Granny was covered up , there was a lot of customers . She got up and went to Granny cooking and said ...Let me help ! Granny looked hard at her and said ...Take them two plates to the table by the door ! If they get smart to you then you tell me ! You don't have to take nothin offen the heathens ! She picked up the plates and set them down on the two men's table . They both thanked her and said ...You are pretty ma'am ! She helped cook and serve . When she came back to serve more plates Granny smiled and said ...I could make a fortune if you worked for me ! These heathens would pay good money just for you to say something to their sorry hides !
Granny caught up and people quit coming in steady . She sat down by her and put her hands on her face gently and said ...Has this fool idiot proposed to you ! She said ...Yes he has , we are trying to find the Methodist preacher ...he is not at the church Ruth . Ruth told them where he lived .
She looked at her and said ...His friends dang near had to pistol whip him to get him to ask you ! Wade put his hands over his face shaking his head no . Ruth told Wade ...You don't deserve her ! She could do better ! You better be good to her ...You hear me ! Zeke was silent ! This woman was an extreme Lucy !
Wade said ...You are right Granny ! She is much more than I deserve ! I am blessed and I'm gonna take good care of her ! Granny said ...DANG RIGHT !
Tumbleweeds
Moderators: carlson1, Charles L. Cotton
Re: Tumbleweeds
When they left to find the preacher Granny came and told her ...Sweetie if this fool don't ever treat you right you tell me ! I'll figure it out for you ! She asked Granny ...Do you have any relatives in Eliasville ? That's where we are going to marry . Granny said ...Yea ! I got a sister there named Lucy ! But we don't get along .
She rolled her eyes up in her head and said ...Oh!
She rolled her eyes up in her head and said ...Oh!
Re: Tumbleweeds
Juan fixed stew with Claud's help supervising and cornbread for supper . They complimented Juan and Claud much ! Juan was happy , he was thinking and talking with Claud during the day them trying to figure things out on the meals . Don said ...Just shows you what we can do when we work together and take care of each other . The bedroom is nearly finished ! The beds are made ! Cattails are cut and drying and many things have gotten done .
Tomorrow Mason , Carlos and me work to finish the bedroom . Joe and Ramon go downriver to make logs . Juan does the cooking and cuts firewood in his extra time . We are making things happen ! When the rest get back they will be amazed at the progress ! I thank all of you for your hard work .
Don bowed his head and said …
Lord help us and be close to us . Thank you for the healing you give Ray and Claud . Be with our friends in Eliasville that much is done and everything works well for them . Help them with the crossing on their return to us and keep them safe . Lord Ed is still out there . Please protect him , take care of him Lord . I have great guilt for letting him go alone Lord , I should be there with him . Bring Ed back to us safe . Thank you for all you have done we do not see and all given which is everything . Amen
They all said Amen except Mason and Joe .
Tomorrow Mason , Carlos and me work to finish the bedroom . Joe and Ramon go downriver to make logs . Juan does the cooking and cuts firewood in his extra time . We are making things happen ! When the rest get back they will be amazed at the progress ! I thank all of you for your hard work .
Don bowed his head and said …
Lord help us and be close to us . Thank you for the healing you give Ray and Claud . Be with our friends in Eliasville that much is done and everything works well for them . Help them with the crossing on their return to us and keep them safe . Lord Ed is still out there . Please protect him , take care of him Lord . I have great guilt for letting him go alone Lord , I should be there with him . Bring Ed back to us safe . Thank you for all you have done we do not see and all given which is everything . Amen
They all said Amen except Mason and Joe .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Ed and the young Ranger rode till the sun was near down and pulled off the road spreading their blankets and taking care of their horses . There was a seep somebody had dug out to make a deep puddle with good green grass around it . Ed sat out the last of the cornbread , tea and cookies with jerky . He took his small lard bucket and put a handful of ground coffee in it for making coffee in the morning and gathered a bit of brush to burn .
Ed laid on his blanket looking at the Milky Way stretched across the West Texa sky thinking .
Ed laid on his blanket looking at the Milky Way stretched across the West Texa sky thinking .
Re: Tumbleweeds
They found where the preacher lived and talked to him . He agreed to leave tomorrow and stay the night at Lucy's house then marry them day after tomorrow in Eliasville . Wade assured him he would cover all his expenses and owe him a huge favor for his trouble . He asked where they could spend the night and the preacher offered to let them stay with him and his wife and they could sleep on the floor ...it was all he had to offer . They could all leave together in the morning !
Wade and Zeke agreed and thanked him . They took care of the stock and enjoyed the rest of the evening with his family .
Wade and Zeke agreed and thanked him . They took care of the stock and enjoyed the rest of the evening with his family .
Re: Tumbleweeds
She asked the preacher if he knew Granny Ruth ? He smiled and said ...Oh yes ! I know Ruth well ...and knew her sister Lucy ! She is something else ! But when someone traveling has no money she feeds them and she helps others all the time . Many dislike her and all are afraid of her .
She asked ...Why do her and Lucy not get along ? The preacher looked at his hands a second and said ...Their father was a violent man and a drunk . He beat them and his wife . When Lucy and Ruth were children he would get drunk and make them fight each other for his entertainment . They grew to hate each over time , it's a terrible thing ma'am . Their father eventually drank himself to death but the family was destroyed .
Lucy married Henry and they build up their freight business . They had three children and Henry took good care of all them . Ruth married and he turned out to be sorry and was mean . They had two children and he disappeared . Ruth said he ran off . There's always been gossip that she might have 'helped' him disappear . She done right by her two children and worked hard getting them grown . Personally I like Ruth .
She asked ...Why do her and Lucy not get along ? The preacher looked at his hands a second and said ...Their father was a violent man and a drunk . He beat them and his wife . When Lucy and Ruth were children he would get drunk and make them fight each other for his entertainment . They grew to hate each over time , it's a terrible thing ma'am . Their father eventually drank himself to death but the family was destroyed .
Lucy married Henry and they build up their freight business . They had three children and Henry took good care of all them . Ruth married and he turned out to be sorry and was mean . They had two children and he disappeared . Ruth said he ran off . There's always been gossip that she might have 'helped' him disappear . She done right by her two children and worked hard getting them grown . Personally I like Ruth .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Wade , Zeke and her had a whole new understanding of Lucy and Ruth . It made them sad . She said ...We go the Granny Ruth's Café in the morning before we leave ! We will eat and I will be working . It's to be done !
Re: Tumbleweeds
Lucy had Steve and the freighters bring their wagons to her house and start loading . All the heavy things like the wood heaters , cookstove and plows went on the bottom of the freight wagon . Simon came and helped , with four men they made a lot of progress . Lucy said the beds went last when they were through with them . They used blankets and quilts to pad the furniture and breakable things . They packed barrels with cookware . utensils and dishes and dry goods .
The barn was full of tools , saddles , harness , livestock equipment . The freight wagon was loaded and had plows lashed to the side of it . Her wagon was also completely full to the top of the sheet bows . She told Simon if the Garcia's wives would scrub the house down and clean up after they left she would pay them . Lucy was trying to figure out how to take her remaining chickens and Simon said ...I think the old man Simmons has a big cage he would sell cheap , we could tie it on the side of your wagon ! Lucy sent him to check and buy it . Lucy would take her other Jersey cow , she was dry but had been bred .
They would stop there . Lucy had more things but they had one more wagon so she would let Wade and Zeke figure what it would carry . She didn't know how much supplies or whatever they had planned to take back . Lucy's house was pretty well cleaned out .
The barn was full of tools , saddles , harness , livestock equipment . The freight wagon was loaded and had plows lashed to the side of it . Her wagon was also completely full to the top of the sheet bows . She told Simon if the Garcia's wives would scrub the house down and clean up after they left she would pay them . Lucy was trying to figure out how to take her remaining chickens and Simon said ...I think the old man Simmons has a big cage he would sell cheap , we could tie it on the side of your wagon ! Lucy sent him to check and buy it . Lucy would take her other Jersey cow , she was dry but had been bred .
They would stop there . Lucy had more things but they had one more wagon so she would let Wade and Zeke figure what it would carry . She didn't know how much supplies or whatever they had planned to take back . Lucy's house was pretty well cleaned out .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Ed got up and made coffee . The young Ranger slept through it . Ed drank coffee till the sun came up and saddled the Comanche horse . He was mounting up when the young Ranger awoke and jumped up trying to gather his rig together . Ed just rode east , the young man hollering for him to wait for him . Ed rode on smiling .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Juan cooked scrambled eggs with buffalo and bacon in them , he made pancakes that were not dry with sugar syrup and butter . They all bragged on him and he still gave Claud the credit . But Claud said ...You done it son ...not me ! I'm just advising ! Everyone went to their jobs .
When Juan finished cleaning up he said ...Ray ! Claud ! How can we hook up the cookstove for Lucy and her ? They all agreed it should be by the work counter out from the wall .
Claud said ...Position the stove then get a plum bob of sorts and mark the ceiling where the stovepipe goes through . Ray agreed and Juan went and got the string and a short ladder . He tied the string to an old carriage bolt and marked where the stovepipe should go through the roof . Then he fetched a brace and bit to drill a center hole marking in for cutting it out from on top of the roof . He got a keyhole saw and the brace and bit climbing on the roof and sawing the stovepipe hole . He put the plates and pipe up and nailed it in .
They had a brand new cookstove ready for her and Lucy ! Juan helped Claud and Ray out on the bench on the porch and they watched him cut a lot of firewood . Don was putting up doors and gun ports , Carlos was cutting the new doorway from the old cabin to the bedroom with Mason helping him . Tomas and Joe were felling and trimming trees downriver . Claud and Ray sat watching wishing they could help build .
When Juan finished cleaning up he said ...Ray ! Claud ! How can we hook up the cookstove for Lucy and her ? They all agreed it should be by the work counter out from the wall .
Claud said ...Position the stove then get a plum bob of sorts and mark the ceiling where the stovepipe goes through . Ray agreed and Juan went and got the string and a short ladder . He tied the string to an old carriage bolt and marked where the stovepipe should go through the roof . Then he fetched a brace and bit to drill a center hole marking in for cutting it out from on top of the roof . He got a keyhole saw and the brace and bit climbing on the roof and sawing the stovepipe hole . He put the plates and pipe up and nailed it in .
They had a brand new cookstove ready for her and Lucy ! Juan helped Claud and Ray out on the bench on the porch and they watched him cut a lot of firewood . Don was putting up doors and gun ports , Carlos was cutting the new doorway from the old cabin to the bedroom with Mason helping him . Tomas and Joe were felling and trimming trees downriver . Claud and Ray sat watching wishing they could help build .
Re: Tumbleweeds
They rode east to Midland . The young Ranger had caught up to Ed after he left him , he followed Ed close behind . Ed motioned him up beside him with his right hand . The young Ranger nudged his horse with his heals and was riding beside Ed . In a while Ed asked him ...Who is GOD ? The young man said ...I don't know ! Ed shook his head in agreement .
In a bit Ed asked ...What was the first thing GOD ever did for you ? The young Ranger getting flustered said ...I DON"T KNOW ! Ed said ...He created you , he gave you life . And he knew you before he put you in your mother to be born .
Ed said ...A good place to start answering ...Who is GOD would be to say ..He created me .
They kept riding east .
In a bit Ed asked ...What was the first thing GOD ever did for you ? The young Ranger getting flustered said ...I DON"T KNOW ! Ed said ...He created you , he gave you life . And he knew you before he put you in your mother to be born .
Ed said ...A good place to start answering ...Who is GOD would be to say ..He created me .
They kept riding east .
Re: Tumbleweeds
They stayed at the preacher's house . He and his wife had two little girls , They had spent the evening just talking and playing with the girls . The preacher and his wife had drawn water and warmed it for them to bathe . She folded her nice dress and bathed putting on her gown she brought . Her , Zeke and Wade slept on pallets in the living room . Before dawn the preacher's wife was up cooking breakfast for her family . Wade had told them they would eat at Granny Ruth's Café .
Zeke , Wade and her got dressed and rode to the Café . It was still early and no one was there , Granny was cooking and getting everything ready . They went in and Wade with Zeke sat down at a table , she went to the kitchen and stared peeling potatoes . Granny stopped and said ...Why are you helping me ! Sit down ! I can do all needs be done ! She laid her knife down and walked in front of Granny shaking her finger at her and said ...NO ! I came to help and I'll see it through ! You don't scare me one bit ! Granny thought and said ..Well..Well You do a good job then !
She said ...Your sister Lucy lives at our ranch now . We all love her and we want to love you too . I want you to write her a nice letter addressed to the Black Mule Ranch in Eliasville ...she will get it . In the meantime she is going to send you a nice letter too . Granny was upset and quiet . She said ...Do you actually hate Lucy ? Granny said ...NO ! But we had hard times when we were children ! She said ...GET OVER IT ! She is your sister and those hard times are something you shared . You tell me you will write her a nice letter right now Ruth ! Granny Ruth was crying and she went over and held her talking to her .
Customers were coming in . She asked ...Do you promise her a nice letter ? Granny shook her head yes . She started waiting on customers and taking orders . It was a busy morning . Wade , Zeke and her ate while she helped and when it slowed down they went to the preacher's house and left with him for Eliasville .
Zeke , Wade and her got dressed and rode to the Café . It was still early and no one was there , Granny was cooking and getting everything ready . They went in and Wade with Zeke sat down at a table , she went to the kitchen and stared peeling potatoes . Granny stopped and said ...Why are you helping me ! Sit down ! I can do all needs be done ! She laid her knife down and walked in front of Granny shaking her finger at her and said ...NO ! I came to help and I'll see it through ! You don't scare me one bit ! Granny thought and said ..Well..Well You do a good job then !
She said ...Your sister Lucy lives at our ranch now . We all love her and we want to love you too . I want you to write her a nice letter addressed to the Black Mule Ranch in Eliasville ...she will get it . In the meantime she is going to send you a nice letter too . Granny was upset and quiet . She said ...Do you actually hate Lucy ? Granny said ...NO ! But we had hard times when we were children ! She said ...GET OVER IT ! She is your sister and those hard times are something you shared . You tell me you will write her a nice letter right now Ruth ! Granny Ruth was crying and she went over and held her talking to her .
Customers were coming in . She asked ...Do you promise her a nice letter ? Granny shook her head yes . She started waiting on customers and taking orders . It was a busy morning . Wade , Zeke and her ate while she helped and when it slowed down they went to the preacher's house and left with him for Eliasville .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Claud got up early moving slow holding his side . He lit the lamp and kindled the fire . Ray woke up and said ...You ought not be up Claud ! Your gonna mess your ribs up ! Claud said ...Nah ! I'm moving too slow to hurt myself Ray . Claud made coffee then him and Ray sat at the table after Claud helped Ray up .
Juan came in and had a fit that Claud and Ray were up building the fire and making coffee . Juan put them to pitting dried plums to put in the pancakes like Lucy and she did . He had gathered the eggs and mixed chopped ham in the scrambled eggs for breakfast . They could hear the stock being put on grass . After the big rain new grass was already high enough for graze .
The men came in and got coffee as Juan finished up , they liked the plum pancakes . During the meal Don lined them all out for the day . The bedroom was finished except for framing the doorway into the bedroom and hanging the door that was already made . It was a really big bedroom but actually it would be Wade and hers whole living area . The old part of the cabin was to be for feeding everyone , tending the sick or wounded , storing supplies or whatever was needed for all .
Don sent all but him and Juan to fell trees . Don said ...I have a feeling more cabins are going to get built quick ! All the Garcia's want to move their families here plus we can start making the livestock shed bigger . It's going to be a barn when we are finished . Winter is coming and we have to have shelter for the stock that's kept up here at the cabins . We need to mow hay too , we don't have near enough to make it through winter .
They all went to work .
Juan came in and had a fit that Claud and Ray were up building the fire and making coffee . Juan put them to pitting dried plums to put in the pancakes like Lucy and she did . He had gathered the eggs and mixed chopped ham in the scrambled eggs for breakfast . They could hear the stock being put on grass . After the big rain new grass was already high enough for graze .
The men came in and got coffee as Juan finished up , they liked the plum pancakes . During the meal Don lined them all out for the day . The bedroom was finished except for framing the doorway into the bedroom and hanging the door that was already made . It was a really big bedroom but actually it would be Wade and hers whole living area . The old part of the cabin was to be for feeding everyone , tending the sick or wounded , storing supplies or whatever was needed for all .
Don sent all but him and Juan to fell trees . Don said ...I have a feeling more cabins are going to get built quick ! All the Garcia's want to move their families here plus we can start making the livestock shed bigger . It's going to be a barn when we are finished . Winter is coming and we have to have shelter for the stock that's kept up here at the cabins . We need to mow hay too , we don't have near enough to make it through winter .
They all went to work .
Re: Tumbleweeds
They were on the road to Eliasville . The preacher had taken his own horse so to ride back after the wedding . They all talked as they rode and time passed quickly . The preacher wanted to give a short sermon before the wedding knowing Eliasville didn't have a full time preacher . Wade and her thought it was a great idea . They would be married tomorrow at midevening in the grove of trees at the meeting house .
They arrived at the Staley's store a few hours before dark . Wade , her and Zeke saw the totally loaded wagons parked beside the store with all manner of things tied on the sides of them . Zeke said ...Lucy has had them busy ! Wade said ...They are full loaded ! I hope it doesn't rain or we have trouble . We would be stuck on the prairie with all this till it dried up .
Zeke took the preacher with him to Lucy's house for the night . Wade and her put their horse and the black mule up feeding them and went in . Blue ran and jumped up on both them excited they were back , he was looking and acting like his old self . Willow Mae said Nate did just fine and she had fun taking care of him . He was a happy baby ! The Staley's were glad they were back and that the preacher had come with them !
The wedding would be tomorrow ...it was finally happening ! The Staley's said they would get the word out tomorrow and guaranteed a large turnout . It would be a busy day .
They arrived at the Staley's store a few hours before dark . Wade , her and Zeke saw the totally loaded wagons parked beside the store with all manner of things tied on the sides of them . Zeke said ...Lucy has had them busy ! Wade said ...They are full loaded ! I hope it doesn't rain or we have trouble . We would be stuck on the prairie with all this till it dried up .
Zeke took the preacher with him to Lucy's house for the night . Wade and her put their horse and the black mule up feeding them and went in . Blue ran and jumped up on both them excited they were back , he was looking and acting like his old self . Willow Mae said Nate did just fine and she had fun taking care of him . He was a happy baby ! The Staley's were glad they were back and that the preacher had come with them !
The wedding would be tomorrow ...it was finally happening ! The Staley's said they would get the word out tomorrow and guaranteed a large turnout . It would be a busy day .
Re: Tumbleweeds
Lucy went to her barn by herself with two flour sacks . She got a shovel she had intentionally left not to be loaded on a wagon . She dug up a spot in the back corner inside the barn till she hit the lard bucket buried there . She got it out and opened it . It was all the money her and Henry had saved back . She counted out five thousand dollars in gold and put it in a doubled sack and left what was left in the bucket that she hid on a rafter . She saddled her horse and rode to the Staley's store .
She carried the flour sack in with her and asked to talk to Wade and her alone . Ed got them and they sat with Lucy in the kitchen . Lucy pushed the sack to them and said ...There is five thousand in gold , I kept nearly two thousand and it's all I need . Wade and her were shocked although she had told them what she planned to do . They asked her to be certain this was what she wanted and she said ...YES ! I trust ya'll and Zeke . I know you will take care of me and mine . I want to be at the ranch to watch and help it grow . Henry is gone home and my kids are gone ..I want a new life !
She carried the flour sack in with her and asked to talk to Wade and her alone . Ed got them and they sat with Lucy in the kitchen . Lucy pushed the sack to them and said ...There is five thousand in gold , I kept nearly two thousand and it's all I need . Wade and her were shocked although she had told them what she planned to do . They asked her to be certain this was what she wanted and she said ...YES ! I trust ya'll and Zeke . I know you will take care of me and mine . I want to be at the ranch to watch and help it grow . Henry is gone home and my kids are gone ..I want a new life !