Tumbleweeds

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chuck j
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Re: Tumbleweeds

#406

Post by chuck j »

Wade was heart sick . He had failed . He walked to the cabin and briefly explained to them . She said ...Captain Jack go tell him I want to say goodbye to him and to come here please . Captain Jack said nothing but got his hat and left to tell Ed . She asked Zeke it fetch her something and Zeke fetched it and she asked him and Wade to let her and Ed be alone . They got their hats and left .

Topic author
chuck j
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Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#407

Post by chuck j »

In a bit Ed walked his tall pale horse and tied him to the mesquite tree in the yard . He walked in the cabin and angrily said ...You wished to speak to me ! She said ...Yes , please sit a second with me . Ed did not sit down by the bed he stood , and said ...You will not talk me into staying ! I am leaving ! Nothing you could say would make me stay !

She looked up at him and said ...I know . I'm not going to keep you here Ed but I wanted you to know that I'm glad I met you . I wish we could have talked and gotten to know one another more . Thank you for helping Sam today , we shared that trial together working to help a friend . I haven't even known you a full day but I see the caring in you . I know you have to leave and I think you should . I know there are things happening in your mind that you need to sort out , talk to GOD Ed .

She said ... I can not rise would you bend over to me ? He hesitated and leaned over . She removed his hat and kissed his head holding her face to his said ...I will be praying for you , we will all pray for you . There is a hammer and nail on the table before you leave please put the nail in the wall where the hats are hung . You will always be welcome here Ed , you will have a place to hang your hat . Come back soon .

Ed put on his hat and walked out the door to his horse and rode northeast through the prairie .

Topic author
chuck j
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Re: Tumbleweeds

#408

Post by chuck j »

I'd like to perhaps clear up an event that will take place most likely many times in the story that could be misunderstood in the time we live in . You will read of different characters kissing another on the head . There is nothing sexual about it . It was common in that time to show affection , caring , support , concern , approval to kiss another on the head .


It still is acceptable with children but would be considered socially awkward today . It's only my opinion but it seems sad we have and continue to alienate from one another . Anyway I just wanted to explain why you will read it in the story , I'm sure that without explanation it would seem odd .

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

Re: Tumbleweeds

#409

Post by chuck j »

Zeke , Wade and Captain Jack came in the cabin . They had seen him leave . Zeke said ...Were you able to talk to him ma'am ? She said no but I told him he was a part of us if he wanted to be . Drive that nail next to yours on the wall so that when he comes back it will be there to hang his hat .

She said ...Wade you did not fail . You were honest with him . His anger will burn it's self out . We must keep him in our prayers . Right now we have to help Sam .

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

Re: Tumbleweeds

#410

Post by chuck j »

They all checked Sam and woke him enough to take medicine and water . He drank a whole glass of water slowly . The swelling in his arm was down and they rebound the wrappings to reduce the swelling . They all agreed the fever seemed less but he was still unresponsive to them . The sun was setting and Wade made Zeke sleep in the shed to get some rest .

Topic author
chuck j
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Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#411

Post by chuck j »

Wade spread his blanket at the end of the table to be between her and Sam , he placed the oil lamp on the end of the table close to him with two lucifers in case he needed it in the night . Zeke had fed Nate and the pup and they were asleep . Zeke always amazed Wade by seeing something that needed to be done and he just did it never expecting praise or mention . He only encouraged and always did his best , you knew he would be where he was needed .

Wade would help and show him how to build that water trough he wanted so bad tomorrow

Topic author
chuck j
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Joined: Fri May 17, 2013 12:44 pm

Re: Tumbleweeds

#412

Post by chuck j »

They removed her bandages and though it looked bad it was much better than yesterday . Captain Jack told her it was healing but she could not get up and move around ! They cleaned it ..dried it and put on new bandage , the weeping had slowed a lot . Zeke was relived a lot ! He asked her ...Did you ever make hominy ma'am ? She said ...I have heard of it but people in Iowa don't eat it . Is it good ? He said ...Yes ma'am ! We ate it all the time in Georgia ! We will make some tomorrow ! It will take all day to do it , in Georgia we made huge cast iron pots of it and dried it like beans ...it keeps well ! We don't have a huge pot but we can make quite a bit in your biggest pot .

She was interested and the Captain and Wade said ...Yes ma'am ! Hominy is good eating ! Zeke had gotten her mind off Ed a little bit .

Topic author
chuck j
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Re: Tumbleweeds

#413

Post by chuck j »

They bedded down . Wade checked Sam and the fever was less . He told her ...Sam's fever is lessening ma'am and it's a good thing ! The sun is sinking so lets get some sleep . If I light the lamp I am just checking Sam . It got dark and Wade sat at the table talking to GOD in his mind . He had not been able to help ED and he felt he failed him . He would not sleep so to keep watch on Sam and her . It would be a long night .

Topic author
chuck j
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Re: Tumbleweeds

#414

Post by chuck j »

It was still dark but Wade knew it was near sunup . He kindled a fire from the banked coals and waited for it to burn down . He checked Sam by the light of the fire and lit the lamp carrying to the work counter . He sliced bacon and got the mush ready . The hens were not laying hardly at all so there were few eggs . He made the coffee first to get a cup himself , he was getting tired from staying up all night .

He woke her telling her Zeke and the Captain would be here soon , you could hear them putting the stock on grass and watering . She said ...I am tired of laying here but I know I have to . I will be so glad to get up and do again ! Wade said ...Be patient ma'am it's coming . But you can't aggravate your wound ! You must be still , your going to learn to make hominy today !

She said ...I hope Sam wakes up today , I am worried about him Wade .

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

Re: Tumbleweeds

#415

Post by chuck j »

Zeke and the Captain came in and hung their hats . Wade was cooking bacon . Captain jack asked her ...May I see your wound ma'am ? She said ...Yes and pulled the blanket up . He was on his knees and Zeke loosened the gun belt . They pulled the belt up and removed the bandages . Captain Jack was cleaning the wound with a wet sack , the weeping had built up and he wanted it clean . Zeke and Wade all looked at it . Captain Jack said ...Ma'am it is healing well ! There is little drainage and it looks much better but you must stay still , it wouldn't take much to irritate it . I am so glad it looks so good !


They went to Sam and removed the binding clothes and bandage . The stab wound looked bad and was still draining but the swelling was really down .They bound it with clean sack cloth and replaced the bandage . The wick strip was not trimmed , it was still draining a lot . They roused Sam to drink water but he did not talk to them . Captain Jack was not happy with the way it looked .


They ate breakfast and talked . Captain Jack sat with her , Zeke said ...Nate and me are going to try out our new shotgun ! I figured out where several coveys are in the evening going to water .. Fried quail would sure be good ! Wade and Captain jack agreed . Zeke told Wade to get some sleep that he was going to show her how to make hominy and it would take all day
Last edited by chuck j on Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

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

Re: Tumbleweeds

#416

Post by chuck j »

Wade went to the shed to get some sleep , Captain Jack said ...Well guess I'll work on my project (as he winked at Zeke) . Zeke knew he was going to work on her garden . Zeke said ...OK ! Lets make some hominy ma'am . He got her biggest pot and a worn out flour sack . He got a bucket of wood ash sitting by the fireplace . He got another bucket and tied the sack on top of the bucket letting it sag inside the bucket . He said we need some hardwood ash , all you burn is hardwood so we got plenty . It needs to be fine with no chunks ! So we sift it using this worn out sack . A fine screen is better but this is all we got . He dumped some ash on the top of the old sack and started moving it around ...the fine ash falling through the sack in the bucket . It took a while and they talked while he did it . When he got enough ash he filled the pot half full of water and added six cups of ash then stirred it till it was mixed good then set it on the coals in the fireplace .


Zeke told her ...you use one cup of ash for one cup of corn . The corn will get three times it's size time when we are through so we end up with eighteen cups of hominy . We are going to boil the ash about ten min then add the corn . Now we have dent corn and it will work but white Hickory King is even better . Then we just simmer it all day , the lye in the ash will eat the hard shell off the outside of the corn . Then we rinse it several times to get all the lye out we can . And you got hominy ! You can dry it and use it later just like dried beans .


Zeke added the corn after stirring the ash water good and finished filling the pot saying you had to stir it every once in a while to keep the corn from sticking to the bottom of the pot . He told her a lot of things you could use it in . They talked about it as it simmered .

Topic author
chuck j
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Re: Tumbleweeds

#417

Post by chuck j »

They had talked a good while and Zeke said ...I need to wash clothes , sacks and bandages ma'am . We only had a few white sacks so we are low on bandages . She kind of laughed and said ...Women don't hardly ever buy sacks of flour with white sacks , the print sacks are prettier if your going to sew something ! She said ...after you wash Sam's shirt and I will sew it up where Wade had to cut it getting it off .


Zeke set up everything on the porch to wash laundry and started . He made Sam drink water , it seemed his fever was better but Zeke still kept damp sacks on him . his upper arm had shrunk in size and looked better but was a terrible color of red with red lines running up to his neck . It was defiantly blood poisoning .


Captain Jack came in and him and her talked about finding Zeke's mother and Wade's sister Cynthia but they would say nothing to Zeke or Wade till they knew more . She talked to him about selling the pecans up north , neither one of them knew how to do it so it was it was challenging and a puzzle , it was interesting to discuss . She asked what kind of a project and he smiled and said ...I can't tell you ...it's a surprise ! She said ...All of you are always spoiling me ! You have already given of yourselves too much ! You will never know how much I have apricated what you have done to help us !


She asked ...Do you think Ed will come back ? Captain Jack looked at the floor and said ...Ma'am I'm honestly not expecting it . His family was butchered by outlaws even before I joined the Rangers and Ed never talks about it . He holds it in ma'am and it has made him a killer of the type of men who are animals . The Rangers tried to find him to kill those two outlaws that Sam and I were chasing to kill but you and Zeke did our work . They had called me back because he was no where to be found and those two needed to be put down . I was surprised as heck when he showed up here ! He never goes around people unless he has to . Ed is a strange man with many problems .


She said ...He seemed to be trying to get along in his way until he got angry . I hope he comes back , I think he has been hurting a long time . Captain Jack agreed and they told each other they would pray for him .

Topic author
chuck j
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Re: Tumbleweeds

#418

Post by chuck j »

Captain Jack tended the simmering corn as they talked and kept watch on Sam . Zeke was on the porch doing laundry having a heck of a time trying to get the blood stain out of everything . He scrubbed the heck out of everything . Wade came in to help out and Captain Jack went back to breaking ground in the garden .

Zeke hung his laundry and asked Wade ...Can me and Nate go hunt for a while ? I'll try to get us some meat . Wade said ...Sure , I'll take care of her and Sam ! This evening I'm going to show you how to true a board and we will start that big water trough you have been wanting .

Zeke thanked him , he already had the shotgun loaded and ready so he carried Nate on his shoulder in the shawl leaving and telling Wade to wish him good luck !

Topic author
chuck j
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Re: Tumbleweeds

#419

Post by chuck j »

Zeke had a flour sack with a small rope tied to the corner of each side of the opening of the sack to put any game in it they got and sling it on his shoulder .He headed a little east and then went south to the river . There was a little slew off the river where a lot of quail watered . A cotton tail rabbit jumped up halfway there and he raised the shotgun and fired . The rabbit rolled five feet and lay still . He slung his game bag and put the rabbit in .


He talked to Nate steady as they walked after he reloaded . Nate I hope we get a few quail ! Dang ! I ain't had fried quail in a while ! Now ya know ...there's ducks many times where I gather the cattail shoots . Now you ain't had none but duck is fine eatin ! Specilly with cornbread dressin , now some folks make just bread dressin but it ain't no count compared to cornbread dressin ! Yes sir ! I wouldn't mind stumbling on to a few ducks for supper son . We got us a shotgun now so we just expanded the menu for eatin ! Right now we got a dove or quail load , we are using seven and a half shot and that's pretty light for ducks . And you know what Nate ? We can gather us some squirrels too ! Now squirrel is also good eatin ! But you best boil it a bit before you fry it , if you don't you got to fight it to chew it up . Squirrel and dumplins is dang good ! I like mine with a lot of black pepper in it .

A big covey of quail exploded in front them and Zeke brought the shotgun up firing in the midst of them and several fell . He hurried to where they fell and started picking them up and pulling their heads off putting them in his bag . He took off walking fast after them telling Nate ...We might bust another one or two hunkered down Nate ! Two flew up and Zeke leveled the shotgun and fired ...they both fell !


Zeke was grinning and talking to Nate ...Dang ! We are doin good son ! Seven Quail and a cottontail and just got started ! Your goin be doin the shootin fore long son , I'm lookin forward to that . But till then you pay attention to grandpa Zeke . Yes sir we make a team !

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

Re: Tumbleweeds

#420

Post by chuck j »

Wade and her were talking about making the hominy , Wade said that he had eaten it but never made any . They heard Zeke fire the shotgun twice down close to the river and she laughed and said ...Well I wonder what we will have for supper ! Wade said ...Zeke has been wanting some quail for a good while so I hope he scares some up . Quail are as good as it gets ! She said ...I never had quail , how do you cook them ? Wade mentioned several ways but said frying them was the best way for him and they were better than chicken ! They heard the shotgun boom again and speculated on how many him and Nate would get and laughed .


Zeke and Nate had busted another covey resting in the shade by the slew . They got three on the first shot and Zeke was following the way they flew trying to scare up any stragglers . They got one more and Zeke said to Nate ...Well we got enough quail for supper and a cottontail for breakfast or lunch tomorrow Nate ...I figure we done good ! We better get on back cause Wade is gonna show me how to true a board . I tried on my own to figure it out but failed . He said ...Heck we might as well try to find some Polk greens while we are on the river . So they walked east in the edge of the tree line , it didn't take long to find a patch of Polk . Zeke gathered a good mess and they started for the cabin . It was getting hot and the quail would be hid up in the shade anyway .
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