Chapter Eight This Agreement

Tuesday, January 15, 1918 Kit waited until after the noonday meal to walk to the Turon Post Office. Maxine fussed all morning and had not eaten well. OPheliaHolland observed to her James that babies seem to know when their parents are unhappy about things. And she was teething. She had diarrhea. So when Kit put Maxine down for her nap, she was happy to get out for a walk even though it was an overcast, bitterly cold afternoon. The Holland home sat a few blocks from the post office, but then again, nothing in Turon was much more than a few blocks from the post office. Kit bundled into her heavy wool coat and set out against the cold wind, welcoming the clear fresh air as she walked, her breath floating

in steaming trails behind her. On days like this the town remained quiet except for an occasional car or pickup truck bouncing down the street over the icy, rutted snow pack. Today, nothing made more noise than the sound of Kits footsteps crackling on the crusty snow under foot. In her parents mailbox she found a letter sealed in a heavy, official-looking manila envelope addressed to her. Instead of putting her gloves back on when she started home, she opened the envelope outside the post office and read the brief letter as she walked.

TERMS OF COURT
FIRST TUESDAYS IN JANUARY, APRIL AND SEPTEMBER

W. A. HUXMAN, DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY OFFICE OF

HERBERT E. RAMSEY
COUNTYATTORNEY
RENOCOUNTY HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.

Jan. 14, 1918. Mrs. Kathryn Holmes, Turon, Kansas. c/o J. M. Holland, Dear Madam: Your husband, Bill Holmes, has been in to see me concerning his entering the army. Before he can get in, it will be necessary to have a divorce action started. Kindly see me about this, so that we can get the matter adjusted. You will kindly advise me by return mail when you can see me. Thanking you, I remain, Yours very truly, Herbert Ramsey HR*RZ

Kit folded the letter and returned it to its envelope, pondering its meaning as she walked. So Bill would enter the army after all. She made a face with a mock frown. The marriage was as good as over. So much for her dreams. She cursed him under her breath, walking briskly back to her parents home. She took the letter into her bedroom as Maxine continued to sleep,

listening only a moment to the babys deep and regular breathing as she opened the top drawer of her dresser. She put Attorney Ramseys letter below the white cotton undergarments stored there in random disarray. She waited until the next day to write a response. After Maxine was up and fed, bathed and played with, when her morning nap time finally came and she had drifted off to sleep, Kit pulled the letter from her drawer on her way out of the bedroom and stuffed it into the pocket of the oversized bathrobe she had worn all morning. Mrs. Holland had already gone to a meeting at the church. Kit put coffee on to brew and read the attorneys letter again, ruminating on its content. When she finally poured herself a cup of coffee, she sat at the kitchen table and thought of her response, of things she would like to say but would not. At last she took her pen in hand and scratched dark brown ink with a steel-tipped pen into an expensive piece of her mothers stationary.

Turon, Kansas Jan. 16- 1918 Herbert E. Ramsey Hutchinson, Ks. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 14th received. I had not thought that Mr. Holmes being married would have anything to do with his classification. Is it possible to obtain a divorce on the grounds of incompatibility, within a year of the date of marriage? I have not the money at present to start a divorce action. What about the costs? Very respectfully, Mrs. Kathryn Holmes. Turon, Kansas.

She watched the ink dry on the fine stationery, staring at her signature as she might have watched a train leaving the station with her best friend on board, not knowing when to expect a return visit. When Kits letter finally found its way to Ramseys desk it remained there, unread, until he noticed it on Saturday. He decided to deal with it rather than allow it to languish over the weekend, so he dictated his response before allowing his secretary to leave for the weekend. The proceedings in the Circuit Court had bogged down and it looked as if the session would go on another week. Ramseys schedule had not permitted him much time to think about the Holmes case and he doubted if he would have much time for it the following week.

TERMS OF COURT
FIRST TUESDAYS IN JANUARY, APRIL AND SEPTEMBER

W. A. HUXMAN, DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY OFFICE OF

HERBERT E. RAMSEY
COUNTYATTORNEY
RENOCOUNTY HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.

.
Mrs. Kathryn Holmes, Turon, Kansas. Dear Madam:

Jan. 19, 1918.

Yours of the 16th at hand and contents noted. In reply will say that from my understanding of the facts in your case, I believe a divorce could be secured. I can get Holmes to pay the costs, so there would be no cost to you and I believe under the existing circumstances that would probably be the best thing to do. I haven't seen Mr. Holmes for several days, but he will likely see me the first time he is in town and if he does not, I will have the Exemption Board see him. Yours very truly, Herbert Ramsey HR*RZ

Kit picked up the mail on Sunday afternoon. The letter came in by train from Hutchinson early that morning and the postmaster always sorted the sack on Sundays and put it up while most of the residents of Turon went to church. Kit read the letter again and again. So paying the cost would be the extent of her husbands responsibility in the divorce, she thought. She wondered what she would have to do to provide for Maxine by herself, with no man to provide for them, and then she remembered her fathers promise; at least he was reliable. All she wanted was to be rid of Bill. She wished he had never taken the train to Kansas City in the first place. If she could obtain a divorce without having to bear the cost, she would meet Ramsey within the week.

Jan. 21 -18 Herbert E. Ramsey Hutchinson, Kans. Dear Sir:Your letter received today. If nothing prevents I will be in to talk with you on Wednesday. Very respectfully Mrs. Kathryn Holmes. Turon, Ks.

On Tuesday afternoon Bill came to Ramseys office at the Reno County Courthouse in Hutchinson to ask about his pending case for a divorce. Ramseys secretary, Ruth Zink, a plain girl in her early twenties, sat at her desk in the anteroom outside the county attorneys office. Bill felt claustrophobic, despite the twelve-foot-high ceiling in the little waiting room. But he

waited patiently, sitting in a sturdy, but uncomfortable oak chair in one corner of the room. He watched Ruth type a letter on her efficient little black Underwood typewriter. The rhythmic cadence of the ticking clock punctuated Ruths swift typing, measuring the distance for her between come in and go home. Bill heard movement inside Ramseys office and soon the attorney opened the door and looked out. Bill, you old reprobate! he greeted his former teammate, collegially ushering him into his office, closing the door behind them. Howve you been? Well, Id say as good as can be, Heck, addressing his old friend by his nickname, perhaps too informally for the occasion. You been out much? Me? Nah.Ball and chain, this job. Especially now, making a veiled reference to the ramp up work for the war. They joked a little more until the attorney motioned his client into a chair in front of his desk. Bill looked up and around the room. Windows framed in dark wood covered most of the wall. The windows extended from the ceiling to about four feet off the floor. Tiny specks of dust glistened in the sunlight from the windows, seeming to absorb the sound from the room. The radiator pipes huddled under the middle window, providing more heat than the room required. An uncomfortable silence ensued, forcing Bill to open the real conversation. Have you heard from her? A letter, just last week. Weve exchanged letters and I expect to see her soon. Ramsey took Kits letter from a basket on his desk, read it aloud first, and then his reply. Gee, if all she wants me to do is pay for it, thats fine. Good riddance. We can arrange it, but theres no room on the docket for a divorce decree and besides, theres the waiting period thats state law. The best we can get is a legal separation and she can

petition for divorce later. The government will send half your pay to her once youre in the military. We can put something about the financial arrangement into the agreement, but I doubt if the Army will recognize it. You could plead for a final dissolution in April, but who knows where youll be by then? What about my deferment? Not going to happen. She refused to sign. Says you havent lived as man and wife for he cleared his throat, for some time and a few other things that dont bear repeating. Not the least of which is that you arent contributing to her support. The Army would figure shes better off with half your pay in the Army than with none of it as a civilian. Bill frowned at Ramseys candor. He shrugged. So do I just wait for my invitation from Uncle Sam? Could.Might be smarter to enlist.Choice of assignments, that way. Meaning ? You might be able to avoid the infantry. Its pretty messy from what I hear. The front? Ramsey nodded. Casualty reports from the other allies are frightening. We dont know for sure what kind of losses the Huns are taking, but theyre pretty substantial too. But, as far as the divorce action is concerned, Kit will need to pursue the action in March, claiming whatever grounds she can find. Until then, shell have a rightful claim on half your pay. We can do whatever we can to convince the War Department otherwise if push comes to shove. If thats the best we can do, so be it. This thing over there isnt going to take the Yanks very long to finish off. Make it clear that we intend to finish the divorce when I return. Too bad we missed this round in Court. It could have been over.

A knock came at the door and Ruth entered the room without speaking. She handed an envelope postmarked in Turon the previous day, from Kathryn Holmes. Bill ignored a disapproving glance she cast his way as she left the room. Ramsey unfolded Kits brief letter, studied it, and then read it aloud. Bill smiled when he finished reading. Then the men forged the terms of an arrangement that would cover the faade of the failed marriage and act as a stopgap until Bills return from the war in Europe. The agreement resulted in the effective termination of their marriage. Since no circuit court judge would be available to hear a divorce action until after Bill's departure for basic training, the agreement would be one of legal separation, until a formal divorce could be granted.

That night Bill had supper with his parents and his cousins in Langdon at Uncle Sherman and Aunt Stellas. This was a farewell gathering, for the next morning Bill would board a train that would take him to Ft.Leavenworth, where he would be inducted into the U. S. Army. Sherman and Stella enjoyed the comforts of a larger and newer home, in town, owing to his steady work as a mail carrier. They also enjoyed the love of a large family, ten children in all. By 1918 they had already been married for twenty-six years, though Stella was only fortyone years old. Their two oldest children had already married and made them grandparents three years before. Counting in-laws, there were twelve cousins, two grandchildren, Josie and Jonas, Speck and Badger and his aunt and uncle there to send him off. At the end of the evening, he exchanged hugs and handshakes with everyone; his kinfolk followed him until he finally stood facing them, filling the doorway. Unable to leave and knowing he could not stay, tears welled up in his eyes and his voice choked as he tried to say his goodbyes for the last time. Realizing there was nothing more they could do, Sherman and Stella dabbed their eyes with their hankies. And within seconds everyone, the older ones at least, realized the gravity of his departure. They formed a semi-circle at the door, little ones in front, grownups in back, waiting in anticipation of some profound statement of farewell. When he finally spoke, a tear slid down his cheek. I feel like I may never see you again, he said, his voice taut with emotion. He turned away, raising his right arm across his face to wipe away the tears that had gotten loose from his

eye. I love you all, he said, his voice unnaturally high, cracking with emotion. And he was gone. Bill had plans after supper. He would return to Hutchinson not only to catch the train the next morning. He would spend his last night in RenoCounty with Rosa, before leaving for his great adventure.

It took more than an hour for Bill to drive from Langdon to the house Rosa shared in Hutchinson, owing to a dense fog that had settled onto the dormant wheat fields and open prairie that separated Uncle Shermans house from the county seat. At half past nine oclock he rapped on her door. Rosa startled when she heard the noise. She had dozed, bare feet and legs beneath her, in an overstuffed chair that sat in front of a lace-curtained window at the side of the front room. The rug felt cold and bristly as she shuffled to the door. Whos there? she said, whispering into the door jamb. Its me, Bill responded. She opened the door, just a crack at first, looking out onto the porch which bore no light except for the streetlamp beyond. She recognized his silhouette and stepped back as she swung the door open, looking up at her lover with the kind of wide-eyed fear that one expects to see in an animal caught in the hunters cross hairs. What time is it? she asked. About nine-thirty. He moved to kiss her. She accepted his embrace but turned her head from his kiss. I had dozed off. I thought you might not come, but I hadnt gone to bed.

How could I not come? He sought a kiss again. Denied. Oh Bill she wept into his shoulder. He held her to himself. Absorbed her tears in his shoulder. He had not yet removed his heavy woolen coat; the nap scratched against her cheek. She took in his scent, permeated in the material. Say youll come home safe, she sobbed. Im going to be fine. And when this is over he waited, wondering how he could ever bring truth to his words, I swear were going to leave this place. Were going to move someplace where nobody will care whether we even go to church. I dont know where. Maybe California or someplace else out west. I promise, well never be apart again. She sobbed anew, but soon she found his mouth, taking it hungrily with her own. He responded by picking her up, like a child in his arms, kicking the door shut with the heel of his boot and carrying her into her bedroom where they fought at each others clothing as if it represented the barriers that had always come between them. They made love for the rest of the night, interrupted only by interludes of sweet slumber in each others arms. When the morning light came through Rosas bedroom window and Bill opened his eyes, he found his lover gone but heard noises coming from the kitchen. Eyes half opened, he rolled over onto the other side of the bed, thinking to go back to sleep, and caught the flowery scent of her perfume in the pillow there. Looking around the room for something to put on, he found nothing but the scattered clothing he had discarded in such a rush after he arrived the night before. He decided not to bother with dressing, not just yet. And so he sat up and waited a moment, gaining his bearings, before walking to the door naked, cautiously leaning out into the dining room, calling, Rosa? In here, my love, Im making your breakfast.

Are we alone? Yes, Della Mae wont be back until tonight. With that he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders. He walked out of their bedroom, the chill of the outer rooms making goose flesh on his skin until he felt the warmth of the stove and the kitchen. Rosa wore a pink neglige that she had purchased at cost from Pegues. It moved on her skin with every step she took. It fell into a deep vee at the waist, where she had tied it with a silk cord that fell almost to her knees. Bill eyed her nipples, outlined on the soft satin robe, glimpsed her legs when she walked towards him, barefooted. I love what youre wearing, he said. She felt a shudder in the back of her neck as she molded herself into him, crossing her wrists behind his neck, putting her fingers into his hair. Bill wrapped her in his arms and the soft blanket he wore. He felt the slick softness of her gown against his skin and the heat of her chest against his own. The aroma of bacon, just fried, mixed with the scent of her hair and the lingering traces of her perfume. Youd better hurry now and get dressed or youll miss your train. Bill could not pull himself from her embrace, but she released him and brought her hands around to his chest where she pushed herself away, running her fingers down the line that dropped from his collarbone through his chest onto his stomach, and below. No time for that, she giggled, teasing his friend, which had jumped to attention, ready for a morning romp. Bill reached out to kiss her, but she turned, coquettish, away from him and found eggs in a bowl beside the stove, one of which she took and cracked in a single strike against the edge of the counter, opening it with the same hand into the skillet, which crackled in response. After he dressed and returned to the kitchen, Rosa put eggs and bacon onto two plates, with bread and butter and plum jelly on the table. They sat and he picked up his fork, then he noticed her eyes closed for a moment before she genuflected and picked up hers. As an

afterthought, Bill self-consciously set down his fork and made the sign of the cross, before starting to eat again. So will you write? she asked. As soon as I have a place for you to write to. Rosa grew silent. The reality of his departure set in. She chewed the first bit of eggs she had tasted as if pondering the depth of meaning in a communion wafer. A tear loosed itself from her eye. Bill took another forkful from his plate, shoveling it into his mouth, and looked up, chewing at first like an animal, then more slowly, at last swallowing, with a quizzical look on his face. Its only going to be for a little while, he assured her. We need this time to cool things off. Kitty will finish the divorce in March. By the time I get back from the war, people will have forgotten about it. We can start off fresh and not have to be ashamed to go out together. Were going to move someplace else where nobodyll know anyhow. Your mother will never speak to us. Shell come around. But he did not really believe so. And if she doesnt and were living in California I guess its her loss. Rosa moved her food around on her plate and took a few more bites. Bill finished his breakfast and stood. Rosa cleared the dishes from the table, scraping leftovers into a bowl at the corner of the sink, stacking the dirty dishes for later. She would have plenty of time once she returned from the train station. They bundled up against the cold outside and rode together. Bill started the car, but let Rosa take the wheel since she would keep his Model T until he returned. She needed the practice driving. She had never owned a car before and had just learned in the few weeks since Bills departure had become inevitable.

They stood on the platform until the last possible moment, speaking little, reminding each other to write, of perfunctory things related to automobile maintenance; their words came in unrelated sentences, punctuated by intermittent periods of strained silence. At last the conductor cried, BOARD! and Bill grabbed the handles on his suitcase. Then and there before God and everyone, without regard for whoever might watch, he wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulled her to himself and kissed her on the mouth, lingering for a long while until she thought she might faint. And then he turned from her, rather than let her see the tears that had come to his eyes. He walked away with the strength of an athlete in every step and climbed onto the train. She stood, mouth open, and watched him leave, desperation in her eyes, afraid she would never see him again, cursing the world that inured war and separated lovers from each other. Within weeks after Bill left Hutchinson, Rosa gave up her search for work there. She conceded defeat and drove to Langdon, where she moved in with her parents, and by spring had her old job back at the Langdon State Bank. A clerk there had gone off to France, creating at least a temporary opening in the back room, away from the prying eyes of the townspeople, who noticed only that Bills nondescript Model T had started showing up daily, parked on the side of the building, not far from the spot that the banks President had parked it when it was new, before he sold it to Bill just a few years before. Kathryn Holland stayed in Turon with her parents for a few more months, but by spring, the tedium of living in Turon became more than she could tolerate. She left the baby Maxine in the care of her mother and father and began a new life in Rawlins, Wyoming to find work.