Chapter 7: Growing Up & New Discoveries

As the years passed, Marion grew into a lovely, popular young woman. She attended school and had an active social life. She also was always near the top of class and loved debate and politics. Her world view expanded with her opportunities.

Grandma & Grandpa Whitney and Grace all encouraged her in her studies, they always took it for granted that she would go to college somewhere. Grandpa Sam bought Marion a camera for her 16th birthday. The young woman quickly became an accomplished amateur photographer. The Whitneys also took the National Geographic magazine, which Marion pored over with a fine-toothed mind every month. Her dreams of travel and adventure just continued to grow.

She wanted to travel and take pictures like the ones she saw in the magazine, but she wasn't sure if women could do that. Her mother and grandparents saw no reason that she couldn't make that her future. So they decided that Marion should attend the University of Missouri's famous Journalism school.

However, Marion never lost touch with her southern Missouri roots. Every summer she would make the train journey to visit Grammy and Grampy Snow and her Aunt Maggie in Steelville. Even through the years of the depression, she would travel to the small town in which she had spent her first 10 years of life. Every time she would go back, she would make sure to spend time in the library to look at "her" painting. The building was so unusual... a little Eastern, a little Western... and she wanted to know where it was, and more importantly what was inside it. But she had no idea of where to find out.

So one summer day after she had turned 16, camera in hand, she took a picture of it. While she was doing this, the librarian, Mary Bass-McArdle who'd known Marion for years entered the room in which the painting hung. She's known of Marion's fascination for the painting since the girl had been staring at it ever since it was hung in the library and had always asked questions about its location and occupants. Just the week before, Mary had been adjusting the painting and some yellowed old papers had fallen out of the back of the frame, which she carefully set aside until she could figure out what to do with them.

Marion was a bit startled when Mary entered the room, but calmed as soon as she saw it was just the librarian, "Taking a photograph of your painting, Marion?"

"Yes, I want to make sure I can carry the details with me. I just hope I have enough light to get a good one," replied Marion.

"It's bright enough in here today, I think you will be able to," the librarian commented. "By the way, I think I have something that might give you at least some clues to help answer your questions about that crazy painting."

Marion almost dropped her camera in anticipation,"Really, what is it?"

Mary related the story of the papers falling out of the back of the painting as she walked to the main desk of the library. When they got to the desk, the librarian handed the young woman a thin manila envelope.

Carefully, Marion undid the clasp and peered inside a moment before pulling the aging pages out into the bright morning light. There were exactly 5, 4 were floor plans and 1 was a letter. She looked through them eagerly but gingerly. At least she had a name for the building now, "Old Central" but that didn't mean anything to her. She looked inquisitively at Mary, who answered with a shrug and look at blank as her own.

"Can I find some way to copy these?" asked Marion.

"I would like to keep them with the painting, but you are welcome to take a picture of them or trace them, " Mary replied.

"Do you have any paper I can use?"

Mary indicated that she had both paper and pencils that the girl could use to copy the papers as best she could. Marion eagerly accepted them and spent the remainder of the June afternoon hand copying every detail.

The Letter:

I.E.,

I hope these words find you well. I have included a painting of the completed Old Central, along with the floor plans for the public areas. I am quite proud of the finished results of our new home. As you can see, there is now more than enough space to adequately host events, as well as means to provide security for guests. With that in mind, I do hope you will visit for a winter season soon. You would be surprised at the growth of my fair town. C.E. and E.E. are doing well enough in their endeavors. Stay well, and write when possible.

Unconquered I Remain,
W.E.