The Meadow Cries

By JB FAW

The beautiful mountaintop was the ideal life for a teen-age boy to live. In the year 1941, Brigom Jones was exploring the wild life on the mountain that he loved and grew near to as he watched the animals roam from hilltop to hilltop. He would run with the animals and feel alive.

One day he life took a sad turn when his father came home from teaching school and told Brigoms mother that he was leaving them to make a new home for himself.

Brigom took over the head of the household and found odd jobs to get money to buy his crippled mothers medicine. He learned to work at a sawmill with adult men in the deep dark woods. He learned how to find wild greens and to kill the animals that he loved so much. This was a way of life to survive. He found out the hard way his life had changed forever. Many hardships make him grow up in a hurry in his tender years

Uncle Andrew sent little money and gifts to help Brigom and his mother Ruth. The most valued gift was a watch Brigom received for Christmas, little did he know this would bring heartache when Larry a boy that lived on the mountain wanted to buy the watch and
would not take no for an answer.

Brigom became so frightened of Larry trying to take the watch off his arm or threading to beat him up. Brigom began to walk over the mountain to the valley below and there he made friends with a family that helped him and his mother survive the winter months.
Mr. Keyes tells him about a cave that he wanted to explore. This was something he could do and not worry about Larry haunting him.

The mountain that Brigom loved so much had become a haunting ground. Every where he went he imagined seeing Larry laughing and making fun of him. Each day he became more afraid of his life. Something was telling him he may have to move off the mountain or his life may be no more. Fear was over taking him, he even had thoughts of death

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491899793

JB FAW

JBFaw and her husband live in a small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A peaceful and serene southern town for country living. She has lived in larger towns but always wanted to retired in her home town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. She majored in music at Appalachian State University and has taught public and private piano lessons for forty years. She loves to read and has always wanted to write as a hobby. She loves mystery novels and is the author of “Mark’s Ghost “ featured in “Ghost Tales across the Pond”, a memoir “Magnolia Dreams”, and a novel “The Secret of the Lake”.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

The sky was a beautiful clear blue with not a cloud above, the birds singing their songs of spring. Each one had a different tune; their conversation was like a melody. The mountaintop was full of the aroma of honeysuckle and dogwood bloom. The woodland all aglow with the smell of trees and underbrush coming forth with new life. A walk through the mountain trails was almost bewitching. The woodland carpet of early wild blue crocus had peeped its head out and covered the ground before any other blossom.

Brigom was in a trance just looking at nature; this spring was the most beautiful he could remember in the three years he had lived on the mountain. A light breeze came up, bringing with it a scent of pine. Squirrels busied themselves in the underbrush in their constant search for food. As the wind blew through the bows of the pine trees, they seemed to say, This is going to be a wonderful summer.

Brigom enjoyed walking the trails that so many people before him had carved out on the mountain. He imagined that the Indians had roamed this mountain in hunt for food.

Maybe he would find an arrow head or a piece of pottery. Maybe he was walking in the very same tracks of an Indian Chief leading his war party or maybe a hunting party searching for a deer for the evening tepee meal.

He told his mother how happy he was that they had come to this mountain to live. He could stand on his back porch and look out over the valley below. And at night he could see the lights in the communities and the small town just beyond the valley. The lights would begin to twinkle, one here and there off in the distance. Sometimes he would wonder if the homes were beautiful, and if they had enough food and clothes or if other boys had to work like he did.

Sometimes Brigom would forget why he was out in the woods. He would spot a mother rabbit with her babies or a deer dart across the pathway. How would he ever be able to shoot such beautiful animals? However, he realized that he would one day have to kill the beautiful creatures for food.

The earth gave so many wonderful foods to the mountain people. In the spring the children were sent out to gather dandelion, curly dock, wild mustard, pokeberry and other greens as soon as they popped through the ground—not only because they added welcome variety to the diet, but most of the mountain families didn’t have money to buy groceries. They learned at an early age to live off the land. This was the way of life.

Brigom had learned that some of nature’s bounty was used for medical purposes. Roots, leaves, and bark were used as cures or treatments for many things. For a bad cold on the lungs, they would slap a mustard plaster on the patient’s back and on his chest, and cover it with a square of red flannel soaked in goose grease. For whooping cough, they used syrup of red clover blossoms. The cough medicine came from the bloodroot plant. And a tea from the compass plant was also used for fevers and cough. For stomachaches, they used tea from any of several aromatic herbs such as catnip, fennel, yarrow, peppermint, spearmint, sweet flag, wild ginger, bergamot and splice bush. There was a cure for all ailments in the roots, leaves, or berries of so many wonderful plants that grew in the country.

Brigom and his family had moved to this beautiful mountain just three years ago. The house was modest clapboard like so many built in the early 1920s. The times were hard for everyone, especially during the depression days. The people in the mountains planted large gardens for food; they raised hogs for winter meat and hunted venison, rabbit, squirrel, and anything edible to put food on their tables.

The sun was on its downward journey. The mid afternoon shadows grew longer with each passing hour. Brigom longed to stay in this peaceful place but knew he must hurry home. The darkness came quickly in the forest on the mountainside.

~

Brigom would hear his mother and father quarreling sometimes about the hardships of life and he couldn’t understand why they couldn’t just accept life and move on. He knew things were not right between his parents, but he could not understand what the problem was except his mother was unable to walk most of the time. She was almost an invalid.

Sometimes Brigom thought his father was ashamed of his mother, but she could not help the way she had become with her illness.

Ruth was unable to do the housework and cooking like other mothers, so this left a hardship to Brigom and his father. Brigom wondered if this was why his father stayed away from home most of the time.

~

Thomas Jones was a school master at Ivy Ridge School. The school was grades one through seven. If you were fortunate enough to go to high school, you had to go to Mallard Creek. The school was over the mountain and in a valley, grades eight through twelve.

Ivy Ridge School was on the other side of the mountain from Brigom’s home. The school was in a large field near John Clancy’s farm and apple orchard. This area of the mountain over looked Snaggy Hollow and Vanhoy Road to Mallard Creek.

Children from all over the mountain would walk the trails and the dirt roads to get to the school. Most of the mountain children only went to the seventh grade. They needed to help with the farming and during the depression they had to help each other make a living. The school would close in early spring for planting the fields and large gardens.

It was hard work to hoe the acres of cornfields and mow the large fields of hay that was needed for the livestock. A farmer would mow all day with a horse pulling a large mower and then wait for the hay to dry and rake it up with a horse and hay rake. A large stack of hay sitting in the fields was a good thing for children to use for a slide.

They didn’t have much time to play, so they made work a play thing.

As Brigom kissed his mother, he told her he wanted to walk to the other side of the mountain and see who lived in the houses he passed on the days he was fortunate to go to school. Brigom took care of his invalid mother most of the time and his father home schooled him.

He took a trail to the main road, which was traveled mostly by horse back or horse and wagon. There was only one truck on the mountain and the man who owned it would harvest fruits and vegetables and make his way over Brigom’s mountain to the market. He would sell his harvest to the small grocery stores on the way to the city.

Brigom wanted to meet this man and maybe he would let him ride to the city with him. The town was only ten miles away, but Brigom had never been to the town. It would be a great adventure.

Brigom walked past the houses on the mountain to the main road and at the end of the road sat a little brown church. It was a beautiful sight to him as he stood and glanced at the little family cemetery just behind the church, with flowers planted near each grave. This looked like a garden to Brigom. He must tell his mother about it.

Brigom was so curious and wanted to know each person that lived in the community. He read names on the handmade tombstones made of cement. He wondered where they had lived on the mountain, and who their families were.

Brigom was gone most of the day, and evening sun was beginning to fall over the peaceful mountain. He thought of the Creator being responsible for the majestic beauty of the woods and the meticulous design of the trees themselves.

He realized his mother must be worried about him. He didn’t intend to leave her all day; he knew she would be lonely.

As he went through the door, he heard his mother sobbing. He entered her bed room and walked to her bed. Mother, what is wrong? I didn’t mean to be gone so long. Please don’t worry about me. I know this mountain, I won’t get lost. I just went down to the valley near the foot of the mountain. Did you know that there is a church and a cemetery down in the valley? The fields are so green and the gardens are large with all kinds of vegetable in them. I saw the house and farm where the man that has the truck lives. It is near a little church. The valley is so peaceful down there. I’ll take you someday. His mother continued to cry. What is wrong? Brigom begged.

I don’t know what we will do. Your father told me today that he is leaving us. He doesn’t love me and wants to be free to do all the things he has dreamed of doing. He took his clothes and says he has rented a house on the Brushy Mountains. He will teach school there. Brigom put his arm around his mother and tried to comfort her the only way a child could. The words from his mother began to dart through his mind like so many hornets on a springtime morning. He couldn’t think straight.

Momma, I will take care of you. You don’t have to worry, I will hunt and get meat for you, and I know the people that live at the foot of the mountain will sell me vegetables from their gardens. Please don’t cry.

Ruth Jones was sick and knew she would have to depend on her son to provide food for the table and money for her medicine. This was a big task for an eleven-year-old boy to become a man so early in life.

I have to take medicine that is expensive, and we don’t have money to buy it. If only I could work. Brigom, you are such a good boy, I pray for you every day.

Momma, we will manage. I will work for you. Brigom replied. I will write to Uncle Andrew and get him to send some money until I can figure this out. Rest now, Momma.

With a heavy load on his mind, Brigom dropped into the chair near the window. He stared out the window for a long time wondering what would happen to his mother and himself. With the last of the sunlight fading from the horizon twilight descended, turning the flat cloudless sky to pale violet. The stars emerged from hiding; the moon had risen and hung suspended over the tree tops. The mountainside was quiet. The only noise was coming from the cicadas singing in the woods.

Brigom’s father’s name was seldom mentioned after that day. His mother didn’t cry anymore over his father leaving. The two of them would be a family thought Brigom.

~

Brigom wrote his letter to Uncle Andrew in childlike words. He tried to explain that his father had left his mother and he needed money to buy medicine for his Mother’s ailment.

Brigom’s Uncle Andrew would write to him and send money or a small gift every birthday. He didn’t ever forget Brigom and missed seeing him. But, his work in Baltimore, Maryland, kept him from coming to North Carolina for visits except for Christmas.

Brigom walked down the mountain trail to the highway that led to town. He would walk to a little country store that was not far away. Mr. Bumgarner, the owner of the store would mail his letter to Uncle Andrew.

How is your mother, Brigom? Does she need her medicine this week? Tell me if she does. I know you are trying to take care of her, I will help you, Mr. Bumgarner smiled as he gave Brigom a stick of peppermint candy. He rubbed his hand over Brigom’s hair as a gesture of friendship. Run along, now. Don’t leave your mother very long. She worries about you when you are gone.

Brigom eyed all the great things in the store, but knew he couldn’t buy anything. He didn’t have money to buy the things they needed to eat. The flour, coffee and sugar were just about gone, and he hoped Uncle Andrew would send money soon.

As Brigom started up the mountain toward home, he remembered seeing some huckleberries on the trail. These would make a good pie and didn’t need much sugar. It didn’t take him long to fill every pocket he had on his overalls. A little huckleberry stain never hurt anybody.

His mother was propped on a chair and was frying a corn meal fritter using the last of the corn meal. Brigom was happy to present the berries to her. Just wash them and put the berries in a bowl. We will cover them with milk and sugar, and they will be a wonderful treat. I don’t have enough flour to make a pie.

I will go out on the mountain and scare up a rabbit for dinner tomorrow. Momma, don’t cry. I am not very hungry. This is a fine meal. Brigom tried to smile. But he was worried, too.

~

Two weeks had past and no mail from Uncle Andrew. Brigom went to Mr. Bumgarner’s store every day to check the mail. Mr. Bumgarner knew why Brigom was coming so often and as he started to leave Mr. Bumgarner handed him a bag to take to Mrs. Jones.

Ruth opened the bag to find a small slice of fat back meat, some pinto beans and a small bag of flour. God bless that man. I haven’t had meat to season my beans in a long time. This will be a fine supper tomorrow.

Brigom went out the next day to find a rabbit just like he told his momma he would. With his gun under his arm, he felt like a grown man. He went down a path and hoped to find a rabbit to shoot. He found a good spot to sit and waited. He began to watch a couple of squirrels play in the leaves. How can I kill anything so beautiful? He watched ever so long, and his eye lids became heavy. The first thing he knew he was awaken by birds scratching in the leaves. Oh my goodness, what have I done?" He shook himself and started looking for a rabbit.

He walked down the trail a short way and there was the perfect rabbit for him. One shot and he got him.

Brigom came through the door with a smile on his face. Look Momma, have you ever seen a rabbit as big as this one? He will make a fine dish. Brigom could still smell the gun powder on his gun. It made him feel like a real grown up man.

He sure will. Ruth got her breath, I need my medicine so badly. Go to Mr. Bumgarner’s store and ask him if he can pick up my medicine and I will pay him when we get Uncle Andrew’s money.

Brigom ran all the way to the store. Mr. Bumgarner saw him coming and met him at the door. Is something wrong, Brigom?

Mother needs her medicine, she is very sick, can you get it for her and we will pay you with money coming from Uncle Andrew?

Tell your Mother I will have it tomorrow after I get back from town.

Brigom started up the trail to his home when he noticed someone had moved into the old Thompson house. He wouldn’t have stopped, but a slow moving peahen wandered into the path in front of him. He stopped to watch the large bird strut in slow motion.

He walked in the warmth of the spring air breathing in the sweetness of Honeysuckle while cornstalks creaked in the small garden of the new neighbors. Brigom was sure there would be a new plowed garden with all kinds of wonderful vegetables in it very soon.

~

Twilight was beginning to fall and Brigom liked to look up at the stars as they began to pop out in the early evening light. He was amused at just how many God must have created and flung out into space.

Brigom ran into the bedroom when he got home. Ruth was on the bed and couldn’t get up. Brigom, I need to rest. Can you eat the corn bread and a glass of milk for your supper? That’s all I have for you. Ruth rolled over on her side so Brigom couldn’t see the tears.

Ruth went to sleep thinking, Whatever will happen to Brigom? The light from the moon cast a shadow on the footboard of Ruth’s bed as she lay thinking of Brigom as he tried to become a man.

CHAPTER 2

It was a hot day in July,1941. Ruth Jones watched Mr. Bumgarner wipe the hot sweat running down his face like a small river as he walked toward her house. She knew he must have the letter from Uncle Andrew that she was anxiously waiting to read. Mr. Bumgarner knew Ruth and Brigom had little to eat and no one to help them. He wanted to help her anyway he could.

As he got close to the house, he was waving the letter over his head. "I know you have been looking