Forty Days with Ruth

It is 1898 and Ruth is an adventurous young Texan who stands at just four feet eleven inches tall. Naturally spiritual, she has an intimate relationship with all life forms, but not so much with other humans. After eloping with Riley Welty, a carefree and impulsive man whom she barely knows, she runs away with him across the Red River and into Oklahoma Territory to claim free land, much to the dismay of her family. As Ruth attempts to survive in a lonely place where she knows no one, she faces many trials that affect her physically, emotionally, and spiritually. After her husband sets out on a lengthy hunting trip and leaves her alone in a dugout shelter that is smaller than her bedroom back home, Ruth must rely on the wisdom gathered from scripture and God-inspired family and friends to endure the long days. But as fire ants, hail, and fierce winds wreak havoc on the prairie and in her life, now only time will tell if love will conquer fear and allow Ruth to find the strength within herself to not only survive but thrive on a barren parcel of land. Forty Days with Ruth shares the coming-of-age tale of a young woman’s experiences after she elopes with a dreamer in search of a better life in Oklahoma during the nineteenth century.

Carol Welty Roper is an oral storyteller and writer of historical tales who believes in the power of story as a vehicle to convey important wisdom and knowledge. She also enjoys sprinkling these tales with humor, playfulness, and old family recipes. Carol currently resides in Chugiak, Alaska.