THE PATHMAKER

THE PATHMAKER

By Tom Smith

Frémont at camp on his expedition. Jessie at home.

1/FRÉMONT

Dear Jessie:

My darling. I realize that to some, a year can be an eternity. But to me, a year is merely 365 more reasons to love you.

2/JESSIE

Dearest John:

It feels much too silly for me to ever call you Charles, although I know that it is what you were called for so many years. When I look at you I don’t see Charles, I see John, John the man and great adventurer, so to me, that is who you will always be.

1/FRÉMONT

Already it has been a month, and I think that 11 more are surely the best and the worst of all things.

2/JESSIE

Father thinks he knows best, and he has proved it consistently in his governmental post. But I like to believe that he too is just a man, and susceptible to being wrong. He thinks I will forget about you, John. But you cannot forget your heart, your soul, your life's breath.

1/FRÉMONT

When I close my eyes at night I see your face. When I open them thinking you are there I see only the stars; yet I know that you are under those same stars and only that thought allows me to sleep.

2/JESSIE

I wish I was not a girl, and able to join you on your journey. To see the world through your eyes! The eyes of a strong and brave man, the eyes of a man able to see beauty in all things. How is it that I have been so blessed as to be looked upon by those same eyes?

1/FRÉMONT

The news is good. We have surveyed the area very quickly and it looks like I'll be with you again shortly.

2/JESSIE

John--

1/FRÉMONT

I miss you with everything I hold precious to me.

2/JESSIE

I miss you with every wonder the earth holds, every fiber of my being, every ounce of love within the heavens.

1/FRÉMONT

Yours dearly and truly.

2/JESSIE

Yours forever.

1/FRÉMONT

John Charles Frémont.

2/JESSIE

Jessie Benton.

************

April, 1851. Jessie gave birth to another son. A month later, while Frémont was in his mines in nearby Monterey, a fire raged, destroying numerous homes, including his own.

1/FRÉMONT

Jessie fled with the children, and our neighbors helped save some of our belongings. When I came back, what was once our neighborhood was now charred earth. Most everything Jessie and I had was gone. And Jessie, sick as she was, with a month-old baby slung across her shoulder, was ripping up charred curtains to make diapers.

2/JESSIE

Let the Lord smile down o'er us.

Let the Lord be found in us.

1/FRÉMONT

We went to France for the first real vacation we ever had. We needed to get out of California for a while. Jessie was brought up a society girl, the daughter of a Senator, part of the Washington elite, and I had given her nothing but worry and hardship. We went in late 1852. We saw Napoleon become emperor. Jessie gave birth to a daughter, Anne Beverly. We stayed almost half a year, until Jessie was called back because of the death of her brother, Randolph, in March.

2/JESSIE

Let us walk together.

Let us face the weather.

1/FRÉMONT

Our little Anne Beverly died four months later.

2/JESSIE

Let us--

...smile...

...down...

...Lord...

1/FRÉMONT

Died in her mother's arms.

2/JESSIE

Let--

Let us--

Little lamb...

1/FRÉMONT

Come little lamb.

Come take my hand.

Let us walk together.

Let us face the weather.

Let the Lord smile down o'er us.

Let the Lord be found in us.

Let the Lord welcome thee

In the palm of His hand.

************

3/JOHN JR.

My father was a great man. He believed in things passionately, he followed his heart, he lead an entire nation to its manifest destiny. The things we take for granted--the railroads and the cities and riches of our nation--these were the dreams my father forged into reality. Every tree, every rock, every mountain stream that has a name owes a small part to how my father lived his life.

We often think of funerals as sad times. I suppose they often are. But I can’t think of my father’s death as the end of a life. Rather, he’s simply forging a new trail for us all--a trail to a promised land. We can’t see him, not because he’s not there, but because he’s just over the crest of the hill, leading the way, setting up camp for all of us, ever the guide. And we are fortunate to follow the footsteps of such a man.

My father’s writing sits proudly on the bookshelves of many Americans today, but the writing he was most proud of was that he kept in a small journal hidden in his desk. I’d like to read you one of his poems, one that was written when he was my age.

I see my life

It is before me, like a long road

But I cannot see where the road dips, or curves, or ends

I try to see how long the road is

But it continues past the horizon

I try to see if the road narrows

But it blends into its surroundings

So I start to walk

Down the road which has no end

And I try to pay attention to what’s ahead

And it’s only when I reach the horizon that I realize

My life was what was on the side of the road

The grass and the trees and the streams and the life

I have walked all the way to the end of the road

And missed the journey

It is an honor to be named John Jr. And I hope each of you here today remembers this about him: that he selflessly gave to both his fellow man and his country; that the spirit which now roams the heavens once roamed this earth for the good of us all; and that as we continue on with our own lives, in the towns which house our schools and churches, that we remember only this: that from the ashes of his campfires have sprung cities.

2/JESSIE VOICES

Singing. As in the Prologue, only softer.

Frémont

Come take my hand.

How is such a man possible?

Frémont

Who forged this land.

...answering the call to leadership...

Let the Lord smile down o'er you.

...enduring hardships...

Let the Lord be found in you.

...months of blinding conditions...

Let the Lord welcome you.

...the greatest explorer, ever.

In the palm of His hand.

John Jr. leads Jessie away.

How is such a man possible?