Alvarado Gold Read Free

told me her two grandsons would be here for the summer starting tomorrow. Maybe we can get them to help you. Did Grandpa even have a working lawnmower?” My question went unanswered as we rounded the corner.
    Once we were around the kitchen table, burgers and fries in hand, I opened the box. “A bunch of old letters.” I let out a sigh of disappointment.
    Susan looked anxiously at the pile in front of me. “Read them.”
    “Okay. I don’t know where to start.” I rummaged around in the box and retrieved one dated September 13, 1946. “This one is addressed to Grandpa from a Bud Barnes, Cleburne, Texas.”
    Dear Addison:
    It was good to see you yesterday at Mother’s funeral. You asked me if I knew anything about Mom and Dad and the family history.
    Mother’s name was Annie Taylor. She married Harold Barnes in Texas on December 23, 1875. The Barnes family owned land around Alvarado. The cemetery is still there. Annie and Harold Barnes had ten children. I’m the oldest and your father the youngest.
    Our grandfather, John Barnes, and his brothers took a herd of cattle to California in the summer of 1867. After being gone over two years, they buried their profit, mostly in gold bars. It was never found.
    In 1889, the entire family including Grandfather Taylor made another trip to Seattle. I remember the trip well. At thirteen, I was thrilled to be considered old enough to ride with the men.
    We came back to Texas, sailing from San Francisco. Your father was born in Barnesville in 1893. Mom and Dad remained there until their deaths.
    Sincerely,
    Uncle Bud
    “What gold?” Clay said.
    “Is that the only part you heard?” I laughed. “Can you imagine being gone three years on a cattle drive?”
    “What gold?” Clay repeated.
    “I’m surprised you don’t know the story. I’ve heard it all my life. Mom said your dad and Uncle Joseph went to look for it as well as Grandpa.” Why did my family keep so many things concealed?
    Mel motioned with one of her now limp fries. “What else is in that box?”
    “Nothing much. More old letters. Here’s one from my mom, a couple from your dad and even one from me. I must have been about six. Look at the printing.”
    Clay furrowed his brow and reached for the letter. “Why is the one letter so important Grandpa would have the box at the lawyer’s?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just family memorabilia. It gives us a little of our history. Oh, well.” I shoved the container to the edge of the table. “Let’s get our plan together for cleaning this place. Clay will do the yards. What about you, Mel? Any favorite place you want to tackle?”
    “I’ll do the general clean-up in the house. After we get out what we want, we might as well sell this place furnished instead of having two separate sales.”
    “Great idea. I’m glad you thought of it.” Mel knew the logistics from her real estate background to make the sale work in our favor. “Okay, Susan, that leaves the attic for the two of us.”
    Clay positioned himself at the refrigerator, door open, making a list. “Hey, SusieQ. Let’s go to the market. We can leave these two alone for a couple of hours. They seem to manage to talk about almost anything. Especially, things of no importance.”
    I bounced an empty Burger World bag off the back of Clay’s head as he went out the kitchen door. I was truly amazed how quickly we’d become family. I did need to talk to Mel. I knew she’d heard the story of the gold before.
    After the screen door banged shut, I leaned in closer. “Mel, what do you know about the gold?”
    “Dad mentioned it, once. He and Uncle Joseph went out to Barnesville and looked for a while. They were in their early thirties. I thought it was just a lark. I urged Dad to tell me more but he changed the subject. Something about the trip bothered him.”
    “How come Clay and Susan don’t remember your dad’s trip?”
    “Clay was in the army at the time and Susan was just a kid. I always