Mariano's Crossing by David M. Jessup

Author:David M. Jessup [Jessup, David M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction/Historical
Publisher: Pronghorn Press

43

John Alexander

June 1869

After the tenters left in September, Johnnie spent a lonely winter lumbering, doing chores, and going to church. He escaped to the hideout whenever he could. He taught Mattie how to fly fish, and he tried to teach Mac how to herd goats, but the dog wasn’t the herding kind.

Next spring, the river swelled to overflowing with the June rise, making fishing difficult. Johnnie felt so bored and alone that he almost wished Jennie would pick a fight just to spark up something interesting. But she didn’t, and he gradually relaxed his guard.

After nearly a year of banishment from the Crossing, he hinted around to Pa to let him take up hauling again, but no ice melted in those hard blue eyes.

When summer arrived, four new tenter groups camped along the river, one from England, the others from New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The southern folk were few and far between after the whipping they got from General Grant and their big plantations all taken apart and such. The northerners boasted about the war, which folks in Colorado Territory were mostly left out of, what with only Indians to fight.

By that time Jennie had wormed her way back into Pa’s good graces. She begged Pa’s forgiveness for the Winterbottom business, served him up with every kind of doting attention, and before long it was Jennie this and Jennie that, just like before. She worked her tail off serving those tenters, and found several beaus who lasted a week or so before they wanted shut of her.

Johnnie mostly stuck with lumbering. He didn’t much take to waiting on travelers, but he was glad for the money. With it, Pa bought a new horse from Hiram Tadder, an eight-year-old gelding named Horace, to pull the wagon up the mountain, although he still used Old Dun for the easier hauls. He even bought white blouses for girls, white shirts for Johnnie and Robert, and a new brown dress for Mama—he didn’t much cotton to colors. Everyone got new footgear as well, except for Johnnie, who, according to Pa, could get by with the boots he had. Johnnie figured he was still being punished for lying about his Medina-bought clothes. He felt bad about not repaying Mr. Medina.

The tenter money got Pa in a better mood, and soon he started talking with a man named Lucas Brandt about a school. Lucas Brandt first came to their place in June looking to place a special order for lumber. Johnnie had heard some about him at church. Folks seemed to like him because he had a good word for everyone.

When he visited to talk about a school, he would ask Johnnie things like, “How’s that red setter of yours? A good retriever?” Or, “You catch good-size fish here in this part of the river?” He actually listened to the answers like he really cared about them.

Once he asked Johnnie if he’d like to go to school. Johnnie said, “Yes, sir,” and meant it. He couldn’t think of anything he’d rather do, save riding herd with Louie Papa and Lena.

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