“Shoot, they ain’t any mason jars left!” Earl said after diggin through the root cellar and the spring house! “I ain’t relishin goin shoppin fur jars, cause I’ll stick out like a sore thumb with nobody cannin this time of the year! No moonshiners or kitchen gals either one! What should we do, Carl? Ol Steve or Bert would sure enough hear about it through the grapevine if we bought some jars around here.”
“I think you done come up with the solution, pa! Carl exclaimed. “Let’s take a little road trip and get us some mason jars somewheres else! I’m thinkin our excuse is we are startin our winter garden and we will be plantin plenty extra to can. Ma’s spinach always turns out the best in the area and our family never can get enough sweet peas. Yea, I think this might work, pa.”
“Carl, you got a good head on yore shoulders! We need to pack a lunch and set out right away so we are back in time to run that mash. If it sets too long, we cain’t use it. I think we better take the horse and wagon cause the old car is usin way too much oil now and a long trip just might do her in. Can you get us a mess of lunch made while I harness up the horses?” Earl asked.
“Sure, pa, I’ll git right on it,” Carl agreed.
A new Tradin Post had just opened up a couple of towns over, so they agreed to head over there. As they set out, the sun was just peekin its head over the nearest ridge. The air was crisp but not cold and the horses were steppin lively! Carl could hear a neighbor choppin wood and the stream was gurgling happily as they drove beside it. Earl said, “I would like to spend a few minutes thankin the Great Creator fur all He’s done fur us. Want to join in, Carl?”
Carl said, “Sure.”
Earl said, “Thank you Lord fur giving us the blue sky and warm weather fur our shine run and my beautiful wife and wonderful kids and a farm and a house and our animals.”
Carl said, “Thank you fur my parents and Molly and my brothers and sisters and fur a chance to travel!”
Earl said, “I pray fur a safe journey and that you would watch over us, keepin the wagon and horses safe and us too.”
Carl prayed, “Please bless our goin out and our comin in and supply the mason jars we need, cause if we cain’t get those, we will be in a real bind. In Jesus name we pray.”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
When they stopped by the stream fur lunch, Carl went over in the bushes to relieve himself and happened to spy a plant that he recognized. Of course, havin a healin ma, he had been taught to keep his eyes open in the woods fur these plants and always did, so he had something to take home to his ma to help fill up her medicine cabinet. He went back to the car and got the gloves and pokes he had brought fur this very business.
He put on his gloves and picked two pokes (paper sacks) full of stinging nettle and another of chickweed. Carl didn’t know what all of these plants were fur, but he knew the stinging nettle was one of the most nutritious plants in the world and would make a fine tea fur ma to give to ailing people needin to gather their strength. He carefully placed the herbs under the wagon seat and told his pa they were there so they wouldn’t get squished as he sat down on the blanket all spread out fur lunch!
Earl said, “I sure do like it when a man packs the lunch. You know you are goin to eat heartily, because we men have such a huge appetite!”
They both laughed, knowin it was true! “Some fresh milk sure would taste good with these chicken sandwiches, wouldn’t it pa?” Carl asked, not lookin fur an answer. We got kind of a late start, gettin Rosie bred, though so I’m guessin the baby won’t be here until right about the end of summer. That’s a long time fur Donna’s baby to wait fur some cow milk.”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” Earl started. “Donna and the kids have moved back to Happy Toe Holler to help her ma while she’s goin downhill with cancer. She left last week. I’m sure gonna miss her and them young-uns.”
“Will she be comin back after her ma passes?” Carl asked.
“She said she don’t rightly know, yet. I noticed, while I was over there, a young man makin eyes at her, so she may have better resources fur a new husband over there. We ain’t got too many choices here anymore since the mine took some of our young men.” Earl said.
They pulled into the Trading Post a little before dark and tied up the horses. Ma had sent a shoppin list with them so they got her items first. They didn’t want a couple of flats of mason jars to be the first thing in their shoppin cart, standin alone. That would set off alarms in the minds of the other shoppers and the clerks, as well. So, Earl and Carl found the onion seeds, flour, cookin oil, motor oil fur the car, plenty of sugar, coffee, salt and lastly 2 flats of mason jars. As they stood in line to check out, they couldn’t help overhearin a couple of women talkin.
“Yeah, they say we are goin to get a new school, here in Cordoba Holler. I’ll believe it when I see it! Our kids sure do need it tho.”
Earl looked at Carl and Carl looked at Earl. “Did she say Cordoba Holler?” Carl asked Earl.
“Yes?” Earl slowly said, thinkin that sounded familiar. Then it hit him. Steve Cordoba was from here! They had come right to the revenooer’s hometown and in tryin to avoid trouble, had
come right to it!
“Don’t look now, pa, but I think trouble just came through the door!” Carl warned.