The Burlap Bag

By E.J. Phillips

This is my version of my Great-Grandmother Martha Emaline Stacy Butler’s story.
There are a few true episodes, but most of the tale is a fabrication. My thinking is that this would pretty much be Martha Emaline’s life at the time she lived and under those circumstances.
In one true segment, Clarence tied Martha Emaline into a chair in their home, spread hay about the house and set it afire. Neighboring men rescued her.
In another true segment, Clarence beat a fellow farmer, Lee Beck (fictitious name), because when the two met on the road, Lee nodded to Clarence but didn’t speak.
In yet one more, Clarence trades Martha Emaline and Little Audd to the Cheyenne Indians. This is a true event, but it happened to another woman. I took the liberty of including it in Martha Emaline’s story.
Credit goes to my aunt, Nellie Nelson, for the true episodes.
At the end of this story I’ve included in photocopies a detailed factual accounting of the Nelson/Butler family history, the results of my Aunt Nellie’s genealogy research.
According to family history, Martha Emaline was a schoolteacher and Clarence was an army scout during the Civil War.
Though children were born to Martha Emaline and Clarence, they are not present in my version of her life. Little Audd, the child who is included, is a creation of my imagination, as is Martha Emaline’s brother Austin.
I used the names of several present-day relatives in this story; however, their circumstances in the story are fictitious so far as I know.
The Cheyenne words, lifestyle, and so on are authentic and obtained through much research.

• Language: English
• Publisher: E.J. Phillips
• Release date: Nov 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311427908

Book preview

The Burlap Bag

E. J. Phillips

the Smashwords Edition of

a Spotted Deer publication

Copyright ©2013 E. J. Phillips

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. Please don't resell it or give it away.

If you want to share this book, please purchase an additional copy as a gift.

Thank you for respecting the author's skill, craft and hard work.

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Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction, a product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance or similarity to any actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental except as otherwise indicated in the text. Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure there are no errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or inconsistencies herein, any slights of people, places, or organizations are unintentional.

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Credits

Cover photo courtesy Can Stock Photo

Editing, formatting and cover design by Harvey Stanbrough

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Contents

Introduction

1: Here You Go

2: The Story

3: Clarence

4: On the Farm

5: Austin

6: Bootleggers

7: Meeting the Cheyenne

8: The Stranger

9: Winter

10: Return of the Cheyenne

11: Cheyenne Life

12: Wolf

13: Footprints

14: Rippling Water

15: Spotted Deer

16: Rusty Goes Home

17: Nish’ka

18: Kaya

19: The Baby Martha Emaline

Author's Note

The Burlap Bag

Introduction

This is my version of my Great-Grandmother Martha Emaline Stacy Butler’s story.

There are a few true episodes, but most of the tale is a fabrication. My thinking is that this would pretty much be Martha Emaline’s life at the time she lived and under those circumstances.

In one true segment, Clarence tied Martha Emaline into a chair in their home, spread hay about the house and set it afire. Neighboring men rescued her.

In another true segment, Clarence beat a fellow farmer, Lee Beck (fictitious name), because when the two met on the road, Lee nodded to Clarence but didn’t speak.

In yet one more, Clarence trades Martha Emaline and Little Audd to the Cheyenne Indians. This is a true event, but it happened to another woman. I took the liberty of including it in Martha Emaline’s story.

Credit goes to my aunt, Nellie Nelson, for the true episodes.

At the end of this story I’ve included in photocopies a detailed factual accounting of the Nelson/Butler family history, the results of my Aunt Nellie’s genealogy research.

According to family history, Martha Emaline was a schoolteacher and Clarence was an army scout during the Civil War.

Though children were born to Martha Emaline and Clarence, they are not present in my version of her life. Little Audd, the child who is included, is a creation of my imagination, as is Martha Emaline’s brother Austin.

I used the names of several present-day relatives in this story; however, their circumstances in the story are fictitious so far as I know.

The Cheyenne words, lifestyle, and so on are authentic and obtained through much research.

This is Martha Emaline’s story according to E.J.

Enjoy,

E.J. Phillips

Contents

1: Here You Go

Here you go. She smiles and hands me the many times patched burlap bag swinging from her right hand. Before I can say anything, she turns and