Adventure in Longwood Day 06-07

Ignoring her cries to please make it stop I leave the room, shutting the door after the two Apache that had just come up the stairs. I take the bag over to Dan and show it to him, the chief coming up the stairs followed by a few more men.

"This is a lot of money in here." Dan says getting the chief to come and look.

"Tribes could use if you do not wish to keep." Dan looks at me.

"I think we split it evenly, half for the town, half for the tribes. We can use this to get a butcher and help Chun's folks open the eatery." Dan and the chief are smiling at me.

"With the railroad going in we can get vegetables, they are canning them now. Depending on what the tribes grow they can be a supplier to the cannery or the towns in the area. Unless I miss my guess the cows McCalbane owned are running free, simple thing to round them up for Kunis and the soldiers. Before you ask the son you know about died years ago, Chad was eight at the time." I am bouncing in happiness at the news.

"Chief get everything you want out of the house, I think we will get the cook to make us a big meal then burn it. Keep the wife or burn her with the house, we are going to go speak with the captain and get the cook going."

When Dan and I reach the stairs the niece comes out with her husband, both carrying luggage. She turns a little white at the sound coming from the wife as she is used.

"I received worse the last time I was in their ranch, Silvia likely has as well we shall have to ask."

"I thought she went home. My name is Beatrice, I suppose Bea now he can't quite get it right." She says as we head down the stairs.

"Round eye is tough to say for us injuns until we learn it. She did not leave, found her in the building with no clothes and scared to death. If you know her it will make things easier for her, do you speak Spanish?" Beatrice turns and looks at me puzzled.

"Silvia knows English I did not know she spoke Spanish. Just up and disappeared one day I was told she went home since there was nothing for her to do. I apologize for telling you a half truth earlier I came here on a visit, I was talked into staying and finding a husband to take over the ranch."

"Well then the cows are yours, half at least, Kunis is going to get the other half of the herd, he's the only rancher left in the area. Your uncle was aggressive on getting land, Kunis is the only rancher left in the area." Dan says getting Beatrice to stop at the door and turn to look at us.

"I don't know cows very well, I'm a farmer's daughter I know farming and cooking. The chief said that was what they needed and I find I like this man, he catered to all my needs in bed like you said and I can do something I know."

"There is a soldier who knows cows, he picked up a few on Sunday to try and get the reservation a herd. With the half of the herd you I assume are giving him he can get a herd together right away and help the Apache feed themselves. We also found a large amount of money half goes to the tribes so you will get your house, the rest the town gets for a butcher and eatery."

We continue on toward where the captain is with the horses. The captain meets us halfway with Silvia and Bonita.

"Is it over are they gone?" Silvia asks before the captain can say anything.

"He is nearly there, listening to his wife get the same treatment you and I received." Silvia gives me a hug thanking me over and over. "Captain if you can get the cook we shall eat a fine meal here before we burn the house down." I say over her shoulder.

The captain turns and yells for Isaac, the black man appears quick and runs over. Captain tells him to go make a fine meal out of everything, and pack up what he wishes to keep.

"If I may I would like to keep the table and the table cloths, they are from my great grandparents." Beatrice says while Isaac runs into the house.

"Beatrice here is the niece of McCalbane she was going to take over the ranch for them she's decided to be an Apache wife and farmer instead." Dan says to the captain's surprised face.

"Beatrice you came upon this decision on your own?" Beatrice smiles at the captain's question.

"Yes, I did not receive what my aunt is getting. Judging by the reaction Silvia has to the news I am guessing she received similar. I wish to apologize to you both, McCalbane married into my family, we had no idea he was doing things like that. Silvia could you speak to my almost husband, I wish to be married in the eyes of the lord as soon as possible considering what we did already."

Silvia smiles and speaks to the new husband in Apache he says a few things back she looks at me then Beatrice.

"He is agreeable to a Christian wedding he also wishes to have this Cherokee know he is very grateful for the assistance in getting a wife and blooded. Which leads me to a question, Bonita said you received the same treatment I did and are a whore in the town, does this help?"

"It helped me, I was thirteen summers when I was given to the men and done often like you. I was chained to a bed for fourteen days before they let me do anything but use outhouse and eat. When I killed all of the men at the ranch but Barnaby I felt better, I was still left with a need for many men. So spend much of the time since on my back to man after man. Not so much for the pleasure but the after holding was what I needed most." I hand over the dress I had pulled out of the drawers to Silvia.

"Thank you, I think perhaps I should try your way if I can." Silvia says as she puts the dress on.

"I think that can be arranged, we are getting a new saloon in the town and Apache whores. A second translator would be good I don't know how many Apache know Spanish."

"More than you would expect Janet, while I was learning Apache I spoke to everyone in Spanish. There really is not much to do in the reservation from day to day." Bonita says with a grin.

"Isaac does not really take that long to get breakfast cooked, I also want to lay claim to the table before the men decide it would make good kindling or something." Beatrice says before I can ask the captain why there is nothing to do.

Captain calls his men over they get the horses tied to the porch railing while we go inside. As it turns out just in time to keep some of the men from getting the table cloths. After shooing the men from the table cloths Beatrice tells Isaac where we are and we all sit. The chief joins us wearing a necklace of sparkling rocks looking quite satisfied with himself.

"Chief that is for a woman to wear." I say trying hard to not giggle with Beatrice and Silvia.

"I know, for my wife, there are no pockets and we did not think to bring bags. Captain if you are willing we have a bunch of money to split, I would like you to carry it back for me."

"I can do that, it is of course Beatrice's money if she is willing to see it split I can say nothing against." We all look at Beatrice.

"I do not mind, I have five hundred dollars as a dowry for my husband, most from my folks. I assumed that would cover the house, with extra money we can do a nicer house and get all the things I would want. We also can order the seeds and make a very big farm I assumed spending perhaps ten dollars for one bag of seed and having an acre to start. Now I'm thinking we can do at least ten acres perhaps more and grow a lot."

"What is an acre?" The chief asks looking confused.

"Here look at this, I have a map of the area, it is old so have four ranches on it." The captain pulls a map out of his satchel and puts it on the table we all lean over it looking. "This here is the reservation, it looks small until you realize this much space is one mile." He demonstrates how big a mile is. "One square mile is ten acres Beatrice wants to get you Apache to work a full square mile. I'm thinking before the fort, apparently the government is going to annex the land between the reservation and the railroad for the new tribes coming. Still talking it over with the state I guess, I am to conduct patrols between the fort and town to keep people from moving in unless they do not mind sharing land with Apache."

Dan empties the bag of money on the table, Beatrice gasps at the number of tied bills there are.

"Goodness, if those are all five hundred dollar bundles there is at least six thousand on the table." Dan picks up two of them.

"These will be enough for Longwood, Sally already said she has enough to get a butcher, we can just give him a nicer store now. Beatrice keep in mind this land belongs to you now, you are the only living relative around besides Chad who likely knows less on ranching than you do. Kunis will want to buy some land to support a big herd and I think the government means to annex some of this land as well."

"Not quite, they are putting in a buffer zone the reservation will only expand this way to about ten miles from the edge of the ranch land. Same with Longwood, there will be a fort put in between the town and reservation as soon as the state stops trying to fight the annex." The captain looks a little worried while he says this.

"I's hope you'se not the only ones eating." Isaac says as he comes in carrying a tray laden with bowls and platters.

The captain and chief get up yelling to their men as they exit the dining room. The rest of us reach for the food on the table until Beatrice has us stop and goes to a china hutch sitting against the wall and brings out plates for everyone.

"I am tempted to take these with me they are a lovely white and blue china set. I just don't know how well they would stand up to well pardon the term savages eating at my table." I start laughing at the comment getting everyone still there to look at me confused.

"I don't know about the Apache the Cherokee have had plates of a sort for a very long time." Beatrice smiles at me then calls for Isaac.

"Isaac after we have eaten on the plates could you clean them, perhaps outside so we can be on our way sooner. I want to keep the china set and the table with table cloths." Isaac smiles at Beatrice and assures her he will see right to it. "Janet since you are the only injun here that speaks English at the moment, could you tell me what would be wanted from the farm?"

"Corn, it is a mainstay of our peoples. There is also cotton, and tobacco, not as popular to the Cherokee or Apache, it does not grow well in our lands it is still a nice thing."

"I know corn that is a good one, tobacco I need to ask an expert on perhaps pick up some seed for it and try out in a small private section of land to see if it can grow here." The captain sits again with his soldiers following, one gets an excited look.

"I know tobacco it can grow here, not as well as back east but it does well enough. If you can provide me the seeds and some help for two acres I'll have the tribes with enough tobacco. If you want to provide for the area I'll need say six acres." We all look at the captain, he grins.

"If you want I can let you farm the entire area between town and the fort, the state can't find people to move in ever since the Apache were moved here, few thousand acres of free land that is probably going to be part of the reservation. I might get a promotion if you can get the Apache to build farms everywhere. There is one thing we need to discuss about this morning, namely Beatrice what you tell your folks." The captain says Beatrice looks at her plate.

"Honestly I don't know I can't tell them the truth that is my pa's sister up there. I guess I'll go with house caught on fire, I got out and ran for help was found by a very nice Apache man and fell for him. Everyone else died in the fire, as close to the truth as I want to put it."

"That sounds perfectly fine, little hard to believe I suppose, we will be sure and make it look like that is what happened in case someone comes looking. Ah chief there you are, I want to make it clear your men won't be bloodied like this again. Dan can ask for assistance from your tribe in a posse if he wishes full attacks on homes I can't get away with twice." The chief nods and comes over to me.

"Janet may I borrow your knife, ours are for throwing yours is better for cutting." I hand over my knife without a comment just grin.

"Chief you and the rest of the men are welcome to join us in here." Beatrice says looking a little uncomfortably at the big knife in his hand.

"Cook sent out fried chicken to the men, they are enjoying I will join them shortly. It is strange for me to sit at table and eat, we sit around fire and talk while eat."

The chief goes upstairs again, Beatrice watches with an uncertain look on her face. Isaac comes out with a platter filled with fried chicken, he takes a piece of that and eats leaning against the wall looking very uncertain.

"Isaac you are allowed to sit and eat with us, my aunt and uncle are not going to bother you again." Isaac gets a big smile on his face looking at Beatrice then sits.

"Isaac I am curious, how soon after the civil war did you move away from the south?" Dan asks passing over his mostly clean plate and scooting closer to share mine.

"I moved during, master owned a plantation right on the border to a northern state. When they soldiers came through they kilt him and told me to run away. I ended up with this man shortly after, he moved lots this is the third ranch he's put me in to cook since. Didn't pay me much but at least I had food and a roof, better than the plantation."

"Isaac that reminds me, I mentioned we have a job for you in Longwood, Sally has said its fifty cents a week pay, with food and a roof. I hope that is fine with you, you have a knack for cooking." I had picked up a fried chicken and it is really tasty.

"That's better than I gots here, asides I ain't got anywhere else ta go."

Once we have all had our fill Isaac gets the plates and empty bowls and platters into a large cauldron then lugs it out back to be filled. The platters and bowls with food in them are brought out to the Apache in the back yard where I collect my knife. My Winchester is on the front porch with my bow so we get a few of the Apache to help move the china hutch into the back then to the barn. The table is a difficult matter it is too big to fit through the door finally we put it out through the big window.

Isaac goes through the kitchen twice, Beatrice checks her room. The sun is getting toward high in the sky when it comes time to finally burn the house. Chad goes in the back to upset the lanterns in the dining room and kitchen. There are no flames yet, when Chad comes around the house on the outside I give my Winchester to Silvia. It takes her two tear streaked shots but she hits the lantern over the fire, I shoot the one on the other side of the room adding more oil.

Barnaby twitches when the oil falls on him I thought he had been dead. Silvia saw it as well she is grinning and giggling as we move away from the house the flames spreading fast. I urge us to move faster when Barnaby starts screaming, the chief looks more like he wants to slow down and listen. Guessing he had not killed the wife I motion toward Beatrice to him. He looks back then urges us to go even faster, when I look back I see why, the flames are moving up the outside of the house.

We do not move far enough to not hear the wife's screams Beatrice looks back a tear streaming down her face. She then looks toward me, Silvia, then at her new husband and smiles. Dan moves next to me looking at Beatrice and her new man then looks over at me.

"Honestly I don't know what she sees in him." I let out my breath in a big whoosh then start hitting Dan. "Not because he's Apache, you said he's cute. I mean he doesn't know how to farm and he's poor."

"Dan sometimes you are so incredibly round eye. She likes him because he is cute he is willing to learn and he caters to her in bed, there doesn't really need to be anything else." Chief is laughing next to me.

"He promised a ring as soon as he can buy her one." I look over at him slightly confused.

"Why would he promise a ring?" Dan chuckles and pokes me.

"To a round eye a ring is important it is the symbol of their union, much like you injuns and a blanket."

"Do you two have a blanket?" The chief asks with a grin, I shake my head and rub my belly where Dan's child is growing. "Dan you really should give Janet a symbol besides your child. There is talk amongst the men of the Cherokee woman that outshines Apache women in pretty." I can't help but smile at this, Beatrice looks over at us.

"Is that why he likes me?" The chief looks a little lost at the question for a moment.

"No he likes you because you are a fair skinned legend. There is a tale amongst the Apache of a fair skinned woman who is very pretty and loving to her man. I admit if I was not with woman I would have tried to be your man, likely why he promised a house." Beatrice smiles at the chief before turning back, I can't help but giggle.

"I will have to tell your flower what you said." The chief looks at me and shakes his head fast making me laugh outright.

"She is good with knife and keeps me close. I will be yelled at when she sees Beatrice I only got away because it was warriors, soldiers, and you. Her round eye speak is not very good yet, does not really wish to learn better." The captain rides closer to us beside the chief.

"I didn't really want to bring this one up there is talk of sending the injun children to schools away from the reservation to teach them English and to pray to the Christian god. Benjamin is one of a few of the injuns who have converted, not good enough to the more religious in Washington. If the reservation learns English in larger numbers they may decide that is enough. Farming and English should keep your children in the reservation to learn your ways."

The chief looks at me then the captain, I look at Dan then the captain. Nobody says anything for a while Longwood is coming in to view when I finally just have to say something.

"If they come for my children they will need to send a lot of men." Dan chuckles next to me the captain looks at me and shakes his head.

"Your children would not be touched even on a reservation, you are with Dan. Same with Beatrice if she has any, this only goes for full injun children on reservations, a school in Longwood might help, we can move the families with children of that age close enough to attend."

"What if some of the women we send as whores decide to have child, would that child be sent away if they decide to do this?" The chief asks with a strange expression on his face.

"I think so, what I have seen on the motion they are trying to put to congress any child with only injun parents would be sent to a school to learn English and our ways. My job in a lot of ways is hard to deal with, there is a movement to not drink this is going over poorly with my soldiers. I've only met a few soldiers who do not drink, they were the cooks." This gets me to laugh.

"I suppose your men finding an Apache bride didn't go over well." The chief groans, the captain chuckles.

"I put it to them, a few raised the no injuns can drink rule. I reminded them they are not injuns even if they wear the clothes. Had to say they could not share with their wife at the fort or take drink out of the fort. I had a few who wished to look, I think being away from everything for so long has gotten many to not care about the language and religion." Chief coughs and looks at the captain.

"Make sure your men are unarmed and supervised, I know what soldiers will do with Apache women." The captain nods fast, I groan I've heard the tales myself.

We enter the town to some cheering, while we are tying our horses off before the saloon and sheriff's Mr. Johnson comes out of the saloon and walks over to me.

"Janet you came back with more than left. We were all under the assumption you would kill everyone."