by Dani Larsen
"Yeah, and how much did they pay you for me?"
"It weren't that much, Son. It was just enough to get me a new dress, that there brush, some undergarments, and a few meals. I'm really sorry, Jude, I thought you would have a better life."
"They were some mighty evil people. She just wanted a slave. I had to do everything for that bitch ... for both of them. He was a gambler, and she was a selfish jezebel. I cooked her food, helped her dress, made the fire, and was her kicking post when she wasn't getting what she wanted. I was just in his way. If she wasn't happy she would complain to him, and he would beat me. I was lucky if I got food to eat. I often had to beg from people in the saloons where they hung out. When I was fourteen I couldn't take it anymore. He started beating me one night because I didn't pour her bath warm enough. I started fighting back, and I picked up the big bucket I was filling the tub with and hit him over the head with it. I knocked him out, then I hit her a good one across the face. She started screaming that she was going to get the sheriff and have me arrested, so I hit her again. I left them in their room, bloody and bruised. Then I ran as far as I could get, away from Cheyenne, Wyoming."
He was quiet for a minute, thinking about what else he had done, but not telling her that he had taken a burning stick out of the potbellied stove and started the drapes on fire as he left the room.
"I never felt as good as I did when I left them. I drifted from place to place, until I met some guys in Idaho. I don't want to talk about what brought me here."
"Don't worry, Jude. I'm so glad you found me. I will never say anything about anything you told me."
"I want to know more about him."
"I really don't know much more about him. Don't go looking for him though. Someone told me that the gang broke up not long after that. I never heard nothin' about any of them since that time. That would have been 1889, the year you were born. Good riddance I say. I hope I never see him again. He was an evil man. He weren't worth nothin', all the robbing he did you'd think he would have been worth something. He did have a nice saddle though. His initials were engraved on it with sterling silver, and he didn't want anybody going near his saddle bags. Don't know what he kept in there, but it must have been special to him. It was probably the only thing of value he owned. Don't ask me what those initials are, cuz I ain't gonna tell ya. The man ain't worth a plug nickel."
"Don't you be telling anybody that I'm your son, you hear me? Just say I am the son of somebody you knew long ago with the last name Burden. Especially, don't tell that lady downstairs. Or just tell them I'm one of your customers. I had to change my name when I got here, cuz of that Pinkerton fella. I had nothing to do with that murder in Idaho, but I was hanging around there at the time, so they are probably looking for me."
"What thing that happened in Idaho, Jude? Why are they looking for you?"
"Never you mind! Isn't nothin' for you to worry about! You don't know me, understand?"
"Yes, Jude. I understand. Could you come by a little more often, Son? I really like seeing you. I'm so sorry for all you went through. I really thought those people were going to treat you nice. They really fooled me."
"It seems you are easily fooled, as it seems my old man was nothing to write home about either."
"No, he wasn't. I'm sorry about that too. Don't know what I can do to make it up to you for all the mistakes I've made. But, you don't have to worry about me. I won't be telling anyone anything about you."
"You better not, if you know what is good for you. Because you won't be liking the beating I'll be given you, if you do. You tell them you don't have any idea what happened to your son. In fact, you can tell anybody who asks that as far as you know I may be dead. Yeah, that's it. You tell them you heard I died in that fire in Cheyenne where those two people who took me died."
"They died in a fire?" D'alene took a deep breath, and her face was white as she realized what he was saying.
"Yes, they did, and as far as you know, I died with them. Understand?"
"Okay, Jude. I hope no one comes looking for you, but if they do that's what I'll say."
He got off the chair and went to the door. His mother got off the bed and started walking toward him to say good-bye.
"That's close enough. I don't have any warm feelings that I want to express. You are just the woman who bore me, nothing more. Good-bye."
Jude opened the door, swiftly left the room, and shut the door behind him. She heard him walk down the stairs as the tears flowed down her cheeks. She went over and laid down on the bed, curled up and pulled the dirty blanket over her, and sobbed into the hard pillow.
George was thinking about how much rent he thought they could afford to pay if there was a cabin at the Perry Place, where he and Anna could live while he saved enough money to get their own place. Cove was only a few miles from La Grande, and only a few more miles from the ranch. George knew Anna wasn't happy living with his parents. It was really crowded with his two younger sisters and younger brother living there too. Ida had gotten married and left home, but that left the two other girls in one room, and Sylvester sleeping on the sofa or in the barn. If he could get the rent down to fifteen dollars for a month, maybe they could make it. He'd been saving all of his pay, so even if they could still save twenty-five dollars a month toward their own place, they might be able to buy a place in another year, and that was a long time to make Anna wait for a place of their own. They would still live close enough to the ranch if they needed help, and Cove had a doctor and a small general store if they needed anything in a rush. He drove the buckboard down the long road to the Perry's ranch. They were well known in the area and had a pretty big spread. George got out just as Mr. Perry came out of the barn.
"Howdy, Mr. Perry! My pa sent me over to take a look at those cows you have for sale. If they look good to me, he said to tell you that we would be coming back next week to bring them up to our ranch. We lost a good cow when she calved last month. Don't look like the calf is going to make it either, so we are short a couple of milking cows."
"Come this way, George. I've got the three I was thinking of selling in the corral by the barn."
George walked around the house with Mr. Perry, and when they got to the corral the man climbed up on the fence and sat down, and George joined him.
"It's those three huddled together in the left corner. They are Holsteins and all three give good milk. We are just plentiful right now with our cows. Old Bessie there on the right is not as young as she used to be, but she gives plenty of good milk, and is still calving as she gave us a good one this spring. The other two are pretty young, two and three I think. I'm asking ten dollars for all three of them."
George got down and walked over to the three cows. The one named Bessie gave him a big moo, and her eyes got big as he walked over to check her out. They all looked like pretty healthy specimens to him, and Mr. Perry had a good reputation for dealing fairly with folks in the Grande Ronde Valley.
"I think you got yourself a deal, Mr. Perry. I'm sure my pa will be real happy with those three. One of us will be over to pick them up early next week. My uncle, Anton, was telling me that you also had a place to rent here on your property. Is that true, sir, and if so, could I take a look at it?"
"Why yes, George, I have a small cabin that sits a ways back from the house. My wife and I lived there until we built the big house. It's got a main room with a potbelly stove for heat, another stove for cooking, and two bedrooms. I hooked up the spring, so there is running water inside, but you still have to use the outhouse in back. We moved it a couple of years ago to a new spot, so it doesn't have any bad smells because it hasn't been used much since then. We have indoor plumbing at the ranch, and the hands have their own outhouse. I was going to ask seventeen dollars a month for it, but since it's you, George, I would let you have it for ten dollars. Would you still be working at your dad's place?"
"Yes, and it's not that far by way of that back road. Anna is getting restless for a place of our own wi
th eight of us living in the ranch house, including my little John. Ten dollars sounds like a mighty good deal. Can I look at it?"
"Sure enough, George, follow me."
The cabin was newly painted and stood a good fifty yards from the house. It was clean inside, and even though it wasn't huge the rooms were big enough. And there was some old furniture in the cabin too. An old bed and a small dresser in one of the back rooms, a lumpy brown sofa, and an old oak table and two chairs in the main room.
The Perry Place was a big ranch, but well taken care of. Wildflowers had been tamed and surrounded the cabin. He recognized the dark blue penstemons and wild blue flax that bloomed voraciously next to the door. A black Cottonwood tree stood close to the cabin, and George could see a Mourning dove sitting on a nest in the lower branches. The Perry family had been residents of the community for many years, and they were well known in Union County. It was obvious that the little cabin had been well cared for and had been built with a small family in mind. George was impressed and thought Anna would be too.
"This is mighty nice, Mr. Perry. Does the furniture come with it for ten dollars?"
"Yes sir, George. With a nice young couple like you taking care of the place, ten dollars sounds just fine to me."
"Well, I think we'll take it, sir. Can we move in at the first of the month then?"
"You can start moving in whenever you like George. I'll have the boys pile up some firewood for you outside the door there, to get you started with. The first of the month is only eight days from now anyway."
"Thank you, sir, I know my Anna is going to be real happy."
George reached out and shook hands with Mr. Perry and went back to the buckboard. He drove back to town to pick up Jude, and then headed home to tell Anna the news.
Chapter Five
"A New Home"
1910
It was dinner time when George and Jude got back to the ranch, unloaded the supplies and saddle, and put them away. When they sat down to eat with the family, George told Frank about his dealings with Mr. Perry.
"The cows look fine, Pa. They are good milk givers and have all calved, so there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with them that I can see. I told him we would be over next week to pick them up."
"Good, George. We'll head over there on Tuesday after we bale that field."
"I also looked at a cabin he has for rent in back of their ranch. I think it would be just right for Anna and me for the time being. It has a potbelly stove for heat, a cook stove, well water in the house, two bedrooms, and a new outhouse right behind the place. He only wants ten dollars a month for it, so I told him that we would take it. He said we could move in right away, even though the rent won't start until the first of the month. Anna and I have been talking about getting our own place for a while now, as we think we are crowding Sylvester out of his room, and making a lot more work for everyone. We want to buy some land as soon as we can, but in the meantime, I think this cabin will do just fine. And we won't be that far away, so we will see you often, and it's only a few miles down the road for me to get to work here."
Both Frank and Anna's face showed looks of surprise. His brother and sisters just looked at their pa to see how he would react, and the ranch hands watched their boss to see what he would say as they filled their plates with food. Caroline didn't look surprised at all, and she spoke first.
"Why George, I think that is real thoughtful of you to think about your wife's happiness like that. I'm sure Anna will be thrilled with a place to call her own. The girls and I will be happy to help you all get settled, and fill in with anything you might need. Isn't that nice, Frank?"
"I think they should save that ten dollars a month toward that land they want to buy."
"That sounds like real cheap rent for a cabin with all that to me."
"It has a bed, sofa, and a table and chairs too. They are old and will do for a while, until I get some new furniture made. What do you think, Anna? You haven't said anything?"
"I'm very happy, George, and very surprised. Thank you both for letting us stay here for so long. I think it is time we got a place of our own. Sounds like we will still be real close, so you can all see the baby often." Anna was holding John on her lap as she ate and giving him bites of mashed potatoes in between her own bites.
"If you need anything, Mrs. Anna, you know I will be happy to oblige too." Jude added to the conversation, as he smiled at Anna, who suddenly got a chill down her spine.
The women talked about what Anna would need in her new place as they cleared the table and washed the dishes. Anna sat at the table nursing John, while the women planned the next couple of days for her.
"Let's all take a ride over there tomorrow and see what it looks like, then we can decide what you will need to take from here to fill out the cabin. This is exciting, Anna. I know you'll need a couple of oil lamps, just in case the cabin doesn't have electricity yet. If it does you will still need some lamps in case it goes out. You know how often our electricity is on the blink. And, I've got an extra set of linens for your bed and a table cloth or two."
"Thank you so much. That will be very much appreciated."
"I've been working on some doilies, and I think they would be just right for your new place, Anna." Her sister-in-law smiled at her.
"Mary, you will need them yourself someday." Anna replied. "You will be marrying that handsome fella who has been stopping by lately."
"I don't think he is the type I want to marry, Anna, and besides, I've got plenty. Just make me some when you get time. I sort of got carried away making doilies."
"You have all been so wonderful to us. I can't thank you enough."
"Pshaw! You are family! There isn't anything we wouldn't do for you and George, and that adorable grandson of ours." Caroline smiled broadly.
Anna was so happy and that made George feel really good about his decision to rent the cabin. He had been worried that his father would be really upset, but Frank had only made one negative comment, and Anna's face made it all worthwhile. He went to sleep thinking about moving their things to the little cabin on Sunday after church. Anna was thinking about what they would need for supplies from the general store, when she finally drifted off.
She thought she would enjoy a good night's sleep after such good news, but her sleep was again interrupted with the disturbing nightmares.
I am riding on the horse with the mean man. We are on the top of a mountain when the man takes me off the horse. I still have the blanket wrapped around me. The big man tells Mac to take me into a thicket of bushes and tie me up. Mac says he doesn't think I need tying up, as "where is she going to go?" The mean man says to gag me and just tie my hands so I can't take the gag out. He says he doesn't want me saying anything until he is ready. The bushes scratch my arms when I go through them, as Mac took the blanket away. I start crying as he ties my hands behind my back. Then he takes the kerchief off his neck and ties it around my head and tightly through my mouth. He sits me down in the middle of the bushes and speaks quietly.
"I'll be right here, so don't be making any noises, or he will get mad."
I sit there for a long time. It is cold, and I am really scared. The rope hurts my hands, and the kerchief is too tight around my mouth. Every little sound makes me worry that a coyote, cougar, or snake is nearby. I remember what Da taught me about the animals that live in the area. As long as I can hear the birds sing I feel better, as I know they will stop singing if there is danger nearby. Suddenly, all is quiet! I begin breathing fast again, and I can taste my tears as they stream down my face and into the kerchief in my mouth. Then I hear a wagon coming up the road and Mama's voice. I want Mama so bad I start sobbing out loud. I try to stand up ...
She woke up crying again, and her mouth hurt like she had that gag in her mouth. She sat up gasping for air.
"Are you okay, Anna?" George sat up beside her.
"I'm fine, George, I just had a bad dream." Anna tried not to let George see her fear
>
"You've been having a lot of those lately. Is there anything wrong?"
"No, George, I'm fine. I'm probably just anxious about the move."
Just then, little John started whimpering, and Anna went over to take care of her baby.
The women drove the buckboard over to the Perry Place the next day to check it out. Sylvester rode his horse over after he finished his chores on the ranch. Anna was thrilled when they pulled up to the little cabin. It was nice and neat, and the grass around the cabin looked like it had just been cut down. The colorful flowers seemed to welcome her, and birds chirping in the tree made her smile. Mr. Perry came from out in the pasture to welcome them, and told them to "Just go on in and make yourself at home."
Caroline brought a basket of food and a large jug of lemonade, and they all sat down on the chairs, sofa, and floor to enjoy it. Anna brought eating utensils and glass jars, so they would have something to eat and drink out of. The women were excited as they told Anna how they would help her get settled, and that they would be over once a week to check on her.
It didn't take long to move the rest of their things into the new cabin on Sunday. They didn't have that much. George drove Anna and the baby over in the rig they got for their wedding, and the Hempes came over in the buckboard and on horseback. After they finished unloading all of their things, Frank said he was giving them a second horse for Anna, so she would have some way to get help in case of an emergency. The ranch hands came too, and they all had supper out of the two baskets Caroline brought. The fried chicken was still hot, the buns were warm, and the potato salad was cold and delicious.
It was an exciting day, and Anna was exhausted after everyone left. The girls had made their bed and fixed up little John's cradle, so George and Anna just settled in and went to bed not long after their guests left. There wasn't electricity in the cabin yet. Mr. Perry said he would check on what they needed to do to get it there, but George said not to worry about it, that they had lamps and lots of oil for now. Anna thought she was so tired that she wouldn't have those dreams tonight, but that was not to be.
