Mail Order Barbara (Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies, Book 14) By Elissa Strati Contents DEDICATION MAIL ORDER BARBARA COPYRIGHT EDITION LICENSE NOTES DESCRIPTION CHAPTER 1 – Nightmare CHAPTER 2 – Police CHAPTER 3 – Our Lady of Mercy CHAPTER 4 – Alice CHAPTER 5 – Judith CHAPTER 6 – Emilene CHAPTER 7 – The Board of Directors CHAPTER 8 – Sharing Concerns CHAPTER 9 – Brides Wanted CHAPTER 10 – Running the Orphanage CHAPTER 11 – Opportunities CHAPTER 12 – Westward, Ho? CHAPTER 13 – Discussions CHAPTER 14 – Decisions CHAPTER 15 – Emily CHAPTER 16 – Preparations CHAPTER 17 – Wedding Plans CHAPTER 18 – Love Letters CHAPTER 19 – Farewells CHAPTER 20 – Measles CHAPTER 21 – Goodbye CHAPTER 22 – The Train CHAPTER 23 – Kansas CHAPTER 24 – Welcome to Green River CHAPTER 25 – Afternoon Tea Breaking the Ice Introductions Giving Thanks Making Friends CHAPTER 26 – The Dance Billy More Introductions Getting to Know You Changing Partners Making Repairs Emilene The Supper Dance CHAPTER 27 – The Picnic St. Mary’s on the Hill Green River Church Picnic on the Hill Employment Advice Jealousy CHAPTER 28 – Courtship First Steps in the Campaign Lessons A Celebration B*O*N*U*S C*O*N*T*E*N*T PART 1 – Meet the Orphans Gracie Clara Margaret and Elizabeth Katherine and Maria Samantha Bernadette Christine Judith Anna PART 2 –Gracie’s Wedding Wedding Invitations Farewells A Surprise Wedding Bells PLEASE POST A REVIEW https://www.Amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B0896ZKPBZ ABOUT THIS SERIES NOTES ON MAIL ORDER BARBARA (Or, More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About My Upcoming Books) ABOUT THE AUTHOR (Including Contact Links) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AUTHOR’S HISTORICAL NOTE DEDICATION For Barbara Goss Who encouraged me (and continues to do so), Provided needed support as I was starting out, Demonstrated her faith in me, And moved me forward along the path. Thank You! MAIL ORDER BARBARA (Widows, Brides, and Secret Babies Book 14) By Elissa Strati COPYRIGHT Mail Order Barbara ©2020 Elissa Strati All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author, Elissa Strati, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or events, is coincidental and not intended by the author. ~~~ EDITION LICENSE NOTES This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work. ~~~ Cover design and logo inset by Black Widow Books, Virginia McKevitt, cover artist. Series concept by Cheryl Wright. DESCRIPTION Fleeing an abusive stepfather, two sisters find a home with the Sisters of Mercy. But the Board of Governors won't permit girls over sixteen to remain at the orphanage. They are expected to find positions as maids or shopkeeper’s assistants once they are old enough to do so. There are enough charges on any system of charity without keeping able-bodied young women coddled on the public charge, never mind that the Sisters’ asylum is a private institution and the Lord’s work! Malnourishment in their formative years has kept most of the girls looking smaller and younger than they are and Sister Evangeline maintains deliberately vague records, to allow her charges time to mature to the point of looking out for themselves. Many girls have been successfully placed in good positions, using the training they have received from the Sisters, but Sister Evangeline wants the best for each of her girls. Learning from her brother, Father Flanagan, of the need for young women of good character out west, she schemes to give her girls their chance. Can city girls find happiness as Mail Order Brides out west? CHAPTER 1 – Nightmare Sister Evangeline opened the door of Our Lady of Mercy Orphans Home and Convent. Looking down, she gasped when she saw the two girls huddled on the doorstep, fresh bruises visible on their arms and faces. She held open the door and, sweeping them into her arms, ushered them to the Infirmary. CHAPTER 2 – Police It seemed the noise had been loud enough to actually attract attention in an area used to a great deal of commotion. Someone had called for the police, who arrived not too long after the girls had departed. They found Mrs. Spicer passed out on the corpse of her late husband and drew their own conclusions from the scene. Detective McGarity looked at his sergeant, clearly showing his disgust. “Good riddance to one bad citizen,” he grumbled under his breath, “but what do we do with this one?” poking his toe at the prone Mrs. Spicer, who grunted, but quickly resumed snoring. They looked around at the rest of the cramped space. Despite the evident poverty, an attempt had been made to keep it clean, but a bowl of blood-stained water sat atop the table and a torn and bloody rag lay next to it. Carefully picking up the rag, McGarity realized it had once been a dress, plain and simple but beautifully sewn. Looking up he met Sergeant Donnell’s sad eyes with his own bleak stare. “Wonder which of the girls he hurt?” City or not, there were no strangers in this neighborhood, and Alice Jones had been a good girl, happily married to Tom McKevitt and a loving mother to their two daughters. Then Tom had been killed in an accident at the dock,
