Old Caravan Days

In the summer of 1857 a modest Ohio farm prepares for a bold departure. Grandma Padgett, the beloved matriarch, watches as her carriage and wagon are hitched for a trek westward, while neighbors gather to bid farewell. The story opens with the clatter of horses, the scent of dew‑wet gardens, and the uneasy chatter about railroads and prairie horizons.

Inside the family, teenage aunt Corinne and her mischievous cousin Robert—affectionately called Bobaday—turn the farewell into a playful adventure, stuffing sweetbrier and sage into their pockets as if they were treasure. Their brother‑son, Tip, is the only one willing to brave the unknown, and Grandma’s stubborn pride keeps her rooted in the past even as she contemplates the long journey. As the wagon rolls toward the Illinois line, the narrative captures the tension between familiar comforts and the promise of new life on the frontier.