Sleepwalking Wanderlust

F.obert George TayIor )7 2 2 l , J o o r eD r i v e T e x a r k a n a , T e x as 7 > 5 0 3 - ) ? 2 5

SLTTP|TAIKING IifANDSRIUS T STROI,I-S SOT.'T}ilitsAITSTI S S}T/\F.LTGHT (Sleepvralker Steps) Footprlnts or less.

t r a l l e d " d , o w na I o n g s c r e e n e d .p o r c h , s e v e n t y - s e v e n f e e t , n o r e

The bare tracks traced. across the wlde planks, back throrrgh the far l n t c a s e c r : I d e d .b e d r o o m . T h e t : r a c k e d i m p r e s s i o n s s p a r k l e d i . n t o

n r r t q ir l c r l n n r

the night sheen, moonllt cast,

these caught footlngs fast

L o n g , n a r r o w , s o m e w h a ts l e n d e r i n s t e p s g l l s t e n e d the silvery

Itghted

d e v r yr e m a l n s t h r o u g h

paw marklngs foIIowed,

beams. Kltty-cat

pressed humanones.

their

ln the darkness.

Casual observatlons wore oonstantly

trailing,

belng made by a

thousand ntght-tirne eyes, and the bare walls do have ears as well, story later

a defining

in life

Bare footed imprints

led into

naned Winnlford Way v/as aptly h is b . e a r t t h r o b -o w n e r. each bcurdolr rcf'leeteri I

gl

!'*-v

Uvu

clcnic j Ie.

'l

b e d " r o o m ,c e n t e r e d a n c h o r f o r

the retiring

The remote hone

c a l l e d n t h e h o u s e t h a t U n m a n B r o v r nb u l L t "

for

T h e l u mber ing d,welling, d.eslgned in EI shapes , r am bl ed

onto long porches fron

ishtcd

rrFfrvv+

lrnprlnting

to tell.

house in these early settlement parts.

the old-as-the-hitls

the

imarps vi-a nirrors 4rsul,i\rv

i\n assemblage of roons,

glass-panecl dco1'sr into

far

flung

doorways, aIl

aroes cf

flach inside the

viall

gr?cicus

French glassed. embellishnent

2

TayIor / soinrusAlrsT

a d . d e dI a t e l y ,

s h a d . o w e dt h e r o o m r e f l e c t i r , ' e I y .

extended f ourteen

The celling

A b r a s s c h a n d e l i e r o n a f o u r f o o t c h a i n s v r a y e d . ,h y p n c t i c a l i " v , w i t h t h e

feet.

g e n t l e n i g h t b r e e z e f r o m t h e w i n d o l n rl e d g e .

f lame jets

Five lntricate

unlit

s p r e a d , - o u t e i g h t e e n i n c h e s , h a n d - e t c h e l e d . g l a s sc o v e r s , d c n e i n s h a d e d f l o r a l sheath each.

left

ed capabilities

haC both kerosene anC candle power-

fixture

This ornate lighting

over frorn f890 and kept useful

The mtCdle rocm of this

his'tsilently

m u c h - a d r r n l r e d - f r c m - a f a r ' fl a n d - t l t l e

the origlnal

The honey shelter

f a,niIy growth needeCexpansions. decay reslstant jutttng

of nany

sat atop t+rntj-te-proof and.

b c j - s d " ra r c t r e e s t u r n p a b u t m e n t s o r f o u n c l a t l c n b l o c k p y l o n b a s e ,

over three-foot

frcm the hrntariand

tall- upward, to keep wiIC critters

wilCerness having easy access.

Appearance, functicnal

rcom was personal and usablo ... prevatled this

private as vrell.

slumbnring nightty

use of the centered

A l t h o u g h , B f l u n u s e d .l o o k

p a c e d . p a s s a g eo f t i r n e c u r r e n t l y

hereln.

L a t e n t g h t r r l n d b l e w q u i . e t l y t h r o u g h t h e € S r e a ts l e e p i n g h o u s e , a I I An airy flowlng

i n g p e a c e f u ) - | y , e x c e p t f o r o n e c h a m b e r e do c c u p a n t . h a n n e r id o c n f e e l i n g s

llu

r^v

rJ u

cf slumber with a slight

crisp

cutting

al dew d.rop floated. through the darkened snoring sounds. everywhere outside the rural ceased casually to stifle

steadily tatlon

its

residence.

airy course inside.

the dozing fllled

face, f itfu1Iy,

fo:

deed hclder helress was the

d e s i g n , S t e a m b o a t S t y l e , n c v vf u l l

architectural

out-

h o m e s t e a dU n m a nB r o v m e b u i l t

frcntier

age fallure.

axis for

in case of electri-cal

night.

alnost awakenlng all

culrent

en'

An occaslon'

A 6;usty whiff

puffeC

lnfrequent

lntervals

Just ofton enough, cool air

stopped,

An un,lercurrent,

subtle suffocatlon

A resulting

s l a p p e d "t h e

s e n s e s . T h e l a n d - o f - f ' T o dh. o r , v e v e rs p r e a d '

thrcugh the roonsl dreanscape habltation

continued everywhere, sendlng glorious

And so the pleasant respite went for

edge.

snooz-

prevailed.

The Sandnanvisl'

dreams, seventh-heaven exurbranet

scrne. One, more partieular,

held s w e y i n a p e a e e p e rva d .e dd.aze in this

incllned'

br eezy and sl' omber ous hous ehc l d.

Taylor / sol,,4NUBALrsT

The breeze,

times ecol

deep sleepy

{ tvrJ r vnr l o fv h a d T . e a m yd a r k n a s S a l l rrv

night

r

outside vlcinity

scunclsfrom the far bedroom, calling call

f urther

subtle

wafted. inside.

sisnal" timely

Crifted

l , , f o s ti m p e l l i n g

noted., to the earg

the hOme. Docile,

into

not so aimlessly

soft,

the slngula:

were striking

all

lulling

avrareness, broke

The vr hlnny in the wind vr as equine m us l c , s ub-

asleep,

I , { a r e s c h o m p e da, n x l o u s l y ,

The sleepwalker vras being called, ttdings

mi-nlmai activ.

of all , a neighing c onnnanded.

Nickering actually,

t h e d e e p q u i e tu d " e mi l e s a ro u n d . Iiminally

long through-out

carried

A braying, a wolf hovrling, cats f i-ghtlng, a c oyote

svreetly.

drowsy attention.

most, gently

for

summoning

subllmely put on notice.

These

sleeplng senses Ilke a loud gonging clock,

Just the

a s t h e s w l n g i n g p e n d u l u m t i r n e p l e c e o n t h e b e d r o o r nw a I I s t r u c k n i d n i g h t , witching hour and cornpelling cry in the darknesso T h e c o m m a n d i n gs c u l p m e t a l p e n d . u l u mw a s s t r i k i n g , rnoving brass wlth sculptured agrarian notif . pastoral scenio dJcor: up at frcnt

portlco.

four feet

long svuaying,

The clock face oontalned. a

a country manslon i\rith a horse drawn carriage Thls exact house replicated

seene dupllcated

lltllnniford

Way p r e c l s e L y . T h e a n tl q u e F re n ch Depos6 LTL} vintage had hung on that a century or more, onee traded from sibllng brass ciock ln the offering; than enough chlldren

resulted

(an lnherlted

yet no slavery ever exlsted

on this

estete,

more

roots way-

from personal hard lvork Iaboring based on indlviduallzed

These senerational

here for

generstions.

h i g h - b o r n d e s c e n d e db l u e - b l o o d s u n a b l e t o a b i d e r e d -

n e c k b r a n c h w a te r ki n o r b a rg ya l d. r elatlves, arlstocratic

slave for a

Thls sun-up to sun-doun countrlfied

self-employed svreat-of-the-brow land,hotders llving

thelr

s am e i r al l

by the dozen to work the land, along slde redneck share-

croppers, hlred help galore), of-life

kln

pulltng-

though, wer e ver y nuch unl i k e

o r i - g i n s f r o m o 1 d - w o r l d . a n c e s t o r s ' , ' ' r h oc o u l d n o t e v e r b e

4

Taylor / sorntueerisT unemployed because they never worked a job at all"

helred ciock was placed on Vlrginia

patriarchal

this

earlier,

outslde porches announcing time of day fcr N o r v e t l R o b e r t s o n l l t r i n n i fo r d r e l i c

nearby field

colony columned

hands.

The priceless

presently graced protected bedroomrvalls (ani

alas donated.to Mlller-Moore mansion at Texas State Fair Park ln Daltas)

lately

The pendulumtimely moved to and fro, A s t h e p e n d . u l u ms v r l n g s , a b e l l to the alerted The nusical fo r

a fev; centuries

Originally,

ear, hypnotic,

The clarlon

s u m m o n i n gs u r e l v ,

call

in alI

lasted an hour

home wher e the young man lived for

distant

and

dlstinguishlng

the bedfast slumbering-form uprig;ht,

male hulk

the bed coverlets,

d e a c l - to -th e -w o rl d

In-

about, roused. Encased, he IaV,

roused, aroused, then, faltering.

' u [ r a p p e ds h e e t s s e c u r e d . , s w a d d l l n g , t h e f l a t

T h e n a p p i n g a n d n o d d i n g stro n g sleelnpas t os s ln g

the dr eams that

m o v e n r e n ti n t i m e a t u n e d t o t h e s t e a d y t i c k l n g .

v o k e d . , h e r , v a sl n d e e d . s t l r r i n g The tall

lnto

louder one ninute later

brought forth

IiveIy

A gentle sound, soothing

to only one lone dreamer lnsid^e the old place.

T h e a p p o l n te d h our hlt

repeated the clanglng cycle ears.

struck the houro

tw e l ve tines

c ymb a l stru ck

each gong.

sv{aying mesmerific "

b u t n olcled lnto

flgure"

entwlned fr om suddenly tur n i - ng, then, a self- maile

sepulcher ed s haped.

b e d d . i n g . T h e o c c u p a n t w a s n o i n s o m n i a c , t r y l n g h a r d t o g e t s o m es h u t - e y e " The REl{ moving eyes of the slowly awakenlng deep-seated td consciousness was T h e no longer iner t

g ra d u a l l y

b e o o n l n .g n o b l L e .

receptlve

to the horse sense deslgnated. whinny.

sleeping shape was r efl ex l v el y T h e h u m a ne y e s b l l n k e d r h y t h -

rnlcally to each sounding of the clocked ciri.nos and.nickering invitation, scllc itation r ingln g

s u p r e m e . l , f o v e m e n to f t h e e y e s r e s p o n d . e d , e v o k e d.

tinepieee

g o ve rn e d . th e rootion of tbe wakeful body.

eyes ceased blinking

on an even keel,

The be]-l-

v:' ihenthe SLaz ed'

cther parts of the physique reacted

/ :l lnr,:e*ll5T

Taylor

happily to the echolng dispatch frcrn the ccrral. n a re s n l cke red. m or e fr equently

The corralled

upon the str oke o f m i dni ght,

T h e s l u m b e r i n g s o u l m a t e r e s p o n d " e dw i t h a t r t i n k a n d a w i n k v a r i e d e y e m o v e m e n t . T h e m o u t h o p e n e d , m o c k e d . ,m i n i e r y ,

an answering squeal vllth no voiee.

donlnated once $,otoo

Silence

Quletness returned.

in the sleep was not much understood.

talking

O u ' , , s i d es o u n d " s r e t u r n e d , c o n t r c l l i n g

Thls

at-

the nightly

m o s p h e r e . L o u t 1e c h o i n g b a c k g r o u n d c o o n - d o g s c h a s e d . , r u n n l n g a n d r u s h l n g a s piercing

saults,

pack of dogs always on the charge, blitz,

cheers to the actlve

s o u n d e d y. e l l i n g

nearly earsplltting The blarlng

Noisy men' owners, yawpers re-

yappingr Y€lplng, ylpping.

roar inside

the bedrooln.

uproar ln the distaneerrip-snortlng

late nlghtrv{as heard in the open spaces for

mlles,

good times through the Repeated outcries resonatei r an l ts

. ch o Lane r oad.way vr her e tor nad.o alley t h e l o n g n a me d E up and Co'uvn

colrl.se ofton enougho Restive arms tossod to the beat of the barking dogs. T h e d r o w s y l e g s r e a c b e d .t c t h e r n o v i n g s o u n d s . n n o c kp e d a l l e d . a b l c y c l e

in hot pursult,

The feet rose high the covers,

even walking fast

up hiII

a11 the while asleep ln bedsid.e wonC.srment. Nlght,mares, not, e x p r e s s e d .a t a l l T h e n i g h tl y

slmulated,

the occaslon

to thts dreanscape reality

ln the backgrcund.

i l re a ms w e re mer ely Ilving

the day- d.r eamsr eality

p l ans l onged

fcr memories unCer the shade trees during the hot sunmer afternoons. d a y d , r o a m sv r ere b e co mi n g re a l l ze d. enbed.d.eddar kltng rueful

rest.

slightty,

Inages sleepy sweet erupted. lnto

uproarlous,

nl ghtl y

tee-hee hootlng noise

the way to the neighing nags.

reverberated vrlth louder nickering

sheets kept the restless

in thi s

occaslonal }aughter, snickering

Thts titterlng

then almost ear-shattering"

escaped the dreamy beilroomscene, all fallout

stop- over s

Thcse

ea11s.

Feed'back,

The rumpled

conked.-cut sleeper conflned, desplte gestures to nove

u p w a r d , o u t v , r a r d ,a n d n e a r l y f a l l l n g

completely out of bed'- A flailing

to flee

Taylor / sol,,mlunAr,TsT

6

The lulled. eyes ccntinued

dream spurted into stark reality.

the failing

a wink, over and again rolllng

mcving ln a blink,

back to sleep.

Again and over, noved, the eye balls reposed put-tc-sleep, puckered, uttering

he dld perfectly

a gentle nelghing, minlc recall,

H o a r s e , a l m o s t d . e e pa n d g u t t e r a l

ln a nickering voice aud.lble.

tine

vocal coriied a dozing raspy response.

But actually

g u t w r e n c h e c lw h i n n y c a l l l n g ,

snoozing responding.

sensltive

resonated rhythrnlc tune to the clock striking s ide n a i g h e d . a II

onee moreo

stridency, was a

artlculation

aII

thls

Rhoncus snoring The horses far out-

The pendulum str okad tr he momen t, Iouder

th e mo re , a tu n ed,.

and l o u d , e r e v e r mo re se e mi n g l y car r ying

the time thr ough the house out onto

' , , " f B i t l - n gt,w i t c h i n g ,

the lawns, way beyond the barns.

The nouth

full

ears ln the stalls

o f p a m p e r e dm a r e s r e p l l e d " t o t h e c l a n g i n g p e n d u l u m c l o c k o n t h e d i s t a n t

insid.e

wall. The walleyed faee of the clocked scene tolled

a d.ark famillarity.

of the horses triggered a mobilized response this

bucollc calling

slsnder male body rolled rn o u n t e d .i n t h is ringed. afoot.

fluffy,

held firmly,

cl re a msca p e . T he legs m oved upwar d, a noment noeked , s ti r r ups A h o r s e l e s s r l d , e c o n n e n c e d . ,s i m u l a t e d . , s t i m u l a t e i l .

cast on the closed eye llds,

pastureso back lnto f ro n t

T h e b rl e f

Insinuated"

rode ever onward.

T h e i l r e a m ca n te re d o u t th i s

atuned.

with arms entanglod.. Entwined, the

t o s t r a d . C i l et h e b o l s t e r e d c u s h i - o n , a c h i m e r a s a d i l l e

d.rearnily, the oozlng rider

a li

time inslde

the elongated ptllow.

the bed.room. The dlsquiteit f orm rolled. over, olutchlng The long bolster

The

tlnoly

hom cpl- acehor sebaok r lde

ln i m ages

synchronized to the pendulumswinging to and fro,

ch i n l n g

seened a lengthy patr ol

thr ough the near by

T h e ri d .e vre n t e ve ryrvher e, alL over the estate the house went the boy and horse, bcth.

d o o r , d o vi n th e l o n g h a l l w ay,

and into

gr ounds.

And then

Both rode through the open

the bed.r oomltself.

Th e tw os one

Taylor

/

7

SOilIIIUBALIST

p l o p p e d , d r o p p e d , d . e a d t, l r e d

into

the bed together as one.

Bway lnto misty clouds,

leavlng the horseLess rld,er stlll

u l a t e d a n i - m a t e dm o u n t ,

The chlning

clcck continued lts

The restful

plratory

rale

horseback or afoot.

Thls dreamy

purposeful,

AII

vlsage to move lnto real

deep ln slumber drove thls

Over

contentment; deep res-

pace ln the chest of the boy.

animatlon contlnued., not knowlng if tentlon

tlmely chant.

look on the sleeplng face reglstared

poundeda . galloping

hard put in hls sim-

intoned the pend.ulum

and again, ceaseless the chlmed mldnlght witchlng-hour pull.

T h e d . r e a r nf a d e d

in-

images mentally

i n t e n g e. Images not porverse but deeply lntentr Iong enduring drearn. The falling

Iess sleeper sllpped, heel tight life

barely,

falllng

ride.

features

facial flrlated,

The Achllles

ing eyes fllokered fllm

color,

to hold on for plnched lnto

posl-

The intense

h a d . a c o m p e L l i n g f o c u s u ^ o o ns o m e

the purposeful psyche; ld calling movle projector

emphatlcally"

The sllent

t e y o n d .r e a l i t y rapld movernenb

Ev en th e fo l l o w l n g

m o v i e s c r e e n v ' r a st h e i n s i d . e

again captured.

He oould get up to vlslt

night

The bllnk-

scenes, showing a nnagniflcient prenler

sleeper.

in chapters, faotually.

off.

d.ear

a s t h e R T l t toI u p h o r l c e x p r e s s l o n b e c a m e

This guy dreamed ln tho chamber Potr re-

t u rn t o b e d , d .y-b ye , sh u t-e ye d g ood. tim es, and. then take- up r lght lef t

The rest-

froze"

saga to the struggllng

eye lids,

foot

heel held firmly,

The expressive face, frozen intention, concern deep within

iron bed.

dream move speedtLy along.

continued', contorted,

lcy-stare

almost totally

out of bedl. Bedclothes shed, shucked, his right

a t e e , V g h a p o d . ,h o l p i n g t h l s

tion,

out of the sculpt

between the big toe and second of the left

in thls

proved.the aim of the

drean was beconlng reallty,

w h e n t h e h u m a nf o r m f e l L

true-to-l1fe,

purient,

beEan the next lnstallnent

wher e the d'r ean r lght

or c tl €r

Taylor / sot,,lir.iaA,LrsT

Th is t i f e - t l n c .e d .re a m sa e l a Ia ste d. r ecur "r ent to this

The c ur r ent

var y day.

Iif e-cast spectacle expanded l-tseIf , drea;nily vralking about the large bedr o o m , t r , v e n t yf e e t lt

calf,

a}l

in one dlrectlon,

s e e m e dt o o b s e r v a t i o n s b e y o n d t h e g l a s s - p a n e d d o o r s , t o h e a r t e l l h a l f - g r o v r n b o yr a n o l l

D r e a m e d t. h e n h e i , , v a s ,t h i s

years later.

cosnlc mastro stroked, more than once repeating life

landscape reaIltV,

origlns

p al n t i n g

the

for him and his

T h e d . r e a m yp a i n t e d i n r a g e a l v m y s J u m p e d i n t o

Amerlcan Indian blood-Ilne. tlvely

To rope a wayward

tvlenty-f lve another.

full

of force,

alerted actlon"

This slmulated. som-

nolence moved ul-timately the sleeper into motion beyond the bedroomo l v l o v e d ,h e d . I d . . B o d y a n d s o u l s t l r r e d , c hl[ e

strlklng

cf racy rldlng

harmonous, tuned upon the Iastlng

o f th e b e d .ro o n pend.ulumclock. over hitl

a n d "d a l e o n t h e l a n i l e d g e n t r y e s t a t e n a m e Cn Y l n n l f o r d "

Yfay durlng the few seconds requlred to strlke T h e e n d l e s s s o u n d l n g b e tt

the rnidnight hour tirice over"

o f th e pend.ulumclock becam e a{ lh vti utr t hs tr ok e

lnto motlon for the b.oy dreamer, way g u a r d . d u t y,

The d.or mant dr eam cov er ed hour s

Stepped over favorlte

sleeplng dog at door-

b a re l y ml sse d , he d.iil go.

O u t t h e d .o o r o f th e re strL cted. bedr oon, vacated vestm ents down the por c h, rippingly

went the urgent motion of the released. dream into entranced.reality.

T lme a n d p e n d u l u rn stru ck th e n a r k, m oving the appolnteil hour ly nindrs eye of the boy-roan-ch11d" The eyes stil-I noises aII

about and ado far-fetchecL.

r e n e w e d .f e r v o r , f ull

o f s i n g - so n g tri l l s

n ic k e r i n g

o f th e p re ttl e st

A sonata, it

aII

the farn

cued whinny ln

became, a coda codeil

i n to n e d. to the pendulum clock chir nes am ld. the l oud'es t ma re named'Queenie.

e u e e n i e lva s b css cf a 1 I th e hcr ses, nonar ch naxln r elgno her proud head to the ragal tiara, head.

l nto

bllnked. to the dlstlnct

The mares began thelr

dead.-earnest eagerness.

spell

all

Even l ti l audebov l ei

v r h l t e s h a p e d o n Q u e e n i e rs n a m e s a k ef o r e -

T h e s e tw o h o rse s w o re w elL past age 79, ser vecl in $iar - to- End - Al l - Il fats "

o

/ solfNUBALIsT

TayIor

L f u n l t l o n v r a g c n st h e y p u l t e d o n f r o n t Ias t

Bob W innifor d

o f t h e g un n e d -d o rl n Gfs.

bavlng been drafted from his lofty

dollars,

they were, too" this

till

The best loved of alI very tine.

not a Germansympathlzer. be.

service d iseharged, f9I9 wlth

called cailous,

paid sky-high

Cream-of-the-crop Iivestock

barns"

the horses ever on the place from birth,

But sold by governnent force

to prove hls wlfe Gernan, sald to

Her naiden name bolng Landtroop.

Yet when[rlaggie Landtroop lvas a looa1 plgtalled

routtnely

the

br ought them back hom e, s hel l -

And bought for a d.ear price,

shocked to any thunderous sound.

foal,

Iinos,

school glrl,

she was

These irritating

cruel and annoylng artlculations.

wordgane assertions never ceased, even into ad.ulthr:od family years,

Dumb

Indtan name-eaIIing also taunted her Native-Anreriean Cherokee face with Poeahontas llneage to boot, plus the Khazar hook-nose for an6 pester. latest

Her trl-raclal

enemy origlns

r , v e l l - k n o w nb l o o d l l n e s

living

conditlons

horses ever slnce was prlncelS', rather Mauilemade a maJestio palr maln street tractors,

putling

of town each year.

plck-up trucks,

these days.

got germinated. into

the

to tormentr &Brleveil blond. bluelsh-green-eged husband

B o b W i n n i f o r c t .a b o u t t h e w h o l e m e s s y m 6 a n - s p l r i t e d The loving-care

good measure to jeer

careless words.

situatlonr

and heart-renderlng

situation

queenly, to be exact.

The maln attractlon

the

Queenie and

bale of cotton to gln,

the flrst

for

dovin the

t h e y w e r e a m o n ga l l

the

c o m m o n l y u s e d t o h a u l g o o d . sm e a s u r e d l n h o r s e p o w e r

An oddtty they were"

Celebritles

t h e y b e c a m eo n t h e t o w n s q u a r e

each cotton picking season.o The celebrated Queenle pranced herself d . re a m s . T i r e re a ti ty n e lgh e i i a l a s t laid

ti n e

foremost in these reatlty

n i n g l ed car toon sty1e.

atuned,

The pam per ed.hor ses had

g o o d b ye 'rh e n th e hear se took ilepar ted, Bob lVinnifor dt s c as k et,

to rest RI? not far family

plot,

from the parlour roon wake.

Not a dry

Tayror / sol.mrunqlTsT

IO

upon seeing, hearing, the grieving

eye remained tearful

I o n g n e c k s e x t e n d . e d . ,s t r a i n i n g

took, over the tall. wooden

one more tast

Thusly,

u n a sh a me d Jo i n e d th a whinnlng chor us m our nful"

w e re c h e r l s h e d. re mi n d ,e rs,

food. oannery llke Iovlng tlfe

the m ar es

f.ate of endlng up et the glue factory

nost olcl horses do (stewardshlp for

long rewarilsln old age f or all

servlce on speclal oecasions.

or dog

service well-d.one requlre

t ' h l n g s o n t h e h o m e s t e a d ).

livlng

FamiIy lova f or the mares honoreil, revered, prlmarlly

draped over their

The

N e ver to be neglected, ln any way or ever to be s oJ ,d.,

costs thg::crirel

to avolcl at.al-l

vrith their

e d . g e . V f o n d e r o u sw o e t h e y n e i g h e d b e y o n d t h e g r e v e .

fence at the horselot n anly k i n

for

livestock

their

war-tlme d.uty

S e a s o n e dv o t e r a n s s u r e l y t h e y w e r e .

FIags

Armistance or V*terans Day

sadd.Ies on Decoration Day alals

by the wld.ow ltrlaggie Land.troop l,liinnif ord each year. T h e s e ? ? ve te ra n d a ytt h o rse s sensed the r ,vitching hour each The clarlon

time at mld.ntght,

call

s o c o n d . s o u n d . in g ch i me , si g n a tl e d nelghing

ro u s in g

s u b l l ml n a l l y

w h inn y c a l l l n g

a flagglng ntghtly

loudly f or their

action,

o f t h a p e n d u l u r oc l o c k , star t,

rustic

th e g ro o n of the nlght

a wig- wag m ove a l nos t rid"er.

The cail

was heed'ed,

l n th e w i a d '.

Nothtng could. thvmrt the lntent footprtnts

the sleep walk er .

of the nlghtlS'dreamland. soJourn.

The dew

m a r k e d .t h e w a y r J o u r n e y b e g l n n i n g w i t h o n e s t e p a t a t l n e .

Humld m o i s t r : r e o n th o to n g u e -a n d.- gr ooved planks caught the footsteps , thetic,

cgptured as if

in plaster-of-parls

The screen door effected a rellglous-cross' s t a rry

sky,

long g a l l e r y

i nto

to these pr eclous mar es r w hi ns ,

T h e w i n d ,y scre e n e d . b a ck p or ch could not contain

filled

".ttor n uj ]fol ti c e Iast gong of the

l .{o o n b e a msl l tu n rl n a tod sh i n i n g

the dlrectlon

k l nes -

of the bare soles.

gauzy viewed'appearanca in the

the impr lnts

of the naked' insteps

th ro u g h th e gossam er scr eened shletd '

Sur ely

on the

gr and'father

1I

SOI'1I'II*TBAlIST

TayIor

iVlnnlford was looking down in approval, nodding smile. a jar,

The screen flse3 was

asketr.

s1ightly

The screened door opened onto a brick walk, fast, The walklvay was darnp,night

tlme residue.

bricks,

marklngs resembllng plcture

nightly

duties done in the family

of i,r'rprlnts.

fuII

. own the Footpnlnts led onlvardd

'writlng records, hleroglyph!cs,

of the

These long prints

sands of time.

appeared

unearthly cast permanently in each ind.lvidual stepped.briek-bat,

flred

f o r m e c l , a l m o s t l o o k i n g g l a z e d , I - n s t e a d .c f f l e e t i n g ,

Each instep

revealed a narrow foot,

Iong toes leading.

Mud balls

together.

Late night wind blew quietly

raoj.st soles.

paceil lnto the

Barefoot prlnts

Dewdrops melted measured images into

t h i o k d a m pc a r p e t e d c e n t e p e e d g r a s s . b19 round steps, flowing

transltory.

clay

in the dust fron

ccllocted

the

a c r o s s t h e b a c k w o o i l so p e n s p a c e s ,

ever expansive farmland range vie'ned. A slight f arm air, blt

wlndswept crisp

barnyarcl

cutting

edge breeze gave a gusty whlff

odors, nixed. medley, nose tingling

of devlated. vaBor in the air,

lt

was, dr1ft1n8,

tlnge seented.. A llttle

hovering stonch fron dis-

tant woodseycreek bed.s. Boot16Sgers poured smelIy green fetld barleycorn llquor

stilts

into

the stand.ing waters.

I e d q u e r o n , p r o n o u n c e d .t t k e y y a r n r [

this

magh from

The reeklng stlnk was cal-

quorn putrid messl

quagmlre caused property probl-ems, po1ltical

as weIl.

The offenslve

The dlsgusting

wa s h e d o v e r f r o m th e sl o u g h , o l d cr eek bed. then changing oonfines, solicl. lat er

The ever ehanglng county Iine, r a i n y w a y',va rdfl. o o d l n g ,

ary llnes, sors.

Tor r ents

turning,

of open

tvristingr

morass

d.am m ed.- up

then resulted

of high l' iater alter ed

fron

cour s ei //ay bound-

termed accretlons and avulsions by quarrelsome, greed.ytax asses-

Dlsputed legalities,

amongrelatives

Iater

lawsults, resulted

and branch water kln.

ln a life

tlme of ill-

wlll

E x a c t o r r r n e r s h l pa l w a y s q u e s t i o n e c . a l o n g

L2

TayLor / SOI,INUBAITST

nlght

those farrnland. bord-ers" Fuss fences aboun,led. The acrid moonltght this cast a blue-granite

concrete took, almost permanent appearance to the barefoot lts

The simulated. dream continued

ln the dampgrass.

prints

h a r d u p o n t h e m o m e n tt h r o u g , h t h e m o o n s h i n e v a p o r s s e t t l l n g The real alive

viewed from another seventy-seven foot

hlgh above the board fence. the evening Just startlng nlckering

6reamo6alive

playa

heads

Co1ts of T,ouder

romping through the horse Iot,

Sage grew tall

reering,

.landscape, The sighted settlng

Jolted

T8lsed fet-

in the distant

back lot'

a c r o s s t h e o n c e o p e n r a n g e d o m i n a t e d .t h l s

fndlan

led around the pond vrhere

The pool cool water was over-

skinny dtpping days were a joyous must do thtng. running,

mares held their

neighing softly.

l,[ote steeds frollcked,

p a w e d .p a s t u r e g r a s s .

grasses knee doep all

Pralrle

The sorrell

to whlnny, mlngted amongthe scenlc vlew.

from the Inclian ponies running,

Iock gesturing,

A thousand'eyes or so

The equine nose flared,

action the eplsodlc vista.

into

and held. the spectrum stiII,

tong porch.

coneerned.

peered the ntght away, lntently

over the place.

v r o o d e nf e n c e , a l v a s h w i t h s h i n y

d r e a m n e x t m o v e d "t o a t a l l

m o o n b e a m s . T h e p a n o r a m as u s p e n d e d , a n l n a t e d ,

all

walk

reallty

spring ralns f ed.. The horses ran back and forth,

to d.rink, eat,

cavort! S u d d e n l y , t h e b o y b e c a m eo n e w t t h t h e h o r s e s . with Quaenie.

T h e t e e n a g e r h o p p e d .u p o n Q u e e n l e , f a s t r

bareback, Indlan pony styIe,

Astri6e,

a handful of horse hair, n e igh a u d i b i e v

vI

vuvrrvs

aIas, its

f

si

h e p u l - L e d Q u e e n l e fs m a n e r e i g n s .

the boy routed Queenlefs dlrectlon.

The pair were alring

The moonlight appritation

own song to then.

A pretty

at oncet

sPringlng heels. lfith

Only a slight

th ro u g h th e n i g h t r esponded. as a hasty r un began.

n n n r - n n n h e df r r l l r e a l i t y . u

One, he was all

t h e d . a r k e n e dn. i e h t

The dr ean together,

cut through the open range, feedom ringlng ditty

he called

the 'tcentaur singing.rr

The

'l?

Taylor / sol,tt,T,4nuLTST

n lght

n o i s e s p l a ye C th e i r

o rrn tuniesr r er r er bafa' tad ar laso Tr ee fr ogs, all

June bugs and bull-bats

jointly

sang a well-versed maCrlgal mcment. The

w h l n n y l n t h e w i n d f r o m l l u a e n i e r s g l e e I , \ I a sa n l n s t r e l ever futly

no songster cculd

center stage ioy ln her

B o y - r i d " e r a n C h a p p y m a r e c l r c l e d t h e o l d . h o r s e 1 - o t, c o r r a l

grandoise glory. in f ult

Iilt

vision quickened, created the boy onto the

Queenie v/es taklng the limelight

the raclng horse.

f ille,i

This nightly

capture.

er i c k ets ,

array,

strorting salutations

tc all

things within

tiving

earshot'

p l e a s l n g t l i n e s i n d e e d w o r e t h e s e m o o n i i t r e u n i o n s f o r t h e t w o s o m e sr t e e n n i n g vesperso The duet team sauntered bV, stomping anci stenplng, shuffling, stumbllng even.

A n a m b l i n g c o m . b o ,t h e y w e r e , f l l t t l n g ,

the o1d parked conestoga wagon-bed full ped around, about. nibbllng

of recently

to mosey along.

shoots, Iolltpop

a n t lqu e w a g o n rs cu rre n t

p u rp o se fur ther

in the dry at neck-level for

tasty aII

Tovrard

cut sugar cane they trip-

This equine feast was a manger ration,

greeny leafy

trudging,

sweet tooth delight'

nlght long"

The well-used'

held hay dur lng nuddy vr intr y f c edi ngs

the prized horsesr snacks, good' forage fodder-

food., for cho;nping, chewlng deIlghts" This frontier

era wagon from an earlier

Colcny had transported the local istrate

dated tirne-period. vrith the Peters

farntly progenltor

and Republlc of Texas mag-

Urbane Alexander here to clafuc his land patent frontier

The slx-inch

wlde wheels covered by thick

homesteadslte.

lron rims allowed. convoyance over

huge rocks and.large earthern clods on the 21000 mile trek to thls FlIiaI

sacriflces

came early

on the ploneer trail

exaet spot.

to Texas when tittte

}tlartha

rras, ln this untimeAmandasucdenly dleq of a fever in the wagcn. Buried, she trace of a hlghway' l y d e a t h l a l d t c r e s t f o r e v e r n o r e b e s i d e t h e p a t h v r a yr u t t e d ln an Grief about that lost final resting place on her threshold-t,o-eternity

r4

/ $O]'niABUirsT

Taylor

unmarked grave begat an everlasting

pLot af ier

unabl-e to f ln
later,

dying regret was passed for

(no gravetcnc ever placed.

self-reproach

r e m o r s e f u l d , e s c e n d a n t st l l l

this

TIn-

searches) .

sev?ral returning

day to rue the

deep loss as well. Remorsetook lts

on eldest darrghter Rnbecca Jane Alexand"er vfio was

toll

f o r e v e r,'rn o ro th a t

c rippl e 6

sa i n e pitiful

the heav y ''/Iago! "' ,' hen backward at the babyrs barren

day on the saC way

wheels rolle.d over her l-eg whlle looking tearful spoto

burlal

L a r n e , m a i n e d , g i m p y , s h e b e c a m eh a m p e r e d f o r t h e n e x t e l g h t y

y s a r s h o b b l i n g o v e r h o r d a d . d . ysr n e l v - f o u n d . ,c l a i n e d , of family

together as a twosomeadventure full prairie

gone vrith nearly forgotten mainlng as recollecteil

land.

lore,

Sorrow and ioy went

hack then, Iong slnce

schooner settleroent day tl}l

n o v , ro n l y r e -

heritage stcries"

w e r e t e e m l n g e v e r y ' w h e r ea I l - o v e r t h e f a m ''Atay. Thj.s resolute . innlford 1 1 i a r h o m e p l a o e o n c e c a I I e d U r b a n e , n o w n a m e dW Fanrily herltage recollectlons

rid.lng across the land jogged the sleoping memoryto keep in the cognate

night

experiences ever told,

nind all

f or futtrre generatlons to knovr, Reality

s hrou i l e d i n t o mi sty d ^re a n s, B s the sleepr ,' r alker sat high on hls hor se, m i d n i g h t r i d e t h r o u g h n o o n b e a m sc l e a r chanting in her strlde. ln splrit,

rovlng

T h e b o y a n d .h o r s e , g a i t a t u n e d , c o m - o l e t e l y r e u n i t e d

g a p o p e n e d , fl u ng

The o,ares all

back fult

width under the low hangi ng w al nut

The dead of night walted., awalting alrrayso These

abided, each ntght the boyrs sleepy tlne walk.

belonged together,

gate.

nlckered. again, once nore neighlng lnto the nightly

song belng played out!

horses llngered,

truly

Q u e e n l e w a s a s a l v r r a y se n -

and relncarnated. soulmates, bounded onward through the corral

The corral t.rea llnbs,

and bright.

thl s

lcnged to be together.

an6 real-ly aLive, then assented.

Horse and boy

The tirrowere reall-y allve

together,

ltreighing, unlson, they rocie the range

Taylor / sol,,nvanullsT

1(

t h ro u g h t h e n n i d n i g h t mo o n l l t

b reezes for

a good. Iong tl,ne.

galloped the nlght arvay, langth and breath of the property,

through the creek

b e t r , v e e nq u a r r e l s o m e n e i e h b o r k t n o n t h e o u t s , f r e t -

b e d . sa l o n g o l d , f e n c e l i n e s t i n g d . e l u g e d g r a b b e d .I a n d . . one after

This ha ppy pai r

Jumped over fenced fie1d.s, blg long graceful

leap,

R a c e d .b y h u n t l n g h o u n d s b a y r n g l n t h e d " i s t a n t f o x h u n t s ,

another.

ov er J o J ' e , j .t o h e a r h i s

p a te rn a L gr and.father Geor get s dogs r unning the bound" l es s

bankg. Over the gritty d,eposits left steadfastly

steppes they crossed. the loess soll , wlnd.y brown sand

unrler the Vega star llght"

through the moon-rising lay of the land.

ed her own cholce direction,

heated passlon. to mark territory

The big bulls all

had.Iong ago clrcled

cows in-season, urlnating

along the way, enough urie acld to kill

of the prlstine

the mldd.le of the largest

pastures.

This natur al

spot,

growlng plants

monument to urea dom i natei

Queenie reared gallantly

s c a l d l e d .s o i l

J u s t b e y o n d . t he o l d e n In d l a n

rnagnlflcent ln

pauslng, nlckering

grandlosel.v,

ca mp gr ounds wher e fear som e but cur ious

h a d c n c e s t o p p e d to a tte n d th e fr ontier d a d d y U r b a n o AL e xa n d .e r w h o fsL l t h ro e s .

Q u e e n l e s u d d . e n l yf a s h i o n -

herds once roaned, gathered, beddeil-dovn ln

t h e n e x t tw o ce n tu d .O; th e re alone"

that part

went

bolted an ebony flash aeross the nearest round.

barren scald spots where buffalo

f or

Thls horse and boy astrlde

funer al

for

on a hay pitch- for k

d.ear gr eat- gr eat for

his

lasting

s av ages gr and'd" eath

T h e n a tl ve A me ri ca n s never bef or e had seen a whlte manrs ' f i ak e.

whole t r i b e

t ra i p se d

th ro u g h th e then new 1og cabj- n whlch bocamece ntr al

dle-roon of future manslon house there.

T he m l d'-

These wilderness natlves viewed the

(pl us a bod'y open - c a s k e t c o rp se i n w o n d e rment at such openly shotitnber eavenent 0r s o ly ing i n a s i r o p l e h e i ^ rnw o o d e n box was an oc.dity beyond ir oagination) . those grievous d'ays vrent on-and-on to say years the farntly lore glorifylng The ploneer of those heart-slck times' later, to hear tell the retelling

yesteryear

travatL got told

soap-opera thrills"

descendants wlth true

over-and.-over to entertain

The best settlng

for

the jabbering,

aII

yammerlngquality

w a s w h e n a s s e m b l e d o n t h e h o m e s t e a d .sr a d d e d e x p a n s l v e l o n g p o r c h e s .

time vislts AIl

tb

/ sol'nJAB'JLTST

Tayl or

the gathered throngs of cousins were busily

These get-togethers benefitted

the ccngregated heirs,

suceessors-ln-waiting

especlally

the kln convened to rehash old tinrey tales,

to

days accounts of hardshlps kept

But the frontier

t h e b a n k e d .f a m i l y f o r t u n e .

talklng"

e n g a g e d ,l n r a t t l e - t r a p

the klndly

Ind.ian yarns'

T h o s e v e r y t o u c h l n g k l n d - h e a r t e d . , V e t c l - o s e - n o u t h e t i . ,a B S r l e v e , l a b o r g i n a l In d lan f o l k ,

fo re ve r

a f te rra i a rd f r om that f or lor n

ov er t h e f o u r b e re ft A l e xa n d e r chlldr en adult flllal

withcut

care.

step and kept wlld. critters

Even left

btood-brothers carlngly

travalls,

tnstilled,

actuallyr

dicturn as vrell-.

l i { a r o a n d b o y ro d e fa ste r

never to seIl Never seIl

Herltage homethis

e u e e n l e c o n ti n u e d . h e r o w n tinael- y dlr ected air.

Then, d.ecad.es those

o f w h o mh e c h o s e o n e s u c h r o m a n t l c i z e d . n a l d e n

m e m o r i -e sb to w l a g i n th e wind.s of tine

n y ria i l

quar-

He never feared" or rosented wild-

l e g acy l a n d .e d e sta te nam ed.W lnnifor d W ay,

vras also bibltcal

right

door

T h a t I n d i a n p r l n c e s s m a l r l e n b e c a m em y d e a r e s t g r a n d . m o t h e rc a l l e d

l , l a m m a wt,e l l - i n g u s h a l f - b r e e d s , l nher t t e d

elements.

o r p h a n e d .$ a r a h g r e w - u p h e a r i n g a l l

picturesque surrfual related,

Inrllans, that man-chi]-d of hers, to wed.

gane on the front

the lanC. in ever y sense of the w or d, thes e

dld., to surrrive the hostile

the Last bcrn son of llttle

later,

kllled

gr as s l ands

safely far away fronr the ycungstersr llving

T a u g h t th e rn h o w to l l ve -o ff

t e rs .

gr or ,r r ing- upon the pr alr le

freshly

w atc hed.

d ay of the funer al

itself,

the treasured

your bl r th-

place was to

these puffed- up

v l v es .

pace thr ough the bte ez y nl ght

than the wind could evaT blow thr ough the al r y

places wlth festlve eueenle toured. the Ind.lan canp laadmark treasured pai r S h a d .or nrthr s ough the m oon sheen eaught the happy re l g n e d .-l n . ht gh s p i r l t s scene.

L7

Taylor / soi',nslrul,fsT

hal-r and nane blowing mlghtily

pictured fast,

faces.

ln their

s e d t h e h u g e e l b o ' n r - s h a p e dt r e e t h a t o n c e c l e a r l y

fhe twosomepas-

marked dlrection

whcle Indlan

took to next canpgrounds, bent as a twig of course back then on that Lorr

tribe

a\tay to eternal

sighted day founder Urbane was lald

burial

a l w a y s p a u s e d . ,r e a r i n g the faniliar

ever so elegantly

rest.

Q,ueenle She knervall

at each memorable site.

hangouts, haunts, that her sleeping mount enJoyed durlng dayllght Q u e e n l e w a s r u n n l n g t h e g a m b l t e v e r o n w a r d .b e l o r n t h e t r e e - I i n e d

Jaunts here.

o p e n r a n g e w h e re g o o d -n a tu re d Uncle John Hor ace one tlm e only fell

couslns, he was,

d.runk. Hlgh on hooch, plied with alcohol by hls lilly-whlte just

to see tf

hollerlng

Indlan blooded folk

roally

whlppety-de-d.oo, on least

d.o" v ndog-

went wild as a buck, whooplng and

amount of tasted,

imbid.ed, f lre-water.

Sur:e enough, ad.olescent rnischief back-f lred on the blue-eyed. fun tines. T he p a l e - f a c e d . o n e s a ctu a l L y g o t r olvily- loud while fell

quietly

prone.

as though a laid-out l lk e

cousins covered John Horaoe wlth

Tha all-whlte corpse.

Llttle

EIla,

slster

t h e v r l n d to h e r d a d . p l o w l n g ln the far

S h e rw i n v r a s f a st

u p o n h e r h e e l s.

Ma rv i n i s o o v e rtn g h i m w tth sti c ks 'i,lllnnlford. rlght family

llquor

seelng all

flelds

yelllng.

leaves

the mlschlefr

ran

Young c ous l n

nlle1p, tsr other Hor ace ls slck anil c ous l n while slngtng funer al

hym ns.tr D addy Bob

The culprit

'rd.emonrumrt as the

ar,vayknew what had happeneil, still-

black- eyed Hor ace m er el y

on the creek banks was ofton call.ed to thls

h a t c h e t e d . t o p i e c e s t h a t s a n e h e y d . a ym a d s p e l l

tine,

very day got

to tho d.ismayof other

h a rd d "r l n k l n g kl n . T h e f a r n l l y-ru n

ro t-g u t

grovrfh, from revenuors.

',vhlskey still

l/r as well- hldden

Only close kln could find

in scr ub- oak ,

bus hy

the ageless stash easlly.

U n c l e B o b , a s e v e r y o n e k l n o r n o t , c a l l e d T t { a m n a w rpsi o u s c h u r c h - - ' I d e r h u s b a n i l , was madder than a wet-hen with newly hatched chicks ln a sudden raln

storn.

/ got'rur::i\LTsT

Taylor

r8

Ile said ltdad-burn-ltn every tine hls high-heeleC work boots hlt

root cause (tnat nan was angry as hell

the nil-e long rush to stonp-out slnful or ttall-get-outit

for his svrearing the only curse urords ever uttered

l a te r

one ever talked presence.

then he vrasfor

A t o n g w i n d e d s e r m o n o n i n l . q r d . t yb o o z i n g c a u s l n g a l c o b o l l c

b r a l n v r a s G r a n d d a d "sr r e a s o n i n g u s e d t n h i s t l r a d e to the day he dled years later. termso

tain

and their

kin present

that chided all

Blame vras put where tt

addled

belonged ln no uncer-

N o m l n c e d w o r d s a g a i n s t t h e o b s e s s i v e v i i c k e d .w l n d b a g p e r p e t r a t o r s

scandalous upheaval all

of sharne

over toltm., bas ed on

was a well- known chur ch leader as w el l

B o b I{l n n l for cl

b l a s a s rrye IL

Caused a lot

motives vrent unsaio elther,

vrarped ltl-wlll

o n t h e r o o u r n e rf s b e n ch i n ch u rch, rac ia l

frcrc his

No sure, to cuss at all). 'i l Ii nni f or d.t s o n a b o u t th.at devlous episode in gr andfather

unless unduly provoked llke

lips

the ground on

as

the three brothers state-wide band.. He was a celebrlty

bass violinist

for

heavenly sent,

g o d -se n d ,, re p u ta bl,e r aan of the contntunlty. Gr anddail al s o had a

reputation

sterling

as a folk-healer

so utas llstened

t o r , v h e ns h a m e f u l i n c l d e n t s

came to publlc attentlon. T h i s s h a nce l e ss l n cl d .e n t re newed. a r nuch older gosslpy, m ud- sIlng far nl l y f e u d t h a t n e v e r-e ve r d l e d . co vrn , even with the death of the or iginal cuc k o o b l o v , ' h ard b u syb o d .l e s.

T he old. phoblc battle- axe

k i ndr ed

vr oes got bur l ed. w i th

of the personal wounds" Got d'ug-up

the hatchetlng hand"le left

stlcklng-out

ev ery f e v r y e a rs fo r

E n o ugh d.ysfunctional kin always hacl a firm

on it,

su re ,

handl e

though, ever so ofton to fashlon a bone-of-contentlon conflictlng

squab-

ble that destroyed three hcusehcld.s and spread kln hundreds of mlles apart for

generatiorrs.

ly right

fhis

gutsy, Iusty variance tale

is too long to tell

complete-

n o w , e x c e p t l n b r o a d . s t a t e n n ' e n t sg l o s s e d - o v e r o

' , 1 h eu n v a rn l sh e d g l o ss.v tru th gold-d.igger inlavrs, all

flucey,

lnvolved. see,nlngly clvlllzed, t h e y $ I e r e , w h o w a n t e d 'o n l y t h e l r

genteel

ac tl ng

blood-lssue

I9

Taylor / sot'tnnAT,rsT

the two orphaned girls elderly

v l a r g u n - r u n n e r d a y s a n d .n t g h t s b y

the banked cesh frora clvll

all

to lnherlt

llvlng

true grit

slstersr

tralnlng

prepared them ln

tiines survlval

years.

golden twiltght

in their

blissfully

Indian

experiences from childhood frontler

ltfe

for

Especially

everthing.

The

enterprlslng

circumstances such as smuggling f l-re-arrns through nearby hostile

dare devll

came naturally

J a w h a w k e r sB l g T h i c k e t t e r r i t o r y

The wonent

to the ladies.

equally brave, shot dead in the face polnt blank a Union soldier f ederal occupations thosf 1ve years of Itf e-threatening y a n k e e - o c c u p y l n g : s o l d i e r h a d . p r o c e e d e d "t o t h e i r g o 1 d .c o i n s h i d d . e n b e n e a t h b r l c k s heard, taIes,

He obviously had

0r else ccming to rape, both

burled the body, the slblings

did., in a huge earth-crack ncst-of,the

largess

scoop about defenseless women, of their

stashed away on the premlseg.

Secretly

most l|kely.

That mlsguld.ed

house to rob thelr

in the fanrlly storm cellar.

Iong tongues over-stating

vast cash fortune

nlsery.

during Texas

house.

Rebecca anC Sarah together

T h e b L a c k g u m b oe l a y s o l l

spllt

j.nterred. sod. cracklng pLace was also where the old grey nare Patrlcka was C o v e r o f d a r k n e s s h i d t h e d a s t a r d . I y d . e e dn e c e s s a r y t o a v o i d . h a v i n g w h o l - e c o n quering federal

troops charglng down on aII

fanlly

kln

(no one to thls

day

k n o w s e x a c t w h e r e a b o u t s o f t h e c o r p s e r n t n g l e d .w i t h h o r s e b o n e s , o n l y f l l - i a l Iegendard accounts survlve) . T h e l e g e nd .a ry l e g a cy l a n d . was not m uch wantedptboloco- lulu d . igge r s .

R a n ch i n g a n d . fa rn l n g

single day.

The sought-after

b o n d . e dc. e r t i f l c a t e

requir ed

too nr uch wor k, swoat of the br ow ev er y

treasure was the banked cash coveted nlne-flgure

d o c u r n e n t st h a t s h o u l d p a s s t o t h e e l d e s t s o n r a l o n c ,

the ln-Iavr connlving chlef wag. to the frontler

Iaz y gol d-

The stashed assets (affluence beyond bellef

b o rn e w o me n ) a walted. their

Dav e n p o r t b a n k va u rts,

urged'

dem ise as a pr ize in the pr l v ate

Bob r finnifor d- chalr man- of- t'he- boar i o f w h l -ch gr andd.ad.d.y,

2A

Taylor / so'1.'nq.,ttnr:ttsr

CEO, he was thusly ever envieil.

v e n u m. r a s f l l t t e r l n g

t o m a k e o n e rs b l - o o d b o i l ued. plots

to dlseredit

Iaws more lntensely as each newly born heir th e vro rst e xte n d.ing Plotted

E v e r t h u s,

you know who d.idnrt do it, neighbors,

lastlng

lor e

besnearchedfar and wid.e.

f ied shrevid.Iy. AII three sons of enterprislng under tho samerooftop with thelr

ln-

lowdown har m ev eT once ha ppy hous e-

then have reason you know who d.ld.'r

sneared., llps

lies

Contin-

as the conventlonal-wisdom stated.: rtlf

No one knew exact source at.first

hold.

fortune.

came j-nto the extended household."

under hls or m r oof,

o rl ginated

s t a t e d . a g a i n s t B o b Wtn n l fo rd

away the family

enough

turmoll

a v , , a yp r e o c c u p l e d t h e g o l d - d i g g e r

far

and d.rive far,

of internal

wrath full

Fllial

Belleved by the

The truth

wes vill-

$arah Alexander-Wlnniford

wlves and growing brood of children

lived.

( Ianded The

gentry houses usually sheltered four generatlons of kln at the saae time). t h r e e b r o t h e r s c o n t l n u e d h a r m o n o u s l - yp l a y i n g c o n c e r t s a s a f a m o u s b a n d e v e r y weekend together. fled

I n f a m o u s f i C d l e r S a m ' s v r l f e } , { a eF r y e o f n e a r b y C a r c p b e l l

the d.eplorable chatty

tractlon. f ellow

To lToustonhlred

talk

frcm the locallzed Job there,

llbrarlan

l n - I a w cru e l o o mmo n -ta l k, tldlngs

rumor nilL,

drlven to dls-

she went, to escape mallclous

an ld1e hoax"

l v t a e t o o k b a b y-b o y F ra n k t/ood.br ldge W innif or il with her ( tfr e f lng er poi nti n€ condemnation got laid

on poor $am actually

said. being cause wlfe and child

avraywhlle on his glgs, hls havlng a high-old-good-tlme itical

rallles

and.so-forth

fun',rihlIe neglecting family

sordld. flack vrasto d.lscred.it helrs d . e v il r s i v o r k s h o p ri g h t t hat r , r i o r k e dt.l ke

h e re a t hom e.

a ch a rm"

Yet all

this

came from llart s den of the

Blam e the victim

was the clev er

goal

P l -u s n0.or ecensur ing ver bage f or l"{ aets leav i ng w ag

f a u l t e d . o n s h a m eh e r t w o g u n - t o t i n g paeked streets

to the fortune

at pol-

playlng violln dutie$.

ran

brothers being shct dead on slnful

of Black Jack Grove now called' Cunby, by the cutthroat

saLoon Bass gan€

2T

/ sot,'1}qegul.IsiT

Taylor

to live

scandal was unbearable for the whole Frye fanily

This gun fighting

shoot-cut.

down as told

slyly

of course, Brother Norve'ffinniford.f s wife Lula Wiggs

c o n t in u e d . a n d re n a i n e d su p re n e c agey tongue- lasher

the deceptlon or untruth

Iizing

VerbaI truth conpie t e l y

accurate astute naked-truth

informatlon,

on relating

craftlly

by luther

poslng as character asslgnation prattllng

e n fo rce o n n e w -b ri d .e ldaggle Landtr oop,

Landtroop, her brother -

Luther was lndeed.a }lkely,

logloal

immediately turned

saying in ItfouL ' ,v hi s per l ngs tt

borne were sired,

veracitr

in those lnonedlate parts of north-central girl

b e d a m n e d . lV e r b a -

statenent took a merciless dlrectiono

of the county that aLl her chlldren

talk

wlth her keen ch ok ehol d

e n g e n d ' e r e d . ,b e g a t

d o o m e d , c r u s h e d a n d "a c u r s e d ' I

vllllan

target

by the tongue wagglers

a n d p o p u la r b e a u ty l fa u d " e B yr d, Left her standing at the aLtar

s k e d a d d l e i n g t o o k l a h o m a w h e r e h e s t a y e d v a m o o s en e x t f l f t y - o d d tndisputable

was an arrant, to n ,

u n t o o l d a g e se mb l -a n cea s weII.

i an f o r l lv ing

ladykilLer,

o l l - r i ch

co u sl n -kl n tn p a ri s,

t h e g o o i l l i fe

through city

years. Luther

nrovle star Buster Kee-

Luther accunuLated gr eat wealth as guar i l -

c hl ef

Fr ance. She was gr anddaughter of nlgh ty

g o td cl g a r-h o lder

streets

dead-rlnger for

c hur c h w hl l e

fn dlan Pr incess Lena River s who d.ied a dr unk ar d'

D t c k C r o u r d e r w h o ro d e fu l l -h e a d .- dr ess a rd . Ii m o u s i n e w i th

neighbor

East Texas" He had Jllted

Indlan t' r ar - bonnet in a converti bl e puffing

smoke fast

d"ownthe dirt

in oK state countrysid.e" Blg Cherokee chief

?ac k -

r oad's and

T.Ivl' Bufflngtc

was h l s g o o d r u n n i n g b u d d y, th o s e wild.er nass wide- open days. Thusly,

Iuther

for all possib a c k i n d e e p e a s t T e x a s w a s b e l n g b a d . - m o u t h e da b s e n t i a s c a p e g o a t (Basque, multi-ethnlc b j _ e d a m n a b r eg o i n g s - o n m i l e s a r o u n d . } , f e a n w h i l e , M a g g i e t s har dy hated' begotten I{in d u - \ { o n g o } , Y e me n -S h e b a -E th l opaln r eputed' ever yoner s juices) became the pr l' nar y buLLts s o rf , pb o w l m l x ste w i n g l n kn a ve s, all, called' disllking each new-borne, five in eye. I{er off-spring were scornec chirdren, $kln tone was fli' st c r ue to abhor a rr, c o m p e t i n g h e i rs to th e mo unting for tune, d'uskyappearance'c.arkaspect,sallow,olive-Jaunillcedconrplectionorjust l' { agglet s m any faceted' bLood- l l ne pla in o b s i d i a n , p u re a n d sl mp L e to some'

themselves for

were threatened. unbekncrvest to

helrs fortune

assets,

in

tucked. autay safely

l v T a g g l est c h l l d r e n EIIa

22

/ S01,'INABUIIST

TayIor

had green eyes,

aIl

lcoked

eyed't E1la had a big plus factor, was being an identlcal

Only l*{1ss

Tndian except f or ElIa.

complexioned skin

or "Iight-compleeted'l

cousins ofton commented.

features as the tongue-biting

paper

the Curoby tcwn bank.

dec ldedly

anglo bone-white

the ever-increasing

frbr lgh

Although,

personal bcnus; the lnborn asset

a hltherto

to her hard-worklng grandmother Sarah Alex-

look-a-like

ander-Winnif oril (yet to this

d a y , H o r e c e rs g r a n d d a u g h t e r S h a n n o n h a s l d e n t i c a l

physlcal features

I r , f t s sE I l a w o n b e a u t y o o n t e s t 5 c o u n t y a r e a - w l d e

to EIIa),

The naughty

and was treated decent ln publlo at least by the homefolk couslns. nefarlous revilling

relatives

Ever yone r ad.thln f lve oountles tr ade z one

k in o f t o n e n o u g h , th e se n o a l l g n er s. accepted.the sinful

lthers, s c a n d a l ( a s t r f a r o r n adw

llcr

f or d.ecacles), InJustlce

wlt h a r e p l y rtghtly

truth

over fictlonal

the evil

thlng to d.o.

No g r u d g e s h e l d b y th e m a t l e a st.

unJust

outrage

Tlmely patlence pr oved. [tl am naw odd years later,

c o u r t o n c 6 m o r e w i d o w l ( a u d . eB y r d B a s y e a s a D e e e m b e rb r l d e t h t s teenagers datlng again, mutual adniratlon

Bob Wln-

provocatlons,

said, not to dlgnify

above reproach when brother T,uther returneii ftfty

of e l d e s t

had to settle

r e i g n e d " s u p r e m ef o r o v e r f t f t y y e a r s .

lTever a word to refute

r ffa s th e C h ri stl a n

for

r egul ar

by

v e n a l s l n s g a t n e d c a c h e t l n h e a p e d ' - u pc h e a t i n g

nlforclr s wife knew the unad.ulteratad facts cause ignored.,

belng spread about

v' r hentold

ovor the tr uth

lles

Thus, vuhlle waltlng

cSurch goers as swear-by gospel. for

over the truth

loose talk,

atroeitles,

G o o d p e o p l e a l w a ys b e l leve

l rlagg i e .

p r o v e d .t h e m s e l v e s t o b e k e i t h - a n d -

here-to-fore

soclety,

time (happy as

they were united' lovers) '

However , the loopy attldunal

b a n d l e a d e r b ro th e r Nor ve r esum ed their

to

Sr o w n c hl l dr en

long- dead. mother r s di s c or do

23

/ SOUrN.q.gULrST

Taylor

other heirs

l,fajor attempts began to Ciscredit gatlng even baslc intelligence

for

as belng bastard lines,

classroom achl-evenents below par in no un-

word.s" The indignant legends, heireit ftghtlng

certaln

castl-

rltes,

can then be told

eer long alas" Anon, the eer-Iong heired.-Iand vms all natlonal

bank fallure

closlng

that

invaslon ITD plunderlng cltizens

heirs.

their

to proveo

f oous,

robber baron The nlserly

r a m rd a y s h a d d o n e ) .

pioneer fanally slster s,

ol by any of of thls

Only heired land remalnedo Land ls the Llfe-blood

bicker about) . right

civll

ltke

u n sp e n t b y the fr ugal

never to sell- even in dlre

a

of L93l+. Gone was the cash exalted. estate,

p a r o h r n e n tn o t e d . f o r t u n e d . l s s o l v e d t n t o n o t h l n g n e s s ( m o r e f e d e r a l

h o a rd w e n t f o r e ve r

over after

to ftght

was left

(real

stratghts

famlly

estate in every sense of the word' tc

Squabbllng source f cr the land becameJ.egal legitirnacy blrthOnce agaln, IIncIe Bobrs childrenrs

T h e ma n y-fa ce d stra l n s

haran g u e , p l u s a l l

flowing

in thelr

clalns

were the furlous

mother r s veins wer e s eed tc l,fanm awsf

o f Ma g g l e r s we1l- br eil ccmposite cr ossbr eedso

rued. plty,

glomerates they were ruled,

lfongrel con-

hybrid stock comblnatlons'

blood-lssue were considered inferior

to be exact by one aJudlcated publlc

offlc iaL T h e J u d ge e ve o sp o ke o u t agalnst,

d.lscour aged., the r evived. r r d.anc l ng- on-

grav e s n c u s t o m th a t b e ca me co m&onr esponse to the fam ity styl-ed.splteful

This gr av el y

n a d n e s s , m e a n n e s se x p r e s s e d f r o n n o l d e n d a y s p u n l t l v e

,*alk and. stomp all

over RIP tonobstone plot.

heave n s r u p t o p l n ku s-e re ve n r f ire

feud' .

Shouted sound. reasons to hlgh

d hetr aclous o r d.o' ,vnwarto

a b o u t v r r o n g -d .o i n g s th e b u rleil dead dld. in llfe"

J wap t n g - a b o u t, rl p -ro a rl n g

g o o d. times on Goilt s ltttle

leas e d p e n t - u p a n g e r a n d w a s called

vray to

br instcne This viclous acr e bur ial

ttavenglng angelstt or r epr lsal

se a of boi r l n5 v engeanee o1 gr ounds r ehand' fr or n

?4

/ $CI{}IABTJIIST

Taylor

l d o g r a s s c o u L d g r o v t r ,a I I

the grave" times,

appeared bare as if

The terraln

avengers felt

rtbetter-than-God.'fto settle

s e lv e s r a t h e r

th a n w a i t fcr

used.Bibllcal

chapter and verse keenly to justify

shroudeil revenge llved,

Thls effective happened for

years ln the city-of-the-dead,

e v e n t s r , v a ss l l e n c e " personally.

repulslve,

Retribution

thrived"

of thls

type

bone-yard shrine beneath the clamrny

The least sald. the better until

The fitttng

wprn axion lvas a skillfut behavior.

tistlcal

The vengeanc e

the frolicing,

The best response to all

these messy, mean

being verbally

r e p l y t h e n u s e d t h e a d a g e : t t E x c u s em e f o r

out of the hearse on the vray to teII

distant

them-

l o f a m . m atawu g h t u s n e ve r to step on gr aves when r ualking acr oss tho

cemetery, her passive reslstence.

fell

b a d . - b l o o d s co r e s , f I a u n t i n g ,

th e good. T,or d on Judgem ent day "

The

themselves.

shenlnaginsL

reprlsal

c lo d . s "

disrespectful

The heII-bent

of course, revealing

braSged much Iater,

delegated. particlpants

vege-

Queenie had run pawlng the grass clean

horse herdsf,Latten plant llfe.

Iike skltterlng

the frequent payback

o n t h e m o u n da s t h o u g h s c r a p e d c l e a n o f a I I

T r T o t h i n gc o u l d t h r i v e

tationt

trorcped down, fron

you sornething Juicy.'r

assaulted living:

I

This tiine

saw, apt maxim farolty aphorism describing senseless

T h e s o c l o - e c o n o n n l cd r i v e n h a p p e n l n g s h a d l o n g a g o g o n e a \ n y i n t h e

nineteenth century covetous anger, retaliation

consequentLy, eye-for-an-eye ego-

contlnued' ever resurgent.

Rebirthed revenge continually

d i s p l - a y e d d e p r e s s l v e m a n i a c e m b a z o n e db e -

havior or blpol-ar dlsorder vri-thln the family collateral fcre the cllntcal

terms existed..

t renz y a n u n s ta b l e p e rso n a l l ty i,uit ccnni-ptlcn f it

All

blood l-lnes long be-

the audible outbursts or loud personal

way back then"

Thls

gr uff

wtr ite- t r as h,

c o m p o r t m e n t l v a s c o n s i d . e r e d l o l v - c l a s s e d l n d e e do

n1t-

Described

Tay lor

25

/ SOIMBULIST

the emotional

s t a rt l e d .

blow-ups

s e n se l e ss

or

m y l r { a m m a wd i d ,

tirad.es,

reactions

rlln-a1.nay team of horses

(worse than any pony express dlspatch in a rainstorm,

: , V eh a d t o p u t u p w l t h a l o t

too),

like

just

to keep peace and quieto

were a seldon nentioned. family

ed. ln-law yahoo-yokel hicks,

secret trait

of the ill-rnanner

typical

C o n s l d e r e d .I t T e a n d e r t h a nt h r o w - b a c k s , t r u l y ,

requital

into

the clan gene pool.

to be

shuned as back-

a v o l d e d a l w a y s a s u n c r e r d e v e l o p e dl o a t h s o m e m a r r i a g e n a t e r l a l , w a r d . . S o m e h o wg o t i n f e s t e d

Such ranting

G e n e a l o g y n e x t b e c a m ea

s p e c i a l s c i e n c e t o o l t o d i s p r o v e l , 4 a g g i est b r o o d c l a l m s a s W i n n i f o r d s "

Pedigree and Iand determined worth of the kln, overt blrthright

B u t D t r f , rAe s u l t s

stopped the

valld. descent controversy yet did not cease the jealous,

clous mlscreants ln the name of famlly

mal-i-

glory!

Jealousy, "a sleepless hag who never diesr'f began the whole ugly family m e B Ba n d e n d e d n o t a t a l l allvays pltted

ln death of oach earlier

after

Next generation

new in-Iaws agalnst each other by eonverting argumentatlve al1gn-

m e n t s o t r R e v e n g es h i v s l n t h e g u t , f o r e v e r r ' r s ay in g s "

gossiper.

t o p a r a p h r a s e b y - w o r d .c o u n t r y k l n

T f h e re u p o n , n e w e st so n- in- Iaw Tom Taylor became uno- nllIler o eneny s oon

f 3 D e c e m b e rL 9 2 4 r n a r r i a g e t o b e a u t y q u e e n l l l s s E I l a ,

annual egghunt at the rambling honestead place lnltiated. of astute attltudes

and subtle tactics:

emerged, covered. by mirthful conf lab called

banter.

Easter Sunday a ncticoable

change

a clever chip on oners sly should.er The long porch gatherlng confab sesslons,

s ho nrentioned every idea und.erthe sun' talkei b y t h e h o r n " e b o d i ew

a subject to death so to speak, ever enJoyable" match-making parties

to wed EIta

E v e n c o u s i n - 1 . [ a m i se f l n f a r n o u s

t o T o m .D r a k e h a d b a c l c f l r e d , a d d i n g a m J - m o s i t y "

The noble Drake clan alread.y had a scn narried by llaniet s acute arrange' , r f i n nl fcrC ki -n . T h l s upscale Dr ake inan chcice ' ' Jlias tvlice EIIar s as er , r: e n t s t o suhstanilally

m o n e y e de n o u g h b y a l l

approved.prospects into a frontier

d'e-

26

Tavlor / SooruleulIsT

A n ; r r , r r a ys,u n n y - f a c e d d i s p o s e d l { i s s E I l a r e n o v e d s w a i n D r a k e r s

s c e n d . e df a m i l y "

p u t t h e s p a r k l l n g d i a m o n d .r c c k i n t h e l i b r a r : r

costly engagenent ringr

table

s e c r e t - d r a v l e r , u p o n s e e i n g b e a n i n g T o n iT a y l o r e n t e r t h e h o u s e o n a r n o f h 1 s radlant

n l - e e eE l s i e ,

soon-to-be hls

l n l a w a n d e n g a g e dt o i c y - f i l l e d

sister

l {i n n i f o rd . (E f ta had. a m ind of vr eCdlng d,esigns her o w n) .

b rc t he r S v e r e t te

Mlss trianle stilt

l , [ a t o h - r o a k e rf i r s t - c o u s i n

held hard. f eelings from that

T h u s , t h e k i n f o l k m a d . n e s sm a t c h e d .s i b l i n g s

f o 1 1 e d w e d d . l n ga r r a n g e m e n t ,

c l a s h l n g c o u s i n s o n B a s t e r S u n c l a y L 9 ? 5 , R e a d . yf o r looking for fractlon

a fracas,

of their

lngs r o o l e s s .

oplnion,

D i s a g r e e r , r e n tc a r 0 e f a s t

as was the custon of that day and era.

maln clause was lve,

proverblal

Ir,IaB on that

trusty

only got instructed

One said the word ending for

masonlc loclges"

C u m b y l o d . g e m e m b e r s h i pb a c k e d N o r v e l V l n n i f c r d , o f c o u r s e .

throngs courd. nct settle ford clan feelings"

Then, New York city

fearing

inpartial

sid.e to take, or exactly whon to back" after

C o m m e r c el o d g e

Even Big- D Dallas m asonlc ]- odge

offensive dispute,

neutrar roascnic ord.ers finatry ?he u,s.

a b sol.utely.

The

T h e u n r e s o l v e d . l s s u e b e c a m em a J o r

high ground. prcven,

a s s e n b l y v r e n t fo r T o m T a yl o r

matter"

Bach had hls ntoral high-cap on but no

topic next full-moon meetings of respective

whloh rlval

taught

The vrangling adverblal versus

Other refuted. as Lg"

ad.jectlve clause lasted the whole day.

in-

that day over masonry teach-

verbatun that

nen quoted in casual conversation a text

prlneipled

the least

s r d .adNor ve W lnnlf or d. and neophyte Ton Tay l or B o th l ,T a rcj -e

masonic orders, causing lntense Jealousy as it

orally,

aplenty and.

bear, lll-will-

posed ready for

the peeved klssing-cousins

against

to hurt lnfluential

lTlnnl-

r o a s o n sc i d n o t a g r e e o n But washlngton, D"C"

much d.eliberation sided with Tcm Taylor'

Taylors hailed House Representative wright ?atnan chose Tom, being

27

Taylor / sott,iigniTlIsT fronc Vylnnsboro,Texas, honetcwn of his wifet s Connor family

origins.

Plus,

Englishman Arthur Buffington lvrote a book making oral-customlzed. t'eaching of to U. S. of A. reference,

nasonry less confusing, from Britain ten work cheaply avatlable for

perfeet tendered (tiren l[

novices, Ietter

T o m rs s o n R o b e r t G e o r g e w e d c o u s l n l f a r y B u f f l n g t o n

lator

offering

who also descended

Tom selfsame visage,

doppleganger, duo-semblance, stancl-ln spare, slmil-ar syametrieal, srof ile f o r m e q u l v a l e n t m a t c h , n n u c h - o f - a - n r u c h n e sp over their

all

dltto

galned further zaticn

recognitlon

that Taylor sept direct

Jeholachin five

rlvalry

nnusculature to each other,

phlz,

repeat uni-

being transcripted

for

years

Helr apparent boy-son

big chlef T. Ilf. Buff i-ngton of Cherokee Oklahomatrlbe), R o b e r t G e o r g e R a n d ^ o l p hT a y l o r w a s t o h l s f a t h e r

writ-

parallel

sure. Thls Taylor victory

insid"e Illumlnati,

shadow shrouded organl-

msle descendant llneage alread.y held s\'ilay.

( or Je co n l a h ) l ctn g of Jud.ahwhomlTebuchad,nezzartook ca pti v e w l th

s o n s t o B a b y l o n e x p a n d . e dt h e a n c i e n t l n f l u e n t i a l

enllghtment movement

nwheel- of- Canaantt pow er hou8e. f rom I 8 0 O B. C . e ra sl l -k-ro a d . car avans known as Thls world-wide trade controlling

(monotheism was an off-shoot

b o t h c o d l m e r c er l c h e s a n d e t h l c s g o d ,c o n c e p t o v e r a I I

network steamrolled all

fillaI

from Soloman, wisest nerchant-prince klng. surname, passlng stralght

E v e t o p r e s e n t d . a y T o r of a y l o r "

A fine

iz ed c o n n g e mo ra ti veIl th o g ra p h l c c lain e d v r i n n e r T o m a s a l l fe -tl n e o l d m a s t e r - ; n a s o nt u t e l a r y T,ife-long unrestrained stretoh

(just

trad"e-off, one

The managementradesmen, everywhere

of civllizatlon),

p e d d l e r s a n d v e n d o r s , d e s c e n d e d t h e s a m eo r l g i n a l

Taylor heredltary

klngdonts with

helrachy ever morc

Jeconiah l'ras llneal llne

artlstic

pictor ial

echelon

23t generatlons from Adamand

four foot

poster

aneestor for

by three feet color-

placar d. was pr esented. to pr o-

achlevenent awar d by such a youn g 26 y ear

guardlanshlp"

a ch l e ve me n t a n d honor ed m asonic or der kudos came r unni ng- l n prestige

like

a race-horse track regatta

a s e u e e n i e a n d "I w e r e c u r r e n t l y

entrant on the home-

racing our way around the settir

hen eoop whlch was a Jail--holding ce1l to break clucklng

cycle fron

sitting

or

?8

Ta'"rIor / so''ll'lng;lIsT

really,

layed. eggs

fresirily

b e i n g g o o d .l a y e r s t h e m s e l v e s ) o Cousin F.obert EIIis c ousln was still

arrived

living

b o u n d .c c n t i g u o u s E I I I s Robert as we all

ehanber to get hens back to

a rehabilitation

the lvay frcm :{Iabamaby good,graces of

AII

t h e m u c h n e e i l e d .e n c o u r a g e m e n t , ] , { y m a n i n a wsr f i r s t -

the good life sisters

on the ancestral

bullwar k

placed. id.eas.

i no rrrF

t

ln his upright

stance all

to ever avledCousin Robert, strength of Glbralter, rras indeed a man of strong-wlll,

opionated., resolute, his creed, oertitudes

during

hard-nosed and bull-head.ed

adamantly unmovable, being church eld.er at Florence and.

its

flaw.

But Cuz Robert had a critlcal

project here at the honeplace was log crlb covered. by olapboards half

He made a per-

various forros and sensual

He dld no nanual labor at all-"

He was expert at over-seel-ng intense labcr belng perfectly

done" His present

The frontier

repairs.

logs luere

a century agor now need.ing re-chlnk between the

Soil wetted into mud.ballsdid. the job Just fine,

how guid.ance" eueenle and I this night T S i s s h a n ty l e a n e d . fo rw 'a rd into

wlth a bit

of know

ttseed'-louchr?. slithered. by, beyond the

an ear th cr ack.

stored seeds tc be planted for next yearts crops. tine called

steel"

n e v e r t o g i v e a n i n c h o n c e n r l n d .w a s m a d e - u p . H e l l v o d

fect example standlng up agalnst sln in all

timbers.

the fluster

nan of warrior

h o n o r a r i u m e l d e r o r l a u r e a t e l e a d e r h e r e a t t h e C u m b yC h u r c h .

shapes.

his

D a d d . yw a s a m o t l v a t e d .

qrru\r!$!!r

Robert Ellis

to stand.-up for

e x h o r t a t i o n s c h a r o p l o n e dD a d d y

r r n r t a r mnt i n g l o n g d r a w n - c u t h a s s e l i n g d l a t r i b e l

nartyr

This endur i ng

of honesty him self"

Further everlastlng

to be appressive, staunch believer

Cousin

k i n s m a n u r g e d .D a d d y n e v e r t o b a c k

calleC our regular visltor

courage of his own convictions endorsenent gave dad.d,y-Tom rightfully

the Texas

back in 1889 TB plague terror.

left

d own o n l ^ r h a t h e kn e w to b e tru e ,

plantation

seed louch because a sweet child

The small out- bui l di ng

T h l s s e e d .h o u s e w a s i n - m y -

could not pronounce house, saying

29

Tavlor / sol.tlt*,gtt,rsr

instead 'rIouch.s

Forthwith

had self-appointed

ttlouch'r was the habitual

himsel-f to get aIl

annexes into tip

even though he could nct exert himself The l'rork got done because we a}l His dear wlfe ran herself chores, daily struggling

pitched. in,

llke

slackerils otherwise.

vrasafterall

match.

His eld.est child

took charge of the dutlful

The death

hls way 1n no uncertaln

enough to called

h c u s e h o l d .r e s p o n s l -

showy younger two sisters.

Lad.ies Ald Soclety in Florence tried. to te}l but he did it

proven work-brittle

of the druggery at hand,

She reared the scintillating,

h a d .m e t t h e t r

from

Ilterally

herself

e n d . e d . - u pl e a v l n g h i m l v l t h t h r e e t y k e s t o r e a r "

,rplain Jane" by tacky tattlers

n o t li k e

heavy loads.

to take-on the task operating farm

d u t i e s g r i n d . b a c k i n " A l a b a m a ,k t l l i n g

through the strain

girls,

feellng

vis5-t,

top shape this

in tha hct sun or tift

ragged trylng

lforrisome Cousin Robert Iltis

billtles.

Cousin Robert

with worrlsome undertakings beyond her skllled. abllltles'

defying efforts

toit

jargan.

The

Cousln Robert how to ralse his The klndly

termed words.

ladies

ldot to be cowed tnto obedience doing somethlng he dld'

n o r dl d co u si n R .o b e rt butly

into

submlsslon the V/olnen. He c al m l y y et

e m p h a t i c a l l y p o l n t e i l o u t b a d ^J o b o f r a l s i n g glrls

bellef,

cousin Robert reared fine

trothed

a bankerrs son; the mlrldle chtld

thelr

Blest beyond'

own chlldren.

lnto elegant ladles. espouseda l0cal

The youngest

lawyer'

The d'own-to-

was" earth eldest continued to run the manse, Iad"y of the house she one vislt here, housekeeper daughter urgently wired vuestern surprlslngly, a ride into union to her travelling dad.dy. Tersely stated, she had' hitcheil evening" Fatar pl unge t o r, rn :v r l t h t h e me te r re a d .e r, to enter wedlock that ver y Horrified, cuz F.obert bustled, brusquelx, to co*merce was postlvety official, his wlll (dldntt know a town lawyer. Definitely all stirred' up, he changed

30

Taylor / sorfidARulrsT

story eventually"

Tine toIC. a different , *r h e ntru st

iI L-wl I I all

for

keeping ihe fortune hunter from gettlng

gal of his,

off-spring

The banker llnked

the fees to set-up the three accounts,

AI I

.! rrv4

chlld

h l s to tal

farm equipement, to make repalrs

of cows chewing their

a n 6 r o o w i n g5 r 0 0 0 a c r e c a t t l e

free of eharge of course.

rolled

in"

pastures.

The newhusband

2'000 acres of cotton

Needless to say, tho legal-will

got dragistically

on that bucolic sceneo

Everythtng Cousln Robert dtd. turned to golden opportunlty. w e l L p l e a s e d w i t h h f u o s e ) - fo n e e v e n i n g l a t e Greek revlval,

h a n d , so n t h e p l a c e t o c o l l e c t to day ]ater,

freight

loose oil-tanker help to roll

train

along the highway"

the drun-barrels,

porch, pillared

storing

cars sprang free flowlng leak.

each of 1ast yearr s luckil-y found. barrels. eueenle shut,tled quietly

The accident

He got hl s hl r ed'

b e h l n d .t h e b a r n s " Y e a r

derailed along side the msin highway"

barrel-drums to gushlng leaks.

the sprlng time"

on hls front

He was sltting

vrhenan l8-wheeler truck wreeked.

h a d st r o w n h r .rn d .re d so f 5 5 -g a 1 1 on bar r els

and

The nlan obeyed bossy Robert EIlis,

c h a n g e d l. v h e n t w o g o l d . e n - h a i r e d g r a n d e h i l C r e n a r r i v e d

portlco,actuatly

son-ln-Iavro

H€ lear ned hovr to oper ate

d i d p r e c i - s e l y r , v h a tC o u s i n R o b e r t t o l d h l m t o d . o p l a n t l n g

pretty

w as

wor th out of state fr oir n.the banker i nl ar v s -

T h a t n e w h u sb a n d w a s n o t a fr ald. of har d vior k,

the profits

soon gained

Q u e e n l e c o u r s e i h e r v ' i a yb e h i n d

t h e m e t e r - r e a d e r h u s b a n d .t o e l d e s t m a l d e n b e c a m ef a v o r i t e

t

one red cent"

s cousin R ober t ru mi n a ti n g cu d . made me r em enr ber that lr ,{ amm awr

this

h a d . p r o r n p t t y t ra n sfe rre d Thcn

dutlful

hnd. the lawyer son- in- Iaw

fu n d su a s w er e suggested"

t h e m i l k s h e d r e c e n t l y m e n d . e db y C u z R o b e r t a n d f u l I eud.

to that

one measley dollar

teft

old. man could. move so fast)"

sickly

The busted

Cuz fetched his llve-in

S a l v a g e d .m o s t o f t h e o l l ,

hired' using

I , { o n e yr o l l - e d i n r e g u l a r a s r a i n

in

through the ed'geof the sugar cane

3r tops off

biting

rows,

Q,ueenle usually of

,'iuicy shoots, resisted

unable

to resi.st.

good eats when r;.ding

a mind. to gat rshat she wanted when opportunity

Cousin Robert

were two of

a klnC,

d.eternlned "

r - , ia rU-I IrU"L lrEn; r r, r -UrJ' rLlar, r r t ,w e I I - r e a s o n e d . m i n d . j u s t

ILt. U

Ellls

do.

In fact,

life

situations;

Iike

came calling.

Cuz Rcbert

Ellis

our Alexander

kin

and nlexander clans were aImost identicIe

peas ln a pod cr cut from the samecloth.

reasoning excuses were not acceptable response to crucial or its

She vras always

the range.

Queenie and, plainly here

in

spoke Texas

i n a - o p t ' o s c ht o

fgnorance or redneck cjrcumstances. lt'loney

Lack nrasan inexcusable lvhitewash for nct ctoing scmething, I'Iever to hlm-

a n d - h a w o r u s e s o n g - a n d . - d . a n ce x t e n u a t i n g c o v e r - s t o r y of whatever v/as unpleasant got lambasted right advised whether asked for

cr not, polnting

to keep from bei-ng a part

out face-to-face.

0oz Robe-rt

out flavrs and bad cholces. One such

w o r d - t o - t h e - r r r i s e e x h o r t a t i o n c a n e c o n c e r n i n g c a r e e r c h oi c e a t t h e n e a r b y c o I "Tf you are so smart then why aintt

lege"

p:o together ltke

a horse and carriage!rt

you rlch,

for moneyand lntelllgence

Teachers were not much respected,

being a low-rent Professlon. Respectable Robert Ellls

vlsited

everJ' six months.

That was about aIl

t h e t i n e h o n o r e d g o o d n e s sv r e c o u l d a b i d e o r s t o r o a c ha t o n e d u r a t i o n " inherited. cltrus grapefruit

orchards in South Texas.

o u t o f H a r l e n g e n , T e x a s"

BIIis

clan pioneered the ruby red

Cvz Robert calne in l4arch and. stayed two

w e e k s w i t h u s , t h e n o n w a r d .t o s u p e r v l s e s p r i n p ; t i m e s p r a y i n g b u g k i l l i n g the trees"

Next arrival

He ovrned

prep-

cane in early 0e+'oberfor harvest over-

arations

for

seeing.

S t a y e d t h r e e v r e e k s o n a t L , I a m m r y $ d o i n gc h o r e s , b o s s y a s w a s h j - s s t y I e ,

h e r v a n t e d t o d o ya n d t h e n t w o o r t h r e e v r e e k sh e r e o n w a y b a c k t o F l o r e n c e . Cheapskate cousin Rcbert rode the bus, Continental Trailways, Dixie Special, leastexpensivelineoverthepiss-e}egantGreSlhoundBuslines.Trallways

3z

Taylor 1 $orru,rrgULIST

was junker looklng school buses even when ne!\', painted red vrrith wide white lvhere nalle was emblazoned" Cuz Robert lived

stripe

even to church,

never a suit,

only bib-overals,

easual, easy going, lvore

He put a black Cress coat

over the Dickey work-clothes when attend.ing church or any other serious serHe t'/as stingy-gut,

vices.

tig:ht-wad, penny-pincher, f or sure miser,

family was blg time bottom line gold strlke

Iucre, well-heeled

Even Taylor nameda " ncestors got untold" riches,

treasure trove,

I o a d e d " - u pt h e i r

years on easy streets" selzed. their

itures

G o t t h a t w a y J . 7 9 9t o I 8 I 0

Nuqgets big asmushnelLonsspake fore-

mining ln North CaroIlna"

fathers making-a-klIIing"

jackpot,

boomlngaffluence.

there those years"

gold cache, belng-in-the-"moneyf or next huncired plus Along rvith the Sulllvan,

substantlal

Johnson and Robcrtson prosen-

shareo

in 1893 d.urlng the bank-panic depression. a song, pennles on th'e dollar

way to Ellls

Alabama visltlng to put up wtth,

He bought the citrus

Other Sllis

cash,

cheap land durlng early frontler atl

filthy

0ther forebears hit-the-

Cuz Robertt s dad Henry seized more opportunity whlIe vislting

vislt

Ellis

C u m b yk i n

orchards for

kln had flocked. to Texas for

era and.by today had lots

of relatirres

to

County next to DaIIas from Florence yearly" Cousin Robcrt vras a sight for

I{e had a major afflictlon,

sore eyes to behold' and

reason for his one traglc

flsvr.

He was the eleventh ease of potlo ln America, way back in his early married 'lif a rtavs^ Thatr s real reason he could not exert hirnself , wlthered left arm tr.!

v

and.all

made hin look sickly

and feel

f l ? r l r i r 3 W oT h e y g r e w - u p t c g e t h o r t t l l homegrounds.

poorly "

cuz Rcbert was same age as my

age 8, playing on the Alabama ancestral

They remalned closely bonded ever since, to stop-over yearly

caming and going to keep in touch vrith aI1 the news about the entire

famlly.

ylinniford kin

:\

4rr

t

Y f a 5 rh o m e p l a c e s e r v e c . a s a h o t e l

dnzens each year pirssing through

rlages ring

)3

/ $0,1/rI{ABTJLTST

Taylor

clipping

neck of

along uri':ently

Grandmother groused that ccmpany arrival. n n r n rv h r r vo u!r v v

Queenie srritched

Christnas love-fests festation

tree

the hcrses

l t { a m m a l tvo g o -oulled-up front"

the winding

of

driveway, used' for

overload.ed with rnistletoe

( e v e n t h o u g h v u eo b s e r v e d e p i p h a n y J a n u a r y 6 a s I ' ' t a g i m a n l -

of chri_st to humanlty, being June 7, r B.C. was blrthcate

alog,y charts gave)"

hint

fumes were first

diverting

her talI,

see other

Couid hear the ear-

alerting

Iane,

gasollne

smelly

kckberry

o n r , ' ; & xt o

these here parts.

lunch by tine

fcr

automoblle

nath by the glant

relatives

nouth of the

at

chickens

t r . n r oe x t r a

fcr

I r l Tm y a m n a wc o u l d t e } }

our Eene-

time of day by the sun Slint

shadows

new fangled frcm the gables of the sprawling house instead cf wi.nd-up clocks or dayIlEht savings time. Time saving devices were not rnuchneeded or appreciated here. had assiened chores to perform" r: rot e l s t y r e d ho me i 4 ra so p e n to a ll The hoardes of Ioved ones visitlng

rllsitors

Everyone

were no exception. Our welcomlng

kln viilling were called

to fit- in the'rtribal

r vi.th our way otr l l fe' lnvasion" deseendlnp

of envy hinted ln upon us by the quarrelsone hcme-grorm couslns with a tlnge was the best their ever-caustic verbage. To d.rop-in unannounced, big surprise, s tf a c e g e t g l a d , I t g h t e d u p . F a r f l u n g a l l o v e r fun cf aII to see my mammaw pass-by wlthout a quick hello' Gccrs oreatlon, blood connectt,ons just could not ever r ove her s o m uc h thal Bv eryb o d y k i n ro ve d . to b e n e a r my nam m aw. And. did f get it art recorded doum onto J lvanted to learn every detair about her rifer no less (she v/as paper for others to share such unselflsh Jcy. She deserved t h e n w e ' ?o f r r n e ' r b l u r t e C s i m t l a r

touched close-knit

farnily menbers)'

She

the nost hostire of riving conshowedus how to love uncond"itionarry under s r rs ec r et l' { anr m av har d- ship. d it i o n s , t o p erse ve re a n d e n d u re gr ac ef ur r y over

/ SOttm;igi[IsT

TayIor

to

stopover akin

affiliated

ing at

of

pleaslng,

Territory

buddy lndian

husband helred. hls

land there

in

canvass sacks flapped

barbed wire

of flour called

m y m o mL { u z b e c a u s e a l l

dlcate

the

logical

l,4yaunties atlons Nothing

ago. lay

ship

llke

kept

AII idle.

wastef uI ef f orts "

this

fanily

salls

ln

to buddydeep roots

kindred

tv'ro countles

her pale-faced. land., a Joyous

Across the

the

a strap

on

ltty-bltty

sack

sewn on pillow

a waving forward on place

Cottcn

skyr were alrlng The

"

case out

Billy,

sight.

s e e m e d .r i g h t

uprisings

Juni.or

word to

in-

of addresso homestead unchanged llttle

ltrot even visitirg the

Indian

the envlrons

the nuch admired artifacts

AII

of rich

wind. as Queenle sped along-

the aunties

female tltle

challenge"

full

valleys

by the thousand acres,

used with

g}lstened by l,{ammaw

sacking

diff ictilt

brood nigrated

landed estate"

the night

Bitl-Bill

small-fry

frcm baek in deep

nountain

own klnd.,

abouts

fences as Queenie cleared

great-grandson

its

dwell-

avoidlng

Quachj-ta and !'ilichita rocky

0zark,

own grandfatherrs

commotion w6s blovring'lcud picking

by soriie

were gocd lvorkers

diC not move, b€ing Ii{arunaw

and EIIls.

them: Butler

with

be near their

to

They got

1/ere calling"

planters

The whole bloodline

then a1l,

home to

beckoned Ilke

na,ned for

ArbuckIe,

atmosphere .

c ooler

spear said

dlctum,

o v e n - h e a t e d T e x a s t ^ / a sa v a s t l l y

Okiahoma was more appeallngr soil,

was her fanriliar

They were experienced

h r r f f s 1 . 6 i 5 1 gi n

t

side,

The Hopkins County Landtroops

adversity"

always keeplng busy. vrr!grfq

or spindle

blue

to us.

on thoughts

enrrthl nnd rvu

disi"aff

extended kin,

hands are workshop of devil

Idle

fa:'m chores wh'-Ie talking

her hanCs busy working-to-the-bone

was keeping streak

)l+

were stlll

chatter,

legend.ary tradition

clattering

f rom f ive

used daily of fanily

gener-

as needed" lore' was

s were told. and retcl,d

c onstantly

Ta:r lor

3,

/ $Ol.,ltiriBIJLIST

as a fun-filled

useful

haaging around were real tails

to all

Virginia

least we forget

tool,

alive

who we rea1ly are.

rooted relatives

t o O r e g a n b a s e d .k l n "

way, add.ing de-

acting this

lo::e that bonded us wholly,

the alluring

Everyone

totally,

together from

But my grandmother was the unifying

force,

e e n t r a l d r a w i n g c a r d , f o r a I I t h e s t o p o v e r s " l , f i a r u n aewn d e d u p h a v l n g m o r e 'lirrlnn kin in Hopkins ccunty than her husband e\ter did, even counting headstcnes in the cemeteries. and. her oLder slbll- ngs held a l eader B a c l c h e r e l n H o p ki n s C o u n ty , Ulam m aw with a songster following,

shlp reputatlcn the landtrocps

singing,

enunciatlon, clear pronunclati-on, and

taught voice control,

muslc a cappella.

As teenagers growing-up,

fanso

The Landtroop Troopers as they called

themselves instructed.

placlng anget food cake on top of tongue whi.Ie warbling the dlatonlc whole tones and. two semltones"

scale five

zatlon to the octave, tone, C, the-Baptlst

T h i s g a m u t n a m e d .f r o m L a t i n

went: ut (ao) , r€, mi, f8,

tongue helped. to clearly

state

Expresslons, cutsy rhining

These nodal scales were in solirni-

sol,

Ia,

sL,

hyranto St'

Use of marbles

syllables vrhen speaklng or carrylng or solliquoy

deliveries

John-

und"er

a tune.

skit readings, monologuest

were the popular rage at country school events between staged play scenery ehanges,

Yod.eling was

another crovrd pleaser, Ioud and Jlvy.

c ogniz a n e e f r o m th e o rg a n l ze d vocillzatlon slnglng our song lnto the windy night. actuallty, Aunt LuciIIe

sounr led sweet like

Queen i e and m e

the deep gUlley

th e j u n k fr om the slde- r oom stor age. Junk lv as w hatev er

not new as hcmefo1k got favorite songs, inch-thick

drlven

Queenie leapfrogfied, gamboled ln alL

sklmmlng over the shallow d.itches that led into d .u n n p eadl l

The jive

vlctorola

things fcrever

reccrds,

cliscard.ed: player planc stylus

laced boots and unllmited. personal effects

')6'

Taylor I sor,waelTlIsT

LuciIIers

neat anC ord.erly, Bot favorite

nasty-nice cleanness, habitually

well-used. relies

permanently discarded, burled under field

a n d I s t u m . b l e d .a c r o s s a r t i f a c t s

sticking

Q u e e n l e an d f n e g o tl a te d . the r olly batcr shanty hatchery" hens saved for

this

washed mudo Queenie

up out of the muddy tronch. r nir e,,

head.ed.for

the br ooder or i nc u-

Chicks $rere then placed into nest with a few clucking

purposeo

But chickles hatched in May nontb sleep selves

to d.eath, going peep-peep, dying from not eatingo

r i V h e r e f o r e ,w e h a d e a r l y

June pcr$s and alI

gobbling, late

the pleaantrles

alI

Turkeys d.rlntllng,

hatchlings.

over the place"

The gobbllng turkey calls to the casual earo troop relatives

This night

s o u n d e d "m u c h l l k e

hunan vocal tralnlng

exercises

of analogous sounds tc my Land"-

rid.e vras full

lnfluences jurnping lnto rnymindful dreams" And.the Landtroops

were a madrical trend.y troop part of the llterary

leader elite,

promlnent Alexander and celebrated. lslnnlford famllies,

V f lnnl f o r d b r o th e rs b a n d . (e vo n $ nt- s!.zett

the

eminent

ltfaggle at age I upon r id.ing by the

pr actioedl f or sbol^Bhad r emar ked pr op hetl c al ) .y

I ong p o r c h e s v,rh e reth e fe l l o w s s h e w o u L d o n e d a y vre d th a t

years her senlor) "

along with

T h i s c o r u n o nl n t e r e s t

placed the talented Landtroop child.ren in companyof the nctably

that

added to

blond., blue- gr een eyed Bob W lnnlfor d ,

el ev en

That idle remark got teased to polnt she refused to have

sllghte s t

a l m l e ss ch a 'tte r w i th hlm . for

spiritecl

soclal chances approprlate for

year s.

only her peppy br other s ar r anged

t h e e n a m o r e de y e d l o v e - b i r d . s s o s h y

to get together to sing and maybe wed" ma rri e d th e ma n of her chlldhood day Cr eams 18 October 1900 M y m a m ma w Just before the new century rolled seat Sulphur Springs to get their Church of Chrlst tabernacle,

ln.

they met on the town square of county

llcense"

set-up for

They walked the few blocks to the

protracted. meetings, for

their

nuptials

played. on with

The weddlng party r , vtih f a n s .

nl otc

} /^v

v v

37

/ Sot,NAeTJIIST

Taylor

led. till

all

They danced and laughed. the

pulllng

always had big tears rolling Mammaw

The horses fortunately

short sentences,

Those glad-tears

L { a m n o aown l y e v e r s p o k e i l l

r e a so n a l l

b o o g y m a n t o m y l \ { a r n m awwa s h e r U n c I e J i m

th e kl n

left

His sister

happy- days Alabam a to com e to s i z z l - r .ng

LLzzy EI}ls

ever y ad.ult w ho l ov ed

Oox had a son who got great-uncle

sizeable fortune as havlng no children

when dylng.

April

coughing till kin

the kln died., were born, or had eventful Jim, though, truly

glory

Jlmr s

on Easter

wonders occurrlng

on

was d.olor, having the misery of TB,

blood ran out of his nose, ears and roouth" Dozens of Alabama

indeed d.ied that tragic,fr€yr

f it f ul

suf-

17 was Jlmrs shared

blrthday wlth roy dad whose timely name-day every eleven years fell

shared blrthdays.

Uncle Jlm

n r o v e dw e s t l v a r d t o k e e p h i m f r o m b e l n g a l o n e h l s l a s t

him so much they all

Sund.ay" All

re-

of one person in bitlng-the-tongu

H e r,va sre p u te d d ying of TB, yet outllved

heated Texas.

fering days"

all

That was Bob Rlchardson wiro haii no loving care concern for gne other related

ldozella.

vras t h e r e a l

the

said it

S h e J u s t s h o o k h e r h e a d .a n d w e p t a f e w a c l d t e a r s f o r h i m "

allis.

all

dovtnher cheeks vrhentelllng

aII"

To hear teII,

sister

CrocneC and. trll-

glory and lived. in the happy after-glow

W e s h a r e d h e r s h e d .t e a r f u l of it

band., com-

the buggy"

g o o d t l m e s b u g g y d . a y s a b o u t h e r w e d . d i n gp a r t y "

telllng

e v e n i n g a 1 v a y"

could hard.Iy have the energy to leave.

knew the way back to the homestall,

besto

brothers

the well-knoi,rn'vTinniford

attaclcs"

leaning between vrheels of the carriage

d'uring

T h i s a g o n l zi n g doom looming pr onpted ther n to move av 'r ayfr om

1and happiness homestead" A possible cure hopefully lay elsewhere"

reputed in T h e s e e m i n g l y h o p e l e s s l y i n c u r a b l e T B g e r n h o v r e v e rd i d l o d g e skipping a generation or two the bone marrory, could reappear most unlikely,

TayIor

/ SOT'rt{.qBIll.,I$T

before

striklng

after

38

againo

Even G1adys Butler

going from one sanitorium

to

Cash had ribs

another

sanatorium;

letters

in cooking

she lived

in dusty liiest Toxas,

I{in

possible

operdng the nuch i,'ranted news to read.o

gertns before

or hugged at reunions"

each other

Eence of that

plague"

Tfqlarran ^1o.trap, v

baked her

Armstrcng

!q

Joyful

aboUt all

-t/

They feared

tears

upon seeing

the newgy detalled

was a settlng for

or converse casually

to vislt

belting

for

rigorous acti-vity,

out a song, fllIed.

spreading

l , { a m m asr , votl d e r s i s t e r

No one ever kissed

cr causing

each other

re-emer-

follolved. lnstead"

eventS fOllOwed. for

ln the front

kiII

hOUrs

No inactive

parlour.

sitting

Er/en the parlour

playing piano or punp organ foot

aetion

these get-togethers anong loved oneso

love story really

The Butler

to be 89

stove oven to

l v h i l e d o i n g n e c e s s a r y c h o r e s a n d . c o o k i n g p e n d . i n gm e a l s " slothful

renoved

was a happy times tear-jerker

to retell.

L u l a o r L o u m a d . ee y e s a t C h a r l e y B u t l e r b a c k i n

Laud.erdaleCounty Alabama" He was stubbornly smltten of Lou that he saved. hls few coins to ride the train Charley arrlved

to Cumby" Took four years to stash the fare.

d . u r i n g a m o o n s o o nr a l n f r o m F l o r e n c e c o u n t y s e a t a s h i s d i a r y

record.so He had a ted.ious tine flnding

s o m e o n ew h o c o u l - d g i v e d i r e c t i o n s

to

her famlIy farm south of Cumby. Charley Butler farmed Boxx land,, share croping, and his plow horses fell buried. Union Soldier I,ou, and they alt and a bulloer

deep in earth cracks not far

spot on our place.

eagerly fled

by tradeo

ev ery v r h e r e h e w e n t"

belly

Charley soon proposed marrlage to

t o O k l a h o m ab a d l a n d s .

Charles was a carpenter

A l s o a n e l d e r w h o p r o s e t y l i - z e d . m e m b e r sa l l

the time

B u t l n o l d age when Lou got skin cancer on her v ,r r i s t and

doctors operated to remove growth every slx inches lntervals shoulder lef t he1rrryithing in palno doors of church rest

from the

until

onl.v stub at

Then, Great-uncle Charley never Carkened.

o f h i s l i f e a f t e r s h e d , i e d v r l t h e r i n g a v r a ys l o w l y o

He

?o

Taylor I sorru,reT-Il,fsT

at home, Just as did the Alexander sisters

perforned. services religiously

Aunt Rebecoa Alexand.erand great-grandmother Sarah,

great-great-

w a s t h e g r e a t o u t d . o o r s n o t a n r a n - m a d eb u l l d i n g

Godrs house stating

with a sign out frcnt

t t H c u s eo f G o d . . r f knew the Blble backwardsand forward as

The goodly Landtroop kln all cld-timers Bible,

o f t o n b r a g g e d .a b o u t s c h c l a r s

religious

l a n d . q r o u l d ,b r e a k - o f f , keachers

Ilaleyts comet put the Landtroop cLan

The collective

drop everyone, to fall

pulplteering

churches to the rafters,

inileed turned, dayLleht dark as night while

actually

day and time.

stating

end-time wouLd

nct fiery

destructlon

A r m a g e d d o nd l d n o t

b e d .e vl l e d . vre re oddl- y d.isappointed at the sam e tim e' b e c a m ea n e w p a s s - t i n e a r t f o r l r o than typical

foollsh

folks

Getti ng Being right

provoked roisgivings

I g n o r a n t f o o l s a s g r a n d . a d d yo f t o n s a i d c a n m a k e l a s t l n g

g n c e m o r e , M a g g i e v { a s d e m e a n e df o r sone mean folks

eomet

lfany non-believers were relleved'

all"

an6 wise enough to know better

saith

The frightful

end'"

passing overhead, spewlng brlmstones

The alarm disarmed wlth a Bibte verse.

m a d .a t p a g g i e f o r b e i n g c o r r e c t

unbellevable.

final

new-Jerusalem foundedo A thousand years of

after

happen, tro kingdom comeafter Be l i e v e r s

parsons dld.

d o v u nw t t h t h e l a m b w o u l d f o l l o w ,

peace when 1lon lies

Texas for

aII way lnto Gulf of lr{exico"

l , r l a g g i eq u o t e d . s c r i p t u r e

across great Southwast desert,

ln the

wlsdomd.eclared the cracking black-

day urging repentenee of sins before fateful

had a fleld

comemuch later

Called Blble

l{aleyts comet scare sent many people fleeing

llmelighto

0 k l a h o m a r . r o u n t a l n o u sc a v o s .

this

They toted, a small black

opening to chapter and verse as proof when challenged"

thumpers back then they were.

FiIIed

back then,

being right,

enemieso

God moves in mysterious ways

e entioning the scandal about l a u g h i n g a t l o { a n r n a w . n h l lm

narentase cf her f lve chirdren.

A d h o m i n e n ia t t a c k s v ' r e r eu s e d e n Jo y a b l y r a t h e r

40

/ soh'll[ABIILIST

Taylor

than face the truthful

facts"

tinely

sametime, budding-beauty EIIa was dreaming come-true visiorls.

At this

flve

She dreamp she would birth

She would wrangle black-flesh

Both would appear lifeless. forned. lnfant,

futly

O n l y t - w ot r r o u l d l l v e .

two stillborn.

twin, wrapped around his neck clogging throat"

and a son last,

Daughter first

children,

from windpipe of

A n d . t h e n h e r b l o o d - l s s u e w o u 1 d .s a l v a g e t h e

reviving,

of the earth when a huge umbrella type cloud explosion settled,

nul.titudes

d e v a s t a t l n g t h o p l a n e t o f , a u g h t e r i n d . e e dr u l e d t h e d a y w h e n t e l l i n g scape prophecy.

lmport more regularly

recurrent

p e a t e d ,g r e a t e r d i s c l o s e d d i s t l n c t offshoot

the envisioned. world (flluminati

Each visionary

to L{lss 811a.

detalls

energy forces. hovel jokingly

slumgulllon

be told) " in newer, nore pressing

Restoratlon soon preoccupled. the f amily d.lrected

called Chanticleert s Castle. ohanplons.

jabs spurred. until

a m u c h n e e d e d .p r i r a i t i v e

rebullt

The refuge originally

The prized. roosters

bleed.lng one to d,eath.

was a safe

Jousted ganecccks with

Loser got served lnto

s o u p y h o d g e p o d . g e ,m a y b e e v e n m l s h m a s hg o u l a s h s t e w d a y l a t e r .

Turkey feed was stored mainly swilner time secure here from rat This ord.inary corn hoard.ing bin space d.ated back to the first settled

ing hut.

ln all

seer connectlons finalty

Cousin Robert 8111s helpfully

cock flght

harbor for

family

sequel re-

than the previous oneo And her

a s t r a y t o l d d . r e a m sg o t o b s c u r e d , I o s t

c o n c e r n s o f e v e r - d . a y n e e d . s"

sparring

once dreamed began to unfold

s e e d w o u l d b e t h e c o n v e y e d .c h o s e n f e w s a v i n g - g r a c e r e v e l a t l o n

The oft

dream-

Oh my gosh, ach, the atonic bombat Hlroshama changed doubt

tc ponderous wonderment. The ehuckllng truth lts

this

here.

eueenle snorted a cautious appraisal

I n s t e a d . , s h e b o u n d . e d . b, o u n c i n g , a r i s i n g

infestation" d'ecadeafter

of the still

hooves aLncst klcked

lean-

Taylor I sot'mtcnuT,IsT

41

o v e r t h e w o o C . e nh o r s e p r a c t i c e

display for rcd.eo rope tralnlng.

The showcase

s porty h o r s e p la y d u n rmyh a d b e e n made by Tedr o [T?r Cr um p who also dated nT ;' priscn rodeos wlth him"

Aunt Lynna, to go to Huntsville

that the youth later

championship rcping skllIs Queenie shifted. directly

the gruelllng

Hls dlsabillty

Said. ofton he really

ship dcne.

e1se, but unfortunately mainly us, lnto

u s e d . i n ' , n l y m o n i n gc o m p e t i t i o o s o

facing the once high-ground spot Cuz Robert stood

as merely the over-seerer for aII safe to use once agaln.

I'Ttr taught BilI-BilI

efforts

gettlng the structure

was not evldent in the quality

uanted tc labor intensively

could. noto

workman-

everybody

Ilke

Cuz dld ind.eedknow how to bcss the rrrorkers

d"olnga

Job" "op."fe-nwnber-one'/quallty Cousin Robert was generous wlth hls tine here at the homeplace. He

brcught us crates of oranges and grapefrult tc bulld

later

s t a k l n g t h e c r a t e s ' n h e r e n e e d . e d . " I v f a d ep r e f a b r i c a t e d

Queenie could. still

detect Cuzrs scent and snorted approval"

Coz Robert well enough; he rode her heartily lng the property bound.s, checklng lf estate"

private

w h e n s u d d e n a b u n d . a n c eo f n e w - b o r n c a l v e s r e q u l r e d a d d i t i o n a l

dlvislons space.

stalls,

g a l o r e l n h e a v y w o o d . e nb o x e s u s e d .

B u t O k l a h o m as o l l

0 k l a h o m aw a s f u l l

She llked

once-over the whole farm, inspect-

g o o d .a s l a n d . o n h i s l n h e r i t e d

was suspect quality

ancestral

to Cuz Robert.

of Florence, Alabamakln who came for the lnfamous paternal grandfather GeorgeW" Taylor was a

Iand rush"

l,{y strong-willed

trallblazer

over the narrow nountain passes, a pathfind.er beyond reckoning"

He took wagcn load.s every year before and after penalty for

5 civilized.

6 5 o v e r n m e ndt e s t r o y s i t s

trlbes

fighting

the land rush, lnstlgated

on side of the Confederacy"

eneroieswlth brutal

k n o w ( m a n yC o n fe d e r a t e s n r l g r a t e d . t o B r a z l l ,

force as aII

The federa

oId-South familles

a v c i d l n g J r - r s ts u c h r e s u l t s ) "

rladdy GeorgeW. Taylor once guided a wagon train

full

as

of Baptist

colonlsts,

Grand and

SOtrII\L'\BULIST

/

TayIor

+,heygrunbled aII engulfing

4.

the rough rray about his cussing until o f q u ioic sand.

R e d.R i ve r fu l l

sinking out of sight, horses into action.

tail-end. flrst. Seare the devil

The staid" pr eacher ts vr agon l " ,r asfas t He screamedfor

going into wllderness Oklahoma. But the real

famllles

to keep young Nlmrod Taylor safe from the noose. ' t T i n n s b o r ow a s a l w a y s on the lookout.

N-othing was done by the shirt-tall } , f l z l - l tf T a yl o r p o i n te d

the flrst

pled the sherlff

sheriff

The child

hid lnslde the two-story pillared

0ctober

Even cripcould

Cherry Y{ood.

Into the boondocks of fndlan Territory

other controversies arose.

r,vlnter bllzzards

if

nine.

own race as half-breed.s though"

p u b t l o p r o b l e m s " C o m m e r c ev i l l a g e

there"

ivhosekln did the killing

and by age 12 had assasslnated aII

the Taylors, amongtheir

ealmed down as

i'/ar occupaticn yearso

out the 9 nen who mur d.er ed her son, l eav i ng

manor, between walls of the chimney, fled

Nimrodts daddy had been shot d.ead, gunnei

with a stead.y shot to the knee. Legal search partles

never catch the boy"

posse at

' , l i h e nt h e b o y t u r n e d a g e n i n e , h € b e g a n t o v l o l e n t l

grandson Nlnrrod fatherless, slaylng

purpose was

The hanging sheriff

o f \ , V i n n s b o r od u r i n g t h e e a r l y C i v i l

d o r n mo n t h e s t r e e t s

strike,

f o r m o n e y e dr. e a s o n s . T o

g o l d ml n e s w a s the excuse given by the tr ,,r oTaylor br other s

L o o k i n g fo r

18o).

The

fabled gold mines the fndians bragged abouto

cheap land. or to find

v;lth their

g r a n d . d a dt o c u s s t h o s e

out of them was the pleading retort"

w h o l e g r o u p w a s g o i n g i n t o O k l a h o m aI n d l a n T e r r l t o r y €et dirt

crossing whlrlpooL

The hullabaLoo

The ballyhoo passed to other souls

b e c a m et h e T a y l o r ' , u a y s t a t l o n

from Oklahorna

i n t o r a i l h e a d C o w T o w n , F o u r T a y l o r b r o t h e r s o w n e d .b u s i n e s s e s

Taylors learned. early to hand.Ie rough and tcugh tumbling flsticuffs

need be or to meet mental abuse, verbal. assaults d.isdalnfu-Ily head-on" 1,lfe-long disdaln resulted

along with Elsie"

on the spot for TomTaylor and his child.ren

A mite tetchy about notions not thelrs,

ruptured everlastingty

into

payback time.

Spllt

siblings

aII kind.red relatior curtly

decisively,

43

Tsvl or / sol,,nrtentil,IsT !r 'J fr t-i

+u -iL-i l^l s .

m cm was caIled. lower I1

Namecalling

face.

than a snake-in-the-grass,

repulsions regularly

s t a b b i n g u s e o f a b h o r a n t f B T nw o r d . I a t e r aninoslty

f or bloodline orlgin

happened thereefter in publlc

and.her slblingso

scars for Ella

of all

the violence-of-words

loudly

anger, tro less getting

dlssenslon

derision

ever salcl that follolved over the decades agalnst I,' [or ds, oh so hotly

r e o a l J - l n g , r e m e m b r a n c e sl n t h e w i n d y n i g h t a l r

caIllng,

even,

over oId childhood

r?Half-breed" vras the klndest

b y the hotheads,

m e a n r e m l n d e r s h e l d h a te fu l

ln nrorgt back-

tovrard whole Taylor clan connoctlons.

T h i s h e l g h t e n e d . a n g e r r e a w a k e n e d . ,r e v i v e d , battle

much worse to his

blo w i ng,

w er e

rid.e on horse

back" esteemed.s w ay

l , f e n o r l e s , e ve r so se a te d f i r mly mind.- wise, hel,d. inimical in

the rocking chairs ereeklng thelr atI

ov er-Io o k t n g

long told

on the vrlde porches

th e w l n d -to sse d. memor abllla landm ar ks this

s t opp e d . f r o r n f u L l

p ro w J-l n g d .ash acr oss the honeplace bor d.er s'

mare p a w e i t t h e e a rth ,

p a u sl n g from thelr

She knlckered loudly,

h e a d .r e v e r e n t l y

snlffing

r anbllng

reached ilovm to the soil,

inspecting nelgh wlld.Iy actlvatedo

a startled

suggested shielded gabled craftsmanshlp carveil, this

par excellant

fron earliest

a oonverted. three-holer seats for

lntlnate

l n t o q u a d . r os o c l e t a l

visltations"

dug holes to keep ftles, c at alo g u e s

tj-me, long past'

tlll

Queeni e s tr l k e

The r egal

thoughts and ar ea- w l de r un-

s p l r l t e d . c h a s e r e s u m e d r. u n n l n g a r o u n d t h e n e a r b y s t l n k l n g tion

night.

Fach r inging

i n tu ne to the gonging clock"

ga1lop,

r, v asa n h o u r f s ti me l y

sncrting,

stories

IIow.

sme1llng, The equlne

out-house, apparitoilet

faclllties

The prlvy facility

-was

friend.Iy need-s, four sociable

I,'Ihite-cast Iime rayored the freshly

maggots away and' germs at bay'

r a y h a n d i l y fo r re a d .i ng, but a aor e utlr itar ian

used' daily

S e a r s a n d 'R o e b u c k use r en.alned' obv i ous

lnto a r netal b ur n- box t ln c ru "n b l e d p ag e s sme a re d , d a u b ed and' then dlsear d' ed' f h e v r e r c o m ec a t a r o g u e u s e h a d r e p r a c e d o n c e before toiret paper invention" plentifulcorncobs"Anunslakedllneclr:clewasspread.thickforcbvlous

4t+

/ SOITNABUT,IST

Taylor

sanitary

purpoges. mottled. powdery ef-

Copious anounts of qulck-lime always was scattered, fect

intensified,

on the dralnage soil

house-crapper.tt

aII

belng made regularly,

Tree trunks close-by also freshly

f or health reasons on d isplay, cf-ltme

euphenlstlcally

d.escribed this

scene a1l about the area. left

better to turn

along with control

'r bac k -

for

care"

elucldated. efforts IiTiLk-

The whole 'rvhlte-

even eerie cast,

The stlnky toilet

to

of spiders or

lTo Lazy bones care here.

antiseptlc

all

And to abate the

llnred, further

day and night,

speckled expanse ltlumlnated. an etherial, surreal

prlvy to shed llght

on the underside seats.

sueh creepy, crawly crltters

stanch!

leanlng and leer lng

beyond the

a sp o tl l ght,

Forever whlte-washed was this

see, hygienlc efforts

every-

The llm ed ear th magnifled the ni ghtl y

v* re re h e r e a b o uts u p h e l d . re l i g l o u sly, n oonb e a m s , g l or,vl n g i n to

Dnsinfected cleanilness

area.

refled-ted. moonshine

Jogged many more nemories

g nsa l d ., su ch a s th rowing r ocks at back side when in use or tr y i ng

whlle occupied ( Uaa mom ents hav e t h e wh o L e h o u se d h o ve l over , d.umped",

a wa y o f b e c o ml n g g o o d -tl me n cem or les)" l , I i g h t t l m e cra p p y me ro o l rs enjoyed., savor ed, wer e about fur ther em pl oy ed t'snipes" at mld-night use of blr6llme to snear twlgs and branches to cateh prey These forays were reserved for visttlng city sricker kln to f'aI!roosts. (oousin Earr Ma1esand son Jason once ferl open to catch the nlghtly

into

scared birds fleeing

rvorkr. However, Ilttle

cculd the trick

for

the prank, hording a gunny-sack into the toe-sack) '

citified

Onry once

Jason was once coaxed'to get

b u c k e t , t o r i d e d . o l v nf o r c l o s e r r o o k a t d a r l c d e p t h s . tfaeeid- entally- o n- pur pos e'r f l u ke y a cti o n ioke lvould have been

erongateil cistern

Th a t f o o l - h a r c l y, twist-of_fate

contrivance

gone lfrong.

dangaroue qeed to aouble-dog

clare kin

only a butt-head lato

a llfe

wourcl.d.ream-up such a

or death predlcane-&t.

The

Taylor / sol,ryanuT-r$T I+j p rlv y llne

o d o r s n e a rl y

belng joked, fooled A snelly

outhouse.

th e llfe

sti ffl e d .

out of the fun had by all

sc splendily,

scu rri n 6 g ci ve t

this

stinky rite

a pole-cat of a skunk visltation, fo r

sa f e ty,

this

keen beyond bellef

scintillatlng

u a dte.r . the clothes

nlghtl

llnes.

groun d e d . g u y wl re s a n ch o ri n g th e shor t- wave batter y

for

hours,

Queenie bolted

She d.ucked under the

power ed r aclio antenna that

Grand.father Bob Winniford (ttre guy-wlres also provlded per-

entertained. sickty manent protectlon

of passageo

ca t r ustled. the und.er br ush behind the oft- us ei i

The musk srneII remained penetratingly

in s t in c t i v e l y

watc hi ng br ood.-

from llghtning

o t h e r w l s e t o Ju stl fy

contrary to redneck excuses, saylng

strikes,

a g e nd.a) r . The bother sor ne head. hlgh numer ous aer i al -

th e i r

cable coj.ls had to be dod.ged,elud,lng Cecapitation or worse. the unsafe sector

Queenie decanped

by way of tho oroquet oouracilay grounds, aII w l ck ets,

hoops, t h o s e me ta L tri p p i n g

negotlated

1 n g w a l l e d P a lI l rl a l -LR o q u e co u rt defenslve

pell

ten series

of

mell- over the l ong s tand.-

tanglecl enclosur e.

The almost contained, enclosed., entangled. equestrlan pair went scootlng, sta n pedlng on the d.efenslve" Queenle headed. fr ont-

t h e n se l ve s sl l Iy,

scattlng

vrard , e s c a p l n g , e xp e d .i te i l p ro rn ptly, fao1n6 the pet ceneter y f or qulc k s anc tuar y She made one glant hurtle, fo o t e d ,

hlghtalling,

ov€r the narkers, hopsootohlng, hot-

e a c h m o u n d e d .g ra ve vrrl th a long high Jump avold.ing stepplng on the

stone stacks or knoll-hillock

heaps"

belo v e d a n f u o a1 s, Ia y te sta me n t to gr lef was a n e w - b o r n co l t

ki l L e d

hay -mo w e r ( s o sa c! to ta l k Iast resting Ftuff-Batl

place).

TwoLvedecades of loving burials, held. honor o

ru n n lng to his m other into

Bund.reds of loyal dogs and fellnes

g o t o n to h i s h o m e tur f"

lnt er i m ent

path of hor se- dr aw n

a b o utr Vet sweet seeing loving

w h o scre a me d ., n l .o rd .y, Lor dyr tt plain

when c a t - f l g h t s

The lar gest

alI

car e of the m ar k ed. interred.

Good o1d

as day enunciated. anthr om or phl s n

Canar y song- bir d' s by the gr oee l i ned'

Taylor / sot,nvsnrilrsT

buried

the cat

r , v a l l < ' w a y .A n d C i n d . y - t h e - p l g ,

resting

had her last

I|6

place recorCed

inscribed after

went, taking flight,

th e n e x t o

time,

this

away fr om the pole- cat

Onw ar d s he

fum es,

over the three wash-pots arran6led above already stacked

l mp e n d .l n g w a sh d a y pr epar atlons

always made at end of l as t

A b l e a ch e d -w h l te n faded. punch- stlck

water, from roarlng

s welt e r i n g

in place,

firmly

memor lal tur key tor obsto ne, though.

s u 1 n me h r o t d a ys,

fire

one

pr otr udeil well abov e the

rim to leverage heavy scald.ing-hot bib-overal-Is llfted bolling

lengthy

wolves gobbleit him dovrnone day, forever missed.tllt

Queen l e o o n t l n u e ci scra n xb l l n g fa r

fo r

on the

sweet spot, stlll

had hls

Ba r e l - v m lsse d kn cckl n g o ve r the pr etty

f lre-v r o o 6 f o r

ccntent

pork bellies,

of honored guest preachers),

fulI

1

7 ;.i'a!',i

the-turkey:@f

for

ever killed

(she once laid

porches to watch banquet dinners,inside

Even Cross-Bllts,

not

out of the volcanic

beneath each cast iron cauldronr even' ln

S n ell

of lye soap fr om fr oathy

fr agnents

l ay al l

a roun d . t h e 2 A fo o t w a sh b e n ch , next to the sm oke house' d.ownfron

$noked. swine bones hunEl on a wire,

from hog killtng

thts evid.encevns left-overs

cedar tree

the hlghest

t1ne, gauged

branches.

AIl

when flrst

autunn freeze enabled.butchering full-d.ay activltles

l_ a rd e r .

T h e fre sh me a t w a s sa l ted.- d.ownlnto

fore spoilageo

tasty

snacks, or later

dltch

levee.

parts,

s tor age be-

unbellevably good to eat as

to make lye soap here near the field

e u e e n i e va u l te d th e d .ra i n a ge- dltch aroun d . t h e c o w l o t

long plne chests for

got made fronr bolled hog entrails,

Crackllngs and chlttlings

guts and such steamed.,visceralnternal

to render lnto

dralnage deep

ter r aced. levee or newly m ad e ber m

d u n g h e a p , manur e plr e

for

fleld

fer tillzet.

fifteen

feet hlgh was the stacked hockey from mucked-cut stalrs.

c u t s id e

drylng

At r eas t The brovrnish

s eer to p p l n g a p p e a re d har d as stone, br or l' n slud' ge shealth fr or o

Taylor

/ SOI1NABULIST

&-7

lng sunny d.ays" Yet was oozy sllme inside from green grass spring mj-re" would sink arn, pit mess.

d e p t h l n [ d . e e p - d o - d . o ' fi f

Then Queonle wlsely

sauntereil under the turkey roosts.

by the hbn house.

rall-fence

anger at belng dlsturbed"

Gulnea fowl hens hastily

$ t l a t c h - d o gc l a r i t y

forvl pets that had brought stick-tight

alert

p ro p elllng

The layer hens flapped. wings,

Datrntng fruit

scarce, whlsked over and

pear s by way of the peac h

lnto- .tbc- tall

o f u n d e rg ro w th o kr a that

year, self-seed.ed."

came up wild,

bats darted about noislly

g a ri l e n g a te kn o cked half

of potatoes to the tomatoes. m a d .eb y fl -e e tl n g

a f t e rm a t h

and roosted day

tr ees,

And thr ough

fell

Deep r aar ked.hooves left

a messy

tangled,

a speed l l y

tr om ped

t h r o u g h th e a cre l o n g ro vrsc T h e a d . v a n cl n g p a l r h o o fe d . thelr

way outslila

the gar den fenclng

. Cedell vTatklns, Aunt T,ynnar s br lef t he w a t e r r n e l o n p a tch , p 3 -a n te d by vrit h s h e l l

bey ond. hus band.

s h o ck syn d ro me fro m \,f,m I tank expLosions that made an alc ohol l c

h j . m . A c r o s s t h e m u s h m o l o n sa n d c a n t a l o u p e s l o p e d Q u e e n i e , m o v l n g r l g h t The startled

nl g h t tl me a d .ve n tur e abr uptlX,

the straieht

a n d . n a rro w p tg tra i l- s

sallet

eac h

open, tr anopled, the twosome ov er r ow s

Onlons and bean stalks

tra ck s,

plants

volunteer

h o u r s u psi d e cl o w no n th e lnner llm bs of the cltr us

t he ve g e t a b l e s,

penclI dot,

to scat the dlsturbarco,

alv a y a m o n g t h e p l u ru tre e s, orc ha r d . , f u I I

from these pea-

size of s;pigute

The alertedl Queenle, alnost scared., made herself

t rall

Gobbllng tons

announced thej-r loud.est

alvrays resulted

fleas,

by LuIa from Norvets breed.er stock.

cackled a shrlll

lt ght

onto the conposted.

nis-stepping

a s m a l l c o m m . o t L o cn a u s l n g t h e m o u n t e d p a i r t o d . a s h c l o s e t o t h e

activated

gifted

One

hasttly,

d e v isi n g

along"

d.ir ected. sur gln g d.ow n

lead.ing towar d the big thicket

grew neck high; purple berry seed called

of

stretch-berries

h o m e-n a d .eb u b b l e g tl ,l r. Al- so, a wild. mllk- lveed, f ood. for

w ood" s " Pok e were good for butter fl i es ,

I sol,nilAgtilrsT

Taylor

48 mixo

the berry frulty

h a d t o b e a d d . e di n t o

Twas good tasting

b u b b l e s b l g a s w h o l e f a c e e x p a n d e d . ,t o b u r s t a n d . s e t t l e o v e r he a d . o f h a l r"

and. a I I f t ed

1lfe

A far

e d ste n ce ..

style

l and. s c a p e " D o w n d e e p ru ts,

sticky mess onto ears

was self- enter tainr oent

for

this

c ountr y -

smell sud.d.enlylm ninated the

d.lffer ent

n u d .d,y- wallowing holes to the hog pln the m oonr i s l ng

gelys and. plglets

lad."

charged outing

In g enuity

and fun to chew,

squeeleil the hustling

pair ever onwarcl

t h ro u g h t h e d . re a msca P e . 0 n b e y o n d, th e u n d a u n te d d .uet sallled- for th

acr oss a nar r ovr shor t- c ut

o f a p a t h p a n th e rs o n e e u se d to chase gr eat- gr andmother Sar ah' called

Sal l y

g o 1 , b a c k i n t h o s e y e s t e r y e a r d a y s , h o w e v e r , h a d d r o p p e d ,d e a d r a b b l t s w i t h a sl i n g sh o t

s he kl l l e d balt

fhls

a n d dr aped. by the ear s over her apr on str l ngs

t o f e e c l w h e n sh e h o t-fo o te d . to safety.

d . o z e nt l m e s , t o o , by the petrifled

over the years. p1aoe, pretty

Saved her Ilfe

The bustllng

AlL this

hinsel_f"

of creatorrs

l-ove providlng

b e n d .o f t h e c r e e k w h e r e n a t l v e - A m e r l c a n s k l n d r e d

crystal

happe n e d .h e r e a b o u ts. A glorifled.

flxatlon

intenslve,

fr om the

cJear stand.lng water to drink year round'o museun on the antlquatecl landgr an t hom e-

stead. (expanslve Jogged nenorles stretched its personal,

saer ed as glfts

h a r d r o c k y s t o a e w o n d e r m e n tw a s p r o o f p o s l t l v e

Ev e ry n o o k a n d cra n n y vra s a l l vl ng

exciting,

mor e than a few

happy horse and.boy next gltd.ed

s o u ls w o r s h l p pe d . th e a n ci o n t l -o gs tur ned. to stone, Great splrtt

as

realn everywhere).

Somethlng

snagged the essence of loved long d'ead ones that

N o sp o t w ent untouched, good or bad, attaehed. adm l r atl on. to renenbrances beyond compare resided immortal all

aboutt

accounts never to be f orgotten by the blood-lssue d.escend.ants. Personal and' ena b o u n d e d, a t f l x e d 1 a u d a b l e , t o u c h s t o n e r e l l c s t o t h e l n d ' i v i d u a l i z e d Each regaled' explott gained an end'Iess grosslng by-gone times tol-d ta}es" lj-f e -s t o r y

I e s so n frcm a Il

th e yakking on the seemingly unending por c hes dur i ng

/ SOlfl{ABUIfST

Taylor

rainy

49 family mind.-trlp pausing monents were ingenius

These reveting

days,

palaver,

entertaining

good chit-chat,

blather,

gibble-gabble,

yet captlvating

breeze d.urlng lengthy entralllng

to shoot-the-

discussions of days long

g o n e - b y , o f y o r e s p e l l b o u n d ." poop reminders kept popplng-up as

T h r ec e a s e l e s s a b s o r b e d . m l n d - t r i p p l n g

The Georgla cane grew thlck

Queenie rounded the cane break thlcket. hai-r, a1I the better

use to stop dltches washing-away into

guilles

as d.og-

(gulIey

eroslon 'riasa maJor problem at end of flelo worn t r a l l s

rows leading lnto ditches) " !VeIIl e d . i n w a rd ,, fo rme d fr om town str um pets, har lots peddllng thel r

Hldey-holes proliferated.

stuff"

(best fishlng trot

arrong the twonty-five

poles In the whole county grew rlght

foot tall

here, for

a fact)"

cllentel- came from mlles around to get the prime lascivlous

i le n o r h t d t n g

i n vra i t (l o ca l

slut-of-a-mother

Co n m e r c e , r e g u l a rL y

Hot-to-

goods, hld-

h a i rd.r esser s vr lth beauty oper ator co- hor ts

waltress,

trolLop

cane shoots

ever few years by dlsgruntled

to chlef-of-po1lce

relatlons

scr ub- br ush gr ove flor a

u se d th l s

h arbo r m o n e y -ma kl n g l n l q u l ty)

aIl

Thts vegetation

"

and a

Ulathls ln

as a venal shel ter

to

stanil got bur ned to a c r i s p

customers, patrons on the rampage' Empty Jack

Daniele bottLes tied by the neck to barbed wire fenee at path entrance subtly s h o w e d .s t a s h l o c a t l o n o boy scuttLed fast sights,

llghtning

inlquttous

No end in sight

away, continuing bugs btlnklng,

vlctnlty.

thelr

further

g r a s s , t o p p e d .w i t h w h l t e l a y e r e d . f l l m fl i e h ty

tr lp

l{orse and

nlght f )-ight amld.f lre-f llesr

winklng at the mischief fj-lled

Anil crickets

T h l s g r a sp 1 n g n i g h tl y

to such business dealingso

sP&rkin5

storehouse'

chlrped ln the thigh hleh Johnson

ofton polsonous to qTaze. chatter lng

thr ough the summ er s unl es s

s e re n a d i n g e n vi ro n s o f th e ve n er able homepl- acepr oceeded.ar ound the hand dug c is t er n w h e r e i n fa mo u s Je sse Ja nes and gang d.r ank ofton enough. Y{ater ed thel r

Taylor / soa,wgeul,IsT

50

b o r s e s , t h o s e R o b i n h o o d .b e l l e v e d - t o - b e boozing blnders,

tlmes on thelr

band"its did stop to vlslt

jaw-bone

too,

j a u n t s f r o m O k l a h o m a m o u n t a i n c a r , z e st o B l a c k

J a c k G r o v e n b e C u m b yt o w n s l e a z y s a l o o n s ,

Those cutthroat

attracting

taproom

t a v e r n s g o t h a t c h e t e d . , h a c k e d . , t o p i e c e s b y c o n c e r t e d . T , a d l e s rs A l d $ o c i e t y t hat

g r e a t - g r a n d mo th e rs S a ra h a nd. Nancy 8111s Landtr oop r am r odded t o c has e Great-uncle Charley Butler recorded. his Jesse James friend"-

vice out of town"

shlp experience back ln Alabame 1880rs days. his

llngerlng

e h a t w i th

thoug h w a s a l l v e

l o n g a ssumed m ur d.er ed Jesse Janes.

l n C o mme rce , Texas on a Satur d,ay night

and encounters playl-ng cards wlth rallroacl

The infa m ous tr es s e

tr acle gather l ng

the I'fuscle Shcals,

employees after

robbery, to which Charles was witness.

1n

war years

about civil

Jesse James talked a blue-streak

L936, to hear telI,

Alabama traln

Back then, Charley wrote d.ov*n

Even tcld

about his

brot h e r F r a n k w h o ta u g h t ma th a t Hor ton countr y school near Cor unerc e ( ev entual atop Ozar k M ountai ns l n

L y a s s u n i n g n a a e V a u g h a n a t Mo untaln Hone village A rk a n s a s a n d a d .a u g h te r w e d . a S now, ,"a

slnger gr oup) "

repute d n a n h o w l e d l n b e l l " y l a u ghter at foollng Yo w l l n g , h o w l l n g w o l ve s o a lllng m a ro a n d b o y a ro u n d .

false

in the back gr ound abr uptly

pr onto.

zipplng,

Ioc o-

thr ough

g ra ss kn e e h igh and pler clng- spear - weed.s six foo t

namesgiven from shape of seed that

ing or hairy fur when passing-by).

tal l

penetrates socks and.cloth-

Queenie almost stumbled on the tlp

corn cob, Long burled. in the ruts around the spaclous horse-lot typlcal

tur ned the

c o m l n g a n d . g o i n g o n s c h e d u l e , s o u n d . e di n t h e d i s t a n c e

t owa r d C o m m e rceto w n a s th e tw o some head.ed liokety- spllt,

(common folk

r obber

death newsy ac c ounts .

B a ck to w ar d the bar ns sur ged the pair ,

motlve whlstLes, tralns

t h e s h o o t i n g - arro w

The cut- thr o at

rall

of a

fenc1n8,

zLg-zag stYle.

the erstwhile

co rn co b fi g bts

popped back into m emor y lane tho ughts . T he

/ s,3lq'trABUlTST

Taylor

ensueclproper place memorandum recall

Iong-past fights couslns all

5L

living

o n t h e s a m e h c m e s t e a d .d u r l n g t h e p a t e r n l t y

a g a i n s t l u l a g g i e rs m a n y d a r k - e y e d c h i l d r e n , s o a k e d ,l n v i a t e r b u c k e t s o v e r - n l g h t , of the head, making youngster ElIa aroun d h e r h o od cd . p a te .

felt

nearby Smith ?rairle.

llke

T h l s was dead.ly ser ious

pulllng

a chalr

fun for

fron prankish play"

up side

sparking all

the chosen few or ner y

owned.r,rindrxills on

brother

l t f a g g l e e o n s t a n t l y h a d t o , , v a t c hc l o s e l y

in ttpractlcal

also dellghted

brickbats hitting

solid

ofton see stars red as flre

n e v e r u n s u p e r vl se d o r o u t o f h er slght, frequently

gosslpy claims

Corn-cob throwlng bouts resulted,

chll-d.ren of avenglng Lula Wiggs whose rufflan

of f-spring

anong the screw-loose

her children,

Out of har mf s way, I{ aggle c al l ed

her

T h e s e c o m . u r i t t e dc o u s i n - p r a n k s t e r s

J o k e s t r a t s o m e o n ee l s e r s e x p e n s e t o b l a m e , I l k e

o u t b e n e a t h u n s u s p e c t i n g 6 S u e s t sa t c a r d t a b l e € i a m e s , D i d n o t

need any enemles with so many crushing crass cousins always nigh handy. Superb ulL y b e s t d . e scri b e d th e h e l l l sh

behavlor r unnlng r ampant for year s.

a b u s l v e b a r l e y c o r n k l n f o r e v e r m o r e n a t c h e d o d . d . sa g a l n s t e a c h o t h e r ,

T he recrultlng

n e wly w e d . i n l a ws to o n e sl d e o r the other contentlon. of

The new-comerwife of Everette Wlnnlford did not take the least blt guff

off

tit-for-tat"

anyoneo This E1sle Taylor, niece to much despised Tom Taylor, Aunt-cousln Elsie

got even with triple

gave

disheil-out

lnterest,

good

as she got to the back-stabblng cousins of the tTlnnlford name, Cousln Elsie kept a welL-recorded black list every exploltatlon an art tally

to later

for

eaoh niscreantl

gifts

was next carefully

Also kept handy was a

given to each grand.child, fearlng

o n o n e o v e r t h e o th e rrh e r S e C -tOt ld.a M ar gsr et for Hence foruard,,

Revenge became

cash-in on abuse heaped upon her,

form the previous generations never dreamed of, price sheet for

book itemized

her llttle

higher sun spent

Sur e.

teensy-weensy Ida !,fargaret Taylor-}?lnnlforil chcsen agenda for big-bully

new helress

craftecl child.hood fights

anong

Ta3r1p" / so"tn;Ll:liiirsr eousins

52

naine of f un.

in

the'randed

oenttg

glsie

l,Tinnifcrds

n r . in r . f n ' l, q + h n a m e y e a r ) .

i/r

lvf

vrr

!v

wed open-eyed to the eontroversy on her ISth

cane just

Her nuptlals EIsle

began !n dead earnest.

tercaticn

birthday

coanected to

L925 (a custom not aS all

to narry

the masonie loCge aI-

observed the whole ness from start

to

rr r ri r^ ri r ^i 1' ,, 1 6^ ^<+ +,{:, : u r , r ifl og r e w a r n e d e a r l y - o n a b o u t t h e n a s t y - n l c e n a n n e r s o f t h a c o u n t r l cousins. The next generations, babes-in-the-wood"s, to be exact, were the aim for

t o e n s u e , I d a T { a r g a r e t i , v a sb y d e s i g n s p a r e c l t h e

the brain-washlng tactics

psychic indignltles, Ior,

sent to live

t o a v o i d b e i n g o b J e c t o f u n d . u er o u g h - h o u s i n g .

baby from devilish qhinaq

erl

pranks and rampant rancorous famlly

,ronegleefully

Yet the gosslpers still

declaring

that EIsie was a frlvolous

C.uties by inflicting

kldtlng

program from grade one onward. niques cn the scholastically

c ontrovorsJ

destroying his marriage and alackadaS

party-girl

who relinquisheil

her child

Ida \lTargaret to the care of mother lda" to loeal colLege training

school honor

The college professors practlced. teaching tech-

chosen few, a far

b u r g , b u s h - l e a g u e C u r : n b sy c h o o l .

superior instruction

to small-

Though, even East Texas College was a mere

NormaI School, meaning only a teacher trainlng

subordinate institutlon,

to Draughanfs Commercial Business Sehool, not a valid

college bona fide

slmilar proven

af ter llorld "//arII. Validated. honors resulted regularly

over the years f or lda }..'{argaret. But

t h e s o ci a l - - l a d d e r c l i r o b i n g c o u s i n s c o n t i n u a l l y false

caper clashing nonkey-

had a f ield. day laying claim to cr.ate

Aunt lde as called by alL sent the child

tiII

v o r v e dt o s h i e l d

in name of honest-to-goodness romping ganes, gossipJ

they had about Uncle Samts l-ifestyle

rearlng

Ilsie

to laugh about having put one over on the kin,

delights

like

w i t h h e r C o m n e r c es r a n d " n o t h e r l d a S a l m o n T a y -

f ound f ault.

Poorly f abricated

tales were better than no disparaging disperslons at all,

when it

cane to tongue waggllng clever

r r v h e r en o t r u t h

lies

to squabble ov€

character assasinations (to blast-out

reapeC the vrindy currrents of anger that never abated'

no justi_ce can ever ccne of it)l

, E l s i e r e t o r t e d . : t t O o na r t i s t s

must denoniz€t

Taylor I s0tlNlettlrsT badinouth in

alI

fcr

revivals

uses such battle

to hear

angle

tn

!!r

n , rvh! 14rvt n , t h i s

yq

l'rhen on the mourners bench at

fibbing

telll

gane strategem

shoes rellgiosity h1 " 1i! tos )

justif5'

to

order

53 church lout

Thus, every maneuvering nealy-nouihed tc

perf ection.

Fllgh-and.-nlghty

gooCie-two-

otlrers to make self

appeared v,rhile bellttting

fat-head.ed anc smug schelolng cabal.

look

This n8rclssistlc

p t o y a l v r a y s e o n s u m e dh. a p p i n e s s w i t h o u t p r o d u c i n g a n y g c o d i n r e t u r n w h i l e Iooking-cut

for

s c rlbe d t h e t i f f

n u m b e r o n e p o m p o u sc o u s i n s o " sl l e F te tl

house.

Thls lasted. a life

Tay1or versus Winnlf ord disagreements, vend.etta, began

spired soclal

de-

Id a l rrlar gar et hencef or th became a guest vis l ti ng

ccuntry kin on rare oceasions to her own parentsf time:

loslng aptly

Cantt wln for

ccusin in-

scraPso

Even sociable petlte

Lynna Estelle

T a y l o r r e c o g n l z e d t h e t o n 5 5 u el a s h l n g s

i s s ue d b y t h e ma n y co u si n s f o r lr hat they wer e ( she was a oafbon coD y for m ov i 'e star Shirley Tenple and gave readings or expressions, skits, plays during stage change }ulls; Lynna tcld-cff trynna Estelle

oausing more iealousy).

ofton enough the grousing, grumbling, never allowed. her son to visit

his belng castlgateil, like

internissions

rulned for Iife,

t h e m e a n n e s sb e i n g p e r p e t r a t e i l .

at school drana

grlping kin.

those blood'-relatives,

Little

As an adult, fearing

s o a r r L n g p s y c h i e t o b e c o m ee x a c t l y ?twllt not do a nut-case head'-job on ay

reby those looney bin bunch of senseless, sirnple-nlnded', bloodtied' obJection! Although' lationsr,' was Lynna Estellets naln verbalized' opposing

chtld

c c u s i n } f a m i e g o t h e r ma d ca p to uched. caustic

ver bal" whack or acid' - tongue

Aun t Ly nna o n e b u sy d .a y a t the comm er ce town News Stand" that d.r iven but d.aft, Lfanie enter ed s houtl ng a n d t r u c i l l e o r,,rn e d . p ro l o n g e d . rlvalr y t h a t o n n a g a z l - n ec c v e r S P O F ' T S disunity to vuhcle place full of local customers T he baseball- pla;r er man of color l' vas i ndeed' l d. te a u B 1 l e u . Arl. li1 D s h o i v e d vl Thus' blabof I'ynna E' twin appearance to Billy Bergen, Junlor, son eltical s t t ng i n g

llck

Taylor / sointamtlrsT

5&

b e r m o u t , he a g e r l y p u b l i c a l ) - y p r o e l a i n e d " , p B r j u r l n g

herself , f or all

to hear,

The cap"See, I have alvrays told you the Taylors are nothing but niggersl't ' ; " i e l C o nT a y l o r tive audience turned hostlle on sourpuss[famlo: "Their ccusin Bub m a t h p r o f e s s o r l d o n r t c o n d e m ng o o d p e o p l e t c u s r . ' r T h e d e -

is our favorlte

twlsted,

a v olc L h a v ! . , n 9 :a ro ya l

h a to -n u n b e r d.one on sonny BilI' s

main protectlve

EsteIIers

tactic

never ceasedl, contrary to all

meaning, dlosenbling

dar k hair ed

efforts head.

to Ly nna

obJectlve continued along with d.lsquieting thoughts

day about the dregs of society klnfolk'

to this

a n d h e r u n cl e T o m T aylor wer e the pr lmar y obJect of m ost of the

Elsie

th e n e xt fe w d .e cad.es,har angue be hanged.. ELsie did. as s he

d ef ama t l o n f o r

p l e a s e d , h o t r r e v e r , b e c o m l n g w i n d . o w - d . r e s s i n gf o r U n c I e S a m rs f a m o u s f i d d l e r s band t h a t

p l a ye d a II

?retty

o ve r th e countr y plus the l' tihite House pr esldents "

wonan, welI-dressed. fancy-pants El,sie, aII

fashlon-plate

CoIled.-up, becane a

c l o t h e s h o r s e , g o o d . * I o o k e r f o r g r e a t u n c l e S a ml T l n n l -

attraction

ford.ts acclained. muslcal fans (iris brothers forned the violln in I 8 S0 a f t e r

p e rfo rn l n g

son Wlnnlford funeral,

billed

Even taught classlcal

day)o ftalian iaI

a t fa mous Dallas County sher lff

clty

orchastras.

as finest violln

for

flddllng

v ic lin

Vilr ite l{ ouse functions

S a n ts T e x a s v l o l i n i s t

ear gigs,mostly nusical K l l g o re

thls

president-

s i nc e

playboys played charter

hlts "to-ham-lt-upr?r fulI

of encores.

and longview nouveau r iehe cr ovr d r e gul ar l y

journeyed. to bathhouses ln sln city f un w e l l

ln Texas from then ttll

The Texas l{lnntford band, ofton played fcr

ccusin Ad.lal Stevenson days"

T h e T e x a s o tl -rl ch

UncLe Nor v el L R ober t-

s o m eE a s t T e x a s s t u r l e n t s g r a d u a t l n g t o

o f f i c l o u s me e ti n g s i n U l a sh inl;ton, D.C .

passenger traln

playlng group

Hot Springs, Arkansas Ozark mountalns for

ilbr eak- downsr r better a l , r a y fro m h o me . U n c]e Sam played

know n as

whlle walklng length of all- fifteen t 8 t z z yN e g ro -typ e tu n e s

r ai l r oad

Taylor

/ so},/llABTJLr$T

cars.

C c u s i n - a u n t E l - s l e d a n c e d .t h e a l s l e s

tines ful

as the train

55

swayed.,jiggllng

and jisging

the seats some-

lnto

the more behind Sanrs strolling

all

play-

radlos back then to carry own personal choice enter-

tune (no transitor

ta inme n t u "o r r od ). Gro a t u n cl e san hear d musle in ever y mover nentm ad e as he The vlrtuoso a marvel to watch, seeing his nusic come alive. walked,, talked foot

crossed. both legs, wrapped hls left

over the risht

as lf

t o t h e m u s i c a l b e a t f r o m h i s h e a d d o r n nh t s f i n g e r

botmolng

f e e t r o c k e d , e n v e l o p e d .u n r e a l

twlstlng

together.

polttlcal

sam Raybrrno e nd, f u r l o u s

All

aIt

ralLles this

l rra tl o n a l -

The indeflnable

over Texas, particularly

JoyfuJ. bllsg

T he

two deca des , i n-

for lYright Patman and

for Elsie wrankled. Jealous couslns to no

se e tb l n g vend' etta plans got IaLd' '

fury

got retallatlon,

connn e n t s o f h ea p e d u p p ra rse th at r ear r y

vengeancer via innuendo muttered' m er nt the opposlte.

ofton remarked.l r?noone is better than we are.tr rrNoone ls as good or smart as we are.r! end ln slght,

IIis toes

A ioy to behold and' to hearo

T h ls f o l - k s y p e rfo rrn l n g mo n e y-maker pLay- date continued" for cludlng

tlps"

beating ln ever y br eathy m ovement'

l i fe -fo rce

t appe d t o t h e rh yth n l c

a rubber bone

IoftY Year after

Such lordly

concelt retorted,

banter contlnued',

No

Year'

T h e y e a r L g Z i E a ste r S u n d ay was tur nlng s c h e m ea g a i n s t B o b w r n n l f o r d o

Yet faylor

pr l d'e

l\ilnnlf or d

polnt once again ln the fam l l y

cousin Earl lr'lares,sorr of rvey Alexander, slster

t o Re v e r e n d . D o cto r ch a rr-e s T . A r .exand.er , pr esident

of Texas state Baptl s t

glrr rulnor monger coconventlon for years, whispered to brother Norvers best aged 89 C'ied soon, ownershlp consplrator, that when el-d"erly great-aunt Rebecca wlr - } she had. to pr obate w as c ol oof la n d . g r a n t w o u l d " b e u p fo r g rabso I{ o r egar legal- d' ooum entsabo ut end' of m o n k n o w l e d . g e (co n vi n ce d , th l s relative r vas that quicker death or so the com bative cou s i ns hai l I if e d . a y s w o u rd , b ri n g a b o u t a

Taylor

/

prevaricatingly

b r a t n - w a s h e d t h e d e a r c l e s e l v e d .s o u l ; y e t d e a t h c a m e c a l l l n g

months later

three

,6

S0I$'{ABI'LIST

on blood from tooth pull-ed, free-bleed.e:

from strangulation

aII

self

via the little

Iike

a m a g a p h o n ep u b t i o a d d . r e s s s y s t e m f r o n e a r l l e s t

s praw L l n g h o u se . the courthouse,

kncwn saving-grace quallty

of Echo l"ane"

ploneer tlmes lnto the au nt w ent to

Deeiled him the house and land, she d.ld, so as not to be turnei deeds (f now possess that ln-

J - e g a cy l a n d l n ste a i l . 6 f waBgltng tr lbe) . Tr uth wlll- out- as- winne r - ev er y saylng for

time was the old-tlney

After

all,

foiled

dastardly

t h e m s e l v e s , p r o c L a i m e d "a g i t a t e d

E a r l l v l a l a s b o r e a n a d e - u p s u r n a m ef r o m h l s p r o m i s c u o u s me n g ave her the assum ed.name ldoa.

aomrs d a l . L l a n ce ; tri fti n g

bearer kln coulcl not restrain ever heardl on Poor

craftfully

lntrlgue

this

d . e e d (. U a A b l o o d s h o w l n g u p , o n c e m o r e l a b e l l e d auntle),

Volces carrled.

N e xt mo rn i n g ear ly M ond.ay, Gr and.daddyts f iesty

out onto the road. as conspired, coLlu,led. evll h e rt t e d

r em ar k s her -

o f u s 6 ,1 6 :oT h e a g e d a u ntie however hear d the conniving

Iik e

EarI,

the urge to tattle-tale

Even the tal o-

aLl the hearsay d'lrt Conspiring consequencel

dellghted. close scrutlnyl

c iro u m v e n t e d . , W h e r e u p on , co n sp l ra to rs n a t u ra l

g ather er st,

r o a d h o n a e l e s so n c e t h e i r t u rn e d a r o u n d .r,Ju g tto we re a r r l v l n g ) .

b e d.fast Bob vfinnlf or d at the window tha t v i s l tor s

$ h e ke p t l i q u o r

se cre ti ve L y

the rouse for what it

out on the

dairy drove her car to the mal)-box,

ln per fume bottLes on the vanity

b e h in d . r o w o f re a l C h a n e t # 5 i l ad' les of quality s m o o z e d ^l n t h is

Echo T ,aners

to tur n Lynna and LuclIIe

dad.died (Etsie

tri ck

ln year 1983.

once again savecl the day, o v er - hear l ng

w o n d e ro u s se cre t Go d .-g iven glft

d . e s ig n e d .m a o h l n a tl o n s, d .l rty d eallngs,

afr esh

stylized

fashion.

adr lobly

il r es s er

boozed' snor ted" and'

Consequently, Gr andd'addys aw

w a s; h e phoned tbe county cr er k

to com e to his d'eathbed'-

I { e d e e d e d .I a n d . a n d .h o u s e t o h l s t h r e e d a u g h t e r s J o i n t l y ,

with acroage adJolnlnl

,7

TayIor / SOtnrnnutlsT highway deslgnated for his two sons (contrary for l{orace, to benefit

inherltance

no

agenda or masterstroke manipula-

allenating

y e a r s t o c o n e ) . B o b W i n n i f o r d . w a s m e r e l y w e l - l - t o - d o a s t h e C u m b yn e w s -

tlon for

enougl

rffinnlford name stlII had " Idoturlthstanding, the p l o n e e r l a n c l g r a n t s t a t u s ( t n e b a n k rs o n c e h e l d n i n e

Forbes /+00 listing)

anymore fcr

based on lanil-holding

f igur e f a n t l y ls better

(not rich

days of his life

stated these final

p a p e r T 1 f ER U S T I E Ra r t l c l e s

clout

tc goailing hubbub declaring

l o n g g o n e) " The old. ad.age of V,Ilnnifor ds sayin g, ttN o one

fo rtu n e

than we are'r played positlve

r T r To on e l s a s g o o d a s w e a r e a t c a r i n g f o r

I n d . i a n - b l o o d e d .T a y l o r s r e p l y i n g , l o v e d o n e s a t h o m e r t( a l l

gestalt

Jest at

its

best, most, in fact

our

appear-

B o b a n d l t r l a g g i e r sp r o g e n y h a v i n g v a r i o u s f a c i a l

from a partly

ances, diverslty

lnto the hancls of the heired

ironicatly

from

eachpartrforoneabovereproachpublicfamilyfacecountenance).I\/lissEIIa a lwa y s p r o c l a i m e d ti s

b e tte r

fo r

chlld.r en to fevor

father ,

owlng to ad.d.uc ed

d . o g g e r y - d i c t u m , n l f a m m asf b a b y r p o p p a t s m a y b e r f r o f t o n q u o t e d q u l p b a s e d o n v i l e and bltter

famll,y feud. kln fabrications

the wlll"y-nilLy

battle

Bob Wlnnlfordil j1

three viol_lnlst

well--regard.eil pubtlcized.

e n te rta l n me n t

p l a y e d . b y Gra n d fa th e r"

c e llo , I ik e

lalmrroh

Teras verlly

V{inniford. brothers dtstlnction

Th e n o s t h l t a r l o u s

versedo

trivance,

persona was regaled' f or Hls fld.dlers band, all

was rock-star

status fan base'

par t of the ensem ble was the lar ge v l ol oni -

The husky sounding lnstr um ent had' to be m ounted'

o n t o a h orse b e tw e e n b o th legs at knees fcr

dering.

s c a n d . a l o u se x p e r i e n c e , e r g c

scars"

over native Iast

eountles, all

from publlc

the fun- to- watch

Thls viola-de-gamba apparatus was a rigorous an obviously indecent lf

m us l c al r €r -

physlcal exercislng

not d"ownrlght obscene siraulated' act.

c a l L y , r e f i n e d . G r a n d . d a dr o d . e h i s b a s s c e I I o

scaled' sounds to lts

logical

corTyplcon-

playing bass violln-nar Up to now, dignified' UncIe Bob as the popular r eputatr on as a fol ! was c a l l e d . b y a rt w h o kn e l v h i m ar so had har lowed honor abr e b e y o n d -I a ; ' i n * - o n - o f - h a n d ' s " healer, full of convalesce restorative renedy clusion,

SOltdABrJLI$T

Taylor,/

58

A h e a l i n g i n a n . , h e v , r a sr e p u t e d , o f t

p r o v e d . t o b e , . , v h o s ed e e p - b r e a t h c u r e d

d . e a d . I yd . i s e a s e w i t h a m e r e e x p e l , e x h a l e a s i d e f r o m l a y i n g - s n - o f - h a n d . s o M y grand.father had the holy-ghost spirit

from his devlne tips

emlt, his exhausted alr

ver then mendedoo. renedled., recovered., all

near.

upon the unvrell patient

patched-up good as newo This

Begglng, they d.id like

ofton from fancy-clan d.octorsr clinics.

al1 eome to his homeydoor stoop, stepplng lively Iife'? into

sickly

as Iast

and devout bellevers came trusting

The yond.er faithful

or bell-e-

godly nan hereto had numerous followers,

of an earthly

Uncle Bob flgure

emanateC,

b l e s s i n g b e y o n c lb e h o l o i n g t h a t

babes and dying elderly.

h a v i n g n e v e r s e e n h l s o v v nf a t h e r ,

zealots

far

and

resort sent,

for his breathing fbreath-of-

Thls God-glven-glft

came from hls

who dled full,-moon nonth before hls birth"

O n I y t h e c h o s e n f e w h a d t h i s m l r a c u l o u s p o $ r e r , g a l n e d . f r o ; n G o d rs g r a c e g l f t e d

sane omnlpotent resolution p at ern a l

k n o r , v ni n d . i v i d u a l s p o s s e s s e d t h e

Two other locally

paternal 1oss before blrtho

or delfled

grace-filled

b o o n :p l - u c k y B o b b y t s o w n same r eason r eputed of

1 o u d - cu ssl n g g ra n i l fa th er Geor ge T[, Taylor for

" oc Best h l s f a t h e r r s s u d d . e nd e a t h , p l u s U n c l e C h a r l e y B u t l e r f s m o t h e r n a m e d D ( n o w h e r e t o b e f o u n c w e r e t h e s e s h a m a n go r

had sane condj_tionaL abllltles so-called

witch-doctors

by the doubting-Thomasuninitiated)

l { o a J . l e d ge d fo l k-h e a l e r breath must puff

into

fered TB,was kilflng of tuberculous

i n dubitably

open lll

mouth ( one last

kln prof-

Jab from the battle-ax

UncLe Bob, contracted fron wife l[aggie whose fami]-y dying hot Tex as c l l m atet

IS g g A l a b a ma h a d fled. westlvar d to llfe- givlng

excuses medical used not to vislt

who had outrlved. his usefulness) I

d.lagnosls on the death

bedrldden and lnflrm

The usuarty curative

t a rk i- n g g r a n d " fa th e r Ge o rg e w o T ayr or ar r ivec

too late

airy

tc our deeP sorrowo

Uncle Bob

breath of salty-

in the evenin g,

winnifordrs east convarescent nostrum arr over beroved Bob lll-fated

as j- mr oac ul ate

could. cur e hlmself

even though heart conditlon vrasthe phystclants fatat certifrcate;

"

unabr e tc

face and t,hroat,

59

/ S0I{NABULIST

Taylcr

llving

Bob Wlnniford bravely faced his fate,

IIis being partial

years declared the ccncerted course*relatives" like

El-la who looked. exactly breath,

Iife

h a n d .a t h e r l a s t

tc daughter

h i s o v r nb e l o v e d m o t h e r l e d t o h i s p e a c e f u l l a s t -

1ips,

( gr anddad. had. held. his

B o b b y l o o ke d -on intensely

gasp, Just as she was hold.lng her parents on their

very nnl4dle room place)"

quivering

A puff of air

golng over EIlats

criss-crosslng

t e a rs

she walled to miss hls

blustor ing

la nd. he l v as

bawllng.

sobbing slow voiceless l,tluchmor e for

soothlng volce, never more to hear.

th e s a m e a t l l fl n n l fo rd V [a y h o me place after

death bedl

mushycheeks, out the naud.Iln

lTo one crled nrore than my nother l,flss Ill.a,

l n t o h e avi n g g u l p s o f a i ry

ov r n m other r

e x h a l e d a c r o s s G r a n d d a d ts

bed. ro o mo p e n l v l n d .o wa l o n g th e w indswept fur r ow r ows of the tltled borne on.

four

Mlss EIIa was hoiillng his hand.ln a death defyi-ng grip as lynna

Es t e1 l - e a n d e L f,l n

in thls

on borrowed time last

her s el f,

Nothing was ever

October 18, L9l+ 3 death dated'

this

s e n t i m e n t a l s c e n e r w o e - b e - g o n e ,b e m o a n e d ' ' T h e d . e a t h -d -a te g ri m-re a p e r

s wed.ding anniver sity , caae on Gr and.d"ad.r

H ar v es t

Mo o n t l m e , a J - so o a l -l -e dH u n te rt s Uloon, neani- ngfut event to hls Indian - bl ooded d e s c e n d . a n t s ( h a l f - b r e e d . s w l t h M a g g i e rs o b v i o u s p l - u r a l e t h n l c i t y all

appearance,

years). l o v l n g 1 y c a r e d f o r h i s b e d f a s t i L t s n e e d . et h e s e l - a s t l +

l es s a p p o i n t m en t-to -ke e p

d a yi ,'' was no r ed- Ietter

ro u s t a r d - y e t r o w co ro re d ca rtl u i

o alendar nailed

tr yst

This end'-

nar ked. r nom enton the

to the pantr y v,r al- l ( ' ' i fl ne- of-

advertiseroent for female troubles card.ul patent ned.icine was a free utilltarian ttgr een- ar ound- the- gir lstt lus cur ati v e dos e) ' wome n rs a i l n e n ts mo n th ry ma tu ra ter alcohol at an ear l y ageTh e ru *a y s a u ce *cu re n a ctu a l l y got gats hooked. on per fur oe decanter s on th ei r d'r es I a d ie s o f q u a l i ty fre q u e n tl y tcept a stash ln d.istilled', spirlccver terl-tate sers and then habituarty gargled. corogne to

/ scl''iNABUI,IST

Taylor

H e a v e n i y m o o n b e a n sc a s t a f o n d a d . i e u g l o w i n t o

tous breatho Iast

60

the'uvind-tossed

gasping wheeze from Bob Wlnniford going across the land he loved. so much

as his greenlsh-blue eyes locked. wlde-open, dead ahead view to neet eternity sternly

read.y.

T h e e n c h a n t l n g m o o n g l o wt h l s

particular

Iate nlght ride highllghted

Queenie as though in a center staged productlon perfornanceo dlppect

effect

cl o vsnth e g ra ssy shadowy open- alr

f telds lnto head htgh corn stalk fulL

g us hl n g f l n e cursion

(cur}y halr

ears had long oorn silks

had his

The bareback boy rider

as co rn sl l ks

gettlng

tralt,

saith

the blood

upon mentlonlng natural ringled" curls a rouse) "

took a flrm turn upon'the sweeplng knolt T h e u n p a tn te d . B e n to n p ra i rl e

in the w i ndy ex -

into knlts

negroid lnheritance

k l n w a g s a t t h e n e a r b y C o t c m e r c ec o l l e g e of cousin Dovie Lee, to see lf

flapping

owt Indian bushy head halr

th a t wavlngly knotted

ls a definite

r oute thr ough the c otton

r o w s w i t h K l l d . e e b i r d n e s t s o n t h e g r o u n dt

o f s a n c tp e b b l e s o R l p e n l n g r o a s t i n g

in the breeze,

The llmellghteC

The wheezy nightly

leailing across the pralrle

outing grasso

house loom ed pr omlnent ln the tur n- of- the-

nlneGeeath.century back6round., Young 5th cousin Donna peered out the chlmney s ide w l n d o w . full

S h e w a s o fto n fo rer r ar ned to avold. the dar ksom e phantom s hai l ow s ,

o f d . e m o n ss e n t b y s a t a n b u t c a l l e d . o l d S c r a t c h i n t h e s e p a r t s '

daddy Dale would scrape hls scratchlng flngers back.

Thls scared the devil

p u lou s u s e o f re l i g l o n .

out of the childr

nolsely

last

behlnd hls

so said. kin about this

B u t th e gosslpy tid- bits

Donn a a n d w i f e l vfa rg a re t ? h tl -Il p s

on the wall

Then,

got their

bor n of Il+ chlldr en

unscru-

swlpe onto fl edgLng in V' Iales . '" 'VeII,

he w as d'r aftet t h e sn l p p y t o ng u e s a vo u ch e d th a t Donna was not his ehild because D onna w as . i f , q "JsI e r v i ce si x-mo n th s o r so after the Br itish bir th; llttle in t o on the edge of the bi g t oo o l d . v r h e n a rri vi a g a fte r th e r .r ar tor n year s to live a negative opportunity m e a d o wh e r e i n T e x a s . T h e b u t t l n s k . v c r o w d ' n e v e r l e t

TayIor / sol,miagut.lST

6I

go untaken, ensnared, to nab nagglingly" all

The nabbing nags, snooping sisters

ln cohoots for

more lovr-downto

run-6.ovm, ho less even resorted to a backbiting sianderous swipe at mainline talebearer real

} , , { a m i }eV i n n l f o r d R o b e r t s o n a b o u t h e r o v r n a d o p t e d d a u g h t e r r s

slbllng

origlns"

be told,

fruth

and unspeakable personal for

g o o d .g r l e f ,

suckllng l,{ary Louise',rvasleft

G o t h e r c o n e u p p a n c eb t g t i m e Io these nany years con-

once from her ovln llk,

carped niggllng"

founded.incredibly

ahal

Seens stated scu+-tlebutt clearly

reputed

o n B u c k n e r O r p h a n a g ed o o r s t e p s v r i t h s w o o s h i n g -

o f - t h e - p e n n o t e , t r W l n n i f o r d R o s er n p l n n e d t o b l a n k e t "

l , ' l a n c i ej u s t

had to have

e e n s y - w e e n s yW l n n l f o r d . R o s e w h e n g o i n g a s m o r a l s u p p o r t v r i t h m e r c h a n t i l e s t o r e o \ ^ r n e rC l e o C a I I a n t o p i c k u p w a i f J e r r y t o b e h e r a d o p t e d s o n a t p r e s t i g e o u s DaIlas Buckner Home,reputable legallties

guaranteed.

T h e r e p u t e d . p a r e n t s o f o r p h a n l , ' t a r y - L o u l s eR o b e r t s o n w e r e d o u b l e - k i n c o u s i n Elmer Alexander, son of great-great UncIe Thonas Carroll l r f a r t h a ( h e r d a d H e n r y B a n t a r r , r afgl r s t

tax-assessor-collector

County and Confederate Captaln who travelled son lilaxwell Taylor

on way home fron

Yfar-Between-the-States

pneumonla)" Never detef*ted. any last remalns" buttons and fine

spot ever f ound af ter

sorrell

several family

h e r o w n m o t h e r l 'T a ry A xl e y S to ke ly- Taylor " l m . r n e di a te J_ayfte r

St ok e l y t s l i f e .

IS 3 6 B attle

Hunt

re-

subsequently succumbing of

Hls fifty

stallicn

when 3-lt Taylor

aII

gold-twenty-dollar

disappeared.

lTo burial

searches by resourc ef r.ilIy acclaimed. lvif e

L , T i z i . - M , t h e s o o n - t o - b e r u n o u n d d .r i c h e s t

Ta y lo r

of frcntler

w l t h g r e a t - g r a n d d a d M a n s o nl 6 a d l -

ported mlshap fe11 into PoIk County Arkansas river,

pieces, silver

Alexander and vrife

vridow in Texas, replacing T' ,far y$tokely

of San Jacinto

T h e te n l e a g u e land.hold.er Taylor

wed elder ly

or upstaging T honas P"

clalr ned. her hus band T honas

lef t I8l+5 tl!.ar y r ic hes t

w i dow

in Texas; two stokely daughters wed two Taylor brothers so'LTarywas mother-in-

62

Tay)-or I SOmlr''eULfST

law to thcse srown chlldren c lan o f n e a r b y Gre e n vi l l e

(then another Stokely daughter wed tc l{usbands

su e d . nir otherl' .{ ar y f or inher itance

gBn anC a fever clalned life the vrinCy airy nighttiine

stated. he vras kllled

rod.e, Story had lt

for all

the valuables,

Flashbacks retalned. the heritage aceounts galloping

a smaII fortune" t h is

r e d d l s h - b : o v y gQ u e e n i e s p e d a l o n g g a t h e r i n g

she was Just such a gooil-looklng steed that ny ancestor

nental nementoesthat J-M Taylor last

:'r 'arbe-

:l,fterthoughts swlrled ln

of the off-spring).

as pretty,

but Civil

through

r u n - i n - t he -h e a d .o agalnst the breeze, tr was easy to bear-in-nrlnd indellble

H e a d . i n gf a s t

happenlngs hereabouts on this

exoltlng

land.scape. The Jarring ride carri,ed

the tip-of-the-tongue

thoughts back off

l-ike souvenlrs to review, bethlnk.

A d e e p d u g w o I I l o o r n e df r o n t w a r d w l t h a I I tfuneIy occurrenoes, hitttng

tolc

its

cues to kaep-in-view former

Cousin lfemlets just deserts or unexpocted rebuke kept

of worcls uppermost-in-thoughts, word.-for-vrord ever said"

the trail

W eI I , a n y w a y , kl n sl vo ma n Ma rth a Bantat s mother illas none othar than X ,far tha W l nntfo16,

eldest sister

Wlnnlford,

my oi/n grandfather illlnniford.ts daddy vrhowas tlventy years iunior.

But th e b i g g e st, Louis e v r a s t h at niford,

t o n y g r e a t - g r a n d . r n o t h e rS a r a h f s h u s b a n d G e o r g e D a w s o n

b l a rl n g

d e cl a red. sor ely

about par entag a of I'Iar y -

swor n tr uth

co u si n E l n e r A l exancLer eepoused his

own 2nd cousln Loul s e W i n-

daughter of gr.eat-uncle Reconstruction $heriff

Norvell- Robertson Wlnniford II. town and county afflrmed. Elner wed of course.

PIus, the best julcy part of the talk-of-thehad affair

Adopti.on at the saintly

foundltng girl-nalf

of Dallas County,

with his new slster-in-Iaw" Baptlst

h o m ew a s o n l y o p t l o n ,

C o u l d . n ft leaving

on door stoop under covcr of darkness to avoid fanous face

be-lng gtcnt The adaptable darksome rtde retraced steadily

up renenbnance h1ll

Bast

63

TA,VIOT / SO}1IIAtsIILI$T

place ltlaimle once cwned and inhabited near

The Vlctorian

honesit,e HuII Hcuse.

I a n d e d g e n t r y h o m e s t e a dE. c k I e y B o x x , t h e G r a p e v i n e t o w n - b a n k e r b i l l i o n a i r e , stiII

ran llvestock

for tax red.uction purposes.

ner in the whole county, and lived

o n w a r d .t o l { a t t V f i l s o n i J e n t o n .

half-mlle

grew up along Echo l,ane on Boxx land after

Texas as babes via passenger train

1889, fleeing

brother Collins

on to Houston l,lledical Center for heart allment

caravan brought cousin CoIIlnsr

lmmedlate famlly

every slx months voyaging, trekklng,

moving, mlgrating

Iike kln

s o n l V e I c u mo r g a n l z e d . a t e l e v i s i o n

rid.e to oil

capltal

nomad.s llvlng

coverei

Houston turned wild west for

The Wllson delegation then camped ln ttfemorial Park those two

weeksrroughlng it

outdoors away from thelr

with lavqyerRov[ett

was a flucey attorney lege and a favolite

plantation

Collinsr

W i l s o n e n J o y e d .t h e o u t d , o o r l i f e s t y l e ; felictty

A cadillac

long stops always aIl

to vlsit

on the Texas Echo Lane dlrt road' C o l l t n s ' v V i l s o na n d . h i s t r a v e l l n g

annual rodeo.

Thelr

ranch neer Tulsa,

treatment (he owned big house in Houston there).

saltwater grass traiLdrive

Alabana

sisters

s u n - b a k e d .T e x a s ' rich

WiIson fronr his large-acreage cattle

gklahona vtsited. twice ycarly prolonging llfe

in blg,

also had.relatlves

ccning to

TB plague frorn Florence,

A l a b a r n aa l o n g w i t h r n y g r a n d m o t h e r l 4 a g g i e L a n d . t r o o p o E I I i s born betrothed men who all

bee win-

Wllson Baber, once the best spelllng

t o u r n e x t p a s s e d .h o r n eo f L u l l e r

The V/ilson sis+.ers all

The bareback sieht-seelng,

Not every

styled house.

daughter Irene 1lved. in marltal

of Texarkana, Arkansas.

Their d.aughter lera

Jean

d . r a m aq u e e n h e r s e l f , b e l n g t h e l e a d . i n p l a y s a t t h e c o l -

lvhlm of llnguist

Fred Tarpley"

r a n c h l a n d . g a v e .t h e r $ i l s o n b r o o d s c c i a l

status,

gentle whispering requast along with family

oil

okiahcna and down in Hcuston southeast ?exas"

Anyway, the oil

c o m m a n d i n gc l o u t

soaked'

at the least

c o m p a n yt h e y c o n t r o l l e d All

these first-cousins

up ln to my

64

/ S0I''INABULIST

TayIor

L a n d tro o p -Vfinnlf or d kept Echo lane an entr ancing, g rand p o t h e r l r } {a m,n a Wtr r a p t u r e d . c o u n t r S r s l d er b e t t e r m e r r i n n e n t t h a n f a i r y l a n d Each countrified

Disney amusenent park.

family cousin added an illustrous

fascinating

en-

soap-opera

s c e n i c g l a m o u r t o t h e o p e n - a i r a m p h i t h e a t r e p a s s a g e w a yr e l i s h e d . t o n i g l t t , of fl1lal

ed, full

Iife

supporting cast of

feats belng espled upon" The klnshlp

experlences, personal pageantry, amusing antics, this

Never knew wbat to expect rlding

ln the limelight-of-

a d.ress rehearsal

characters observed dreamlly was truly

fun festival

evcrlastingly

recalled"

r o a d . v ' r a yE. s p e c i a l l y ,

champion husband SIlis

1 { a t t \ T 1 1 s o n - . B e n t o n t sc o t t o n - p l c k l n g

savor-

cuz

B e n t o n n a n e d .f o r

s hare c l l n - 1 a w kL n , E II-l s h a d a br other Henr y Benton weilded to Beulah i Vl nnl for d.' d . a u g h t e r o f g r e a t - u n c l e N o r v e V f i n n l f o r d . C o z B e u l a h rs g i r l ried

a Boxx, tro less,

io e rc e c o l l e g e er for

mar-

of nelghborlng landowners; the hubby taught at the Com-

e ve r so o fto n .

Il e nr y Benton hir nself was a well- kncvr n photogr aph-

done assembly-Iine style,

school plctures,

of Texas. And he had a fortune

all

estate rentals

ln real

merce, plus bank accounts everywhere aII

over 95 counties thts

sld

neer the college in Com-

over his buslness terri.tory.

the inuchobserved humorous habtt or nervous-nellie gether like

VeImaElizabeth

tlc,

i{enry hai

rubblng his hand.s to-

Sllas Lfarner counting new-found gold coln stash while talking

to

everyday folks" E a c h a n d .e v e r y f o l k s y f a r m e r l l v l n g travelable

ntght were blood-related

parents as the entire proprietors,

paid in fult

Could view all- of Echo lane vista s we lte r i n g

survelllance

this

or at least branchvmter kln to my grand-

county knew. Atl

clear title

I'rithin inslghtful

land.-deed-holders for mlles were klnclred or lnheriteC estates for generatlons..

looking back over th.e left

w i nd w a s p u sh i n g th e night

tlne

naemor iesfar

shoulder" The

away and r tay bey ond the

p a n o r a m i c c o u n t r y s i d " e , o v e r l o n g r o l l e s t o ' , v a r d .t h e r e n o t e r o a d s t h a t t o o o f t o n

65

Taylor / SOm'laeul,lsT

go untaken, The hurryin6

e u e e n l e t o o k t h e o p p o r t u n e m o m e n tt o i u m p t h e s a g g i n g f e n e e . m . o u n t e dp a l r c r o s s e d t h e p r a i r i e

g r a s s i n t o t h e o i m l y c o v e r e d m e a d o w ,d e e d . e d

b y s h a k e y h a n < Lt o t h e ' l l l n n i f o r d b r o t h e r s , d . e d .f o r

d " r e a d e dd e v e l o p m e n t s a l e ( s e l l i n g

Iut e

laid. the

to trfagglets herltage blpol.ar wives could d.l-

bad blood, infused by way of inferior

teachlngs-only

goose that

the birthright

was unheard of possibillties

g o ) - C e ne g g o f a l l f e s t y l e

but not yet divl-

B o b rs b o y s t r u l y ,

s o u n d v a l u e s l e a rn e d . fro m lr { am .naw) " The gr een m ead.owhad ur aist deep w i r y

p r a l r i . e g r a s s , s o o n t o b e m o w e da n d b a i l e d i n t o h a y ( t f r e b u s y h i r e d h a n d s by th e vra g o n l o a d f or a dayr s wor k and fr ee f ood fr om l '4aggl ers

w o u ld . a r r i v e a n iple t a b l e

*

f a re

l ,fa mma rrt s g rub, good.cooking so d.oliclous vle tho ught w e

had dled and gone to heaven)" gladly

and eagerly came for

Tven all

free eats"

voices that would one day soon be n ow b l o w i n g

C o u l d "a k o o s t h e a r t h e w o r k - a - d a y s o u n d s

comlng here ln thls

b r e e z e b e c k o n e dQ u e e n i e r s a d e p t a t t e n t l o n .

Io ru e i l t h e s w e e t sce n te d a l r. o d . o r s i n t h e d . e n s eg r o w t h .

N ear by clover No nibbllng,

tr lf oliate

sod., beyond newl-y sown lesped.eza, soll

though, from thts

right

Her nose fol-

convenient brovrsing

i - m p r o v e m e n tp l a n t i n g s .

from the clornplng hooves, the slovr paced lndulgent trot

sparse scalded Dust rose freelJ

Queenie enJoyed in

She neighed contentment into the night alr'

The contented. palr over-groy'n wild astors, t o t h e 6 l l s p i a qte d nother sarah.

alr

legum es luxur i ated

and mare turned. brusquely toward a bare plaln,

The rlder

loose d.irt.

wlndy nlght

i n th e m'e mo ra b l -ebr eezes.

A cool whtfflng

spot.

the cantankerous cousln-kin, though.,

followed the duaL fuss-fence between the narrow space goldenrod. and sunflolrers slx feet

l ro n b rl d .g e on the r ight- of- way

tall,

aII,

right

up

d.onated by gr eat - gr and'-

paw s F o xe s o fto n d ra nk at the abr idged abuter oents vr her e mudd'y

TayIor

66

/ sol'iNABULTST

fresh smelly traeks,

never to tread. on the heels of possibl-e danger" aroma a)-ong the red.olent way.

1n pursuance, ln quest of, famlLlar iron brldge wtth

its

e n b a n k e d .o u t s k i r t s ,

purll-eus ccnfines,

bols d.rarc Ilnbs full

of green t?horgeapples.n

b o u . r t y l v E Sn o t r e a l l y

horsey-type food., thls

nomer from early

She was

The decayed

had lorr hanging

The poisonous nut-kernel a mis-

osage orange seed frult,

p l o n e e r d . a y a t t e m p t s t o d . i s co u r a g e s q u a t t e r s f r o m s e t t l l n g

into farming on ranching land ( thus, then, no dlrt-farmers

would stay,

tales got recollected

rustllng

s omin g y o u t h f u l

d i d n o t v , i a n tt o f o l l o w

Q , u e e n i ei n s t i n c t i v e l y

led into the hoed-elean f ielos,

b o yrs b ra l n

aIleyway, close f it,

by feed.ing the toxlc ball

settlement stopped),

of seed as food ,

The ofton told

folk-

from the thorny leafed. branches into the blos-

a s the contented. palr

am bled betvr r eenthe nar r ow

f enced fuss disputed land boundarles over-l-applng and.

gtadly belng passed-by"

T h e b a l m y b r e e z e r , v a sb e c o m i n g a h i g h w i n d r e f l e c t i n g

v rlt h e a c h s w a yl n g l e a f , T h e w a y w a rd w l n d w a s b l o vrl ng hot polnted topics

of r etr ospectlon

thr ough

the adJacent landscape belng regarded.. AdJolnlng land. to Farn-to-market highr a y 2 7j a t s h o r t c u t c o u n t y r o a d l + 7 9 9 d l s p l a y e d r o a d - k i l l b y t h e g r o s s nu mb e rs Il n e d . th e pavem ent abutting in g fl e s h

w a f te d . a p u ff

o f o p p resslve air y

caroasses on the converging road. h o u rs a l o n g t hi -s h e a vi l y ln the trees calllng

fulr es fr om the r cttenr

tr uck r oute

wher e the bir ds

to dinner tfuae meal.

sphere prcpelled. the tangent team about, pronto" looped the remanent burned-out shell D o w n W i n ni f o rd T ,o o pma i l -car r ier

Putrefaction

the landgr ant bor d.er s '

Carrlon crow caws alvlays f illed

tra ve l l ed

the flock

galore'

D ec ay -

gan€Sr enous dayti'ne

per ched hl gh

The putridly

stuffy

The horseback ride

atno-

next

of past kln homes' r oute sped. the si- ghtseer s this

ni - ght"

of her \Iazella land.troop Richard.sonts chinrney bricks marked the rone evld'ence

67

Taylor / soLngl'gul,tst

e x is t e n c e o f e ve r ti vi n g lyay.

EIIa for

of fuss fence bound.ing l'{i nni for d.

o f } , , l a m m a wdr s. i e d .f r o m b e i n g p u l l e d " p l l l a r - t o - p o s t

Thls sister

hellr s half

h e re a mlle ncr th

letters

four

of her glven Chrlstian

over

M o z e l l a n a n e d .m J

a c r e i n v r l l d - a n d - w o o l y O k l - a h o n af n d i a n T e r r i t o r y .

the last

all

Her husband Bob

nane.

was brother to Jean Eure Rlchardsonf s manl Iean was nlece to lnfamous Pink Dupree who purlolned field-corn m o ma n d p o p g r o c e r y s t o r e s a I I

roastln55 ears and peas to sell Tast Texas.

over north-eentral

o f t t r o r v e ts p l a c e , b u i l t

eontinued to the foundation outline

the produce to T h e T , o o pl a n e

1910 with wife

Lulars inherltance

from her grand.father Judge Lane of Paris,

Christnas Day I9f4

( s a m e d a y a s M a g g l e r s d " a d l n O k l a h o r n a )f r c m f r e q u e n t c h i l d -

lawsult

resulted

blood.Iine heirship

over establlshing

h o u se a fte r mc n e y f o r h e r o r,n rn

every oouslnshlp llne

Albeit,

fcr

her to get the cash

l Uaggiers scandal got star ted

Norve Wlnnlford becamethe authorlty very years experience'.

She died

A state-wide storled nelvspaper-coverage

compllcatlons.

bearing, stlllbtrth

Texas.

for

to divlde

the fam i l y

tha court because of his postal deIl-

the def ense big-Dallas

declared as hearsay.

After

Iauryer kept calllng

three-weeks of shilly-shaIThe

t y l n g o b J e c t i o n s , l f o r v e i g n o r e d . J u d . g e r s a d . d . r e s so n e m o r n i n g i n c o u r t Judge t h r e e t i m e s b tu rte d :

'fl fr, W lnnlf or il, you ar e being add.r essed'1 Ans w er or

else be ln contempt of courtt"

$orve quietly

in

His answer was, tDo you aean me; I have

his eyes and a gloat to his volce. o n ly b e e n t o l d . fo r

r e s p o n d . e da l a s w i t h a t w i n k l e

ye a rs my n a me l- s Nor ve l' ftnnifor d. so that

o n l y k n o w p e o p L e ts n a m e s a s t h e y t e l l

Ls hear s ay .

I

me.'tf The Judge promptly ruLed' Norve as

undisputed authorltY. Norvers long eharred outline had b e e n d e l i b e ra te l y

of a houge vras barely noticeable.

i l i g l n e ra te i lr The ar scnists

Firebugs, these sisters

were.

ldot the first

The home

v/er e his tlaughter s, f our .

housefire they set, either,

oT

Taylor

68

/ So?'{T.rT;\BTJLIST

the lest. Setaflfo

their

d a d t s h o u s o , d i s p c s s e s s i n g h i s v u i d o wl 4 i n n l e T a r r a n t

Clayton-Winnif ord whj.Ie visiting wood Box madefrcn nanr s laid

first

hcuse bullt

sold. Iots

witness there to Urbane Alexandert s marriage.

(Dren-

IIIlnols

of the township),

on that spot and friend

Cherry

PIus, the relic

,nantel of Drennen hcuse ln Springfield,

out stakes for

vras from first

her Flentucky klds.

The cherry wood.

Abe Linccln

visitecL as

T h e o h e r i s h e d c h e r r y w o o d .b o x

w a s h o w e v e r t a k e n b y U n o l e S a mw h i l e N o r v e l a y a c c r p s e l S a m g a v e t h e b c x t o sisters

,\unt T,ynna. The f our angry ripsnotter to the ground and four decades later keep-sake relics

lbrohed the place

retallatnd,

did the sane at Winnifcrit Yfay (other

had also 6ot high-heeled shces and Just walked.-off forever

' , , V r c n gdso n e o n m a n y l e v e l s l a y b e n e a t h t h e b r e a c h o f C h r i s t i a n

gone).

churched cousins

d o c e n c y w j - t h t h e f a m i l y b e c a u s e t h e T V I e t h : . d l s ta n d B a p t i s t hat e d t h e C h urch o f C h ri st

$ T a ggiets bunoh.

c c u s i n s c a r r i e d a p o l v e r fu I r i f t f o r e v e r t he c h i l l y

Good.nessgone a' dJ' r yby the godl y

soap opera style

blowlng ill-vrill

b reeze car r ied

night

r o e n o r y 1 a n e ts e c h o l n g c o n f i n e s ,

the hor se and boy far ther

blocked or clogged. byways.

large founclation

b l o c k s a t t h e e n d o f d . e e pr u t s

rainy flows over-reacning creek banks.

juttlng

dow n

fhe narrow path

of a once well-worn vlide 1ane led. to OId Parad"lseSchool house.

tutlon

in

f a ce o f th e l cy e ye s fr om the hot- alr - wlnd"- b1- ow1ng kino

T h e w l n d y l u tl tn g

outlineii

moral

The remains

causeil by erosion,

The ruined oId educational instl-

w a s n e a r r t l e a t h e r E y e s ' t S t e w a r t r s h o m e p l a c e f a c i n g F a r m l t f a r k e t R o a d '2 7 i toward Charley Cravenrs store at Hlgh\tay 11, going to Sulphur Springs,

e a s t l a n d C o m n e r c ew e s t w a r d .

That ploneer era schooling building

structed by frontiersrnen to eduoate and edify

thelr

B o b v v l n n i f o r d" vra s a co n a n u n i ty ser vice vclunteer ing

locaI ycuth. cltiz1fio

had been conGranildaddy

He ser v ei l on the

pollcy for county school board as president to chcose books and make

decad'es'

69

Ta;rlor I sol,itlanulrsT Always head hauncho, presid.ential, mergers consolldated. the nunerous tiny bigger d.istricts

for

as being lnferior,

ever, convlnced rhetorlc rube eontrolled.

ruinous federallsm

in tho name of better

countrifled

ordinary hard-worklng people.

W h o l - es c h o l a s t l c

on the vlne over nlght,

savvy provinelal

along wtth myriaCt pig-treck

out of exlstence soon thoreafter.

going work-brlttle

folk

personable

ballvricks d"ried-up witherlng

next generatlon,

molded m lndsr Sot slphoned far Big D.

Thls growing

'point remained for

ltlo amlcable focal,

movedto bustllng

away'

R as y

Dallas offered plentiful

and. seemlngly high-paylng Jobs lmmedlately, exchanglng good wages for citif

untapped, lnasmuch goi.ng unusedo

Gone forever was the elose-knit

neighborl-y beloved affable

e n J o y e d .b y a 1 _ l a g e 1 e v e l - s a t t h e s a m e t i m e a n i l e x a c t p l a c e . iz ed . d . e c r e e b a n i sh e d b ro th e rh o od. eamar ad.er le withal, para d i s e c o u ntry p ra l r!.c cheerful s t ag e o

sch o ol evea after .

c r a s s e s o r e n J o y h o m e - g r o w ns t t e N o m o re w o u l d . Io e a IIy

L y n n a Es t e l l e

stark

Ieavlng a homesick

t e d a n o m y m l t y , a n n i h l l - a t t n g o l d w a y c o r u n u n el t f e ,

wasteland of talent

for-

provid.ed

town villages

gathering communlty lif e f orce meetl.ngs. The youthful t h e u n g a l n l y fu tu re

style

actualIy

e n h a n c e d .b i g n e s s m l n d " s e t o v e r i n d l v i d u a l

particlpatlon.

hope for

llfe

backward goat-roper

deflnitely

a c a d . e m l cd i s t r i c t s

The varied ltttIe

true democracy in actlon for

social

tactlcs

Suoh self-serving

eclucation destroyed. the interpersonal

quallty

teachers lnto

schools with skllled

the ever-increesing tax base, coveted by the special

big spenders.

lnterest

, m i n d e dl o n g b e f o r e

he was, clvic

ur itten

lnteractlon

LegaL central-

vanlshed her e at OId

Stud.ents never agaln to attend' sklts

on the nel€ihborhoodlocale

pastor a) - plays and sylvan r eadl qgs that

p e rfo rn e d . h a ve a r eady pr oletar iat

foflr m.

Even lcla l far gar et

Taylor

70

/ sOlIl{ABtl'LIST

participated

i n t h e h o m e s p u nt a l e n t

to actress Jane ,flyman. The acting many on thls

began for their

startlng

Ilng

llvellhood

platform

contest,

' fb u g r r t s t a g e s t r u c k ,

settlng.

push early ln llfet

edifted

I e t t e r e d . p i o n e e r s w a n t e d .f o r t h e i r

a v r e df. a s c l n a t i o n

and. preachers got

Poltttcians

s slnrple staged performances.

l-ode was the typlcal- credlt

Nuturing hldden abillties

image d.ouble

she, the nlrror

given for

arena opportunity.

this

chlldrenr s grovring societal

llved. with schoolboard nembers, ofton tlmes wedding into the sohoolnar m usually

especlally

those famLlies.

to famlly

m. an n e rt o g e t to kn o w th e n e vu com er tsm or als and ethlcs,

gather l ngs , was the d.lrect

plus wheth er bei ng

E ve ryo n e was expected. to be taught via

I az y o r i n d u s trl o u sr

needs.

The teachers

Soclalizlng

hollCays and speclal blrthd.ay events.

goocl ex am pl e

t he v a l u e o f h a rd w o rk a n i l d o i ng onet s duty to heLp other s lvhen dlr e Lazlness ofton led to starvatlon

struck"

never apprectated |n these parts,

vrlstful,

s tr al ghts $Iackers

when shirking work load. wlshful,

muslngs as weIl"

t ' r t l s t fu l n e ss, w h e re a b o u ts u nr ffaver ing ar ound the ?ar ad ise r eslduar y sltuated

the d.ead-of-nlght bearings onto the almost forgotten

a m u s e m e n t sw h e r e E l I a

and aIl

un-

as the orlglnal

teachlng instruction

T h e n e e d . ew e r e m e t , a p t J - y n a m e d p. l a c e P a r a d i s e S c h o o l "

I r{e a l s w e r e s ha re d b y l n vl tl n g

G o d rs c a l -

gr ounds ,

homeland

her slblingecrossed creek effluence flowlng

t hrou g h b u s h y b a ckw o o d s w a l ke d on a long log over r aging water s to get ther e. y oung s t e . *ot-u l d

b a l a n ce l i ke

c o m p a r l s o n , th a t

o n e ti n e

perfornance featuring acts.

The tdyllic

th e y all

Rlngling

ar tists,

bey ond.

saw, vlev,r edwith awe, at near by C or nm er c e

B r o t h e r s , P , T . B a r n u m& B a l l e y t e n t c o v e r e d

ycuths learned to entertain

never being bcred or idle citlzens

f l - ying tr apeze. cl- r cus aer ial

on the wlde open airy

thamselves, inventlng games, spaces betng roamec by all

back then"

T h e s p a c i o u s p ra l rl e

l a n d countr y school enter tained

cLoseby la ndov r ner s

7L

Taylor / soTr,iNABL'l-LrsT all

actually

ed were the ereatlve bake sales for

day, purged, d.ueto casheiring hustle by

to this

remained lntact

vaoating gerrynandering device,

t hat

Very few purlieus

arcuncl old. Parad.lse morlbund envircnsrevacuated.

departed.

]'Toreover,most sorely abandon-

d r a m a s : w o i n a n l e s s - w e i l d l n g g ,c a k e w a l k s a n d

theatrical

M o s t m l s s e d .d e p a r t u r e w a s t h e s e a s o n a l f e s t i v a l s

local needs.

g o t r e p l - a ce d . b y th e d u l l

WPAD e p r c s g l cn E ra p u b l i o

all

r r l{ omeInpr ovem ent Demonstr atlons" put- on by

w o rks gcver nment pr ogr ams.

Sonetlm es, th e J eal ous

s p o k e s p e r s c n s l n g l e c l - o u t s i n p l e a u d l e n c e m e m b e r sa s e m b a m a s s i n g h o r r l d ampl e s f o r o ve r)" y-i l o l l e d -u p

l o ud- color s

coor ilinatlon

dressy present, cared tc get huffy-prlssy but t a l

wlth

su ch g u e st sp e a ke rs,

deerled ln thls

back-taIk,

The r ud.e, r ogulsh

gulse of personal ed.ification

s c a l a w a g I e c t u re rs

ex-

ltl o one,

too f Iashy.

to fuss ln publle rebad.- m anner ssel d.omgot

b e l n g u n d . o n eb y u n d e r h a n c l e d

( p u ffe d -u p d.enr agogs,lndeed') .

A dlsmal puff of alr caused Queenle to scale the fuss fonclng posts wlth ease.

fhe fine

choklng dust from long ago gaglng debrls settled

sharp stomping hooves. ln t h l s

Brushed.-up, suffocatlng,

smothering repressed. refuse

u r g e n t g e ta w a y u n co ve red. ashes and soot bur lcQ

T h t s h i s t o r y - c o me -a l i ve

tra p p l n gs

l-n ro v l e w .

d.andy deter lus

$w o o p e d d o w n , I d .l d., to gather for th

o f th e s l e e p y mi n d rs co b b -w e b s: the tr lnket,

things ar ti faat

fal- l- out

r i di ng

gewgalv, knickknack was a fai l ed'

cam eo br oach pln.

e t e h e d o n t h e scra tch y b a cksl d e.

Just beyonil that

c h f u nn e yb rl cks g re a t-a unt

m any a y ear .

fr om the back- wat er r eac hes

s wa t c h a t t a c h e d . to a d l sl n te rre d,

out li n e

for

par ad.eclthr ough tr lm m ings,

k e e p s a k e w o r th y, o o n ca a l e d " l n the allur lng

around. the

was cur s i v e } ' { OZflLLA obscur e find

?,.,r ozellaonce depeniled.on for

s ty l e

lay the fal nt dalt y

us e, due

ealled m os tl y , ol d' north o f l ; l a mma ws r kl tch e n w l n d ow to view ( l,loze, 8s she wac to s pi tc p l-a c e d . e l l b e r a te Iy b u rn e d -rl o w n by the suppr essed slster s- f our cous i ns

7z

Taylor / soi'nqttrulrsT or dash obvlous reninders

fb 1 :tb r a n n o yanees had their

T h e n c e f o r th , well- t r a c k e d . .

thereabouts). or igins

and obv l ous l y

Justifted

F re sh sa n d .y tra cl rs paced. for vr ar d fr on coon dogs r ecentl y

Unc le D u d . eT a yl -o r mo st ra i n

free nights.

Unk Duke was second son bc r n ex ac t

d. at e a s h l s d" a d .o n P re sl d .e n t Geor ge t/fashington blr thday ted. as a unity

r un by

22 Febr uar y r c el ebr a-

with nlne on 26th and cousin-aunt Ulsle 18 3'ebruary, on grand-

d. ad .sf d a y o f co u rs€ "

E ve n th e choice fox hounds gr and.daclnutur ed,

el ghty - odd

in n r r n a b e ra t a n y o n e ti me , h e gave away one dlsgusted. ttm ely hunt w hen fai 11n6 as expected them to do.

to trall

barklng sounillngs to

l
baying voice and.

Each hound had distinctive

on the long distant,

speelflcally

far

wlnding

ov er - g r o w n c r e e k b e d P u rsu l ts. The v es ti g e

round.ed.the grassy bend toward. the }ast

pursulng horseback rlde

o f g r a n d -u n cl e L u th e r Landtr oopf s passage tb.r ough these fani l y

J a u n t y h a u n t s.

A h u g e h e a rt

shaped car vlng

fi l Led

on the J.ar gest pecan tr ee s pel l ed

ttldaud.e,a bir d. sketcheil in fl i ght o u t l o n g a g o ch l l -d h o o d sw € e th ear t nsmesl one s l d e , w i th L u th sr L a n d tro o p pr lntlng abov e t h e d . a te d .ye a r 1 8 9 1 .|r

to

hewn beneath a l- ove- plus s y m bol

l ,fenr or lesftlled

the wincly r ide.

I remenber great-uncle lutherr s shocked wondernent faciaL expresslon th e p a sse n g e r tr ain

wh e n h e g o t off

she, being a clone ldentlcle,

traln, part

ln Cor uner ce. Aunt Lucille duplleate,

to her noother: yes, Br echo fascinlle

\ f am n r a w . G r a n d U n cl -e l u th e r

anil I m et the

repllcated. twln faced counter-

or exact photocopy of my awesome

e xclaimed upon flr st

viewing Aunt Cil- e and m e

t t O h , l - t a g ' 1 l i e y, o u a g e d n o t a d a y f o r upon debarking the pessenger car: chastising,

right Auntle

LuoiIIe

censuring, ay Jlltine

w a s a p l o a sa n try

her r n l n d , p t a i n l y bra ld . ,

, , t l p - f o r - t& P ,,,

sa l d ., to a II

dear },.{audB e yrd.at church house stepsl

to behold., enJoyed looking

eountenance recarr next 38 years after

belng

at noyMam m awst

Easter sunday L959 deroise. 01le spoke

connivfuig ag8lnst her r nother ' gave s eol di ng or u

w h e re a s to whoever : no m alar ky, none of that w her efor e

oaid e r d . a s h g u i re a l ro w e d . to vi l tify

in any way r ater

r .er lor y of hfam m aw . T he

7t

/ SohTNUBaL,IST

Taylor

menorable wind. vras blowlng the happy timos concepts to ny backside, gliding the landscape peacefulLy beyond the pecan groveo by the memorlal planted. natlve

rVind tossed Queenie glided effortlessly

papershell pecan trees that Norvell Robertson Winniford II

had lnstigated. in

The hund.redtree llned grove was memoralized for

l-860rs visits.

i n 1 8 3 0 rs h e f i r s t

state gold strike

attendecl as a young whlppersnapper to

g e t p r o s p e r o u s e n o u g h t o b e s o m e b o d yl a n d . e d g e n t r y r i c h ,

t her m e m o r a ll ze d th e I8 /+9 C a l l for nla

plus gold enough for

of hedge grown planted trees fur-

T h e a d . J a c e n tf o r e s t

his twelve sibllngs.

the Georgia

GoId Rush tr O wagon tr aln

tr ek

that

i n-

d e e i l m a d . eh i n w e a L th y e n o u g h then ln midd.Ie age to becone a gun r unner dur l ng Civtl

War years and, thus qualtfy

as Reconstruetlon Sher:iff of f,tallas County

A h a n d .c a r v e d . b o i s d r a r c p l a q u e s t a t e d t h e s e f a c t s ,

f etleral occupatlon days.

Queonle speclonwaril lnto the

now weather beaten, not eesy to d.eclpher. nightly

realitY,

breezlng along.

; \ v e r y s w e e t sme l l l n g lottering lngly

paired riders

pleasant airy

Thls drafty

whiff

b re e zy wind sound"eda str idency

into

current

prompted personal reflectlons

clearly

draftecl.

events being recalled.'

perfect mlndful pasture-fll-led

The surround.ing scene was captivating elenental nature of all

n e s s w a s g u s tl n g

The shock-

I{esltation fal-tered.

brlsk reallty.

the

iolted

o f f r e s h a 1 r a d . d e da n d c o l l - e c t e d l o v e 1 y s c e n t e d . , s e t t l i n g

shadowsto the picture

the internal

that

alI

retention, thlngs.

Iivlng

rhythnlcally

atuned to

T , o n gp a s t - d u e r e t e n t L v e -

th ro u g h th e moonlit moody gloam lng tlme.

Constant earessing gusts blew ever so sweetly calmlng ln the face. The barefoot boy with cheeks of tan lured hts htgh-horse arla-toned through the unllt

velled. nind. ecene, thls

trlp

o b s c u r e o r b s c r e e n e d m o o n s c a p e .A l l

ov er h e ? r a s ta n n e d b y th e w i n d , tr o sun- line

anywher e.

Sur ely as th ough s un-

bl us ter l ng the blister lng, bat h t n g t h e y o u n g n xa nw a s ta n n ed. br own- as- a- bean by ' Shad' oivseaught the m oonn igh t a u r a , hl s g ra n d mo th e r Maggie of ton obser ved

71

TayIor / sommEuifST

honmc

^n^a

monro

rhoqo

tie

elock

ond. again,

overshadowed. rival

way-off

ln

the

a hurrisone

f igmented figures

halt.

faod

oa?.a f^r

the

s prln t e d . I i k e .12

pass9bt,

Iand.ed lunar

played out. flat

outtng

Horse, boy,

their

aII

stud,

lone

for

rid.e eame to

the next

caLlint

forty

that

to

But, noi\t, tlne

f Ood, alvalted,

they

T hey

ever were before,

loud. calllng

bulI-bat

until illov-

tirrough the tlneworn eventiCe alr.

trotted.

their

dlpped

song being

to the nightly

accompaninient lnstatuquo

slnging,

atavlstlc,

The biatus horse, the interin

echoed. jaunty

The wee hours

liven

glory,

paradlse

winks recess.

boy atop, travetled. through the interval

s h a d . o w so f t h e r a p t u r e r e l ' l - e c t e d n i g h t

tlme, passed per the shaded appolnted

The proud mare pranced back toward the woodenfence,

s k y w a r d , n e l g h e d .n i c e l y

A nicker,

of

concur-

they

they were as one, across the effected.

glory,

These two riders

the zlnglng,

moonstruck scented.sheen"

the joyful

tarry

and soul

back toward. the barns.

stuff

hollovr caIl,

lts

regained., too soon ending, in thls

tiore.

full

the good, times

An occaslonal

the ground "

rnArc anrl the Vouthful

i r e a d .l i f t e d

Stalls,

moonbeans, a eompleted carol

blendecl Joy into J

aII

pristine

The bull-bat,

against

the

heart

of

together.

convening decree.

strutted.

b o u n d . e d .p l a l n o

the sllvery

stop,

restive

ticking

everywhere

being happlly

eIe-

the

w i a d thr ough the gold.en sheen of the nlgh t.

each rlde

shad.owsin

lnagery

the

thej-r

like

each otherf s eyes,

h eltl

Back to

mafeg,

surpassing

lng sllhcuette

across

tl me l e ss

th e ml rth fu t

interlude.

ln

fcrthelr

Tlne to rr:*rinato,

ru n o r h u r r y - scu rry

duII

lndependent

maintained. mounted fignents l,flrrored

next

the

awBy to

night

They traversed.

background..

Racing

reflections.

a m u s e d e n d m u s e d . ,p l a y e d . t h e

two;

v/as dependent upon tt.Through rently

race

conforttngr

pleased. into the wind fcr a long, good,

pesled a ringing

whlnny between then, alone, was a

7'

Taylor / $ot-tu;itsUlrsT

blnding tune, union avowed. mare, down the long silky trlcity

sparked-off,

stroll, steps,

flowlng ta1l,

N a k e d .a s a j a y b i r d

venlal verity

agilo,

Lithe,

then slld.-off

greased lightnlng

Iike

the alry

streaking

again, over and agaln. dewy sod.

Thls mldnight rider

atmosphere,

the back of the statlc

elec-

Hls chimera mare nelghed

the young fellow

gllded softly

upon the

the day he r,as born stepped he, a sashaying Iifuddyballs

notwithstand.ing"

the soil-ed soles went, leadlng to the cistern

Tdward the nearby clstern,

clinging

t o t h e C . a m pl n -

cupola.

the reposed boy approacheil"

Pulled the rusty

seasoned, screeching, squeeklng ohaln anchored from the ever squeallng, creeking pulLey centereil underside of the carved canopy" ration aII

covered.the top.

the rattle,

rac k e t

clatter

h€ did., fuII shut-eye'l, from

Fllnched not a bllnk,

Loud enougt

ln thls morpheus inspired olamorous chore.

t o a r l r la ke nth e d .e a d .. T h e bucket full

the depths, poured lnto

?he North Star conflgu-

the thin metal pail

of r ofr eshing over corn,

water emer ged fr om

spilllng

nothing.

of prevlously

soaked corn gralns, repast,

p l a c e d w i t h t h e n e w l y d . r a w nb u c k e t , f o o d f u I I .

The maresr teeth were too

t[e

nares the other vesse]- full

fragile

to eat hard unsoaked kernels,

w o r n t o t h e g u m s f r o m d . e c a d e su s e .

wards of the galloplng fun had comefull whlnny passed between the two forms. bare in the moonllt bathed starry

A solitary

circle.

revived,

r€-

Re-

fond. farewell

The pair parted, roluetently.

sky, the tlvo felt

Fed

lald from llfers

free,

vast materlal remnant wonders. Eenewal requisltioned. regularly" Awakenlng, sober life eyes.

requests passed sllently fast,

A neigh in the lunar atmospherefloatod,

prlmed newness tuoyed their

feelings,

fleetlng

forever.

pictured

a Il. the wcrld c ould. capture this

pretty

piece patnted pureoane to tlfe,

he was, from

f r o m t h e m a t e d .p a l r ' s past the tv/o. Prithee,

Primordial

what more in

scenic nlood? b portra it

his ehlldhood native Indiaa

TayIor

/ 3otit{UB/ilisT

dreams.

76

U n c l " o t h e d "l n h i s d . r e a m s c a p eb o r n e p o r t r a i t u r e ,

upon the enllven earthly

sh a d o w su d .d .e n l ywashed clear

A s ilh o u e t t e d

cane calllng

FuIl reall-ty

tock ^..

Nurle, this

vitalized

T h i s s t a r k n a k e d .b a r e b a c k h o r s e r i d e r

cleansed.

but stlll

scene.

was in hls nocturnal

tick

tick,

rnovement

the hidden ir i€c.- .iingf ul r noonbeam s .

much too soon from deep withln

the lueid mind, awash tock, tlck

tock,

i { a s h e d .c 1 e a n , t h e c o u n t r i f l e d drawn design upon the surreal

slte

vras an etchlng on the menory painted,

noment: Kafkaesque buffed,

g lld e d h o n e b o un d ., e mb o d .l e d .,b u ff Dad.a, DaIl . reverle.

sleepwalker f eIt purient

c h l m l n g t o t h e p e n d . u l u mc l o c k i n s l d . e t h e b e d r o o m . :t l c k tick,

grown

he stepped fuII

The sprlnglng steps strolled

The nudlst

then

M ovl- ng unavm r es, he r am bl ed i n

backward toward. the house with four

mighty long porches, a slmulated sleepy tramping, treading slow pace. Backvrardeach dew-drop fllled th e n i g h t

s leep v u a l k e r l e ft

the hot alr,

b a c k 1 n t h e b ig h o u se , Ilcho Lane ttself . carefully

the steep gallery

far

lnto

f ootprint

gong

the ovor s hadov r ed. The bo.vre-stepped.

u p t h e w i d e b r i c k r , r n ) . k v r a y "A l o n g

elevated viev,r, perched eyes follovred as he exited the

the airy

p et d o g R u b y sti tl

Tlme was runnlng out with eaeh striking

Echoing, these two slowly separated"

b u m p k i n i s h f a r mya rd . a ro n a , behind. lnto

Nlckerlng resonance, crylng

V l Jrl n n l ng echoes str alned

into each identicle

This

nag at the second.- hand.go- r ound, of the c l oc k

lnto the vrlnd for more,

gong, trelehlng gently neighs, ftlleit

tl n e

s t e p m o v e d ,l n t o t h e d a r k s o n e s h e l t e r .

T h e d.epar tur e left

alL anim al od.or ousn es s r eek l ng

cllmness. Tralpsed onward anon, he did., over favorite

n a p p l n g vrh i ne ( chaslng r abbits

over gr ave in sv' r eet d'r eam s

d o g g y h e a v e n pa ra d .i -se, o f to n c oinmentedir yise- wives- tales ) "

7?

T a 5 '1 o " / , S o } ' 5 \U B IL IS T

The departlng sleepwalker withdrew glazed-eyed into Backward steps into

house tovrard the decorcus metal bed.

e d a r e - r u n m o v l e b e i n g r e w o u n d .o n t h e r e e l - o f - I i f e future

late

steps ninhtly.

This well-tlned

parade pretense for a

through a fast-forward

The observed scene ccntlnued slow

back into the beckonlng bed.This bloke went

noti-cned on ttne from horso lot prone, reposed fully

kerplunk with a muffled thud fast

m o o n b e a m so v e r w h i t e t r u n p e t e d J i n s o n b l o o n r s b u d d e d f o r t h

globose prickly

ln the lunar cast"

th ri ve d . th e u sual appolnted showy time away,

Jimson blossoms stretched thelr seed pods for

asleep"

over the landgrant place, Bathet

beckonedaII

A muffled nlghtshade reallty

i , f id n l g h t f l o w ers

the domicile reflect.

Retraced, rearward, went these

sleep-suspended rlde

a deep seated need.

tlme-Ij-ne fulfilled

kerplop,

at wlII.

showing time, recalled

the steamboat st-vled

The l l ght

nightshade spurteil growth sustance fast another fitting

hued lnto

opportune go-round cycle.

The

blooro of youth was stanped upon the tanned cheeks of the boy, impressed, pressed.

Flowerlng stanens halled

r o o r n e n t ,b r i e f l y ,

i n t h e s c e n t e d d . r e a m ya i r .

s u s p e n d e d . ,i n s i n u a t e d . i t s e L f divested themselves, f ltfully, ments past, felt

the night away.

really

The mares

d e n u d e d . ,s e p a r a t e d f r o m t h e s l e e p l n g b o y " l ' f o -

C e n t a u r c a s t i m a g e s , f l o r , v e da p o t u r d i n g f o r c e n e v e r f o r g o t t e n $horn, they were of each other al

same exact tlme, always SO well released. temporarily" T e n p o r a r y n a ke d se e n fo o tp r lnts

led beside the ir on bed.. Into

d l n g c o l l a p s e d t h e b a r e f o r m , e x t t a u s t e d . ,f l a t A glazed. contentment settled intc

caught the

This dream ti.ne, true,

dismantled from the nearby horseg"

ccursing through the viens of horse and boy" this

Shadedreality

upon the visage.

a deep sleepr glassy molded knell

inhand folCed. gratifled restive.

The tired

lncllned,

resting,

ttr e bed-

face fTozen.

Job vreII-done countenance cast

of sllence.

The torso lay bare.

Hands

over the heart posed ln an Egyptian sarcophagus mod'e,

a n d . d . u s k yr i d e r

stretched., sinugly, reflexing

naturally

Tav] or

/ sol,n:ttIgALIST

7E

p leas e d w i t h hi mse l f " the big toe, Achll]es

Ii e i n sti n ctively

heel touched., held the transient

goodo fnsinuated,

up really

aligned. the r ight

always b e c a m e d d Jb vti a l l Over and again, this

s u g g e s t e d .n i g h t l y

lnto

f oot cr ad " dl ed. betw ee: reality

actlon,

dreamed

the dreamy tirne

o ve r agaln ancl again, midnlght horseless horsenan slept

the sprightly

sem-

phantcn: phobic shad.yspeetor, he awoke refreshed, yet aI

blance awayo fn this

t u c k e r e d . - o u t ea o h mo rn l n g fro n tbq stag. Jaunty Jaunts.

Sunr ise conrl ng anev r ed.,

renew e d , t h e d.re sse d .-u pd .re a mswer e an aild.r essed r ehear sal exploits

firmly

pro ove this

strlpllng

scion or Jesting

for

futur e

r eal i s ti t

Jockey to llve"

The eventide d.uskd.ressing apparel was always at a mlnlmal need for C l o th e d " o n l y ln gllstening

dream y g o o d t l me s.

these

dew, the lawns ar ound the hul k l r

house contained happy accoutrements, resldue resplendent,

of all

erous sporting fun the boy and the mollycoddled mares constantly

the splend.iftruly

enjoyed

( t l r e i n d u } g e d , d a n d . yn l g h t n a r e s w e r e n o n a g g l n g n i g h t m a r e s i n d e e d , e v € r ) o hot s u m r o e rb r ee zy ce a se l e ss sl e epwalklng went on night after week without

Thr

r ,v eekupon

night,

e n d a n d mo n th s f o rever mor e, mlnd. boggllng bold.ness.

f h e n i g h t w i n d b l e w fu L l -moon mad.nessthr ough the bedr oom, pea c eful l y quiet,

stirrlng

m e r n o r l e sw i t h a c r l s p

cutting

A n o cca si o n a l devr - d"r opdr ifted

f lowin g

v a p o r s.

house.

D a r n pm u d - b a l I s f r o m t h e s t r o l l l n g

down the oriental clearly thls

carpet.

cast in fuII

really

eilge to the surrcuntling stlll thr ough the dar k into

soles clung

T h e w e t i s h b l a o k g u r n b os o i l

lnprlnted,

tracklng

Tomorrowrs proof of

g o o d n i g h t r s e s c a p a d e s l a y l n g r a l n e d . l n t h e r n u c hn l r e d t r a c k s t o b e l l l essy r eality

cam e cal) - ing ver y fast

bac k to the

la n d o f d r e a r n s, a w a ke n l n g th e e ar ly mor ning day- br eaklng senses fully " serenade truly

Realized truth ti nes

on

held each footprint

view as remindlng remanded evidence.

s e e n b y t h e w h o l e h o u se h o l d .

shining

the l ar ge

savored.the flrst-llght

erovrlng roosters.

vrasrousing avray the sleep induced activlty.

w e r e b e i ng sp i e d u p o n b y blaclc loving

]'{oonl l t

eyes ln the d.ar k after

All all,

the good. T he

TayIor / sot'1{ue{Lrst r l o r i n c ' m ^ ' n o nt g 9 9 .

got

.:^b

79

preserved.

guardian

shad.ows, watching,

ln

shared. exper ienees.

angle eyes.

power of nature forcefully

the

mn f h o r ' l r r q h i o l o l n g Her observing

vlewpolnt

recognlzed

old

lad.y stooC

wi_ndstorn herself .

pulllng,

calling

v

the beauty of this

eyes saw beyond the naked truth

nq{r.aA fullyr

experience llfe

lasteC

the night

Reniniscences

were the reallty

Dld grand.nother about Iife's presunptive best of this the

all,

being

nater'ial

grammar ternologr"

the female equlvalent

ed her orunself role inore to

be quite

the

The native-Arneriean chlef

f or his

ln a crib

for

Indian

Nlammaw left

blood-llne hls

observing the beautJr that

salr1 the dear him heir

after

accounts.

storled

grandmother

lynna TsteIIe),

usage by sister

amused

hapoened.. But

observed. night

detail

a male to caII

nieht, rrllarnmawr'r

("|,Tinnie-naawn

knor,vingly appreclat-

' u r a st h i s

night-of-nights,

of piacing

an lccn-doII

never

sane agaln"

fnCian

blood.-line

of a boy lnfluenced

had a f enale replica

always

the vrondercus glory

she told. him every speciflc

unlm-

reaIlty.

recalled

experlences.

where all

A Smlle,

experience.

memento f cr nenoirs,

cherlshed

to her legacyland

manuscript InClan

Miz Winniford.

being d.isturbed,

events wlthcut

and decades to cone, this

nlghts.

strolllng,

of the somnuballst

cafa keeplng memOrieg of a llfe-tinre

Grand-

aIl

nlght,

,J.

und.erstood the need to

the

She knew

visitation.

a n r r q h a n a z r ^ 6 i v e C t h e d a r i n g m . o m e n t u mo f t h e s h a r e d l n s t a n t . Ir'v4

in

This l,lammaw'.rTlnnifordhad once flo'wn

r , \ 7 a ? l ' h o c r a h lg f l h c u s e t o p S i n a m l g h t y r u s h i n g flrsthand

An

of Indlan

custon

early

heritage

roots

subtly.

maiden rrl',flnnie-ha-ha" placed. in

hand-made d.uplicates are high artistry

and Iast

for

generations.

of a

A girl her crib..

child The

R . G . R . ? a yl cr- vV l n a i fo rd . ) ' ) 2 2 M o o re D ri ve T e x a r k a n a , T e xa s ? j 5 O-)_ 3 2 25 (Ro b e r t G e org e R a n d .o l p h T a yl o r _W lnnif

&o

or d )

TI13 CSIIT-{I]F.SO}IG T h e g o l d , e n h c r s e ' s h e a d .n e l g h s n y w a y _ Only we need understand I rode the fie1Cs rvith her A a d p a s s e d .o v e r t h e p a s t u r e s ; Yet never touched. the nane, The nantle of her glory; -{nd never touched. her heart, The force of her race. 3ut we rode together Thrcugh the reed.s and the clover. ' r T el o oke C

o n e a n cth e r

l n the eye

And saw the same reflections She and f must ride Ttll

the hitt s anri nrairles,

tirse plays out,

And Ionger Cays pess us by ; ' f i t h t h e w i n d sw e p t p l a i ns.

(These lyrics

are the words to the nlghtly

song sung by boy and horse)