Lost Family History

The Lost Family History



Stepping out of the crowed bus terminal Sinead looked at the bright Autumn colors of the south reflecting in the afternoon sun, though they didn't see as bright and colorful as the Autumn colors back home in Colorado did this time of year. But this was home for now while she was working at this job, It was her dream job, but she still felt nervous about portraying a woman that had lived in the mid 1800's in one of the biggest houses in Savannah.

Gathering her two bags she headed down the street to the boarding house that had been arranged to be her home till she could find a place of her own. It didn't take long her to reach the boarding house, and get her room. It was a big house as she walked through the hall to her room she took in the architecture through out the house, and could feel the age of the house, and the years of people that had been through the house.

Closing the door to her room behind her as she sat her bags down she moved to the one large window that covered one wall of the small room. "Come on Sinead this city is full of history this could be fun living here. Its just a new city you can do this girl." Moving back to the bed and dug through the smaller bag and pulled out a manilla folder, " its still early so I can still study the file more and still be able to get out and explore the city before it gets dark."

Going over to the table and sat down she opened the folder pulling out the information she had been sent on the person she was playing. Reading the information about Cassidy Marston and her Husband Dawson and their life here in this historic city, there was even mention of their deaths do to violence after the war. Several hours later she sat back in the chair staring out the window trying to digest the information she had read for the hundredth time since getting on the bus to come here. Every time there seem to be something missing from the information about the woman, what it was she didn't know just that it didn't feel complete to her. Pulling out her cell phone she looked at the time. "I still got time to get to the house before they close and see if they have anything else on this woman." Placing everything back into the file as she stood. Taking the file with her she moved to the door remembering to grab her room key on her way out, so she could have the information at hand if she needed it.

Stopping on the street in front of her boarding house and looked around Sinead tried to see the city as it was over a hundred years ago when this woman lived. Glancing down at the address on the file and punched it into her GPS on her phone she headed in the direction that the GPS told her to go to find the house. Walking down the street the combination of the sun and warm breeze making the leaves move in the trees and bushes showing off the hues of Autumn colors and whiffing up the fragrance of the flowers in the near by flower beds as she past them. The houses showed their age under the fresh coats of pastel colors, they looked just like the pictures that she use to star at as a child dreaming about being part of the families that lived in there. It was getting easier to picture the city back then as the sights and sounds surrounded her.

Reaching the address she stood on the street looking up at the large house. "wow they had everything back then. The feeling of coming home seem to over whelm her and that something wasn't right in the house but what it was she couldn't put her finger on. Shaking her head in attempt to get rid of the feeling "Its in my mind don't be silly." Swallowing past the lump that was now in her throat Sinead walked up the pathway towards the house. Upon reaching the porch she the feeling got stronger, taking the few steps she climbed onto the porch. Reaching the top of the steps and about to knock on the door when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.

Turning in the direction of the movement she saw a woman standing there, wearing a long red dress that was off her shoulders and cut low exposing the swell of her breasts. Her brown hair done up in a high bun with ringlets framing her face. Closing her eyes several times and shaking her head Sinead tried and make the image go away, Slowly reopening her eyes and saw that the woman was still there. Watching the woman for a few minutes trying to figure out why she looked familiar, then she remembered the file in her hand. "NO it can't be her she died a long time ago." opening the file the young brunette pulled out the photocopy that was made of the tintype and held it up looking between it and the woman that stood across from her. "Cassidy? No you died in 1890."

The woman smiled nodding her head, "Yes it's me child come follow me" with a raised hand bidding the young woman to comes with her, "It's alright I won't hurt you." She knew this young woman was who was meant to play her on the tours and tell her story but there was more to the woman. There was a connection to her that Cassidy knew that had to be told.

Never taking her eyes off the woman that stood on the porch with her Sinead slipped the picture back into the file sighed unsure why but she felt the need to follow her, "alright." Glancing around to see if anyone was watching her standing there talking to someone, not seeing anyone shrugging she nodded and started to walk to the woman that was dressed as the woman she was to be playing. The closer she got the more the woman seem to back away from her, seeing her slip around the corner of the hose she frown, "Hey wait up." Rounding the side of the house she catch a glimpse of the woman go around the back of the house. Making her way around the back of the house Sinead didn't see anyone there but saw the back door standing wide open, "where did you go? What do you want me to do?"

Feeling the hair on the back of her neck she heard a voice in her left ear. "Go inside, go to the study." Quickly turning looking behind her she didn't see anyone. "okay this isn't funny anymore. You can come out now, show yourself." Sinead demanded crossing her arms over her small chest leaning against the pillar that held the roof up coving the back porch. The urge to go inside keep growing stronger the longer she waited.

"Alright I'm going in," Sinead said to no-one before stepping into the doorway and looking into a large dinning room. There was a large oak table in the center of the room, a wooden hutch alone one wall that held some sort of dishes in it." Leaning into the room not seeing anyone she called out. "Hello anyone in here?" Not hearing any reply she stepped into the room.

Slowly making her way through the room and into the hallway. the fear and nervousness that had been with her since she got on the bus back in Denver was gone it was like she had come home finally. Making her way down the narrow hallway she looked at the pictures on the walls and the cases that lined it. Trailing her fingers along the items as she went by them. Each item or picture seem to bring warm feelings and memories back to her with each touch but she had never seen these things before.

Once in the entryway of the house the urge to close her eyes and spin in a circle was so strong she just had to do it. Tilting her head back with her eyes closed, her arms out at her side at shoulder height, and spun in circles as if she was a little girl again. She could feel the skirts of her ankle length dress spin out around her as she spun. A smile crossed her face knowing she looked silly but felt like it was normal for her to do.

When Sinead stopped she was facing the double doors of what she knew that they lead to the study of the man of the house use to use for work. With trepidation in her steps she moved to the doors and opened them looking inside.

Standing there in the doorway the young woman looked inside the room and could tell that it was a masculine room. With a deep breath she stepped into the room closing the doors behind her. "okay Im in here now. Why did you want me to come in here?"

The voice in her ear came again, "go to the fireplace, find the lose stone. Behind it you will find what you seek my child."

"Okay." she moved around the furniture till she cane to stand in front of the fire place. Suddenly she felt as if she was a child sneaking into her fathers office and was afraid of getting into trouble if he found her in there. Glancing over her shoulder as she started pushing on all the stones in the fireplace. It didn't take long and she felt one move under her hand some. Turned her attention back to the fireplace. Working quickly to get the stone out, the longer it took the more she frowned, "OH come on come out." After a few minutes the stone popped out in her hand sending her to the floor on her butt. Setting the stone aside and stood to see if she could see what was in the dark opening. "Damn its to dark in there." Taking a deep breath she reached out and placed her hand into the whole. With a little bit of effort she was able to move her hand around in the whole but it didn't take long for her to feel something in there. Reaching a little more she was able to grab what ever it was in there and pull it out.

Sitting on the floor with her back against the settee she unwrapped the item, as the cloth came way it revealed a old worn family Bible. Setting the cloth aside and a shaking hand Sinead opened the Bible to the family tree page. Reading through the names she came to Cassidy Marston and her husband Dawson. It listed two children a son named Kenneth and a daughter named Sinead. The young woman sat there staring at the Bible not wanting to believe that she was seeing her name listed in a Bible of a family she had never knew existed. There were also some letters stashed in the Bible. Removing them she set the Bible aside and started to read the letters to understand why she was so drawing to the house when she saw the ad for someone to play this woman.

After reading the letters she realized it was to dark for her to try and make her way back to the boarding house her first night in the city. Gathering everything up she moved to the settee and settled down to finished reading the letters. Soon falling asleep sitting here.

The next thing she knew she was looking up into Cassidy's warm loving face. When she tried to speak she couldn't. Reaching up she was able to touch the woman's face.

Covering her hand Cassidy smiled "Shh baby its okay your pa is gone, your safe." she gently picked her up and carried up out of the study and up the stairs.

Looking around confused she noticed how warm and loving the house felt, and that the dress she felt earlier when she was spinning in circles she was now wearing. She laid her head against the woman's shoulder feeling safe for the first time in her life. There was no fear in her now.

Knowing her child was home again and safe from a father that didn't want her around because she wasn't a normal child Cassidy knew that their life was going to be different for her family. Tucking her daughter into bed she went back to the study and gathered up the family Bible and the letters she'd been writing since Sinead was born and they found out that the young girl could not hear them. She knew that if anything should happen to they she needed to leave some proof that her husband Dawson was to blame for it. Gathering everything up and wrapped it up, Moving to the fireplace and removed the store she worked lose and placed the wrapped Bible and letters behind it and replaced the stone and left the study.