Vancouver (Staunton series) Chapter XX. Ian's engagement & building a kiln

        Vancouver (Staunton series) Ch. # XX

 

               Ian’s engagement & building a kiln

 

         Ian had walked Laura home in the early evening, It wasn’t proper for young ladies to be out, unchaperoned after a certain hour. He walked back to Jim’s glowing with pride.

 

           “I did it, Jim,” said Ian. “I  asked Laura to marry me.”

 

            “And did she accept?” Jim said, with a straight face and a grin. He ducked when he saw the beer bottle thrown at him by Ian.  “I was having you on, Ian,” said Jim. “ I know the woman is besotted with you. Though for the life I can’t see why,” he said. This time he knew enough to duck. But, Ian just smiled at him.

 

                “That wonderful woman said yes to me, Jim. I don’t care why. I just think I am the luckiest man alive,” Ian said fervently.

                   “You are,” said Jim. “And Laura made the smartest choice she will ever make in her life. Congratulations, Brother Ian.”     

                     “Thanks, Jim. I feel like celebrating. Do you feel like a few beers at Staunton’s?” asked Ian.

                       “Aye, I do.” Said Jim. “I want to raise a toast to the best brother a man could have and the finest choice for a wife that he could ever make.”

                       The brothers walked over to Staunton’s and sat down on stools at their usual corner of the bar.

                        The card players, the hookers and several rascals were all busily engaged, but they paid them no mind.

 

                        “Barney, Lad,” Jim hollered. “Could you be drawing two drafts of beer and some fine Canadian whiskey, for two of the happiest men in Vancouver ?”

 

                          Barney looked over and smiled. “Sure, Jim Coming right up.” When he brought the dinks over he set them down on the bar. “What did you two do, find a gold strike?”

 

                          “No Barney,” said Jim. “Something even better. My favorite brother got engaged tonight, to Laura Sadler.”

 

                            “Ian smiled and said, “Thanks, Jim for the compliment, but I am your only brother.”

 

                              Barney Finnegan pitched in with a hearty handshake and said, “Congratulations, Ian. I am happy for you. The Sadlers are fine people and Laura is the choicest woman of her age in Vancouver. Now, let me pour two more sets of drinks for you lads. They’re on me.”

 

                               “The saints preserve us,” said Jim. “A free drink from Barney Finnegan? This is a momentous occasion.”

 

                                 Jim raised his shot glass of Canadian Whiskey and looked at Ian. “Congratulations, Brother. I am happy for you and I think the world of Laura. I can only wish you both health and happiness in the future. Here’s to Laura.”

                                  “Ian raised his shot glass. “To Laura,” he said with fervor. Both of the Mac Adams brothers downed their shot of whiskey and drink a beer chaser. After that, the number of beers consumed remained uncertain. The lads were both happy for Ian. At one point, both of the men realized that they had to go to work in the morning and slid off their stools. 

                                      “let’s be off,” said Jim. They both waved to Barney and Jim hollered “Good night, Barney. Thanks for the beer.” Barney smiled and waved back. He would see both lads again,  soon enough. The walk home was unsteady, but they made it. Both men crashed into their beds and slept like old logs in a swamp.

                                      The next morning came too quickly. Both men had heads that felt like old saw dust. They made it into work on time. They picked up their trowels and set to work, vowing never again to drink a drop of beer.

 

                 The days flew by in a haze of work and planning. To their credit, neither had another  glass of beer for the rest of the week. They knew the pledge of tea-totaling was made in haste and would not last. But for now, they were sober and abstemious.

                  Early that Saturday morning, the brothers rose, dressed and saddled their mounts. They rode over to Lowry’s for breakfast. Laura smiled at Ian with a glow that would melt your heart.

                  “Congratulations, Laura,” said Jim “I am happy for you both.” Laura only smiled and looked at Ian.

 

                    “Do you think we could get some breakfast, Laura?”  asked Jim. “Not all of us can feed on love,” he said kindly.

                     “Go on with you, Jim,” said Laura. “Ian told me that you were coming. I have your lunches all prepared and your pan cakes almost ready. Coffee coming right up.” She said gaily.

                       “Wow, she must really be stuck on you Ian. I hope that gets us premiere service like this every time we come in here,” said Jim.

                     After breakfast, the brothers rode off with a wave.  They were headed up to the brick yard. They reached the yard, tied up their horses, rubbed then down and put out some oats and water.

                  The factory building looked great. The new shingles sparkled in the morning sun. The white pine shutters and everything looked ship-shape.

                 “ I think you can start laying the fired bricks cross the cement floor of the Kiln, Ian,” said Jim. “ I want to mix up some more mortar and then mix up another batch of clay, to lay another batch of bricks in their molds. We will need some bricks to test out our kiln next week.”

 

                  “Okay, Jim.” said Ian. “Let’s get to work.”  Both men set about their tasks. About an hour later, they heard a horse approach. “Hello the camp,” hollered Selkirk Sadler. The lad dismounted, and tended to his horse.

                   “What would you like me to do, Mr. Mac Adams?” asked of Jim.

                    “I would like you to lay bricks all day with Ian,” said Jim. “I will join you lads when I finish these other chores.” All three men set to work with a will.

 

                    When Jim joined the others, they had already laid the fired bricks for the floor of the kiln. The polished sheen of the new brooks looked impressive.

                    “Good job lads,” said Jim. “Now Ian” said Jim. “You can show Selkirk how to lay out the foundation rows for the walls that we are to build  inside the earthen depression of the kiln. When we reach even ground level, we can all start mortaring and laying the bricks from the outside of the kiln. I have to nail together a wooden frame that will temporarily hold our brick roof-dome together,” said Jim.  All three men set about their tasks. Ian, experienced mason that he was, soon had Selkirk laying bricks in place as fast as he did. In the background, they could hear Jim, sawing wood into lengths and then hammering them into the rough frame he had mentioned.

                “Let’s top for lunch, lads,” Jim hollered. Ian and Selkirk joined him by the river.

 

                 “You lads are making pretty good progress,” said, Jim.

                  “Aye, the lad here is laying the bricks in faster than I am,” said Ian. Selkirk could only smile at the high praise from a professional. They ate their lunch and enjoyed a cool beer, reveling in the glories of a late November afternoon in the sun along a sparkling river.

                   “Well, let’s tackle this last bit,” said Jim. “Then we can get out of here early. I think someone has a date,  later today.” Ian only smiled.

                    Three practiced masons, working on a small building,  made the rows of bricks rise like magic. They were up to the four foot above ground level in no time.

                      “Well, here is where things get a bit tricky,” said Jim. “I am going to lay this wooden frame across the top row of the  bricks. Then, we will have to mortar in one row at a time, in an arch, to meet a row ascending from the other side of the kiln. They will join and be mortared in at the keystone brick in the center. Then, the next row and those after it will be mortared together in the same arcs and to the arc next to them, until we have a domed frame over the kiln.”

                  The men were careful and the process delicate. Peter’s temporary wooden arch  support served them well. In a few hours, the men stood back to assess their work.

 

                  “Damn, Jim” said Ian. ”I think this thing is going to hold up.”

                  “Well, we will know that by next week, if all the mortar fastens the dome  together,” said Jim. “I think that’s enough for the day. I am afraid if we tinker with it too much, the whole dome might collapse.”

                  The three men cleaned their tools and got ready to leave.  “If thing holds together, I want to run a set of bricks through both the drying and firing process next week, to see what we have” said Jim “I am afraid I will need you all day next Saturday, Ian,” said Jim.

                 “That is fine, Jim.” said Ian. “I will make plans to attend service with Laura on Sunday and spend the day with her.”

                    The men saddled their horses and rode into the forest, headed for Vancouver. It had been a long day and they were all tired.

                  “Thanks, Selkirk, for all of your help,” Jim said as they parted in Vancouver. “That lad will make a good workman, Ian.”  

                    “He will,” said Ian. 

                    The lads rode home, where they unsaddled their mounts, wiped them down and left oats and water for them.

                  “It has been a good day for us brother,” said Jim. “Let’s turn in. That way you will be up early enough to make the morning service at Christchurch Cathedral.”

                   “Aye, we will,” said Ian. “If not, I know a certain Sadler woman who would be over looking to talk to you sternly,” said Ian.

                                  “The saints preserve us, not that,” said Jim with a smile.

                                                         -30-

                                              ( 1,658 words)

                                            Joseph Xavier Martin