Tumbleweeds

[chuck j]

Ed wanted an answer now . She said ...Because we don't want to be hurt , we want to protect the other but put little value on our self . And it is insane to think like that , it is a failing ! Zeke sat and shook his head yes at her answer and said ...We are willing to die for the other but don't see how important we are to them . Ed said ...Sometimes living is harder than dying .


Ed said ...In the back of my mind I keep thinking this is going to fail for me . Honestly I figured I'd been dead by now and I'd have no one to mourn me . Both of you are evil if you don't care for yourselves for the other !


She threw her head up and said ...You don't think we care for you ! I prayed and worried over you when you left and so did Zeke ! WE ALL worried for you ! It is too late to say no one cares about you ! Don't YOU know that ? She had tears running .

Ed sat and looked at the table a bit and stood up . He walked around behind them and laid a hand on each one's shoulder saying ...Oh Lord Help us all here . Make em do right to their self . They already love one another so please help em finish this job you give em . Help em ta know you love em too an don't want em workin too hard to hurt them , the other one an you Lord ! And truth be told Lord it would hurt me so bad I couldn't deal with it . Help us all Lord . Thank you .

Ed walked to his hat and walked out the door to the shed to help Don with whatever he was doin . Zeke and her looked at each other and Zeke said ...We got ta do better with our self . Too many depending on us . She said ...We will .

[chuck j]

Wade and the Captain talked in the room above the store as Sam slept . It was a very nice corner room with two windows , one looking out at the river and the other looking out at the road coming into Eliasville . Wade thought how much she was going to love coming here when she could . They both agreed she would not come unless there were enough men with them , the Comanche were out in force right now !


They discussed the prairie crossing and how to set up some kind of water station halfway or search for a water source off trail . Of coarse their crossing had been hard because of the Comanche , the Captain and Sam had made it before taking their time and not being pursued by Indians . They decided Wade would keep three of the Comanche horses to help ease the loss of the missing cattle and Captain Jack would sell the other three and add the money to the orphans fund he would turn in to the Ranger headquarters . Captain Jack told Wade to pick the three he wanted .


Captain Jack also said ...Keep the 1873 Rifle ! I will just turn in your Henry ! I want you to have a good rifle going back alone ! They talked about Fort Graham and the army there and the town building around it . It was a pretty wild place . They were both very happy the cattle were sold and they needn't have to trail more horses than needed . They planned to leave day after tomorrow if Sam was better , they would not leave him behind .

[chuck j]

She started back on her sewing and Zeke washed the dishes putting them up and told her he was going to find Ed and Don to help them . She thought ...Well I can't kill myself sewing most likely .


Don and Ed were filling the water troughs in the pens so Zeke help them top em off . They rolled some logs into the shade back of the shed and started hewing boards ...They were going to need a lot of boards .

[chuck j]

Wade , sam and Captain Jack ate with the Staleys for supper . She made a nice meal and was a good cook . They talked a long time getting to know each other . After the meal They told of the big fight at the river . When Mrs Staley heard she had been wounded she said ...Oh no ! and wanted all the details of her recovery .

Mr Staley said ...The Comanche are on their last leg ! They are everywhere right now it seems ! Ya'll have had a particular hard time though . It's amazing you haven't lost some of your people . He went into detail of attacks , what the army was doing and just general information and news of the country he knew . Mr Staley said ...I want you to know I imply nothing wrong but how is it a black man and her and you Wade got together to start a ranch ? It has to be an amazing story ! Wade and Captain Jack both told the story backing the other up . The Staleys were impressed .


Sam thanked his hosts and went on to bed . The rest of them stayed until they had to light lamps to continue . They all enjoyed each others company .

[chuck j]

She made rabbit and dumplings for supper with quick bread . Zeke and her talked a lot trying to make up for the earlier meal . Don talked about making boards ...he liked working with the wood . Zeke said ...Don and me will leave early in the morning and trim all the logs we cut downriver then fell a few if we have time . We will take the black mule and drag one back at lunch so as not to waste a trip there and back .

Ed said ...I agree with Zeke about adding a bedroom on the cabin for you ma'am . I think it's going to get more crowded here in time because that's the way I see it . She said ...Adding on to this cabin right now would be a terrible luxury ! We have to get cabins up for ya'll because winter is coming and Wade is talking about hiring help to get things moving quicker . We need more cabins at the shed right now . They all agreed .

They sat on the porch in the cool talking and wondering how Wade , Captain Jack and Sam were doing and if they had any trouble getting to Eliasville . They talked about a lot of things . The sun was about to touch the earth in the west with all shadows all stretching long and to the east and Zeke said ...The river is extra pretty this evening , we should enjoy these peaceful times .


They had stayed on the porch till the sun was just a red sliver above ground before the men went to the shed to get ready to bed down . She lit the lamp going in from a piece of tender she touched to a coal in the fireplace . She bathed and put on her gown . She went to snuff out the lamp but thought and sat down at the table pulling her bible to her and opened it .

[chuck j]

Wade , Sam and the Captain got up a bit before daylight and lit the lamp in their room . Not knowing when the Staleys usually got up they just talked quietly and planned the ride to Fort Graham . Wade cracked the door at daybreak and eased down the stairs , there was talking coming from the kitchen so he went back up and got the others .

Mrs Staley was making ham and eggs , she had a cast iron stove with an oven and they could smell yeast bread baking ! None of them had eaten yeast bread in a while ! They walked in the kitchen starting to get a cup from the counter top to get some coffee but she shoo'ed them to a chair bringing them coffee . The kitchen windows were open and a nice southerly breeze was coming through them . Sam's color and mood was much better relieving Wade and Captain Jack . He looked a LOT better today !

Mr Staley asked ...Are you still planning on leaving tomorrow ? Wade said ...Yes sir ...if Sam is up to it , we will not let him decide though . The Captain and I will decide . He would agree to going even if he were dying ! They all laughed .

Mrs Staley said ...You don't know how much we are enjoying you staying with us ! Ed and I talked about it before we went to bed . Ya'll have been a blessing to both of us ! We want her and Zeke to visit ! I can not wait to meet them ! Mr Staley wholeheartedly agreed .


Wade kept catching himself looking at the nice cookstove ...he sure did wish she had one . It would make all the cooking she did so much easier . Wade said ...I assure you will enjoy Zeke and her and they will love this place . We can not thank you enough for your generosity letting us stay with you . And you are an excellent cook ma'am ! Sam and Captain both agreed as she blushed .


Wade said … I have a large list of supplies that I need to see if you can fill . I need to know by this evening so that if you can't I will see what I can do at Fort Graham to complete the list . Mr Staley took and read it saying ...We have most all you need here except the canned milk , People here don't buy canned milk as they all have a cow . Wade said ...That concerns a question I have . Do you know anyone that may have a fresh milk cow for sale ?


Mrs Staley said ...Yes ! Lucy Burnett has two Jersey cows and one has a two month old calf , she was talking the other day it was a problem milking two cows because she doesn't need that much milk these days ! Wade said ...Didn't she send the hens to us ? Captain Jack said ...Yes , it was her . Wade said I will talk to her today !

[chuck j]

She woke up and laid there just a bit . She thought on this place .

It was less than two years she had been in this place , Los Brazos de Dios or the arms of God. She had stayed up late last night reading her bible . She knew God was working in her life , she knew GOD was working in all lives here ….Why ? Why this place so far away from everything ? She had lost so much but then she had gained so much also . She was not who she had been only a short time ago , she was stronger , she saw the hurt in people that she had never been able to see before .


She had suffered loss . Jenny her perfect beautiful daughter had been taken , Hosea who she loved had been senselessly murdered . The loneliness of this place when she feared Nate would die if anything happened to her . She remembered her fear at being alone when Hosea did not return and her hopelessness .


But she remembered Zeke coming up from the river bottom . She was so afraid she told him she would gut shoot him if he didn't get ! And she remembered what he told her ...My name is Ezekiel , my mother called me Zeke . In Hebrew the name Zeke means ..he strengthens .

She prayed before her feet touched the floor . She asked GOD to reveal to her his will . She committed more to seeking his Spirit in all things . She prayed for his guidance in all things .



She arose and dressed , she kindled the fire and started cooking biscuits and gravy for the men . As the biscuits baked she held Nate and talked to him .

[chuck j]

Wade saddled up and went west one mile to Lucy Burnet's house . He rode in the yard and a friendly fat black dog ran out to him and Bud . Wade dismounted and pet the dog . The front door of the house opened and a lady with an old muzzle loader stepped out on the porch with another lady standing just inside the door with a shotgun .

The Lady on the porch kept the rifle pointed at the ground in Wade's direction as she said ...State your business !Wade asked ...Are you Lucy Burnet ? The lady said ...Yes ! Wade explained that they were staying with the Staley's and they told him that Mrs Burnet had a milk cow for sale ? They lowered their guns and She said ...I have a good Jersey cow fresh with calf , come with me . Wade and the younger lady followed Lucy behind the house to the shed . There were two cows and calves .


She showed him the cow for sale and even milked her to show how gentle she was . Lucy said ...This is my daughter Faye , we have been selling butter and milk but my daughter is getting married and I will not need two cows . Wade congratulated her on her pending wedding ! Faye said ...My future husband works on the Matthews ranch as a cowhand , they are going to give us a cabin on the ranch to live in . He is coming here in five days . We travel to Fort Graham to try and find a preacher to marry us , though we have a meeting house here in Eliasville there is no real preacher .

Wade thought a bit and said … I am an ordained Baptist minister , if our schedules work out I would be honored to marry you . Lucy said ...You are a real minister ? Wade said ...Yes ma'am ! Both women looked at each other then hugged one another . They talked and set a date in five days . Wade said ...I have no clothes fit to wear at a wedding so Lucy said ...I have some of my dead husband's that will do .

Lucy said ...Since you will marry them you can have the cow and calf ! Wade said ...No ! I will buy the cow or people will say I took advantage of you ! Lucy thought and said ...Do you need a wagon and harness , I have no use for them . Wade went back of the shed and there was an old wagon but it was still solid . He said ...I do need a wagon but will buy it . She spit snuff juice on the ground and said ...No ! I give it to you ! Wade thanked her !

[chuck j]

The men came in and got coffee sitting down . Zeke put out plates and spoons . She sat the breakfast on the table smiling . She walked behind Ed and hugged him kissing him on the head . He turned his head looking at her and said … What did I do to deserve that !

She sat down handing him the plate of biscuits saying ...Because your a smart old man and I can learn from you ! Ed smiled as he picked two biscuits off the plate .

[chuck j]

Lucy Burnet said ...You are a blessing preacher ! My daughter and her fiancé would have to travel to Fort Graham and there is no guarantee they would find a preacher there . You are saving them a lot of time , trouble and danger . We have coffee made and you will sit with us a while ! Wade could see Lucy Burnet was not a woman to say no to as he followed the ladies in the house . They had a nice clean simple house , it plain to see she was an orderly woman .

He thanked her for the hens she had sent them telling her how happy she had been receiving them . He asked if she had six more and a rooster she might sell ? They struck a deal quickly and she said … I met Hosea at the store when he was here , he was such a nice young man . I felt so sorry for her with the Rangers taking that terrible news of his death to her !


Wade told of their life at the Black Mule Ranch and the fight with her getting wounded . She shook her head and said ...That poor young woman ! When she comes here she must visit me ! She must spend at least a night with me ! My daughter will be gone and plenty of room here .She asked ...When do you go back to the ranch preacher ?


Wade said ...As soon as I marry Faye and her new husband , they need me back there . Lucy said ...Your a fool to travel alone with what you will be carrying back ! You need others with you . Wade said ...That is on my mind . I was thinking of hiring help to put up fence and help with building we need done . She thought a second and said … You must talk to Simon Garcia . Him and his brothers are good men and I know they need work , there is no work to speak of here in Eliasville . Him and his brothers have worked for my husband many times in the past , they are to be trusted . Wade asked where he lived and after being told he thanked the ladies and rode another little ways to Simon's place .

[chuck j]

After breakfast Zeke and Don rode downriver taking the Black mule in harness to trim and snake logs to the cabin . Ed took his double barrel rifle and went hunting on the river . She picked up and got back to her sewing after checking the hens . She didn't lack all that much finishing Zeke's new pants .

She still worried about Wade , Sam and Captain Jack . She stopped her sewing holding the work in her hands and prayed for them . She thought about the pecans , it seems a complicated thing gathering , transporting them to Fort Worth and shipping them north . She had sent several letters to her family in Iowa and Don's uncle in Ohio about finding a wholesaler to sell them to . Captain Jack had explained how to take payment through banks . Wade was going to start them an account in Fort Graham , her family had never had a bank account .


She heard Ed's long rifle fire in the distance hoping he had gotten a deer . If he did she would help him dress it and start cutting meat to dry .

[chuck j]

Wade turned down the trace to Simon's place . He lived upriver of Eliasville about two miles by the river . He came to a small shotgun house in the trees not far from the river . There were four children playing in front of the house . They saw him and Bud then ran in the house . Wade stayed in the open and tied Bud to an Oak tree out a ways in front of the house .

A big Mexican man stepped out with a Colt Army in his waistband and holding a twelve gage double barrel . A rifle eased out of the window to his right . The man stood there . Wade called out ...Are you Simon ? The big man said ...I am Simon ! How may I help you Senor ? Wade explained he had talked to Lucy Burnet and she had recommended him to work . Simon lowered the shotgun and the rifle pulled back in the house .


Simon said ...I know the Burnet's well , come in and we will talk . Wade entered the house and Simon's wife said ...Please sit down ! I am making tea . Wade sat down across the table from Simon and started talking . Wade explained their situation and asked if him and his brothers would be interested . Simon said … We can do all you need done . We are good with cattle also , we grew up in South Texas on a ranch . We are reliable ! Simon started a haggle over wages that took a long time as MexTex were prone to do . They reached an agreement . Simon and his three brothers would provide their own guns , mounts and gear . In addition to their wages they would receive found and board while at the ranch . Simon's wife looked distressed and didn't want him to go but Simon told her they needed this job . She told Wade ...You will take care of my husband ! You will see them back home ? Wade assured her he would .


They talked about details and Simon was to get ready the wagon and harness at Lucy's place to be ready to go fetching horses Wade would leave at the Staley's store . It was all worked out .


Wade rode back to the store and him , Sam and the Captain went to the café for lunch .

[chuck j]

After lunch Wade told Ed Staley ...I must expand my list of supplies needed sir . Mr Staley got a pen and ink writing down all Wade told him . Three pole axes , three sets of posthole diggers , four shovels , three more sides of bacon , two big hams , three sacks of beans , three more sacks of flour …………. . It doubled the supplies already pulled . Mr Staley said ...This is quite an order ! How will you carry it !


Wade explained getting the wagon from Lucy , hiring the Garcia boys , the wedding and everything he had done this morning . Mr Staley said ...You will have created much news here bouts today sir ! You did well hiring the Garcia's , they are good hands too be trusted ! GOD is truly helping you to accomplish so much in so short a time ! Wade said ..While I'm here order me one hundred rolls of barbed wire . Wade asked ...Do you know anyone that might have any pack rigs for sale ? Mr Staley said ...I have two in the livestock shed , to be honest no one wants them local . I give them to you for placing this VERY large order ! Wade smiled and said ...If we work together we both profit in many ways . Mr Staley said ...Exactly right !

[chuck j]

Ed walked in the door with a turkey slung over his shoulder ! She came up off the bench excited and said ...Oh my ! That will be a wonderful change for us ! She went outside and they both sat down and plucked it clean . He finished gutting and washing it and she cut it up to roast in her big pots . She seasoned it with salt and pepper putting it on the coals to cook .

[chuck j]

Captain Jack , wade and Sam were leaving the next morning . Sam was acting normal and they would be watching him closely to take breaks if necessary . Wade and Captain Jack readied all their gear . Mrs Staley insisted on washing all their dirty laundry and promised it would be dry before they went to bed . Mr Staley offered to pack the supplies going back to the ranch saying ...Believe me ! I am good at packing things to be moved , I have been doing it a long time and Simon will help ! Simon came by in late evening saying he had checked out the wagon and taken the wheels to soak in the river to tighten them up . They would be back on the wagon and ready to roll come time . He asked for a fifty dollar draw for himself and three brothers . He said ...Senor Wade , we can not leave our families with no money . We will settle up with you when we come back to Eliasville on the balance of our wages !

Wade understood and apricated them wanting to take care of their families . He gave them one hundred dollars apiece instead of fifty and agreed they would settle up later . Simon was happy and said his brothers were looking forward to getting on the job . All would be ready !