The Pioneer Woman’s Story

In part four, The Pioneer Woman's Story, Jim returns home to Black Hawk, Nebraska on his summer vacation from Harvard. He is going back to Black Hawk before he finishes Law school. On his way back, Frances, Sally, and Mrs. Harling greet him, and the Harlings and Jim's grandparents throw a gathering in his grandmother's parlor. There, they talk of many things, including Frances's wedding and business, Jim's experiences at college, and the well being of his grandparents. On his walk home with Frances, Jim and Frances talk of a subject that has been bothering Jim all day, Antonia. Frances tells Jim that Antonia never married Larry Donovan and is living with her mother on the Shimerda farm. She has a little baby girl and hardly ever comes into town anymore. Jim feels sorry for Antonia and makes up her mind to go see her some day. Frances also tells Jim the story of Tiny Soderball. Tiny moved away from Black Hawk with a family to go mine gold. There the family encountered thousands of homeless men, and the family started to cook for them. Pretty soon, they set up a hotel service and Tiny was in charge of the business. As it grew, Tiny received some cash and went off to invest in it. When she came back, she had quite a fortune. She moved out to San Francisco where she started her own business and later persuaded Lena to join her. Mrs. Harling told Jim that if he really wanted to know the whole story behind Antonia, he should see Widow Steavens. Jim visited her, and she told him the entire story. She told him that Antonia and Larry were to be wed, and as Antonia was getting ready, Larry sent her letters from his train trips. He told her that he might get stationed in Denver, and she was not happy about that, but she was still ready. Then he told he was stationed there and that she needed to move up there with him. She packed her stuff in three trunks and left for Denver. There Larry said he had no job, rather he had been fired and blacklisted. He used her money, did not search for work, and eventually left and did not come back. Antonia was devastated, came back to her family, and worked on the farm like a man. She had her baby, and Widow Steavens came to help her. The baby was nearly two years old now, and doing fine. Jim goes out to meet Antonia and they catch up. Jim says he is leaving but will come back for Antonia and that he thinks of her every day.