Free A Dream to Follow by Lauraine Snelling Page B

stench. Half-furled maple leaves fluffed out the stark branches of the trees, and dandelions beamed like tiny suns in the new grass. Azure-winged swallows dipped for mud to build their nests and scooped bugs just above the river’s surface.
    Elizabeth stopped to point out the brilliant pink, rimmed with burgundy, of the flowering crab apple tree that hung over a brick wall. “Dr. Gaskin asked if I would help out in his surgery two days a week because his assistant nurse would like to be home with her children more. And I think Mrs. Gaskin would like to be out in her garden instead of in the office all day. Since I worked there last summer, they are counting on me. The rest of the time I will be helping Father like I usually do. Why?” She breathed in a whiff of sweetness from another flowering shrub.
    “I thought perhaps we might take a trip to New York or perhaps Chicago for the world’s fair. I’d really love to go to Europe, but I know your father would scream the house down at the expense.”
    Elizabeth nodded. She knew he would too. While it took a lot to get her father riled, her mother dipping into the principal of her inheritance was a bone of contention for sure. Just as he refused to allow her to spend her money on the newspaper.
    “Most likely he would. If we went to New York, I could visit one of the hospitals and look into their medical school. But I’ve read so much about the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.” She gave the fair’s title a lilt like a barker at the circus.
    Annabelle glanced at her daughter. “Most medical schools still don’t take women.”
    “I know. But they will someday.”
    “Hmm. We shall see.” Annabelle paused. “I heard Mrs. Andresen and Miss Livia Wahlstein will be speaking at the Columbian Exposition. We could go hear them.”
    “Then Papa would scream the house down.” Elizabeth smiled at her mother. One thing they absolutely agreed on was a woman’s right to vote. “I would love to hear them. I mean, reading their speeches and articles is fine and dandy, but to hear them and see them in person . . . Do you really think we could?”
    “Not only could we, but we will.”
    “When will they be there?”
    “I think in July sometime. I saw an article about them in the Minneapolis Tribune .”
    “Interesting that Father didn’t pick up on an article of such timely import.” Elizabeth glanced sideways at her mother, and the two of them burst into laughter. While Phillip Rogers thoroughly believed in the fourth amendment and would be incensed if ever accused of censoring the news, somehow he managed not to include information with which he heartily disagreed. Or else he gave it a two-inch space on the next to the last page or tucked it in the middle of the obituaries or the ads.
    “I’d really love to see the women’s building, along with the others, of course.” Elizabeth thought of all the advertisements she’d seen and the articles about the beauty of the lakes and the ornate classical architecture and all the works of art. “And the Ferris Wheel. I definitely want to ride on that.”
    Annabelle shuddered. “I’ll watch you from the good solid ground.”
    “Now, Mother, surely you don’t want to miss out on a ride on the Ferris Wheel. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” The daughter laughed at the look of horror on her mother’s face. Besides, she knew her father would love to ride with her.
    “We could go to the symphony there too and shop at Marshall Field’s.” Annabelle took her daughter’s arm. “What a marvelous time we shall have.”
    Elizabeth didn’t mention the one place she wanted most to visit— the hospital for women, run by women, with women doctors treating the patients. She’d been wanting to talk with Dr. Morganstein, the head of the hospital, and this would be her opportunity.

CHAPTER EIGHT

    Blessing, North Dakota
    “We’ll be at the church for quilting, then,” Ingeborg reminded her husband. “Dinner is