Fifteen

From

Bible Forget Me Nots

When the three returned home, they were greeted with the aroma of a hen roasting in the cast-iron oven attached to the stove. But it was the identity of the cook which excited them.

“Jay! When did you burst through the door?”

“Jennie, I entered as a mortal, quietly, about three hours ago. Aunt Ella, delightful to see you made it here, not a hair out of place.”

Hickman High School
Yearbook 1910
Columbia, MO

Ella smirked and pinched her nephew on the cheek, while Jennie cocked her head. “Jay, your pronouncement reminds me why you were an effective debater. You have a way with words, but you so rarely sling charming phrases my direction I could have sworn they were from John, not you.”

Though John was not the intellectual his two older siblings were, his wit was quick and entertaining. The entourage expected his entrance at any moment. School was finished for the school year, thus allowing John to roam with buddies when and where he wished. But they all knew John would not miss a meal.

Ella stood with hands on hips, addressing her nephew.

“Here, let me see to the vegetables. And I will watch the chicken. About how much longer do you expect is needed?”

“About fifteen minutes, I suspect, Auntie. And I appreciate your offer, but I have carrots, onions, and potatoes in with the chicken, so we will be fine.”

“Astounding!” Jennie’s mouth hung open. “And so unexpected, not only your early arrival, but to plan and execute this meal. How did you divine that we completely forgot to plan for this evening’s repast? And that we had only dessert for lunch, so we are starving?”

Though Jay and John—especially the latter—often undertook culinary duties, it was astonishing Jay had the energy to do such a thing so soon after his journey from Macon on the train. Once he thought about it, he realized using public transportation made more sense than his employer’s horse.

“I guess it was fortuitous Aunt Ella plucked the chicken early this morning after Father issued his execution of the poor creature. Thereafter, though, we—or at least I—completely forgot about it!”

“Ah, I see I am just in time!”

John had slipped unnoticed into the front room. There was no room in the kitchen, but his voice could easily be heard in such a small enclosure.

John Stark
1958

“Well, brother, as we all know…”

All chimed a familiar phrase in unison, “John never misses a meal.”

Everyone roared. Jennie glanced around the two rooms which she could see from the doorway. She did not remember such a joy-filled group, except, perhaps, at her grandparents’ golden wedding anniversary celebration. This exceeded all prior Christmases, Easters, and birthdays, she thought. She dabbed at her eyes once again, this time with an embroidered handkerchief her Aunt Tempie had given her. That handkerchief was going to be put to much use. The celebration was only just beginning.

#

Victor Buck Hornback. Jennie told no one about her infatuation. But now that her aunt and father were noticing something—was her face giving it away?—maybe she could mention a thing or two and put their suspicions to rest.

“Aunt Ella, you know that boy from Chillicothe? The one whose photograph you viewed the other day?”

“Yes, dear. He made quite the impression. Handsome young man. I wondered if he might have been the lad who retrieved that ball that came your way yesterday. He seemed to look at you a certain way.”

Jennie creased her forehead and pursed her lips. How did her aunt see that? She was off walking when that happened.

“Jennie, I had a clear view from across the grass. As it was, the gentlemen playing ball caught my attention and I was watching when another young man hit the ball. Your friend missed catching it by only a foot or so. I watched as he trotted over, removed his hat, and addressed you. I couldn’t hear what he said, though.

“He apologized.” Jennie did not let on she had memorized every word. Any time Vic talked to her, she made note of it in her journal. It was always about mundane things. Nothing special.

“Well, I could see he showed you special attention. It was in his hesitation, and in noticing your father. He took care to speak carefully. One does not do that when just retrieving an errant ball if one has no interest.”

Could she be right? Jennie considered the possibility. No, it is best to continue not to hope, but to accept the obvious. Though she and Mr. Hornback came from the same farming community, graduated from the same high school, went to the same church both in Chillicothe and now in Columbia, and were graduating from the same university, their worlds could not be more different.

Vic, as his friends knew him, lost his father when he was twelve. Mr. Hornback had been a grocer who also owned a farm. Tragically, Victor’s younger brother also died not long after. Jennie never knew the particulars. She also thought he had an older sister who left town before she graduated from high school. There was, she realized, a lot of mystery remaining about this family.

What she did know was the careful way he cared for his mother.

They always sat in church together, and he guided her about, gently, by the elbow. It showed a loving deference Jennie much admired. There were times, she remembered with embarrassment, that she secretly hoped Mrs. Hornback could have married her father when he still was a widower.

But the timing was off.

Oh, who was she kidding? Such a marriage never would have happened.

Jennie suspected the family was wealthy, though they did not put on airs. It was not just that they owned a farm and a grocery store, but that Mrs. Hornback traveled a lot—to Montreal, to New York, to Chicago, and to Arizona. All of these travels were noted in the town newspaper, so Jennie did not have to resort to gossip to learn of the adventures.

Victor Hornback
Captain, Football Team
Upper Left Corner
CHS 1908

Vic was the captain of the high school football team, ran track, and he played and baseball. However, while at the university, baseball was his sole athletic adventure.

Jennie watched a couple of his games when the team played at home. She knew enough about the sport to determine Vic played second base. Not that she understood what that entailed. But she fathomed that hitting the ball far and between the outfielders was a good thing.

After his second game one day, Victor noticed her and came over.

Chillicothe High School
1908*

“Good game,” she had said. She could not think of what else to utter. His presence left her breathless.

“Miss Stark, it is both surprising and delightful to find you here! I thought your nose would be in a calculus book this time of day.”

Jennie could only look downward, then away. She opened her mouth, then closed it. Was he truly pleased she was there? Or was he making fun of her, his words being ironic or sarcastic?

“Well, I must be odiferous, so I will not stand close. In fact, I shall scurry off and not bother you further.”

With that, he ran over to a teammate and chatted excitedly, probably about the brilliant plays they had made.

Oh, she made a mess of it. How could she be at a loss for words?

She might be smart but lacked the wit her brother John possessed. And she certainly was without confidence when it came to expressing herself to someone who mattered so dearly. Only at church could she find herself in conversations that flowed more freely. This was never more true than when Victor sang with two chums.

One of the Very Few
Unidentified Photographs
Jennie Kept who 
Were Not Relatives

The trio started out singing hymns for church, but soon they were in demand for social functions, singing popular songs. Jennie heard they earned decent money sometimes, especially when singing for parties.

Though invited once to such a social gathering, Jennie declined. For one, she had no idea what she would wear. And, she knew she would feel awkward and out of place. Though she was familiar with some of the people who would be there, they were not the sort who captured her interest. Doubtlessly, she would not interest them, either.

Jennie preferred, instead, to have as her friends fellow churchgoers who shared similar interests, especially in the cause of temperance. And, she was certain, such friends would not be attending social functions where alcohol might be served!

Victor was always dressed in such a dapper manner. His unruly thick and curly hair was often flattened as much as he could get the pomade to make it so. Jennie preferred seeing him in class or playing sports when his hair was just allowed to flow freely. Oh, it was magnificent!

Jennie snapped out of her reverie and noticed Aunt Ella had picked up a photograph album Jennie had assembled. Jennie possessed two albums. One had been her mother’s. It was getting frayed, but it was a lovely book. The front cover was actually a picture frame made of embroidered and embossed velvet and silk.

The other book was an inexpensive cardboard contraption Jennie decorated herself. This is the one Ella had in her hands.

“I note a theme here, Jennie. There are more than one or two pictures of Mr. Hornback.”

“Well, Aunt Ella, you might also notice there are others I know well who are also in the photos. But this one here…” Jennie pointed to one of Vic’s trio, “this one is of his trio which I think makes a fine advertisement for them. They sing for soirees and such. Not my sort of thing, but I do like the photo.”

“Jennie, they look like they should be in magazines!”

“Aunt Ella, now that you mention it, here is something I forgot. Victor, I mean Mr. Hornback, once worked for a clothing store—you know, Wright Brothers, in Chillicothe? Just the summer after high school. I do not know if he needed the funds for college or parties and such, but you might have seen him there once.”

The line between Ella’s lips curled slightly upward at the ends. It pleased her that her niece was not completely an island to herself, though the boats might be slipping by. Someday, she thought, one will dock.

*Neither the Chillicothe High School nor the University of Missouri yearbooks had group photographs of the baseball teams. Instead, they had action photographs where individuals cannot clearly be seen. However, the university write up of the team stated Victor played second base.

Note: I have no proof Jennie had a crush on anyone. But in comparing photographs, Victor is the one who was in both her high school and college classes who came close to looking like he was in her one photograph of the three unidentified men which she hung onto among her small box of memorabilia. He also was a Methodist--which Jennie likely considered to be necessary--and he lost his father when young; something he had in common with Jennie, who lost her mother. Victor never married. He died of lung ailments diagnosed soon after college. Wherever Victor moved during his short, but successful career, he took his mother.