She took out the picture on top and looked at it then handed it to Zeke . She said ...That is a picture of mine and Hosea's family . My father and mother insisted we have it made . It was when we were married . Actually a week before , we had to travel to Davenport Iowa to have it made . We all traveled there in my father's wagon . We ate in restaurants and stayed in a hotel . It was the first time we had ever done something like that . It was a very good time for all of us and I remember how happy we all were . We all kept teasing each other that we were living like rich people ! She was smiling remembering .
Zeke was looking at the picture and he exclaimed ! Look at that ! You look the same now ! You look so pretty in you white dress ! You look now like you just stepped out of the picture ! In the picture her and Hosea stood in the middle with her on his right side , Hosea's father stood by Hosea's side with his hand on Hosea's shoulder and her mother and father stood on the other side by her holding hands . They all were smiling and looked happy .
They all passed the picture around looking at it a long time , she was smiling describing the good time they had and that her mother made her dress .She talked about the wedding at their Methodist church in Muscatine Iowa with their friends and neighbors .She took her time telling the story and she smiled thinking and telling it .
When she stopped talking Wade got up and placed it carefully on the mantle .
Tumbleweeds
Moderators: carlson1, Charles L. Cotton
Re: Tumbleweeds
There was only one more picture in the metal box . It had been placed picture side down on a piece of folded flour sack to keep it from being scratched . She stared at it and closed the box . She looked scared .
Re: Tumbleweeds
The rest of them said nothing but in a minute Zeke said ...Can we see your last picture ma'am ? I would love to see it . She said ...I can't ! Zeke took her hand and said … Lets look at it ma'am , share it with us . She slowly opened the box with her free right hand and took the picture out and gave it to Zeke not looking at it .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Zeke took the picture in his left hand and turned it over . It was a picture of her and Hosea in nice clothes sitting in chairs and between them standing was a beautiful little girl with long brown hair in a blue dress with a white flower print. The little girl was standing between them holding each of their hands . She had a big smile and looked excited . The little girl had strings hanging down the front of her dress and you could see the top of her bonnet behind her shoulders .
Zeke said ...Oh ! Oh GOD ! He turned to her , she was sobbing . He asked ...Is it her ? Is it her ma'am ! She looked down sobbing and shook her head yes .
Zeke stared at the picture a long time . He finally hesitantly handed it to Captain Jack and Wade and Sam on either side studied it without speaking . Captain Jack finally asked ...Is this your daughter ! She shook her head yes . He said ...I knew she is your daughter ! She looks exactly like you ! She is you ! She is beautiful !
Zeke said ...I'm going to get her a drink of water and she will tell us about her little girl , her name is Jenny .
Zeke said ...Oh ! Oh GOD ! He turned to her , she was sobbing . He asked ...Is it her ? Is it her ma'am ! She looked down sobbing and shook her head yes .
Zeke stared at the picture a long time . He finally hesitantly handed it to Captain Jack and Wade and Sam on either side studied it without speaking . Captain Jack finally asked ...Is this your daughter ! She shook her head yes . He said ...I knew she is your daughter ! She looks exactly like you ! She is you ! She is beautiful !
Zeke said ...I'm going to get her a drink of water and she will tell us about her little girl , her name is Jenny .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Zeke got up to get her some water , as he walked by Nate's pallet the blue eyed cow dog pup stood up and growled at him with the fur raised on his back standing between him and Nate . Zeke laughed and said ...Looks like Nate has made a new friend ! He dipped the water into a glass and the dog was still standing there watching Zeke closely .
Zeke brought her the water and a damp flour sack towel . She drank half the glass of water and wiped her face with the damp towel . Wade knew what Zeke was doing . Zeke wanted her to talk and relieve herself of her burden she held in herself . Wade reached across the table and took her hand , he said ...Tell us about Jenny ma'am ! We would all love to hear about her !
Zeke said ...Yes ! Start at the beginning and tell the whole story as you have already told me .She started talking telling her whole story . Captain Jack , Sam , Wade were all quiet and listened . She got to when Jenny got the fever and broke down crying and Zeke urged her on . She said Jenny was perfect , she was so smart and they loved her so much . That Hosea taught her to do figures in her head faster than most could do with pen and paper . He told her stories and prayed with her every night . She said she was showing Jenny how to sew and that Jenny did half the work making the dress in the picture , she said she was such a good girl and she was gone in just a few days !She told her story up to when Zeke came , she admitted she was scared and alone . She knew Hosea was dead because nothing could keep him from them if he were alive .
She spoke of Zeke how he came , how he saved her when she was sick and took care of Nate and the farm and protected them . She said GOD sent him . She said she loved him as her father .
She was not crying at the end , she held the picture and looked longingly at it . She got up and placed it on the mantle in the center of the others . She sat down and said ...They are all gone ...they are just gone .
Wade said ...They are not gone ma'am . They are still with you ! You have their memories that were given and will never be taken away . Now you have Nate , Zeke and us and there will be more . Oh yes , I assure you there will be many more !
Zeke brought her the water and a damp flour sack towel . She drank half the glass of water and wiped her face with the damp towel . Wade knew what Zeke was doing . Zeke wanted her to talk and relieve herself of her burden she held in herself . Wade reached across the table and took her hand , he said ...Tell us about Jenny ma'am ! We would all love to hear about her !
Zeke said ...Yes ! Start at the beginning and tell the whole story as you have already told me .She started talking telling her whole story . Captain Jack , Sam , Wade were all quiet and listened . She got to when Jenny got the fever and broke down crying and Zeke urged her on . She said Jenny was perfect , she was so smart and they loved her so much . That Hosea taught her to do figures in her head faster than most could do with pen and paper . He told her stories and prayed with her every night . She said she was showing Jenny how to sew and that Jenny did half the work making the dress in the picture , she said she was such a good girl and she was gone in just a few days !She told her story up to when Zeke came , she admitted she was scared and alone . She knew Hosea was dead because nothing could keep him from them if he were alive .
She spoke of Zeke how he came , how he saved her when she was sick and took care of Nate and the farm and protected them . She said GOD sent him . She said she loved him as her father .
She was not crying at the end , she held the picture and looked longingly at it . She got up and placed it on the mantle in the center of the others . She sat down and said ...They are all gone ...they are just gone .
Wade said ...They are not gone ma'am . They are still with you ! You have their memories that were given and will never be taken away . Now you have Nate , Zeke and us and there will be more . Oh yes , I assure you there will be many more !
Re: Tumbleweeds
Nate started crying . She said ..I have neglected him , he has not been fed or changed . Zeke said ...I'll take care of it . She said ...NO , I'll do it . She got up and went to the pallet , the pup stood up and growled . She told the pup ...You don't growl at us ! We have to do our job taking care of him too ! The pup back off and sat down watching .
She laid Nate on her bed cleaning him up and changing him . She put a diaper on him and he said ...Mama ! She stood up and looked at Nate with her mouth open then looked at all at the table . They were amazed too ! Zeke just smiled .
She laid Nate on her bed cleaning him up and changing him . She put a diaper on him and he said ...Mama ! She stood up and looked at Nate with her mouth open then looked at all at the table . They were amazed too ! Zeke just smiled .
Re: Tumbleweeds
She looked at Zeke and said ...You taught him to say ..mama ! Zeke said ...Naw , I think he figured it out by himself ! She said … Oh ! You are deceiving ! And you and Nate will be a handful when he gets older ! Zeke laughed and said ...You know what ? I want to see Nate grow , I want to see him learn to walk , feed himself , to ride a horse , to shoot a gun to survive and learn all manner of things . But I want him to learn to talk most of all . I want to hear want is on his mind ma'am . Yep , I want for us to talk together about things . Right now I do all the talkin but soon that will change .
Captain Jack said ...Amen !
Captain Jack said ...Amen !
Re: Tumbleweeds
She said ...It's mid afternoon and I have not fed anyone ! I will fix a big supper but it will be a while . Zeke said ...We have plenty to do ma'am with things they brought back . Wade , Zeke , Sam and Captain Jack left for the shed . Getting there Zeke asked is Hosea in the burlap bags ? Sam answered … He is in two of them . Zeke between the varmints and the weather there is not much of him left , we did the best we could gathering the remains .
They talked . They wanted as nice a funeral as they could have under the terrible circumstances . Zeke asked Wade … Will you say words at the service ? Wade said … YES ! Zeke said ...Sam you and Wade are the best at working with wood , can you build the coffin ? Captain Jack and I will help you just show us what to do . Everyone agreed . Zeke said ...Hosea liked cedar and I think it would make her happy if the coffin were made of it ? They agreed . Wade and Sam set about seeing what kind and how much cedar was back of the shed . Captain Jack and Zeke did the chores , staked out the chickens on a pieces of cord and unpacking the supplies they had brought . The logging operation would be put off a few days .
They talked . They wanted as nice a funeral as they could have under the terrible circumstances . Zeke asked Wade … Will you say words at the service ? Wade said … YES ! Zeke said ...Sam you and Wade are the best at working with wood , can you build the coffin ? Captain Jack and I will help you just show us what to do . Everyone agreed . Zeke said ...Hosea liked cedar and I think it would make her happy if the coffin were made of it ? They agreed . Wade and Sam set about seeing what kind and how much cedar was back of the shed . Captain Jack and Zeke did the chores , staked out the chickens on a pieces of cord and unpacking the supplies they had brought . The logging operation would be put off a few days .
Re: Tumbleweeds
After a bit the blue eyed pup broke out of the house at a dead run and came where the men were working at the shed . He ran all around smelling everything . He barked at the horses in the lot and got them milling in a circle . The black mule laid his ears back and barred his teeth walking at the pup . The pup ran back to the house , guarding Nate seemed safer than tangling with black mules that weren't afraid of you .
Re: Tumbleweeds
There was much to do with Hosea's funeral preparation , they wanted her to have as good a memory as possible . It was the heat of the day , Sam and Wade were splitting cedar logs that were cured out that Hosea himself had cut . They figured and sawed the logs roughly to length for different parts of the coffin . Then split them with axe , adze , wedges and hammer . Then split the short log halves then into boards using a froe and mallet . Then started using a draw knife and jack plane to finish them .
Hosea was obviously smart , he had bought all the basic tools to build almost anything , they bet that he planned on getting a forge . Which they thought he planned on getting later because he certainly wanted to be self-sufficient . He planned well . He came to this place prepared . His work with all he had built was good work , he had done well and it was obvious . They would do no less on his coffin .
Zeke and captain Jack unloaded everything out of the packs in the shed that belonged there . Nails , leather , wire , rope , cord , fishing line and hooks , new hoof knife , files , hinges and all manner of things used on a farm . They separated everything going to the cabin and most they would not take there till the funeral was over .But they carried spices , four half sides of bacon , the red potatoes , onions , a case of canned milk , a fifty pound sack of red beans . Twenty five pound bag of rice , lard and sugar for her to put up . She was making dried venison and dumplings for supper and she was amazed at so many supplies .
Hosea was obviously smart , he had bought all the basic tools to build almost anything , they bet that he planned on getting a forge . Which they thought he planned on getting later because he certainly wanted to be self-sufficient . He planned well . He came to this place prepared . His work with all he had built was good work , he had done well and it was obvious . They would do no less on his coffin .
Zeke and captain Jack unloaded everything out of the packs in the shed that belonged there . Nails , leather , wire , rope , cord , fishing line and hooks , new hoof knife , files , hinges and all manner of things used on a farm . They separated everything going to the cabin and most they would not take there till the funeral was over .But they carried spices , four half sides of bacon , the red potatoes , onions , a case of canned milk , a fifty pound sack of red beans . Twenty five pound bag of rice , lard and sugar for her to put up . She was making dried venison and dumplings for supper and she was amazed at so many supplies .
Re: Tumbleweeds
As they worked together Captian Jack told Zeke ...I opened an account at the store in Elliasville as you wanted , I put twenty dollars on account in yours and her name . Ya'll have twenty dollars credit coming when you need it . Zeke said ...Did you tell them I'm black ? Captain Jack said ...Yes I did ...just as you asked . Zeke said ...Good ! It's better they know up front , lot of white folks don't open accounts for black folks , first time I go in the the store I don't want no trouble . Captain Jack said ...I told them you and her were very good friends of mine and good for anything . Don't worry Zeke the owners seem like good people , I see no trouble there .
Captain Jack said ...We got the outlaw's two horses and the saddle sold in Elliasville , when we go back through going home we will drop them off . We will stay for a few days and help out with whatever you need . Zeke said ...You don't even begin to know how much I thank you and Sam for what you have done for us ! If you hadn't tracked down Hosea's killer she might have never been freed of waiting for him to come back in her life . Although his death is a terrible thing at least she can start anew . Captain Jack just laid his hand on Zeke's shoulder and said ...Ya'll are family Zeke
Captain Jack said ...We got the outlaw's two horses and the saddle sold in Elliasville , when we go back through going home we will drop them off . We will stay for a few days and help out with whatever you need . Zeke said ...You don't even begin to know how much I thank you and Sam for what you have done for us ! If you hadn't tracked down Hosea's killer she might have never been freed of waiting for him to come back in her life . Although his death is a terrible thing at least she can start anew . Captain Jack just laid his hand on Zeke's shoulder and said ...Ya'll are family Zeke
Re: Tumbleweeds
In the cabin she was cooking . She planned on cooking enough to have leftover food for tomorrows lunch . Captain Jack and Sam had been on the trail here bringing all their supplies loading and unloading the packs morning and evening riding miles breaking trail . She knew how blessed she was by GOD having put them in her life . And there was Zeke and Wade ! She sat down and held Nate , the blue heeler pup sat at her side by the bench whining occasionally wanting her to put Nate back on his pallet so he could lay with him .
All the men were working hard at trying to have a nice funeral to bury Hosea for her and she knew it . It was no accident she was surrounded by these good men . GOD had sent them to help her and Nate . In four months since Hosea had left for Eliasville her life was completely changed but still held much promise . She had to be strong for those she loved , Hosea had suffered much but had taken care of those he loved . She would miss him so much .
All the men were working hard at trying to have a nice funeral to bury Hosea for her and she knew it . It was no accident she was surrounded by these good men . GOD had sent them to help her and Nate . In four months since Hosea had left for Eliasville her life was completely changed but still held much promise . She had to be strong for those she loved , Hosea had suffered much but had taken care of those he loved . She would miss him so much .
Re: Tumbleweeds
She walked to the shed , she could hear sawing and planning of wood behind the shed . Zeke and Captain Jack were arranging the shed and splitting slats out of thin rounds . She asked what they were building ? Zeke said ...We are building a chicken coop for your new hens . We will cut a run big enough for them to get through into the livestock pen and build a coop outside against the wall with plenty of room for them to go outside . They will have a small coop inside the shed with a slat door to get out of the weather with a slat roost .
Zeke said ...Go to the east side of the shed , you can see them , we have them staked out to graze ! She walked around to the side of the shed and they were all sitting in a scratched out impression in the dust each had made resting in the shade . They all stood up when she walked up to them and two had an egg under them ! She said ...Oh ! look what you have done ! She picked up the two eggs and told them ... I will take good care of you ! They were really nice fat black and white speckled dominicker hens .
Now she could make REAL cornbread and many other things . Nate had never even tasted an egg ! He would have one for breakfast .
Zeke said ...Go to the east side of the shed , you can see them , we have them staked out to graze ! She walked around to the side of the shed and they were all sitting in a scratched out impression in the dust each had made resting in the shade . They all stood up when she walked up to them and two had an egg under them ! She said ...Oh ! look what you have done ! She picked up the two eggs and told them ... I will take good care of you ! They were really nice fat black and white speckled dominicker hens .
Now she could make REAL cornbread and many other things . Nate had never even tasted an egg ! He would have one for breakfast .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Sam and wade had finished the top and bottom of the coffin using small boards with the frame nailed from the inside using small nails that would not be visible from the outside . They put both together then planed them smooth sharpening the blade on the finish plane often . They mixed the boards as to the color and grain to be as pretty as they could with the purple heart wood of the white boards . Both top and bottom looked very nice . Tomorrow they would make the sides to fit .
Zeke and Captain Jack got the coop built on the inside of the shed . It was big enough with a slat door to be able to get in the coop to feed and gather eggs . It had a tapered slat roost against the back side and they planned on putting a long laying box to the side . Tomorrow they would build the outside of the coop and saw a small door so the hens could go back and forth . They put the hens in the coop . It got them out of the small cage and easier to take care of . Zeke used some whole corn and ground them some meal , they liked that !
She had finished the venison and dumplings , she had made REAL cornbread made with one of the eggs and was taking a big plum pie off the coals she had been constantly checking to brown the top crust by adding coals to the lid of the Dutch oven . The Rangers had been on the trail four days and she wanted to give them a nice meal . All the men were working hard to help her and try to make her happy . She knew it and wanted to do what she could for them .
Nate and the pup were on the pallet . The pup would bump Nate with his nose and Nate would laugh or make noises and wave his arms then when he stopped the pup would bump him again . They were happy . She was already liking the pup .
Zeke and Captain Jack got the coop built on the inside of the shed . It was big enough with a slat door to be able to get in the coop to feed and gather eggs . It had a tapered slat roost against the back side and they planned on putting a long laying box to the side . Tomorrow they would build the outside of the coop and saw a small door so the hens could go back and forth . They put the hens in the coop . It got them out of the small cage and easier to take care of . Zeke used some whole corn and ground them some meal , they liked that !
She had finished the venison and dumplings , she had made REAL cornbread made with one of the eggs and was taking a big plum pie off the coals she had been constantly checking to brown the top crust by adding coals to the lid of the Dutch oven . The Rangers had been on the trail four days and she wanted to give them a nice meal . All the men were working hard to help her and try to make her happy . She knew it and wanted to do what she could for them .
Nate and the pup were on the pallet . The pup would bump Nate with his nose and Nate would laugh or make noises and wave his arms then when he stopped the pup would bump him again . They were happy . She was already liking the pup .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Zeke and Captain Jack went back of the shed to see if they could help with the casket and Wade showed Zeke how to use the two different froes to split boards for the sides and square the boards . Zeke asked again about building a water trough and Wade and Sam said they would build a big trough showing him how when Hosea was buried .
They accomplished a lot in several hours working together . It was July and they were long days , the sun getting low so they went to the cabin .
They accomplished a lot in several hours working together . It was July and they were long days , the sun getting low so they went to the cabin .