We buried Ma and the boys down by the creek when the scarlet fever took them. It wuz jus' me an Pa for a lon' time. I turned suitors away 'cause Pa needed me. I weren't leavin' him for nothin'.
Pa always said a liar was worse than a thief cuz sometimes there's reason to steal but thar's ne'er a reason to lie.
Tonight while I's out, that good for nothin' neighbor came to jaw with Pa some. He told a pack of lies and Pa believed 'im!
Pa wuz waitin' when I come in, white as a ghost and mad as a wet hen. He had his double ought ready and gave me no choice. His voice shook and a tear rolled down his cheek but his aim and his intent wuz steady.
Said he'd heard I'd been sneakin' around seein' the new teacher and up to no good. I tried to tell him why I had been seein' Teacher but Pa di'na let me git a word in edge wise. He cocked that scatter gun and said, "Git outta this house, girl. I don't abide liars ner whores!"
I packed my few belongin's in a bed roll and saddled my old horse, Isaiah, and left without lookin' back.
"An eye for an eye..." the Bible said cuz I 'member all the words Ma read to us by lamp light. First I shot that no account neighbor for lying to Pa. Then I seen Teacher and tol' him. He hept me writ a letter to Pa about what I'd done and the why of it 'n ask Teacher to read it to Pa after he'd cooled down some.
I's a murderer and they hang people for that but I weren't no liar, ner a whore, ner a thief. I'd been learnin' to read so's I could read to Pa at night jes like Ma usta do.
Ole Isaiah and I headed west. I'd heard you could get lost out there.
Thanks, Tess!
32 comments:
Very crisp and a very real tale in them classic lingo! Great write Gail!
Hank
I love this! Now, please write the whole book.
This is amazing! The accent is so readable that it gives an extra dimension the piece. Bril!
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I do hope she found herself a good man and all her descendants are out here until this day reading those books out loud... good story... i think she should have shot Pa for not believing her.
That's the beginning of a good book!
Powerful story, well told.
Go for it ~ Enjoyed the story Gail ~
You have that lingo down pat!
You done good girl . . .
I love this!
This is a great tale!
I would like to read more. What happened to her then, out west? I don't think she got lost... Great read!
I loved the story and its voice, Brilliant!
I think she showed True Grit , and i'm sure it will work out for this Sorcerers Apprentice ....
Great beginning of great story. Well done Gail. That gal had lots of grit and determination.
A great hook to what could be a riveting book.
A great big WOW ~~~ I thoroughly enjoyed your prose piece, left me wanting more.
i wasn't sure at first, was i reading an excerpt from a book??? i had to read the comments, then i knew...well written, well done!!!
Well written!
Nice language play. :-)
This was perfect! I am sure they will be concating you for the movie rights!
No kidding. You wrote that? It's amazing!! Like a cross between Harper Lee and Willa Cather. This is a book. Keep going!
How you managed to write in the accent / voice was excellent.
Love the picture caption too.
All the best Jan
Beautifully crafted, Gail. I'm a sucker for well balanced dialect. And the tale itself? Wow! Now I want to know everything about this woman, and about her Pa. I feel she will do well. But the old man's heart is probably broken; ignorance is such killer of relationships.
I like! I hope the MC escapes (gets lost) too. Is it right to cheer for a murderer?
T
Gail, you did a great job with this one..the language really made me feel the story.
Wonderful voice in this - well done!
Not sure being a murderer is better, but she proved she wasn't a liar. Well done with the accent.
Awesome!!
It was like reading from a book. Enjoyed it!
Oh goodness girl, you's a wonderful writer! This is rocking hilarious and gripping too! I just finally got mine posted too, so I can begin reading these!
I just love, love this. I knew when I read the first line it was going to be good. And I was right!
Delightful...dialect and all...
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