pages 290-291

Pages 290-291

                When we went for the machine I took the goods along.  Mother helped me to cut out most of it, also making me a good pattern and saying we could spend the night and she would assist me in making the little garments.  I fell for this, so Jim went home to do the evening chores, returning about supper time.  My sister had prepared the supper, while mother helped me.  A number of hours being spent at the task, Jim and father spent the time catching up on their visiting.  My sister sat down to the piano to play and sing some of her prettiest music.  This we enjoyed while we talked and sewed.  My fingers itched to play, also , so later in the evening, when tired of sewing, I played a number of pretty hymns, while all gathered round for a few songs, then retiring for the night.  It seemed good to spend one more night at home, soon fast asleep, sleeping soundly undisturbed, until early morning, when we heard mother and father descend the stairs. 

                Jim arose, going out to water and feed Beauty.  Mother appeared at the bedroom door, saying.  “There is no need for you to get up yet as I am just getting the fire started.”  I lay for awhile longer, then dressed, putting my coat around me I went out into the chilly morning air, for the sun was just making its appearance from behind the mountain peak.  Mother’s chickens, turkeys and geese had all gathered in the yard waiting, as she came with her bucket of feed, reaching for the bucket, I asked if I might scatter it.  Handing it over to me, she went back in to prepare the breakfast.  Toby came dashing down the hillside, all wet from a hunting spree, shaking himself vigorously as he got opposite father and Jim.

                “You dirty dog.”  Father said and Toby knew he’d better beat it, finding a warm sunny place by the porch he lay down to rest his legs and dry off in a sulking manner, raising his head slightly to glance at us when we went in to breakfast.

                Jim was anxious to get home, so we did not tarry afterwards, Father and Jim tied the machine to the back of the buggy and we were off.  Toby came bounding behind from the house, followed a short ways, stopped, barked a time or two, then went back.  I was quite excited about having a machine and could hardly wait to try making things by myself.  First though, I cleaned out the middle dresser drawer, placing all the small garments, including the layette, and blankets we had ordered, and those mother had helped me make and after dinner, I made those mother helped me to cut out.  A few days later I hemmed the two dozen squares that would eventually become three cornered panties.  I was busy at it when Jim came in, saying he couldn’t find Jackie or Babe anyplace.  “I’ve ridden over the whole three hundred and twenty, but not a trace of them.”

                So, that afternoon, we drove down in the flats a ways, but didn’t even so much as see a range horse.  We stopped, asking the different ones we knew, finally going to Sublett to pick up the mail, asking those we saw there.  The next day Jim saddled up, riding most of that day and returned at evening without a trace, saying as he dismounted, “They seem to have vanished into obliteration. Well,” he said, settling into his chair to relax for a spell, “I am tied up for plowing , harrowing or disking without them but I can work on the fence.”  So, for several days he worked at setting more posts and stringing more wire and as I helped that afternoon, down in the canyon, where Shirley Creek runs under the fence and where the foot prints, the dug-in toe and hoof marks where they crawled under leaving brown hair and even some of their skin behind on the barbs.  Jim got down to take a close look, saying, “this is it and their tracks, reaching for the grass was one of the reasons, and along with the range horses.  We’ll just string extra wire and weights, too,”  Thus, we worked until shadows fell over the valley and the scream like cry of the night bird fell on our ears from some distance up the canyon, with the magpie’s taunting manner.

                The sage was heavy and big.  Our hands, as well as our clothing smelled of the unpleasant scent.  We walked, arm in arm up the hill to the house, stood thus watching the last of the sun drop from view for that day.  Going into the house, fixed a light lunch.  We were both tired, so an hour later found us snug in bed, and soon fast asleep.

                April, by midnight, would be gone, May with its hillsides of flowers, would welcome us at the dawn of a new day.  The sun rose to shine, but an hour or so later, clouds dimmed its brightness.  A slight roar of thunder broke the stillness, a sharp flash of lighting lit up the sky and at a distance we could see rain falling on the mountainsides, a wind filled with dust carrying particles of whatever it might pick up in its wake, swept the valley, the clouds became darker, as the storm heightened, more thunder and lightning streaking through the skies and with it the rain, like a sudden deluge, came pouring down, pelting hills and bench land alike, dashing down valley and ravines, just May, with her sudden shower, letting the world know she had arrived.

                The rain continued, refreshing the land, the grass and the flowers, amidst the falling rain, now and again a bird’s cheery note fell on our ears, welcoming the summer shower.  Soon it was running in rivulets into Shirley Creek below our home.  We stood in the door way with awe and wonder in our faces, enjoying the quick shower from clouds too heavy to carry it longer.  When the rain ceased at the end of the day and a heavy dampness lay over the valley and crystal like drops of water clung to bushes and small like trees, in the canyon, then the sun came out to give us one last fleeting glimpse of it before departing, le4aving the valley filled with the smell of the sage, as it glistened with the departing sun, bringing out the silver.  A huge rainbow in multi-colors circled the earth, giving us to know tomorrow would be a good day and well it was, for when we arose, the valley still moist, but the sun continued to climb higher and higher, as though it didn’t intend to be interrupted that day on the course of duty.  The rain had been wonderful for everything , especially our garden.