Sea to Shining Sea (The Journals of Corrie Belle Hollister Book #5)

Michael Phillips

Description

The dawning of 1860 brings rising tensions between the North and South that threaten to escalate into full-scale war. Corrie Belle Hollister finds herself thrust into the political arena with her new reputation as "California's woman reporter." Handsome political aide Cal Burton approaches Corrie to convince her that Lincoln--even the nation itself--depends upon the influence she can wield through her writing and speaking. Corrie is resolute in her belief that slavery is wrong, and that she should do what she can to help Lincoln get elected, but mounting conflict within the Hollister family makes her realize that taking a stand sometimes goes deeper than drawing a political line.

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 02 janvier 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781493413478
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 1992 by Michael Phillips
Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www . bethanyhouse . com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4934-1347-8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
To Judith Pella,
the greatest writing partner a fellow author could wish for, with deep gratitude and prayers for your best in all the future holds. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your life!
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
1. San Francisco Again
2. The Presidential Election of 1860
3. An Unexpected Proposition
4. Wondering What to Do
5. The Rock of Changing Circumstances
6. A Surprise in Sacramento
7. Back Home in Miracle Springs
8. Mixed Homecoming
9. Father and Son
10. Pa and Tad
11. A Heated Discussion About Slavery
12. I Question Myself
13. A Visit With the Rutledges
14. Trying to Get to the Bottom of Truth
15. A Talk With Pa
16. Surprise Visitor
17. The Invitation
18. Embarrassment Enough to Last a Lifetime
19. Learning to Look for the Lord’s Doors
20. My Decision
21. A Ride Not to Forget
22. Truth or Opportunity
23. Speechmaking in Sacramento
24. Dinner at Livingstone’s
25. The Two Letters
26. A Bold Decision
27. The Pony Express
28. Pa and I Take to the Trail
29. Tavish
30. The Fright of My Life!
31. The Most Unusual Breakfast in the World
32. Pony Bob!
33. A Conversation in Sacramento
34. Warning Signs
35. Memories on Horseback
36. How Many States?
37. The Election Approaches
38. November 6, 1860
39. A Dreadful Way to End a Year
40. Secession!
41. A New President Comes to Washington
42. Pa in Sacramento
43. Outbreak!
44. Which Side for California?
45. Stanford for Governor
46. The Campaigns of the Summer of 1861
47. The War in California
48. A Rider
49. Whole Again
50. Unlikely Rescue
51. The End of the Express and a New Opportunity
52. Raising Money for the Union
53. A Moment Between Past and Future
54. A Disturbing Encounter
55. Deceitful Spy
56. It Can’t Be!
57. Confrontation, Heartbreak, and Betrayal
58. Parting of the Ways
59. Home Again
Author’s Note
About the Author
Fiction by Michael Phillips
Back Ads
Back Cover
Chapter 1 San Francisco Again

T he setting was unbelievable!
When I first walked into the huge ballroom of the Montgomery Hotel at Pa’s side, I could not take in all the magnificence of the place. Under the bright lights of chandeliers, the men sauntered around in expensive blacuits, and the women in long gowns. Waiters carried food and drinks about on silver trays, and hundreds of important people milled together in that gigantic fancy room.
All I could think was, What are we doing here?
But we were there. And as we walked in, I think Pa sensed my nervousness.
“Come on, buck up, Corrie,” he whispered down to me, placing a reassuring hand on my arm. “They invited us. And you’re every bit the lady any of these other women are.”
He patted my hand. “So don’t you go willowy on me or faint or nothin’,” he added. “I’m just as nervous as you are.”
When the invitation had come a month earlier for Pa and me to attend the Republican reception in June of 1860 at the Montgomery Hotel in San Francisco, at first I didn’t think too much of it. But a few days later Pa said, “We oughta go to that shindig, Corrie. It’s not every day a couple of country locals like us get the chance to mix with important folks. What do you think?”
“You really want to, Pa?”
“Sure, just so long as you come too.”
“I don’t know why they invited me,” I said. “You’re mayor of a town. But why me?”
“Because you’re a prominent young lady writer,” said Pa. “Ain’t no big mystery in that.”
“Maybe it was Jessie Fremont’s doing,” I suggested. “She and Mr. Fremont probably know every important Republican in California. Maybe they told somebody about me before they left for the East.”
“Never hurts to know high-up people,” said Pa with a wink. “Anyhow, what do you think—you up for a trip to San Francisco?”
And so there we were. Pa in his new suit, fresh-shaved, looked as handsome and important as ever a man could. And I wore my new dress—yellow, with ruffles and a sash, and my hair fixed up with a matching ribbon in it. We walked into the ballroom of the Montgomery Hotel to join all the men who would play a leading role in the upcoming national election of 1860.
“Hey, Hollister!” called out a voice. We both turned to see Carl Denver hurrying our way. He greeted us and shook our hands. “Come with me,” he said. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Before we could say much in reply, Mr. Denver had us in tow, steering us through the crowd. Then all of a sudden we were face-to-face with one of the tallest, most handsome men I had ever seen.
“Cal,” said Mr. Denver, “I want you to meet two friends of mine from up in Miracle Springs—this is Corrie Hollister and her father, Drummond Hollister, the mayor of Miracle. Corrie, Hollister . . . meet Cal Burton, an important fellow here in San Francisco these days.”
Pa shook the man’s hand. I just stood there watching and listening to him laugh at Mr. Denver’s words.
“Come on now, Carl,” he said, “you shouldn’t lie to these good people. I’m no more important than the shoeshine boy on the street outside.”
“Don’t let his modesty fool you,” said Mr. Denver, turning to me and speaking as if it were confidential. “Cal works for Leland Stanford, and from what I hear, he is moving up fast. You keep your eye on him, Corrie. He might get you a story or two that’ll make you famous.”
“A story—what are you talking about, Carl?” said Burton, turning away from Pa and toward us.
“Corrie here’s a writer, Cal—you know, California’s woman reporter.”
“Why, of course!” he said. “Now I remember you telling me about her.” He took my hand, but instead of giving it a manly shake, he just held it softly for a moment.
My heart started beating fast, and I could feel my face reddening all the way up the back of my neck and cheeks. My eyes had been following my hand as it was swallowed up in his. And now I found myself slowly glancing up as he released it. His eyes bored straight into mine.
I’m embarrassed to admit it, but the touch of his hand, the look in his eyes, and his smile made me feel a little light-headed for the rest of the evening. I’m sure Pa noticed, especially when he caught me staring in Mr. Burton’s direction a couple of times. But he was nice enough not to say anything about it.
He was too busy anyway, meeting people and listening to speeches. I met a lot of other people too, but as I think back on the evening, I only remember a few of the names. Cal Burton did take me to meet his boss, the important railroad man and politician, Mr. Stanford. I couldn’t say I actually spoke to him, because he was busy talking with some important Republicans about the election and slavery and the need for railroad development in California.
I wish I could recall more of the things I heard everyone talking about, because those were important times for California’s future. The election, the railroad, and slavery were the subjects on everyone’s minds and the topics of every conversation.
But I don’t remember very much, because I couldn’t keep my eyes off Cal Burton, and I couldn’t keep down the fluttering in my chest. I thought everybody in the huge ballroom must have been able to hear the pounding of my pulse, although nobody seemed to pay much attention.
Cal was tall, with straight light-brown hair, parted in the middle and coming down over his forehead almost to his eyebrows, then falling around the sides just above his ears. He wore a fancy suit, light brown like his hair, and a ruffled shirt and polished boots. What a figure he cut, with those blue eyes that contrasted with the brown of his hair and suit and the tan of his face! He had a friendly smile and a warm tone, yet a thoughtfulness that made his brow crinkle when he was thinking about what to say.
Altogether, Cal Burton had a lively, interesting, intelligent, pleasant face. How could I help giving it a second, or even a third look?
I heard Pa’s voice at my side. “He’s going to get a headache if you keep looking at him like that!”
“Oh, Pa!” I said, blushing again. “I was just—”
“I know what you was doing, Corrie,” Pa added. “And there’s nothin’ wrong with admitting you like the looks of a good-looking young man.” He gave me a smile. “You just might want to not be so obvious about it.”
“I didn’t know I was.”
Pa chuckled. “Everybody in the place is gonna know if you don’t pull those eyes of yours back inside your head! Now come on, what do you say you and I go over and hear what some of those men in the fancy suits are saying about the election?”
Chapter 2 The Presidential Election of 1860

A s much as I had been interested in the election of 1856 because of my involvement with the Fremonts, the election of 1860 was a far more important one for the future of the whole nation. Mr. Fremont’s being halfway a Californian had stirred up California quite a bit. But now even larger issues were at stake. Everythin