Her Life As A Farmer's Wife Was Just Beginning

 So many people hugged her and shook hands with her husband after church. The church people were more like family to her. She had grown up with them. Her father insisted on attending church every Sunday. She attended both Sunday school and the eleven o'clock sermon as long as she could remember. These people were like family to her. There was a bit of a problem; actually a really big problem, that she hoped to solve as soon as she could. Her new husband was not a church going man. Since he was new to the family he made an exception for this Sunday, but she knew that this was not going to continue without pleading with him. 

Her father and mother had invited them to dinner after church, but her husband had insisted on going home to check on the animals. She had put a chunk of beef in the stoked cook stove so it should be about ready when they got home.

When they got home they both changed out of their Sunday clothes. Her husband went outside and she quickly checked on the roast beef. She added a few more corn cobs and started the potatoes to boil. She had put some carrots in the pot with the beef so their dinner should be good. She set the table with her new wedding china even though they weren't expecting company. It was so very pretty.

She went to the bedroom and removed the newspaper from her hope chest. Oh it had been such a fun day; their wedding day. Her dress was just beautiful. She loved the way the reporter had described everything. She chuckled and tucked the paper under her wedding dress. There was work to be done. Later on she would clip the article from the paper and add it to her Hayes family bible.

"Married in this city at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nathan H. Hayes, on Thursday evening, February 25, 1897 Mr. George Dwight Banister and Miss Lulu E. Hayes, Rev. C.J. Hunt officiating, Mr. Chas. A. Banister, brother of the groom was groomsman and Miss Etta L. Fox, bridesmaid. The bride was richly dressed in priestly goods. The spacious parlors were copiously decorated for the occasion. Mrs. John Hogan played the wedding march. About fifty relatives and friends witnessed the ceremony. After the sumptuous supper was served, the evening was spent in games and other amusements. The presents were numerous and valuable. The groom is a stirring, trusted affable young man of whom Cherokee feels justly proud. He is a son of Mr. G.W. Banister, a leading merchant of this city. The bride is a charming young woman, amiable, affectionate, and accomplished. A host of friends join the Democrat in wishing this worthy couple a long and prosperous journey in life."

After the dishes were done and put away she sat down at the piano that her father had given her so many years ago. The article in the newspaper said she was accomplished. She smiled. They only thing that she was accomplished with was the piano. She loved it. She got out the worn hymnal and played softly while her husband napped. It was ever so cold outside and he was tired from getting up so early then going to town. The trips to town would probably not be happening very often. The old timers were talking after church that they were expecting bad weather. If that was so they would be staying on the farm caring for the animals and making sure that they had water and food. She remembered past winters that seemed like they would never end. She looked forward to the day when she would have children to play with. The winters wouldn't seem so long then.

When she finished playing the piano she went to the bedroom and opened up her hope chest. There were still things in it that she needed to put away. She smiled when she looked at the papers in the bottom. There were Primers that she had studied when she was a child. She would teach her children from them someday if they needed extra help. She loved teaching young children. Now she was a wife; a farmer's wife. Her old life of luxury was over. She was ready to start her new life of wife and mother.