Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

She walked around the table and stood beside Wade who was seated and told Zeke ... Help us ! Zeke got up and walked to the other side of Wade . They bowed their heads and laid a hand on Wade's shoulder . They both prayed for Wade . Wade released the last of his fear and tears ran like water ..he could not speak .


They prayed till he could cry no more then they sat down . In a moment Zeke said I want to share my story with you brother Wade . I was born a slave and was property of a man for fifty one years . Then …..

Zeke told his story , he testified .
At the end of Zeke's testimony he explained that GOD had brought him here and he found her and Nate . That GOD gave them to each other and he at last had a family and a home . People to love and that love returned . Wade reached across the table and laid his hand on Zeke's shoulder he said ...You are home ! Praise our GOD who brought you here . Thank you Zeke .

She had tears in her eyes while Zeke told his story and she reached to him next to her and held his hand . When he was finished she said …

Wade I was born in Iowa , I had good parents . I married Hosea when I was sixteen and shortly after the war started he joined with my father and left ….


She told her story and at the end she cried and said ...That is how I am here with Nate . That is why GOD gave us to Zeke . GOD brought you here Wade . I don't know what he plans for you but he gave us to you . Use us !

Zeke held her hand as she testified and he wondered at how small her hand was and how strong she was .

[chuck j]

She reached and pulled the bible from the end of the table and slid it in front of Wade . She said ...Read Corinthians 12 verses seven through ten . Wade thumbed the pages till he got there and read …

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

[chuck j]

Wade read the verse and looked at them expecting them to say something but both of them only held one another's hand and he said ...I am broken ! I have placed faith in worldly things that have all failed me and now I can be reshaped like the potters clay . Will you help me ?


Zeke squeezed her hand and said ...God has put us all in each other's path ...we will all help one another . She smiled and squeezed his hand tighter . Zeke said . Brother Wade I have never been baptized . I have wanted to be reborn and be new in Christ my Lord . Would you baptize me at a given time brother Wade ?

Wade raised his head and said … Much like John the Baptist I should ask you to baptize me . I would consider it an honor and a personal blessing to baptize you . You have more than given a profession of faith not only by your mouth but your acts as well . You tell me when and I will be there .


Zeke said ...It will be soon .

[chuck j]

They rested in the heat of the day and talked of many things . Wade said ...Ma'am I don't even own a bible anymore , may I borrow yours . I need to do some catching up on many things . She said ...Of course ! And perhaps we can all study together daily for us all to 'catch up' . Zeke and Wade agreed quickly

[chuck j]

In the evening it started to cool a bit and she asked Zeke if he would go to the river and bring back two cafish left there . He just picked up his rifle and put on his hat . He armed up Nate and said ...I'll be back pretty quick ma'am ! He started out the door but turned around and said ...DANG IT ! coming back inside . She said ...What is wrong ? Zeke said as he picked up two clean flour sacks ...You got to have sacks ma'am . She laughed for a long time after he left .


Zeke got to the river and while he was pulling in the catfish on the stringer he noticed a patch of cattails with a lot of new shoots . He pulled off his boots and pants and waded out, took his belt knife and cut a sack full of new shoots . He gathered the catfish and rode to the plum thicket where he gathered another sack of lambs quarter . He rode the black mule back home . She was happy with the greens that would last for two days . Tomorrow she was planning on making dumplings with the dried venison . GOD was truly blessing them .

[chuck j]

She fixed a nice supper , the catfish was really good , cooked on the forked stick with salt and black pepper . They had cattail shoots chopped with bacon . They ate and put three gun port chairs on the porch and talked till the sun was just showing half above the horizon . It had been an amazing day for them all . They felt stronger together and looked forward to logging the next day .

[chuck j]

They awoke the next morning and all did the daily chores . Zeke and Wade put the stock on grass , filled the trough , saddled the sorrel , put the team in harness and went to the cabin carrying two buckets each of drinking or cleaning water to save her having to do it . If you tried to be clean it took a lot of water every day .


She had made bread and gravy with frybread with plums and sugar in it . She told them ...I'm really sorry but we are out of bacon . But maybe we will be able to get some more later . Zeke and Wade both jumped in and told her it didn't matter and that she could make anything taste good ! They bragged on her all during breakfast and it was all true . She was a good cook and tried hard to please everyone with limited supplies to do it .


They had their routine down and drove the team and took the sorrel pulling the sledge down river . The sun was hardly up and it was a beautiful morning . She wrapped the water buckets with a wet sack and put them in the shade . Zeke and Wade put their tools on the sledge and hauled them till they found some good trees that were straight and started sawing . She took the sledge and finished loading the trimmings from yesterday and waited till they felled the first tree then finished the load .


She started for the cabin to unload the sledge , Zeke and Wade stayed felling trees . She carried her Henry on her shoulder with the sling Zeke had made for her . She wished they had more cartridges for their rifles to practice with them but they needed to save them in case of trouble . She reached the side of the cabin and started pulling the wood off on the ground . She was getting stronger on her left side and she hoped she would regain her old strength soon . the walking seemed like it helped her a lot .


Zeke and Wade felled two trees while she was hauling firewood to the cabin . Zeke told Wade ...Lets trim these out then that way you can stay with her while she takes the sledge to unload . Zeke told him the story of her having the heat sickness and it was a miracle she was doing so good . But that they had to watch her ! She would try to over do and he didn't know if she would survive another spell of sickness .

[chuck j]

Everything went well and six more logs were snaked to the cabin and rowed back of the shed . She went to make lunch and Wade and Zeke talked figuring on the best way to build the room . Wade was a real help ! He said he had worked at a lumber mill in Austin while he went to seminary , he had a good knowledge of working with raw material and making lumber . Zeke was a quick learner and listened ! They were looking forward to getting to the building .


She had left dried meat cut up soaking in her big pot and she pulled the banked coals out and rekindled a fire . When it burned down to coals she gathered the coals and hung her pot on the pot hook in the fireplace . She was eager to see how the dried venison and dumplings would turn out . She had never cooked with dried meat and she had a lot of ideas to use it . She wanted to try a meat pie next !

[chuck j]

She set the dried meat and dumplings on the table with lambs quarter . They all sat down and filled their plates and she said ...This dried venison and dumplings is a new idea . I want you to be honest as to if it's good or bad ! NO bragging on me and just eating something you don't like , be honest .


Zeke and Wade spooned up a dumpling and some meat and started chewing , then they did the same thing again . She expected a report on the first mouthful but they just kept eating more of it . They started laughing and Wade said ...Taste it yourself ma'am ! I could eat this every day , it's dang good . Zeke had a mouthful and was shaking his head up and down , when he swallowed it he said ...It's good ma'am ! The meat is real tender ! She tried it and it was good ! It was easy to make and they had plenty of died meat .


She missed having vegetables and especially onions to use in cooking . She told Wade and Zeke that Hosea and her had waited till they got to Louisiana to buy garden seed so they would be new seed but the store owner cheated them with old seed . Nothing but a few yellow squash had come up and they didn't blossom well .They got here and couldn't have a garden It was a big blow , when Hosea went to Eliasville he was going to try and find seed for a fall garden .

[BigGuy]

I blogged about it.
https://wordpress.com/post/guywheatley.wordpress.com/52

[chuck j]

Come evening when it cooled a bit Zeke and Wade started sawing and chopping the fire wood up and ricking it against the west side of the cabin neatly . They had a heck of a lot of wood already and all oak and pecan ...Good firewood ! It took a lot of wood for winter but they were sure getting a head start on stocking up . They got about a third of the wood cut and stacked . Hosea had made a sawbuck and it really helped !


She made them sweet tea and they sat on the porch and watched the sun get nearly down . Wade said ...I enjoy being with both of you . I love to work with you . Everyone is willing to do more than their share . I never answered your question ma'am . She said ...Which question ? Wade said ...You asked if I would be a pastor and be in the ministry .

She said ...So you have that answer ? He looked at her and said ...Yes . I will . I don't know where to start or what to do . She said ...Give GOD the time . It will come to you . But in that meantime be with us here …..It will come . Zeke was just looking at the river and said ...Yep . It'll come .

[chuck j]

They got up extra early the next morning . Zeke put his clothes on and said ...Dang ! I stink like a dead tomcat ! I got to get a good bath and wash my clothes ! Wade laughed and said ...If it makes you feel any better I'm in the same shape . Zeke said … We'll talk her into going to the river this evening and get really cleaned up . She loves going to the river any ways . We could set out some lines , take a bath , wash our clothes and maybe shoot a rabbit or get us some Texas chickens . Wade laughed and just said ...Texas chickens . He laughed .

She made plum pancakes with sugar syrup for breakfast . They loved the pancakes and Nate ate a lot . Wade and Zeke had the team and the sorrel ready to go and they went downriver to log . They had found some nice trees back in the shinnery where they were the day before and decided to cut them although they would be harder to get out of the brush . They cut three down and started trimming them , they had to clear some brush to get into them . They had to haul the trimmings out to trim them down to firewood . It was a lot of extra work but the logs were good straight ones .

Wade and Zeke backed the team in and snaked one out to go to the cabin . They all loaded the sledge and Wade and her started for the cabin . The team was really working together and needed little handling . Wade and her walked and just talked .

[chuck j]

They did the same thing as yesterday . They unhitched the log and rowed it . They unloaded the firewood , Wade made sure she didn't over do on the work . Wade told her to take a break when they were through unloading and he would water the sorrel and team . He left them tied in the shade at the pen and went on and brought in the other horses and the cow . It was funny , the cow didn't really need a lead rope ...she just followed along and went in the gate .

Wade went to the cabin to get her and head back . She had the wash tubs set out on the porch with her rub board , and soap . She was cleaning dishes from breakfast . Wade said ...I thought you were going to take a break . She said ...I thought you were just going to water the sorrel and team . Instead you brought in the stock , hayed them and picked up and filled the trough ? Wade laughed .

Wade said ...We better get back to the river ma'am before Zeke kills himself with the logging . They were just walking the team and sorrel enjoying it . Everything was moving along better than any of them thought . She said ...GOD is blessing us , it's a pleasure to work , to build and care for one another you care about . We should enjoy this time because there will be trouble and there will be trial . It doesn't make me sad to know that . I have you and Zeke and Nate , you will help me through him .


Wade thought on what she said as they walked and said before they reached the river ...Ma'am it's a new experience being in a place like this . I'm trying to put everything into order . Thank you for your council . She looked at him and offered her hand . They walked to the logging spot .

[chuck j]

Zeke was sitting on a log with Nate talking to him and giving him a drink of water . She thought ...Zeke sure does talk to Nate a lot . I wonder what he tells him . Zeke was soaking wet with sweat and smiled as they came up . He had three more logs felled and trimmed , the trimmings ready in the clear and the brush cleared to the logs .

She said to Zeke ...You rest and drink some water ! Wade and me will load the sledge and tie on a log . Wade and her got the sledge loaded and the team tied on to a log and she told Zeke to walk back with her and Wade could take down a couple of trees and they would be back quickly . She and Zeke snaked the log home and drug off the trimmings . They were getting an amazing amount of work done and everyone was happy . By a little after noon they had another eight logs rowed behind the shed and the trimming pile by the cabin was impressive ,


She made them tea to drink and cool off as she brought the left over greens and dumplings to a boil for lunch . Zeke said ...We could finish hauling all the trimmings after we eat ? She said ...NO! We will rest .

Zeke said ...Ma'am how bout we go to the river this evening and get cleaned up and do a little fishin ? She said ...Now that is a good idea ! We all stink and the clothes need be washed . We will take the black mule and sledge with us and enjoy the shade and peace there . They agreed .

[chuck j]

Midafternoon they loaded the laundry and washing things on the sledge . She placed Nate on the sledge with Zeke and Wade's rifles and walked to the river . She had boiled a little stiff mush for bait she wrapped up everyone a piece of sweetened plum frybread and made half a lard can of sweet tea .


The black mule knew where they were going and she just threw the lead rope over the saddle and they walked to the river . Zeke and Wade carried her laundry to her rock at the waters edge along with the rub board and soap She told them ...You go upriver to the shallow spot and I'll do the laundry , I'll lay your clothes on the bushes like before when the Rangers were here and you can change .


She said ...I'm going to bath myself and Nate in the river so be gone a while . She gave them homemade flour sack wash clothes and sacks to dry with . They took off laughing and teasing each other who would catch the first and biggest fish . She got their clothes first and laid them by her and she said ...Oh my lands ! They stunk bad . She laid them in the water to soak a bit . She thought ...We need more changes of clothes ! She would try to make them some then she started thinking she could make them underwear out of flower print flour sacks and laughed out loud thinking about that !


She laid their clothes on the bushes in full sun to dry along with her only other dress . She got undressed and got Nate and waded out in the river . It felt so good to be in the water ! She had not been in the river since spring when her and Hosea would come to do laundry and bath . She splashed water on Nate and pulled him around in the water . He kicked and laughed , she scrubbed him good from top to bottom . She dried him and let him lay naked on the shawl while she bathed and washed her hair twice . She dried off with sacks and put on a clean full slip she use to wear when she had nice dresses and wore them to church and town . She felt really good ...she was going to get in the river to bath more often ! She started washing clothes again to finish the laundry .