Unbridled (2011) by Tammy Hinton

Author:Tammy Hinton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, Native Americans, Historical
ISBN: 9780937660973
Publisher: Awoc.com
Published: 2011-10-26T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Before sunup on Saturday, Gus harnessed the two mules to the wagon. The air already felt close, foretelling the precipitation that was to come. He and Sarah loaded the plow. Alongside the plow sat two empty rain barrels. Under different circumstances they’d have prayed for a downpour to come quench their thirst, and to cleanse the land and streams. In the past the rainfall was always a joyous interlude. Except when lightning filled the heavens, the children ran out and played in the falling drops. But a rainstorm now would further erode the land stripped barren by the locusts.

Gus decided to wait until Monday to go to FortSill. He knew if he hadn’t agreed to go to the meeting today, Sarah would have gone without him. When everyone was aboard, he snapped the reins making Sal jump and snort. “I’ll be surprised if anything comes out of the government except promises they won’t keep.”

“We won’t know if we don’t go. You can still go to FortSill if you need to. I’m going to find out where we stand.”

As they approached Anadarko, they saw a banner strung across the street announcing a citizens’ meeting to start promptly at 1 p.m. at the church. They each listed what needed to be done while in town and agreed to meet back at the church at noon. Gus dropped Sarah and the children at the store and headed for the smithy and feed store. He was lucky enough to have arrived in time to buy feed before it was all gone.

The clerk pointed inside his barn door. “I just got this load of hay in this morning and it’s more than half gone already. Tried to ration it out as best I could. Grain should be here Tuesday or Wednesday, if’n you can come back.”

“Thanks for the information, friend. I may have to send my wife back for another load. How do I get to the Shirley’s well?”

“Walk outside and look east. That line curling around the Shirley’s store is waiting to fill their jugs. He could charge them through the nose and get rich, but he’s a God fearing man, or at least his woman is.” The clerk chuckled, pulled the pencil from behind his ear, and wrote up the bill.

Gus walked to the door of the blacksmith shop and looked east. There must have been fifty people waiting. He backed up the wagon and went to stand behind the last couple.

* * *

“Sarah, it’s so good to see you and the children.” Mrs. Shirley took Gene from her arms. “I’ve been worried about you.”

“Thank you. We survived, but little else did. I suppose we’re not any worse off than most. We need about everything and will need credit if I can get it.”

“You know you can run a tab. First, let’s see what they say at the meeting today. Get what you can free then we’ll talk.”

Sarah hugged the older woman. “You’ve been so kind.”

“Now, young lady, you leave the younger children with me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.