Sarah's Quilt: A Novel of Sarah Agnes Prine and the Arizona Territories, 1906 by Turner Nancy E

Author:Turner, Nancy E. [Turner, Nancy E.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2010-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

August 4, 1906

If there was a time the earth could have burst into flame by its own heat, this summer would have been it. The whole of my ranch felt like one enormous stove top, heated and waiting. Then this morning I saw a rolling cloud, looking heavy and dark, growing high into the sky toward the south. For weeks, I had watched clouds form over distant ridges, seen rain fall, waving like a blue sheet stretched from the sky to the ground, smelled lightning snapping, hungered for the music of thunder. Barely a drop had hit ground that I own, as if it had been singled out to be scorched dry until nothing remained but sand and scorpions. It was an odd time of day for a thunderstorm, but this one was coming straight for us. Hallelujah. Rain at last.

Under the darkening sky, I fed the chickens and then put out breakfast for my family. Every pulse of my heart sang a song in my ears: rain at last, rain at last. The other side of the same coin was that it would be a poor day to gather cattle. They’d be spooky, same as the horses, and we’d have a terrible time moving them. I talked it over with Chess and the boys, and we decided to postpone our sorting and gathering yet another day. Charlie rode south to help picket the combined herds. I thought he’d be back soon, but he’s taking a long time. Probably going as far down as the Hannas’ place, since they seem determined to help out and are real neighborly.

Over the last couple of days, a dreadful anticipation about Rose has crowded my mind. She’s not getting well soon enough—off her feed but drinking water. Just as Mason’s death was not really a surprise, I expected at any time to look out and see her down. If Pillbox or the others get close, she hobbles away, determined to do her suffering in solitude.

After breakfast I asked Mary Pearl and Esther to help me clear out Granny’s house and do some washing. When we got my mama’s place emptied and closed the door, I turned away so as not to feel the tug of letting go. Then the girls and I started the iron wash kettle going at my place. It sure was nice having so much help. Ezra and Zachary tumbled in and out, underfoot, but not really trouble, as every time they got near, I gave them something to carry somewhere or another.

Chess and Gilbert were in the barn. On a ranch there’s always a loose stirrup, a blanket with a tear that will blister a horse’s back, or some such that needs tending. Willie took a hammer and nails and went up on the roof, looking for loose places in the tin sheets. Now and then he made a racket, fixing them down to get ready for the coming storm.

In about an hour, we had all the clothes on the lines.

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