A Very Taxing Day

The wedding of Sylvester Sidcott and Yekaterina Volkova-Sidcott took place today at 2:30 pm. The ceremony was officiated by the Reverend Reinhold Alden. I think that we were all honored to be there. It is a wonderful thing to witness; the blossoming love of two strangers. It has been said by wiser men than me and it is true that love overcomes all boundaries. Despite the fact that Yekaterina cannot yet speak any English, the ceremony went wonderfully. When it came time for the vows, I had the honor of speaking for Sylvester's bride.
Following the ceremony we went to Fisher's home to celebrate. The women had baked a cake. We had a delicious meal, during which some of us stood and blessed Sylvester and Yekaterina's union. After the meal there was music. I played a few songs on my fiddle, Susanna and Roseanne Jones sang a song that Susanna had written entitled "On This, the Day of Your Wedding", and after a few drinks Rick taught us all a traditional Hequilechile wedding dance.
As the excitement of the day began to fade with the sunlight we parted ways, encouraged by what we had shared, and what we would share in the future, on our journey which was now just around the corner, so to speak.

From Russia with Love

The beautiful Yekaterina arrived today. She seems to be a good woman, and I think she will make a wonderful bride. After she arrived this morning, Fisher and I fed her lunch and then took her to meet her future husband. Sylvester was not at home, so assuming he was at work, we took Yekaterina to town to teach her about her husband's job as coroner. However, Sylvester was not at work either. Puzzled, we went back to Sylvester's home to wait for him. Hours passed, the children arrived home from school, but there was still no sign of Sylvester. Yekaterina made a delicious supper for all of us, and still we waited. It was after night fall when Sylvester arrived home. He seemed very tired as if he had had a long day. Fisher and I sat him down and told him that we had a surprise for him. Fisher announced Sylvester's "new wife" as I opened the door to the kitchen and led Yekaterina into the room. Sylvester and the children were speechless.
It was late so I told the children to kiss their mother goodnight and then sent them to bed. Meanwhile, Sylvester and Yekaterina got aquainted. After a time, we showed our Russian doll where she would be spending the night, and then the three of us went out onto the porch to have a smoke.
As we sat in the dark listening to the crickets sing their song to the night, Sylvester thanked us. He admitted that he had been very worried about finding a wife out West, but he also admitted that he found this whole affair to be highly irregular. Fisher reassured him that he just had cold feet. He then went on to tell him how common these types of marriages are. After discussing the success rates of arranged marriage versus traditional marriages based on "love" and "mutual consent", he pulled out a piece of parchment that had been folded in his pocket and began to read a number of testimonials from men who had found happiness through the skills of Sam Sherman and the exploitation of poor living conditions in Northeastern Europe. One in particular, a Sudsy McAdams from Hopkinton, MA, seemed to encourage Sylvester a great deal. Fisher even went on to show Sylvester the standard form he referred to as a "compatability test" which is used to create a "personality map" and match up couples based on 25 dimensions of the "consolidated perspective of self". I did not bring up the fact that Sylvester had not taken any test.
His mind at ease, Sylvester retired to bed looking forward to the coming days when he would get to know the strange non-English speaking woman he would be spending the rest of his life with.
The wedding is in two days, and much work remains to be done.

Here Comes the Bride

Yekaterina will be here soon. Fisher, Henry, and I can hardly contain ourselves. We're doing our best to prepare Sylvester without telling him. Fisher has learned a few Russian phrases and has been trying to use them around Sylvester. After a meeting on Thursday, as Sylvester was leaving, Fisher told him "I love you" in Russian. That means 'I love you' in Russian", he continued. "I don't know why I know that, I took four years of Spanish." Sylvester looked slightly puzzled, but I do not think he suspects anything.
We are all very excited. We have already contacted Reverend Reinhold Alden to oversee the ceremony. Fisher has agreed to hold the reception at his home, and Lem has made a lovely dress for Yekaterina. It is simple, but beautiful nonetheless.
I cannot wait to see the look on Sylvester's face when he sees his bride-to-be, and I am also excited to see the joy in the eyes of his children when they meet their new mother.

Mr. Sherman's Reply

Dear Fisher,

I was happy to hear from you after so long, and I will be even happier to do this favor for you. You're letter could not have come at a more oppurtune time for any of us. I have the perfect girl for your friend. She was just ordered for a gentleman living somewhere in Virginia, however he can wait a little longer. It will be easy enough to convince him that her ship went down.
To put your mind at ease I have written this the day I received your letter in order to put your mind at ease and assure you that everything will be taken care of. It will take me a few more days to make the necessary preparations, but before long, I'll be sending you a beautiful Russian girl named Yekaterina Volkova. She can already speak a little english and she is a very gifted cook. You can expect her to arrive roughly ten days after you receive this letter.
I'm glad I could help you my friend, and I wish you the very best in your journey out West.

Sincerely,
Sam Sherman

Fisher received this letter today and immediately came to my shop to show me. We have also let Henry know what we have planned and the three of us are very excited for Yekaterina to arrive.

POLIO Spreads

Today Fisher requested that we hold a special meeting of POLIO, in order to officially vote in Rick Tavvi as a member and our trail boss. Not one of us was opposed to this idea so we met for dinner at Sylvester's home. Since Dorcas's departure, he has seemed to change considerably. He has dubbed his home "Lair of the Unfettered Gentleman" and has been spending an awful lot of time at the saloon. He has been heard to say that Dorcas leaving him has been a "blessing" and the "chance for a fresh start" and a "miraculous healing from a chronic and debilatating disease". He is also growing a mustache. I'm a little concerned for him. It is more clear than ever that he needs a woman out West. Me and Fisher are even more anxious now to hear from Sam Sherman.
The meeting was a great success. We unanimously voted Rick a member of POLIO and our trail boss. We then had a dinner which Fisher brought over from home. (He had Lem make extra food to leave with Sylvester.) After dinner Rick told a riveting Indian tale. Unfortunately my mind was unclear due to Sylvester's home brew, and I do not have the memory to recall it here. I may ask him to retell it at a later time.

A Great Asset and a Powerful Ally

Friends Sidcott and Plimpton returned to us today, shortly after the midday meal. Both were tired, but happy as they walked, guiding the wagons into town. They had nothing but good news they said, but would not share it until they had had a bite to eat and a drink. I pressed them, asking if they had gotten everything. They exchanged a queer look and Henry replied they had gotten it all, and a little more. Try as I might I could not get them to reveal their secret until they had filled their stomachs.
They had done well indeed. They had gotten all the supplies on the list, which leaves a few things to get in Independence before we head West. They had also managed to trade their horses for oxen. Then they shared what they had both been anxious to tell me. They had found us a guide.
On their first night in Jefferson City, Sylvester felt the need to relax after their journey, so Henry and he went to a saloon. There they met a mysterious old man. He is apparently very experienced in the frontier and says he has been to Oregon twice. At the time he was asleep in the back of the wagon, but when he awoke we were to gather our families and he would introduce himself properly. The best part was, appart from us providing him with food, clothing, shelter, and a little alchohol, he did not want to be paid.
It was several hours before the old man awoke, and when he did we all met at the home of Fisher Jones. By the end it was clear that fortune had brought us upon a most remarkable man.
His name is Rick Tavvi, Master of Land, Sea, and Water, which is the shortened form of his Indian name Ricki Ticki Tavvi, which means "Fast Like Hare Quick Like Rabbit". As an infant he was abandoned, but by the grace of the spirits, he was found, taken in and raised by the Hequilechile (HAY-KWIL-A-KEY) Indian tribe; a mysterious group of people who live a week and a half's journey to the West in a forest of giant mushrooms. They have secret dealings with the spirits that allow them many powers, such as the ability to communicate with the good animals of the forest. These powers were passed down to Rick from his adoptive father, the chief of the Hequilechile, Chief Lallemand (LA-LA-MA-DA), which translated means "Raging Bull Who Doesn't Mind The Rain". On Rick's thirteenth birthday he left his people to make his fortune in the wide, wide world. Since that time he has been a travelling salesman, a travel guide, a shop keeper, a storyteller, a sheriff, and a soldier. He was in the War of 1812, and when his general and friend William Henry Harrison was named president, he placed upon Rick his title of Master of Land, Sea, and Water.*
Rick says he is more than happy to escort us across the wild Western lands, but warns that it will not be easy. I think we are all thankful that we will have someone with his usefulness and experience with us. It takes a great weight off my shoulders, as I'm sure it does many others.

*While this claim cannot be completely disproven, there is no record of William Henry Harrison ever knowing a man by the name of Rick Tavvi. In fact this claim is in all liklihood false considering William Henry Harrison became the first president to die in office after only 30 days as president when pneumonia and pleusiry took his life at the age of 68.

Waiting for Plimpton

No sign of Henry and Sylvester today. However it is not time to worry yet. With their wagons heavy laden with supplies, their return journey is bound to take longer. It is also always possible they needed more time in Jefferson City for one reason or another. Whatever the case, I hope their return is soon.