Moon Shadows - Two

TWO



         Three days later Rose listened to the quiet as it settled around the house.  No howling winds, no draft to blow the curtains, just quiet.  She opened the front door that led to the living room and looked out.  Everywhere she looked it was calm.  The leaves of the trees barely rustled in the faint spring breeze, but everywhere she looked dust had settled over everything.  Everyone joined her in the doorway and stared out at the stark countryside covered in dust that almost buried the cars and other farm equipment.

         The dust came up to the threshold leading into the house.  Rose only knew where the porch steps were by the railing that stuck up out of the dust.

         “Well don’t let’s just stand here staring at it, we have work to do,” Ma said.

         Over the past three days they had done what they could to keep the dust out of the house and take care of the livestock.  “We won’t be able to use a broom on this, Ma,” Rose said.

         “No, we’ll need shovels and everyone helping to get this cleared away,” Ma said.

         “The first thing we have to do is get to the livestock and make sure they’re okay,” Pa said.

         “Come on Artie, let’s take care of the livestock,” Joe said.

         Artie was more than willing to help with the livestock as he followed Joe through the dust.  It didn’t take long before they pushed their way through the dust as they waded as if they swam through water, to the barn.

         “We’re going to need to clear the doors before we can get inside,” Pa said.

         Rose watched her brothers and Pa make their way to the barn, before her attention was drawn back to the porch.  “Rose find the shovels and let’s get the porch and steps cleared,” Ma said.

         For the next couple hours Ma, Rose, and her sisters helped clear the dust from the porch and steps.  Charles worked to clear the dust from around the car and farm equipment, while Pa, Joe, and Artie cleared the way into the barn.

         Ma took stock of the porch and turned her attention to the inside of the house.  “Rose, get the broom, Alice and Eleanor get the dust rags and let’s make this house presentable again.  The bazaar is Saturday and I want to get as much as I can done ahead of time,” Ma said.

********

         Inside the barn Artie and Joe worked to get the cows milked, get the barn cleaned, and give them feed, as they pulled hay from the loft.

         “Pa, can I take the car later for the FFA meeting at the school?” Joe said.

         “The meeting is after evening chores, right?”

         “Yes, this is the final meeting before the election of officers.”

         “Who’s running?”

         “Well Jim, naturally, everyone expects him to win, and Harvey Winthrop, and a new boy who just moved here, Gerald Young.  He started with our chapter at the beginning of the school year.  No one knows him, so I don’t expect he will be any competition for Jim, but Harvey Winthrop could be, both are well liked, but Jim has been putting a lot of effort into his campaign.”

         “I’ve seen Mr. Young at the Cattlemen’s meetings.  Nice fellow.”

         “I don’t know a lot about him except he’s a hard worker, helps out whenever and wherever he can.”

         “That’s a good thing asset in a person.  Could give Jim a good run if he’s so helpful.”

         “So can I have the car?”

         “Right after chores are done.”

         “Thanks, Pa.”

         “I’m going too,” Artie said.

         Joe headed to the section of the barn set aside for his heifers, and went in to take a better look at them.  Artie stayed outside the stall and watched as he looked over each of them.

         Pa followed.  “You got some good looking heifers ready to drop.”

         “Yeah, mating with Jim’s bull, Moonshine was a good move.  His numbers are right on the money, and I expect good stock from him, especially since Moonshine has won some hefty prizes in the past couple years.”

         “I agree.  Moonshine was an excellent choice for your heifers.  Whose bull did he use for his own heifers?  I heard he didn’t use Moonshine.”

         “He used him but he also used Baldwin’s Southern Comfort.  He used Moonshine for half the heifers and Southern Comfort for the other half.”

         “Did he talk to anyone before he used Southern Comfort?”

         “A couple people, why?”

         “What did they say?”

         Joe looked from the heifers to his father, a concerned look on his face.  “From what I heard it was all good.  Why, you got some different info on him?”

         “I might have.  I will have to look into it.”

         “I hope it’s nothing serious, because Jim hopes to win some prizes from the calves sired by Southern Comfort and Moonshine.”  He looked over his heifers.  “I should see some calves in the next couple days, there are three ready to drop.”

         His father looked over the heifers and nodded.  “By this weekend is my reckoning.”

********

         Rose helped get the house cleaned.  There was so much dust from the storm she didn’t think the house would ever look the way it should.  “Ma, are you going to wash these curtains?”

         “No, but they do need to come down and taken outside for a good beating, just like I used to do to the rugs before we took them up and put them in the attic until the drought is over,” Ma said.

         “You want me to do that now?”

         “Yes, then we can scrub the windows.  Eleanor, get a bucket with soap and ammonia and we’ll get the windows clean.”

         For the rest of the day the house and yard got a good cleanup.  When Ma was satisfied she started work on supper, and found she would need to get more ingredients for her pies for the bazaar on Saturday.  She would need to make them on Friday.

         “Rose, go find out if we can go into town yet.  Tell Pa I need supplies for the bazaar.”

         Rose finished hanging the curtains she had just brought in from outside.  “Yes Ma.”  She hurried outside and found her father on the tractor and the boys in the fields.  “Pa,” she shouted to be heard.  “Ma needs to go to town.  She needs more supplies for the bazaar.”

         Pa turned off the motor and pulled out his pocket watch and noted the time.  “Tell her it will have to wait until tomorrow.  It’s getting late and the Mercantile will be closed soon.”

         “Okay.”  She turned and saw Joe looking over the field and went to him.  “How are the heifers?”

         “Pa says there should be new calves by the weekend.”

         “That’ll be good.  How many do you think?”

         “It looks like three are ready to drop, the others will be soon.”

         “Can I go see?”

         “How about I show you after supper before I go to the FFA meeting.”

         “Super.”  She hurried from the fields and back into the house where she found Ma in the kitchen.  “Pa says it’s too late today and will have to wait to tomorrow.  Joe says there are three heifers about to drop.”

         “That’s good then.  Put on an apron and help me with supper.”

         As soon as supper was over Rose went with Joe out to the barn where he showed her the heifers about to calve.  “We’ll see new calves by the weekend with these three.  The others are showing signs, but not yet, maybe by the weekend.”

         “You’re going to get some good prize money for these, won’t you?”

         “I hope so.  I gotta leave.  I have FFA tonight.”

         “I wish girls could belong to that.”

         “Maybe someday they might, but right now, it’s for guys only.”

         “And that’s so unfair, as unfair as dad not allowing me to work in the barns with the cattle and horses.”

         “I’ve been talking to him.”

         “Well, talk more.  I want to know how to take care of the livestock same as you and Artie and Chuck.”

         “You better get back to the house.  I have to go.  I’ll be back right after the meeting.”

         “Jim’s running for president isn’t he?”

         “You like him don’ cha?”

         She blushed as she looked down at her scuffed up shoes.  “I need new shoes.  I hope we find some at the bazaar on Saturday.”

         He looked at her shoes and his boots.  “We all need new shoes.  My boots are really beat up.”

         She turned from him and gave him a backwards wave before she ran for the house.  “Have a good meeting.”

         “I’ll say ‘hi’ to Jim for you.”

         She blushed deep red to her roots as she ran through the door and into the house a few minutes later.

********

         “Rose did you hear me?”

           “I’m sorry Ma.  What?”

         “I want you to help me with the pies.  Take this bag, and be sure to keep the end of it closed so the dust won’t get into them.”

         Rose took the bag that contained three pies stacked on top of one another with a pie plate covering each one so they wouldn’t get crushed.

         They had just parked the car in the school parking lot.  The weather had held and promised to be a good day for the bazaar as they headed into the school which had a banner announcement alerting everyone to the church bazaar.

         “The reverend has been busy, I see,” Ma said.

         Pa held the door for his family to enter.  “With the banner we should have some good community turnout.”

         “The ladies aid has been busy getting everything set up.”  Ma headed for the tables laden with food for sale, and took her pies out of the two bags, and set them down next to some breads and cakes, removing the pie plates so people could see them.

         “What are you going to sell the pies for, Ma?” Rose said.

         “I was thinking a quarter each.”

         Her youngest sister, Alice, came running up to them as Rose finished setting out the pies.  Her golden curls bounced around her head as she ran.  She had an eager look on her small face, her gray blue eyes eager with anticipation.  “Can I get a peppermint stick?  Clara is getting one.”

         “Of course, let me give you a penny.”  She looked at Rose.  “Would you like one too?”

         Rose took off her coat, and set it on a nearby chair.  The gym was warm from the ovens that were turned on to warm the food brought for the luncheon and bazaar.  “No, I’ll wait until the food is ready.  What did you make for the luncheon?”

         “I made biscuits and gravy.  It’s in the pot your Pa brought in and put on the counter with the rest of the food.  I should probably go warm it up though.”  She looked through her black patent leather purse with the short handles, found the change purse and gave both her younger daughters a penny for the candy.  “What about you boys?  What would you like?”

         “I want to see if there is a good pair of boots,” Joe said.

         “Good idea.  Yours are getting worn.”  Their father heard him as he came up to them after putting the food on the counter.

         Their mother looked at the state of his worn black leather boots.  “Most everyone’s are.  Though, I don’t think there will be any shoes to be had at the bazaar.”

         “Since when have we had a bazaar without the Mercantile not donating some of its goods for an easy sale?” Pa said.

         “We’ll look,” Ma said.

         “I need some too,” Rose said.

         Rose looked at the people who entered the gym until her eyes located Jim Koelling.  A smile spread on her face until another person blocked her view.  A frown replaced the smile as she remembered the last day in school before the doors closed for the duration of the drought.  That memory still burned the recesses of her mind.

         “Hey chicken legs! Bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk, bawk.”

         She whirled on him, her face dark with anger.  “I do not have chicken legs.”

         “Chicken legs is a scaredy-cat.”

         “Bobby Baldwin, I am not a scaredy-cat.  You take that back right now, or I’ll --”

         “You’ll what?”  He sneered as he stared at her.

         “Robert you will apologize right now to Rose, and then you will both go in and sit at your desks until the bell rings,” the teacher said.

         Rose thought it unfair that she was forced to go inside, but said nothing as she hung her head and hid the smile on her face as Bobby was forced to apologize.  Though she knew he didn’t mean it.  He never did.  As soon as the teacher’s attention was directed elsewhere, he would do it again.  And he wasn’t the only one.  Ever since their trip to the Grand Canyon a few years back he had been unmerciful to her.

         She shook her head to clear the memories and noticed her mother already looking over the other tables of goods they could buy.  She ignored him as she went over to see what there was and saw some electric razors along with some metal die cast toys for boys, and board games -- Monopoly, Sorry, and Scrabble.

         “Hey, Scrabble, maybe you should get that and learn to spell.”

         Rose whirled around.  “I’m an ace speller Bobby Baldwin and you know it.  I spelled Pleistocene in the spelling bee, you couldn’t even spell pulsator.”

         “You don’t know what it means though.”

         “Do you know what it means, mister smarty pants?  Do you?”

         He scowled at her, but said nothing.

         “I didn’t think so!  It means ‘The earlier of the two epochs constituting the Quaternary period, characterized by sedimentary and glacial deposits and fossil remains which include present-day as well as much older species; the system of rocks of this epoch.’  So there!”  She stuck her tongue out at him and went back to looking at the tables.

         “You looked that up after the bee.  You didn’t know that before when you were given that word.”

         “You didn’t know it at all, so there!          What do you want Bobby?”

         “Don’t call me that.  My name is Robert.”

         “What do you want Bobby?  If you don’t leave me alone I will tell somebody you’re bothering me.”

         “You do and I’ll tell everyone what a baby you are.”

         “I am no baby.  I was ten years old when our families went on that trip, and you tricked me.  I was alone in that cave for two nights while you did what?  Sit in your hotel room laughing about the fact you left me there alone with squeaking bats and that storm?”

         “You said you weren’t a baby, but I proved you were, chicken legs.”

         “Stop it, right now, or I swear I’ll wipe that stupid smile off your face.”

         “Chicken legs has a flat top.”

         Rose blushed scarlet as she pulled the burnt orange print blouse across her chest and emphasized her small chest as she looked down at her legs.

         “What’s going on here?”

         Rose looked around and saw Jim.  His tawny eyes had a hint of anger in them as he took in the situation.  He looked good in his jeans and blue faded button down shirt, better than Bobby in his.  Their eyes touched, and she felt the heat of his gaze on her.

         Bobby saw the looks between them.  “This ain’t none of your business Jim Koelling, or are you coming to her rescue again?”

         Jim looked with disdain at Bobby Baldwin.  “It’s my business if I make it my business.  Now from what I could understand Miss Bradley doesn’t want your company.”  He looked at her for confirmation.  “Am I right or am I interfering as Mr. Baldwin indicates is the case?”

         “Miss Bradley?  Her name is Rose, and you’re interfering because I say you’re interfering, and it’s Robert to you.  What are you?  Some high and mighty person you can’t talk like the rest of us?”

         “I can talk whichever way I please.  At the moment I see a pesky fly trying to bother a pretty flower.”

         “Huh?  I ain’t no pesky fly.”

         “You’re right.  You’re the manure I spread on the crops just yesterday.”

         Rose gasped.  No one talked that way to Bobby Baldwin.

         “You think you’re somebody because you’re running for president of the FFA.  Well I’ll show you!”  Bobby stomped away from them a scowl on his face.

         Rose laughed at the sight of him and the great putdown Jim had given him.  “Thanks.”

         “You’re welcome.  Is there something I can get for you?  A glass of iced tea maybe?”

         “You are baffling Jim Koelling.  You come to my rescue at the oddest times.  I didn’t ask you to.”

         “I know it.  Did you want an iced tea?  I have a couple pennies for it.  We can both have one.”

         “Sure why not.  It’ll taste better than the dust that’s in everything these days.”

         “Even if it’s in the iced tea, it should go to the bottom of the cup.  I’ll be right back.  Will you still be at the tables?”

         “Yeah.  I’m just looking at what everyone brought.  It’s all interesting and exciting.”

         “Good.  I’ll be right back.”

         Rose watched him hurry off to the kitchen counter where the food was being set up for the luncheon.  She was pleased with his attention as she saw Alice with her honey gold hair so like her mothers, her head bobbing with every word she said to Clara as they ate their peppermint sticks in a corner near the tables where everyone would soon eat.

         She turned her attention back to the table loaded with everything imaginable.  Everyone worked hard for that one day a year when they would be able to show off their talents with cooking, baking, and sewing at the annual church bazaar.  She remembered the family that had left on Sunday, and hoped they were able to get away ahead of the storm.  She remembered they were going to sell all their furniture in the bazaar.  Instead it was piled in the back of their truck when they left.

         There was also the county fair at the fairgrounds in the summer, and then everyone in the county would be out.  She enjoyed that as much.  Her oldest brothers, Joe and Artie, along with Jim Koelling would both have livestock for the FFA and 4-H judging.

         She almost laughed when she saw Bobby off in a corner by himself sulking over his wounded pride.  He would never make fun of her again when Jim was around.

         From the look of things, Bobby would lick his wounds for a while before he attacked her again.  She also laughed about his attack with her spelling.  He was the last person who would dare do that.  What she would never tell him was that she had looked the word up after she had correctly spelled it and won the competition.

         “So I see you got into an argument with Bobby Baldwin,” Joe said.

         She looked around to see him and behind him Jim with her iced tea.  “You saw?”

         “I saw the way Jim put him in his place.”

         “I’d do it again.”  Jim held out his hand.  “Your iced tea.”

         She took it from him a blush and smile on her face as she gave him a coy look.  “Thanks.”

         “Well I can see I’m de trope,” Joe said.  He turned to Jim before he left them.  “I want to talk to you before we leave about the election of officers.”

         “Sure, I’ll take any tips you can give me.”

         “Hey, speaking of which, did I hear Bobby threaten you?”

         “Nah, he was just spouting off.”

         “Good, because his father is the biggest breeder in the area, he’s on the board of directors, and he’s running for Vice-President of Cattlemen’s.  You don’t exactly want to get on his wrong side, tread carefully around him, especially if you have ideas of being president of the Cattlemen’s Association someday, as you’ve said many times.”

         “I also know his father is a fair man.  I don’t think I have anything to worry about,” Jim said.

         “Don’t go getting off all cocky.  That’s what gets people in trouble.”

         Rose looked between them concern in her hazel eyes.  “I know Bobby Baldwin.  You really don’t want to mess with him.”

         Jim studied the two of them, weighing what they said.  “You let me worry about the Bobby Baldwin’s in this life.  If he messes with me, it will be his last time.”

         “Just don’t go doing anything stupid or you will never be president of the FFA or anything else,” Joe said.

         “Don’t worry.  I won’t do anything stupid.  I promise.”

         “Can I have everyone’s attention?”  The minister broke into the conversations going on around the gym.  “The food is ready, but from what I’ve seen outside, the wind has picked up again.  I don’t know what this new storm will do, but we don’t want to get stuck here.”

         “Those dust storms ruin everything,” Rose said.

         Jim, Joe, and Rose went to see what it looked like outside.  Another dust cloud filled the horizon.

         “It doesn’t look as bad as the one on Sunday,” Joe said.

         “Any dust storm is bad news,” their father said.

         Joe looked around and saw him along with several other men who had come to assess the situation.

         “Rain would solve this problem,” one of the men said.

         Nods of affirmation were seen as they watched the horizon before they headed back into the gym.

         “What do you want to do Pa,” Joe said.

         “I think we aren’t in for the storm we had this past Sunday, but it will be bad enough.  I need to speak with Ed Koelling about crops.”

         “You worried about the oats we planted, Pa?” Joe said.

         “Haven’t had a decent crop in three years with the way the dust storms take the seed right out of the ground and blow it away with the wind.  It’s next to impossible to plant with these storms.  Though, I won’t give up trying to get the other crops of hay, wheat, and rye planted and some rape seed in the ground and corn before the end of next month.”

         “My father was going to look for you too,” Jim said.

         “That’s good then.  We should probably get back inside and not worry about something we have no control over,” Pa said.

         They watched as their father went back inside and turned to follow, but watched the dust cloud for a little longer.

         “You know I’ve almost a dozen heifers ready to drop.  If we can’t get back to the farm today, I could lose a few good Shorthorns, and not just the heifers and calves, but those that aren’t could easily get mastitis from lack of milking,” Jim said.

         “Surely you won’t lose them just being away from the farm for one day,” Rose said.

         “You might live on a farm Rose, but you don’t know all there is to know about cows, heifers, calving, and milk fever.  Those cows could die if we don’t get back tonight.”

         “It’s not my fault Pa won’t let me in the barns to help,” Rose said.

         “He’s right, Rose.  Say, Jim, if you need any help, just let me know.  That’s what I’m here for.”

         “You have heifers of your own ready to calve, and nobody’s around to do your milking.  Losing even one is a loss you can’t afford.  Now if my dad had a ranch the size of the Baldwin’s, we wouldn’t need to worry.  Somebody is always there to take care of things.”

         “You got that right.”

         They all turned to see Bobby behind them a smug look on his face.

         “I hope you get that smug look off your face permanently,” Rose said.

         “Rose,” Joe said.

         She looked at him and back at Bobby.  “One day you will go too far, and I want to be around when you get what’s coming to you.”

         “What’s coming to me is only good things, just be mindful of that, Miss Rose Bradley,” Bobby said.

         He turned his attention to Jim a satisfied look on his face before he laughed at them and went back inside.

         “Rose, if Ma or Pa had heard those comments they wouldn’t have been too happy with you.”

         “I will not back down from him.  I’m not his rug.”

         “At any rate I think we’ll all be all right.  As dad says, we need to just calm down and trust God.  He’ll take care of everything,” Joe said.

         “Besides, your father will know what to do.  They’re his heifers more than yours,” Rose said.

         “They’re mine.  I’ve been raising them since I started in 4-H and FFA.  I’ve won some awards, and I’m still hoping I can get some awards with the calves at the county fair.”

         “Well, all I’m saying is that we need to trust God, that’s what Pa always says,” Joe said.

         “Yes, he will.  You’re right Joe.  God is the only one who will look after our livestock when we can’t.” the minister said.

         “I didn’t see you Reverend,” Joe said.

         “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation, as I came out here to see how bad it is.”

         “From here it doesn’t look like it will ruin the bazaar, but it will cut it short,” Joe said.

         “I believe you’re right.  This dust storm is far different from that black cloud we saw on Sunday,” the minister said.

         “But still it is nothing to take for granted,” Pa said.

         They looked to see him as he came to join them in the doorway of the school.

         “I was delegated by your wife to come find you.  The food is ready to be served,” Pa said.

         “Music to my ears, and my stomach,” the minister said.

         Everyone laughed at that as they made their way back to the gym.

         As they made their way over to the tables on the far side of the gym their mother looked up to see them.  “I was wondering where you all were.  I was about to send out a search party to find you.”

         “We were just looking at the storm coming,” Rose said.

         “How bad is it?” Ma said.

         “We’ll get home, there is nothing to worry about,” Pa said.

         The minister stood by the counter where all the food was ready.  “May I have your attention?  We’ll pray and then we’ll have some of this good food provided by the women of our congregation.”

         It grew quiet as everyone turned their attention to him.

         “Father, we ask your blessing on this food we are about to partake, and let it be nourishing to us just as Your Word is to our souls.  In Jesus name, I pray, amen.”

         Amen’s was heard from all over the gym.

         Their mother turned to them.  “Your father paid the nickel for each of us to get something to eat, so take your ticket and a plate and get something, and I don’t want to see any of it go to waste.  Is that understood?”

         “Yes Ma,” they all chorused somewhat together.

         Rose took a gray melamine plate with a white flower design on it and what looked like handles indented on either side of the plate to hold it decent, from the brown weave basket, and went over to the counter that separated the gym from the kitchen.  She gave her ticket to the minister’s wife and helped herself to a little bit of everything offered, and a good slice of the chocolate cake.

         When she got back to the table she found Jim and his family seated across from her and Joe beside her.  Clara sat next to Alice and the two girls soon had their heads together talking and whispering.  Inside, she was happy with the seating arrangements, though she knew her pa had probably arranged it since he wanted to talk about the crops with Mr. Koelling.  She had butterflies in her stomach at how close she was to Jim with everyone around.

         “So Rose, I understand you like our James,” Mr. Koelling said.

         “Now, Ed, stop that.  Look at the way she’s blushing,” Mrs. Koelling said.

         “What, she’s of age.”  He looked at Rose.  “How old are you now, Rose?”

         “Fourteen.”  Her voice was quiet as she blushed.

         “And our James is sixteen.  I know he has championed her for a long time now, in fact I saw a little of it a bit ago with that young man, son of the Cattlemen’s Association Vice-President.  What’s his name?”

         “That would be Bobby Baldwin, and his father’s not the vice-president yet.  He’s only running,” Jim said.

         “So he is.  I just keep thinking of him in the role already.  He wears it like a badge of honor,” Ed said.  “That would be, Donald Baldwin’s son.”  He turned his attention on Jim.  “I’m proud of you son.”  He took a bite of sandwich before he continued.  “Anyway, it’s obvious when she’s over that she takes to him and him her.”

         “You are as tactful as a bull in a parlor,” Mrs. Koelling said.

         “I hear you are a big help to your mother,” Mr. Koelling said.

         Rose looked at Jim before she turned her attention to her plate.  “Yes sir, Mr. Koelling.”

         “Rose has been a big help to me since they closed the school doors because of the storms.  She helped me with the canning last summer, and helps care for the younger children,” Ma said.

         “Hey, I hear some people are getting ready to pack it up and leave for better pastures,” Ed said.

         “Yeah, I ran into a couple and their family on Sunday.  He’s pretty bitter about what Washington isn’t doing for us in this drought.  I almost have to agree with him, though it’s not the government we need to rely on, it’s God our Maker.  He’s the one who supplies us with rain in season, and the seed for the fields.  I’ll be sorry to see them leave, you just don’t get nowhere just running away from your troubles, they have a way of following you about, but there’s no talking to ’em.  So I say let ’em.  I ain’t budging.  I ain’t letting no dust storm make the best of me.  I’ll see this to the end, and then we’ll see what’s what,” Herb said.

         “I feel the same as you.  I’m not going anywhere.  Everything I got is tied to my ranch, it will take more than a dust storm to blow me away,” Ed said.

         “What we need is somebody in Washington to come out here and see the situation firsthand.  Then we might get the action we need, and something will get done.”

         “The boys in the FFA are working on a solution,” Joe said.

         “You boys are doing a good job there is no doubt about that.  We need more people like you willing to try to make a difference, instead of just talking about it all the time,” Herb said.

         “My Ag teacher, Mr. Blakesee, says it’s all in the way we take care of the land.  He said it didn’t start being this bad until everyone started cutting down the trees and planting more fields.  With the trees gone, there was nothing to stop the wind from taking the soil with it and spread it over the whole U.S. of A.  He says if we plant those trees again, it will improve conditions,” Joe said.

         “Your Ag teacher is smart, but is he smart enough to make a difference in what we’ve experienced for far too long?” Herb said.

         “He said there has to be a way to keep the moisture in the ground and keep the topsoil from blowing away in a slight wind.  The winds we’ve had blowing from one end of the state to the other, is ruining our land.  He’s got a solution and I think people should listen to him instead of just shaking their heads and walking away from him,” Jim said.

         “I agree with you.  I’ve had occasion to talk with him, and he’s a right fine man, and a good one for the job of teaching you kids about agriculture.  It will only help you in the future,” her father said.

         “I’ve made this drought and the solution a big part of my campaign for president of FFA,” Jim said.

         “Say listen Jim, like I said earlier, if you want some help with your campaign I’m ready to help in any way I can.  I know you can never get enough help, and if you got on Bobby’s bad side, it could cost you some necessary votes,” Joe said.

         “What’s this about getting on Baldwin’s bad side?” Ed said.

         “He was bothering Rose a bit ago over at the tables, and I told him to get lost,” Jim said.

         “Put him in his place is what he did,” Joe said.

         “You be careful son.  You don’t want to mess with the Don Baldwin’s of this world.  He might only be running for vice-president of Cattlemen’s, but he’s the biggest breeder in these parts, and what he says, pretty much goes.  If he puts his mind to ruining you or us by your actions today, he will not stop at anything to achieve his goal.”

         Jim looked across at Rose before he answered a twinkle in his eyes as he put a forkful of casserole in his mouth and turned his attention on Joe and his father.  “Someone had to put Bobby in his place.  He’s been mean to Rose ever since I can remember.  Joe, I’ll take any help you want to give.  I’ve already campaigned hard for your job.”

         “Looks like you’ve campaigned just as hard to win Rose,” his brother said.

         Jim looked at his brother, and saw his eyes on him and Rose.  “What are you saying Ted?”

         “I think it’s pretty obvious what your brother is saying,” Ed said.

         “Okay, okay, all right, Mr. Bradley might I have the pleasure of courting Rose?” Jim said.

         It was out, and though Rose was more than pleased by the prospect, she still blushed and would not look at him or anyone.

         Her father put his fork down and looked at his daughter and her mother, then at Ed.  “I think it would be good, if it’s what Rose wants.”

         Rose looked at her father, a hopeful look on her face.

         “I knew it.  She’s been mooning over him for ever so long,” Chuck said.

         “Quiet, Charles,” Ma said.

         It was quiet for several long seconds.

         “What about it, Rose.  Will you be my girl?” Jim said.

         Rose put her hands in her lap, kept her head down and then looked up at Jim across from her.  He sat there beside his brother Theodore, otherwise known to everyone here and about as Ted.  Her eyes took in Ted’s expectant look as a grin creased his freckled face, before she turned back to Jim.  “Yes, I would like that.”

         “Whoopee!”  Jim was out of his seat and twirling his cowboy hat in the air before he took his seat, having met a lot of interested stares before he did so.

         Rose was embarrassed and pleased by his reaction.  She also looked around the gym and saw attention on them, though they didn’t know the reason for it.  Her eyes caught Bobby Baldwin’s, and she grinned at him, lifted her chin just that much, and turned back to Jim, a smile on her face as she accepted what her heart wanted.

         “I want you all to know that no matter what, Rose is not getting married before she’s eighteen, and will not be in your company without a chaperone,” Ma said.

         “Acknowledged,” Ed said.

         “Now that we have embarrassed these young people enough for one day, let’s finish up,” Ma said.

         “I agree,” her father said.

         The minister stood up at his place at one of the tables.  “I know that a lot of you are concerned about the new storm coming at us, and about your cattle.  It’s a concern of all of us.  I heard a couple of our young people talking before we started to eat, and I want to speak to you for just a moment about another time when someone had to trust God for what was rightfully theirs.”  He could see he had their undivided attention.  “A long time ago there was a young warrior who was on the run from the king and made to look for work wherever he could.  His profession before he became a warrior was a shepherd.  His name was David.  You might know him, and the king he ran away from, King Saul.  Well it was the custom in those days that when someone did a good turn for another, they took care of that person’s needs.

         “Well during sheering season David’s men guarded the sheep of a man named Nabal, and made sure nothing happened to them while Nabal’s men took care of the sheering.  They did that because there were bandits around who stole the sheep.  David’s men were considered outlaws, but not the kind who stole other people’s property.  They were outlaws because King Saul hated him and thought David wanted his throne and meant to kill him to have it.

         “When the sheering was completed David sent word to Nabal about the way he had protected his sheep from harm while his men sheered the sheep, and asked for compensation, which like I said, was something in that culture that was expected when someone helped another in anyway, asked for or not.  Nabal refused to supply David and his men with provisions.  David got angry and purposed to kill Nabal, but Nabal’s wife Abigail, did what David asked without her husband knowing.  When Nabal found out, he got angry.  David had provided a service, and he wasn’t willing to do the courteous thing.  The Lord struck him because of his foolishness, so David didn’t have to.

         “You might all be asking yourselves what taking care of sheep has to do with the dust storms we are encountering.  It’s this.  Just as God took care of David and saw to it that he and his men were taken care of through Nabal’s wife, Abigail, He will take care of your livestock too, if you will put them in His hands.”

         “I’ve already lost cattle,” a man said.

         “Many of us have lost cattle,” the minister said, “but He has still provided for every one of us here.  Not one of us has gone without in these three years.”

         “We come close, Reverend,” a man said.

         “So did David, but God came through for him, and when Nabal found out what his wife had done, he got angry, but the Lord struck him for his foolishness, preventing David from doing so.  God will always provide a way for us.  For those of you who don’t know, Nabal means fool.  Be careful that none of you acts foolishly during this time of tribulation.  We need to keep our hearts and minds on the promise that God will take care of us no matter what the situation we face.

         “I would remind you of the sermon I preached a few weeks ago about how Isaac planted in famine and he harvested a hundredfold crop, while everyone else who didn’t rely on God didn’t have any harvest.  We face the same kind of situation here with the dust storms.  We all know that the storms take the seed from the ground and we have to plant again, but perseverance and faith will see a harvest when there shouldn’t be any, and if any of you have any doubt, just look at what you brought to the bazaar today, both to eat and to sell.”

         Rose thought about her father’s perseverance for the past three years.  No matter how hard the wind blew, he never shook his fist at the heavens, but went back in the fields and planted more crops.  Their reward for the past three years was that they hadn’t gone hungry, not once.

         She looked over at her Pa.  “He’s right.”

         “Yes, he is,” Pa said.

         It was quiet as everyone talked among themselves about what the minister just said.

         Someone came into the building.  “It’s getting dark out.  If we’re going to get home, we’re going to have to leave now.”

         Everyone went into motion.  When they finished eating, her mother took their plates into the kitchen where other families were already cleaning up, and waited her turn with the dishwater.

         Rose wandered over to the tables where a lot of goods still waited for someone to take notice.  She went over to the quilts, and saw that there were still some left.  She looked through the small stack and found one she liked a lot.  “How much are you selling the quilts for Mrs. Herndel?”

         “One dollar and fifty cents each.  Did you want to buy one for your mother before I put them away?”

         “No, I was thinking more of for myself.”

         “So that’s what James Koelling was whooping about just a moment ago.  Congratulations.”

         “Thank you, ma’am.  It won’t be right away, and he only asked to court me.”

         “But it’s never too soon to start collecting for it,” her mother joined them.  “Which one did you want?”

         “The red and blue one.”

         “Since it’s for your wedding day, don’t you want the white one with the rings on it?”

         “Maybe, but this red and blue one are my favorite colors and the blue is the color of the FFA.  I know Jim will like it, if we get married that is.”

         “From what I heard and saw, I think it’s only a matter of time.”

         “Not before she turns eighteen.  I’m putting my foot down on that,” her mother said.

         “Tell you what I’ll take it and add some extra things for it, make it extra nice,” Mrs. Herndel said.

         “Thank you.  You make some of the best quilts around.”

         “It’s not hard, it just takes time, and everyone has a little of that at sometime during the day.”

         Her mother paid for the quilt and Mrs. Herndel took it and lay it aside to give to her at a later date.  “Thank you.  When you have it ready, Gertrude, I’ll pick it up.”

         It didn’t take long before everything was packed up, the gym cleaned and all the tables put away that had been used for the bazaar.

         “You sold all your pies,” Rose said.

         “Yes, it didn’t take long after we had everything set up.  You didn’t look for any shoes though,” Ma said.

         “No, I had a run in with Bobby Baldwin.”

         Rose looked up to see her Pa come toward them.  “If you’re ready, it’s time we got out of here.  That storm is almost on top of us and if we don’t leave now, we’ll be spending the night here.”

         “I’m ready,” Ma said.

         “I know I’ll be happy to get back to the ranch.  I worry about my cows whenever I see a storm heading our way.  I lost two cows last month.  I can’t afford to lose any more, and with the heifers ready to drop, it makes it more of a concern,” Edward said.

         “Jim was saying as much before we ate,” Rose said.

         “And with good cause.  If we lose even one cow, it will cost us more than I even want to dare think about,” Edward said.

         “I’ll be more than happy to help in any way I can.  I told Jim that,” Joe said.

         “And I’m mighty happy for your help, Joe.  I know you got your own cattle to see to,” Edward said.

         “Well let’s be on our way,” Pa said.

         Rose was more than ready.  The trip to the farm took about half an hour.  As they passed barren fields, she could see how the topsoil had been ripped from fields and carried away.

         “It’ll be a wonder if we can get the oats to grow with this.  These storms just don’t give the seed any hold on the ground,” Pa said.

         “Even the trees don’t have leaves on them yet,” Rose said.

         “They’re starting.  It’s just hard to see the buds because the dust covers everything including trees,” Joe said.

         “Is that couple we saw Sunday with the two girls, really packing up and leaving, Pa?” Rose said.

         “They left when we saw them leave the parking lot.  I saw their farm the other day.  It looks abandoned.  They heard there is better land in California,” Pa said.

         “I heard about more people who left when I was in the Mercantile Thursday getting supplies for the pies,” Ma said.

         “It’s a shame.  The crops have been real bad for three years now.  What rain we do get ain’t enough to wet the ground,” Pa said.

         “I know that me and the other boys in the FFA are working at ways to solve this problem,” Joe said.

         “You kids have good heads on your shoulders.  Between you something is bound to happen,” Pa said.

         “I know Jim is working on it.  He’s going to be a good president for FFA next year,” Joe said.

         “You’re sure he’ll be elected what with what he said to Bobby Baldwin?” Rose said.

         “He’ll be elected.  Nobody has done more for the chapter than Jim.  He told me once that he intends to go all the way to president of the Cattlemen’s.  If he keeps going the way he is, I have no reason to believe he won’t make it someday,” Joe said.

         “And I’m going to be his wife.  I was never more embarrassed.”

         “You know Mr. Koelling.  He speaks his mind.  He’s not the only one who’s seen the way you are around James,” Ma said.

         “Yeah, she makes those moon eyes at him,” Chuck said.

         “You just wait until you start mooning over a girl,” Joe said.

         “Yuk!”

         “Give it a couple years.  I guarantee it, you will start looking at girls in a whole new way,” Joe said.

         “You ain’t,” Artie said.

         “You just haven’t noticed because I have more important things at the moment.  FFA is taking all my time, and you should be getting your Greenhand next fall.”

         “So who are you sweet on?” Rose said.

         “That is none of your business,” Joe said.

         “I seen you talking to a girl from time to time.  Is she the one?” Artie said.

         “Who?” Chuck said.

         “It’s none of your business,” Joe said.

         “It was Betty Hanover,” Artie said.

         “Betty?  Really?” Rose said.

         “Who’s Betty?” Alice said.

         “It’s nobody’s business,” Joe said.

         “I can’t believe it.  You’re blushing,” Rose said.

         “Leave your brother alone.  He’s well old enough to think about dating a girl,” Pa said.

         “I’m not dating anyone,” Joe said.

         “We’ll just have to see about that,” Rose said.

         “We were talking about how good a president Jim will be, not whether I’m seeing anyone,” Joe said.

         “I agree with you.  Jim will make a good president.  I know if I could vote he would have mine, and I know the other’s feel the same way,” Artie said.

         “Well, we’ll see when it comes to the vote at the end of the month.”

         “If what you said about Bobby Baldwin doesn’t affect it,” Rose said.

         “If I help him, and we steer clear of Bobby Baldwin, it should be all right,” Joe said.

         “If he tells his father about what went on today, there will be more than Bobby to worry about.  There will be his father also,” Pa said.

         “But I thought you were good friends,” Rose said.

         “We are, but that doesn’t always matter when the family is involved,” Pa said.

         “And Jim did set him in his place,” Joe said.

         “You’ll still have the meeting with all the dust storms?” Rose said.

         “We’ll have it.  Nothing will keep us from taking care of business.  We are the future of farming.  With the way things are right now with this drought, if we don’t find a solution and soon, there won’t be any farms for us by the time we are old enough to farm.”

         “By the way things look right now, there might not be any farms left if we don’t get rain real soon,” Rose said.

         “It’ll rain.  This drought can’t last forever.  We’ll get rain, and when we do, we’ll be ready to make a difference,” Joe said.

         “I hope you’re ready to make a difference before that, if it lasts too much longer,” Pa said.

         Rose looked out the back window.  “Pa the dust cloud is almost on us.”

         “I been watching it.  We’re almost home.”  He pulled into the drive for their farm.  The fields looked barren despite the fact they had replanted the fields as soon as the storm ended.  The red barn looked brown with the dust covering it, and the white two-story farmhouse had dust caked on every window ledge and the top of the door.  The plants or what would be plants along the front of the house were also covered in dust.

         “Let’s get in and get everything cleaned up.  It’s hard to believe that I cleaned anything before we left.  There’s a layer of dust over everything again,” Ma said.

         “Boys, the cows haven’t been milked.  We were gone longer than I expected.  We can’t have them losing their milk or getting mastitis.  We also need to see to the hens as soon as the cows and heifers are taken care of,” Pa said.

         “If we can even find the eggs,” Artie said.

         The dust cloud barreled across the farm leaving layers of dust everywhere as they got out of the car and they rushed to the barn and the house to get out of it.

         Rose felt the dust cling to her as she rushed up the stairs.  She felt it in her hair and wanted to just get cleaned up as soon as possible.

         “And don’t worry about cleaning up until the house is cleaned either, Rose Marie,” Ma said.

         “But my hair, it’s got that dust all through it.  I can’t stand it.”

         “It’ll be the same when you’re finished with the cleaning up, so you can wait on it.  First we get the house cleaned so we can make a decent meal,” Ma said.

         “Yes Ma.”  Rose would much rather fill the tub in the room set aside for baths and take a long soaking bath and think about Jim’s proposal, though he only asked to court her, but that always led to the boy asking the girl to marry him.  A smile curved her lips as she thought about her being Jim’s wife.

         Ma opened the door to a fine layer of dust that covered everything.  “Just look at this mess.  We were only gone a few hours and the house looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in a month.”  She looked around at her girls.  “Rose stop your lollygagging and find the broom, Alice and Eleanor, you find the dust cloths and start wiping everything down,” Ma said.

         Rose headed for the broom closet.  She was so sick of dust everywhere.  Every day she prayed for rain to end all this, and every day they either got a cloudless sky with a glaring sun, or a powerful wind that took the clay and dust off the fields and left it all over everything in the house.  Though outside was worse, but at least they didn’t have to do much more than dig out, they didn’t have to wash the car, tractor or the equipment down at the barn, just get it out of the way so they could work.

         “Rose Marie I am not telling you again.  Get that broom moving in there,” Ma said.

         Rose looked from the broom to Ma, saw the frown on her face, grabbed the broom and headed to the back of the living room and started sweeping.  She ran a finger over the side table next to the couch.  A layer at least a quarter inch deep in dust was defined by her finger impression.

         “Why do we keep doing this if we’re just going to do it again tomorrow and the next day,” Rose said.

         “We do it because cleanliness is next to godliness, and I said so, that’s why,” Ma said.

         Half an hour later Artie came in with a hatful of eggs.  “Ma this is all I could find.”

         “Put it on the counter.  I thought your Pa told you to help in the barn before you checked the eggs in the henhouse.”

         “Joe and Chuck are there, he told me to check for eggs.”

         “Thank you, now get down to the barn and help your father with the milking.  Have him bring up a nice pitcher of it for supper.”

         “Yes Ma.”  Artie did as he was told and was quick to leave the house. 

         He disappeared out the door just as Rose got the dust swept from the living room into the kitchen.  They had long ago taken up the rug in the living room and put it in the attic until the drought was over.  She was glad she didn’t have to clean the attic, though she was certain the attic was nothing but dust, since they hadn’t been up there since the storms started.

         “You know what we need to do?  We need to get upstairs and clean that attic.  It must be a mess and I don’t want to think about doing it when this drought gets over.  I’m certain sure that some of this is coming from there every time the house shakes in the wind,” Ma said.

         Rose looked up from her sweeping.  “Ma you’re just too uncanny.”

         “Why, because I saw the way you eyed the floor and thought of the rug that used to be there and the fact we ain’t done nothing in the attic in three years.  I think we’ll get started on it tomorrow.”

         “But --” Rose said.

         “No buts, Rose Marie.  We’ll start on it at first light, now just get the rest of this floor swept and then get the windows.  I’m going to clean the kitchen and make something to eat.”

         “I want to eat something without dust in it,” Rose said.

         “We all want to eat our food without dust, but that ain’t gonna happen before the drought is over, now get going or we’ll never have a house worth living in,” Ma said.

         “I wish I were a boy,” Rose said.

         “No you don’t.  Look what you got to look forward to.  You’ll be marrying James Koelling in a couple years,” Ma said.

         Rose had a dreamy look on her face at the mention of Jim, but there was something more immediate on her mind.  “Hey Ma, if I get all my chores done early on Saturday, can I go to the picture show?  They’re playing a Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire movie.”

         “I’ll give it a thought, but you won’t be getting the chores done while you waste time thinking on other things.”

         It took the better part of the day to get the living room, dining room and kitchen cleaned so they could see through the windows, and eat without layers of dust all over their food.          Eleanor and Alice came into the kitchen.  “Ma we got the dusting done, come see,” Eleanor said.

         “Good, now I want you to take the couch cushions outside and take the old broom to them until you don’t see any more dust coming from them.”

         “But the wind is blowing dust around out there.  How are they going to do that?” Rose said.

         Ma shook her head.  “I forgot.  The wind is always making dust fly, I forgot about it for a minute.  We’ll just have to wait and do the couch cushions when this storm dies down.”

         “It could be a couple days for that to happen,” Rose said.

         “I’m well aware how long the dust could be flying through the air.  Okay, don’t worry about the cushions.  If you’re all through you best get cleaned up.”

         “Listen to it.”  Pa came in after the milking and barns were cleaned and the cows and horses were seen to.  “That wind is picking up again.  It looks like I’m going to be in the fields planting seed again when this blows over.”

         Artie and Chuck followed him in the door hitting their hats against their legs before they hung them up on the peg beside the door.

         “How many times have I told you boys not to do that in the house?  We just got the house respectable looking.  Get the broom and sweep that dust out the door.  Where’s Joe?”

         “Aw Ma,” Artie said.

         “Do as your Ma says,” Pa said.  “He’s gone over to the Koelling ranch.  He has some FFA business to talk over with Jim, and he wanted to make sure his heifers were okay.  You know Jim was really worried.”

         “I don’t blame him.  How many heifers do they have ready to calf?” Ma said.

         “About a dozen is my guess, though I don’t rightly know.  I haven’t been over in a week.”

         “How are our heifers?”

         “Better than I expected.  I know we don’t have as many heifers about to calve as the Koelling’s do, and the ones that are ready to calve are okay.  I think we’re going to see a couple calves by morning.  Joe should be back soon.  He hadn’t planned to be gone long because he could see the signs of calves before he left.”

         Artie swept the dust out the door and put the broom away.

         “Now go wash, supper’s on the table,” Ma said.

         Rose sat at the table.  “Can I go over to the Koelling’s after supper, Ma?”

         They all took their places at the table while Ma put the pitcher of fresh milk in the middle.

         “You have no business over there with them trying to save their heifers,” Pa said.

         “But I can help.”

         “What do you know about taking care of cows?” Artie asked.

         “She’s a girl, girls don’t know nothing,” Chuck said.

         “I do so,” Rose said.

         “Now boys, that’s enough.  You’ll stay right here and help your ma.  There will be plenty of time for courting when the heifers are made safe,” Pa said.

         “She just wants to make those moon eyes at Jim,” Chuck said.

         “What did your father tell you boys?” Ma said.

         Joe entered the house at that moment.  “The Koelling’s lost one of the heifers.  Jim is real upset with it.”

         “I can imagine.  That heifer was money in their pocket.  Losing it and the calf is not a good sign,” Pa said.

         “No, and they won’t be able to replace it for a while,” Joe said.

         “If at all.  With crop prices down, and the wind taking the seed from the ground as fast as we sow it, everyone’s in trouble,” Pa said.

         “Which is why that family moved away, ain’t it Pa,” Rose said.

         “Let’s just eat.  It looks like we’ll be in the barn all night with the heifers.  There are two about to calf and might even be a third,” Pa said.

         “That’s why I hurried back as soon as I could.  I don’t want to take the chance of losing any heifers tonight either, though I feel the loss of Jim’s heifers,” Joe said.

         “Even one cow lost on our farms is a loss for everyone,” Pa said.

         “What about the fields?” Ma said.

         “There’s nothing can be done in the fields until the wind dies down, and then there will be a lot to do.”

         “Can I help in the fields, Pa?” Rose asked.

         “I’ll think about it when this wind dies down.  You’re a better help to your ma right now in the house.  Tonight Joe and I will be in the barn, taking care of calves.”

         “I want you to do some studying tonight.  The schools might be closed but that is no reason not to do any studying in the meantime,” Ma said.

         “Aw Ma.”

         “You can also help Alice and Eleanor with their studies.  I’m not raising ignorant children.  You want to be the wife of a farmer, you have to know what’s expected of you,” Ma said.

         “So why can’t I help with the crops and the cows then?  And what about the horses?  They ain’t been exercised at all today,” Rose said.

         “They do need exercise,” Pa said.

         “It’s too late today to exercise the horses.  You can do it first thing in the morning, and if I get any bickering from you, you won’t go see that movie at the picture show on Saturday,” Ma said.

         “What picture?” Artie said.

         “Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are playing at the picture show this weekend,” Joe said.

         Pa stood to his feet, put his dishes in the sink and headed for the door.  “I’ll be in the barn.”

         Rose watched him go out the door.  It was so unfair of Pa not to let her go with him.  Since this stupid drought happened it seemed all she did was clean the house.  She wanted to know who to take care of the farm, studies and housework didn’t lend themselves any hope of knowing how to be a good farmers’ wife.

         “I’m going to go take a bath and get the dust out of my hair,” Rose said.

         “After the dishes are cleared and put away,” Ma said.

         “You said I could take a bath after the house was cleaned,” Rose said.

         “Don’t argue with me.  Get the dishes washed and put away.  Eleanor can help dry and put away.”