THE OLD RANCH MOTHER

Long time ago I used to say to Jim ('fore any childern come to call him Paw), "Oh Jim, oh Jim, let's leave this sorry place An' go where trees is, an' green grass, An' water springs. This desert here Burns up my heart an' makes me so afraid. Let's go where folks is - Jim, oh Jim, let's go." An' Jim he'd chaw an' spit an' chaw, An' say: "Aw, Lizy, this place it's all right; The cattle's company better'n too much folks."

I set here on this hill right smart that year A-sewin', an' a-waitin' plumb scared wild To hold some woman's hand an' hear her talk. I made Jim put the baby 'way up here An' sometimes yit I see her scared dead face. Jooie he come nex' year. I walked them trails Fer weeks an' months seemed like I had to fly To git away to go an' be with folks. That there aint Jooie's grave - it's got his name But God only knows where Jooie is. 'Fore he could walk he'd roll an' crawl to git Out o' the door - jist had to git away Like everywhere was callin' him to come. Las' year I made believe that grave o' his When he was killed 'way down in Mexico. Seemed like I felt him comin' on them trails Back to his Maw.

When the rest come I didn't think so much The cattle, like Jim said, was company. The cows with little calves cute little tricks I turned 'em in to water at the trough An' talked to 'em. When Piedy's calf it died An' she went wild a-mooin', I jes' took The little thing an' buried it up here Right by my baby - an' she seemed to know An' her an' me was frien's fer many year Like human folks. I took a heap o' comfort in them cows It never done no good to talk to Jim He'd jes' sit dumb an' chaw an' spit an' chaw.

My, them was workin' times! Me waterin' cattle Children comin' fast an' growin' fast An' Jim off ridin', mostly, on the range. That's John, there, close to Babe. Come once a runnin' horse, a-thunderin' down The water trailan' somethin', draggin', caught Into the stirrup. Even yit A runnin' horse jes' shets my heart up tight.

That's Julie she was so afraid o' storms. The lightnin' got her bringin' up the cows, Me, goin' to meet her, saw the big flash hit. I aint never let no rain fall On Julie there, I put that roofin' iron All over her an' always kep' it close Storms scared her so.

The others jes' come here like comin' home. Rustlers got Billhe caught 'em blottin' brands On his Paw's steers. They shot him on the trail 'Fore he could tell him nothin' but a boy. Pete he was ridin' in a tournament To win first prize. His horse it fell An' caught him under it. I hate them tournaments the boys most always has A drink too much.

I think right often of that year I set Up on this hill, a-waitin' til Babe come Scared mos' to death - an' crazy wild fer folks. There's come a heap o' changes since that time. Settin' here now's jes' like the work done up An' all the fam'ly comin' in to rest. I've got so still an' dumb-like down inside Nothin' can ever scare me anymore.

Paw says sometimes: "Le's sell the ranch an' go Where folks is." What's the use? He couldn't chaw No more tobacco there than he does here An' me I don't want livin' folks no more I only want this hilltop, an' my graves.