Blog Tour for The Bonnet Book by Nancy Menees Hardesty
An early example of self-determination and girl power, Blanche—now Bonnie—travels alone to the Wild West, where she’s presented with the chance of a lifetime and the possibility of love—both rife with challenges that test her drive, purpose in life, and sense of self.
The Bonnet Book diary and other historical items in the novel are real-life touchstones in this gripping, inspiring story based on the life of the author's grandmother.
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Vinegar Dreams
Robey Household • St.
Louis, Missouri
September 1902
A uniformed driver with a top hat steered the stylish carriage up
Market Street, en route to the Robey household on West Bell Place.
Blanche
watched her first city unfold before her blue eyes—tightly spaced buildings
with unusual details; advertising services; a store with a carved fish over the
entrance; a red-white-and-blue-striped pole at a barber shop; a ten-foot-high
beer mug at a tavern. Their swift carriage followed other horse-drawn ones up
the wide and busy boulevard. Sometimes they passed a double train car on a
track in the center of the street. A city train, Blanche thought. None
of what she saw seemed intimidating to her. It was just the first colorful page
of her big-city adventure.
After
twenty minutes, the carriage stopped at a three-story red-brick building with a
glass vestibule. The building was much larger than a house, and it was in a
cluster of eight similar buildings.
…
Blanche
followed Mrs. Robey to the bathroom and closed the door. Just a few hours ago,
she had seen a flush toilet and porcelain sinks for the first time. It was
amazing how quickly one got used to these things! She came out feeling much
refreshed.
…
“Blanche,
Greta is cleaning the pantry for you. You can sleep there. You will have your
own room for privacy, with a door and a light.” Mr. Robey closed the pocket
watch and returned it to his vest pocket.
“Come,
Blanche,” said Mrs. Robey. “Greta will walk you to the girls’ room to get your
belongings. I have put your white dress in their closet. You can use your shawl
as a bed cover.”
The two walked down the dark hallway, Blanche a few feet behind
Greta.
As they returned to the kitchen,
Blanche smelled the strong odor of vinegar coming from the pantry. Greta
stepped aside as Mrs. Robey approached.
The pantry was only six feet wide, with floor-to-ceiling shelves and cupboards on both sides. It had no window and seemed airless. Opposite the pantry door was a built-in cabinet with a pull-out enamel surface for mixing dough. Below that were bins for flour and onions. Beyond the tall cabinet were two more cupboards containing baking supplies and bins of potatoes. The wall that backed the kitchen contained narrow shelves and was generously stacked with jars of jam, preserved vegetables, nuts, coffee, and spices. At the back wall were cleaning supplies, all stored neatly on old newspapers. This left a mere thirty-inch by six-foot space, with a floor drain in the middle. A single gas light hung by a bare cord from the ceiling.
“Well, here we are,” said Mrs. Robey.
Blanche saw a folded tarp with an old
feather mattress over it. There was also a ragged pillow covered in purple
floral fabric at the far end of the pallet, next to damp mops.
“You will be warm and dry here—much
better than at the train depot. Greta will walk you to the bathroom, and then
you can find your way back here on your own.”
“Yes, ma’am,”
said a very tired Blanche.
Blanche finished her bathroom chores
and found her way back to her bedroom, which she knew was really a kitchen
pantry, not a bedroom. But on this first night, she was grateful for any safe
place to sleep. She turned on the single dim light, closed the door, and took
off her gingham dress, hanging it over the aprons. She got the pillow next to
the wet mops and brought it over to the pantry door. The smell of vinegar and
onions filled her nostrils. She turned out the light, leaned against the pantry
door, and wiped a single tear from her cheek.
She
thought about the day. She thought about the two sweet girls to whom she was
assigned and their very reserved parents. She was in a home with nice
furniture, lovely music, and good food. Maybe this was the beginning of “sweet
hope” and new things to learn. But then here she was, about to sleep in an
airless pantry.
It was not a happy space, but it was safe.
A sob came out as a choke.
Tonight I will
have vinegar dreams, she thought. Sour and scary dreams.
She tumbled over and wrapped herself in the blue shawl.
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