris.
Chapter 14 Zion
Iris approaches Casey one evening as he's caring for the horses, from the look on her face it's not hard for Casey to take her in his arms and kiss her passionately. Iris finally admits-out loud-her love for him. They don't tell the family when James gathers everyone later that night for a quick, boring speech about this journey they're taking to Zion and shares the famous story he heard about the miracle of the Sweetwater river crossing by the Willie and Martin Handcart companies-they had men, REAL men, to carry everyone across the freezing water, imagine that!
That night, Iris and Casey officially agree to set a date to get married. They tell the family the next morning. Except they both feel they need to get married TODAY. So that's what they do. In the presence of the entire camp, right on the riverbank of the Sweetwater, they exchange their vows, the company captain pronounces them married and Casey carries Iris across
And now, the wagons are descending down immigration canyon into the spreading Salt Lake Valley. They find their dear friends from the last few books in the series: Sally and Miriam split the entire family between their two households so everyone can rest and bathe and settle in-except James' health has taken a turn for the worse. Laying in bed, rasping and wheezing to a concerned Eleanore, he chokes his urgency that they all need to be sealed as a family-tomorrow! James is given another blessing so he'll live long enough to experience this.
Three more characters from the last book, Ralph, his wife Lu and Ralph's mother Amanda are summoned and the entire "clan" gather for a big dinner that night with the new baby being passed around. Iris sits on Casey's lap. Both look happier than anyone's ever seen them. Eleanore worries over her husband's health, but the priesthood blessing he was given promised he WOULD live long enough for all his dreams for his family to come true. That night, Eleanore bursts into tears as she enters the kitchen to find Casey and Iris chatting pleasantly with none other than James who is not lying in his sickbed but feeling better than he's felt in weeks. James kisses his wife and says-
Welcome to Zion, Mrs. Barrington.
Epilogue
It's very short. In a spirit of "Where are they now..." the author tells us the company, (perhaps led by a real person) along with the (fictional) Barringtons who traveled with them, arrived in the valley on 9/12/1857. The very next day President Brigham Young sealed James and Eleanore Barrington for time and all eternity in the endowment house. The family later immigrated south to a small community on the other side of the county line called Alpine (where Anita Stansfield just recently moved, most likely using the royalties from her best selling books!) James Barrington oversaw construction of all the family homes so everyone could live near each other. He did not die but grew old while his posterity multiplied and they all lived happily ever after.
THE END
