Josie slowed Ginger to an ambling walk Curlew was just three blocks of stores and businesses and a few short streets of houses but there might be some thing interesting to see She passed the hotel and the restaurant and the laundry The bakery was always tempting but Mama did her own baking The newspaper office came next Mr Murray the editor of the Curlew Star was a friend of Josie’s She had won a contest for the best essay on The Future of Alberta and it had been printed in the paper On the glorious day it was published Mr Murray had invited Josie to the office and given her the first copy of the newspaper as it came off the press Josie loved the organized clutter of the newspaper office and she sometimes dropped in to chat Today there wasn’t really time She rode on past the livery stable where horses could be boarded hired bought or sold Beside it was the blacksmith shop Josie could see a glow of fire through the open doors where a group of men and boys gathered around a horse being shod It must be hot in there on such a day Josie arrived at Pratt’s store without seeing anything more interesting than a dog rolling in the dust She guessed that everyone was down at the station waiting for the train from Winnipeg There were still settlers coming in though Pa said that the best land was gone At least now in 1918
they would find a bit more of a town than Josie had seen the first time she had set eyes on Curlew Then there had been almost nothing between the station and Pratt’s Josie slid off Ginger’s back and led her over to the watering trough on the shady side of the store building Ginger drank for a long time then shook her head and snorted loudly You’re welcome said Josie She led the pony to the front of the store and tied her reins to the railing The inside of the store seemed dark after the glare of the morning sun Josie blinked and saw Mrs Pratt standing behind the dry goods counter measuring out some bright yellow gingham for a small tidy woman She smiled at Josie I suppose you’ve come for the mail she said Yes said Josie Sam’s down at the station helping Mr Pratt But Mama needs some things too especially pickling jars I’ll be with you in a minute said Mrs Pratt I don’t have to hurry said Josie I’ll just look around She began to walk the length of the store first up the food side where barrels of crackers and flour stood beneath shelves of canned goods and packets of baking soda and Bird’s Custard Powder When she passed the pickle barrel
the sharp smell made her mouth water The oatmeal cookies heaped in a wooden box on the counter smelled delicious too but she had no money to spend on extras The back of the store was filled with men’s work boots and overalls but next to them was a short rack of ready made dresses and shelves of many-colored bolts of cloth There were spools of ribbon and rick-rack and shallow drawers filled with thread pins and other notions all neatly labeled Josie had no knack for sewing as Mama put it but she loved to imagine all the beautiful things that could be made Farther along were the cases full of the most interesting things of all toys and knives and pencil cases things children might buy if they had money in their pockets Mrs Pratt was handing the customer her parcel I know your little girl will look ever so pretty in her new dress she said Then she turned to Josie You say your mother is making pickles she said Will you be needing vinegar and salt as well as jars Just the jars said Josie And these spices if you have them She handed Mrs Pratt a list Mama had made Mrs Pratt pushed her glasses down on her nose and read Turmeric or allspice We have allspice but not turmeric Mustard seed and celery seed we have of course but no
stick cinnamon It hasn’t come in I’ll send cloves instead I think they will do very well Josie hoped so Mama wanted to make her special bread and butter pickles For the past two years either the bugs or the crows had got to the cucumbers before they were big enough for pickles but now there was a basket of them waiting at home to be doused with vinegar and spices Josie’s mouth watered again Just as Mrs Pratt was getting a box of quart canning jars out of the back room Sam came in with Mr Pratt They were lugging heavy canvas mail bags Mr Pratt puffed as he heaved a bag over the post office counter The Eaton’s summer sale catalogues are in he said That makes for heavy mail I’m sure glad young Sam came along to help Eaton’s catalogue Josie forgot about being hungry It was a great day when a catalogue came The whole family would go through it over and over again picking out what they wanted then changing their minds Most things they never did get but it was fun to think about What Josie especially liked was playing with the catalogues after the wishing and ordering were done Luckily Matt who was about to turn nine still liked to join her in cutting out the pictures of well-dressed men women and children and sorting them into families or whole towns
