Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

Wade couldn't even talk . She said ...We have to tell Zeke right now ! He deserves to hear this Wade ! Wade was trying to think and asked ...Is she going to Eliasville ? She said ...Yes ! And she is supposed to be on the stage arriving there tomorrow ! Wade said ...Oh no ! It would take three days at least under perfect conditions to get there ! We must leave in the morning !


They calmed down and thought discussing what needed to be done . It took them a while then Wade told Rosa to go get Zeke . Rosa took off to the shed again bringing Zeke running . She stood up and hugged Zeke and said sit down we have unbelievable good news for you ! Zeke sat very nervously wondering what the news could be . She sat by Zeke and put her arm around him and said gently ...Zeke I just received the word that your mother is alive , she has been living with your former owners and their relatives in Macon Georgia .

Zeke looked at her wide eyed and said ...It can't be ! My mama is too old to still be alive and what happened after the war there is no way she could have survived it ! She read Captain Jacks letter about inquiring through the Rangers to find her . She told Zeke ...She has taken your former owners last name as her own , her name now is Willow Mae Johnston . Zeke started crying saying ...Praise our GOD , he saved her ! She lived through it all ! I gave up hoping so long ago ! My mama is still alive ! Her and Wade held him as he let that suffering go . Zeke couldn't talk . They cried with him . He just kept saying ...My mama is alive !

[chuck j]

They prayed to GOD and praised him crying for a long time . Lucy came in the cabin scared not knowing what was happening , she sent Rosa to be with her father . Lucy said nothing but dampened a sack giving it to her going to walk out and give them time . She told Lucy ...Sit ! Rejoice with us ! We just found out Zeke's mother is still alive . Lucy's hands covered her face and she sat crying joyfully with her hand on Zeke's arm . They all shared in the good news !

When everyone settled down Wade said ...Zeke the bad news is that she is coming to Eliasville tomorrow by stage . We leave in the morning brother ! It will take us three days to get there , we leave early ! I hope she finds the Staleys , they will put her up till we get there . We start preparing right now . It will be me , Lucy , Rosa , Simon , her , Carl , Greg , Zeke and Steve ! That gives five men to go for protection .Don , John and the rest of the Garcia's stay here.


Zeke get both wagons ready and tell Carl and Greg to prepare theirs , we will be hauling back a lot and me and her will be married there in Eliasville ! Lucy got up and started preparing food for the trip and gathering up what they would need . Everyone jumped into getting things done ! The ranch was busy preparing ! Lucy told Rosa ...You get to go see your family ! Rosa was beside herself helping with both dogs running after her . Wade told her ...We will also take your cart and your black mule , Nate goes too ! He will be at our wedding ! She said ...Zeke will give me away . Wade laughed and said ...GOD is amazing ! So much is happening at once !

[chuck j]

Ed stopped at a place with several sagebrush's growing close together . He gave his horse the muddy water in his lard bucket after getting a drink himself . He broke off all the dead branches from the sage and made a packed pile on the ground . The Comanche stopped far to the north watching . They couldn't see exactly what he was doing . He left the Comanche horse saddled and let them both graze on the poor grass that was there . When it got good dark he lit one end of the small bush pile like he had a small cooking fire and poured about a cup of black powder on the other end of it . He placed about twenty Henry cartridges where the fire would burn to it in short time . He knew the cartridges popping would spark the powder and make a heck of a flare . Hauled up in the saddle and rode south slowly . It was a dark night , the Comanche couldn't see him . He got about a half mile away and heard the cartridges going off . They would have a hard time trying to figure it out what the heck was happening while he left headed south . It was too dark to track him till morning and he should have a ten hour head start to throw them off . He rode slow and steadily all night .

[chuck j]

Wade sent Rosa for Don . Lucy and her were making supper, preparing food to take , packing things needed on the crossing . The men were readying the wagons , filling the water barrels , They were taking three wagons and her cart plus two extra horses to trade out with the teams on the trail or if one went down . They would be traveling empty so should make good time .

They would bring back all Lucy had in and at her house and she could arrange with Ed Staley to sell the house . She had a lot of furniture , beds , stock and farm equipment the ranch could use . She would bring her dry cow still at her house but the cow was breed so she would calf in six months or so and provide milk . Wade mentioned to her they could take her cow and leave her to be bred . She said ...NO ! I'll not leave my cow , they might not take care of her .

Don came to the cabin , Wade was sitting on a bench on the porch trying to stay out of the women's way . He was working at copying his logbook and writing letters . Don sat down and Wade laid his work on the bench . Wade said ...Don you will be in charge of all here , even the Garcia's . I don't expect they will need very much telling what to do but if it arises you will have the say . I am not going to worry about the ranch or anything here because I trust you and your judgement . I wish everyone could come to the wedding but that's impossible . If any Rangers come here or whatever the situation is you are in charge , you will be over them . Take good care of Claud and Ray , put the best man in charge of the cooking . It's all your decision because you will be responsible .


Don said ...I'll get everything done here Wade , I thank you for your faith in me .

[chuck j]

Ed rode all night at a walk except for stopping twice to rest the horses . It was getting light in the east when he stopped on a slight swell and pulled his saddle off the Comanche horse . From the slightly higher ground he could see far off in every direction . He had cut back west during the night on some hardpan ground to throw the Comanche off a little . He figured Odessa was a days ride south of him now and he could stop there for food and water . Last account he had there was no telegraph there . Ed staked the horses but they wouldn't graze much , they hadn't had any water . Ed laid on the ground using his saddlebags to lay his head , he was sore and worn out . He had to get to the telegraph at Fort Stockton .

[chuck j]

Juan came to the cabin and went in . Lucy was still cooking and Juan told her ...Mrs Lucy Don has told me to be the cook while you all are away and I should know where things are . Lucy said ...You ain't got no business cookin for everybody ! What can you cook ! Juan said ...I can make beans and tortillas ! Lucy said ...Land sakes ! You are gonna end up poisoning the whole bunch of em ! You listen to me ! I'll show you how to make pancakes and dried meat and rice . Juan smiled and said ...I'll do what ever you want Mrs Lucy ! Lucy said ...You dang right you will ! Then she went to mumbling about heathens and they ain't even civilized most likely will be all dead of themselves time we get back ...

[chuck j]

When Ed woke up the sun was high . he hadn't meant to sleep that long . He knew he was wearing out but he had been there many times . He got up and looked around saddling the Comanche horse . He pulled up in the saddle , he was tired , stiff and stove up . He hadn't had hardly anything to eat for seven days . He needed to get to Odessa , he might be able to trade the Comanche horse for a fresh mount and get some food . Right now him and the horses needed water .

Ed thought of the ranch and peace there .

[chuck j]

Ed rode slowly watching his backtrail . It looked like he had shook the Comanche but still had to be watching for any new threat . It was slightly cloudy and cooler saving the horses some . Around midevening he saw a speck on the horizon southwest, he couldn't tell what it was but kept riding south . The speck turned in his direction and in a while he could tell it was two riders , now they were coming faster . He thought to find cover but there was none in sight so he turned toward them thinking ...We need to get this over with !


They got closer and they were wearing hats and had full rigged saddles . He stopped and dismounted pulling his Henry out of it's boot . They could be outlaws . The riders got close and slowed to a walk . They rode right up to Ed boldly , there was an older man about fifty years old and a young man probably around twenty .


The older man held his hand up as they approached and they stopped in front of Ed . The older one said ...Is that you Ed ? They both wore a five pointed star and Ed slid his Henry back in the boot . Ed said ...Yea ..It's me . The older one said ...You remember me ? Hank Callfield , I never rode with you but was around you when the war was goin on and the Comanche were tearing everything up . Ed said ...I remember you Hank , you got any water and food ?


Hank swung down and getting in his saddlebags said ...Yes sir brother ! You look ragged out Ed , I got jerky and hardtack . Lets sit and rest while we eat some . Ed smiled and said ...I ain't been eatin regular of late . Hank gave Ed a big handful of jerky and one of hardtack , the young Ranger gave him his canteen . They sat and ate sharing the water . Ed said ...I'm proud to see you two , had a slight fracas with the Comanche several miles back .

Ed told them the story sitting there , told them they needed to get to Fort Stockton and report . Hank told Ed ...We were sent to the canyon but you saved us that trouble . Word was out you were following a band and suspicioned they were building a camp there . Everybody's been praying for you Ed . Ed said ...Well the prayers worked looks like ! Hank said ...There's a telegraph at Odessa now Ed , it's a heck of a lot closer . The young Ranger had been silent but said ...I thought you dead Ed ! Everybody says your dead or never existed ! Ed just kept eating and said ...Not yet .

[chuck j]

The wagons were brought around and loaded , It had been hard getting ready to make a trip this quick . Clothes had been washed , food pack , water barrels , bedding and all cooking things . Her and Lucy got up extra early and made food for a day at the ranch and to carry with them . They had lard buckets of water for them and the stock could drink water out of the barrels .


They pulled out with the Garcia's following to make sure they got across the ford . They had no problems and everyone waved at each other goodbye as the wagons moved east to the first waterhole . She was driving her cart with Rosa holding Nate , Lucy had her big dog in the box with her . Zeke , Wade and Simon just rode ahead scouting for trouble . Everyone was excited .

[chuck j]

The wagons were brought around and loaded , It had been hard getting ready to make a trip this quick . Clothes had been washed , food pack , water barrels , bedding and all cooking things . Her and Lucy got up extra early and made food for a day at the ranch and to carry with them . They had lard buckets of water for them and the stock could drink water out of the barrels .


They pulled out with the Garcia's following to make sure they got across the ford . They had no problems and everyone waved at each other goodbye as the wagons moved east to the first waterhole . She was driving her cart with Rosa holding Nate , Lucy had her big dog in the box with her . Zeke , Wade and Simon just rode ahead scouting for trouble . Everyone was excited .

[chuck j]

Juan was heating lunch . Blue was following every step he made whining . Juan offered him food but he would not eat . Blue kept running out on the porch looking west where he had watched her , Nate , Lucy , Rosa , big black dog and the men disappear ! He laid on Nate's pallet and whined waiting for them to come back .


At noon the men were eating and joshing Juan about having to cook after today . They never saw Blue break and run out the door west . No one even missed him till supper time .

[chuck j]

They made the first waterhole and watered the stock , resting them a while and pushing on . They all wanted to get to Eliasville as fast as they could . They headed out south on the prairie , the green sinkhole was the only known water till the small stream . They carried the three small barrels of well water in the freight wagon for the stock .

Her and Lucy had made ham sandwiches they ate as they went south . She had to stop the cart to feed Nate milk and food . Rosa was excited to see her family !

[chuck j]

Blue ran all the way to the ford stopping to smell and taking off again . The sent trail went into the river and he worried running up and down along the ford barking at the other side . He had never been in the water before . He worried trying to figure a way to cross without getting in the water . He finally jumped in and came up swimming , he got headed to the south bank but the current pushed him downriver and the banks were too steep to climb out .

[chuck j]

Blue was carried a mile downstream . He was giving out swimming when he was able to get hold of some willow roots and pull out . He laid panting a good while and climbed the steep bank getting on level ground . He ran and walked back to the ford and picked up the trail again .


He made it to the first waterhole and drank , he was tired and rested in the shade . In a bit he took off running south following their trail . There would be no water unless he found them or the green sinkhole .

[chuck j]

The wagons got to the green sinkhole midevening , they had made good time . Wade , Zeke and Simon stood on the edge of the sinkhole looking and shaking their heads . She drove the cart up close and there was a dead yearling doe bogged up in the mud out in the water and bloated .

Wade waved the wagons on by as they stood saddened by the water being poisoned by the dead deer .