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
S S}T/\F.LTGHT
SOT.'T}ilitsAITSTI STROI,I-S
(Sleepvralker Steps)

Footprlnts 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

or less. The bare tracks traced. across the wlde planks, back throrrgh the far
n r r t q ir l c r l n n r 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

the night sheen, moonllt cast, these caught footlngs fast ln the darkness.

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

the silvery Itghted beams. Kltty-cat paw marklngs foIIowed, trailing, the

pressed humanones. Casual observatlons wore oonstantly belng made by a

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

a defining story later in life to tell.

Bare footed imprints led into the retiring 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 old-as-the-hitls house in these early settlement parts. The remote hone

naned Winnlford Way v/as aptly 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

h is b . e a r t t h r o b -o w n e r. T h e l u mber ing d,welling, d.eslgned in EI shapes , r am bl ed

each bcurdolr onto long porches fron glass-panecl dco1'sr flach inside viall
'l imarps vi-a nirrors into far flung aroes cf the gr?cicus
rcf'leeteri
I gl !'*-v Uvu ishtcd
rrFfrvv+ 4rsul,i\rv

clcnic j Ie. i\n assemblage of roons, doorways, aIl French glassed. embellishnent
TayIor / soinrusAlrsT 2

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 . The celling extended f ourteen

feet. 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

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 . Five lntricate f lame jets 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. This ornate lighting fixture haC both kerosene anC candle power-

ed capabilities left over frorn f890 and kept useful in case of electri-cal out-

age fallure. The mtCdle rocm of this frcntier h o m e s t e a dU n m a nB r o v m e b u i l t fo:

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 deed hclder helress was the

axis for the origlnal architectural 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 of nany

f a,niIy growth needeCexpansions. The honey shelter sat atop t+rntj-te-proof and.

decay reslstant 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 ,

jutttng over three-foot tall- upward, to keep wiIC critters frcm the hrntariand

wilCerness having easy access. Appearance, functicnal use of the centered

rcom was personal and usablo ... private as vrell. A l t h o u g h , B f l u n u s e d .l o o k

prevatled this slumbnring nightty 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 snooz-

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 . An airy flowlng culrent en'

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 edge. An occaslon'

al dew d.rop floated. through the darkened snoring sounds. A 6;usty whiff puffeC

everywhere outside the rural residence. An un,lercurrent, lnfrequent lntervals

ceased casually its airy course inside. Just ofton enough, cool air stopped,

to stifle the dozing fllled night. A resulting subtle suffocatlon s l a p p e d "t h e

face, f itfu1Iy, alnost awakenlng all 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 '

steadily thrcugh the roonsl dreanscape habltation prevailed. The Sandnanvisl'

tatlon continued everywhere, sendlng glorious dreams, seventh-heaven exurbranet

And so the pleasant respite went for scrne. One, more partieular, incllned'

held s w e y i n a p e a e e p e rva d .e dd.aze in this br eezy and sl' omber ous hous ehc l d.
Taylor / sol,,4NUBALrsT

The breeze, deep sleepy times ecol for most, gently carried mi-nlmai activ.

{ tvrJ r vnr l o fv h
r rrv
a d T . e a m yd a r k n a s S a l l night long through-out the hOme. Docile, soft,

scunclsfrom the far outside vlcinity Crifted not so aimlessly into the slngula:

bedroom, calling svreetly. A braying, a wolf hovrling, cats f i-ghtlng, a c oyote

call f urther wafted. inside. l , , f o s ti m p e l l i n g of all , a neighing c onnnanded.

subtle drowsy attention. Nickering actually, all lulling avrareness, broke

t h e d e e p q u i e tu d " e mi l e s a ro u n d . The vr hlnny in the wind vr as equine m us l c , s ub-

Iiminally noted., to the earg asleep, I , { a r e s c h o m p e da, n x l o u s l y , summoning

sisnal" The sleepwalker vras being called, subllmely put on notice. These

timely ttdings were striking sleeplng senses Ilke a loud gonging clock, Just

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 , the

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 , four feet long svuaying,

rnoving brass wlth sculptured agrarian notif . The clock face oontalned. a

pastoral scenio dJcor: a country manslon i\rith a horse drawn carriage pulltng-

up at frcnt portlco. 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 s am e i r al l

a century or more, onee traded from sibllng kln (an lnherlted slave for a

brass ciock ln the offering; yet no slavery ever exlsted on this estete, more

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

croppers, hlred help galore), Thls sun-up to sun-doun countrlfied roots way-

of-life resulted from personal hard lvork Iaboring based on indlviduallzed

self-employed svreat-of-the-brow land,hotders llving here for generstions.

These senerational 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, though, wer e ver y nuch unl i k e

thelr arlstocratic 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

Taylor / sorntueerisT 4

unemployed because they never worked a job at all" Originally, a fev; centuries

earlier, this patriarchal helred ciock was placed on Vlrginia colony columned

outslde porches announcing time of day fcr nearby field hands. The priceless

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 presently graced protected bedroomrvalls (ani

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

The pendulumtimely moved to and fro, sv{aying mesmerific "

A s t h e p e n d . u l u ms v r l n g s , a b e l l struck the houro A gentle sound, soothing

to the alerted ear, hypnotic, to only one lone dreamer lnsid^e the old place.

The nusical c ymb a l stru ck tw e l ve tines lnto the dr eams that lasted an hour

fo r each gong. T h e a p p o l n te d h our hlt home wher e the young man lived and

repeated the clanglng cycle louder one ninute later for distant dlstinguishlng

ears. The clarlon call brought forth the bedfast slumbering-form uprig;ht,

s u m m o n i n gs u r e l v , IiveIy 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 . In-

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

The tall male hulk roused, aroused, then, faltering. Encased, he IaV,
' 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 flgure"
in alI the bed coverlets,

T h e n a p p i n g a n d n o d d i n g stro n g sleelnpas entwlned fr om suddenly tur n i - ng, then,

t os s ln g d e a c l - to -th e -w o rl d b u t n olcled lnto 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

g ra d u a l l y b e o o n l n .g n o b l L e . T h e no longer iner t sleeping shape was r efl ex l v el y

receptlve to the horse sense deslgnated. whinny. 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 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. The be]-l-

r ingln g tinepieee g o ve rn e d . th e rootion of tbe wakeful body. v:' ihenthe SLaz ed'

eyes ceased blinking on an even keel, cther parts of the physique reacted
Taylor / :l lnr,:e*ll5T

happily to the echolng dispatch frcrn the ccrral.

The corralled n a re s n l cke red. m or e fr equently 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. Thls

talking in the sleep was not much understood. Quletness returned. Silence

donlnated once $,otoo 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 the nightly at-

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 -

saults, piercing yappingr Y€lplng, ylpping. Noisy men' owners, yawpers re-

s o u n d e d y. e l l i n g cheers to the actlve pack of dogs always on the charge, blitz,

nearly earsplltting roar inside the bedrooln.

The blarlng uproar ln the distaneerrip-snortlng good times through the

late nlghtrv{as heard in the open spaces for mlles, Repeated outcries resonatei

. 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 r an l ts

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 . The feet rose high the covers,

n n o c kp e d a l l e d . a b l c y c l e in hot pursult, even walking fast up hiII slmulated,

a11 the while asleep ln bedsid.e wonC.srment. Nlght,mares, not, the occaslon

e x p r e s s e d .a t a l l to thts dreanscape reality ln the backgrcund.

T h e n i g h tl y 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. Thcse

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 stop- over s in thi s nl ghtl y

rueful rest. Inages sleepy sweet erupted. lnto occaslonal }aughter, snickering

slightty, then almost ear-shattering" Thts titterlng tee-hee hootlng noise

the way to the neighing nags. Feed'back,

escaped the dreamy beilroomscene, all

uproarlous, reverberated vrlth louder nickering ea11s. The rumpled

fallout

sheets kept the restless conked.-cut sleeper conflned, desplte gestures to nove
completely out of bed'- A flailing to flee
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
Taylor / sol,,mlunAr,TsT 6

the failing dream spurted into stark reality. The lulled. eyes ccntinued

mcving ln a blink, a wink, over and again rolllng back to sleep.

Again and over, noved, the eye balls reposed put-tc-sleep, The nouth

puckered, uttering a gentle nelghing, minlc recall, he dld perfectly thls

tine ln a nickering voice aud.lble. 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 stridency,

vocal coriied a dozing raspy response. But actually aII artlculation was a

g u t w r e n c h e c lw h i n n y c a l l l n g , sensltive snoozing responding. Rhoncus snoring

resonated rhythrnlc tune to the clock striking onee moreo The horses far out-

s ide n a i g h e d . a II th e mo re , a tu n ed,. The pendulum str okad tr he momen t, Iouder

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

the lawns, way beyond the barns. ' , , " f B i t l - n gt,w i t c h i n g , ears ln the stalls full

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. The

bucollc calling of the horses triggered a mobilized response this time inslde

the bed.room. The dlsquiteit f orm rolled. over, olutchlng the elongated ptllow.

The long bolster held firmly, fluffy, with arms entanglod.. Entwined, the

slsnder male body rolled 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

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

ringed. afoot. 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 . Insinuated"

d.rearnily, the oozlng rider rode ever onward.

T h e i l r e a m ca n te re d o u t th i s tlnoly hom cpl- acehor sebaok r lde ln i m ages

cast on the closed eye llds, synchronized to the pendulumswinging to and fro,

a li atuned. T h e b rl e f ch i n l n g seened a lengthy patr ol thr ough the near by

pastureso T h e ri d .e vre n t e ve ryrvher e, alL over the estate gr ounds. And then

back lnto the house went the boy and horse, bcth. Both rode through the open

f ro n t d o o r , d o vi n th e l o n g h a l l w ay, and into the bed.r oomltself. Th e tw os one

Taylor / SOilIIIUBALIST 7

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

Bway lnto misty clouds, leavlng the horseLess rld,er stlll hard put in hls sim-

u l a t e d a n i - m a t e dm o u n t , The chlning clcck continued lts tlmely chant. Over

and again, ceaseless the chlmed mldnlght witchlng-hour intoned the pend.ulum
pull. The restful look on the sleeplng face reglstared contentment; deep res-
plratory rale poundeda
. galloping pace ln the chest of the boy. Thls dreamy

animatlon contlnued., not knowlng if horseback or afoot. AII purposeful, in-

tentlon deep ln slumber drove thls vlsage to move lnto real images mentally

i n t e n g e.

Images not porverse but deeply lntentr purient, proved.the aim of the

Iong enduring drearn. The falling drean was beconlng reallty, almost totally

true-to-l1fe, w h e n t h e h u m a nf o r m f e l L out of the sculpt iron bed. The rest-

Iess sleeper sllpped, barely, out of bedl. Bedclothes shed, shucked, his right

heel tight between the big toe and second of the left foot to hold on for d.ear

life in thls falllng ride. The Achllles heel held firmly, plnched lnto posl-

tion, a t e e , V g h a p o d . ,h o l p i n g t h l s dream move speedtLy along. The intense

facial features continued', contorted, 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

flrlated, lcy-stare froze"

The expressive face, frozen intention, 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

concern deep within the purposeful psyche; ld calling emphatlcally" The bllnk-

ing eyes fllokered movle projector scenes, showing a nnagniflcient prenler

fllm saga to the struggllng sleeper. The sllent m o v i e s c r e e n v ' r a st h e i n s i d . e

eye lids, t e y o n d .r e a l i t y
rapld movernenb again captured. This guy dreamed ln

color, in chapters, faotually. He oould get up to vlslt 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 wher e the d'r ean

Ev en th e fo l l o w l n g night beEan the next lnstallnent r lght or c tl €r

lef t off.
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 var y day. The c ur r ent

Iif e-cast spectacle expanded l-tseIf , drea;nily vralking about the large bed-

r o o m , t r , v e n t yf e e t in one dlrectlon, tvlenty-f lve another. To rope a wayward

calf, lt a}l 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
years later. D r e a m e d t. h e n h e i , , v a s ,t h i s h a l f - g r o v r n b o yr a n o l l p al n t i n g the

cosnlc mastro stroked, more than once repeating life origlns for him and his

Amerlcan Indian blood-Ilne. 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

tlvely landscape reaIltV, 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 , harmonous, tuned upon the Iastlng

c hl[ e strlklng o f th e b e d .ro o n pend.ulumclock. The d.or mant dr eam cov er ed hour s

cf racy rldlng 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 the rnidnight hour tirice over"

T h e e n d l e s s s o u n d l n g b e tt o f th e pend.ulumclock becam e a{ lh vti utr t hs tr ok e

lnto motlon for the b.oy dreamer, Stepped over favorlte sleeplng dog at door-

way g u a r d . d u t y, 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 spell l nto the

nindrs eye of the boy-roan-ch11d" The eyes stil-I bllnked. to the dlstlnct farn

noises aII about and ado far-fetchecL. The mares began thelr cued whinny ln

r e n e w e d .f e r v o r , dead.-earnest eagerness. A sonata, it aII became, a coda codeil

f ull o f s i n g - so n g tri l l s i n to n e d. to the pendulum clock chir nes am ld. the l oud'es t

n ic k e r i n g o f th e p re ttl e st 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 Even l ti l audebov l ei

her proud head to the ragal tiara, all 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 -

head. 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
TayIor / solfNUBALIsT

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 Iinos, service d iseharged, f9I9 wlth the

Ias t o f t h e g un n e d -d o rl n Gfs. Bob W innifor d br ought them back hom e, s hel l -

shocked to any thunderous sound. And bought for a d.ear price, paid sky-high

dollars, bavlng been drafted from his lofty barns" Cream-of-the-crop Iivestock

they were, too" The best loved of alI the horses ever on the place from birth,

foal, till this very tine. But sold by governnent force to prove hls wlfe

not a Germansympathlzer. Her naiden name bolng Landtroop. Gernan, sald to

be. Yet when[rlaggie Landtroop lvas a looa1 plgtalled school glrl, she was

routtnely called cailous, cruel and annoylng artlculations. These irritating

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 good measure to jeer

an6 pester. Her trl-raclal r , v e l l - k n o w nb l o o d l l n e s got germinated. into the

latest enemy origlns 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 situatlonr careless words.

The loving-care living conditlons and heart-renderlng situation for the

horses ever slnce was prlncelS', rather queenly, to be exact. Queenie and

Mauilemade a maJestio palr putling the flrst bale of cotton to gln, dovin the

maln street of town each year. The maln attractlon t h e y w e r e a m o n ga l l the

tractors, plck-up trucks, 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

these days. 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 foremost in these reatlty atuned,

d . re a m s . T i r e re a ti ty ti n e n i n g l ed car toon sty1e. The pam per ed.hor ses had

n e lgh e i i a l a s t g o o d b ye 'rh e n th e hear se took ilepar ted, Bob lVinnifor dt s c as k et,

laid to rest RI? not far family plot, from the parlour roon wake. Not a dry
Tayror / sol.mrunqlTsT IO

eye remained tearful upon seeing, hearing, the grieving livestock vrith their

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 for one more tast took, over the tall. wooden

fence at the horselot 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 . The

n anly k i n u n a sh a me d Jo i n e d th a whinnlng chor us m our nful" Thusly, the m ar es

w e re c h e r l s h e d. re mi n d ,e rs, N e ver to be neglected, ln any way or ever to be s oJ ,d.,

to avolcl at.al-l costs thg::crirel f.ate of endlng up et the glue factory or dog

food. oannery llke nost olcl horses do (stewardshlp for service well-d.one requlre

Iovlng tlfe long rewarilsln old age f or all livlng t ' h l n g s o n t h e h o m e s t e a d ).

FamiIy lova f or the mares honoreil, revered, prlmarlly their war-tlme d.uty

servlce on speclal oecasions. 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

draped over their sadd.Ies on Decoration Day alals Armistance or V*terans Day

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

".ttor n uj ]fol ti c e
time at mld.ntght, The clarlon call o f t h a p e n d u l u r oc l o c k , Iast gong of the

s o c o n d . s o u n d . in g ch i me , si g n a tl e d a flagglng star t, a wig- wag m ove a l nos t i nto

action, nelghing loudly f or their ntghtly rustic rid"er. The cail was heed'ed,

ro u s in g s u b l l ml n a l l y th e g ro o n of the nlght to these pr eclous mar es r w hi ns ,

w h inn y c a l l l n g l n th e w i a d '.

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

Nothtng could. thvmrt the lntent of the nlghtlS'dreamland. soJourn. The dew

filled footprtnts 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 , k l nes -

thetic, cgptured as if in plaster-of-parls the dlrectlon of the bare soles.

The screen door effected a rellglous-cross' gauzy viewed'appearanca in the

l .{o o n b e a msl l tu n rl n a tod the impr lnts of the naked' insteps on the
s t a rry sky,
th ro u g h th e gossam er scr eened shletd ' Sur ely gr and'father
long g a l l e r y sh i n i n g
TayIor SOI'1I'II*TBAlIST 1I

iVlnnlford was looking down in approval, nodding smile. The screen flse3 was

a jar, s1ightly asketr.

The screened door opened onto a brick walk, fast, fuII of i,r'rprlnts.

The walklvay was darnp,night tlme residue. Footpnlnts led onlvardd

. own the

marklngs resembllng plcture 'writlng records, hleroglyph!cs, of the

bricks,
nightly duties done in the family sands of time. These long prints appeared

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

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 , transltory. Each instep

revealed a narrow foot, Iong toes leading. Barefoot prlnts paceil lnto the

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 . Dewdrops melted measured images into

b19 round steps, flowing together. Mud balls ccllocted in the dust fron the

raoj.st soles. Late night wind blew quietly 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 wlndswept crisp cutting edge breeze gave a gusty whlff of open

f arm air, barnyarcl odors, nixed. medley, nose tingling tlnge seented.. A llttle

blt of devlated. vaBor in the air, lt was, dr1ft1n8, hovering stonch fron dis-

tant woodseycreek bed.s. Boot16Sgers poured smelIy green fetld magh from

barleycorn llquor stilts into the stand.ing waters. The reeklng stlnk was cal-

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 quorn putrid messl The offenslve

quagmlre caused property probl-ems, po1ltical as weIl. The dlsgusting morass

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, d.am m ed.- up

solicl. The ever ehanglng county Iine, turning, tvristingr then resulted fron

lat er r a i n y w a y',va rdfl. o o d l n g , Tor r ents of high l' iater alter ed cour s ei //ay bound-

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

sors. Dlsputed legalities, Iater lawsults, resulted ln a life tlme of ill- wlll

amongrelatives and branch water kln. 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

TayLor / SOI,INUBAITST L2

those farrnland. bord-ers" Fuss fences aboun,led. The acrid moonltght this nlght

cast a blue-granite concrete took, almost permanent appearance to the barefoot

prints ln the dampgrass. The simulated. dream continued lts reallty walk

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 all over the place.

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

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 , and held. the spectrum stiII,

viewed from another seventy-seven foot tong porch. A thousand'eyes or so

peered the ntght away, lntently coneerned. The sorrell mares held their heads

hlgh above the board fence. The equine nose flared, neighing softly. Co1ts of

the evening Just startlng to whlnny, mlngted amongthe scenlc vlew. T,ouder

nlckering from the Inclian ponies running, romping through the horse Iot, Jolted

into action the eplsodlc vista. l,[ote steeds frollcked, reering, T8lsed fet-

Iock gesturing, p a w e d .p a s t u r e g r a s s . Sage grew tall in the distant back lot'

Pralrle grasses knee doep all 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

6reamo6alive playa .landscape, The sighted settlng led around the pond vrhere

skinny dtpping days were a joyous must do thtng. The pool cool water was over-

running, 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 . One, he was all at oncet

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 sPringlng heels.

Astri6e, bareback, Indlan pony styIe, 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 . lfith

a handful of horse hair, the boy routed Queenlefs dlrectlon. Only a slight

n e igh a u d i b i e th ro u g h th e n i g h t r esponded. as a hasty r un began. The dr ean

n n n r - n n n h e df r r l l r e a l i t y .
u v vI vuvrrvs f si The pair were alring t h e d . a r k e n e dn. i e h t together,

aIas, The moonlight appritation cut through the open range, feedom ringlng

its own song to then. A pretty 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, er i c k ets ,

June bugs and bull-bats all 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 Iilt no songster cculd

ever futly capture. This nightly vision quickened, created the boy onto the

the raclng horse. Queenie v/es taklng the limelight center stage ioy ln her

grandoise glory. 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

f ille,i in f ult array, strorting salutations tc all tiving things within 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, trudging,

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 , to mosey along. Tovrard

the o1d parked conestoga wagon-bed full of recently cut sugar cane they trip-

ped around, about. This equine feast was a manger ration, sweet tooth delight'

nibbllng greeny leafy shoots, Iolltpop tasty aII nlght long" The well-used'

a n t lqu e w a g o n rs cu rre n t p u rp o se fur ther held hay dur lng nuddy vr intr y f c edi ngs

in the dry at neck-level for the prized horsesr snacks, good' forage fodder-

food., for cho;nping, chewlng deIlghts"

This frontier era wagon from an earlier dated tirne-period. vrith the Peters

Colcny had transported the local farntly progenltor and Republlc of Texas mag-

istrate Urbane Alexander here to clafuc his land patent frontier homesteadslte.

The slx-inch wlde wheels covered by thick lron rims allowed. convoyance over

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

sacriflces came early on the ploneer trail to Texas when tittte }tlartha
FlIiaI
rras, ln this untime-
Amandasucdenly 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
Taylor / $O]'niABUirsT r4

unmarked grave begat an everlasting self-reproach (no gravetcnc ever placed.

later, unabl-e to f ln<l the burial pLot af ier sev?ral returning searches) . TIn-

dying regret was passed for 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 day to rue the

deep loss as well.

Remorsetook lts toll on eldest darrghter Rnbecca Jane Alexand"er vfio was

c rippl e 6 f o r e v e r,'rn o ro th a t sa i n e pitiful day on the saC way the heav y ''/Iago!
"' ,' hen
wheels rolle.d over her l-eg whlle looking tearful backward at the babyrs barren

burlal spoto 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 , land. Sorrow and ioy went

together as a twosomeadventure full of family lore, hack then, Iong slnce

gone vrith nearly forgotten prairie schooner settleroent day tl}l n o v , ro n l y r e -

mainlng as recollecteil heritage stcries"

Fanrily herltage recollectlons 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
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 . innlford resolute

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

nind all experiences ever told, 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, thl s

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

chanting in her strlde. 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

ln splrit, and relncarnated. soulmates, bounded onward through the corral gate.

The corral g a p o p e n e d , fl u ng back fult width under the low hangi ng w al nut

t.rea llnbs, The o,ares all nlckered. again, once nore neighlng lnto the nightly

rovlng song belng played out! The dead of night walted., awalting alrrayso These

horses llngered, abided, each ntght the boyrs sleepy tlne walk. Horse and boy

belonged together, lcnged to be together. The tirrowere reall-y allve together,

truly an6 real-ly aLive, then assented. 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. This ha ppy pai r

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

b e d . sa l o n g o l d , f e n c e l i n e s 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 -

t i n g d . e l u g e d g r a b b e d .I a n d . . Jumped over fenced fie1d.s, blg long graceful leap,

one after another. 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 ,

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

d,eposits left unrler the Vega star llght" Thls horse and boy astrlde went

steadfastly through the moon-rising lay of the land. Q u e e n l e s u d d . e n l yf a s h i o n -

ed her own cholce direction, bolted an ebony flash aeross the nearest round.

barren scald spots where buffalo herds once roaned, gathered, beddeil-dovn ln

heated passlon. The big bulls had.Iong ago clrcled cows in-season, urlnating

to mark territory all along the way, enough urie acld to kill growlng plants

f or t h e n e x t tw o ce n tu d .O; th e re alone" This natur al monument to urea dom i natei

that part of the prlstine pastures. Queenie reared gallantly rnagnlflcent ln

the mldd.le of the largest s c a l d l e d .s o i l spot, pauslng, nlckering grandlosel.v,

J u s t b e y o n d . t he o l d e n In d l a n ca mp gr ounds wher e fear som e but cur ious s av ages

h a d c n c e s t o p p e d to a tte n d th e fr ontier funer al for d.ear gr eat- gr eat gr and'-

d a d d y U r b a n o AL e xa n d .e r w h o fsL l on a hay pitch- for k for his lasting d" eath

t h ro e s . 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. T he

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 m l d'-

dle-roon of future manslon house there. 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) .

the farntly lore glorifylng those grievous d'ays vrent on-and-on to say years
of those heart-slck times' The ploneer
later, to hear tell the retelling
Tayl or / sol'nJAB'JLTST tb

yesteryear travatL got told over-and.-over to entertain descendants wlth true

soap-opera thrills" The best settlng for aII the jabbering, yammerlngquality

time vislts 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 .

AIl the gathered throngs of cousins were busily e n g a g e d ,l n r a t t l e - t r a p talklng"

These get-togethers benefitted the ccngregated heirs, suceessors-ln-waiting to

t h e b a n k e d .f a m i l y f o r t u n e . But the frontier days accounts of hardshlps kept

the kln convened to rehash old tinrey tales, especlally 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 d ay of the funer al w atc hed.

ov er t h e f o u r b e re ft A l e xa n d e r chlldr en gr or ,r r ing- upon the pr alr le gr as s l ands

withcut adult flllal care. Even left freshly kllled gane on the front door

step and kept wlld. critters safely far away fronr the ycungstersr llving quar-

t e rs . T a u g h t th e rn h o w to l l ve -o ff the lanC. in ever y sense of the w or d, thes e

btood-brothers carlngly dld., to surrrive the hostile elements. Then, d.ecad.es

later, the Last bcrn son of llttle 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 those

travalls, picturesque surrfual related, He never feared" or rosented wild-

Inrllans, that man-chi]-d of hers, 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

to wed. 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 , tnstilled, actuallyr never to seIl the treasured

l nher t t e d l e g acy l a n d .e d e sta te nam ed.W lnnifor d W ay, Never seIl your bl r th-

right vras also bibltcal dicturn as vrell-. Herltage homethis place was to

n y ria i l m e m o r i -e sb to w l a g i n th e wind.s of tine itself, these puffed- up v l v es .

pace thr ough the bte ez y nl ght

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. l i { a r o a n d b o y ro d e fa ste r than the wind could evaT blow thr ough the al r y
places wlth festlve
scene. eueenle toured. the Ind.lan canp laadmark treasured
pai r
ht gh s p i r l t s re l g n e d .-l n . s ough the m oon sheen eaught the happy
S h a d .or nrthr
Taylor / soi',nslrul,fsT L7

pictured fast, hal-r and nane blowing mlghtily ln their faces. fhe twosomepas-

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 marked dlrection whcle Indlan

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

burial sighted day founder Urbane was lald a\tay to eternal rest. Q,ueenle
a l w a y s p a u s e d . ,r e a r i n g ever so elegantly at each memorable site. She knervall

the faniliar hangouts, haunts, that her sleeping mount enJoyed durlng dayllght

Jaunts here. 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
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 d.o" v ndog-

d.runk. Hlgh on hooch, plied with alcohol by hls lilly-whlte couslns, he was,

just to see tf Indlan blooded folk roally went wild as a buck, whooplng and

hollerlng whlppety-de-d.oo, on least 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 black- eyed Hor ace m er el y

fell quietly prone. Tha all-whlte cousins covered John Horaoe wlth leaves

as though a laid-out corpse. Llttle slster EIla, seelng all the mlschlefr ran

l lk e 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 flelds yelllng. Young c ous l n

u p o n h e r h e e l s. nlle1p, tsr other Hor ace ls slck anil c ous l n

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

Ma rv i n i s o o v e rtn g h i m w tth sti c ks while slngtng funer al hym ns.tr D addy Bob
'i,lllnnlford. rlght The culprit 'rd.emonrumrt as the
ar,vayknew what had happeneil,

family llquor still- on the creek banks was ofton call.ed to thls very day got

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, to tho d.ismayof other

h a rd d "r l n k l n g kl n .
ro t-g u t ',vhlskey still l/r as well- hldden in scr ub- oak , bus hy
T h e f a r n l l y-ru n

grovrfh, from revenuors. Only close kln could find 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.
Taylor / got'rur::i\LTsT r8

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

the nil-e long rush to stonp-out slnful root cause (tnat nan was angry as hell

or ttall-get-outit for his svrearing the only curse urords ever uttered frcrc his

lips unless unduly provoked llke sure, to cuss at all).

then he vrasfor No
'i l Ii nni f or d.t s
one ever talked l a te r o n a b o u t th.at devlous episode in gr andfather

presence. 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 addled

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 that chided all kin present

to the day he dled years later. Blame vras put where tt belonged ln no uncer-

tain termso 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

and their vrarped ltl-wlll motives vrent unsaio elther, Caused a lot of sharne

o n t h e r o o u r n e rf s b e n ch i n ch u rch, scandalous upheaval all over toltm., bas ed on

rac ia l b l a s a s rrye IL B o b I{l n n l for cl was a well- known chur ch leader as w el l as

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

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

sterling reputation 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 k i ndr ed

cuc k o o b l o v , ' h ard b u syb o d .l e s. T he old. phoblc battle- axe vr oes got bur l ed. w i th

the hatchetlng hand"le left stlcklng-out of the personal wounds" Got d'ug-up

ev ery f e v r y e a rs fo r su re , E n o ugh d.ysfunctional kin always hacl a firm handl e

on it, 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
generatiorrs. fhis gutsy, Iusty variance tale is too long to tell complete-
for

ly right 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 lnvolved. see,nlngly clvlllzed, genteel ac tl ng

flucey, 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 blood-lssue

gold-d.igger inlavrs, all
Taylor / sot'tnnAT,rsT I9

to lnherlt all the banked cesh frora clvll 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 two orphaned girls llvlng blissfully in their golden twiltght years. The

elderly slstersr true grit tralnlng experiences from childhood frontler Indian

tiines survlval prepared them ln ltfe for everthing. Especially enterprlslng

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

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 came naturally to the ladies. The wonent

equally brave, shot dead in the face polnt blank a Union soldier during Texas

f ederal occupations thosf 1ve years of Itf e-threatening nlsery. That mlsguld.ed

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 house to rob thelr largess

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 in the fanrlly storm cellar. He obviously had

heard, taIes, Iong tongues over-stating scoop about defenseless women, of their

vast cash fortune stashed away on the premlseg. 0r else ccming to rape, both

most l|kely. Secretly burled the body, the slblings Rebecca anC Sarah together

did., in a huge earth-crack ncst-of,the house. 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 Iaz y gol d-

d . igge r s . R a n ch i n g a n d . fa rn l n g requir ed too nr uch wor k, swoat of the br ow ev er y

single day. The sought-after treasure was the banked cash coveted nlne-flgure

b o n d . e dc. e r t i f l c a t e 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 , urged'

the ln-Iavr connlving chlef wag. The stashed assets (affluence beyond bellef

to the frontler b o rn e w o me n ) a walted. their dem ise as a pr ize in the pr l v ate

Dav e n p o r t b a n k va u rts, Bob r finnifor d- chalr man- of- t'he- boar i

o f w h l -ch gr andd.ad.d.y,
Taylor / so'1.'nq.,ttnr:ttsr 2A

CEO, he was thusly ever envieil. Fllial wrath full of internal turmoll enough

t o m a k e o n e rs b l - o o d b o i l v e n u m. r a s f l l t t e r l n g away the family fortune. Contin-

ued. plots to dlseredit and d.rive far, far 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 ln-

Iaws more lntensely as each newly born heir came j-nto the extended household."

E v e r t h u s, th e vro rst e xte n d.ing Plotted lastlng lor e lowdown har m ev eT

s t a t e d . a g a i n s t B o b Wtn n l fo rd o rl ginated under hls or m r oof, once ha ppy hous e-

hold. No one knew exact source at.first as the conventlonal-wisdom stated.: rtlf

you know who d.idnrt do it, then have reason you know who d.ld.'r Belleved by the

neighbors, lies sneared., llps besnearchedfar and wid.e. The truth wes vill-

f ied shrevid.Iy. AII three sons of enterprislng $arah Alexander-Wlnniford lived.

under tho samerooftop with thelr wlves and growing brood of children ( Ianded

gentry houses usually sheltered four generatlons of kln at the saae time). The

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. 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

fled the d.eplorable chatty talk frcm the locallzed rumor nilL, drlven to dls-

tractlon. To lToustonhlred llbrarlan Job there, she went, to escape mallclous

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

avraywhlle on his glgs, hls havlng a high-old-good-tlme playlng violln at pol-

rallles and.so-forth fun',rihlIe neglecting family dutie$. Yet all this

itical

sordld. flack vrasto d.lscred.it helrs to the fortune came from llart s den of the

h e re a t hom e. Blam e the victim was the clev er goal

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 a ch a rm" P l -u s n0.or ecensur ing ver bage f or l"{ aets leav i ng w ag
brothers being shct dead on slnful saLoon
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
Bass gan€
paeked streets of Black Jack Grove now called' Cunby, by the cutthroat
Taylor / sot,'1}qegul.IsiT 2T

shoot-cut. This gun fighting scandal was unbearable for the whole Frye fanily

to live 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 wlth her keen ch ok ehol d

craftlly on relating informatlon, accurate astute naked-truth b e d a m n e d . lV e r b a -

Iizing the deceptlon or untruth statenent took a merciless dlrectiono

VerbaI truth poslng as character asslgnation prattllng immediately turned

conpie t e l y e n fo rce o n n e w -b ri d .e ldaggle Landtr oop, saying in ItfouL ' ,v hi s per l ngs tt

talk of the county that aLl her chlldren borne were sired, e n g e n d ' e r e d . ,b e g a t

by luther Landtroop, her brother - veracitr d o o m e d , c r u s h e d a n d "a c u r s e d ' I

Luther was lndeed.a }lkely, logloal vllllan target by the tongue wagglers

in those lnonedlate parts of north-central East Texas" He had Jllted neighbor

girl 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 c hur c h w hl l e

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 years. Luther

was an arrant, tndisputable ladykilLer, dead-rlnger for nrovle star Buster Kee-

to n , u n t o o l d a g e se mb l -a n cea s weII. Luther accunuLated gr eat wealth as guar i l -

i an f o r o l l - r i ch co u sl n -kl n fn dlan Pr incess Lena River s who d.ied a dr unk ar d'

l lv ing t h e g o o i l l i fe tn p a ri s, Fr ance. She was gr anddaughter of nlgh ty c hl ef

Indlan t' r ar - bonnet in a converti bl e ?ac k -

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 g o td cl g a r-h o lder puffing smoke fast d"ownthe dirt r oad's and

through city streets in oK state countrysid.e" Blg Cherokee chief T.Ivl' Bufflngtc
Iuther
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,
for all possi-
b 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
multi-ethnlc (Basque,
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'
TayIor / S01,'INABUIIST 22

helrs were threatened. unbekncrvest to themselves for the ever-increasing paper

fortune assets, tucked. autay safely in the Curoby tcwn bank.

l v T a g g l est c h l l d r e n aIl lcoked dec ldedly Tndian except f or ElIa. Only l*{1ss

EIIa had green eyes, anglo bone-white complexioned skin or "Iight-compleeted'l

cousins ofton commented. Although, frbr lgh

features as the tongue-biting

eyed't E1la had a big plus factor, a hltherto personal bcnus; the lnborn asset

was being an identlcal look-a-like to her hard-worklng grandmother Sarah Alex-

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 to EIIa), 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

and was treated decent ln publlo at least by the homefolk couslns. The naughty

nefarlous revilling relatives here-to-fore 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 -

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

accepted.the sinful atroeitles, loose talk, over the truth belng spread about

l rlagg i e . G o o d p e o p l e a l w a ys b e l leve lles ovor the tr uth v' r hentold by r egul ar

cSurch goers as swear-by gospel. Thus, vuhlle waltlng for truth had to settle

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

llcr f or d.ecacles), InJustlce 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 . Bob Wln-

nlforclr s wife knew the unad.ulteratad facts over fictlonal provocatlons, unJust

cause ignored., lTever a word to refute the evil said, not to dlgnify outrage

wlt h a r e p l y r ffa s th e C h ri stl a n thlng to d.o. Tlmely patlence pr oved. [tl am naw

rtghtly above reproach when brother T,uther returneii ftfty odd years later, to

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 time (happy as

teenagers datlng again, mutual adniratlon soclety, they were united' lovers) '

No g r u d g e s h e l d b y th e m a t l e a st. However , the loopy attldunal Sr o w n c hl l dr en

of e l d e s t b a n d l e a d e r b ro th e r Nor ve r esum ed their long- dead. mother r s di s c or do

Taylor / SOUrN.q.gULrST 23

l,fajor attempts began to Ciscredit other heirs as belng bastard lines, castl-

gatlng even baslc intelligence for classroom achl-evenents below par in no un-

certaln word.s" The indignant legends, heireit ftghtlng rltes, can then be told

eer long alas"

Anon, the eer-Iong heired.-Iand vms all that was left to ftght over after

natlonal bank fallure closlng of L93l+. Gone was the cash exalted. estate, a

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 robber baron

invaslon ITD plunderlng cltizens ltke civll r a m rd a y s h a d d o n e ) . The nlserly

h o a rd w e n t f o r e ve r u n sp e n t b y the fr ugal pioneer fanally slster s, ol by any of

their heirs. Only heired land remalnedo Land ls the Llfe-blood of thls famlly

never to sell- even in dlre stratghts (real estate in every sense of the word' tc

bicker about) . Squabbllng source f cr the land becameJ.egal legitirnacy blrth-

right to proveo Once agaln, IIncIe Bobrs childrenrs clalns were the furlous

f oous, T h e ma n y-fa ce d stra l n s flowing in thelr mother r s veins wer e s eed tc

haran g u e , p l u s a l l o f Ma g g l e r s we1l- br eil ccmposite cr ossbr eedso l,fanm awsf

blood-lssue were considered inferior hybrid stock comblnatlons' lfongrel con-

glomerates they were ruled, rued. plty, 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 feud' . This gr av el y

styl-ed.splteful 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 vray to

,*alk and. stomp all over RIP tonobstone plot. Shouted sound. reasons to hlgh

heave n s r u p t o p l n ku s-e re ve n r d hetr aclous

o r d.o' ,vnwarto br instcne se a of boi r l n5

This viclous v engeanee o1

f ire 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"
g o o d. times on Goilt s ltttle acr e bur ial gr ounds r e-
J wap t n g - a b o u t, rl p -ro a rl n g
ttavenglng angelstt or r epr lsal hand' fr or n
leas e d p e n t - u p a n g e r a n d w a s called
Taylor / $CI{}IABTJIIST ?4

the grave" l d o g r a s s c o u L d g r o v t r ,a I I trorcped down, fron the frequent payback

times, T r T o t h i n gc o u l d t h r i v e 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 vege-

tationt The terraln appeared bare as if Queenie had run pawlng the grass clean

Iike skltterlng horse herdsf,Latten plant llfe. The heII-bent disrespectful

delegated. particlpants braSged much Iater, of course, revealing themselves. The

avengers felt rtbetter-than-God.'fto settle b a d . - b l o o d s co r e s , f I a u n t i n g , them-

s e lv e s r a t h e r th a n w a i t fcr th e good. T,or d on Judgem ent day " The vengeanc e

used.Bibllcal chapter and verse keenly to justify the frolicing, repulslve,

reprlsal shenlnaginsL

Thls effective shroudeil revenge llved, thrived" Retribution of thls type

happened for years ln the city-of-the-dead, bone-yard shrine beneath the clamrny

c lo d . s " 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. The best response to all these messy, mean

e v e n t s r , v a ss l l e n c e " The least sald. the better until being verbally assaulted

personally. The fitttng 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 living: I

fell out of the hearse on the vray to teII you sornething Juicy.'r This tiine

wprn axion lvas a skillfut saw, apt maxim farolty aphorism describing senseless

behavior. 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

distant nineteenth century covetous anger, consequentLy, eye-for-an-eye ego-

tistlcal retaliation 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 blood l-lnes long be-

fcre the cllntcal terms existed.. All the audible outbursts or loud personal

way back then" Thls gr uff wtr ite- t r as h, n1t-

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 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 Described

Tay lor / SOIMBULIST 25

the emotional blow-ups or tirad.es, m y l r { a m m a wd i d , like rlln-a1.nay team of horses

s t a rt l e d . s e n se l e ss (worse than any pony express dlspatch in a rainstorm,

too), : , V eh a d t o p u t u p w l t h a l o t just to keep peace and quieto Such ranting

reactions were a seldon nentioned. family secret trait typical of the ill-rnanner

ed. ln-law yahoo-yokel hicks, 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 , to be

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 , shuned as back-

w a r d . . S o m e h o wg o t i n f e s t e d into the clan gene pool. G e n e a l o g y n e x t b e c a m ea

requital 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, B u t D t r f , rAe s u l t s stopped the

overt blrthright valld. descent controversy yet did not cease the jealous, mal-i-

clous mlscreants ln the name of famlly 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 ln death of oach earlier gossiper. Next generation

allvays pltted 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 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

s ay in g s " 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

after 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 , Easter Sunday

annual egghunt at the rambling honestead place lnltiated. a ncticoable change

of astute attltudes and subtle tactics: a clever chip on oners sly should.er

emerged, covered. by mirthful banter. The long porch gatherlng confab sesslons,

conf lab called 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" 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

match-making parties to wed EIta 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
m o n e y e de n o u g h b y a l l approved.prospects into a frontier d'e-
suhstanilally
Tavlor / SooruleulIsT 26

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

costly engagenent ringr 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 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 sister 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

b rc t he r S v e r e t te l {i n n i f o rd . (E f ta had. a m ind of vr eCdlng d,esigns her o w n) .

l , [ a t o h - r o a k e rf i r s t - c o u s i n Mlss trianle stilt held hard. f eelings from that

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

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 bear, lll-will- aplenty and.

looking for a fracas, the peeved klssing-cousins posed ready for the least in-

fractlon of their oplnion, D i s a g r e e r , r e n tc a r 0 e f a s t that day over masonry teach-

lngs r o o l e s s . s r d .adNor ve W lnnlf or d. and neophyte Ton Tay l or

B o th l ,T a rcj -e taught

Ir,IaB
on that trusty matter" The
masonic orders, causing lntense Jealousy as it

nen quoted in casual conversation a text verbatun that only got instructed

orally, as was the custon of that day and era. One said the word ending for

maln clause was lve, Other refuted. as Lg" The vrangling adverblal versus

ad.jectlve clause lasted the whole day. Bach had hls ntoral high-cap on but no

prlneipled proverblal high ground. prcven, 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

topic next full-moon meetings of respective 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 . C o m m e r c el o d g e

a s s e n b l y v r e n t fo r T o m T a yl o r a b sol.utely. Even Big- D Dallas m asonlc ]- odge

offensive dispute, fearing to hurt lnfluential lTlnnl-

throngs courd. nct settle

ford clan feelings" Then, New York city inpartial r o a s o n sc i d n o t a g r e e o n

sid.e to take, or exactly whon to back" But washlngton, D"C"

whloh rlval

neutrar roascnic ord.ers finatry after much d.eliberation sided with Tcm Taylor'
Taylors hailed
?he u,s. House Representative wright ?atnan chose Tom, being
Taylor / sott,iigniTlIsT 27

fronc Vylnnsboro,Texas, honetcwn of his wifet s Connor family origins. Plus,

Englishman Arthur Buffington lvrote a book making oral-customlzed. t'eaching of

nasonry less confusing, from Britain to U. S. of A. reference, offering writ-

ten work cheaply avatlable for novices, Ietter perfeet tendered (tiren l[ years

lator 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 who also descended

big chlef T. Ilf. Buff i-ngton of Cherokee Oklahomatrlbe), Helr apparent boy-son

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 Tom selfsame visage, phlz,

doppleganger, duo-semblance, stancl-ln spare, slmil-ar syametrieal, repeat uni-

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
srof ile being transcripted parallel

dltto all over their nnusculature to each other, for sure. Thls Taylor victory

galned further rlvalry recognitlon insid"e Illumlnati, shadow shrouded organl-

zaticn that Taylor sept direct msle descendant llneage alread.y held s\'ilay.

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

five 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 fillaI network steamrolled all klngdonts with

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 (monotheism was an off-shoot trad"e-off, one

g o d ,c o n c e p t o v e r a I I of civllizatlon), The managementradesmen, everywhere

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 echelon helrachy ever morc

from Soloman, wisest nerchant-prince klng. Jeconiah l'ras llneal aneestor for

Taylor heredltary surname, passlng stralght llne 23t generatlons from Adamand

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 artlstic four foot by three feet color-

iz ed c o n n g e mo ra ti veIl th o g ra p h l c pictor ial poster placar d. was pr esented. to pr o-

c lain e d v r i n n e r T o m a s a l l fe -tl n e achlevenent awar d by such a youn g 26 y ear

o l d m a s t e r - ; n a s o nt u t e l a r y guardlanshlp"

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

unrestrained prestige like a race-horse track regatta entrant on the home-

stretoh (just 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 racing our way around the settir

cycle fron sitting or
hen eoop whlch was a Jail--holding ce1l to break clucklng
Ta'"rIor / so''ll'lng;lIsT ?8

fresirily layed. eggs really, a rehabilitation ehanber to get hens back to

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 AII the lvay frcm :{Iabamaby good,graces of

Cousin F.obert EIIis arrived 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 -

c ousln was still living the good life on the ancestral plantation the Texas

b o u n d .c c n t i g u o u s E I I I s sisters left back in 1889 TB plague terror. Cousin

Robert as we all calleC our regular visltor 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

d own o n l ^ r h a t h e kn e w to b e tru e , bullwar k of honesty him self" This endur i ng

courage of his own convictions

endorsenent gave dad.d,y-Tom to stand.-up for his

rightfully placed. id.eas. Further everlastlng 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

to be appressive, staunch believer ln his upright stance all during the fluster

i no
rrrF
t
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
qrru\r!$!!r D a d d . yw a s a m o t l v a t e d .

nartyr to ever avledCousin Robert, strength of Glbralter, nan of warrior steel"

Robert Ellis rras indeed a man of strong-wlll, hard-nosed and bull-head.ed

opionated., resolute, 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

his creed, oertitudes adamantly unmovable, being church eld.er at Florence and.

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 . He made a per-

fect example standlng up agalnst sln in all its various forros and sensual

shapes. But Cuz Robert had a critlcal flaw. He dld no nanual labor at all-"

He was expert at over-seel-ng intense labcr belng perfectly done" His present

project here at the honeplace was log crlb repairs. The frontier logs luere

covered. by olapboards half a century agor now need.ing re-chlnk between the

timbers. Soil wetted into mud.ballsdid. the job Just fine, wlth a bit of know
ttseed'-louchr?.
how guid.ance" eueenle and I this night slithered. by, beyond the

T S i s s h a n ty l e a n e d . fo rw 'a rd into an ear th cr ack. The small out- bui l di ng

stored seeds tc be planted for next yearts crops. T h l s s e e d .h o u s e w a s i n - m y -

tine called seed louch because a sweet child could not pronounce house, saying
Tavlor / sol.tlt*,gtt,rsr 29

instead 'rIouch.s Forthwith ttlouch'r was the habitual jargan. Cousin Robert

had self-appointed himsel-f to get aIl annexes into tip top shape this vis5-t,

even though he could nct exert himself in tha hct sun or tift heavy loads.

The l'rork got done because we a}l pitched. in, feellng llke slackerils otherwise.

His dear wlfe ran herself ragged trylng to take-on the task operating farm

chores, daily 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 herself Ilterally from

struggling with worrlsome undertakings beyond her skllled. abllltles' The death

defying efforts 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 "

lforrisome Cousin Robert Iltis vrasafterall proven work-brittle enough to

toit through the strain of the druggery at hand, His eld.est child called

,rplain Jane" by tacky tattlers took charge of the dutlful h c u s e h o l d .r e s p o n s l -

billtles. She reared the scintillating, showy younger two sisters. The

Lad.ies Ald Soclety in Florence tried. to te}l Cousln Robert how to ralse his

girls, but he did it hls way 1n no uncertaln termed words. The klndly ladies

h a d .m e t t h e t r match. ldot to be cowed tnto obedience doing somethlng he dld'

n o t li k e 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

thelr own chlldren. Blest beyond'

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
cousin Robert reared fine glrls lnto elegant ladles. The youngest
bellef,
a bankerrs son; the mlrldle chtld espouseda l0cal lawyer' The d'own-to-
trothed
was"
earth eldest continued to run the manse, Iad"y of the house she

surprlslngly, one vislt here, housekeeper daughter urgently wired vuestern

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

was postlvety official, Horrified, cuz F.obert bustled, brusquelx, to co*merce

his wlll (dldntt know a
town lawyer. Definitely all stirred' up, he changed
Taylor / sorfidARulrsT 30

sickly old. man could. move so fast)" teft one measley dollar to that dutlful

off-spring gal of his, keeping ihe fortune hunter from gettlng one red cent"

Tine toIC. a different story eventually" The banker llnked chlld soon gained

iI L-wl I I , *r h e ntru st fu n d su a s w er e suggested" hnd. the lawyer son- in- Iaw w as

all for the fees to set-up the three accounts, 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 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 of cows chewing their

eud. AI I this s cousin R ober t

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

h a d . p r o r n p t t y t ra n sfe rre d h l s to tal wor th out of state fr oir n.the banker i nl ar v s -

Thcn
.! rrv4 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 son-ln-Iavro
t

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, H€ lear ned hovr to oper ate

farm equipement, to make repalrs free of eharge of course. The newhusband

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 2'000 acres of cotton

a n 6 r o o w i n g5 r 0 0 0 a c r e c a t t l e pastures. The nlan obeyed bossy Robert EIlis, and

the profits rolled in" Needless to say, tho legal-will got dragistically

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 on that bucolic sceneo

Everythtng Cousln Robert dtd. turned to golden opportunlty. He was sltting

pretty 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 on hls front porch, pillared

portlco,actuatly Greek revlval, vrhenan l8-wheeler truck wreeked. The accident

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 along the highway" He got hl s hl r ed'

h a n d , so n t h e p l a c e t o c o l l e c t the drun-barrels, storing b e h l n d .t h e b a r n s " Y e a r

freight train derailed along side the msin highway" The busted
to day ]ater,
cars sprang free flowlng leak. Cuz fetched his llve-in hired'
loose oil-tanker
barrel-drums to gushlng leaks. S a l v a g e d .m o s t o f t h e o l l , using
help to roll
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
each of 1ast yearr s luckil-y found. barrels.

the sprlng time" eueenle shut,tled quietly through the ed'geof the sugar cane
 3r

rows, biting tops off ,'iuicy shoots, unable to resi.st.

Q,ueenle usually resisted good eats when r;.ding the range. She vras always

of a mind. to gat rshat she wanted when opportunity came calling. Queenie and,

Cousin Robert were two of a klnC, d.eternlned " Cuz Rcbert Ellis plainly spoke
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 Iike our Alexander kin here in Texas

do. In fact, Ellls and nlexander clans were aImost identicIe i n a - o p t ' o s c ht o

life situations; peas ln a pod cr cut from the samecloth. fgnorance or redneck

reasoning excuses were not acceptable response to crucial cjrcumstances. lt'loney

or its 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 to keep from bei-ng a part

of whatever v/as unpleasant got lambasted right out face-to-face. 0oz Robe-rt

advised whether asked for cr not, polnting 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 -

lege" "Tf you are so smart then why aintt you rlch, for moneyand lntelllgence

p:o together ltke a horse and carriage!rt 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 " He ovrned

inherited. cltrus orchards in South Texas. BIIis clan pioneered the ruby red

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

arations for the trees" Next arrival cane in early 0e+'oberfor harvest over-

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
 Taylor 1 $orru,rrgULIST 3z

was junker looklng school buses even when ne!\', painted red vrrith wide white

stripe lvhere nalle was emblazoned" Cuz Robert lived easual, easy going, lvore

only bib-overals, never a suit, even to church, He put a black Cress coat

over the Dickey work-clothes when attend.ing church or any other serious ser-
vices. He t'/as stingy-gut, tig:ht-wad, penny-pincher, f or sure miser, Ellis

family was blg time bottom line boomlngaffluence. G o t t h a t w a y J . 7 9 9t o I 8 I 0

gold strlke mining ln North CaroIlna" Nuqgets big asmushnelLonsspake fore-

fathers making-a-klIIing" " ncestors got untold" riches,

Even Taylor nameda filthy

Iucre, well-heeled treasure trove, there those years" 0ther forebears hit-the-

jackpot, I o a d e d " - u pt h e i r gold cache, belng-in-the-"moneyf or next huncired plus

years on easy streets" Along rvith the Sulllvan, Johnson and Robcrtson prosen-

itures selzed. their substantlal shareo

Cuz Robertt s dad Henry seized more opportunity whlIe vislting C u m b yk i n

in 1893 d.urlng the bank-panic depression. He bought the citrus orchards for

a song, pennles on th'e dollar cash, Other Sllis kln had flocked. to Texas for

cheap land durlng early frontler era and.by today had lots of relatirres to

vislt atl way to Ellls County next to DaIIas from Florence yearly"

Alabama visltlng Cousin Robcrt vras a sight for sore eyes to behold' and

to put up wtth, I{e had a major afflictlon, reason for his one traglc flsvr.

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

and.all made hin look sickly and feel poorly " cuz Rcbert was same age as my

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 age 8, playing on the Alabama ancestral

homegrounds. 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.
Taylor / $0,1/rI{ABTJLTST )3

ylinniford 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 fcr relatives o n r , ' ; & xt o see other

kin 4rr dnzens each year pirssing through these here parts. Couid hear the ear-
:\ t

clipping along uri':ently at nouth of the Iane, alerting l t { a m m a l tvo g o

rlages

ring neck of t r . n r oe x t r a chickens fcr lunch by tine the hcrses -oulled-up front"

smelly gasollne fumes were first hint of

Grandmother groused that automoblle

her talI, diverting the winding driveway,

ccmpany arrival. Queenie srritched
n n r n rv h nath by the glant tree overload.ed with rnistletoe used' for
u!r v v r r vo kckberry

Christnas love-fests ( 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 -

festation of chri_st to humanlty, being June 7, r B.C. was blrthcate our Eene-

y a m n a wc o u l d t e } }
I r l Tm time of day by the sun Slint shadows
alog,y charts gave)"
new fangled
frcm the gables of the sprawling house instead cf wi.nd-up clocks or

dayIlEht savings time.

Everyone
Time saving devices were not rnuchneeded or appreciated here.

had assiened chores to perform"

rllsitors were no exception. Our welcomlng

r: rot e l s t y r e d ho me i 4 ra so p e n to a ll kln viilling to fit- in r vi.th our way otr l l fe'

The hoardes of Ioved ones visitlng were called the'rtribal 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,

fun cf aII to see my mammaw 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

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
farnily menbers)' She
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
the nost hostire of riving con-
showedus how to love uncond"itionarry under
har d- ship. s r rs ec r et
l' { anr m av
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
TayIor / SOttm;igi[IsT )l+

was keeping her hanCs busy working-to-the-bone fa:'m chores wh'-Ie talking blue

streak to stopover extended kin, disi"aff or spindle side, spear said by soriie

affiliated akin to us.

Idle hands are workshop of devil was her fanriliar dlctum, avoidlng dwell-

ing on thoughts of adversity" The Hopkins County Landtroops were gocd lvorkers

at always keeplng busy. They were experienced planters frcm baek in deep

enrrthl nnd
rvu vrr!grfq t
h r r f f s 1 . 6 i 5 1 gi n 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 diff ictilt challenge"

Okiahoma was more appeallngr pleaslng, with its nountain valleys full of rich

soil, c ooler atmosphere . ArbuckIe, 0zark, Quachj-ta and !'ilichita rocky uprisings

beckoned Ilke home to then a1l, The whole bloodline brood nigrated to buddy-

buddy lndian Territory to be near their own klnd., Indian kindred deep roots

1/ere calling" They got land there abouts by the thousand acres, tv'ro countles

na,ned for them: Butler and EIIls. diC not move, b€ing
Ii{arunaw her pale-faced.

husband helred. hls own grandfatherrs landed estate" Across the land., a Joyous

commotion w6s blovring'lcud in the night wind. as Queenle sped along- Cottcn

picking canvass sacks flapped llke ship salls ln the skyr were alrlng on

barbed wire fences as Queenie cleared the envlrons The ltty-bltty sack
"
great-grandson small-fry Bitl-Bill used with a strap sewn on pillow case out

of flour sacking g}lstened

by l,{ammaw a waving forward sight. Billy, Juni.or

called m y m o mL { u z b e c a u s e a l l the aunties on place s e e m e d .r i g h t word to in-

dlcate the logical female tltle of addresso

l,4yaunties kept this fanily homestead unchanged llttle f rom f ive gener-

atlons ago. AII the nuch admired artifacts were stlll used daily as needed"

Nothing lay idle. ltrot even visitirg chatter, clattering of fanily lore' was

wastef uI ef f orts " AII the legend.ary tradition s were told. and retcl,d c onstantly
Ta:r lor / $Ol.,ltiriBIJLIST 3,

as a fun-filled useful tool, least we forget who we rea1ly are. Everyone

haaging around were real alive rooted relatives acting this way, add.ing de-

tails to all the alluring lo::e that bonded us wholly, totally, together from

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

stcnes 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
shlp reputatlcn with a songster following, fanso As teenagers growing-up,

the landtrocps taught voice control, enunciatlon, clear pronunclati-on, and

muslc a cappella. The Landtroop Troopers as they called themselves instructed.

singing, placlng anget food cake on top of tongue whi.Ie warbling the dlatonlc

scale five whole tones and. two semltones" These nodal scales were in solirni-

zatlon to the octave, tone, C, T h i s g a m u t n a m e d .f r o m L a t i n hyranto St' John-

the-Baptlst went: ut (ao) , r€, mi, f8, sol, Ia, sL, Use of marbles und"er

tongue helped. to clearly state syllables vrhen speaklng or carrylng a tune.

Expresslons, cutsy rhining deliveries or solliquoy 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. The jive drlven

c ogniz a n e e f r o m th e o rg a n l ze d vocillzatlon sounr led sweet like Queen i e and m e

slnglng our song lnto the windy night. Queenie leapfrogfied, gamboled ln alL

actuallty, sklmmlng over the shallow d.itches that led into the deep gUlley

Aunt LuciIIe d .u n n p eadl l 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 things fcrever cliscard.ed: player planc stylus

songs, inch-thick vlctorola reccrds, laced boots and unllmited. personal effects
 ')6'
Taylor I sor,waelTlIsT

LuciIIers nasty-nice cleanness, habitually neat anC ord.erly, Bot favorite

well-used. relies permanently discarded, burled under field washed mudo Queenie

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 up out of the muddy tronch.

Q u e e n l e an d f n e g o tl a te d . the r olly r nir e,, head.ed.for the br ooder or i nc u-

batcr shanty hatchery" Chicks $rere then placed into nest with a few clucking

hens saved for this 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 hatchlings. Turkeys d.rlntllng, gobbling, late added to

the pleaantrles alI over the place"

The gobbllng turkey calls s o u n d e d "m u c h l l k e hunan vocal tralnlng exercises

to the casual earo This night rid.e vras full of analogous sounds tc my Land"-

troop relatives lnfluences jurnping lnto rnymindful dreams" And.the Landtroops

were a madrical trend.y troop part of the llterary leader elite, along with the

promlnent Alexander and celebrated. lslnnlford famllies, 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 eminent

V f lnnl f o r d b r o th e rs b a n d . (e vo n $ nt- s!.zett ltfaggle at age I upon r id.ing by the

I ong p o r c h e s v,rh e reth e fe l l o w s pr actioedl f or sbol^Bhad r emar ked pr op hetl c al ) .y

that s h e w o u L d o n e d a y vre d th a t blond., blue- gr een eyed Bob W lnnlfor d , el ev en

years her senlor) " 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 year s. only her peppy br other s ar r anged

spiritecl soclal chances approprlate for 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 ln. they met on the town square of county

seat Sulphur Springs to get their llcense" They walked the few blocks to the

set-up for protracted. meetings, for their nuptials

Church of Chrlst tabernacle,
Taylor / Sot,NAeTJIIST 37

The weddlng party played. on with the well-knoi,rn'vTinniford brothers band., com-

nl otc
} /^v
v v
r , vtih f a n s . They danced and laughed. the e v e n i n g a 1 v a y" CrocneC and. trll-

led. till all could hard.Iy have the energy to leave. The horses fortunately

knew the way back to the homestall, pulllng the buggy"

always had big tears rolling

Mammaw dovtnher cheeks vrhentelllng all the

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 " Those glad-tears said it all

besto W e s h a r e d h e r s h e d .t e a r f u l glory and lived. in the happy after-glow re-

telllng of it aII"

To hear teII, L { a m n o aown l y e v e r s p o k e i l l of one person in bitlng-the-tongu

short sentences, That was Bob Rlchardson wiro haii no loving care concern for

sister ldozella. gne other related 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

allis. 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 " Uncle Jlm

vras t h e r e a l r e a so n a l l th e kl n left happy- days Alabam a to com e to s i z z l - r .ng

heated Texas. H e r,va sre p u te d d ying of TB, yet outllved ever y ad.ult w ho l ov ed

him so much they all 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 suf-

fering days" His sister LLzzy EI}ls Oox had a son who got great-uncle Jlmr s

sizeable fortune as havlng no children when dylng. April 17 was Jlmrs shared

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

Sund.ay" All the kln died., were born, or had eventful wonders occurrlng on

shared blrthdays. Jim, though, truly was d.olor, having the misery of TB,

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

indeed d.ied that tragic,fr€yr leaning between vrheels of the carriage d'uring
kin

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

glory 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

the bone marrory, could reappear most unlikely, skipping a generation or two
TayIor / SOT'rt{.qBIll.,I$T 38

before striklng againo Even G1adys Butler Armstrcng Cash had ribs renoved

after going from one sanitorium to another sanatorium; she lived to be 89

in dusty liiest Toxas, I{in baked her letters in cooking stove oven to kiII

possible gertns before operdng the nuch i,'ranted news to read.o No one ever kissed

each other or hugged at reunions" They feared spreading cr causing re-emer-

Eence of that plague" Joyful tears upon seeing each other follolved. lnstead"

Tfqlarran ^1o.trap,
v !q -t/ aboUt all the newgy detalled eventS fOllOwed. for hOUrs

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 " No inactive sitting

slothful to vislt or converse casually ln the front parlour. Er/en the parlour

was a settlng for rigorous acti-vity, playing piano or punp organ foot aetion

for belting out a song, fllIed. these get-togethers anong loved oneso

The Butler love story really was a happy times tear-jerker to retell.

l , { a m m asr , votl d e r s i s t e r 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 to Cumby" Took four years to stash the fare.

Charley arrlved 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 crop-

ing, and his plow horses fell belly deep in earth cracks not far from the

buried. Union Soldier spot on our place. Charley soon proposed marrlage to

I,ou, and they alt eagerly fled t o O k l a h o m ab a d l a n d s . Charles was a carpenter

and a bulloer by tradeo 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

ev ery v r h e r e h e w e n t" 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 until onl.v stub at

shoulder lef t he1rrryithing in palno Then, Great-uncle Charley never Carkened.

doors of church rest 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

Taylor I sorru,reT-Il,fsT ?o

perforned. services religiously at home, Just as did the Alexander sisters

great-great- Aunt Rebecoa Alexand.erand great-grandmother Sarah, Godrs house

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 with a sign out frcnt stating

t t H c u s eo f G o d . . r f

The goodly Landtroop kln all knew the Blble backwardsand forward as

cld-timers 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 back then, They toted, a small black

Bible, opening to chapter and verse as proof when challenged" Called Blble

thumpers back then they were. Ilaleyts comet put the Landtroop cLan ln the

religious llmelighto l{aleyts comet scare sent many people fleeing Texas for

0 k l a h o m a r . r o u n t a l n o u sc a v o s . The collective wlsdomd.eclared the cracking black-

l a n d . q r o u l d ,b r e a k - o f f , drop everyone, to fall aII way lnto Gulf of lr{exico"

keachers had a fleld day urging repentenee of sins before fateful final end'"

FiIIed churches to the rafters, pulplteering parsons dld. The frightful eomet

inileed turned, dayLleht dark as night while passing overhead, spewlng brlmstones

across great Southwast desert, l , r l a g g i eq u o t e d . s c r i p t u r e stating end-time wouLd

comemuch later actually after new-Jerusalem foundedo A thousand years of

peace when 1lon lies 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 , nct fiery destructlon

this day and time. The alarm disarmed wlth a Bibte verse. A r m a g e d d o nd l d n o t

happen, tro kingdom comeafter all" lfany non-believers were relleved'

Be l i e v e r s b e d .e vl l e d . vre re oddl- y d.isappointed at the sam e tim e' Getti ng

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 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 Being right

an6 wise enough to know better than typical foollsh folks provoked roisgivings

unbellevable. 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 enemieso

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 being right, God moves in mysterious ways

saith sone mean folks 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

Taylor / soh'll[ABIILIST 40

than face the truthful tinely facts"

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

She dreamp she would birth flve children, two stillborn. O n l y t - w ot r r o u l d l l v e .

Daughter first and a son last, twin, wrapped around his neck clogging throat"

Both would appear lifeless. She would wrangle black-flesh from windpipe of

futly forned. lnfant, reviving, 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

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

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 this dream-

scape prophecy. Oh my gosh, ach, the atonic bombat Hlroshama changed doubt

tc ponderous wonderment. The ehuckllng truth once dreamed began to unfold

lts lmport more regularly recurrent to L{lss 811a. Each visionary sequel re-

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 detalls than the previous oneo And her

offshoot 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 ln all

the envisioned. world (flluminati seer connectlons finalty be told) "

The oft 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 in newer, nore pressing

c o n c e r n s o f e v e r - d . a y n e e d . s" Restoratlon soon preoccupled. the f amily d.lrected

energy forces. Cousin Robert 8111s helpfully rebullt a m u c h n e e d e d .p r i r a i t i v e

hovel jokingly called Chanticleert s Castle. The refuge originally was a safe

harbor for cock flght ohanplons. The prized. roosters Jousted ganecccks with

sparring jabs spurred. until bleed.lng one to d,eath. Loser got served lnto

slumgulllon 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 infestation"

This ord.inary corn hoard.ing bin space d.ated back to the first d'ecadeafter

settled here. eueenle snorted a cautious appraisal of the still lean-

family

ing hut. 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 hooves aLncst klcked

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 ;'

Aunt Lynna, to go to Huntsville priscn rodeos wlth him" I'Ttr taught BilI-BilI

championship rcping skllIs that the youth later 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

Queenie shifted. directly facing the once high-ground spot Cuz Robert stood

as merely the over-seerer for aII the gruelllng efforts gettlng the structure

safe to use once agaln. Hls dlsabillty was not evldent in the quality workman-

ship dcne. Said. ofton he really uanted tc labor intensively Ilke everybody

e1se, but unfortunately could. noto Cuz dld ind.eedknow how to bcss the rrrorkers

mainly us, lnto 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 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 .

later tc bulld stalls, 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

dlvislons 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 private

space. Queenie could. still detect Cuzrs scent and snorted approval" She llked

Coz Robert well enough; he rode her heartily once-over the whole farm, inspect-

lng the property bound.s, checklng lf g o o d .a s l a n d . o n h i s l n h e r i t e d ancestral

estate" B u t O k l a h o m as o l l was suspect quality to Cuz Robert.

0 k l a h o m aw a s f u l l of Florence, Alabamakln who came for the lnfamous

Iand rush" l,{y strong-willed paternal grandfather GeorgeW" Taylor was a

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

He took wagcn load.s every year before and after the land rush, lnstlgated as

penalty for 5 civilized. trlbes fighting on side of the Confederacy" The federa

6 5 o v e r n m e ndt e s t r o y s i t s eneroieswlth brutal force as aII oId-South familles

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

rladdy GeorgeW. Taylor once guided a wagon train full of Baptist colonlsts, and
TayIor / SOtrII\L'\BULIST 4.

+,heygrunbled aII the rough rray about his cussing until crossing whlrlpooL
engulfing R e d.R i ve r fu l l o f q u ioic sand. The staid" pr eacher ts vr agon l " ,r asfas t

sinking out of sight, tail-end. flrst. He screamedfor g r a n d . d a dt o c u s s t h o s e

horses into action. Seare the devil out of them was the pleading retort" The
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 f o r m o n e y e dr. e a s o n s . T o

€et dirt cheap land. or to find fabled gold mines the fndians bragged abouto

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

v;lth their famllles going into wllderness Oklahoma. But the real purpose was
to keep young Nlmrod Taylor safe from the noose. The hanging sheriff posse at
' t T i n n s b o r ow a s a l w a y s
on the lookout. Nimrodts daddy had been shot d.ead, gunnei

d o r n mo n t h e s t r e e t s 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 i'/ar occupaticn yearso

N-othing was done by the shirt-tall sheriff ivhosekln did the killing 0ctober

18o). } , f l z l - l tf T a yl o r p o i n te d out the 9 nen who mur d.er ed her son, l eav i ng

grandson Nlnrrod fatherless, ' , 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

strike, slaylng the flrst and by age 12 had assasslnated aII nine. Even crip-
pled the sherlff with a stead.y shot to the knee. Legal search partles could

never catch the boy" The child hid lnslde the two-story pillared Cherry Y{ood.

manor, between walls of the chimney, Into the boondocks of fndlan Territory

fled the Taylors, amongtheir own race as half-breed.s though" The hullabaLoo

ealmed down as other controversies arose. The ballyhoo passed to other souls

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 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

r,vlnter bllzzards 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

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

if need be or to meet mental abuse, verbal. assaults d.isdalnfu-Ily head-on"

1,lfe-long disdaln resulted on the spot for TomTaylor and his child.ren

along with Elsie" A mite tetchy about notions not thelrs, aII kind.red relatior

ruptured everlastingty into payback time. Spllt siblings curtly decisively,

 43
Tsvl or / sol,,nrtentil,IsT

!r 'J fr t-i +u -iL-i l^l s . m

I1
cm was caIled. lower than a snake-in-the-grass, much worse to his

face. Namecalling repulsions regularly happened thereefter ln nrorgt back-

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 in publlc anger, tro less getting even,

f or bloodline orlgin aninoslty 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 , dlssenslon over oId childhood

battle scars for Ella and.her slblingso r?Half-breed" vras the klndest derision

of all the violence-of-words ever salcl that follolved over the decades agalnst

m e a n r e m l n d e r s h e l d h a te fu l b y the hotheads, I,' [or ds, oh so hotly blo w i ng, w er e

loudly caIllng, 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 rid.e on horse

back"

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 esteemed.s w ay

in the rocking chairs ereeklng thelr long told stories on the vrlde porches

ov er-Io o k t n g atI th e w l n d -to sse d. memor abllla landm ar ks this night. Queeni e

s t opp e d . f r o r n f u L l ga1lop, i n tu ne to the gonging clock" Fach r inging s tr l k e

r, v asa n h o u r f s ti me l y p ro w J-l n g d .ash acr oss the honeplace bor d.er s' The r egal

mare p a w e i t t h e e a rth , p a u sl n g from thelr r anbllng thoughts and ar ea- w l de r un-

She knlckered loudly, h e a d .r e v e r e n t l y reached ilovm to the soil, sme1llng,

sncrting, snlffing a startled inspecting nelgh wlld.Iy actlvatedo The equlne

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 out-house, appari-

tion suggested shielded gabled craftsmanshlp carveil, this toilet faclllties

-was
par excellant fron earliest tj-me, long past' tlll IIow. The prlvy facility

a oonverted. three-holer l n t o q u a d . r os o c l e t a l friend.Iy need-s, four sociable

lntlnate visltations" I,'Ihite-cast Iime rayored the freshly used' daily

seats for

dug holes to keep ftles, maggots away and' germs at bay' S e a r s a n d 'R o e b u c k

r a y h a n d i l y fo r re a d .i ng, but a aor e utlr itar ian use r en.alned' obv i ous
c at alo g u e s
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'

before toiret paper invention" 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

plentifulcorncobs"Anunslakedllneclr:clewasspread.thickforcbvlous
 4t+
Taylor / SOITNABUT,IST

sanitary purpoges.

Copious anounts of qulck-lime always was scattered, mottled. powdery ef-

fect intensified, on the dralnage soil area. Dnsinfected cleanilness every-

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, The llm ed ear th magnifled the ni ghtl y

'r bac k -
n oonb e a m s , g l or,vl n g i n to a sp o tl l ght, beyond the leanlng and leer lng

house-crapper.tt Forever whlte-washed was this prlvy to shed llght for all to

see, hygienlc efforts belng made regularly, along with control of spiders or

aII sueh creepy, crawly crltters on the underside seats. And to abate the

stanch! Tree trunks close-by also freshly llnred, further elucldated. efforts

f or health reasons on d isplay, day and night, lTo Lazy bones care here. IiTiLk-

cf-ltme euphenlstlcally d.escribed this antiseptlc care" The whole 'rvhlte-

speckled expanse ltlumlnated. an etherial, even eerie cast, refled-ted. moonshine

surreal scene a1l about the area. The stlnky toilet Jogged many more nemories

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

to turn 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
roosts. These forays were reserved for visttlng city sricker kln to f'aI!-
(oousin Earr Ma1esand son Jason once ferl for the prank, hording a gunny-sack

scared birds fleeing into the toe-sack) ' Onry once

open to catch the nlghtly

cculd the trick rvorkr. However, Ilttle citified Jason was once coaxed'to get

into erongateil cistern 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
Th a t f o o l - h a r c l y, f l u ke y a cti o n ioke lvould have been

contrivance gone lfrong. only a butt-head wourcl.d.ream-up such a

twist-of_fate
lato a llfe or death predlcane-&t. The
dangaroue qeed to aouble-dog clare kin
 Taylor / sol,ryanuT-r$T
I+j

p rlv y o d o r s n e a rl y sti ffl e d . th e llfe out of the fun had by all watc hi ng br ood.-
llne belng joked, fooled sc splendily, this stinky rite of passageo

A snelly scu rri n 6 g ci ve t ca t r ustled. the und.er br ush behind the oft- us ei i

outhouse. The musk srneII remained penetratingly keen beyond bellef for hours,
a pole-cat of a skunk visltation, this scintillatlng nlghtl Queenie bolted
in s t in c t i v e l y fo r sa f e ty, u a dte.r . the clothes llnes. She d.ucked under the
groun d e d . g u y wl re s a n ch o ri n g th e shor t- wave batter y power ed r aclio antenna that

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

manent protectlon from llghtning strikes, contrary to redneck excuses, saylng

o t h e r w l s e t o Ju stl fy th e i r a g e nd.a) r . The bother sor ne head. hlgh numer ous aer i al -

cable coj.ls had to be dod.ged,elud,lng Cecapitation or worse. Queenie decanped

the unsafe sector by way of tho oroquet oouracilay grounds, aII ten series of

hoops, t h o s e me ta L tri p p i n g w l ck ets, negotlated pell mell- over the l ong s tand.-

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 tanglecl enclosur e.

The almost contained, enclosed., entangled. equestrlan pair went scootlng,

scattlng t h e n se l ve s sl l Iy, sta n pedlng on the d.efenslve" Queenle headed. fr ont-

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, hlghtalling, ov€r the narkers, hopsootohlng, hot-

fo o t e d , 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" TwoLvedecades of loving burials, alI

belo v e d a n f u o a1 s, Ia y te sta me n t to gr lef held. honor o The lar gest lnt er i m ent

was a n e w - b o r n co l t ki l L e d ru n n lng to his m other into path of hor se- dr aw n

hay -mo w e r ( s o sa c! to ta l k a b o utr Vet sweet seeing loving car e of the m ar k ed.

Iast resting place). Bund.reds of loyal dogs and fellnes interred. Good o1d

Ftuff-Batl w h o scre a me d ., n l .o rd .y, Lor dyr tt plain as day enunciated. anthr om or phl s n

when c a t - f l g h t s g o t o n to h i s h o m e tur f" Canar y song- bir d' s by the gr oee l i ned'
Taylor / sot,nvsnrilrsT I|6

the cat buried r , v a l l < ' w a y .A n d C i n d . y - t h e - p l g , not ever killed for pork bellies,

had her last resting place recorCed (she once laid ccntent on the lengthy

porches to watch banquet dinners,inside fulI of honored guest preachers),

7 ;.i'a!',i 1

Even Cross-Bllts, the-turkey:@f had hls sweet spot, stlll firmly in place,

inscribed after wolves gobbleit him dovrnone day, forever missed.tllt this time,

Ba r e l - v m lsse d kn cckl n g o ve r the pr etty memor lal tur key tor obsto ne, though.

Queen l e o o n t l n u e ci scra n xb l l n g fa r away fr om the pole- cat fum es, Onw ar d s he

went, taking flight, over the three wash-pots arran6led above already stacked

f lre-v r o o 6 f o r 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 one

fo r th e n e x t o A b l e a ch e d -w h l te n faded. punch- stlck pr otr udeil well abov e the

rim to leverage heavy scald.ing-hot bib-overal-Is llfted out of the volcanic

bolling water, from roarlng fire beneath each cast iron cauldronr even' ln

s welt e r i n g r o t d a ys,
s u 1 n me h 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'

$noked. swine bones hunEl on a wire, d.ownfron the hlghest cedar tree

branches. AIl thts evid.encevns left-overs from hog killtng t1ne, gauged

when flrst autunn freeze enabled.butchering full-d.ay activltles to render lnto

l_ a rd e r . T h e fre sh me a t w a s sa l ted.- d.ownlnto long plne chests for s tor age be-

fore spoilageo Crackllngs and chlttlings got made fronr bolled hog entrails,

guts and such steamed.,visceralnternal parts, unbellevably good to eat as

tasty snacks, or later to make lye soap here near the field dralnage deep

dltch levee.

e u e e n i e va u l te d th e d .ra i n a ge- dltch 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. At r eas t

aroun d . t h e c o w l o t
The brovrnish
fifteen feet hlgh was the stacked hockey from mucked-cut stalrs.
s eer -
c u t s id e drylng 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" One

would sink arn, pit d e p t h l n [ d . e e p - d o - d . o ' fi f nis-stepping onto the conposted.

mess. Then Queonle wlsely sauntereil under the turkey roosts. Gobbllng tons

activated 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

rall-fence by the hbn house. Gulnea fowl hens hastily announced thej-r loud.est

anger at belng dlsturbed" $ t l a t c h - d o gc l a r i t y alvrays resulted from these pea-

forvl pets that had brought stick-tight fleas, size of s;pigute penclI dot,

gifted by LuIa from Norvets breed.er stock. The layer hens flapped. wings,

cackled a shrlll alert to scat the dlsturbarco,

The alertedl Queenle, alnost scared., made herself scarce, whlsked over and

alv a y a m o n g t h e p l u ru tre e s, p ro p elllng lnto- .tbc- tall pear s by way of the peac h

orc ha r d . , f u I I o f u n d e rg ro w th o kr a that came up wild, volunteer plants eac h

year, self-seed.ed." Datrntng fruit bats darted about noislly and roosted day

lt ght h o u r s u psi d e cl o w no n th e lnner llm bs of the cltr us tr ees, And thr ough

t he ve g e t a b l e s, g a ri l e n g a te kn o cked half open, tr anopled, the twosome ov er r ow s

of potatoes to the tomatoes. Onlons and bean stalks fell tangled, a messy

a f t e rm a t h m a d .eb y fl -e e tl n g tra ck s, Deep r aar ked.hooves left a speed l l y tr om ped

t rall 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 bey ond.

. 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 hus band.

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

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 along"

The startled nl g h t tl me a d .ve n tur e abr uptlX, hasttly, d.ir ected. sur gln g d.ow n

the straieht a n d . n a rro w p tg tra i l- s lead.ing towar d the big thicket w ood" s " Pok e

sallet grew neck high; purple berry seed called stretch-berries were good for

d e v isi n g 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 butter fl i es ,
Taylor I sol,nilAgtilrsT 48

h a d t o b e a d d . e di n t o the berry frulty mixo Twas good tasting and fun to chew,

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 sticky mess onto ears

and. a I I o v e r he a d . o f h a l r" In g enuity was self- enter tainr oent for this c ountr y -

f t ed 1lfe style e d ste n ce .. A far d.lffer ent smell sud.d.enlylm ninated the

l and. s c a p e " D o w n d e e p ru ts, n u d .d,y- wallowing holes to the hog pln the m oonr i s l ng

charged outing lad." gelys and. plglets 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' fhls Sal l y

called 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

s he kl l l e d w i t h a sl i n g sh o t a n d dr aped. by the ear s over her apr on str l ngs as

balt t o f e e c l w h e n sh e h o t-fo o te d . to safety. Saved her Ilfe mor e than a few

d . o z e nt l m e s , t o o , over the years. The bustllng happy horse and.boy next gltd.ed

by the petrifled p1aoe, pretty 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

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, saer ed as glfts fr om the

Great splrtt hinsel_f" AlL this 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

of creatorrs l-ove providlng crystal cJear stand.lng water to drink year round'o

Ev e ry n o o k a n d cra n n y vra s a l l vl ng museun on the antlquatecl landgr an t hom e-

stead. (expanslve Jogged nenorles stretched its realn everywhere). Somethlng

exciting, personal, intenslve, snagged the essence of loved long d'ead ones that

happe n e d .h e r e a b o u ts. N o sp o t w ent untouched, good or bad, attaehed. adm l r atl on.

A glorifled. flxatlon to renenbrances beyond compare resided immortal all aboutt

accounts
never to be f orgotten by the blood-lssue d.escend.ants. Personal
and' en-
a 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

grosslng by-gone times tol-d ta}es" Each regaled' explott gained an end'Iess

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

Taylor / SOlfl{ABUIfST 49

rainy days, These reveting family mind.-trlp pausing monents were ingenius

entertaining palaver, blather, good chit-chat, gibble-gabble, to shoot-the-

breeze d.urlng lengthy entralllng yet captlvating 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 ."

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 poop reminders kept popplng-up as

Queenie rounded the cane break thlcket. The Georgla cane grew thlck as d.og-

hai-r, a1I the better use to stop dltches washing-away into guilles (gulIey

eroslon 'riasa maJor problem at end of flelo rows leading lnto ditches) " !VeII-

worn t r a l l s l e d . i n w a rd ,, fo rme d fr om town str um pets, har lots peddllng thel r

stuff" Hldey-holes proliferated. arrong the twonty-five foot tall cane shoots

(best fishlng poles In the whole county grew rlght here, for a fact)" Hot-to-

trot cllentel- came from mlles around to get the prime lascivlous goods, hld-

i le n o r h t d t n g i n vra i t (l o ca l h a i rd.r esser s vr lth beauty oper ator co- hor ts and a

slut-of-a-mother trolLop waltress, aIl relatlons to chlef-of-po1lce Ulathls ln

Co n m e r c e , r e g u l a rL y u se d th l s scr ub- br ush gr ove flor a as a venal shel ter to

h arbo r m o n e y -ma kl n g l n l q u l ty) Thts vegetation stanil got bur ned to a c r i s p

"
ever few years by dlsgruntled 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 No end in sight to such business dealingso l{orse and

boy scuttLed fast away, continuing thelr nlght f )-ight amld.f lre-f llesr sP&rkin5

sights, llghtning bugs btlnklng, winklng at the mischief fj-lled storehouse'

inlquttous vlctnlty. Anil crickets further chlrped ln the thigh hleh Johnson

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 ofton polsonous to qTaze.

T h l s g r a sp 1 n g n i g h tl y fl i e h ty tr lp 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 band"its did stop to vlslt too, jaw-bone

tlmes on thelr boozing blnders, 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

vice out of town" Great-uncle Charley Butler recorded. his Jesse James friend"-

shlp experience back ln Alabame 1880rs days. Back then, Charley wrote d.ov*n

his llngerlng e h a t w i th l o n g a ssumed m ur d.er ed Jesse Janes. The infa m ous tr es s e

thoug h w a s a l l v e l n C o mme rce , Texas on a Satur d,ay night tr acle gather l ng 1n

L936, to hear telI, Jesse James talked a blue-streak about civil war years

and encounters playl-ng cards wlth rallroacl employees after the I'fuscle Shcals,

Alabama traln robbery, to which Charles was witness. 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 -

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 atop Ozar k M ountai ns l n

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) " The cut- thr o at r obber

repute d n a n h o w l e d l n b e l l " y l a u ghter at foollng false death newsy ac c ounts .

Yo w l l n g , h o w l l n g w o l ve s o a lllng in the back gr ound abr uptly tur ned the

m a ro a n d b o y a ro u n d . B a ck to w ar d the bar ns sur ged the pair , pr onto. Ioc o-

motlve whlstLes, tralns 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, zipplng, thr ough

t h e s h o o t i n g - arro w g ra ss kn e e h igh and pler clng- spear - weed.s six foo t tal l

(common folk namesgiven from shape of seed that penetrates socks and.cloth-

ing or hairy fur when passing-by). Queenie almost stumbled on the tlp of a

corn cob, Long burled. in the ruts around the spaclous horse-lot rall fenc1n8,

typlcal zLg-zag stYle.

the erstwhile co rn co b fi g bts popped back into m emor y lane tho ughts . T he
Taylor / s,3lq'trABUlTST 5L

Iong-past fights ensueclproper place memorandum

recall anong the screw-loose
couslns all 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 gosslpy claims

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 , Corn-cob throwlng bouts resulted,

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 , felt llke solid brickbats hitting up side

of the head, making youngster ElIa ofton see stars red as flre sparking all

aroun d h e r h o od cd . p a te . T h l s was dead.ly ser ious fun for the chosen few or ner y

chll-d.ren of avenglng Lula Wiggs whose rufflan brother owned.r,rindrxills on

nearby Smith ?rairle. 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 her children,

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

of f-spring frequently fron prankish play" 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

also dellghted in ttpractlcal 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

pulllng a chalr 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. Super-

b 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. T he

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 , recrultlng

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

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

guff off anyoneo This E1sle Taylor, niece to much despised Tom Taylor, gave

tit-for-tat" Aunt-cousln Elsie got even with triple lnterest, disheil-out good

as she got to the back-stabblng cousins of the tTlnnlford name, Cousln Elsie

kept a welL-recorded black list for eaoh niscreantl her llttle book itemized

every exploltatlon to later cash-in on abuse heaped upon her, Revenge became

an art form the previous generations never dreamed of, Also kept handy was a

tally price sheet for gifts given to each grand.child, fearlng higher sun spent

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 Sur e.

Hence foruard,, teensy-weensy Ida !,fargaret Taylor-}?lnnlforil new helress

was next carefully chcsen agenda for big-bully craftecl child.hood fights anong
Ta3r1p" / so"tn;Ll:liiirsr 52

eousins in naine of f un. glsie wed open-eyed to the eontroversy coanected to

the'randed oenttg l,Tinnifcrds on her ISth birthday L925 (a custom not to narry
n r . in r . f n ' l, q + h n a m e y e a r ) .
i/r lvf !v vrr Her nuptlals cane just aS all the masonie loCge aI-

tercaticn began !n dead earnest. EIsle 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 the brain-washlng tactics 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

psychic indignltles, sent to live 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 -

Ior, 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 . Ilsie v o r v e dt o s h i e l d
baby from devilish pranks and rampant rancorous famlly caper clashing nonkey-
qhinaq erl ,ronegleefully in name of honest-to-goodness romping ganes, gossipJ

delights to laugh about having put one over on the kin,

Yet the gosslpers still had a f ield. day laying claim to cr.ate c ontrovorsJ

like they had about Uncle Samts l-ifestyle destroying his marriage and alackadaS

declaring that EIsie was a frlvolous party-girl who relinquisheil her child

rearlng C.uties by inflicting kldtlng Ida \lTargaret to the care of mother lda"

Aunt lde as called by alL sent the child to loeal colLege training school honor
program from grade one onward. The college professors practlced. teaching tech-

niques cn the scholastically chosen few, a far superior instruction to small-

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 . Though, even East Texas College was a mere

NormaI School, meaning only a teacher trainlng subordinate institutlon, slmilar

to Draughanfs Commercial Business Sehool, not a valid college bona fide proven

tiII 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 f ound f ault. Poorly f abricated

false tales were better than no disparaging disperslons at all, to squabble ov€

when it cane to tongue waggllng clever character assasinations (to blast-out

r r v h e r en o t r u t h lies 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 53
badinouth in order to justif5' fibbing l'rhen on the mourners bench at church

revivals fcr alI to hear telll Thus, every maneuvering nealy-nouihed lout

uses such battle gane strategem tc perf ection. Fllgh-and.-nlghty gooCie-two-

shoes rellgiosity angle appeared v,rhile bellttting otlrers to make self look

h1 " 1i! tos ) tn

!!r n , rvh! 14rvt n , t h i s
yq fat-head.ed anc smug schelolng cabal. 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 n u m b e r o n e p o m p o u sc o u s i n s o Cantt wln for loslng aptly de-

s c rlbe d t h e t i f f Id a l rrlar gar et hencef or th became a guest vis l ti ng

" sl l e F te tl
ccuntry kin on rare oceasions to her own parentsf house. Thls lasted. a life

time: Tay1or versus Winnlf ord disagreements, vend.etta, began ccusin in-

spired soclal 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, at school drana

plays during stage change }ulls; internissions oausing more iealousy). Little

ofton enough the grousing, grumbling, grlping kin. As an adult,

Lynna tcld-cff
never allowed. her son to visit those blood'-relatives, fearing
trynna Estelle

his belng castlgateil, rulned for Iife, 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
like 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 .
re-
chtld by those looney bin bunch of senseless, sirnple-nlnded', bloodtied'
obJection! Although'
lationsr,' was Lynna Estellets naln verbalized' opposing

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
s t t ng i n g o n e b u sy d .a y a t the comm er ce town News Stand" that
llck

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 d.r iven but d.aft, Lfanie enter ed s houtl ng

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
. te a u B 1 l e u .
Arl. li1 D s h o i v e d vl T he baseball- pla;r er man of color l' vas i ndeed' l d-
of I'ynna E' Thus' blab-
eltical twin appearance to Billy Bergen, Junlor, son
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,

"See, I have alvrays told you the Taylors are nothing but niggersl't The cap-
' ; " i e l C o nT a y l o r
tive audience turned hostlle on sourpuss[famlo: "Their ccusin Bub

is our favorlte 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 -

meaning, dlosenbling twlsted, tactic never ceasedl, contrary to all efforts to

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 dar k hair ed head. Ly nna

EsteIIers main protectlve obJectlve continued along with d.lsquieting thoughts

to this day about the dregs of society klnfolk'

Elsie 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

d ef ama t l o n f o r th e n e xt fe w d .e cad.es,har angue be hanged.. ELsie did. as s he

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 o ve r th e countr y plus the l' tihite House pr esldents "

?retty wonan, welI-dressed. fancy-pants El,sie, aII CoIled.-up, becane a

fashlon-plate attraction 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 -

ford.ts acclained. muslcal fans (iris brothers forned the violln playlng group

in I 8 S0 a f t e r p e rfo rn l n g a t fa mous Dallas County sher lff UncLe Nor v el L R ober t-

son Wlnnlford funeral, billed as finest flddllng ln Texas from then ttll thls

day)o Even taught classlcal violln for 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

ftalian clty orchastras. The Texas l{lnntford band, ofton played fcr president-

iaI 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 . Vilr ite l{ ouse functions s i nc e

ccusin Ad.lal Stevenson days" S a n ts T e x a s v l o l i n i s t playboys played charter

passenger traln ear gigs,mostly nusical hlts "to-ham-lt-upr?r fulI of encores.

T h e T e x a s o tl -rl ch K l l g o re and longview nouveau r iehe cr ovr d r e gul ar l y

journeyed. to bathhouses ln sln city Hot Springs, Arkansas Ozark mountalns for
ilbr eak- downsr r better know n as
f un w e l l a l , r a y fro m h o me . U n c]e Sam played
whlle walklng length of all- fifteen r ai l r oad
v ic lin t 8 t z z yN e g ro -typ e tu n e s
Taylor / so},/llABTJLr$T 55

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 and jisging lnto the seats some-

as the train swayed.,jiggllng all the more behind Sanrs strolling play-
tines

ful tune (no transitor radlos back then to carry own personal choice enter-

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

walked,, talked - a marvel to watch, seeing his nusic come alive. The vlrtuoso

crossed. both legs, wrapped hls left foot over the risht as lf a rubber bone

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 tlps" IIis toes

botmolng
l i fe -fo rce beating ln ever y br eathy m ovement' T he
t appe d t o t h e rh yth n l c
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. 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 two deca des , i n-

cludlng polttlcal ralLles aIt over Texas, particularly for lYright Patman and

sam Raybrrno All this JoyfuJ. bllsg for Elsie wrankled. Jealous couslns to no

e nd, f u r l o u s l rra tl o n a l - se e tb l n g vend' etta plans got IaLd' '

The indeflnable fury got retallatlon, vengeancer via innuendo muttered'

m er nt the opposlte. l\ilnnlf or d pr l d'e

connn e n t s o f h ea p e d u p p ra rse th at r ear r y
concelt retorted,
ofton remarked.l r?noone is better than we are.tr Yet faylor

rrNoone ls as good or smart as we are.r! Such lordly banter contlnued', No

end ln slght, IoftY Year after Year'

T h e y e a r L g Z i E a ste r S u n d ay was tur nlng polnt once again ln the fam l l y

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 cousin Earl lr'lares,sorr of rvey Alexander, slster

of Texas state Baptl s t
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
glrr rulnor monger co-
conventlon 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 o-
of 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 / S0I$'{ABI'LIST ,6

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
three months later from strangulation on blood from tooth pull-ed, free-bleed.e:

Iik e aII o f u s 6 ,1 6 :oT h e a g e d a u ntie however hear d the conniving r em ar k s her -

self via the little kncwn saving-grace quallty of Echo l"ane" Volces carrled.

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 ploneer tlmes lnto the

s praw L l n g h o u se . N e xt mo rn i n g ear ly M ond.ay, Gr and.daddyts f iesty au nt w ent to

the courthouse, Deeiled him the house and land, she d.ld, so as not to be turnei

out onto the road. as conspired, coLlu,led. evll deeds (f now possess that ln-

h e rt t e d 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 -

time was the old-tlney saylng for this lntrlgue craftfully foiled dastardly

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 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

auntle), After all, 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

aomrs d a l . L l a n ce ; tri fti n g me n g ave her the assum ed.name ldoa. Even the tal o-

bearer kln coulcl not restrain the urge to tattle-tale aLl the hearsay d'lrt

ever heardl on Poor EarI, dellghted. close scrutlnyl Conspiring consequencel

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 g ather er st, afr esh ln year 1983. Echo T ,aners

n a t u ra l w o n d e ro u s se cre t Go d .-g iven glft once again savecl the day, o v er - hear l ng

d . e s ig n e d .m a o h l n a tl o n s, d .l rty d eallngs, to tur n Lynna and LuclIIe out on the

r o a d h o n a e l e s so n c e t h e i r dad.died (Etsie dairy drove her car to the mal)-box,

t u rn e d a r o u n d .r,Ju g tto tri ck 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 ln per fume bottLes on the vanity il r es s er

we re a r r l v l n g ) .
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 adr lobly boozed' snor ted" and'

s m o o z e d ^l n t h is se cre ti ve L y stylized fashion. Consequently, Gr andd'addys aw

w a s; h e phoned tbe county cr er k to com e to his d'eathbed'-

the rouse for what it
with acroage adJolnlnl
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 ,
TayIor / SOtnrnnutlsT ,7

highway deslgnated for his two sons (contrary tc goailing hubbub declaring no

inherltance for l{orace, to benefit allenating agenda or masterstroke manipula-

tlon for 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 -

p a p e r T 1 f ER U S T I E Ra r t l c l e s stated these final days of his life (not rich enougl

rffinnlford name stlII had
anymore fcr Forbes /+00 listing) " Idoturlthstanding, the
clout based on lanil-holding 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

f igur e f a n t l y fo rtu n e l o n g g o n e) " The old. ad.age of V,Ilnnifor ds sayin g, ttN o one

ls better than we are'r played positlve ironicatly lnto the hancls of the heired

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 , 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 our

l o v e d o n e s a t h o m e r t( a l l 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 appear-

ances, diverslty from a partly gestalt Jest at its best, most, in fact 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 from publlc s c a n d . a l o u se x p e r i e n c e , e r g c

the wlll"y-nilLy battle scars"

Bob Wlnnlfordil lalmrroh well--regard.eil pubtlcized. persona was regaled' f or

j1 eountles, all over native Iast Teras verlly versedo Hls fld.dlers band, all

three viol_lnlst V{inniford. brothers dtstlnction was rock-star status fan base'

Th e n o s t h l t a r l o u s e n te rta l n me n t par t of the ensem ble was the lar ge v l ol oni -

c e llo , p l a y e d . b y Gra n d fa th e r" 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 the fun- to- watch m us l c al r €r -

I ik e
physlcal exercislng cor-
dering. Thls viola-de-gamba apparatus was a rigorous
not d"ownrlght obscene siraulated' act. Typl-
trivance, an obviously indecent lf
scaled' sounds to lts logical con-
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
playing bass violln-nar
clusion, 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
Taylor,/ SOltdABrJLI$T 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 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 emanateC,

emlt, his exhausted alr from his devlne tips upon the unvrell patient or bell-e-

ver then mendedoo. renedled., recovered., all patched-up good as newo This

Uncle Bob flgure of an earthly godly nan hereto had numerous followers, far and

near. The yond.er faithful and devout bellevers came trusting as Iast resort

ofton from fancy-clan d.octorsr clinics. Begglng, they d.id like zealots sent,

al1 eome to his homeydoor stoop, stepplng lively for his breathing fbreath-of-

Iife'? into sickly babes and dying elderly. Thls God-glven-glft came from hls

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 , 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
paternal 1oss before blrtho Two other locally 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

sane omnlpotent resolution or delfled grace-filled b o o n :p l - u c k y B o b b y t s o w n

p at ern a l 1 o u d - cu ssl n g g ra n i l fa th er Geor ge T[, Taylor for same r eason r eputed of

" 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

had sane condj_tionaL abllltles ( 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

witch-doctors so-called by the doubting-Thomasuninitiated) "

l { o a J . l e d ge d fo l k-h e a l e r i n dubitably could. cur e hlmself as j- mr oac ul ate

open lll mouth ( one last Jab from the battle-ax kln prof-
breath must puff into

fered TB,was kilflng UncLe Bob, contracted fron wife l[aggie whose fami]-y dying

IS g g A l a b a ma h a d fled. westlvar d to llfe- givlng hot Tex as c l l m atet

of tuberculous
d.lagnosls on the death
even though heart conditlon vrasthe phystclants fatat
bedrldden and lnflrm Uncle Bob
certifrcate; excuses medical used not to vislt
The usuarty curative airy breath of salty-
who had outrlved. his usefulness) I
too late in the evenin g, unabr e tc
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
winnifordrs face and t,hroat,
east convarescent nostrum arr over beroved Bob

lll-fated tc our deeP sorrowo

Taylcr / S0I{NABULIST 59

Bob Wlnniford bravely faced his fate, llving on borrowed time last four

years declared the ccncerted course*relatives" IIis being partial tc daughter

El-la who looked. exactly like 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 -

Iife breath, 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 B o b b y l o o ke d -on intensely ( gr anddad. had. held. his ov r n m other r

h a n d .a t h e r l a s t gasp, Just as she was hold.lng her parents on their death bedl

in thls very nnl4dle room place)" A puff of air e x h a l e d a c r o s s G r a n d d a d ts

quivering 1ips, criss-crosslng golng over EIlats mushycheeks, out the naud.Iln

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 la nd. he l v as

borne on. lTo one crled nrore than my nother l,flss Ill.a, sobbing slow voiceless

t e a rs l n t o h e avi n g g u l p s o f a i ry blustor ing bawllng. l,tluchmor e for her s el f,

she walled to miss hls soothlng volce, never more to hear. Nothing was ever

th e s a m e a t l l fl n n l fo rd V [a y h o me place after this October 18, L9l+ 3 death dated'

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

appearance,
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
years). This end'-
all 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 tr yst nar ked. r nom enton the

ro u s t a r d - y e t r o w co ro re d ca rtl u i o alendar nailed to the pantr y v,r al- l ( ' ' i fl ne- of-

card.ul patent ned.icine was a free utilltarian advertiseroent for female troubles
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 age-
Th 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
ccver terl-tate d.istilled', spirl-
sers and then habituarty gargled. corogne to
Taylor / scl''iNABUI,IST 60

tous breatho 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 the'uvind-tossed

Iast 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 The llmellghteC

effect dlppect cl o vsnth e g ra ssy shadowy open- alr r oute thr ough the c otton

f telds lnto head htgh corn stalk 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

fulL 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 ears had long oorn silks flapping

in the breeze, The bareback boy rider had his owt Indian bushy head halr

g us hl n g f l n e as co rn sl l ks th a t wavlngly knotted into knlts in the w i ndy ex -

cursion (cur}y halr ls a definite negroid lnheritance tralt, saith the blood

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 upon mentlonlng natural ringled" curls

of cousin Dovie Lee, to see lf gettlng a rouse) " The wheezy nightly outing

took a flrm turn upon'the sweeplng knolt leailing across the pralrle grasso

T h e u n p a tn te d . B e n to n p ra i rl e 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 . 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 ,

full 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 ' Then,

nolsely on the wall behlnd hls

daddy Dale would scrape hls scratchlng flngers

back. Thls scared the devil out of the childr so said. kin about this unscru-

p u lou s u s e o f re l i g l o n . B u t th e gosslpy tid- bits got their swlpe onto fl edgLng

Donn a a n d w i f e l vfa rg a re t ? h tl -Il p s last bor n of Il+ chlldr en 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
. 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 D onna w as
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"

The nabbing nags, snooping sisters all ln cohoots for more lovr-downto

run-6.ovm, ho less even resorted to a backbiting sianderous swipe at mainline

talebearer slbllng } , , { 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

real origlns" fruth be told, g o o d .g r l e f , ahal G o t h e r c o n e u p p a n c eb t g t i m e

and unspeakable personal for once from her ovln llk, Io these nany years con-

founded.incredibly carped niggllng" Seens stated scu+-tlebutt clearly reputed

suckllng l,{ary Louise',rvasleft 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 Alexander and vrife

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 of frcntler Hunt

County and Confederate Captaln who travelled 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 -

son lilaxwell Taylor on way home fron Yfar-Between-the-States when 3-lt Taylor re-

ported mlshap fe11 into PoIk County Arkansas river, subsequently succumbing of

pneumonla)" Never detef*ted. any last remalns" Hls fifty gold-twenty-dollar

pieces, silver buttons and fine sorrell stallicn aII disappeared. lTo burial

spot ever f ound af ter several family 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 vridow in Texas, replacing or upstaging

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 " T' ,far y$tokely wed elder ly T honas P"

Ta y lo r l m . r n e di a te J_ayfte r IS 3 6 B attle of San Jacinto clalr ned. her hus band T honas

T h e te n l e a g u e land.hold.er Taylor lef t I8l+5 tl!.ar y r ic hes t w i dow

St ok e l y t s l i f e .

in Texas; two stokely daughters wed two Taylor brothers so'LTarywas mother-in-
Tay)-or I SOmlr''eULfST 62

law to thcse srown chlldren (then another Stokely daughter wed tc l{usbands

c lan o f n e a r b y Gre e n vi l l e su e d . nir otherl' .{ ar y f or inher itance but Civil :'r 'arbe-

gBn anC a fever clalned life of the off-spring). :l,fterthoughts swlrled ln

the vrinCy airy nighttiine as pretty, 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

nental nementoesthat she was Just such a gooil-looklng steed that ny ancestor

J-M Taylor last rod.e, Story had lt stated. he vras kllled for all the valuables,

a smaII fortune" Flashbacks retalned. the heritage aceounts galloping through

t h is r u n - i n - t he -h e a d .o
H e a d . i n gf a s t agalnst the breeze, tr was easy to bear-in-nrlnd indellble tolc

happenlngs hereabouts on this exoltlng land.scape. The Jarring ride carri,ed

thoughts back off the tip-of-the-tongue 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 its cues to kaep-in-view former

tfuneIy occurrenoes, Cousin lfemlets just deserts or unexpocted rebuke kept

hitttng the trail of worcls uppermost-in-thoughts, word.-for-vrord ever said"

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 n-

ntfo16, eldest sister 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

Wlnnlford, my oi/n grandfather illlnniford.ts daddy vrhowas tlventy years iunior.

But th e b i g g e st, b l a rl n g d e cl a red. sor ely swor n tr uth about par entag a of I'Iar y -

Louis e v r a s t h at co u si n E l n e r A l exancLer eepoused his own 2nd cousln Loul s e W i n-

niford, daughter of gr.eat-uncle Reconstruction $heriff of Dallas County,

Norvell- Robertson Wlnniford II. PIus, the best julcy part of the talk-of-the-

town and county afflrmed. Elner had affair with his new slster-in-Iaw" C o u l d . n ft

wed of course. Adopti.on at the saintly Baptlst h o m ew a s o n l y o p t l o n , leaving

foundltng girl-nalf on door stoop under covcr of darkness to avoid fanous face

be-lng gtcnt
The adaptable darksome rtde retraced steadily up renenbnance h1ll Bast
TA,VIOT / SO}1IIAtsIILI$T 63

honesit,e HuII Hcuse. The Vlctorian place ltlaimle once cwned and inhabited near

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. The bareback sieht-seelng,

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 Wllson Baber, once the best spelllng bee win-

ner in the whole county, and lived half-mlle 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 .

The V/ilson sis+.ers all grew up along Echo l,ane on Boxx land after ccning to

Texas as babes via passenger train 1889, fleeing 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 sisters Alabana

born betrothed men who all also had.relatlves in blg, s u n - b a k e d .T e x a s ' Thelr

brother Collins WiIson fronr his large-acreage cattle rich ranch neer Tulsa,

gklahona vtsited. twice ycarly on to Houston l,lledical Center for heart allment

prolonging llfe treatment (he owned big house in Houston there). A cadillac

caravan brought cousin CoIIlnsr lmmedlate famlly moving, mlgrating Iike nomad.s

every slx months voyaging, trekklng, to vlsit long stops always aIl kln llvlng

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 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 coverei

saltwater grass traiLdrive rid.e to oil capltal Houston turned wild west for

annual rodeo. The Wllson delegation then camped ln ttfemorial Park those two

weeksrroughlng it outdoors away from thelr plantation styled house. Not every

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 ; Collinsr daughter Irene 1lved. in marltal

felictty with lavqyerRov[ett of Texarkana, Arkansas. Their d.aughter lera Jean

was a flucey attorney 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 -

lege and a favolite lvhlm of llnguist Fred Tarpley" Anyway, the oil soaked'

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, c o m m a n d i n gc l o u t at the least

gentle whispering requast along with family oil c o m p a n yt h e y c o n t r o l l e d up ln

All these first-cousins to my

okiahcna and down in Hcuston southeast ?exas"
TayIor / S0I''INABULIST 64

g rand p o t h e r l r } {a m,n a Wtr

L a n d tro o p -Vfinnlf or d kept Echo lane an entr ancing, en-

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 Disney amusenent park.

Each countrified fascinating family cousin added an illustrous 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 , savor-

ed, full of fl1lal feats belng espled upon" The klnshlp supporting cast of

characters observed dreamlly was truly a d.ress rehearsal ln the limelight-of-

Iife experlences, personal pageantry, amusing antics, evcrlastingly recalled"

Never knew wbat to expect rlding this fun festival r o a d . v ' r a yE. s p e c i a l l y , cuz

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 champion husband SIlis 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 VeImaElizabeth mar-

ried a Boxx, tro less, of nelghborlng landowners; the hubby taught at the Com-

io e rc e c o l l e g e e ve r so o fto n . Il e nr y Benton hir nself was a well- kncvr n photogr aph-

er for school plctures, done assembly-Iine style, all over 95 counties thts sld

of Texas. And he had a fortune ln real estate rentals neer the college in Com-

merce, plus bank accounts everywhere aII over his buslness terri.tory. i{enry hai

the inuchobserved humorous habtt or nervous-nellie tlc, rubblng his hand.s to-

gether like 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 I'rithin inslghtful survelllance this

travelable ntght were blood-related or at least branchvmter kln to my grand-

parents as the entire county knew. Atl land.-deed-holders for mlles were klnclred

proprietors, clear title paid in fult or lnheriteC estates for generatlons..

Could view all- of Echo lane vista looking back over th.e left shoulder" The

s we lte r i n g w i nd w a s p u sh i n g th e night tlne naemor iesfar 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
Taylor / SOm'laeul,lsT 65

go untaken,

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 . The hurryin6

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 , B o b rs b o y s t r u l y , but not yet divl-

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 the birthright goose that laid. the

g o ) - C e ne g g o f a l l f e s t y l e was unheard of possibillties to trfagglets herltage

teachlngs-only bad blood, infused by way of inferior blpol.ar wives could d.l-

Iut e " The gr een m ead.owhad ur aist deep w i r y

s o u n d v a l u e s l e a rn e d . fro m lr { am .naw)
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

w o u ld . a r r i v e 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

a n iple t a b l e f a re * s g rub, good.cooking so d.oliclous vle tho ught w e

l ,fa mma rrt

had dled and gone to heaven)" Tven all the cantankerous cousln-kin, though.,

gladly and eagerly came for free eats" 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

voices that would one day soon be comlng here ln thls wlndy nlght alr right

n ow b l o w i n g i n th e m'e mo ra b l -ebr eezes.

A cool whtfflng 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 . Her nose fol-

Io ru e i l t h e s w e e t sce n te d a l r. N ear by clover tr lf oliate legum es luxur i ated

o d . o r s i n t h e d . e n s eg r o w t h . No nibbllng, though, from thts convenient brovrsing

spot. The rlder and mare turned. brusquely toward a bare plaln, sparse scalded

i - m p r o v e m e n tp l a n t i n g s . Dust rose freelJ

sod., beyond newl-y sown lesped.eza, soll

from the clornplng hooves, the slovr paced lndulgent trot Queenie enJoyed in

loose d.irt. 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.
followed the duaL fuss-fence between the narrow space
goldenrod. and sunflolrers slx feet tall, aII, right up
l ro n b rl d .g e on the r ight- of- way 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 / sol'iNABULTST 66

led into the hoed-elean f ielos, Q , u e e n i ei n s t i n c t i v e l y d i d n o t v , i a n tt o f o l l o w

fresh smelly traeks, never to tread. on the heels of possibl-e danger" She was

1n pursuance, ln quest of, famlLlar aroma a)-ong the red.olent way. The decayed

iron brldge wtth its e n b a n k e d .o u t s k i r t s , purll-eus ccnfines, had lorr hanging

bols d.rarc Ilnbs full of green t?horgeapples.n The poisonous nut-kernel

b o u . r t y l v E Sn o t r e a l l y horsey-type food., thls osage orange seed frult, a mis-

nomer from early 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, by feed.ing the toxlc ball of seed as food ,

then, no dlrt-farmers would stay, settlement stopped), The ofton told folk-

tales got recollected rustllng from the thorny leafed. branches into the blos-

s omin g y o u t h f u l b o yrs b ra l n a s the contented. palr am bled betvr r eenthe nar r ow

aIleyway, close f it, 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 high-

r 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 galore' Putrefaction

b y t h e g r o s s nu mb e rs Il n e d . th e pavem ent abutting the landgr ant bor d.er s ' D ec ay -

in g fl e s h w a f te d . a p u ff o f o p p resslve air y fulr es fr om the r cttenr gan€Sr enous

caroasses on the converging road. Carrlon crow caws alvlays f illed dayti'ne

h o u rs a l o n g t hi -s h e a vi l y tra ve l l ed tr uck r oute wher e the bir ds per ched hl gh

ln the trees calllng the flock to dinner tfuae meal. The putridly stuffy atno-

sphere prcpelled. the tangent team about, pronto" The horseback ride next

looped the remanent burned-out shell of past kln homes'

r oute sped. the si- ghtseer s this ni - ght"

D o w n W i n ni f o rd T ,o o pma i l -car r ier
of her
\Iazella land.troop Richard.sonts chinrney bricks marked the rone evld'ence
Taylor / soLngl'gul,tst 67

e x is t e n c e o f e ve r ti vi n g h e re a mlle ncr th of fuss fence bound.ing l'{i nni for d.

lyay. Thls sister 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 all over

hellr s half 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 . M o z e l l a n a n e d .m J

EIIa for the last four letters of her glven Chrlstian nane. Her husband Bob

was brother to Jean Eure Rlchardsonf s manl Iean was nlece to lnfamous Pink

Dupree who purlolned field-corn roastln55 ears and peas to sell the produce to

m o ma n d p o p g r o c e r y s t o r e s a I I over north-eentral Tast Texas. T h e T , o o pl a n e

eontinued to the foundation outline o f t t r o r v e ts p l a c e , b u i l t 1910 with wife

Lulars inherltance from her grand.father Judge Lane of Paris, Texas. She died

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 -

bearing, stlllbtrth compllcatlons. A state-wide storled nelvspaper-coverage

lawsult resulted over establlshing blood.Iine heirship fcr her to get the cash

h o u se a fte r
mc n e y f o r h e r o r,n rn l Uaggiers scandal got star ted to divlde the fam i l y

Norve Wlnnlford becamethe authorlty for tha court because of his postal deIl-

very years experience'. Albeit, the def ense big-Dallas Iauryer kept calllng

every oouslnshlp llne declared as hearsay. After three-weeks of shilly-shaI-

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 - The

'fl fr, W lnnlf or il, you ar e being add.r essed'1 Ans w er or

Judge t h r e e t i m e s b tu rte d :
$orve quietly r e s p o n d . e da l a s w i t h a t w i n k l e in
else be ln contempt of courtt"

his eyes and a gloat to his volce. His answer was, tDo you aean me; I have

ye a rs my n a me l- s Nor ve l' ftnnifor d. so that Ls hear s ay . I

o n ly b e e n t o l d . fo r

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 me.'tf The Judge promptly ruLed' Norve as

undisputed authorltY.
of a houge vras barely noticeable. The home
Norvers long eharred outline

had b e e n d e l i b e ra te l y i l i g l n e ra te i lr The ar scnists v/er e his tlaughter s, f our .

were. ldot the first housefire they set, either, oT

Firebugs, these sisters
Taylor / So?'{T.rT;\BTJLIST 68

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 her Flentucky klds. PIus, the relic Cherry

wood Box madefrcn ,nantel of Drennen hcuse ln Springfield, IIIlnols (Dren-

nanr s laid out stakes for first sold. Iots of the township), The cherry wood.

vras from first hcuse bullt on that spot and friend Abe Linccln visitecL as

witness there to Urbane Alexandert s marriage. 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
,\unt T,ynna. The f our angry ripsnotter sisters retallatnd, lbrohed the place

to the ground and four decades later did the sane at Winnifcrit Yfay (other

keep-sake relics had also 6ot high-heeled shces and Just walked.-off forever

gone). ' , , 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 moral

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 churched cousins

hat e d t h e C h urch o f C h ri st $ T a ggiets bunoh. Good.nessgone a' dJ' r yby the godl y

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 soap opera style blowlng ill-vrill in

t he c h i l l y 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 night b reeze car r ied the hor se and boy far ther dow n

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 , blocked or clogged. byways. fhe narrow path

of a once well-worn vlide 1ane led. to OId Parad"lseSchool house. The remains

outlineii 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 causeil by erosion,

rainy flows over-reacning creek banks. The ruined oId educational instl-

tutlon 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

juttlng 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 had been con-

structed by frontiersrnen to eduoate and edify thelr locaI ycuth. Granildaddy

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 cltiz1fio He ser v ei l on the

pollcy for decad'es'
county school board as president to chcose books and make
Ta;rlor I sol,itlanulrsT 69

Always head hauncho, presid.ential, he was, clvic , m i n d e dl o n g b e f o r e

mergers consolldated. the nunerous tiny schools with skllled teachers lnto

bigger d.istricts for the ever-increesing tax base, coveted by the special

lnterest big spenders. Suoh self-serving tactlcs in tho name of better

quallty eclucation destroyed. the interpersonal countrifled llfe style for-

ever, convlnced rhetorlc as being lnferior, deflnitely backward goat-roper

rube eontrolled. The varied ltttIe a c a d . e m l cd i s t r i c t s actualIy provid.ed

true democracy in actlon for ordinary hard-worklng people. Thls growing

ruinous federallsm 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 personable

social particlpatlon. W h o l - es c h o l a s t l c savvy provinelal ballvricks d"ried-up

on the vlne over nlght, along wtth myriaCt pig-treck town villages witherlng

out of exlstence soon thoreafter. ltlo amlcable focal, 'point remained for

gathering communlty lif e f orce meetl.ngs. The youthful next generatlon,

hope for t h e u n g a l n l y fu tu re molded m lndsr Sot slphoned far away' R as y

going work-brlttle folk movedto bustllng Big D. Dallas offered plentiful

and. seemlngly high-paylng Jobs lmmedlately, exchanglng good wages for stark

citif 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 , Ieavlng a homesick

wasteland of talent untapped, lnasmuch goi.ng unusedo

Gone forever was the elose-knit neighborl-y beloved affable lnteractlon

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 . LegaL central-

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, vanlshed her e at OId

para d i s e c o u ntry p ra l r!.c sch o ol evea after . Stud.ents never agaln to attend'

cheerful 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 sklts on the nel€ihborhoodlocale

s t ag e o N o m o re w o u l d . Io e a IIy ur itten 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

L y n n a Es t e l l e
 Taylor / sOlIl{ABtl'LIST 70

participated i n t h e h o m e s p u nt a l e n t contest, she, the nlrror image d.ouble

to actress Jane ,flyman. The acting ' fb u g r r t s t a g e s t r u c k , a v r e df. a s c l n a t i o n

began for many on thls platform settlng. Poltttcians and. preachers got

their startlng push early ln llfet s slnrple staged performances. G o d rs c a l -

Ilng llvellhood l-ode was the typlcal- credlt given for this arena opportunity.

Nuturing hldden abillties edifted teachlng instruction as the orlglnal un-

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 chlldrenr s grovring societal needs.

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 " The teachers

llved. with schoolboard nembers, ofton tlmes wedding into those famLlies.

I r{e a l s w e r e s ha re d b y l n vl tl n g the sohoolnar m usually to famlly gather l ngs ,

especlally hollCays and speclal blrthd.ay events. Soclalizlng was the d.lrect

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, plus wheth er bei ng

I az y o r i n d u s trl o u sr E ve ryo n e was expected. to be taught via 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 s tr al ghts

struck" Lazlness ofton led to starvatlon when shirking work load. $Iackers

never apprectated |n these parts, vrlstful, 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 gr ounds ,

sltuated the d.ead-of-nlght bearings onto the almost forgotten homeland

a m u s e m e n t sw h e r e E l I a and aIl 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 f l - ying tr apeze. cl- r cus aer ial ar tists, bey ond.

c o m p a r l s o n , th a t o n e ti n e th e y all saw, vlev,r edwith awe, at near by C or nm er c e

perfornance featuring Rlngling 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

acts. The tdyllic ycuths learned to entertain thamselves, inventlng games,

never being bcred or idle on the wlde open airy spaces betng roamec by all

citlzens back then"

l a n d countr y school enter tained cLoseby la ndov r ner s
T h e s p a c i o u s p ra l rl e
Taylor / soTr,iNABL'l-LrsT 7L

all arcuncl old. Parad.lse morlbund envircnsrevacuated. Very few purlieus

actually remained lntact to this day, purged, d.ueto casheiring hustle by

vaoating gerrynandering device, all departed. ]'Toreover,most sorely abandon-

ed were the ereatlve theatrical 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

bake sales for local needs. 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

g o t r e p l - a ce d . b y th e d u l l r r l{ omeInpr ovem ent Demonstr atlons" put- on by

t hat

WPAD e p r c s g l cn E ra p u b l i o 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 ex-

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 too f Iashy. ltl o one,

dressy present, cared tc get huffy-prlssy back-taIk, to fuss ln publle re-

but t a l wlth su ch g u e st sp e a ke rs, The r ud.e, r ogulsh bad.- m anner ssel d.omgot

deerled ln thls gulse of personal ed.ification b e l n g u n d . o n eb y u n d e r h a n c l e d

s c a l a w a g I e c t u re rs ( 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 around. the

sharp stomping hooves. Brushed.-up, suffocatlng, smothering repressed. refuse

ln t h l s u r g e n t g e ta w a y u n co ve red. ashes and soot bur lcQ for m any a y ear .

T h t s h i s t o r y - c o me -a l i ve tra p p l n gs par ad.eclthr ough tr lm m ings, things ar ti faat

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 d.andy deter lus fal- l- out r i di ng

l-n ro v l e w . $w o o p e d d o w n , I d .l d., to gather for th fr om the back- wat er r eac hes

o f th e s l e e p y mi n d rs co b b -w e b s: the tr lnket, gewgalv, knickknack was a fai l ed'

cam eo br oach pln. was cur s i v e

} ' { OZflLLA s ty l e
s wa t c h a t t a c h e d . to a d l sl n te rre d,
e t e h e d o n t h e scra tch y b a cksl d e. Just beyonil that obscur e find lay the fal nt

c h f u nn e yb rl cks g re a t-a unt ?,.,r ozellaonce depeniled.on for dalt y us e, due

out li n e
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
 Taylor / soi'nqttrulrsT 7z

or dash obvlous reninders thereabouts).

T h e n c e f o r th , fb 1 :tb r a n n o yanees had their or igins Justifted and obv l ous l y

well- t r a c k e d . . F re sh sa n d .y tra cl rs paced. for vr ar d fr on coon dogs r ecentl y r un by

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 22 Febr uar y r c el ebr a-

ted. as a unity 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

to trall as expected them to do. Each hound had distinctive baying voice and.

barklng sounillngs to l<lentlfy speelflcally on the long distant, far wlnding

ov er - g r o w n c r e e k b e d P u rsu l ts.

The pursulng horseback rlde round.ed.the grassy bend toward. the }ast

v es ti g e 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 fi l Led

J a u n t y h a u n t s. A h u g e h e a rt shaped car vlng on the J.ar gest pecan tr ee s pel l ed

ttldaud.e,a bir d. sketcheil in fl i ght to
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 hewn beneath a l- ove- plus s y m bol

abov e t h e d . a te d .ye a r 1 8 9 1 .|r l ,fenr or lesftlled the wincly r ide.

I remenber great-uncle lutherr s shocked wondernent faciaL expresslon

wh e n h e g o t off th e p a sse n g e r tr ain ln Cor uner ce. Aunt Lucille anil I m et the

traln, she, being a clone ldentlcle, duplleate, repllcated. twln faced counter-

part to her noother: yes, Br echo fascinlle or exact photocopy of my awesome

\ f am n r a w . G r a n d U n cl -e l u th e r 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 belng
upon debarking the pessenger car:

right chastising, censuring, ay Jlltine e yrd.at church house stepsl

dear },.{audB

Auntle LuoiIIe w a s a p l o a sa n try to behold., enJoyed looking at noyMam m awst

eountenance recarr next 38 years after Easter sunday L959 deroise. 01le spoke

her r n l n d , p t a i n l y sa l d ., to a II connivfuig ag8lnst her r nother ' gave s eol di ng or u

bra ld . , , , t l p - f o r - t& P ,,, w h e re a s to whoever : no m alar ky, none of that w her efor e
in any way r ater r .er lor y of hfam m aw . T he
oaid e r d . a s h g u i re a l ro w e d . to vi l tify
Taylor / SohTNUBaL,IST 7t

menorable wind. vras blowlng the happy timos concepts to ny backside, gliding

the landscape peacefulLy beyond the pecan groveo

rVind tossed Queenie glided effortlessly by the memorlal planted. natlve

papershell pecan trees that Norvell Robertson Winniford II had lnstigated. in

l-860rs visits. The hund.redtree llned grove was memoralized for the Georgia

state gold strike i n 1 8 3 0 rs h e f i r s t 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 , plus gold enough for

his twelve sibllngs. T h e a d . J a c e n tf o r e s t of hedge grown planted trees fur-

t her m e m o r a ll ze d th e I8 /+9 C a l l for nla 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

f etleral occupatlon days. 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 ,

now weather beaten, not eesy to d.eclpher. Queonle speclonwaril lnto the

nightly realitY, breezlng along.

; \ v e r y s w e e t sme l l l n g b re e zy wind sound"eda str idency that iolted the

lottering paired riders into brlsk reallty. I{esltation fal-tered. The shock-

lngly pleasant airy current prompted personal reflectlons clearly draftecl.

Thls drafty whiff 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 perfect mlndful pasture-fll-led events being recalled.'

The surround.ing scene was captivating alI retention, rhythnlcally atuned to

the internal elenental nature of all Iivlng thlngs. T , o n gp a s t - d u e r e t e n t L v e -

n e s s w a s g u s tl n g 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 trlp

through the unllt velled. nind. ecene, thls 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-

the blister lng, bl us ter l ng

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 oon-
n igh t a u r a , hl s g ra n d mo th e r Maggie of ton obser ved
TayIor / sommEuifST 71

honmc ^n^a ond. again, overshadowed. rival race reflections. Racing the eIe-

monro rhoqo two; a m u s e d e n d m u s e d . ,p l a y e d . t h e night awBy to the ticking of

tie elock way-off ln the background.. They traversed. like thej-r heart and soul

v/as dependent upon tt.Through the lndependent lnagery everywhere they concur-

rently maintained. mounted fignents fcrthelr being happlly together.

l,flrrored f igmented figures ln each otherf s eyes, the joyful rid.e eame to

a hurrisone halt. Tlne to rr:*rinato, restive stop, tarry for the next caLlint

ru n o r h u r r y - scu rry tl me l e ss h eltl convening decree. But, noi\t, tlne to

faod oa?.a f^r the mafeg, Back to the Stalls, full of f Ood, alvalted, they

s prln t e d . I i k e th e ml rth fu t w i a d thr ough the gold.en sheen of the nlgh t. T hey
.12
pass9bt, surpassing each rlde aII the good, times that ever were before, until

next interlude. Horse, boy, strutted. their stuff back toward. the barns. illov-

lng sllhcuette shad.owsin pristine glory, they were as one, across the effected.

Iand.ed lunar b o u n d . e d .p l a l n o An occaslonal lone loud. calllng bulI-bat dlpped

across the sllvery moonbeans, a eompleted carol to the nightly song being

played out. The bull-bat, lts hollovr caIl, accompaninient lnstatuquo echoed.

duII flat against the ground " These two riders tirrough the tlneworn jaunty

outtng blendecl Joy into the zlnglng, slnging, eventiCe alr. The wee hours

rnArc anrl the Vouthful J stud, aII atavlstlc, trotted. their liven glory, paradlse

regained., too soon ending, in thls forty winks recess.

The biatus horse, the interin 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

moonstruck scented.sheen" The proud mare pranced back toward the woodenfence,

i r e a d .l i f t e d s k y w a r d , n e l g h e d .n i c e l y pleased. into the wind fcr a long, good,

tiore. A nicker, conforttngr pesled a ringing whlnny between then, alone, was a
Taylor / $ot-tu;itsUlrsT 7'

blnding tune, union avowed. Thls mldnight rider then slld.-off the back of the
mare, down the long silky flowlng ta1l, Iike greased lightnlng statlc elec-

trlcity sparked-off, streaking the alry atmosphere, Hls chimera mare nelghed

again, over and agaln. Lithe, agilo, the young fellow gllded softly upon the
dewy sod. N a k e d .a s a j a y b i r d the day he r,as born stepped he, a sashaying

stroll, venlal verity notwithstand.ing" Iifuddyballs clinging t o t h e C . a m pl n -

steps, the soil-ed soles went, leadlng to the cistern cupola.

Tdward the nearby clstern, the reposed boy approacheil" Pulled the rusty

seasoned, screeching, squeeklng ohaln anchored from the ever squeallng, creek-

ing pulLey centereil underside of the carved canopy" ?he North Star conflgu-

ration covered.the top. Fllnched not a bllnk, h€ did., fuII shut-eye'l, from

aII the rattle, clatter ln thls morpheus inspired olamorous chore. Loud enougt

rac k e t t o a r l r la ke nth e d .e a d .. T h e bucket full of r ofr eshing water emer ged fr om

the depths, poured lnto the thin metal pail over corn, spilllng nothing. Fed

t[e nares the other vesse]- full of prevlously soaked corn gralns, repast, r€-

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

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 . Re-

wards of the galloplng fun had comefull circle. A solitary fond. farewell

whlnny passed between the two forms. The pair parted, roluetently. lald

bare in the moonllt bathed starry sky, the tlvo felt revived, free, from llfers

vast materlal remnant wonders. Eenewal requisltioned. regularly"

Awakenlng, sober life requests passed sllently f r o m t h e m a t e d .p a l r ' s

eyes. A neigh in the lunar atmospherefloatod, fast, past the tv/o. Primordial

prlmed newness tuoyed their feelings, fleetlng forever. Prithee, what more in

a Il. the wcrld c ould. capture this pretty pictured scenic nlood? b portra it

piece patnted pureoane to tlfe, he was, from his ehlldhood native Indiaa
TayIor / 3otit{UB/ilisT 76

dreams. 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 , he stepped fuII grown

upon the enllven earthly scene. Nurle, this vitalized sleepwalker f eIt purient

cleansed. 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 was in hls nocturnal rnovement

A s ilh o u e t t e d sh a d o w su d .d .e n l ywashed clear the hidden ir i€c.- .iingf

ul r noonbeam s .

FuIl reall-ty cane calllng much too soon from deep withln the lueid mind, awash

but stlll 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 tock, tlck

tock ^.. tick, tick, tick 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 slte vras an etchlng on the menory painted,

drawn design upon the surreal noment: Kafkaesque buffed, The nudlst then

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 . M ovl- ng unavm r es, he r am bl ed i n

reverle. The sprlnglng steps strolled backward toward. the house with four

mighty long porches, a slmulated sleepy tramping, treading slow pace.

Backvrardeach dew-drop fllled 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 . This

s leep v u a l k e r l e ft th e n i g h t tl n e nag at the second.- hand.go- r ound, of the c l oc k

gong, trelehlng gently lnto the vrlnd for more, Nlckerlng resonance, crylng

neighs, ftlleit the hot alr, Tlme was runnlng out with eaeh striking gong

b a c k 1 n t h e b ig h o u se , V l Jrl n n l ng echoes str alned far lnto the ovor s hadov r ed.

Ilcho Lane ttself . Echoing, these two slowly separated" The bo.vre-stepped.

carefully into each identicle f ootprint 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

the steep gallery elevated viev,r, perched eyes follovred as he exited the

b u m p k i n i s h f a r mya rd . a ro n a , T h e d.epar tur e left alL anim al od.or ousn es s r eek l ng

behind. lnto the airy cllmness. Tralpsed onward anon, he did., over favorite

p et d o g R u b y sti tl 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 ) "

T a 5 '1 o " / , S o } ' 5 \U B IL IS T 7?

The departlng sleepwalker withdrew glazed-eyed into the steamboat st-vled

house tovrard the decorcus metal bed. Backward steps into the domicile reflect.

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 parade pretense for a

future late showing time, recalled at wlII. Retraced, rearward, went these

steps ninhtly. This well-tlned sleep-suspended rlde through a fast-forward

tlme-Ij-ne fulfilled a deep seated need. The observed scene ccntlnued slow

noti-cned on ttne from horso lot back into the beckonlng bed.This bloke went

kerplop, prone, reposed fully kerplunk with a muffled thud fast asleep"

A muffled nlghtshade reallty beckonedaII over the landgrant place, Bathet

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 ln the lunar cast"

i , f id n l g h t f l o w ers th ri ve d . th e u sual appolnted showy time away, The l l ght hued

Jimson blossoms stretched thelr nightshade spurteil growth sustance fast lnto

globose prickly seed pods for another fitting opportune go-round cycle. The

blooro of youth was stanped upon the tanned cheeks of the boy, impressed, pres-

sed. Flowerlng stanens halled the night away. Shadedreality caught the

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 . This dream ti.ne, true, really

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 dismantled from the nearby horseg" The mares

divested themselves, f ltfully, 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 -

ments past, felt 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

ccursing through the viens of horse and boy" $horn, they were of each other al

this 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 ttr e bed-

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 lncllned, resting, face fTozen.

A glazed. contentment settled upon the visage. Job vreII-done countenance cast

intc a deep sleepr glassy molded knell of sllence. The torso lay bare. Hands

inhand folCed. gratifled over the heart posed ln an Egyptian sarcophagus mod'e,

restive. The tired 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 Ii e i n sti n ctively aligned. the r ight f oot cr ad " dl ed. betw ee:
"
the big toe, Achll]es heel touched., held the transient reality firmly dreamed
up really goodo fnsinuated, s u g g e s t e d .n i g h t l y lnto actlon, the dreamy tirne
always b e c a m e d d Jb vti a l l o ve r agaln ancl again,
Over and again, this midnlght horseless horsenan slept the sprightly sem-
blance awayo fn this phantcn: phobic shad.yspeetor, he awoke refreshed, yet aI

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 for futur e r eal i s ti t
exploits pro ove this strlpllng scion or Jesting Jockey to llve"
The eventide d.uskd.ressing apparel was always at a mlnlmal need for these

dream y g o o d t l me s. C l o th e d " o n l y ln gllstening dew, the lawns ar ound the hul k l r

house contained happy accoutrements, resldue resplendent, of all the splend.if-

erous sporting fun the boy and the mollycoddled mares constantly truly 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 Thr

hot s u m r o e rb r ee zy ce a se l e ss sl e epwalklng went on night after night, r ,v eekupon

week without 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 eilge to the surrcuntling stlll

f lowin g v a p o r s. A n o cca si o n a l devr - d"r opdr ifted thr ough the dar k into the l ar ge

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 soles clung lnprlnted, tracklng on

down the oriental carpet. T h e w e t i s h b l a o k g u r n b os o i l held each footprint

clearly cast in fuII view as remindlng remanded evidence. Tomorrowrs proof of

thls really 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

s e e n b y t h e w h o l e h o u se h o l d . 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 " ]'{oonl l t

shining serenade truly savored.the flrst-llght erovrlng roosters.

Realized truth vrasrousing avray the sleep induced activlty. All the good.

ti nes w e r e b e i ng sp i e d u p o n b y blaclc loving eyes ln the d.ar k after all, T he

TayIor / sot'1{ue{Lrst 79

r l o r i n c ' m ^ ' n o nt g
9 9 . .:^b got preserved. ln shared. exper ienees. An old lad.y stooC in the

shad.ows, watching, guardian angle eyes. 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 wi_ndstorn herself . She knew

flrsthand the power of nature forcefully pulllng, calling visitation. Grand-

mn f h o r ' l r r q h i o l o l n g vlewpolnt recognlzed the beauty of this nlght, aIl nlghts.

Her observing eyes saw beyond the naked truth of the somnuballst strolllng,
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
v ,J. Miz Winniford.

und.erstood the need to experience llfe events wlthcut being d.isturbed, unlm-
nq{r.aA cafa keeplng memOrieg of a llfe-tinre experience. A Smlle, amused

fullyr lasteC the night and decades to cone, this recalled reaIlty.

Reniniscences were the reallty memento f cr nenoirs, always salr1 the dear

Dld grand.nother about Iife's cherlshed experlences. Nlammaw

left him heir

presunptive to her legacyland where all the vrondercus glory hapoened.. But

best of all, she told. him every speciflc detail observed. night after nieht,

this manuscript nater'ial f or his Indian blood-llne storled accounts. rrllarnmawr'r

the InClan grammar ternologr" for a male to caII hls grandmother ("|,Tinnie-naawn

being the female equlvalent usage by sister lynna TsteIIe), knor,vingly appreclat-

observing the beautJr that ' u r a st h i s night-of-nights, never

ed her orunself role

inore to be quite the sane agaln"

The native-Arneriean fnCian blood.-line custon of piacing an lccn-doII of a

chlef ln a crib of a boy lnfluenced early heritage roots subtly. A girl child

had a f enale replica of Indlan maiden rrl',flnnie-ha-ha" placed. in her crib.. The

hand-made d.uplicates are high artistry and Iast for generations.

 R . G . R . ? a yl cr- vV l n a i fo rd . &o
) ' ) 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 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 the hitt s anri nrairles,

Ttll 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)