“Ma, ma,!” Karen came running in all excited-like. She had just gone out to do the outside chores while Ma and Hattie had gotten started on their 10th batch of apple butter.
“Laws a mercy Karen; what’s gotten you in such a tizzie? Her mom asked as she wiped her hands on her apron.
“Ma, Clement from back in Blackberry Holler is here. He says his dad is hurt bad. His old tractor fell over backwards on him goin up the hill and he had to wrestle him out from under it. He’s callin fur you!” Karen was so excited that she ran her words all together.
“Tell Clement to get Blackie and Youngster all hitched up to the wagon and then you come in and pack us up some blankets and sleepin stuff. Hattie and I will turn off the stove and wrap things up in here. Did you finish gatherin up the eggs and get the critters fed? Also you better put the chickens away fur the night, cause we may not be back. I don’t want to travel after dark with the lions out and bears hungry this time of year. Hattie grab a couple of loaves of fresh baked bread and a couple of jars of apple butter and some apple sauce and some of those fresh vegetables you brung in from the garden yesterday.”
Ma was putin together her doctorin stuff, bandaging sheets, herbs and white lightening fur pain. She realized he might not make it. Them tractors was real heavy. She tried to think of what they might be facin, to prepare herself.
They were loaded up pretty quick and on the way out of the yard, she saw old Susan out grazin.
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
“Karen go take old Susan in to the barn and lock her up,” Ma was saying, when Clement handed her the reins, interrupting her and jumped out of the wagon to go take care of it.
Clement was 16 years old, tall and skinny as a rail. He was as strong as an ox though. He was the only child of Mildred and Pete. They had met each other later in life and she had had two miscarriages and they were mighty proud of their one who made it, Clement.
When he returned to the wagon, they took off and Ma asked Karen and Hattie to make some cheese sandwiches and pour some water for Clement. She knew he had walked a fur piece and was probably pretty hungry and thirsty. Clement took the sandwiches gladly and gobbled them down while Ma drove the team. Blackie and Youngster were always high spirited when they got to go out pullin the wagon and Ma was glad to be handling them. It was easier to hold them back than to try to calm them down when they got to goin too fast.
The wagon pulled up to Mildred and Pete’s place about two in the afternoon and Mildred ran out to carry in the supplies with Clement and the girls while Ma went in to check out Pete. Pete was laying on the four poster bed, softly moaning. She could tell by the way his breathing was shallow and his breath would catch, that his ribs were either broken or severely bruised. She suspected the former. Ma softly said, “Hello Pete.”
He looked up at her with pain in his eyes and whispered, “You came! Can you help me?”
Ma compassionately smiled at him and said in her most convincing tone, “I am goin to try, Pete! I need to ask you some questions and will try not to make you talk too much. Have you been able to drink water or coffee?”
Pete said, “Yes, little sips.”
Ma asked, “Can you tell me where the pain is?”