Chapter 7-1

Chapter 7-1

The boys and the Sheriff hoped back on the horses headed on back to the farm. The first thing they did after putting the horses way of course. Robert, Pa, and Richard laughing reaching for buckets from behind the barn "splash" Splash" "Splash" soaking the three deputies and run. Tugging off their shoes and sock before going into the house, because Martha would skin them all alive if they tracked mud all through the house. Then running back outside after they changed their clothes played the rest of the afternoon in the sun.

Down in the Villa things where not going as smooth as it was on the farm, oh no, sure the rosters names were filled and stacked. The problem was there was nobody left in charge. They were all up at the farm taking the afternoon off in the sun. So the only thing left for them to do down in the Villa was? You guessed it... “Ye haw” as they threw their hats in the air, fire the guns high in the air, “let’s get this party started,” it was a madhouse.

Drinking and brawling, the chores did not get done so the poor women folk went on a rampage right back to the farm. Loading all the children in the wagons, took all the vittles left them all “see ya tell you can behave yourselves.” They closed all the shops leaving them stranded with nothing so much as a scrape. The men just laughed at them “you can't survive more than a day without us” as they watched them pick up and ride off.

The men and young lads with a jug in their hands laughing with proud arms around their Pa's, brother and friends “ha they'll be back they need us,” they laughed at the women swinging the jug. Then men danced all day and into the night among themselves, what a party. The woman arrived at the farm finding the Sheriff and the boys sound asleep in the barn after playing all day in the sun, after working so hard without any help. The woman were not too mad at them too much, not at them. They figured they earned a little rest, it was them down there they were mad at. So they just closed the barn door for now. But will give them a piece of their mind “oh yes,” but for now well let them rest. They earned it for now as they slam the barn door, how dare they think their job was done.

Martha stood up on the wagon with Aunty M with her shrill whistle. “Ladies,” she said as she looked towards the Villa, “they want war then let's show them what we are good for,” laughing slapping her knee. Aunty M helps them get organized, setting up team captions, grabbing the rosters making plans in the dirt with a quick little map, as she turned Martha's house into base camp headquarters.

The women folk had the cook tent set up in nothing flat was working on raids for sleeping quarters, sending a group of young lass and couple Grandmas and some small boys into the Villa for extra tents and cots and another group with list of things to get from Stringum's Hardware and Goods, right under the men's noses. By the time Sheriff and the boys woke up from their long afternoon nap, Woman and children were everywhere all over the farm. Robert and the boys astounded. Wayne knew he needed to find Martha right away before things could get any worse. “Did you have good sleep boys,” Martha said as she walked by them.

Wayne ran his fingers through his hair before he stepped in front of his wife. “Martha dear,” he said as he looked around, “did I miss something?” Pointing to all the woman children on the farm.

“Yes, dear,” giving him a hard cold stare. “Wayne you forgot to tell me about few things I think. Age you know must have slipped your mind, happens to all of us when we get old.”  She said as she did a quick laugh then walked away.

Wayne watched her, not having the slights idea what that suppose to mean, shrugged his shoulders, yells for his boys and Deputies. “Looks like we're headed back too town boys,” he said.

“Yes Pa, yes sir.” The boys replied.

The boys hopping back on their horses back down the road. They could see Martha's scouting party's arriving back with the goods.  The boys laughed watching them slide through the thickest with their stolen goods with a smile on their faces. They wave, “hi Sheriff nice evenen,” as they headed back to the farm. The Sheriff and the boys decide it would be best if they take alternate route. Never know what could be lurking on this strange night.

Tying their horse up nearby they did a little sneaking around to hear what's going on around them too cause such a fuss. The closer they crawled towards the tents they heard voices ahead, some of the menfolk were talking. “I just can't believe me wife would do such a thing, take the kids and run off with no sup,” The man replied.

“Me too, just cause me wanted little fun, gives her no right she me wife ain't' right,” the other man said as he empties his jug.”

Wayne and the boys cover their mouths and back out of the thickets, “Bart did ya hears that?” The other man said.

“Na just those snakes again all over I hears. Let's go back se' what the rest are doin I dry.” Bart replied.

The Sheriff and the boys laughed covering their mouths, headed towards the Villa Square. Following the shadows and dark corners they see Doc Hatfield standing in a corner “Pssst, Doc.” No answer. Richard slips over stealth like right behind him and quickly covers his mouth as the boys drag him off into a corner somewhere. “What in tar nation?” Doc said madder than a hog on fire. “OH!” It's you, boys,” he said slapping his knee, “you nearly gave me a heart attack back there. This place has gone loopier than side wider on a hot skillet,” Doc replied.   

“Doc I did exactly what you told me to do... what went wrong?”Wayne asked.

“What went wrong?” Doc said looked around the room and rolled his eyes, takes his fingers through his hair, and tightens his mustache. “Man you have a lot to learn about delegation son. You left nobody in charge here, you, had all your people with nowhere to go, no one to lead them. No captains to seconds all you had were workers no chiefs. What did ya think was going to happen? The chief left with all his aids for the day and so what do you get,” Doc said as he points to the mess and nods. “Now the women are on the warpath because of you or they think or should say those men think their fine without them, serves them right,” Doc replied.

“You got to be joking?”Wayne replied.

“Nope,” he said as they watched a couple of Grandmas taking a couple of large tents and smaller boys shuffling cots into the shadows in the distance from the tents Doc chuckled as he watched “resourceful little buggers aren't they?” Doc said poking Wayne.

“Any ideas how to get things back on track?” Wayne asked as he looked at this raged group.

“Yep, let them sleep it off and suffer it out for a couple of days then work, work and more work that should do it,” Doc replied.

“Doc that wasn't what I asked you?”Wayne said.

“I know you'll have to figure that one out on your own,”  Doc said slapping Wayne hard on the back knocking the wind right out of him.

Doc turned and walked right back into the crowd, men picking up another jug laughing. The Sheriff turned to his boys, “Boys we are in trouble,” as watching the group of men having one heck of a good time.

Robert, Richard, and his three Deputies took off their hats and hit him with them. “Yes, sir certainly looks like it.” And they hit him one more time. headed back to their horses, ride to the office picking up the charts and the rosters and head on back to the farm stopping by the perfume, flower, candy and toy shops on the way back to the farm, after all, they weren’t idiots.

When they arrived back to the farm a barricade was already placed in front of the farm. Two grannies and two lasses paced as guards, holding shotguns barrels pointed right at them. “Who goes there? What's the password? Sony or I'll start shooten you full of lead dear. Oh, it’s you, Sheriff, you come on in for a kiss”: as Granny winked. “Martha waiten for ya at the house,” pointing the shotgun that direction. “Don't worry dear,” Granny said looking disappointed. “Isn’t load, hasn't been for a while, you see ever since I shot Ned in the foot last year for tasten my moonshine to early, it’s his own fault really, go on dear she a waiten.”

Deloris Ells-worth known as (Granny) to all her friends, she was an odd duck, to say the least. She was born and raised in the Black Mountains near small town called Eureka just west of Santaquin about 300 miles or so in that direction known as the Titanic Mountains, some called it the Black Mountains because it was coal mining town back in the day and many hillbillies like herself lived there in a small little shanty town so small you would really have to look for it on a map. It was hard to tell her age because she looked older than she actually was, Skin and bones and gray-white hair. It had been said she was about the age of 70, but in truth, she was in her late fifties. She was short compared to most women, but just because she was skin and bones, didn’t mean she couldn’t whip the tar out of you or outwork you.

Light blue eyes that twinkled when she looked at you, and straight curved nose that always could smell a rat or a lair. Yet she had a heart of gold. She had one grandson named Ned who she had raised on her own since before he could walk and just after his mother died of a coal mine sickness. That was called black lung and soon after his father her only son died in a coal mine accident.

Ned Ells-worth took after his father more than his mother at the height of 6 foot 9 and a half, strong jawline and full cheeks. But he got his auburn hair from his mother and his green eyes as well.

Robert, Richard and the boys snickering “poor Ned,” Pa gives Granny a smile and glanced at a gun. Hoping they checked it and made sure it wasn't loaded. He didn't want to become the next Ned. The boys put the horses away for the night, caring their packs of loot from town into the house. Wayne first gave Martha bouquet of flowers and kiss as he walks in the door never minding all the ladies in the room going “Ahhhhhhh” as he swings her up into his arms.

The boys passed around candy and toys for the children on the farm and remaining flowers to the woman and perfumed packages of soap. Women and lasses smothered them with kisses until they couldn't breathe.  Martha had to clear the way so they could come up for air. Telling them “dinner will be ready soon go wash up and don't you dare track any more mud on my floor boys,” and shoves them all back outside, showing them  the brushes for their shoes and box for their socks, as they all sat happily on the porch tossing their socks in the box.

“Yes, Ma, yes Ma’am,” before going back down the hall to wash up for dinner, for they are ones that will be eating well tonight.

Homemade bread with stuffed turkey with all the trimmings, with corn apple cakes and little meat pies with filed cherry tarts for desserts. “Mmm, mm.” I’d almost envy those poor men down in Downing Villa Square. Of course, they didn't go hungry, they had food. Canned pork n beans, fire potatoes, Mutton stew, grits and yesterdays leftover bread and to wash it down with some corn husk whisky and pot of old Joe; they were happy as calms, sitten by the fire as they fire up the old banjo as they smelled the food coming down the hill from the farm.

They just swallowed, wiping a tear and sniffle and blow. “Na, who needs them? We are just fine.” Grab yer partner slapped each other's knee as they swing each other around the waist started to brawl, fallen on the floor till they all fell asleep or crawled away to their tents. Where a picture hung of their family is. “I do that's who,” wept softly in their sleep.

Woman's canopies filled with cots. Filly’s on one side all young lass in the other with the curtain drawn for privacy. The mothers would tuck the children into their cots before bed giving them each a kiss. Telling them “Pa still loves them he just being stubborn and an old fool right now. But things will work out,” as they looked towards the farmhouse seeing the Sheriff and his boys at the table working on the charts and roster. “Yes son, yes daughter,” pointing to Sheriff Downing and his Deputies. “You can trust them, they'll straighten your Pa out,” giving them one last kiss tucked them in whispering to them goodnight.

Pa and the boys went over the charts at the table and the rosters, Sheriff paced up and down the floor looking at his boys. “Men we got ourselves a heap of work to do that's for sure,” pointing to the list, “ it's going to take every one of us to do it too. We're going have to get creative boys,” glancing over at Robert. “Got any ideas son? They want us to build a barn down in the lower field on the map and start planting during the time you are in school,” he said.

“Yes Sir” Richard replied “Is there any reason why we couldn't move school? Say to the farm in the barn.  It would be in the area and dry, plenty room in the loft, set some benches up there,” he said.

Wayne rubbed his chin paced a couple of minutes, “not bad idea son, get working on that boy's first thing in the morning, take a group of men. Here I'll sign the order's password “chores” that should do it as the password; will start with that one since the children are already here now let’s go to bed.”

“Yes sir,” the boys said.

 

“You three might as well bring in your cots in setup them inside, providing the woman didn't steal them.”

Robert looks out the window. “They already did Pa,” Robert said and laughed “Granny gave it to Ned,” as points over by the barn.

“Pa laughed. “That’s alright boys,” slaps them on the back, “that's, of course, you don't mind the couch, I'll find the mattress,” he said.

“Thanks, sir.”

“Just stay out my daughter's room you'll be just fine,” giving them a hard stare and firm handshake.

“Yes Sir, ”beside your wife would skin us live, you would kill us,” they said.

Robert stares hard, “you got that right,” with an extra nod.

Pa and the boys turned in tucked the boys in for the night and made the rounds tonight alone, stopping at the boy's room. Brushing the sides of EJ’s hair, “goodnight my little deputy,” he pulled out and put a small wooden star he made just for him and set it by his bed in the window with his name on it and leaving one for Will as well before he closed the door. Walking down to the girl's room, he stops and paused for just a moment. He thought he heard voices coming from Aunty M’s room. “Alright I agree let’s say you owe me an IOU,” Aunty M said.

Wayne watched a shadow slip under the door as she turned off the light and Wayne feels a soft chill run up and down his spine as he looked towards the door. Pa opened Sam's and Danny's room, smiles see them both together. With another look finds in the other another boy in it. “Where did he come from?” Pa leaned over gives each boy a tuck, closed the door as he makes the turn around the corner to his girls brush their hair, placing a rose by the bed.

Whispering “goodnight my angels, pleases don't grow up too fast.” Closing the door behind him, Wayne walked down the hall to his room and crawls into bed with his wife, leans over gently gives her a kiss, whispers, “do you know dear how much I need you?” he whispered. “My house needs you, my table needs you and my heart needs you.” Then wraps his arms around her falls asleep as she cries softly “I already know that you silly fool.”