Laura did not recognize her, but she turned out to be Aunt Ladocia, Pa’s sister. Aunt Docia had come from Wisconsin. Her husband worked for the railroad, and they were heading west. She offered Pa a job managing one of the company stores owned by the railroad. Pa said yes immediately, but Ma made him promise that once they moved to the Dakota Territory, they would finally stay put. Pa sold the farm and left with Docia. Laura and her sisters stayed behind with Ma. With Pa gone, Laura helped in every way she could. She did chores, packed their belongings, and took Mary for long walks. Soon it was time to leave. They would take a railroad trip to Tracy, Minnesota—a first for the girls. The train ride was so exciting. Laura loved every little thing about it. She faithfully described it all to Mary so that Mary could “see” it along with her. Pa met them at the train station in Tracy, which was in the Dakota Territory. He’d been working all summer long, selling goods to the railroad workers from the company store and keeping track of their hours too.
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