Life on the Ranch: Volume III

By Mary Ann Sadler

The story follows the life of the Dalton Family after the death of the Beloved Charles and Martha. There is an oil strike, bank robbery, attack of bears, a new minister in the area. Sink holes appear out of ground that has been farmer for years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Book Vine Press
• Release date: May 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781954941694

Mary Ann Sadler

Mary now lives alone in the home that she and her husband, Kenneth, built together. One son lives close and is a bachelor, so he checks in on her almost daily. The other ones are all married and have families of their own, but all checks in on her regularly. She has fought cancer the last five years. She gives God all the Praise and Glory for her being able to win the battle of the cancer.

Book preview

Copyright © 2021 by Mary Ann Sadler.

ISBN 978-1-954941-68-7 (softcover)

ISBN 978-1-954941-69-4 (ebook)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual locales, events, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Printed in the United States of America.

Book Vine Press

2516 Highland Dr.

Palatine, IL 60067

Contents

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 1

Life after Charles and Martha

Two years have passed since the deaths of the beloved Charles and Martha. Although they are gone, they shall never be forgotten.

Whenever Nancy picks up something that reminds her of Martha and all their wonderful times of working together—which pertains to virtually everything—it brings tears to her eyes, still to this day.

Raymond still goes about his daily life and work, but he finds himself quite often talking to Charles, letting him know how much he misses him and how much he still needs his advice.

The golden rods are all in bloom, and they remind Steven of the day he found gold and showed it to his grandfather. He is a young man now, nineteen-soon-to-be-twenty, and engaged to one of Ole Bart’s granddaughters, Melissa. He was thinking about her as he walked across the field of goldenrods to the fishing hole he shared with his grandfather.

Mattie yells, Wait, Steven! I’ll go fishing with you!

She wanted to talk to him about a young man she met in town while shopping with Nancy.

Steven glances back and yells, Fishing is for men! You go back and finish sewing or whatever it is you ladies do!

While Steven continued to walk toward the fishing hole, he turned to see if she was heading back toward the house. She was nowhere in sight. He dropped the fishing pole and, thinking she must have fallen, ran back to where he last saw her when he heard her calling out.

Steven, help me!

He found her at a location where the ground had given away; she was in a very deep hole. He could barely see her. He yelled down at her, Matie!

Steven! Help me!

I’ll get Dad!

She cried, Don’t leave me!

I’ll be back with Dad!

Steven ran as fast as he could across the field, yelling, Dad! Dad!

Raymond heard him; sensing the panic in his voice, he ran toward him. Steven, what is wrong?

Mattie has fallen in a hole!

What? Where?

In the golden rods! Hurry, Dad!

There are no holes in the goldenrods!

Well, she found one, Dad! Hurry!

As Raymond gets close enough to hear the sound of her voice and see the hole into which she had fallen, he called down to her: Mattie, hold on, Baby; Dad’s here!

I’m sliding down farther, Daddy!

Steven, go get Moss and all the ropes you can find!

Steven hurried across the field, and, by this time, Moss and Hoss had heard the yelling, so they were already running in that direction as fast as their old legs could carry them.

What de trouble, Misser, Stebn?

We need a lot of rope, Moss, and hurry!

Steven ran to get Nancy; Mom!! Mattie needs you!!, hurry!

He ran back across the field. Nancy struggled to keep up with his pace, all the while her mind was racing and wondering what is going on.

Daddy, the dirt is falling in! Mattie was becoming hysterical.

Steven!

Yes, Dad!

Go after Doc. and get all the help you can!

Steven headed for town, pushing the horse as hard as he could. Stan and Jenny’s place was the first stop. He quickly explained to Stan what had happened.

Stan said, Go back home and help with what you can. I’ll go get help. Stan sent all the hands