Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

The Captain took a sheet of paper out of a tablet in a leather writing case and a pen with an ink bottle . He said Ma'am I want a detailed description of everything Hosea was wearing , everything he took with him , what he intended to do and bring back . I want detail ma'am .

Sam asked Zeke to start a list of things wanted from Eliasville so they went to the shed to give her and the Captain privacy . Zeke told Sam …. I need a lot and I would like for you to take my pack saddles since your taking the outlaws horses . You could leave the saddle your going to sell and pick it up when you leave next time . Zeke started listing items and Sam wrote them down .

[chuck j]

That evening she started cooking bread and plum fried pies . She cooked an extra lard can of lambs quarter without bacon so it would last a few days if brought to a boil . She made cornbread and salted crackers , she packed a flour sack half full of jerky . She made hard taffy candy out of sugar and sugar cookies . She tried to have them fresh food for the hot days of riding ahead . All the while she cooked supper .


Zeke brought his trading packs to the cabin and stacked their contents against the west wall inside the cabin telling her she could put it where she thought it needed to be . There were three big packs , she was amazed at how much supplies there were .

They all had a good supper of backstrap tenderized and cooked in gravy with lambs quarter and corn . Zeke and her hated to see them go , it had been so enjoyable having them stay . They talked and laughed , Nate was passed around and everyone said nothing about them leaving .

The next morning they loaded the packs on the outlaws horses and Zeke's black horse . They all said they would see each other soon . Then they rode west out of sight to the ford in the river .

[chuck j]

It was a quiet day . They took care of things that needed done which were not many . Captain Jack and Sam had been a huge blessing to them . In such a short while everything was caught up and big improvements made in their lives . The hay was in , there was plenty of dried meat , she had a new clothesline and an outhouse , everything was straight and cleaned up . There was quiet .

[chuck j]

Zeke had walked out to the shed after they left thinking to maybe split some rails for the new fence . Laying on the floor by the entrance were the outlaws rifle boots . He picked them up and did some figuring to mount them on the fronts of their saddles . She would keep using her old saddle and he would use the outlaws . The outlaws was more to a bronc style with high cantal and pommel , double rigged with plenty of skirt . It had a steel horn which he would cover with rawhide . He started trimming some of that 'South Texas' skirt off and mounting the rifle boot on the front instead of having it on the back . Next he would trim down the gun belt for the 51 Navy for her to carry .

[chuck j]

She laid the dress she was making on the table and threaded a needle . She bit the thread off and brought the thread ends equal holding the needle between the knuckles of her index and middle fingers . She started hemming the two pieces of material at the inside of the shoulder . She would add the collar and cuffs of the sleeves last . Her fingers operated by themselves as she wondered what the Rangers would find out about Hosea . She was afraid . She knew something was wrong but she had to know . She hemmed up the whole bodice of the dress thinking about Hosea . It didn't seem like it took long . She started warming supper .

[chuck j]

Zeke went to the cabin . She should be getting supper together bout now . She was bending down warming the last of the backstrap and gravy bringing it to a boil . Her dress was still laying on the table and Zeke said … That's gonna be a real pretty dress ma'am ! It's a pretty color of blue ! The material was a dark blue with tiny red dots all through it in a zig zag pattern . She said … I like the pattern and it will do fine if I double stich the seams and pleat the skirt to help it wear . Flour sacks are really too light to make work clothes . Zeke said … My mama was really good at sewing ! She sewed many a pretty fancy dress for white ladies with money . Our owners let her keep part of the money and she could buy things for us . She enjoyed sewing a lot .


She sat supper on the table quietly and didn't have a lot to say . Zeke watched her and when she sat down he said ...May I say grace ma'am ? She said ...Certainly ! And she held Nate bowing her head . Zeke closed his eyes tightly head bowed and began to pray .

[chuck j]

And he said . Lord ! Lord ! Give me to help her ! Lord I am here ! Lord give me words and Lord give her to lean on me . We both will lean on you Lord whatever happens but I know you have given us one another here to strengthen us in you Lord . You hold us in your hand , you have provided . You have brought us through trouble Lord . Bring us through this time of uncertainty . We both are worried for Hosea , we ask you to help us help one another in this time . Help our friends you have given Sam and Captain Jack that go to help us . I know you are working in our lives . Give us through the Holy Spirit to give comfort through you . Be with us , guide us . Thank you Lord . Amen

She sat there running his words through her mind as she held Nate her head still bowed . She was silent for a while then raised her head and started to feed Nate but he was fussy and would not eat . She thought a min then got up and walked around the table . She handed him to Zeke and said ...I'll let Grampa Zeke feed you , I know you two think a lot alike !


Zeke started feeding him and said ...Grampa Zeke ! I like the sound of that ! Him and Nate were both smiling . She also smiled as she refilled Zeke's tea glass .

[chuck j]

Zeke got out of his bed of hay the next morning . He staked out the horses and went to milk the cow . The cow didn't even give a cup of milk …..she was dry . He hated to tell her this bad news . The cow had been able to give milk a long time . Nate could make it on solid food but he really needed milk to grow right . This was a hard blow with no answer .

He staked out the cow and went to breakfast . She wasn't surprised to hear about the cow she said ...She should have gone dry two months ago , she is a good cow . I want to get her bred again ...I'll not get rid of her , it's not her fault she ran dry .

[chuck j]

Boolit Master


Join Date
Dec 2013
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Zeke finished up putting the rifle boots on the saddles . His own saddle he rode in on needed a new latigo , the stirrup leathers were worn and weathered . The fleece was all gone and needed to be replaced . He would retire it , there was a saddle maker in Graham by the name of Eddleman that did good work maybe he could get it rebuilt , the tree was still solid .

Zeke started splitting rails for the new lot fence . He was looking forward to being able to not having to keep some of the horses on ropes . Of coarse there would have to be another water trough also .

[chuck j]

Zeke sharpened his belt knife and started shortening the Navy's rig . She was slight built and he wanted to lighten and make it easier to work wearing it . He took his time , when he got down to measure the length of the belt he took it to the cabin and fitted it to her waist leaving two holes either side of her size . She tried it on and it was good .

He told her they must always be armed . He told her to have the belt on or by the door and to never leave to go outside even to hang clothes without it ! He planned to take her down to the river in a day or two to teach her to use the pistol . He also told her the corn was drying in the cornfield and though they could eat it a few more days that there would be no more fresh corn . They both hated that , the corn had provided an easy source of food . Plus the corn would need harvesting very soon with the hot weather to put up for winter . It would be a lot of work harvesting , hauling , shelling and bagging the corn in the hot weather then using a corn knife to clear the field to plow for winter .

[chuck j]

They had eaten lunch . Zeke was still splitting rails behind the shed and had stopped to do some measuring with his spool of string when he heard the black mule bray in the pen . He walked the short distance around the shed and the mule was looking toward the prairie north of the cabin .

There was one rider hazing about a dozen longhorns towards them . He went to the cabin . She was on the porch wearing her gun belt and standing there with the Henry leaned up by her watching the cattle and rider coming . Zeke stepped on the porch and said ...Looks like we got more company coming ma'am .

[chuck j]

She said ...Zeke I have been here over a year , had a baby , built what we have and never saw another person come here , now it seems like a busy place ! Zeke said ...Sit at the front gun port ma'am , I'll see what they want when they get here ! Keep Nate and yourself safe whatever you have to do ma'am .

The rider broke away from the cattle and headed straight for the cabin . As the cattle wandered toward the cabin also .

[chuck j]

The rider walked his bay horse into the yard and stopped in front of the cabin . He was looking around as he dismounted . He looked to be about thirty five years old . He wore a denim long sleeve shirt , Levi pants , high cowboy boots with working spurs and a worn confederate cavalry officers hat .
He wore a 44 Colt Army in a Mexican cross draw holster . He rode a big bay gelding with a single rigged roping saddle with a rope , a 45 70 Sharps carbine was in a front boot . He stood and hailed the cabin . Zeke stepped out with the hammer back on the Colt in his holster .


Zeke said ...Stay where you are ...We have had trouble here of late from strangers . What do you want ? The man looked down at the ground and lifted his head quickly and said ...These are troubling times indeed , I understand your caution ! I have had my share of trouble with strangers myself . I seek only to keep my cattle near the river in the bottom for a few days to rest them . I'm driving them to Fort Graham in hopes of selling them to the army there . I will not bother you at all and in payment for that courtesy I would be glad to do work in repayment .

[chuck j]

Zeke replied ...Stand where you are . We will talk on it . Zeke went to the back gun port and scanned the prairie closely . He said to her as she watched the stranger out of the cracked gun port … Ma'am he seems to be alone . It's strange he is alone coming from the north with a dozen cattle but we don't know his story . Whats your opinion ma'am . She sat and thought a second and said ...He has stated his situation and offered to repay our kindness if we let him graze his cattle . Just because of those two outlaws we can't turn decent people away . Tell him to come in and talk but we will be cautious .

Zeke stepped out on the porch and said ...Come in and we will talk . Would you like coffee or cool sweet tea ? The stranger said as he walked to the mesquite tree to put his horse in the shade and loose the girt . I would truly thank you for a cup of coffee , I ran out last winter .

She was livening the coals from lunch to make coffee as he stepped through the doorway removing his hat and laying it on the floor by the door frame . She said ...Please sit down , the coffee will be ready soon . He took a seat on the bench against the wall and her and Zeke sat down opposite . He said ...My name is Wade Mc Laughlin , Zeke and her introduced themselves as Zeke reached across the table to shake hands . He said … You have a baby ma'am ! Seeing Nate on his pallet .

[chuck j]

She asked ...How long do you plan to rest your cattle ? Wade said ...I'd like to fatten them on good grass for a few weeks . I come from one hundred and fifty miles to the northeast . Yours is the first farm I have seen , you have a beautiful place here from what I can see . It looks like the garden of Eden . He said ...I will be truthful , I have no money but I would work to repay your generosity and thank you . But if you can't see your way clear to do it I will thank you for a good cup of coffee and move on without any hard feelings .


Zeke and her looked at each other and she said … You must stay for supper and we will talk . Zeke can show you a good bend in the river just upstream with good grass and easy for your cattle to get to water . The bend will make it easy to hold them there . We will eat two hours before sundown . You may come anytime before then . He picked up his half cup of coffee and drained the cup as he got up . He said ...Thank you , I'll gather my cows and get them headed upstream . Zeke said ...I'll catch up to you shortly when I get saddled up . He walked to the big bay , tightened the girt and hauled up turning him to the scattered cattle to the west .


Zeke stood up fetching his hat off the nail by the door and picking up his rifle . She said … Can you get me some Polk or lambs quarter and some cactus as you stop and get two of our catfish on the way back ? Zeke said ...Yes ma'am ! He got two flour sacks and left . She sat there thinking about the conversation with them and Wade .