Zeke rode as fast as he dared through the prairie grass to the bend in the river . On getting there the cattle were settling down in the trees for the night chewing their cud and drinking at the rivers edge as he rode by them .
He rode on to the last place he had seen Wade in the tree line camping . There was nothing there but the dead campfire and hoofmarks . He had noticed the stirrup leathers were wet on the bay's saddle so swung out and headed to the ford in the river only a little farther west .
Tumbleweeds
Moderators: carlson1, Charles L. Cotton
Re: Tumbleweeds
It wasn't but an hour before dark and little time to find Wade in a lot of country . He cut a trail through the high grass headed east and assumed it was the bay's trail to the cabin . He backtracked it to the ford circling looking for sign on getting there . He found a set of boot tracks coming out on the bank in the mud and headed down river .
The light was failing and the trail through the high grass hard to follow . Then the black mule's ears stood up and he pulled to the right picking up his gait . Zeke saw a spot of blue in the grass ahead .
The light was failing and the trail through the high grass hard to follow . Then the black mule's ears stood up and he pulled to the right picking up his gait . Zeke saw a spot of blue in the grass ahead .
Re: Tumbleweeds
It was Wade . Zeke dismounted and turned him over hoping he was alive . He was but badly bruised and cut up , Zeke laid Wade's bedroll out over the bay's saddle and finally managed to get Wade up over it , he tied him down and started back to the cabin . He went slow not wanting Wade to fall under the bay's belly and causing him to get hurt worse than he already was .
They headed through the dark toward the cabin .
They headed through the dark toward the cabin .
Last edited by chuck j on Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Tumbleweeds
Zeke could see a dim point of light across the sea of grass in the distance . He knew she had set the oil lamp on the porch to guide him home . There was no moon and the stars were hidden by a cloudy sky . He just kept heading toward that light that seemed so far away . The black mule plodded steadily toward that light needing no rein to guide him .
Re: Tumbleweeds
After seemingly forever Zeke drew up to the cabin , a barely dim glow could be seen inside the cabin . He slid off the mule and called to her . She came outside and she helped Zeke get Wade over his shoulder then he carried him in laying him on the bed . She took Wade's shirt off as Zeke started warming a half bucket of water to clean him up . He was cut and bruised pretty bad .
As they worked with Wade Zeke said ...Thank you for putting the lamp on the porch ! I don't think I would have ever been able to find the cabin ...it's pitch black out tonight . She said … I didn't put the lamp on the porch , I have been sitting at the table waiting for you .
Zeke helped her then went to put the mule and bay up . As he lead the black mule he said … We saw the light didn't we ?
As they worked with Wade Zeke said ...Thank you for putting the lamp on the porch ! I don't think I would have ever been able to find the cabin ...it's pitch black out tonight . She said … I didn't put the lamp on the porch , I have been sitting at the table waiting for you .
Zeke helped her then went to put the mule and bay up . As he lead the black mule he said … We saw the light didn't we ?
Re: Tumbleweeds
Wade stayed unresponsive on her bed till morning . They both slept on the floor using a quilt to lay on taking turns staying up to watch him . Zeke roused him at daylight to drink and he went back to sleep . Zeke left her making breakfast as he went to tend to the stock telling her he would be back soon .
She made biscuits and bacon ...they were about out of bacon and she would miss having it . Wade seemed completely worn out and they knew nothing of his state of mind . She would not wake him and let him rest , he had apparently been through an ordeal . When she had taken his shirt off and they cleaned his cuts and bruises she had discovered where he had been shot twice and a huge jagged scar across his back that went deep . Zeke had said it looked like a sword wound .
She knew Zeke would return quickly and looked out to see him trying the black mule under the mesquite . He came in and they quietly ate to not wake Wade .
She made biscuits and bacon ...they were about out of bacon and she would miss having it . Wade seemed completely worn out and they knew nothing of his state of mind . She would not wake him and let him rest , he had apparently been through an ordeal . When she had taken his shirt off and they cleaned his cuts and bruises she had discovered where he had been shot twice and a huge jagged scar across his back that went deep . Zeke had said it looked like a sword wound .
She knew Zeke would return quickly and looked out to see him trying the black mule under the mesquite . He came in and they quietly ate to not wake Wade .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Wade woke up midafternoon struggling to rise . Zeke and her helped him sit on the side of the bed . He was dry heaving and she held the chamber pot for him . He threw up water and specks of old blood . Exhausted he went back to sleep after drinking a glass of water with a half teaspoon of soda stirred in it . He seemed more relieved and rested .
Re: Tumbleweeds
She asked Zeke to get a rabbit to make him some broth when he was able to take some . Zeke picked up the rifle , bag and horn and walked out toward the river . She heard a shot about thirty min later and in a bit he walked in the rabbit cleaned and washed . She cut it up and put it on to simmer . She made crackers with salt in her Dutch oven . When the rabbit was through she skimmed all the fat off the broth .
Re: Tumbleweeds
He awoke before supper and asked for water . She got him a glass and Zeke helped him sit on the edge of the bed . He asked … May I sit at the table ? She looked at Zeke and Zeke helped him stand and sit down at the table . He asked for more water , she gave him half a glass and told him to sip it .
He seemed very weak . He sipped the water a few min and then said ...I must apologize to both of you . I took my anger out on you that I reserved for myself . It overflowed . They both spoke saying no apologies were necessary . He held up his hand and said ...NO! I was wrong and I have been wrong for a long time . Allow me to be sorry for my trespasses and forgive me if you can .
They both listened . He said My name is Wade Mc Laughlin , I am the youngest son of Jacob Mc Laughlin . Zeke said ...The Texas Ranger ! Wade said ...Yes . Zeke said Oh Lordy ! Your father rode with Big Foot Wallace and Jed Sim ! Wade said ...Yes ..he rode with them plus many more .
He seemed very weak . He sipped the water a few min and then said ...I must apologize to both of you . I took my anger out on you that I reserved for myself . It overflowed . They both spoke saying no apologies were necessary . He held up his hand and said ...NO! I was wrong and I have been wrong for a long time . Allow me to be sorry for my trespasses and forgive me if you can .
They both listened . He said My name is Wade Mc Laughlin , I am the youngest son of Jacob Mc Laughlin . Zeke said ...The Texas Ranger ! Wade said ...Yes . Zeke said Oh Lordy ! Your father rode with Big Foot Wallace and Jed Sim ! Wade said ...Yes ..he rode with them plus many more .
Re: Tumbleweeds
He let them digest that news then continued . He said ...It was and is argued how many Indians and outlaws my father killed . I asked him one time and he said he did not know . My two brothers Stephen and Eli and myself have always lived in his light , even my sister Cynthia had a hard time being his daughter , men were afraid of her for nothing more than our fathers reputation . No one talks about him becoming a lay preacher when he retired and being remorseful of many things he had done as a young man . Not many know that .
I was the youngest and he lead me to the ministry , me wanting to please him and convicted I went to a Baptist Seminary in Austin for two years . While I was in Seminary the war broke out and my brothers joined John Bell Hoods Texas Brigade as cavalry officers in 1861 . They with others drove over two thousand Texas mounts to Virginia . I wanted to quit Seminary and join them but My father said the war would be fought for a long time and to stay in Austin . I finished when I was twenty one years old and ordained then enlisted in the Texas Brigade with my brothers .
I was the youngest and he lead me to the ministry , me wanting to please him and convicted I went to a Baptist Seminary in Austin for two years . While I was in Seminary the war broke out and my brothers joined John Bell Hoods Texas Brigade as cavalry officers in 1861 . They with others drove over two thousand Texas mounts to Virginia . I wanted to quit Seminary and join them but My father said the war would be fought for a long time and to stay in Austin . I finished when I was twenty one years old and ordained then enlisted in the Texas Brigade with my brothers .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Wade said ...That horse of mine is deceptively old , I raised him on our ranch on the Agua Frio River down near Uvalde , my father raised horses and some cattle but horses were his first love . My old horse's name is Bud And I lead with him for four years . During the battle of Brandy Station My brother Eli and myself lead the cavalry on cavalry battle with the Union forces in the center . We only carried sabers and it was a bloody day watching men fall screaming to be trampled , there was no glory in it . Bud took two balls from the breastworks and a saber wound in the flank , I killed and maimed many that day falling prey to a bad saber wound and a ball in my side . Bud stood over me and I held a stirrup and he drug me from the field . I owe my life to him much more than once , he has always been the smarter of the two of us . Without knowing the story I'm positive he saved my life this time also .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Our boys fought so valiantly with so little to do it with midway through the war , they went hungry for days and never whined . Many were shooting creek stones at the end lead being impossible to come by . Their were many barefoot and used bible pages for patching in their guns . Our horses were gaunt , the livestock grain went to feed the men . But they fought .
At the end more died of malnutrition and fevers than enemy fire . There was no medical care , there were no supplies , there was no food . But each time I lead them they fought . They died for me as much as any other reason .
At the last battle of Atlanta my brothers and I were to lead a pincer movement around the right Union flank and in the night the breastworks were refortified and union infantrymen with Henrys positioned . Mine and my brothers troops dissolved around me before the fire we received that morning . My troop was non existent , my brothers lay dead or dying on the field .
At the end of the war when we were defeated I stayed from guilt to help the wounded , to find ways home for men with no legs . To beg the yankees to help by giving medicines , blankets and bandages and bury the valiant dead in unmarked graves .
At the end more died of malnutrition and fevers than enemy fire . There was no medical care , there were no supplies , there was no food . But each time I lead them they fought . They died for me as much as any other reason .
At the last battle of Atlanta my brothers and I were to lead a pincer movement around the right Union flank and in the night the breastworks were refortified and union infantrymen with Henrys positioned . Mine and my brothers troops dissolved around me before the fire we received that morning . My troop was non existent , my brothers lay dead or dying on the field .
At the end of the war when we were defeated I stayed from guilt to help the wounded , to find ways home for men with no legs . To beg the yankees to help by giving medicines , blankets and bandages and bury the valiant dead in unmarked graves .
Re: Tumbleweeds
He sipped on his water and said to her ...Ma'am I can't help myself from asking but might I have a cup of coffee ? She thought and said ...You were have trouble holding water down , I will make some but it's not wise . How about some tea ? He agreed and thanked her . She got up to heat the water .
He continued ...I stayed in Atlanta for a year after the war was over . I received a letter from my sister that my father had died after hearing my brothers were dead . And that she was selling the ranch , she said she wanted nothing to do with me because I might have given our father some relief from coming home and had put all the responsibility on her . Half the money was deposited in a bank in my name in Austin .
I hated hearing our home was gone and my sister hated me enough she wouldn't even see me . Last I heard she married a carpetbagger who took her money and left her with two children penniless . Our mother had died when we were children so had no family left .
He continued ...I stayed in Atlanta for a year after the war was over . I received a letter from my sister that my father had died after hearing my brothers were dead . And that she was selling the ranch , she said she wanted nothing to do with me because I might have given our father some relief from coming home and had put all the responsibility on her . Half the money was deposited in a bank in my name in Austin .
I hated hearing our home was gone and my sister hated me enough she wouldn't even see me . Last I heard she married a carpetbagger who took her money and left her with two children penniless . Our mother had died when we were children so had no family left .
Re: Tumbleweeds
In Atlanta I watched civilians starving with no relief . The women bore the brunt of the work black and white to keep their families alive . The men had no work and women cooked soup of old leather to feed their children . The country was stripped and the once proud were beggars .
As I said ..I stayed a year , I slept on the ground and struggled to eat myself . I had in the beginning such vain glorious ideals and left that country on Bud with the clothes on my back and my sword . Quickly trading the sword for a poor meal of cabbage and privilege to sleep in a shed . Bud and I were both used up and Texas was far away .
As I said ..I stayed a year , I slept on the ground and struggled to eat myself . I had in the beginning such vain glorious ideals and left that country on Bud with the clothes on my back and my sword . Quickly trading the sword for a poor meal of cabbage and privilege to sleep in a shed . Bud and I were both used up and Texas was far away .
Re: Tumbleweeds
I explored the area northeast of here when I returned back . The reason it was not settled was because there was no water . I discovered two spring fed creeks and bought from the state eight hundred acres around them . I went to South Texas and bought five hundred head of longhorn cows hiring men to help drive them and stay to build a ranch on the plains . I would be closer to the railheads in Kansas where top dollar was paid .
It all sounded workable till three years ago there was little rain and the springs dried up feeding the creeks on my place . The outlaws out of Indian Territory up north drove off most of the cattle and the rest just drifted away in search of water . I had this last handful of cows to sell and is the reason I showed up here headed to Fort Graham to sell them .
It all sounded workable till three years ago there was little rain and the springs dried up feeding the creeks on my place . The outlaws out of Indian Territory up north drove off most of the cattle and the rest just drifted away in search of water . I had this last handful of cows to sell and is the reason I showed up here headed to Fort Graham to sell them .