Meleah's Western Part 3

Okay, just pretend it is Friday morning. I know I will be busy mowing the yard and cleaning house in the morning, so I thought I'd just pretend it is Friday now.:) Have you ever noticed how hard it is to get back into the habit of doing something once you stop for even a short time? I can't seem to get back into posting on Friday mornings.:} Oh, well. At least this is close to Friday morning.:) I hope you enjoy the third part of "Meleah's Western." Sorry, Meleah, I haven't been able to come up with a better title. If you don't like it, give me another one. Enjoy!


“Find her! Find her!”
The words echoed over and over in Carson’s mind making him stir restlessly. Wearily he opened his eyes making them focus on the walls, the fire, Ty over by the bed, anything. It was no use. The words kept repeating themselves. They would not be silenced. At last Carson gave up and closing his eyes once more, let his thoughts drift back to a time long since past.

“Jake, that you?”
“Yep,” was the response as Jake drew up rein before a small cabin and sprang from the saddle.
“Why boy it’s been ages since I laid eyes on you. How you been?” The speaker was a middle aged woman with locks beginning to show grey yet with rosy cheeks and bright eyes.
“Been right fine, Mrs. Lacks. Yep, been a while, but I ain’t had callin’ time now days. Say, Bob round here by any chance?”
“Not at present, but I reckon if you care to wait a spell, he’ll be comin’ back right soon. Supposin’ you just sit under that shade tree an’ I’ll bring you some buttermilk.”
Jake nodded and strode over to the tree. He wasn’t much given to talking when he could get by without it.
Mrs. Lacks soon returned with the buttermilk, remarking how warm it was for this time of year. Jake drained the cup without a word. Indeed it would have been difficult to get a word in, for Mrs. Lacks took advantage of her rare visitor and talked on and on. At last, just as Jake, who had noticeably been growing restless, was about to mount and ride off, the sound of a horse was heard, and in another minute Bob rode up.
“Howdy, Jake.”
“Howdy.”
“I’ll be leavin’ you boys now as I’ve got a heap of things to do,” Mrs. Lacks informed her visitor and Bob, noticing the silence between them, and realizing in her own good heart that she was not wanted then, she retired to the cabin.
Bob spoke first, “What news?”
“She’ll come out.”
“When?”
“Soon’s I can get ta her.”
“When’ll that be?”
“Leavin’ first light.”
“That soon?”
“Yep.”
“That all ya come ta tell me?” Bob was used to cross questioning his level-headed but rather closed-mouth friend. It was the only way to get the whole story from him.
“How ‘bout ya comin’ too?”
“Me?” Bob didn’t sound too surprised. “I’d jest be in the way.”
Jake grinned. “Ya might fine yerself that wife yer aunt’s always tellin’ ya ‘bout.”
“Then I reckon I oughter go. Aunt Kate’s been after me ta find that there wife this very mornin’.”
“Meet me at the Big Rock Trail, first light.”
Bob nodded. “Will do.”
And Jake mounted and rode off, disappearing around the bend in the trail.
The birds sang in the trees and high up an eagle soared in the blue sky. A warm summer breeze blew up from the valley, and everywhere flowers turned bright heads up toward the sun. Bob was silent as he unsaddled and took care of his horse. He paid no attention to the small commonplace things around him. His thoughts were mixed.
“I reckon it’ll be a good thing fer Jake ta be gettin’ hitched, but I jest can’t quite believe I’ll ever be doin’ it. Course I’ll go along, but I ain’t expectin’ much pleasure outter the ride back. Then ‘gain, I reckon Jake’ll be that turned in his head, he’d ride straight into an ambush an’ not know. It jest might be a right good thing ta go ‘long. Aunt Kate though, ‘ll have her hopes set right smart on me gettin’ hitched, an’ it’ll be powerful disappointin’ to her when I don’t. Can’t say’s I blame her over much. What with not havin’ women folk as neighbors an’ no girl in the house. Must get mighty lonesome. I jest ain’t ready ta settle down ta house an’ family. Maybe never will. But I aim ta go with Jake an’ bring his girl home.”

It was almost a month later that Jake and his bride Ellen were established in a small log cabin in a clearing made by Jake’s strong young arms. They were a happy couple. Ellen never complained despite the hardships of living in the West. When Jake and Bob were off on hunting and trapping trips together, Ellen found the time weighing heavily on her hands. It was Mrs. Lacks who became her companion. Together they would sew or knit in the colder winter months. During the spring and summer, Mrs. Lacks taught the young bride all about gardening. Ellen was a delightful pupil, always eager to learn and improve herself and her surrounding to show the deep love she felt for Jake. Ellen felt at times that she would do anything for him. He was her pride. Always on his returns, no matter how short a time he had been gone, his wife would come running out to meet him, full of joy to have him at home once more.
Thus it was that his trips became shorter and less frequent. When God blessed their home with children, they ceased all together. Those were some of the happiest years of Jake’s life. What mattered that the cabin was small and rough and they didn’t have fancy clothes nor china dishes?? What mattered that their closest neighbors were a good twenty minute walk away and no schools were nearby to send their children to? What mattered it that the only books they owned was the Bible and the alminac? The Bible was the book from which Jake had learned to read, and Ellen had been a school teacher.
“Who knows,” Jake would say to his fair Ellen, “Perhaps this land’ll be more settled in a few years an’ there’ll be a school.” Whereupon Ellen would laugh gaily and say it didn’t matter.
When tragedy hit, it was like a bolt of lightning out of the clear blue sky.


I'll write more when I get more questions.:) Does anyone have questions?