Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Judge Parker and the boys rode through the crowd checking on things on the farm. Since they have been busy these days uptown in Santaquin, they hate to say. They do have a town to run that can not be ignored for long; if they want to remain in office that is. Walking into the city building, things are randomly quiet as they should be except for a single person sitting in his office Mrs. Gertrude Collins. “Good morning Gertrude,” Brad said pointing to a seat and taking her hand offering a cup of tea.

“Thanks, but do you have a pot of Joe? Never really cared for this English stuff,” she said removing her black laced gloves winking at him.

“One cup coming right up, now then how can I help you?” He asked as poured her a cup and one for him a nice hot cup as the receptionist closed the door.

“Well, actually Brad I was wondering how I could help you? You put me in quite a spot, left me high and dry you old rascal. My grandson an Indian that was shock I must say, Brad,” she said as she took a sip as she slowly licked her lips.

Brad putting his fingers together, “well what can I say, Gertrude, you’d been stirring that pot for quite some time. We thought it was time to set a few things straight, didn't see things eye, eye,” he replied.

“Brad dear, I'm sorry. I really am, that's why I am here, I want to make amends. Let's say,” Gertrude said as she gazed about the room than from the corners of her eyes she sees an outline shape of a man in the right-hand corner as he nods to her. Brad feeling a soft chill as he rubs his arms, cold pricks going up his spine. She whispers, “an IOU has now come due,” she said as she pulled out a signed a letter over and a deed of some property of nearby creek and a jaunt to Downing farm. “I want you to give this to him to build more. He'll know what to do,” she said and leave's him sitting there. “By the way dear, you still oh me that dance,” she said as she walked out the door.

“Well I'll be a monkey's uncle,” looking at the property of 300 acres of land and whistles, then buzzes for his secretary taking pad and paper out of his desk placing a note.

“Yes judge,” she said coming to his office.

“I need you to get this notarize sighed delivered yesterday with this note and I’ll, oh heck gone fishing that's where I've gone, tell my wife she'll know where to find me,” he said.

“Yes Judge,” she said.

“Everyone else, I'm in a meeting. Then take the rest day off, heck,” laughing “take the rest the week off,” he said.

“Yes, Judge Parker.”  As soon he closed the door he opened his closet pulled off his suit, jumps into his overalls heads for the door yells “Ye haw,” as loud as he could out the door. Everyone turns gasping “OH MY!” Was that judge? Na couldn't be the note says,” swing from the door “do not disturb in a meeting.” The Judge was on his was way out the back door.

* * *

 

With a cloud of dust riding down the street, hooves pounded the dirt road, dirt clods flying through the air. A boy shouted for the Sheriff on the back of his horse. Knees bent a leather bag on his saddle like the pony express. Hell-bent for the Downing Farm with orders from the Judge. A deed and a request made stamped urgent in red. The boy waved his bandanna to his Granny special delivery for the Sheriff to let him in. After all, she knows betters, It was her boy Ned. He rides right up to the gate and right up to the steps with slight limp. Where his toe was missing with a nice pair of boots from the Sheriff and the boys which they and bought and gave him. Ned handing him the leather case with a flap to be open only by the Sheriff.

“Thanks, Ned,” Wayne said as Wayne slaps him on the back. “Martha made some cookies and Julie’s in the back,” he said as she giggles, but Anna has eyes for only Ned. Wayne dumps out the letter and 10 more silver stars, 5 gold stars and envelope, and a deed.

“Sheriff I want you to find 10 fine men for silver stars make them your new Deputy’s and making your 5 Deputy's captains in charge over these men. Build whatever you need with this deed of 300 acres of land. I'll be in at 8 to dance at the festivities. You are giving the speech, “ye haw.”

Wayne drops the note and the pins whispers, “just great.”

Richard walks in, “sir your horse is ready sir and I understand the men are dressed and ready down at the field as requested,” he replied.

Wayne smiles looking down at the table at the pins, “looks like to me you are out of uniform son,” he said.

“HUH?”  Richard said in a surprised voiced as he looked at Mr. Downing as if he fell out of a tree and Wayne tossed him a gold star. “What?” Did he reply?

“You have just been promoted son,” showing him the letter patting him on the back,

“Now go find Robert and give his to him,” Wayne said.

“Yes, sir,” what do I do with this one?” Richard asked. They both glanced over at poor Ned still standing in the room and smiled. Wayne, Richard nod both slapping him on the back. “Congratulation Ned” and left him standing there with Richard badge and hat in his hand. Sheriff hops on his horse and heads to the field yelling “ye haw.”

Granny watching him go as Ned shows Granny his new hat and his new Deputy's badge. She does a jig throw's way the shotgun which accidentally goes off and shoot's her in the foot just missing her big toe. Scaring the poor chickens and the roosters to death "thud" Richard and Robert laugh, “I guess it was loaded,” Wayne said looking back at Ned pulling Granny’s boot off, checking her toes. Richard and Robert hop on their horses headed for the field right after their Pa.

Ned and Granny watching them leave.  Granny pushed Ned off the pouch with her boot, “Git going son, what waiten fer? Ride boy ride.”

“Yes Granny,” he replied.

Granny picked up the gun and a shovel and burry's the old shotgun with a tear in her eye, “that's my boy dang nab it. Now I am going have’ta hide my moonshine,” she said.

Aunty M comes out hands here a jug, “take mine, will just find him a wife that's all,” and laughed. “Come inside.”

Granny takes a swoller, “aaahh that's stuff,” does jig, “a wife, ye say” hum. “I'm looking fer husband me self. know of any?” She said smiling showing all her teeth?

“Maybe, maybe,” cocking her eye looking at the shadows, “maybe Granny will have’ta wait and see,” she said.

EJ and Will studying hard, Lizzy as a school teacher; It was different say the least, considering most the students or classmates were your brothers and sisters, of course, there were local children like Frank, Mark, Peter, Sam and Teddy, and others. There was a total of 15 of us kids, a small group. We all got along most of the time which was great not that we didn't have our squabbles, but it was never over who you are or what we wore to class. No, it was what we didn't wear was the problem. The first problem was the majority of us as boys. Big deal as we saw it so got to be in our favor when we voted. Some the boys would come dressed as Indians, some come dressed as simple farms, and rest would come dressed in kitenge.

Which didn't bother any of us except some of the girls, because they felt left out, All they had wear was these farm dresses? Sometimes it would get too hot in the hayloft we all have to all go outside to play. The problem being they could cool off and sit in wet clothes all day; was as we boys you know were already cooled and dry most of the day. 

So Lizzy made rules, a dress code which we felt was unfair of course. There was EJ he couldn't have much to say about it. Since he was stuck wearing the kitenge so in a way it all worked out into his favor. It was the rest of them that didn't like it except a few. Let's just say try it on and take it for a spin and stay cool the rest of the day.

The second problem was, of course, you guessed it shoes, some had them some did not. Easy problem Rena solved that problem gave every boy and girl a pair of sandals to wear when they went to school every day. It was quite a sight when we went on field trips into town all of us in Kitenge spinning around and around and round. Lizzy just smiled and waved as the people gocked at us they passed us by.

Me hobbling beside as best I could with Will and Robert helping as I went along. For some reason, I wasn't feeling very good, as the days went by.  But don't tell Ma I’ll be ok and we don't need her to worry. We were going to see the museum of natural history and studying pioneers and stuff today.

“Cool cannon guns,” Will said as Will sticks a hand in there almost gets it stuck.

“Hey don't touch that.” The Museum lady said.

“Sorry…But.”

“Now scoot.” Museum lady said.

“Yes Ma’am…..look at that?“ EJ. … EJ… Lizzy? LIZZY!”  Will said as watched EJ fall to the ground.

Lizzy turns seeing a group of children standing around someone on the floor. Peter tugging on her skirt, “OH NO!” She runs over clearing the children out of her way. “Julie, what happened?”

Julie shrugs looking at his stitches, “ they're all in tacked Lizzy he has a slight temperature. Other than that I don't know, but he's barely breathing,” as Will, Robert turns him over as if he was asleep.

Lizzy looked at his very pale face. “Julie run, call the Doc Hatfield to send a message, we need him quick.” Lizzy paced the floor trying not too panic. “Why here? Not now, we are miles from the farm.”

Robert knowing he's the one that had to take control of the situation starts giving orders like Pa in the field. “Will, go find me a blanket and a pillow, Anna, help take these children outside and play till I come to find you…  “Lizzy,” he said pulling her down close to EJ put his head in her lap, “watch him and don't move.” Will comes back with a blanket and pillow from the nurse's station placed it under his head covers EJ, placing EJ hand in Lizzy hand. Will placing a hand on his shoulder.

Julie running back relaying she just sent off the message and said “they will be here sometime, soon” starts to brushes his hair like Ma does.

Down in the fields, Sheriff and his boy's where they were planned on working for the day setting up Captions, placing pins, breaking off into groups, as they looked over the charts were Wayne has degenerating sites to build for housing barracks. Lodging more suited then tents that well keep the rains and cold out during the winter months. Since he knows now he is building a community of farmers, not driftwood. They plan on staying for the long haul whether he likes it or not, but in his case, he likes it and them as he laughed slaps them all on the back.

Another rider coming down from the farm, Granny on horseback riding fast as she can yelling. “Sheriff you are needed at the farm,” jumping down from the horse passing him the note. Pa's face nearly went white then quakes at the knees. Wayne jumped on the horse heading for home. Granny passing the news to the boys and looked for Doc, but he's not in this group of men. Richard can't leave he paces as he looked around towards the house. Wayne’s already gone, Will and Robert with EJ that's where they are supposed to be, it’s up to him to lead this group of men. He stands and swallows hard “Ned, I need a rider. I need one bad, go find Doc Hatfield and bring him home quick like, like you were burning daylight son,” he said.

Ned hops on his horse and heads for Downing Villa searching for Doc all over the Villa riding hard, flying fast, raced against the wind yelling, “Doc Hatfield, we need you at the farm.” Turning left, then right, swing his horse this way and that way, dogging people yelling, “DOC!!!.”

Doc finally coming out of the tents says “what in the zippy tar cats cradle son is the hurry?”

“You are needed back at the farm,” Ned said handing Granny’s note.

Doc put his hands behind his head rolled his eyes puffs air out of his mouth as his eyebrows twitched. “I thought we patched him good… too, here and too the moon, that kid” he said.

“Doc not stitches, she says all intact everyone,” Ned said. Doc starts to go in and grab his bag, “sorry Doc,” Ned pulled him up by the seat of his pants, “orders,” pointing to the star. “Grarrrrny” as he rides “has youuuu aaaa sparrrrre hannng on Doc.”

Ned flies back down the tents, jumps over the ditch with Doc on the horseback “HUUU” “Ye haawww” as Ned swings his hat over his head.  The horse leaps the ditch bank. “HUUU, Ye Haw.” Ned rode towards the farm with Doc speeding down the road across the stream bed. Splashing water on Doc face leaps again “HUUU” as he rode rounding another corner, Doc bouncing on the horse across his back. Ned holding Doc tight by the seat of his pants as they leap across trench “HU, HU.” Just head he sees the Sheriff doing a hand-off with a horse and the pickup, with one of the Deputies in the back, Martha in the front seat.

Aunty M driving, Martha yelling, “Aunty M don't you think we should stop,” as she puts peddle to the metal. Yells, “hang on boys were comen,” as Wayne jumped into the pickup and lets the horse go.

Martha gasping clasping her hands to her chest seeing Wayne slide in right beside her. Yelling, “mind those ruts Aunty M we need to get there in one piece you know. Stop sparring those horses let’s go.” Martha looked back seeing the horse caught by one of the boys is headed back to the farm.  Aunty M and them passing Ned and the Doc up ahead bouncing a crossed the horse's back. Wayne yelled. “Good job, see ya when we get back son keep him there, will be back in a jiffy,” he said.

Ned waved his hat in the air yells, “ye haw.”

Pulling up to the museum Ma rushed in Pa right behind her seeing EJ and Lizzy on the floor, Lizzy and Julie in tears. telling them, “they don't know what's wrong, fine one minute then this,” pointing to him on the floor. Ma again checks his stitches, “not one out of place no bleeding he's warm, has a temperature not that high,” as she wiped the sweat off his face. “I knew he looked pecked.” She said disgusted with herself knowing something was amiss.

Robert told Pa the children are out playing to keep them occupied while they get him back to the farm. Pa picked him up and carry's EJ back to the pickup. Aunty M sends Julie, Will, and Robert back. Keeping the rest of the children with her to finish the tour and until they can get back to the farm to kill time, think that's best. She would send Anna too, but she needed her for Sam and Teddy.  She agrees giving EJ a kiss on the cheek whispers in his ear how much she loves him.