Triple Creek Ranch - Part 10

Good Morning FFFs!
Are you ready for the day? I think I am. I'm ready to get many things done anyway. Yesterday was a little different since it was raining and we ended up babysitting Pickle Puss, Goof Ball and Funny Boy for a few hours over lunch instead of doing it tonight. Oh well. They are still fun. 


I'm trying to get many different things written right now. There is Priscilla's next letter that needs finished, "advertisements" for the "Boyd's Holler Gazette" for Family Round-Up, a short story for a friend that I just barely got started, correcting another short story for another friend (both are sisters of Meleah of Meleah's Western fame.:) Otherwise known as The Unexpected Request.), write more of "Ria and the Gang" as well as keep going on "Triple Creek Ranch," and I'm sure there are other things I could think of that I should be writing, but I think that is enough for now, don't you?


Teaching writing class was such fun! We got to make 3 KWOs on Dolley Madison and then fuse them into one. :) We also got started on the very first "Scribbler" assignment.:) I can't wait to see what they write.:) By the way, these students are all girls. I don't think the boys would enjoy "Scribbling" as much.


Getting ready to plan Texas for Priscilla De Silvosa. I also got something in the mail that she HAS to go visit in Indiana! Of course they have many other states to visit first, but eventually they'll get there.


And thank you all for your fun comments. I love reading them. Breanna, yours was especially fun.:) I loved seeing that you left another comment, Hank.:) And just so you'll have something else to comment on, :)  I'll leave you to Part 10 of the Triple Creek Ranch.

Part 10

    Jenelle looked completely unconcerned as she shrugged, removing the offending glass. “Very well, if you don’t want any fresh milk I’ll get you a glass of water.”
    “Bring coffee,” Orlena ordered as her sister-in-law disappeared into the kitchen.
    To this, however, Jenelle made no reply, gave no indication by look or manner that she had even heard the demand and, returning moments later with a glass of water set it gently down beside Orlena’s plate.
    Before Orlena could do more than open her mouth, Jenelle spoke hurriedly. “I must leave you to your breakfast, Orlena, and attend to my bread at once or it will run over. When that is out of the way, I will be free to show you about the ranch if you wish.” And then she vanished, quietly, quickly, without rustle of silk or petticoat, leaving a very astonished girl behind her.
    For one long minute Orlena sat in silence, once again left speechless by the mistress of the ranch. Then, finding the pangs of hunger quite demanding, she began to eat. Since she had eaten no supper the night before, and had only a little to eat on the train, she made a hearty breakfast in spite of not having coffee to drink.
    When at last, her hunger satisfied, she rose from the table, a feeling of independence came over her. She didn’t need anyone to show her around like she was some ignorant, backward child, she could and would go by herself. Wasn’t she used to the city? Out here in the middle of no where there weren’t even streetcars to watch out for. She would simply take a stroll around the ranch and see if she could by some far stretch of the imagination discover a hint of why Norman would not leave this miserable place and move to the city.
    So, leaving her dirty dishes on the table, Orlena ventured outside, forgetting all about the dress she was wearing with its long train and ruffles and plaiting and lace. She was going to explore the Triple Creek Ranch herself.
    Now, if Orlena had been raised on a ranch or even on a farm, she would have fared much better than she and her dress did, for this was not the city she was used to with its sidewalks and stores, its policemen and newsboys, its fashionably dressed ladies and their faultlessly attired escorts; where the only animals were horses hitched to carriages and an occasional pet dog on a leash; with the only feathered fowls being the pigeons and sparrows and now and then some brave little song bird venturing forth from the shelter of its nest in search of a crumb for its young. This young, spoiled child of wealth realized only too late the folly of her decision.
    Orlena’s first stop was the barn which she had seen from her window. Striving to hold her dress off the dusty ground, she arrived in the doorway and peered in. All was quiet for Norman and the hired hands were all hard at work in the fields as were the horses. Slowly the golden haired newcomer stepped into the shadowy aisle. It was cooler there in the shade than out in the sun, she realized. Suddenly a noise startled her and she whirled around, not noticing her dress catching on a loose nail in the door.
    “Meow.”
    Orlena gasped. There before her was a sleek, calico cat. With another meow, the cat came towards her and rubbed against the silky folds of the “latest style” black mourning dress!
    “Oh, get away you-- you creature!” Orlena fumed, lifting her skirts and trying to move away. The train of her dress was stuck on the nail. “Go away you horrid thing!” She ventured a little kick and the cat, feeling its reception was cold, stalked on with its tail twitching in supreme indignation. Orlena, watching the departing animal, snorted in disgust and gave an impatient jerk to her skirt.
    Ri-i-p! The skirt was free. “Well, Norman will just have to send it back to the dressmakers to fix it,” she thought, trying to see how bad the tear was, but in the dim light it was difficult.
    With a scowl she dropped her dress and moved on down the aisle of the barn. It never occurred to her to look down at her feet or to think of what the train of her dress would be sweeping up. The rest of the barn was empty of life for the horses were out with the men or in the corrals as were the few milk cows.
    Blinking in the bright sun as she stepped from the door on the opposite side of the barn, Orlena paused. To her left she saw several high fenced corrals while on the right and straight before her she saw fields and hills. Being out in the hot summer sun with her heavy, black dress, she didn’t feel like doing much walking so she chose to visit the corrals.
    Approaching the first one, she saw several horses. Swiftly pulling out her lace trimmed handkerchief she pressed it against her nose.
    “How disgusting. It smells,” she grumbled. “I wish school started today!” She looked away across the hot fields where not a tree grew.
    A soft nicker caused her to turn her head. One of the horses, evidently wondering why this person was here, had come over to investigate. Thrusting its nose over the fence, it began to lip Orlena’s hair and blow in her face.
    “Oh, you vile beast!” she exclaimed, starting back. “I’ll teach you to mind your manners with me!” And picking up a stick which lay conveniently nearby, she struck at the horse’s head. She missed, and the startled animal let out a whinny and reared, pawing at the fence with its front hooves.
    A little scared, but mostly angry that a mere horse would dare resist her, she raised the stick again shouting, “I’ll make you obey, you stupid animal!”