Sally Matilda: The Thomas Sisters, #2

By Kathryn Spurgeon

Already the mother of four rambunctious boys, Matilda is pregnant again. With the Dust Bowl raging, her husband's gambling and drinking increases. So does his temper. Matilda fears history will repeat itself. Does she have the gumption to leave her abusive husband before she loses another child?

Based on a true story.

 

I flattened my apron over my belly. The tiny one kicked, just enough to let me know she'd be a lively one. My sisters claimed it was presumptuous, but I knew I carried a baby girl. 

 

Boys were prevalent in our family and the only ones who thrived. But I desperately wanted a female infant to hold. Wanted her more than anything else in the world. More than running water. More than a slice of cold watermelon on a hot summer day. More than candy from the Galbraith Candy Kitchen in downtown Hollis.

I wanted a daughter, and that was just what I was going to have. Sure as I stand here and the good Lord willing. And if I had anything to do with it, the good Lord would be willing. A baby girl would share my load and understand my heartaches like no son ever could.

 

But females never fared well in the Ready household.

Never had.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Memory House Publishing
• Release date: Dec 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9780997334777

Kathryn Spurgeon

Kathryn Spurgeon, an Illumination Award-winning author, publishes inspirational, historical novels based on true events. Her novels include the Promise Series, and the Thomas Sister Series, both set in the early 1900's in Oklahoma. She also writes and publishes articles, nonfiction, and poetry, including a forty-day devotional titled, Jesus, One on One. A native Oklahoman, as a married teenager, Kathryn spent two years in South Korea where she adopted two babies. She and her husband, Bill, hold weekly studies in their home for international college students. They have six children and sixteen grandchildren.  

Book preview

Sally Matilda

Thomas Sister #2

––––––––

Kathryn Spurgeon

Published by

Memory House Publishing, LLC

Edmond, Oklahoma 73034 U.S.A.

www.memoryhousepublishing.net

Copyright 2019@Edmond, Oklahoma

by Kathryn Spurgeon

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, record or another—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN Number 978-1946887054

Christian Historical Fiction

Cover Design by Seedlings Design Studio

Books

by Kathryn Spurgeon

The Thomas Sister Short Stories

Mary Bobbie: Thomas Sister #1

Sally Matilda: Thomas Sister #2

Susie May: Thomas Sister #3

Jennie Rue: Thomas Sister #4

Annie Crump: Thomas Sister #5

The Promise Series

A Promise to Break

A Promise Child

Fremont’s Promise

A Promise of Home

Jesus, One on One

Contents

Sally Matilda

Books

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Author’s Notes

Acknowledgments

Susie May

Chapter 1

The Thomas Sisters Series

The Promise Series

A group of boys posing for a photo Description automatically generated

Four boys Circa 1930s

Sally Matilda

Born January 10, 1888

Chapter 1

July 1930

I stepped out the front door of our ramshackle house where my four boys lounged on the porch steps. In the late afternoon, they looked alike, with their overalls, bare feet, and skin tanned darker than mine. Handsome, like their father. I wished we could provide more for them, but we didn’t own much except this shack in the far southwest corner of Oklahoma.

I hoped the ‘30s would usher in good luck and a better life for my family. At almost forty-two years old, I hankered for some quiet living in our farmhouse just outside my hometown of Hollis. But that was unlikely to happen. Not until the man I’d chosen for a husband came to his senses.

I yelled at my second-born, Thomas, go fetch me a bucket of water!

Ah, Ma. Thomas whined like a champ. It’s Junior’s turn.

Frank Junior, my youngest at eight years old, sat on the steps and looked up at me with his sweet, compelling grin. My baby boy hardly ever did anything wrong—if you know what I mean. Fights were his siblings’ fault, even though he was prone to pick on his big brothers. His doleful eyes pleaded with me as he stroked our hound dog, even though it probably was his turn to fetch the water.

I returned my gaze to Thomas and rubbed my belly. My middle stuck out so far, I couldn’t move faster than a snail. I didn’t want to fetch the water myself. Confounded, son. I need water to fix supper. Not to mention your pa’ll be home sometime tonight, and I bet he’ll want a glass of cool water.

Bettin’ he’ll be wantin’ whiskey instead of water, Thomas muttered.

I lowered my chin and lifted my eyebrows at him with a you-better-do-as-I-say mother’s stare. Thomas ducked and slithered off.

I leaned against the doorframe. After so many pregnancies, I should’ve been accustomed to feeling huge as a mama bear, but each drew out a little more of my irritation. Irritation aimed at an old man who wouldn’t take care of the young ‘uns he already had.

Howard, my oldest, inched to the side of the long, wooden porch. I knew what he was doing—sneaking off to see a girl in town. Mattie Neal, I suspected. He’d had his hair cut by my brother-law, Tommy Akin, taken his weekly bath without arguing, and been gone almost every Friday night for the past month.

I stepped to the porch rail. Howard, you get home before supper, you hear? Don’t need you getting in trouble with those drunken hooligans stirring the town.

Yes, ma’am. He took off toward the road.

And don’t stay out late! That’ll get you in more trouble than a can of centipedes.

I’d taught the boys manners somewhere along the way. They knew not to talk back. Even at my age and in my condition, I could out-wrestle any of them, or at least I’d convinced them I could. Fortunately, they hadn’t tested me in a while. And if you see your pa, remind him to get home early for supper, I hollered after him.

Howard ran toward the dirt road, almost bumping into a fence post. That boy was as tenacious and headstrong as me. He’d be who he would be. And I would be, too.

Thomas lugged that big bucket of water through the backdoor and slapped it down on the kitchen counter.

I hugged him right nicely. You’ve always been a good son.

He hugged me back. Of all my boys, he had the softest heart. I prayed it continued to grow and bless his future wife.

When I released him, he ran off to join his brothers.

I flattened my apron over my belly. The tiny one kicked, just enough to let me know she’d be a lively one. My sisters claimed it was presumptuous, but I just knew I carried a baby girl.

Boys were prevalent in our family and the only ones who thrived. But I desperately wanted a baby girl. I wanted her more than anything else in the world. More than