YES! A GREAT business location
Story Grace, Mercy and Blessings
- Thread starter PacNorWest
- Start date
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#8
Abby rode back into the clan's camp, quietly and not advertising her return. She walked over to sit and talk with Clora and Mark. Thanking her hosts for the cup of coffee, Abby explained her interest in a new job and new direction for her life.
Mark was listening but preferred to leave the 'lady' problems, as he called them, to Clora. Clora was nodding agreeably to whatever Abby was saying and leaned toward the younger woman to say a few low words.
Abby got a real surprised look on her face and shook her head negatively, then a stubborn look took over her face. Whatever she said to Clora had the older woman slowly nodding her assent.
Jerry was watching from the shadows across the campfire circle. He had been acutely aware that Abby had left the camp, been gone a considerable amount of time, and then returned to sit and talk with Clora.
That Clora was agreeing to something Abby said, didn't escape his notice. Abby leaned back with a determined but satisfied expression on her face. It wasn't long before the carrot topped woman yawned a big yawn, and had to shake herself to stay awake.
"Goodnight Clora, thanks for the warning but I don't think it is necessary, but I will be very careful. I just can't stay here any longer. I don't want to live my life this way, and I'm going to change my outlook with new opportunities. Carol is looking for a hard worker that might eventually be interested in buying the Inn. Right now, that is me," Abby was decisive.
Seamus and Phoebe hitched the hospital wagon to a team and slowly moved the now squeaky clean Dr. Bruce to the clinic. All the men showed up to move the noticeably thinner Bruce from the wagon to the clinic ward.
Trish had quickly cleaned the bed and surrounding area, and Bruce groaned hard when he was transferred to the bed. There were a couple of new spots of bright red blood, but as Trish was watching, the droplets congealed and coagulated.
"Praise the Lord," she said softly, "Bruce's body is starting to heal itself. The honey is keeping the infection down, and his fever has dropped considerably."
Even though the clan hadn't tendered for the buildings as of yet, the group of men unloaded the hospital wagon into the clinic and went back for the wagon full of household goods. The women cleaned, and the men brought in the boxes and armfuls of clothes and personal goods.
Mark wasn't happy that the members were doing work on a Sunday, but everyman there was anxious to get the doctors settled so the real work of settling in their own places could begin the next morning.
Trish was so thankful, she profusely thanked each person and they pretended not to notice the tears in her eyes. The young boys clattered and stomped through the house, each boys claiming the room they favored.
Seamus and Phoebe and boys stayed to help Trish get Bruce settled and the kitchen cleaned enough for supper to be started in the wood stove. Sitting in a straight backed kitchen chair was a luxury, the ladies enjoyed with a cup of tea.
Punky and Max were constantly with Calvin, and more than once Phoebe had looked at the large sized Scot and arched her eyebrow at the closeness the boys were displaying. Seamus had looked at his darling Phebes and slowly nodded his head, there was no denying his sweetness anything she wanted. And, it seemed she wanted Punky and Max. If so, so be it; Seamus decided.
Tess and her boys eventually showed back in camp, smiling and at great peace between them. The triplets were more grownup acting and Tess managed the supper and bedtime with a serene smile and calm personality. The harsh friction between the small family was gone.
"I've found our place," Tess informed Clora, when she came for a last cup of coffee. "The boys and I will start moving in tomorrow. "It's unbelievable, but there are all sorts of boys clothes stashed around in that house. I won't have to worry about clothes for the kids for a long time.
Ma," Tess hesitated, "for those children to be gone from that house and their clothes to be there, that has to mean they weren't saved souls, doesn't it?"
Clora could only nod her assent. "I'm afraid so," her voice was just above a whisper. "How a parent could do that to a child or children that they loved, I can't comprehend. Some of the children might have been younger than the age of accountability, but still...…………" her voice trailed off, and Clora had to blow her nose as she was filled with emotion.
"I won't chance that with my boys," Tess was adamant. "I am working hard to raise them proper. I'm still furious with Ben, that he squandered away being a father to the boys; and I guess I am more than half mad at myself for being so gullible as to miss the signs that he had strayed from God's word. Ma," Tess's voice raised in frustration, "he was a minister, I never had a clue that he wasn't immersed in the word."
"Tess," Clora said slowly, "Ministers are human. They have every problem that any man has anywhere. People do hold ministers to a higher standard, the same as lawmen, teachers, judges and any person that has to pass judgement over other people. It's very unfortunate that Ben faltered and failed. My heart hurts that it happened to you and the boys and it gives you an enormous task ahead. We have confidence in you Tess, you have the ability and knowledge to put your life and the lives of the boys in order. You will succeed," Clora was positive as she bolstered her daughter's confidence.
"Thanks Ma, I needed a vote of confidence," Tess finished her coffee and put the cup on the folding table. "See ya in the morning."
Abby rode back into the clan's camp, quietly and not advertising her return. She walked over to sit and talk with Clora and Mark. Thanking her hosts for the cup of coffee, Abby explained her interest in a new job and new direction for her life.
Mark was listening but preferred to leave the 'lady' problems, as he called them, to Clora. Clora was nodding agreeably to whatever Abby was saying and leaned toward the younger woman to say a few low words.
Abby got a real surprised look on her face and shook her head negatively, then a stubborn look took over her face. Whatever she said to Clora had the older woman slowly nodding her assent.
Jerry was watching from the shadows across the campfire circle. He had been acutely aware that Abby had left the camp, been gone a considerable amount of time, and then returned to sit and talk with Clora.
That Clora was agreeing to something Abby said, didn't escape his notice. Abby leaned back with a determined but satisfied expression on her face. It wasn't long before the carrot topped woman yawned a big yawn, and had to shake herself to stay awake.
"Goodnight Clora, thanks for the warning but I don't think it is necessary, but I will be very careful. I just can't stay here any longer. I don't want to live my life this way, and I'm going to change my outlook with new opportunities. Carol is looking for a hard worker that might eventually be interested in buying the Inn. Right now, that is me," Abby was decisive.
Seamus and Phoebe hitched the hospital wagon to a team and slowly moved the now squeaky clean Dr. Bruce to the clinic. All the men showed up to move the noticeably thinner Bruce from the wagon to the clinic ward.
Trish had quickly cleaned the bed and surrounding area, and Bruce groaned hard when he was transferred to the bed. There were a couple of new spots of bright red blood, but as Trish was watching, the droplets congealed and coagulated.
"Praise the Lord," she said softly, "Bruce's body is starting to heal itself. The honey is keeping the infection down, and his fever has dropped considerably."
Even though the clan hadn't tendered for the buildings as of yet, the group of men unloaded the hospital wagon into the clinic and went back for the wagon full of household goods. The women cleaned, and the men brought in the boxes and armfuls of clothes and personal goods.
Mark wasn't happy that the members were doing work on a Sunday, but everyman there was anxious to get the doctors settled so the real work of settling in their own places could begin the next morning.
Trish was so thankful, she profusely thanked each person and they pretended not to notice the tears in her eyes. The young boys clattered and stomped through the house, each boys claiming the room they favored.
Seamus and Phoebe and boys stayed to help Trish get Bruce settled and the kitchen cleaned enough for supper to be started in the wood stove. Sitting in a straight backed kitchen chair was a luxury, the ladies enjoyed with a cup of tea.
Punky and Max were constantly with Calvin, and more than once Phoebe had looked at the large sized Scot and arched her eyebrow at the closeness the boys were displaying. Seamus had looked at his darling Phebes and slowly nodded his head, there was no denying his sweetness anything she wanted. And, it seemed she wanted Punky and Max. If so, so be it; Seamus decided.
Tess and her boys eventually showed back in camp, smiling and at great peace between them. The triplets were more grownup acting and Tess managed the supper and bedtime with a serene smile and calm personality. The harsh friction between the small family was gone.
"I've found our place," Tess informed Clora, when she came for a last cup of coffee. "The boys and I will start moving in tomorrow. "It's unbelievable, but there are all sorts of boys clothes stashed around in that house. I won't have to worry about clothes for the kids for a long time.
Ma," Tess hesitated, "for those children to be gone from that house and their clothes to be there, that has to mean they weren't saved souls, doesn't it?"
Clora could only nod her assent. "I'm afraid so," her voice was just above a whisper. "How a parent could do that to a child or children that they loved, I can't comprehend. Some of the children might have been younger than the age of accountability, but still...…………" her voice trailed off, and Clora had to blow her nose as she was filled with emotion.
"I won't chance that with my boys," Tess was adamant. "I am working hard to raise them proper. I'm still furious with Ben, that he squandered away being a father to the boys; and I guess I am more than half mad at myself for being so gullible as to miss the signs that he had strayed from God's word. Ma," Tess's voice raised in frustration, "he was a minister, I never had a clue that he wasn't immersed in the word."
"Tess," Clora said slowly, "Ministers are human. They have every problem that any man has anywhere. People do hold ministers to a higher standard, the same as lawmen, teachers, judges and any person that has to pass judgement over other people. It's very unfortunate that Ben faltered and failed. My heart hurts that it happened to you and the boys and it gives you an enormous task ahead. We have confidence in you Tess, you have the ability and knowledge to put your life and the lives of the boys in order. You will succeed," Clora was positive as she bolstered her daughter's confidence.
"Thanks Ma, I needed a vote of confidence," Tess finished her coffee and put the cup on the folding table. "See ya in the morning."
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
A very big thank you.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#9
George, Chuck and Jerry left at the crack of dawn Monday morning. Millie held back her tears until George was out of sight. "Oh my, I'm already lonely, I don't know how I'm going to make it through a month of waiting."
Clora passed close by and patted Millie's arm. "One day at a time Millie, you're strong and will make it through. You have enough work for an army of women to do, you will find that the time will go quickly."
Millie nodded, not looking totally convinced, but managed to give Clora a weak smile, "OK, you always know the right thing to say. Does Tess want help today, then I have to get busy on the store."
"Go ask, she's at her wagon," Clora spoke kindly, already in the know that Mrs. independent Tess preferred to do the 'thing' by herself. Tess had come to the conclusion that Millie was way too lenient with the boys and at three, they had learned to trick and bamboozle the older woman.
Clora watched Millie as she walked back to her own wagon, understanding that Tess's gentle refusal hurt Millie's feelings. Clora also understood that Millie had a king sized job ahead of her, and leaving Tess to her own devices was exactly what Tess needed to step up and do.
Mark was going to help Tess hitch, and was calmly drawn off to the side by Clora and sidetracked with a soft shake of her head. "She needs to do this Mark, by herself for her own self-confidence. Tess is capable and she needs to involve her children in everyday actions. She needs to be the parent, and they need her to be the parent."
"Clora," Mark was more than a little perturbed, "for heavens sake, I was just going to hitch the team."
"Hitch ours," Clora suggested, not giving an inch to Mark's displeasure. "She won't thank you for wanting to help. But I will thank you for getting our wagons ready to move to the house, and if you have nothing else planned, why not plow gardens. That's the most important thing you can do today." Clora smiled, but Mark was very much used to the steel in Clora's voice.
She really did mean today, so he might as well get started.
Abby hitched her team and started up the road toward the Inn. She had plans to unload her meager belongings, and return the team and wagon to Mark. Actually she had plans to trade the four up team and heavy wagon to Mark for a team and one of the lighter wagons and a saddle horse.
The older man that was Carol's husband, stood on the porch and watched the young woman maneuver the wagon and back it up to the veranda nearest the kitchen door. Capable, he was thinking, this gal just might be the person they needed.
Al introduced himself to the good-looking, pleasant acting woman and helped her transfer a few boxes into the room that Carol had set aside for the cook. He noted that she traveled pretty light, didn't have a lot of clutter in her life, but made no apologies and was efficient.
"I'm going back to the camp to do some horse trading, I need to get value for my buy in of the team and wagon; I should be back before dark and I'll be ready to work bright and early tomorrow morning." Abby had it all thought out.
Al nodded, he was going to like this gal. and he could tell that Carol was already interested.
Sheriff Wyatt Coleman sat easy in the saddle, his horse single-footing down the almost road toward the defunct town of Bloomfield. How the locals knew the new people were taking over the town, he didn't have a clue; but the local gossip mill was usually fairly accurate.
George, Chuck and Jerry left at the crack of dawn Monday morning. Millie held back her tears until George was out of sight. "Oh my, I'm already lonely, I don't know how I'm going to make it through a month of waiting."
Clora passed close by and patted Millie's arm. "One day at a time Millie, you're strong and will make it through. You have enough work for an army of women to do, you will find that the time will go quickly."
Millie nodded, not looking totally convinced, but managed to give Clora a weak smile, "OK, you always know the right thing to say. Does Tess want help today, then I have to get busy on the store."
"Go ask, she's at her wagon," Clora spoke kindly, already in the know that Mrs. independent Tess preferred to do the 'thing' by herself. Tess had come to the conclusion that Millie was way too lenient with the boys and at three, they had learned to trick and bamboozle the older woman.
Clora watched Millie as she walked back to her own wagon, understanding that Tess's gentle refusal hurt Millie's feelings. Clora also understood that Millie had a king sized job ahead of her, and leaving Tess to her own devices was exactly what Tess needed to step up and do.
Mark was going to help Tess hitch, and was calmly drawn off to the side by Clora and sidetracked with a soft shake of her head. "She needs to do this Mark, by herself for her own self-confidence. Tess is capable and she needs to involve her children in everyday actions. She needs to be the parent, and they need her to be the parent."
"Clora," Mark was more than a little perturbed, "for heavens sake, I was just going to hitch the team."
"Hitch ours," Clora suggested, not giving an inch to Mark's displeasure. "She won't thank you for wanting to help. But I will thank you for getting our wagons ready to move to the house, and if you have nothing else planned, why not plow gardens. That's the most important thing you can do today." Clora smiled, but Mark was very much used to the steel in Clora's voice.
She really did mean today, so he might as well get started.
Abby hitched her team and started up the road toward the Inn. She had plans to unload her meager belongings, and return the team and wagon to Mark. Actually she had plans to trade the four up team and heavy wagon to Mark for a team and one of the lighter wagons and a saddle horse.
The older man that was Carol's husband, stood on the porch and watched the young woman maneuver the wagon and back it up to the veranda nearest the kitchen door. Capable, he was thinking, this gal just might be the person they needed.
Al introduced himself to the good-looking, pleasant acting woman and helped her transfer a few boxes into the room that Carol had set aside for the cook. He noted that she traveled pretty light, didn't have a lot of clutter in her life, but made no apologies and was efficient.
"I'm going back to the camp to do some horse trading, I need to get value for my buy in of the team and wagon; I should be back before dark and I'll be ready to work bright and early tomorrow morning." Abby had it all thought out.
Al nodded, he was going to like this gal. and he could tell that Carol was already interested.
Sheriff Wyatt Coleman sat easy in the saddle, his horse single-footing down the almost road toward the defunct town of Bloomfield. How the locals knew the new people were taking over the town, he didn't have a clue; but the local gossip mill was usually fairly accurate.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
thank you.PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#10
Sheriff Coleman met Mark and Clora just as the couple was ready to turn into the drive of the place they were claiming as their own.
Hello," The Sheriff was calm and pleasant. "I'm Sheriff Coleman, who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"
Mark introduced himself and Clora, asking if the Sheriff was the person to contact about homesteading in the area. "I read the notice on the door, but I had no idea who the Sheriff might be, or how or where to contact you. We don't mean to be standoffish and pushy, but we are in a hurry to get settled and get fall crops growing. Please, tell me the rules and regulations for filing homesteads and if we need any other permits."
Wyatt sat easy in the saddle, pushed his hat back on his forehead and looked up to see another wagon coming to a halt behind the couple he was talking too.
At the same time, Abby came into view, coming toward the group from Belnap.
"I believe we are causing a traffic jam," Wyatt joked. "Go ahead and turn in if that's where you're going. The second wagon, where will it be going?"
"That's our daughter, she's going to the driveway the other side of the next one." Clora looked back around the side of the heavy wagon and it's trailing pup trailer and waved at Tess and the three urchins that were waving and shouting at Grandma and Granddad. They couldn't see the Sheriff, and thought Clora and Mark were loitering in the road.
Sheriff Coleman backed up and allowed Mark to swing wide and enter the driveway with the double wagon outfit.
Tess crowded up and shouted at the Sheriff to ride up and stop Abby before she got to Tess's driveway, so she could make the turn into her place.
Driving a six up hitch and pulling a double wagon setup as Mark was driving, Tess was concentrating on swinging wide and handling her horses well. Sitting alone on the front wagon seat, leather hat pulled low and gloved hands holding fistfuls of reins, Tess was tall, whipcord lean with a waterfall of cinnamon blonde hair trying to escape the hasty braid she had put together that morning.
Three obviously identical boys were standing behind her, chattering and pointing at a hundred things at once.
Wyatt Coleman took one look at the woman and children and felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. Grabbing for the saddle horn, he steadied himself and then felt silly and unsettled.
Waving his hand to acknowledge Tess's request, Wyatt turned and cantered up to stop Abby before she got to the first drive.
The Sheriff took one look at the second woman and had the same reaction. Boy howdy, the second redheaded woman was as beautiful as the first one he noticed. Wyatt felt his interest ratchet up several notches, this might be a group of people he might need to keep close watch on. The second woman didn't seen to have any children, so that brought her to the top of the Sheriff's list.
Tess crowed over to the right to begin her swing into her driveway, expertly arcing the wagons into the narrow drive bounded on both sides by sturdy fence.
Had he been watching, Wyatt would have been impressed with Tess's driving, however he was still staring at Abby as she quieted a fractious horse in her hitch. The mare was a new horse in a hitch that had been worked together for most of the distance. The mare was watching Mark's hitch that had her favorite sister horse included, and was anxious to be near her.
"I'm going to follow Mark into his driveway," Abby yelled to Wyatt, "go ahead if you want to talk to him."
Wyatt touched the brim of his hat in a respectful gesture, "Yes Ma'am," and he moved down to the drive and turned in. Abby was right on his 'tail' so to speak, as she was anxious to get her business with Mark completed.
Clora spoke to Mark, having him to grab a couple of folding chairs, "I have coffee, you and the Sheriff conduct your business while I see what Abby wants."
Seamus and Phoebe and the boys pulled up in front of the store they had chosen. "Are yer sure Seamus, this is a home?"
Seamus scratched his head, "well darlin, tis me thinkin it was where yer wanted to be. We can pretty much use any of these places, have a look me darlin, choose a place to yer liken."
"Seamus, I don't think we should be on this side of the road for two reasons. One, the prevailing wind is from the west, that's gonna blow dirt into the house any time someone passes by. The second reason, we need a big back yard for the boys to play in, and that little river constricts the amount of room available. And third, now that I think about it, I wouldn't want to bet that the river doesn't flood."
"Goot thinkin Phebes; I think you are absolutely right. So we don't look for a place on the East side of the road. So, what's yer pleasure?"
Calvin, Punky and Max had already been in and out of several places and their noise brought out Tony and Eddie from the clinic.
"Hey guys, come look at the house two places up from ours, it has a real neat tree in the backyard and a creek. It's got frogs, an water snakes and garter snakes, and mud and a real good place to build a fort." Tony had all the information.
"That one," Phoebe said with a laugh, "that's the one we need to look at."
Sheriff Coleman met Mark and Clora just as the couple was ready to turn into the drive of the place they were claiming as their own.
Hello," The Sheriff was calm and pleasant. "I'm Sheriff Coleman, who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"
Mark introduced himself and Clora, asking if the Sheriff was the person to contact about homesteading in the area. "I read the notice on the door, but I had no idea who the Sheriff might be, or how or where to contact you. We don't mean to be standoffish and pushy, but we are in a hurry to get settled and get fall crops growing. Please, tell me the rules and regulations for filing homesteads and if we need any other permits."
Wyatt sat easy in the saddle, pushed his hat back on his forehead and looked up to see another wagon coming to a halt behind the couple he was talking too.
At the same time, Abby came into view, coming toward the group from Belnap.
"I believe we are causing a traffic jam," Wyatt joked. "Go ahead and turn in if that's where you're going. The second wagon, where will it be going?"
"That's our daughter, she's going to the driveway the other side of the next one." Clora looked back around the side of the heavy wagon and it's trailing pup trailer and waved at Tess and the three urchins that were waving and shouting at Grandma and Granddad. They couldn't see the Sheriff, and thought Clora and Mark were loitering in the road.
Sheriff Coleman backed up and allowed Mark to swing wide and enter the driveway with the double wagon outfit.
Tess crowded up and shouted at the Sheriff to ride up and stop Abby before she got to Tess's driveway, so she could make the turn into her place.
Driving a six up hitch and pulling a double wagon setup as Mark was driving, Tess was concentrating on swinging wide and handling her horses well. Sitting alone on the front wagon seat, leather hat pulled low and gloved hands holding fistfuls of reins, Tess was tall, whipcord lean with a waterfall of cinnamon blonde hair trying to escape the hasty braid she had put together that morning.
Three obviously identical boys were standing behind her, chattering and pointing at a hundred things at once.
Wyatt Coleman took one look at the woman and children and felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. Grabbing for the saddle horn, he steadied himself and then felt silly and unsettled.
Waving his hand to acknowledge Tess's request, Wyatt turned and cantered up to stop Abby before she got to the first drive.
The Sheriff took one look at the second woman and had the same reaction. Boy howdy, the second redheaded woman was as beautiful as the first one he noticed. Wyatt felt his interest ratchet up several notches, this might be a group of people he might need to keep close watch on. The second woman didn't seen to have any children, so that brought her to the top of the Sheriff's list.
Tess crowed over to the right to begin her swing into her driveway, expertly arcing the wagons into the narrow drive bounded on both sides by sturdy fence.
Had he been watching, Wyatt would have been impressed with Tess's driving, however he was still staring at Abby as she quieted a fractious horse in her hitch. The mare was a new horse in a hitch that had been worked together for most of the distance. The mare was watching Mark's hitch that had her favorite sister horse included, and was anxious to be near her.
"I'm going to follow Mark into his driveway," Abby yelled to Wyatt, "go ahead if you want to talk to him."
Wyatt touched the brim of his hat in a respectful gesture, "Yes Ma'am," and he moved down to the drive and turned in. Abby was right on his 'tail' so to speak, as she was anxious to get her business with Mark completed.
Clora spoke to Mark, having him to grab a couple of folding chairs, "I have coffee, you and the Sheriff conduct your business while I see what Abby wants."
Seamus and Phoebe and the boys pulled up in front of the store they had chosen. "Are yer sure Seamus, this is a home?"
Seamus scratched his head, "well darlin, tis me thinkin it was where yer wanted to be. We can pretty much use any of these places, have a look me darlin, choose a place to yer liken."
"Seamus, I don't think we should be on this side of the road for two reasons. One, the prevailing wind is from the west, that's gonna blow dirt into the house any time someone passes by. The second reason, we need a big back yard for the boys to play in, and that little river constricts the amount of room available. And third, now that I think about it, I wouldn't want to bet that the river doesn't flood."
"Goot thinkin Phebes; I think you are absolutely right. So we don't look for a place on the East side of the road. So, what's yer pleasure?"
Calvin, Punky and Max had already been in and out of several places and their noise brought out Tony and Eddie from the clinic.
"Hey guys, come look at the house two places up from ours, it has a real neat tree in the backyard and a creek. It's got frogs, an water snakes and garter snakes, and mud and a real good place to build a fort." Tony had all the information.
"That one," Phoebe said with a laugh, "that's the one we need to look at."
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Aw lass you know the way to our hearts lol
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#11
Mark and Wyatt moved the folding chairs to the shade by the back door and almost immediately, Clora was there with coffee.
"Thank you," Wyatt acted surprised that the group had coffee. The gossip mill had presented an entirely different picture of the newcomers financial stability. Wyatt came to the immediate conclusion that the gossipers were wrong and he had better disregard any information he had gathered from them.
When Clora brought out a plate of 'spatter dabs' cookies, the good Sheriff thankfully took one, bit into the cookie and sighed with pleasure. Wyatt wasn't sure how long it had been since he had eaten a cookie, but it had been years.
Holding the small bite of sweet in his mouth, and then chewing and washing it all down with the treasured swallow of coffee had Wyatt savoring the moment.
Mark watched the sheriff out of the corner of his eye, trying to hide the small smile that threatened to happen anyway. Cookies and coffee usually did totally disarm the growlyest of persons.
Slowly Mark started asking questions of the Sheriff, intent on finding out if the town was open to homesteading, or if the clan was wasting their time.
"The town and these farms are uninhabited and open for homesteading claims. The people that lived here were a unusual religious sect, kept to themselves, were generally unfriendly and vanished when the 'cleansing wind' came through. There have been several people make attempts to take over the farms, but nobody wants to work that hard, especially without the benefit of modern machinery." Wyatt was direct with his information.
"I think as a family, we have always done things the old fashioned way," Mark chuckled, and offered the sheriff another cookie. "We left North Carolina because we were tired of the heat and humidity. We're originally from the Pacific Northwest, and we don't mind living in the four seasons."
" We have three of our men traveling back to meet up with Corbin Atwood, the freighter that hauls 'store' goods. We have a couple that intend to open up a general store, we have a pair of doctors that intend to open a clinic, a couple that one is a nurse and the other plays the bagpipes. Two of my sons and their families are farmers; and one of them is a lawyer, the other is a lawman. My daughter is a widow with three young children, Abby who followed you in, is single. I am a lawman with the Marshall's Service and we have two young adults, and many young children. We are fair minded people, love the Lord, respect others and want to thrive here in Iowa." Mark looked and felt drained by his long winded speech.
Wyatt listened intently, nodded and then said, "do you mind showing me your badge, I don't doubt your story, but I have to be sure." He stared directly at the imposing, white haired man.
Mark flipped open the side of his vest, his badge pinned to his shirt was exposed and he waited for the sheriff to inspect the heavy, silver starred looking authority symbol.
"Thank you," Wyatt was polite, "I can tell you it will be a great help to me to have a fellow lawman here in Bloomfield. I'm only one man for a huge area, and I get run from pillar to post. Most of the time I meet myself coming,.. and going."
"I am totally impressed with the people you have brought with you, a sorely needed store owner and doctor. We have need of your son as a lawman and if your other son is experienced enough, perhaps he would consider being a judge. Don't get me wrong, we have good people in this part of Iowa, but there are always problems that happen." Wyatt sat back and smiled a genuine smile for the first time in a long time.
"Do you have any information concerning the government in DC. Is the government still operating? Do we still have a country called the United States?" Mark thought to ask.
"You can call it a skeleton government," Wyatt laughed. "As you might suspect, there aren't many professional politicians running the place. They are gone. There are a few, enough good people in the manner of Washington, Jefferson, Monroe that are helping to patch the government back together. People in the hinterlands are demanding a very different type of politician represent them now."
" The Declaration of Independence has been dusted off, and one of the very first amendments to the Constitution of the United States was term limits for the people representing us. Eight years is the limit, in both the House and Congress. No more lobbyists, and if you aren't a pledge saying, flag waving patriot, you're not accepted at all."
"Thank God," Mark said heartfully. "I was despairing that sanity would ever take over our federal government."
Clora and Abby had been standing, listening at the back door and they smiled at each other.
"Praise God," Clora said with tears in her eyes, "there is a future for our children and grandchildren. We serve a mighty God," she said fervently.
To Wyatt, that was proof that these were the kind of people that were needed to help re-start the country they lived in. He smiled in happiness.
"Well Sir, it will take me at least a week to get the paperwork started to have you file on the individual places here. I'll bring them by as soon as I get them. In the mean time, I give you verbal permission to go ahead and get your 'homestead proving' started. I'll ride down and post a notice on the store door that the town has been revived." Wyatt wrote himself a note on the small notebook he carried in his shirt pocket.
Mark laughed and patted his shirt pocket and the two men stood up and shook hands before parting company.
Mark and Wyatt moved the folding chairs to the shade by the back door and almost immediately, Clora was there with coffee.
"Thank you," Wyatt acted surprised that the group had coffee. The gossip mill had presented an entirely different picture of the newcomers financial stability. Wyatt came to the immediate conclusion that the gossipers were wrong and he had better disregard any information he had gathered from them.
When Clora brought out a plate of 'spatter dabs' cookies, the good Sheriff thankfully took one, bit into the cookie and sighed with pleasure. Wyatt wasn't sure how long it had been since he had eaten a cookie, but it had been years.
Holding the small bite of sweet in his mouth, and then chewing and washing it all down with the treasured swallow of coffee had Wyatt savoring the moment.
Mark watched the sheriff out of the corner of his eye, trying to hide the small smile that threatened to happen anyway. Cookies and coffee usually did totally disarm the growlyest of persons.
Slowly Mark started asking questions of the Sheriff, intent on finding out if the town was open to homesteading, or if the clan was wasting their time.
"The town and these farms are uninhabited and open for homesteading claims. The people that lived here were a unusual religious sect, kept to themselves, were generally unfriendly and vanished when the 'cleansing wind' came through. There have been several people make attempts to take over the farms, but nobody wants to work that hard, especially without the benefit of modern machinery." Wyatt was direct with his information.
"I think as a family, we have always done things the old fashioned way," Mark chuckled, and offered the sheriff another cookie. "We left North Carolina because we were tired of the heat and humidity. We're originally from the Pacific Northwest, and we don't mind living in the four seasons."
" We have three of our men traveling back to meet up with Corbin Atwood, the freighter that hauls 'store' goods. We have a couple that intend to open up a general store, we have a pair of doctors that intend to open a clinic, a couple that one is a nurse and the other plays the bagpipes. Two of my sons and their families are farmers; and one of them is a lawyer, the other is a lawman. My daughter is a widow with three young children, Abby who followed you in, is single. I am a lawman with the Marshall's Service and we have two young adults, and many young children. We are fair minded people, love the Lord, respect others and want to thrive here in Iowa." Mark looked and felt drained by his long winded speech.
Wyatt listened intently, nodded and then said, "do you mind showing me your badge, I don't doubt your story, but I have to be sure." He stared directly at the imposing, white haired man.
Mark flipped open the side of his vest, his badge pinned to his shirt was exposed and he waited for the sheriff to inspect the heavy, silver starred looking authority symbol.
"Thank you," Wyatt was polite, "I can tell you it will be a great help to me to have a fellow lawman here in Bloomfield. I'm only one man for a huge area, and I get run from pillar to post. Most of the time I meet myself coming,.. and going."
"I am totally impressed with the people you have brought with you, a sorely needed store owner and doctor. We have need of your son as a lawman and if your other son is experienced enough, perhaps he would consider being a judge. Don't get me wrong, we have good people in this part of Iowa, but there are always problems that happen." Wyatt sat back and smiled a genuine smile for the first time in a long time.
"Do you have any information concerning the government in DC. Is the government still operating? Do we still have a country called the United States?" Mark thought to ask.
"You can call it a skeleton government," Wyatt laughed. "As you might suspect, there aren't many professional politicians running the place. They are gone. There are a few, enough good people in the manner of Washington, Jefferson, Monroe that are helping to patch the government back together. People in the hinterlands are demanding a very different type of politician represent them now."
" The Declaration of Independence has been dusted off, and one of the very first amendments to the Constitution of the United States was term limits for the people representing us. Eight years is the limit, in both the House and Congress. No more lobbyists, and if you aren't a pledge saying, flag waving patriot, you're not accepted at all."
"Thank God," Mark said heartfully. "I was despairing that sanity would ever take over our federal government."
Clora and Abby had been standing, listening at the back door and they smiled at each other.
"Praise God," Clora said with tears in her eyes, "there is a future for our children and grandchildren. We serve a mighty God," she said fervently.
To Wyatt, that was proof that these were the kind of people that were needed to help re-start the country they lived in. He smiled in happiness.
"Well Sir, it will take me at least a week to get the paperwork started to have you file on the individual places here. I'll bring them by as soon as I get them. In the mean time, I give you verbal permission to go ahead and get your 'homestead proving' started. I'll ride down and post a notice on the store door that the town has been revived." Wyatt wrote himself a note on the small notebook he carried in his shirt pocket.
Mark laughed and patted his shirt pocket and the two men stood up and shook hands before parting company.
Nature_Lover
Wait! What?
Thank you Pac! Very good, after all this time, we can put down roots and prosper.
Oops, did I say "we"?
LOL
Oops, did I say "we"?
LOL
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Patting pockets, lol and thank you so much.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#12
Clora walked over to touch Mark on the arm. "Abby would like to talk to you, do you have a moment?"
"Sure," Mark sat back down when Abby sat down.
"Mark, I would like to discuss a horse trade with you; are you open to a little maneuvering?" Abby was not one for time consuming small talk. "I am proposing that I turn in my interest in the heavy wagon and teams into a riding horse that is also capable of pulling one of the smaller wagons. I have taken a job at the Inn in Belnap; about ten miles up the road. I will have need of a smaller wagon and a riding horse, if there is a dual purpose horse available, that would be wonderful."
"I think we can accommodate you," Mark stretched his legs out. "There was a gelding in Trish's group that was a good pulling animal and seemed agreeable as a riding horse. Just what is it that you intend to do at the Inn?" Mark had no problem being as direct as Abby.
"I am going to be the cook, the laundress, the chambermaid and probably gardener," Abby laughed a little. "I really don't have to point out that I am most uncomfortable being a part of the group, now that we are here. I'm feeling a lot of pressure from Jerry; and truthfully I feel he and his strength are more valuable to the clan than I am."
"I don't agree with that conclusion, but I do understand that emotions don't need to be rubbed raw every time you turn around. We will hate to see you leave Abby, you had a way with little Miss Lyric that is unmatched. If you need a reference for your new job, I would be happy to provide one," Mark offered quietly. "I'll go down and get the horse and wagon, perhaps while I'm gone, you would be willing to help Clora unload a few boxes."
"Most certainly," Abby was upbeat and full of young enthusiasm. "I would like to be back at the Inn before dark, if possible. We don't know the area all that well, nor the people, and I would hate to start off by having to shoot someone."
"I'll hurry," Mark promised, and left striding toward the center of the circled wagons. "Don't worry about your wagon and teams, I'll take care of them when I get back," he called over his shoulder.
Abby took one look at the tired Clora and made the woman sit on a chair and have a cup of tea. "Clora, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you anyway?"
Clora laughed, "I don't rightly know. Not for sure anyway. Probably in my mid to late seventies."
"Really?" Abby was amazed, "how do you keep up with all that you do?"
"I rely on the Lord and a lot of prayers; that gives me the best energy I can have. Well that, and coffee," Clora said with an amused tone. "Abby you don't have to spend your time unloading the wagon," Clora protested.
"Nonsense, you sit there and tell me where you want the boxes. Let me pamper you a little bit, you deserve it." and Abby used her considerable energy and brought in the cooking utensils and boxes of food. Abby started the stove and put the coffee pot on to perk, put the spider with the mornings stew on the back burner. She snitched a cookie on the seventh or eighth trip through the kitchen.
"Clora I need to wheedle the recipe for these cookies, they are the best I have even eaten. I think if I cooked these for the Inn, I would have a full dining room every night."
"Grab a pencil and I'll tell you the list of ingredients," Clora obliged with a smile.
Abby had just finished writing down the list when the sound of a horse and wagon clopped into hearing. Mark drove down toward the barn and turned the wagon around, halting by the back door.
"Thank you Mark and Clora, you have been like parents to me, and I appreciate knowing you and the help and guidance you have so lovingly given me. Please come visit anytime; I would like you to meet Carol and Al, the owners. I am going to own the Inn someday, it's a business I'm interested in, and I feel I can make a good living there. I have a lot of ideas to increase business, and it's part of the education and experience I had before the 'wind'; well I'd better get a move on."
Abby left and Mark looked with approval at the fact that Clora was sitting and so many boxes had been moved into the kitchen. "Fresh coffee, and cookies?" he said hopefully. "In the quiet and calm atmosphere of our own kitchen. What a treat."
Clora walked over to touch Mark on the arm. "Abby would like to talk to you, do you have a moment?"
"Sure," Mark sat back down when Abby sat down.
"Mark, I would like to discuss a horse trade with you; are you open to a little maneuvering?" Abby was not one for time consuming small talk. "I am proposing that I turn in my interest in the heavy wagon and teams into a riding horse that is also capable of pulling one of the smaller wagons. I have taken a job at the Inn in Belnap; about ten miles up the road. I will have need of a smaller wagon and a riding horse, if there is a dual purpose horse available, that would be wonderful."
"I think we can accommodate you," Mark stretched his legs out. "There was a gelding in Trish's group that was a good pulling animal and seemed agreeable as a riding horse. Just what is it that you intend to do at the Inn?" Mark had no problem being as direct as Abby.
"I am going to be the cook, the laundress, the chambermaid and probably gardener," Abby laughed a little. "I really don't have to point out that I am most uncomfortable being a part of the group, now that we are here. I'm feeling a lot of pressure from Jerry; and truthfully I feel he and his strength are more valuable to the clan than I am."
"I don't agree with that conclusion, but I do understand that emotions don't need to be rubbed raw every time you turn around. We will hate to see you leave Abby, you had a way with little Miss Lyric that is unmatched. If you need a reference for your new job, I would be happy to provide one," Mark offered quietly. "I'll go down and get the horse and wagon, perhaps while I'm gone, you would be willing to help Clora unload a few boxes."
"Most certainly," Abby was upbeat and full of young enthusiasm. "I would like to be back at the Inn before dark, if possible. We don't know the area all that well, nor the people, and I would hate to start off by having to shoot someone."
"I'll hurry," Mark promised, and left striding toward the center of the circled wagons. "Don't worry about your wagon and teams, I'll take care of them when I get back," he called over his shoulder.
Abby took one look at the tired Clora and made the woman sit on a chair and have a cup of tea. "Clora, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you anyway?"
Clora laughed, "I don't rightly know. Not for sure anyway. Probably in my mid to late seventies."
"Really?" Abby was amazed, "how do you keep up with all that you do?"
"I rely on the Lord and a lot of prayers; that gives me the best energy I can have. Well that, and coffee," Clora said with an amused tone. "Abby you don't have to spend your time unloading the wagon," Clora protested.
"Nonsense, you sit there and tell me where you want the boxes. Let me pamper you a little bit, you deserve it." and Abby used her considerable energy and brought in the cooking utensils and boxes of food. Abby started the stove and put the coffee pot on to perk, put the spider with the mornings stew on the back burner. She snitched a cookie on the seventh or eighth trip through the kitchen.
"Clora I need to wheedle the recipe for these cookies, they are the best I have even eaten. I think if I cooked these for the Inn, I would have a full dining room every night."
"Grab a pencil and I'll tell you the list of ingredients," Clora obliged with a smile.
Abby had just finished writing down the list when the sound of a horse and wagon clopped into hearing. Mark drove down toward the barn and turned the wagon around, halting by the back door.
"Thank you Mark and Clora, you have been like parents to me, and I appreciate knowing you and the help and guidance you have so lovingly given me. Please come visit anytime; I would like you to meet Carol and Al, the owners. I am going to own the Inn someday, it's a business I'm interested in, and I feel I can make a good living there. I have a lot of ideas to increase business, and it's part of the education and experience I had before the 'wind'; well I'd better get a move on."
Abby left and Mark looked with approval at the fact that Clora was sitting and so many boxes had been moved into the kitchen. "Fresh coffee, and cookies?" he said hopefully. "In the quiet and calm atmosphere of our own kitchen. What a treat."
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you Pac, have a good Sabbath.
Siskiyoumom
Veteran Member
Sweet....thank you.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#13
The two, full of energy young men were bored and eager for something to do to create some excitement. As the heavy wagons were unloaded, they were looming large and bulky in the driveways of the houses and farms.
"Donny, I think we are old enough to homestead a place. Wadda ya think about asking for the place between Mark and Tess. It's a smaller unit, smaller everything. pastures, barn, house all of it. Better suited to two handsome young gentlemen who don't want to do a lot of housework. I have all these ideas, let's get a team and the plows and get started on turning gardens while we talk this over." Andy stood up and hitched up his trousers. He meant business.
"OK, I'm all for doing something, and plowing is something we two 'youngins' can do." Donny was smirking as he parodied Andy's movement of hitching his britches. "If we go up and start at Tess's place, then Mark's, that will let them know we are earning our keep. I sure hope Ma has biscuits for supper, I'm so ever hungry for a plateful of biscuits and I think there's a little honey left."
The boys took a mare from Toby's hitch and the other mare, her sister, from Seamus's hitch. The two mares had grown up and trained together, and worked smooth as butter as a pulling team. Donny put together the harness the ladies preferred, and the two strong youth unpacked the single footburner plow from the equipment wagon.
Andy was scratching his head, "we need to figure out a way to transport the plow from one place to another. Running it along the road is going to dull the bit. We need some kind of wheels, let's walk this up to Tess's and keep our eyes and ears open for some way to make a trailer."
Andy drove and it took the two of them to keep the plow upright on the hard surface of what was left of the road.
They made it to Tess's lane, and Donny went trotting up to the house to see where Tess wanted her garden. Excited boys climbed all over him, as Tess walked out to the gate.
"One plowed row here on the right side of the road all the way down to the house. I want to plant trees. Please and thank you, and I will have some cookies when you are done. The main part of the garden is over there, to the right of the house. All the ground inside the enclosed space, and I may need more later; to mellow over the winter, but for now, that will be all I can handle."
"Yes Ma'am," Andy got the team lined up and tried to start the plow. "Donny, I'm gonna need help here, I can't drive and hold it at the same time." The older brother was quickly learning he needed more muscles, ones he didn't have by himself.
"Com'on boys," Tess gathered up her sons and started them walking to the house. Young boy voices shouted all sorts of noises at the plowmen, none of which they understood.
"I don't know how she tells them apart, much less deciphering what they are saying," Andy motioned for Donny to get ahold of the other handle. "Ok, here we go," and he chirruped to the team. The sisters leaned into their harness and the plow bit into the ground.
Clora was standing at the kitchen sink window, watching the young men strain and hold the plow upright. "Come look, our wonderful guys are stepping up and running the plow," she called out to Mark, making room at the sink for Mark to stand close.
Mark was straining to watch the boys, actually intending to go help them with advise on what they should be doing.
"Don't go," Clora said softly as she put her hand on his arm. "Mark, they need to do this themselves. If you need to do something, let's go out and plan where we want our gardens plowed. You can watch them closely when they're here and offer suggestions. After they finish with Tess, and if the job is done well, they may not need any corrections. You have taught them well."
Clora wiped her hands and went for the back door, her movement pulling Mark along reluctantly. Clora was looking everywhere, seeing the old, parched brown leaves of rhubarb that had died down; and the feathery fronds of asparagus stems that had gone to seed.
"Ahh," she breathed out in pleasure, "Asparagus, rhubarb and just look," Clora had to hug herself at the size of the intended garden space. "There must be almost an acre of garden to plow. I want to walk over the area to make sure that there isn't any food left in the ground."
There wasn't, and Clora happily gave Mark a shining smile. "Oh, this is going to be so good, look at the dark color and loam of this field. It will be perfect." Mark stood out in the garden and examined the fence and kept a eye on the plowmen next door.
Clora went to inspect the area around the foundation of the house. As she suspected, there was a small kitchen garden, and she looked at the limp and lying over tops of top-set onions and garlic heads full of bulblets. This was a good place.
"I've got to get a big supper started, the boys will be starving by the time they get done with our plowing. Maybe some biscuits also, it's been a long, long time since I have had a good stove to work with." Clora called out to Mark that she was going inside.
He waved, on his way to inspect the barn and other sheds.
It was almost dark by the time Mark and Clora's garden was plowed. The team was put in the barn for overnight, wiped down and fed hay. Mark had found a small amount of grain, but it smelled sour and he locked the pan in the saddle shed, away from the horses. The barn was the best one he had ever had the pleasure of owning; even better than the barn Homer had at Big Springs.
Mark sighed a deep sigh of pure pleasure, and all three men perked up when Clora rang the supper bell by the back door.
Clora had tripled the amount of stew she planned for supper, and made three dozen biscuits. There was no stew and two small biscuits left. The small cake was gone completely, and two pitchers of water and a pot of coffee.
All three men pushed back from the table, patted their bellies and smiled. "Dad, Donny and I want to talk to you about homesteading the place between you and Tess."
That started a lively conversation, until Clora broke in to say, "hey guys, grab your gear from the wagon unless you intend to sleep out there. There are beds, if you're interested."
"Yippiee, a bed, I'm ready," Donny yawned on cue, "show me the way!"
The two, full of energy young men were bored and eager for something to do to create some excitement. As the heavy wagons were unloaded, they were looming large and bulky in the driveways of the houses and farms.
"Donny, I think we are old enough to homestead a place. Wadda ya think about asking for the place between Mark and Tess. It's a smaller unit, smaller everything. pastures, barn, house all of it. Better suited to two handsome young gentlemen who don't want to do a lot of housework. I have all these ideas, let's get a team and the plows and get started on turning gardens while we talk this over." Andy stood up and hitched up his trousers. He meant business.
"OK, I'm all for doing something, and plowing is something we two 'youngins' can do." Donny was smirking as he parodied Andy's movement of hitching his britches. "If we go up and start at Tess's place, then Mark's, that will let them know we are earning our keep. I sure hope Ma has biscuits for supper, I'm so ever hungry for a plateful of biscuits and I think there's a little honey left."
The boys took a mare from Toby's hitch and the other mare, her sister, from Seamus's hitch. The two mares had grown up and trained together, and worked smooth as butter as a pulling team. Donny put together the harness the ladies preferred, and the two strong youth unpacked the single footburner plow from the equipment wagon.
Andy was scratching his head, "we need to figure out a way to transport the plow from one place to another. Running it along the road is going to dull the bit. We need some kind of wheels, let's walk this up to Tess's and keep our eyes and ears open for some way to make a trailer."
Andy drove and it took the two of them to keep the plow upright on the hard surface of what was left of the road.
They made it to Tess's lane, and Donny went trotting up to the house to see where Tess wanted her garden. Excited boys climbed all over him, as Tess walked out to the gate.
"One plowed row here on the right side of the road all the way down to the house. I want to plant trees. Please and thank you, and I will have some cookies when you are done. The main part of the garden is over there, to the right of the house. All the ground inside the enclosed space, and I may need more later; to mellow over the winter, but for now, that will be all I can handle."
"Yes Ma'am," Andy got the team lined up and tried to start the plow. "Donny, I'm gonna need help here, I can't drive and hold it at the same time." The older brother was quickly learning he needed more muscles, ones he didn't have by himself.
"Com'on boys," Tess gathered up her sons and started them walking to the house. Young boy voices shouted all sorts of noises at the plowmen, none of which they understood.
"I don't know how she tells them apart, much less deciphering what they are saying," Andy motioned for Donny to get ahold of the other handle. "Ok, here we go," and he chirruped to the team. The sisters leaned into their harness and the plow bit into the ground.
Clora was standing at the kitchen sink window, watching the young men strain and hold the plow upright. "Come look, our wonderful guys are stepping up and running the plow," she called out to Mark, making room at the sink for Mark to stand close.
Mark was straining to watch the boys, actually intending to go help them with advise on what they should be doing.
"Don't go," Clora said softly as she put her hand on his arm. "Mark, they need to do this themselves. If you need to do something, let's go out and plan where we want our gardens plowed. You can watch them closely when they're here and offer suggestions. After they finish with Tess, and if the job is done well, they may not need any corrections. You have taught them well."
Clora wiped her hands and went for the back door, her movement pulling Mark along reluctantly. Clora was looking everywhere, seeing the old, parched brown leaves of rhubarb that had died down; and the feathery fronds of asparagus stems that had gone to seed.
"Ahh," she breathed out in pleasure, "Asparagus, rhubarb and just look," Clora had to hug herself at the size of the intended garden space. "There must be almost an acre of garden to plow. I want to walk over the area to make sure that there isn't any food left in the ground."
There wasn't, and Clora happily gave Mark a shining smile. "Oh, this is going to be so good, look at the dark color and loam of this field. It will be perfect." Mark stood out in the garden and examined the fence and kept a eye on the plowmen next door.
Clora went to inspect the area around the foundation of the house. As she suspected, there was a small kitchen garden, and she looked at the limp and lying over tops of top-set onions and garlic heads full of bulblets. This was a good place.
"I've got to get a big supper started, the boys will be starving by the time they get done with our plowing. Maybe some biscuits also, it's been a long, long time since I have had a good stove to work with." Clora called out to Mark that she was going inside.
He waved, on his way to inspect the barn and other sheds.
It was almost dark by the time Mark and Clora's garden was plowed. The team was put in the barn for overnight, wiped down and fed hay. Mark had found a small amount of grain, but it smelled sour and he locked the pan in the saddle shed, away from the horses. The barn was the best one he had ever had the pleasure of owning; even better than the barn Homer had at Big Springs.
Mark sighed a deep sigh of pure pleasure, and all three men perked up when Clora rang the supper bell by the back door.
Clora had tripled the amount of stew she planned for supper, and made three dozen biscuits. There was no stew and two small biscuits left. The small cake was gone completely, and two pitchers of water and a pot of coffee.
All three men pushed back from the table, patted their bellies and smiled. "Dad, Donny and I want to talk to you about homesteading the place between you and Tess."
That started a lively conversation, until Clora broke in to say, "hey guys, grab your gear from the wagon unless you intend to sleep out there. There are beds, if you're interested."
"Yippiee, a bed, I'm ready," Donny yawned on cue, "show me the way!"
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
OH thank you so much Pac, I needed this.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#14
Clora's calendar said August 3. Sleepy and ready to sleep, she managed to tell Mark before she snoozed. "Some people thought we were still in July. but not so." she sighed.
A possible 60 days of growing season to stock up for winter, kept running through Mark's mind. It would take another two days to finish the plowing for all the clan members, but those with children had built in workers.
At first light, Andy and Donny went over to 'their' place and investigated the house and barns. Several sheds and a cold cellar that doubled as a tornado shelter tickled them greatly.
"I know I'm over 18," Andy conjectured slowly. "You should be 18 right soon, and Dad says anyone over 18 can homestead. What are your plans, I mean long range ones? Do you want to try and homestead a place of your own, or what?"
"I never gave it much thought," Donny admitted, "I suppose if one of us gets married, this small place will be too small for a husband and wife and brother. Maybe I'd better consider a place of my own, wadda think?"
"Well, first of all," Andy said practically, "we'd better go eat breakfast and then get to plowing. As we go through the places, we can look for another place for us. Then, I guess it's just a matter of which place suits us the best, this one, or the other."
"I sure do think better after eating," Donny allowed, "my gut gets to growling so loud, I can barely hear myself think." then he laughed, "we sure about ate Ma out of house and home last night; but it was gooooood."
The boys washed up for breakfast and while they were eating, outlined the newest part of their proposal to Mark. "So Donny and me think it would be smarter in the long run for each of us to claim a place. That way, a long time down the road, if we wanna get married, we each have a place."
Mark was nodding, agreeing with the young men. He asked some pointed questions about their maturity, and the ability to stick with a project of that size.
Nobody noticed Clora, who was walking around with a small secret smile on her face. Clora finished the dishes, grabbed her hat and gloves and took herself out to the garden. "Why don't you and Seamus get the seeds unpacked and allotted out between the families, don't forget portions for both Andy and Donny, and someone had better figure out who is going to grow portions for Trish and Bruce and George and Millie. It's not going to be me," Clora addressed Mark definitively. "We need younger people to step up now and assume responsibility."
"Yes Ma'am," Mark replied, once again very aware that it might sound like Clora was asking nicely, but she really meant business, and that he'd better get busy.
Clora worked with her rake and shovel, breaking up clumps of grass and sod, breathing in the fresh scent of the ground that was going to grow their ability to withstand the winter. Outside in the warming morning, all by herself and the solitude she craved, she alternated between praying and singing the doxology. Thousands of memories flooded her mind, so many people come and gone out of her life, some were only temporary, others were people of her heart.
Working in the garden, Clora thought of Grandma Evie and how the woman would have loved to have been in the garden with her. Stopping once to go in the house for a drink of water, Clora said prayers for the success of their adventure.
Digging through the boxes until she found her private stash of seeds, Clora took the cloth sack outside with her and planted onions and cabbage seed. She had just finished, when the triplets set up a shouting racket from the fence line.
Hanging on the fence, they were shouting for Grandma to come over and have lunch with them. What they were saying was, each one of them had opened a biscuit, smeared it with jam, and they were waiting lunch on Grandma. "We made it," Paul announced proudly, "all by ourselfes."
Clora walked to the fence and took off her gloves. "Thank you boys, this is such a nice treat, I'm very happy you thought of me."
"Ma's coming with some water," Daniel announced, "some of the biscuits got crumbly so we had to really glue them together with jam."
Each boy had a napkin in hand with a biscuit that was more than liberally smeared with grape jam. Some of the jam was leaking off the napkins in little blobs, but Clora took the lunch in the same generous spirit that it was given.
"We gotta wait fer Ma to get here so we can have the blessing. Nobody can eat, befores we get to say the thanks." Peter smiled as he noticed Clora was smiling. Grandma had already noticed the Peter was the quietest of the three; although he could hold his own in the noise depsatment.
Tess brought the water, the blessing said and Clora ate the best lunch ever.
Clora's calendar said August 3. Sleepy and ready to sleep, she managed to tell Mark before she snoozed. "Some people thought we were still in July. but not so." she sighed.
A possible 60 days of growing season to stock up for winter, kept running through Mark's mind. It would take another two days to finish the plowing for all the clan members, but those with children had built in workers.
At first light, Andy and Donny went over to 'their' place and investigated the house and barns. Several sheds and a cold cellar that doubled as a tornado shelter tickled them greatly.
"I know I'm over 18," Andy conjectured slowly. "You should be 18 right soon, and Dad says anyone over 18 can homestead. What are your plans, I mean long range ones? Do you want to try and homestead a place of your own, or what?"
"I never gave it much thought," Donny admitted, "I suppose if one of us gets married, this small place will be too small for a husband and wife and brother. Maybe I'd better consider a place of my own, wadda think?"
"Well, first of all," Andy said practically, "we'd better go eat breakfast and then get to plowing. As we go through the places, we can look for another place for us. Then, I guess it's just a matter of which place suits us the best, this one, or the other."
"I sure do think better after eating," Donny allowed, "my gut gets to growling so loud, I can barely hear myself think." then he laughed, "we sure about ate Ma out of house and home last night; but it was gooooood."
The boys washed up for breakfast and while they were eating, outlined the newest part of their proposal to Mark. "So Donny and me think it would be smarter in the long run for each of us to claim a place. That way, a long time down the road, if we wanna get married, we each have a place."
Mark was nodding, agreeing with the young men. He asked some pointed questions about their maturity, and the ability to stick with a project of that size.
Nobody noticed Clora, who was walking around with a small secret smile on her face. Clora finished the dishes, grabbed her hat and gloves and took herself out to the garden. "Why don't you and Seamus get the seeds unpacked and allotted out between the families, don't forget portions for both Andy and Donny, and someone had better figure out who is going to grow portions for Trish and Bruce and George and Millie. It's not going to be me," Clora addressed Mark definitively. "We need younger people to step up now and assume responsibility."
"Yes Ma'am," Mark replied, once again very aware that it might sound like Clora was asking nicely, but she really meant business, and that he'd better get busy.
Clora worked with her rake and shovel, breaking up clumps of grass and sod, breathing in the fresh scent of the ground that was going to grow their ability to withstand the winter. Outside in the warming morning, all by herself and the solitude she craved, she alternated between praying and singing the doxology. Thousands of memories flooded her mind, so many people come and gone out of her life, some were only temporary, others were people of her heart.
Working in the garden, Clora thought of Grandma Evie and how the woman would have loved to have been in the garden with her. Stopping once to go in the house for a drink of water, Clora said prayers for the success of their adventure.
Digging through the boxes until she found her private stash of seeds, Clora took the cloth sack outside with her and planted onions and cabbage seed. She had just finished, when the triplets set up a shouting racket from the fence line.
Hanging on the fence, they were shouting for Grandma to come over and have lunch with them. What they were saying was, each one of them had opened a biscuit, smeared it with jam, and they were waiting lunch on Grandma. "We made it," Paul announced proudly, "all by ourselfes."
Clora walked to the fence and took off her gloves. "Thank you boys, this is such a nice treat, I'm very happy you thought of me."
"Ma's coming with some water," Daniel announced, "some of the biscuits got crumbly so we had to really glue them together with jam."
Each boy had a napkin in hand with a biscuit that was more than liberally smeared with grape jam. Some of the jam was leaking off the napkins in little blobs, but Clora took the lunch in the same generous spirit that it was given.
"We gotta wait fer Ma to get here so we can have the blessing. Nobody can eat, befores we get to say the thanks." Peter smiled as he noticed Clora was smiling. Grandma had already noticed the Peter was the quietest of the three; although he could hold his own in the noise depsatment.
Tess brought the water, the blessing said and Clora ate the best lunch ever.
Texican
Live Free & Die Free.... God Freedom Country....
Pac,
I got to read four chapters. Thank you.
The sheriff is definitely a man with a man's biases, but appears to be a good man.
Andy and Donny are maturing, growing up, helping and planning for their future. Just how many in our today's world would/could do the same.
Time to plant is passing by to have crops to go thru the winter. Fall and winter crops and quick grow crops coming.
It has rained so much that our garden is to muddy to walk in, but was sunny all day and planting will start soon.
Texican.
I got to read four chapters. Thank you.
The sheriff is definitely a man with a man's biases, but appears to be a good man.
Andy and Donny are maturing, growing up, helping and planning for their future. Just how many in our today's world would/could do the same.
Time to plant is passing by to have crops to go thru the winter. Fall and winter crops and quick grow crops coming.
It has rained so much that our garden is to muddy to walk in, but was sunny all day and planting will start soon.
Texican.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#14b
Andy and Donny got Toby's garden plowed, close to an acre and a half, they figured. TJ and Barry were already out in the field throwing clods and delighting in the freshly turned earth. Lyric was standing by the back door, turning her nose up at the 'boy' activity taking place.
Toby and Rennie had provided lunch for the two plowmen, and drinks and cookies for an afternoon rest. The young men moved the team down to Milo's and got several rounds the diameter of the garden spot. Resuming their work, they plowed slowly and steadily until past supper time.
It was dark enough that Andy gratefully accepted the use of the barn for the team, and the mares were more than happy to have a treat in the form of a can of rolled oats.
Honey had made twice the amount of beans and rabbit, that Milo had shot in the back pasture. Andy and Donny took as much food as they thought reasonable, but with Milo and Robbie being hearty eaters, the pot was bare for seconds. Honey had made cornbread, but it didn't take long for that to disappear, and Honey was apologizing profusely for not having enough food.
"No problem, it was good Miz Honey. We'll be down after breakfast to finish plowing," and the two young men started off at a trot back to Clora's. Once out of earshot to Milo's place, Donny was fervently hoping that Clora had made supper and was expecting them to eat.
Bursting in the back door, the smells of chili and cornbread greeted the still hungry boys. "Oh man, that smells so good; I'm starved." Donny saw no reason to tell Ma that they had already eaten. What they had at Milo's place was simply an appetizer for the main course.
Once again the food was cleaned up, and young men yawned sleepily. "We should be done tomorrow with Milo's garden. But we've been talkin, who is gonna grow food for the rest of the people. If we plow most of the front pasture in the place Andy is gonna take, the rest of'em can come up here and garden. Dad, would you go ask tomorrow before we get done at Milo's ?"
Andy picked up the plates and took them to the sink and slipped them into the hot soapy water. "I'm so tired, I'm going to bed. I didn't realize plowing was so hard. My aches and pains have aches and pains. Good grub Ma, thanks for making so much and filling us up."
Clora smiled and waved the two young men up the stairs toward bed. Washing the dishes while Mark finished his coffee, Clora asked about Punky and Max. 'don't you think those two young men ought to come home sometime soon?"
"I was enjoying the peace and quiet so much, I completely forgot about them. You don't suppose we might leave them right where they are?" Mark jested, not completely unserious.
"I'm getting the feeling that Punky and Max will want to stay with Seamus and Phoebe. What do you think of the idea?" Clora finished rinsing the dishes and stacked them in the drainer.
"What do I think? I think I'm too damn old to be raising young kids. I don't have the patience and the energy anymore. Please do not bring in anymore children Clora. I'm tired and worn out."
"I hate to admit it, I feel the same way," Clora sat down with a sigh. "I worked out in the garden and I feel like I'm a hundred years old. My joints are old and creaky tonight."
"Well then, it's time to go to bed." Mark announced firmly.
Andy and Donny got Toby's garden plowed, close to an acre and a half, they figured. TJ and Barry were already out in the field throwing clods and delighting in the freshly turned earth. Lyric was standing by the back door, turning her nose up at the 'boy' activity taking place.
Toby and Rennie had provided lunch for the two plowmen, and drinks and cookies for an afternoon rest. The young men moved the team down to Milo's and got several rounds the diameter of the garden spot. Resuming their work, they plowed slowly and steadily until past supper time.
It was dark enough that Andy gratefully accepted the use of the barn for the team, and the mares were more than happy to have a treat in the form of a can of rolled oats.
Honey had made twice the amount of beans and rabbit, that Milo had shot in the back pasture. Andy and Donny took as much food as they thought reasonable, but with Milo and Robbie being hearty eaters, the pot was bare for seconds. Honey had made cornbread, but it didn't take long for that to disappear, and Honey was apologizing profusely for not having enough food.
"No problem, it was good Miz Honey. We'll be down after breakfast to finish plowing," and the two young men started off at a trot back to Clora's. Once out of earshot to Milo's place, Donny was fervently hoping that Clora had made supper and was expecting them to eat.
Bursting in the back door, the smells of chili and cornbread greeted the still hungry boys. "Oh man, that smells so good; I'm starved." Donny saw no reason to tell Ma that they had already eaten. What they had at Milo's place was simply an appetizer for the main course.
Once again the food was cleaned up, and young men yawned sleepily. "We should be done tomorrow with Milo's garden. But we've been talkin, who is gonna grow food for the rest of the people. If we plow most of the front pasture in the place Andy is gonna take, the rest of'em can come up here and garden. Dad, would you go ask tomorrow before we get done at Milo's ?"
Andy picked up the plates and took them to the sink and slipped them into the hot soapy water. "I'm so tired, I'm going to bed. I didn't realize plowing was so hard. My aches and pains have aches and pains. Good grub Ma, thanks for making so much and filling us up."
Clora smiled and waved the two young men up the stairs toward bed. Washing the dishes while Mark finished his coffee, Clora asked about Punky and Max. 'don't you think those two young men ought to come home sometime soon?"
"I was enjoying the peace and quiet so much, I completely forgot about them. You don't suppose we might leave them right where they are?" Mark jested, not completely unserious.
"I'm getting the feeling that Punky and Max will want to stay with Seamus and Phoebe. What do you think of the idea?" Clora finished rinsing the dishes and stacked them in the drainer.
"What do I think? I think I'm too damn old to be raising young kids. I don't have the patience and the energy anymore. Please do not bring in anymore children Clora. I'm tired and worn out."
"I hate to admit it, I feel the same way," Clora sat down with a sigh. "I worked out in the garden and I feel like I'm a hundred years old. My joints are old and creaky tonight."
"Well then, it's time to go to bed." Mark announced firmly.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Very nice chapters Pac, thank you.