Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

They got the first load of hay on quick and got back starting a pile on the west side of the livestock shed . They made six more trips and back to the field hauling the hay and finished in late afternoon , they didn't stop to eat at noon . Each trip she kept a lard bucket of tea in the well for them a cool drink when they unloaded the wagon . They didn't stop long just passing the bucket around drinking the tea then back to the hayfield . They were worn out unloading the last wagon full but the job was done .

[chuck j]

It was evening by the time the last load was brought in . She knew they would be more tired than hungry She fried bacon and made 'easy' bread with the baking soda . She ground mustard seed and made mustard sauce being as she still had a little vinegar left . She made more sweet tea and had half the plum pie left from last night . When they sat down for supper after putting the black mule and horse out to grass she sliced bread and set it and the bacon on the table with the bowl of mustard and they got all the pie except for the tip of Zeke's which she would give Nate with a little of the leftover mush from the morning . They would have bacon sandwiches , leftover sweetbread and plum pie .

She told them to sleep late there would be plenty of light to graze the stock and they were going to go fishing at the river in the evening . They looked at one another and Sam said like he didn't believe it ...We are going fishing ? She said ...Yes !

[chuck j]

They slept late a bit the next morning except for her . She gathered all the bed covers , diapers , clothes , rags and everything that needed washed . When Zeke and the Rangers awoke they got dressed and looked over the outhouse they had built in the shed . It just needed the door hung with rawhide hinges and smoothing the seat a little more .

The rangers wanted badly to surprise her with the clothesline and outhouse so quietly went behind the cabin digging the pit for the outhouse and postholes for the clothesline . It didn't take that long , then Captain Jack said ...We can back the wagon right in the shed to tump it over in the bed and two of us get on the front end of the outhouse to raise it off the ground and put a rope binder to hold it down and haul it to back it right over the pit and stand it up . Zeke and Sam agreed it would work easy so they harnessed the mule and black horse and loaded it .

Sam told Zeke ...We can off load it , Why don't you go to the cabin and keep her inside and we will have this done quick ! Zeke went on to the cabin and got some coffee just trying to hold her attention and keep her talking . She actually wanted to talk .


She discussed with Zeke to tell them about Hosea and try to see what the Rangers could do to find him . Zeke agreed and they talked and said they would have a discussion with them tomorrow and that today would be a day of rest for everyone . She started cooking breakfast for everyone .


The Captain and Sam came in and Sam winked at Zeke as he sat down with his coffee . She had quick bread from yesterday so made bacon and gravy with cornmeal mush with roast corn and sugar in it . They really ate a lot after all the hard work and sat drinking coffee when they were through eating . She told them that today would be a day of rest and later they would all go to the river to enjoy it . She told them to gather all the extra clothes and bedding they had and she would wash them . They said they would and thanked her in advance .


After a bit Captain Jack said ...Ma'am we have something we want you to see . She asked ...What is it ? Sam said ...Come and you will see ! They all went out and walked around the cabin . Her hands flew over her mouth when they rounded the back corner of the cabin . And she just said ...OH ! OH ! I have wanted this so badly ! I can wash clothes in the cabin during the winter and it will make things so much easier ! She walked to the outhouse and opened the door , there was a bucket of cobs by the seat and ready to be used . She said ...It will be so nice in the winter ! Thank you ! Thank you so much ! She gave all them a hug .

[chuck j]

They went in the cabin and talked a while and she asked ...Is the team still in harness ? Sam said ...Yes they are tied . She said lets gather laundry and go to the river where it's cool in the shade . They loaded a lot of laundry and she told Zeke to get another fishing pole out of the shed . They went to the river , everyone carried their rifle . When they got there and unloaded the laundry Captain Jack staked out the mule and horse on grass and set her up to wash clothes . She told them … Zeke knows where the other two poles are in the willows upriver , keep walking upriver about a bow shot and there is a rocky bank . There is a good sand bottom and you can all bath good . She gave them wash cloths and flour sacks to dry with and cut her lye soap in half giving them a piece along with some stiff corn mush to fish with . They took their rifles and headed up stream .

[chuck j]

She worked hard at the laundry washing the Rangers and Zeke's clothes first to dry quicker . It was a heck of a lot of work but she stayed with it and finished in a couple of hours . Everything to wash was done for a while , from now on she could use tubs and do all the laundry outside or in the cabin in cold weather . She really apricated them building the clothesline and outhouse . She sat and watched the river and talked to Nate enjoying the quiet .


Upstream Zeke and the Rangers had bathed and all talked about how much better it made them feel . Captain Jack said ...It seems so long since I had a good bath I had nearly forgotten the feeling ! They agreed . They fished and talked then one got on Sam's line !

[chuck j]

She enjoyed the quiet time with Nate , it seemed every day there was so much to do and new problems to face . She thanked GOD for giving them Zeke . She didn't know how she could have made it without him . She resolved to work harder at getting better , she needed to be as good as she could be for them. She knew Sam and Captain Jack would leave soon and she was going to miss them greatly .

It was about three hours to sundown and she heard them talking as they walked toward her coming from upriver . When they got there she told them . I laid your clean clothes on those bushes over there , you can change into them and give me what your wearing so I can wash them . Everything is going to get washed before we leave here . They changed and loaded all the laundry in the wagon . They had caught seven catfish and put them on stringers under the willows except for the biggest one that probably weighed eight pounds to cook for supper . They kept the wet clothes separate to hang on the new clothes line . They left the fishing poles in the willows and started back to the cabin .

[chuck j]

They got back to the cabin and they carried her laundry in and put it on the bed . Captain Jack carried Nate in and sat at the table giving him a drink of water giving her a chance to do things she wanted to do . Sam said ...I'll take these wet clothes out back and hang em on the clothes line ma'am . She quickly said ...No ! I want to do it and start enjoying my new clothesline . It is going to be enjoyable but I would thank you for carrying them out to it . Sam hauled them and started helping Zeke put the wagon up and unharness the team putting them on grass . They filled the trough and tended to the stock . Cleaning up all the scrap and such from building the outhouse in the shed . Everything was done up when they were finished . They carried the washtubs to the porch and hung them on nails already there on the cabin . She could wash on the porch now .


Her and Captain Jack talked after she hung the clothes while she started supper and Zeke and Sam came in with firewood and put it on the hearth . They had dressed the catfish and it was so big that they filleted it , there was no way they could eat it all at one meal .

[chuck j]

They just talked , it was unusual to have this much time to just rest for them and they talked openly . She sat down while the cornbread she was making baked in the Dutch oven and told her story of coming From Iowa and losing Jenny . Sam And Captain Jack gave her their most sincere condolence for her loss and gave encouragement . Zeke was glad she could talk about it , it showed she was healing . Zeke told of being a slave and his story of getting to this place . Captain Jack told them ...You are the kind of people Texas needs . You are more than you realize . Not many came to places like you have and stay , after a while they go back where there are more people and things are easier . But this part of Texas will change in the next ten years as the Indians and outlaws are cleaned out . If I were you and could I would buy more land upriver. This spot has much more potential than you probably realize , I have seen it in other places . The land is cheap now because the state trying to get it settled .

Zeke and her listened to Captain jack . They respected his advice . She fried the catfish rolled in fresh cornmeal with black pepper , finished the cornbread and made sweet tea . They had a good supper with all the catfish they could eat . She gathered their dry clothes and gave them to them to take to the shed when they left .

Zeke said as he was the last one leaving ...I noticed you were not using a crutch on your right side since we came back from the river . She said ...It's time to start not using these crutches Zeke . He smiled going to the shed .

[chuck j]

The next morning Sam , Zeke and Captain Jack rolled out and quickly got dressed in their clean clothes , they felt better today . They had accomplished a lot in just a few days of hard work . They had really enjoyed the day off and becoming closer to each other . Zeke and the Captain planned on cleaning the livestock lot , Zeke wanted to have a garden next year . Having a garden would make life easier and better for them . He wanted to plow up the north end of the cornfield for the garden and possibly plow the area where they had cut hay to plant oats which would provide hay and grain for them and the stock . Him and the Captain started hauling the manure to the north end of the cornfield and scattering it in preparation for a garden . Sam saddled the black mule at first light and told them he was going hunting . Zeke had told him in conversation he wanted to get some deer meat to dry so they would not have to hunt or fish every day .

The Captain and Zeke teased Sam that he was going hunting to get out of hauling manure ! Sam laughed and said … Tell me that when your having backstrap for supper . As he left carrying his 1873 Winchester across the saddle Zeke said ...I hope he gets one , we could use the meat . Captain Jack replied ...He will bring one back ...believe me ! I picked Sam to go with me to kill those outlaws , Sam has turned down a Captain's commission twice in the last eight years to stay in the field . Sam gets things done , you will never find a better man to have as a friend . I have lived with him many times riding in the saddle and fighting Indians . He is a man to ride with !

[chuck j]

Around midmorning they heard a rife shot downriver and an hour later they heard another . Zeke said ...He is bound to have got one ! Captain Jack said … No . He has got two and he is gutting the second one right now . About an hour later Sam showed up with two does tied over the saddle . It was lunch time and they were having bacon , biscuits and gravy with plum fried pies and tea . They hung the deer on the mesquite tree in front and skinned them then went and ate .


The meal was good and afterwards they cut out the backstraps , she cleaned them and put them in lard cans with a damp sack and wrapped a wet sack around the bucket . They all started slicing up meat thin for jerky and slightly thicker slices to put up for cooking . Zeke set up the smoking racks on the west side of the cabin and built a big fire off to the side of pecan wood to get coals to do the drying . They dipped the meat in brine to help preserve it and draw out the moisture quicker .


Zeke hung it on the racks and barely had enough room . When the fire burned down to coals he scattered them under the racks being careful not to get them close to the legs . It was a fairly still day so the meat would dry quicker . He would keep the coal fire going to make more coals .


Sam teased Zeke and the Captain about them having backstrap for supper . Then Zeke and the Captain went to the plum thicket and picked a big sack of lambs quarter then they rested till evening and she put backstrap on to slow cook and be tender .

[chuck j]

She awoke the next morning and started breakfast . She knew they would be awake soon , she let Nate sleep ...Yesterday had been a big day for him . She got backstrap out of a lard can cutting it in strips. She tenderized it by beating it on the table with the edge of a heavy plate . She rolled it in flour and let it set so to make a nice crust . She got new cornmeal and made fried sweet cornbread . She went on and baked bread in her Dutch oven . She knew Captain Jack and Sam would be leaving today or tomorrow and planned on making them food for their trip .


The food was cooked for breakfast except for the gravy which she had to wait for one them to bring in the milk to finish that . She was sad that the Rangers had to leave , her and Zeke had grown close to them as friends in so short a time . She went over in her mind what she would tell them about Hosea and prayed they would help her . She worried about him so much , she heard them coming and wiped the tears from her eyes and got busy putting plates on the table .

[chuck j]

The men came in and were joking with one another , they were all rested and in a good mood . Zeke had stayed up till around midnight tending the meat being dried and there were several sacks of dried meat separated as cooking meat and jerky . They would not have to worry about hunting or fishing if they were too busy or the weather was bad for a long time .

They drank coffee and talked as she finished frying the strips of backstrap and making gravy . Captain Jack said ...Tomorrow morning we must leave . Today I will make all my reports out and they will be delivered to Ranger Company C at Fort Graham 80 miles southeast of here . I will write your accounts of the events here with the two outlaws and you will witness them . I am obligated to tell you there is a three hundred dollar reward on both of them by the state of Texas and I will see that you get it . Both of you will be famous for killing those two . You saved lives and provided a great service .


I am authorize to make law on the spot or do as I see fit in the field . I will put in writing that both of you can keep their guns and ammunition . You may also keep one of their saddles and their saddlebags . I would also give you their horses but it seems you have too many to feed now . They would just be more work and a burden to you . We will go south through Eliasville and probably sell them to not have to trail them to Fort Graham . All the proceeds from the two horses and one saddle will be added to the cash we found on the bodies and personal belongings will be donated to a trust for the orphans the two killers left in their wake . I will write this all up and you will not have to travel to bear witness , Sam and I will stand up for you and if you ever have problems concerning any of it contact us . I am leaving you how to contact us through the Rangers . I and Sam are also going to write a personal reference attesting to your good character and your assistance in this matter . I expect you will have a Ranger stopping in occasionally to make sure your alright and be hoping for one of your excellent meals ma'am . And in the future if Sam or I can ever help you please let us know , we consider you family .

[chuck j]

Zeke and her looked at each other and Zeke said ...Her and me must talk before you write it up Captain . We will decide some things I think we both have on our minds . Captain Jack said ...Certainly ! Just let me know what your concerns are ! I will work with you .

After breakfast Sam and Captain Jack made excuses that they needed to prepare some things to leave in the morning and went out . Her and Zeke sat and talked .

[chuck j]

She and Zeke talked about several things concerning the outlaws , the bounty and discussing Hosea and requesting their help . They would talk to Sam and the Captain at lunch .


Zeke went out to see want needed to be done and they were digging postholes and setting posts to build a bigger livestock pen attached to the smaller old one . He had mentioned building another pen but didn't expect them to do it . He tried to talk them into resting because they were leaving in the morning but they laughed and said they wanted to get all the posts in at least . Sam threw in digging and by lunch all the posts were set . They went to the cabin and she had another backstrap roast ready with bread , roast gravy , and plum frybread . They ate and Zeke and her talked with them .


She started by saying ...Zeke and I want no credit for killing those men , we don't want any kind of fame or credit for killing anyone if that is possible . And as to the reward money we can not accept money for killing another person regardless that they were killers and outlaws . We would like to add that six hundred dollars to the orphans trust . Can that be done ?


Captain Jack thought a min and said ...I will see that it is done ! Should for any reason in the future you deem it right I will see that you two be given credit for their deaths on your request . And I have no problem seeing the reward money being put in the trust for the children . What other concerns do you have ? Her and Zeke looked at each other and she started telling the story of Hosea's disappearance .

[chuck j]

She told them the entire story right up till the black mule had shown up at the cabin door in the morning eleven days after Hosea had left with the saddle under his belly and the back of his front legs bloody from the saddle rubbing on them .

Captain Jack said immediately ...We will investigate this thoroughly and we will come back here from Eliasville to give you a report . He said ...I only have one question . You seem to talk like your husband had 'problems' or he seemed troubled , do you think he may have just left in search of ridding himself of responsibilities ?

She knew Captain Jack had to ask that question but she replied quickly ...NO ! Hosea was getting better after Nate was born . He loved us and was trying to start this farm and provide for us to the point it was taking a toll on him but NO he would not have ever left us . Something bad has happened to keep him away from us . I fear for him !

Sam said ...We will get answers ma'am and be back as soon as possible . We will be coming back . We hear there is a small store with a post to send and get mail . Do you need to send any letters or need anything we might bring when we return ? Make a list and we will do our best . I would guess it would be two weeks or a little longer till we return .