Tumbleweeds

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Topic author
chuck j
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Re: Tumbleweeds

#931

Post by chuck j »

Come evening Don , Steve , Tom , Greg and Carl ate with the Staley's . Hearing how Zeke had been treated at the café they would just have jerky before eating there . There was much talk and exchange of information as was usual . Don told of Ed and Lucy getting married . The Staleys nearly went crazy . Mrs Staley said ...HEAVENS ! Lucy Burnet married Ed Rawlins ! OH my Lord ! Our Lucy married him ! Ed said … I can't believe it ! Your ranch is a different place , unbelievable things happen there ! I don't think you folks see the work that is taking place there !


Don , Tom , Steve , Greg and Carl just were quiet and looked at each other . Lucy and Ed getting married seemed natural to them . But they were separated from the world at the ranch in most things .

Topic author
chuck j
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Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#932

Post by chuck j »

Come evening Don , Steve , Tom , Greg and Carl ate with the Staley's . Hearing how Zeke had been treated at the café they would just have jerky before eating there . There was much talk and exchange of information as was usual . Don told of Ed and Lucy getting married . The Staleys nearly went crazy . Mrs Staley said ...HEAVENS ! Lucy Burnet married Ed Rawlins ! OH my Lord ! Our Lucy married him ! Ed said … I can't believe it ! Your ranch is a different place , unbelievable things happen there ! I don't think you folks see the work that is taking place there !


Don , Tom , Steve , Greg and Carl just were quiet and looked at each other . Lucy and Ed getting married seemed natural to them . But they were separated from the world at the ranch in many things . They considered being away from the ranch they were in more danger than with others that cared for them .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#933

Post by chuck j »

Katy told Zeke to take one of the beds from the bunkhouse to his and Willow Mae's cabin so they could both have a bed and him not to sleep on the floor . Him and Willow were enjoying being together after being separated so long . Zeke told Willow Mae ...Mama ! Wade is a real preacher , he can baptize you mama ! He already baptized me , all you got to do is ask him ! It will be too cold to go to the river and do it fore long .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#934

Post by chuck j »

Don waited till the sun was coming up to go down for breakfast . They had all stayed up by lamplight after supper and talked having a good time with the Staleys . John , Steve , Carl and Greg were still getting dressed . Don stepped out and shut the door gently and took a few steps to the landing to go downstairs to breakfast .

He heard someone say downstairs in the store … Put all your money in the bag ! Do it now or I kill you ! Don looked around the corner going downstairs and a man with a bandana over his face was holding a pistol on Ed behind the counter ! Another man with a bandana had a burlap sack going down the shelves in the store throwing things in it to steal . Ed Was behind the counter with his hands up , Ed reach down to the cash drawer and started laying money on top of the counter .

All at once Ed fell behind the counter on the floor grabbing a sawed off double barrel twelve gage . Don broke around the corner running down the stairs firing at the man that had been waiting for the money ! Don hit him once and then a shotgun blast blew a hole through the counter and the robber went down ! The other man with the sack dropped it and had his gun out firing at Don , Don put two balls in him and he was going down . Ed came up over the counter and fired the second barrel at ten feet from him and blew him into a shelf knocking it over .


Ed dropped the double barrel on the counter , reached under the counter and had an 1860 Army Colt . Don was at the bottom of the stairs . Mrs Staley burst out of the door to the kitchen with an 1858 Remington revolver held up running into the store . Greg , John and Carl came down the stairs running with their guns , they were half dressed .


Both robbers were dead on the floor .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#935

Post by chuck j »

People came running in from the café with guns drawn . Don went outside , the robbers horses were tied at the rail in front of the store . He went back in and everybody was looking at the dead men on the floor . Don asked if anyone knew them but everyone shook their heads no .

Things settled down and Don got Greg and John to help him tie the bodies on their horses . Being this close to headquarters he would haul them to Fort Graham and see if they could be identified . Don ate breakfast , Ed and Mrs Staley told him and the others how much they apricated them ! Don left for headquarters leaving the others to finish the loading of the wagons to leave day after tomorrow . He wanted to get back to the ranch as quick as possible . He rode east leading the two outlaw horses with their previous owners tied to them .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#936

Post by chuck j »

The East Texas Rangers left . They had a lot of food to take with them . There were many handshake and well wishes . Wade lead prayer for their safe return home to their families . All the ladies hugged them and cried . Wade told all of them they were always welcome here at the Black Mule Ranch . It was sad to watch them ride east down the river .


Wade and Katy were sitting in the cabin at the table talking about the ranch . Joy ,Tomas and Carlos were at the hay field finishing up rowing hay with Zeke . Ed was working on boards while Willow Mae and Lucy did laundry on the porch .


And then the black mule brayed !

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#937

Post by chuck j »

Wade and Katy jumped up and went out on the porch . There were three riders coming at a lope from the river bottom . Lucy grabbed her and Willow Mae a rifle from the extras in the corner . Katy's Henry was already by the gun port with a box off cartridges . Wade took off for the shed to get his 1873 Winchester and Ed ran in the shed with him for his Henry . Katy came in and laid three Colts on the table for anyone that needed them .

Wade and Ed put distance between themselves in the front yard waiting . The riders never slowed . Wade held his hand up for them to stop about forty yards out , Ed shouldered his rifle aiming at them ! They pulled their horses up short and stopped !

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#938

Post by chuck j »

The riders stood there on their horses . Wade looked at Ed and motioned for one to come . They talked and finally one walked his horse in . Wade stopped him with his hand up at twenty yards . Wade said ...What do you want ! The rider was a young man and said ...Is this the Black Mule Ranch ? Wade said ...It is ! What do you want !

The young man said ...We are new Ranger recruits , Captain Tom in Fort Graham sent us here . We are to be trained here ...he said . Wade looked at Ed and Ed lowered his rifle . Wade waved the other two in . When they got there Wade said ...All of you nearly got yourself shot ! You NEVER ride hard up to anyone out here ! You will be taken as a threat and killed . Ed said out loud ...Fools ! Young fools !

Wade said ...I am captain Wade Mclellan ! You will go with this man ...he is Ed Rawlins ! He will show you where to sleep . If you give him any mouth or trouble you answer to me ! You have all made a bad first impression on us here ! I suggest you do as told or I'll send you straight back to Fort Graham ! Pay attention to Ed Rawlins , do what he tells you do !


Ed started walking to he shed and they followed him .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#939

Post by chuck j »

Don reached Fort Graham midevening , he rode straight to headquarters . People stopped watching him as he lead two horses with dead men on them . On reaching headquarters he went in and talked to Captain Tom , describing all that had happened . Captain Tom and a few that were there helped unload the bodies and looked at them . Captain Tom wrote out a description and would send it out trying to find out who they were .

Don delivered all Wade had given him and told all that had happened with the East Texas Rangers and Ed Rawlins . Don requested to keep the dead men's horses to replace the two sorry remounts they had given the East Texas Rangers to get home . Captain Tom seemed impressed with all that was happening at the ranch . Claud and Ray with them gong home , Ed Rawlins making it back to the ranch bringing Joy . He read Wade's request that Don be permanently be stationed there and agreed with it in the moment .

Captain Tom was asking Don's opinions on things and treating him as an equal ! Don was surprised ! Tom gave Don a lot of letters to take to Wade , he told Don he had sent three recruits to the ranch . He told Don about the fight in the canyon , the Comanche were crushed . Quanah Parker was still out there with his band of Comanche but they would not last long . The Comanche trouble was at an end but there would still be small bands come down out of the Nations for a while longer .

They talked a long time . Don told him he was leaving early in the morning , he needed to get back to the ranch . Captain Tom shook his hand and told Don he had come a long way in a short while . Don put up the outlaw horses in the pens and rode to Granny Ruth's for supper .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#940

Post by chuck j »

Don got to Granny Ruth's café . There weren't many left eating . it was near dark . A young girl was helping her and took his order for enchiladas , beans and rice . Directly Granny saw him and let the girl take over the cooking . She walked straight to Don's table and sat down . She said ...You live at that ranch on the Brazos where that tall fool cowboy Ranger is don't you ! Don drawed up and said ...Yes ma'am ! Granny asked ...Did he end up marrying that nice girl ! Don said ...Yes ma'am ! They are back at the ranch ..married . She asked ...Is Lucy Burnett living there ? Don said ...Yes ma'am !

Granny looked Don up and down and said ...You see that girl that's helpin me ! Don was nervous and said ...Yes ma'am ! Granny said ...She's bout your age ! She's got a baby ! Her husband was a no count and got his self shot for threating the wrong man in a card game ! She's a nice girl ! You want to meet her ?


Don didn't know what to do ! He didn't want to make Granny mad so he said ...ughh ..well..I ..I guess so ! Granny stood up and stared at him saying ...She is a good girl ! You will treat her such ...You hear me ! Don said ...Yes ma'am ! Granny went and talked to the girl who was cooking , the girl cut her eyes looking at Don . She was arguing with Granny . Don just wanted out of there !

The girl came over and sat down looking uncomfortable . Don felt sorry for her and introduced himself . She said ...My name is Cindy . They started talking , Don asked about her baby and by time for him to go they were enjoying each other . Granny came and told her to start cleaning up and she left . Granny said to Don ...You consider that girl ! She is a good girl ! You owe me nothing for supper . She will be here in the morning . Don said ...I leave back to the ranch after breakfast . Granny leaned over the table and looked him in the eyes and said ...You consider that girl !


Don left thinking .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#941

Post by chuck j »

The new Rangers were required to do nothing the day they arrived . They had been traveling for four days , they admitted to getting 'lost' twice .

The next morning Ed woke them up and told them to stake the horses out to graze and carry water to the cabin . They were not happy about it . Zeke was still plowing with the go devil , after breakfast the new Rangers were split up . One started snaking logs to the cabin building with Joy . One was put working with Wade , Ed and Carlos and the other put washing dishes and clothes with the women .


Ed told them ...You will do more than your share ! You will help everyone here regardless who they are or what the need . You will learn to work with others to get things done . Your job is to take care of those you work with rather than yourself and they will take care of you !

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#942

Post by chuck j »

Katy and Lucy were hanging laundry on the clothesline out back that the new Ranger had washed . Rosa was carrying Nate running around making Blue and Lucy's black dog chase them .

Joy and one of the new young Rangers had been bringing logs from downriver , Joy was using a Comanche horse and the young new Ranger was using the black mule . They were watering them at the trough , Katy was watching and hanging clothes .

The young Ranger jerked the black mules head up hard from the trough and the black mule spooked wheeling around nearly knocking the young Ranger down . He grabbed the mules reins and started kicking the mule in the belly cussing him . Lucy saw it too , they both started running to the pens hollering . Rosa was scared and ran to get Wade working on the cabins !


Katy got there first and grabbed the mule's reins from him and dropped them on the ground . She said ...YOU KICKED MY MULE ! She was mad ! She kept walking the young Ranger backwards with her fists clinched saying YOU KICKED MY MULE ! Lucy didn't know what to do ! No one had ever seen her mad before !

Wade followed by Rosa ran around the corner of the shed and he saw what was happening . Katy looked like she was going to jump on the stupid young Ranger ! Her eyes were slits , her fists were clinched and she was shaking with rage ! The young Ranger was scared and apologizing ...saying he was sorry with his arms out to hold her off !

Wade jumped between them and held Katy telling her to calm down She looked at Wade and said ...He kicked my mule ! Nobody will hurt my mule ! My mule served him well and he hurt him ! Zeke and Ed ran up , Zeke started talking her down but she was mad ! No one had ever seen her mad and they didn't know what to do .

Ed stepped up and loudly said to the young Ranger ...You need to apologize to that mule ! You need to tell him you acted like a child and ask his forgiveness ...NOW ! Everyone was there now watching . The young Ranger said ...I can't apologize to a mule ! Ed said to Wade and Zeke ...Let Katy go then , he would rather fight her than apologize for his foolishness !


The young Ranger couldn't win either way ! He was despite , Katy was Captain Wade's wife ! He said ...I'll apologize to the mule ! Ed said ...Make sure it's heart felt and sincere then and beg that mule to forgive you !

He started asking the mule to forgive him and everyone started laughing . Ed said ...The mule ain't convinced your really sorry ! Say it again ! Even Katy started smiling .

Ed finally told the Ranger ...The mule is thinking about it , he will let you know his decision later ! They all went back to work . Ed told the Ranger to put his own horse in harness and use him because the mule was upset right now . He was made a fool of , he also started watching what he said and did .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#943

Post by chuck j »

Don got up and dressed in the Ranger bunkhouse . He saddled all three horses , they needed the saddles of the dead outlaws at the ranch . He started to ride past Granny Ruth's but he didn't want to make her mad and he enjoyed talking to Cindy . Granny was right ...she was a nice girl !

He went in and sat down . Granny and Cindy were getting ready cooking big pans of food . Granny saw him and she told Cindy to sit with him . They talked a long time .


Granny didn't even ask Don what he wanted , she just brought him and Cindy a plate with fried eggs , bacon and fried potatoes with coffee . They talked and enjoyed breakfast together . Don told her about the ranch .


In a while Granny came over and said ...Well ! Are ya'll gonna get married ! Don locked up and couldn't talk ! Cindys face turned red and she said … We don't even know each other good Granny , we can't just get married ! Granny said looking at Don ...You are leading two horses back empty ! That Ranger Captain at the ranch is a preacher ! Why can't ya'll just go to the ranch and get to know each other !


Cindy said … I have a baby ! I can't just ride off with a man I met yesterday Granny ! Granny leaned on the table in Don's face and said ...you would take care of her and her baby ..wouldn't you ! Don said ..Well I ..yea ..but this is crazy ! I can't just ask her to go with me , it might not work out !


Granny said ...but you will take care of her and if it don't work out you will bring her back to me ? Don said ...well sure I'd take care of her and her baby but …. Granny said ...Then shut up and she will get her things ! Cindy go get your clothes ! Cindy looked scared and got up leaving .


Granny told Don ...You care for her and her baby ! Don't you let anything happen to them ! If you need then you bring her back here . She's a nice girl ! I'm givin you a great opportunity here .

Don said ...Yes ma'am !

Cindy came from the back room . She had two flour sacks of things and her baby , she had a pretty baby . Her and Don tied her things on a horse . She mounted and Don handed her the baby . Don mounted and they rode out of Fort Graham .

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#944

Post by chuck j »

Don and Cindy had rode about five miles from Fort Graham . She said nothing following him with her baby . Don looked back and she was crying . He dropped back quick and asked what was wrong . He said ...I will not let anything bad happen to you and your baby ! You are safe , the ranch is a beautiful place on The Brazos River ! Everyone will love you there , you will like it there believe me ! I didn't understand the people there caring so much about each other and taking care of one another but I do now . And it is good place for your baby , we already have one baby ! His name is Nate , he belongs to Katy and Wade .


Wade kept talking and she started asking questions and quit crying . Cindy said ...Your a nice person Don . Thank you for trying to help us . Don said ...Heck ! Your nice too Cindy !


They talked as they rode to Eliasville .


Don was worried . He had taken on the responsibility for this girl and her baby ..it had come out of no where ! He didn't want to fail because if he did they would suffer . Don prayed in his mind for help and guidance . He had promised Granny he would protect and take care of them . This was a totally different responsibility than he had ever experienced . He needed God's help !

Topic author
chuck j
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 973
Posts: 1983
Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#945

Post by chuck j »

The walls were up on the new cabins . Beams were being hewed and fitted for the roof . The floors were half done , Carlos and Tomas were working on them . Katy was on the plane smoothing boards . Wade was teaching Joy how to rive boards and rough true them to save time with the plane . Joy was a quick learner , he didn't hesitate to ask questions . The new Rangers were bringing in logs and doing grunt work , their attitudes had changed a lot after Katy got mad !

Rosa came running to the new cabins saying ..Look ! Look ! She showed everyone a sheet of paper that she had written her name on . She said ...Mrs Lucy showed me how to write my name ! Her , Willow Mae and Katy are going to teach all of the children to write and read when they get here ! They all bragged on her and she ran back to get Lucy and Willow Mae to show her more .

Katy asked Carlos and Tomas ...Can your children speak English ? They both said ...A little , it is our fault for not teaching them . We all need to just speak English at home more ! Katy agreed and said … They also need to read and write ! They agreed with her and thanked her .
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