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)