Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles Volume VI, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in the 1860s and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. This is the sixth in a series. The books are available from Lintern for $25 a set, tax and shipping included. Each book is about 120 pages written for intermediate readers (4th grade) with local illustrations. Volume I is Amelia Changes Her Tune. Volume II is Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home. Volume III is Autumn Keeps Her Secret. Volume IV is Mr. Gamble Starts a School. Volume V is Jacob Blows his Horn.
June 5, 1863
Dear gimpy brother;
We are grateful that you have arrived home safely, although things are not the same without you in camp. Nobody can dig a latrine as well as you can.
We were worried that you would have all the pretty girls to yourself to dance with in Mansfield, but then we realized, you probably are a lousy dancer now!
Still, we promise to take it to Johnny Reb for taking your foot. There is movement among the armies. Bobby Lee seems to be making plans of his own with those Virginia boys and we still have plenty to keep our attention here in Tennessee.
Give our love to the family — tell Papa we are making him proud and tell Mama we are keeping our heads down. Tell Jacob we could use a good bugler, and tweek the cheek of that little sister of ours.
Tell Grandpappy, we will have as many stories as he does before this war is over.
Uniformly yours, Levi and Phil
“Hey, Cassie, there’s some good-looking boy at the door, looking for you,” Nate said, coming to her bedroom door.
Me?
She looked in the mirror.
I’m a mess!
“Says his name is Sheldon.”
SHELDON! I’m still in my nightgown, my hair is down, I haven’t cleaned up at all. Oh Lord, why now!
“Tell him, I will be down presently.”
He should know not to just stop in. How inconsiderate, but don’t lose your chance, Cassie. Get dressed, figure something out.
Cassie threw on her dress, hoop and all. It seemed to take forever to button everything. She tied her hair in a ribbon, and then covered it in a scarf.
Not that scarf, no, not that one either, not that one. Oh, just grab one.
After what seemed like a month, she walked down the stairs, hoping it would not matter that she was in bare feet. If she stood and walked just right, no one would notice. All of a sudden, as she descended the stairs, it hit her.
Sheldon is coming to see me. Sheldon is here for me. This could be it!
She walked gracefully down the stairs toward the entryway, where Nate had placed Sheldon to wait. She coughed quietly, trying to clear her throat so her first words would not sound like a frog.
She forced herself to walk slowly, deliberately toward her suitor. Sheldon was sitting, hat in hands between his knees, he looked up and saw Cassie.
“Hey, Squirt, how are you this morning?”
That’s not much of a greeting. Maybe he is nervous, too.
“Well, I am fine, Sheldon. And what brings you here unexpectedly this morning?”
“I’m looking for Jacob. We’re supposed to be heading down to Touby’s Run to hunt crawdads.”
What? Crawdads? He’s not …
Cassie looked to the right and saw Nate standing in the sitting room, with his biggest smile.
Nate!
If looks could burn, Nate’s hair would be on fire.
“You sure are all gussied up this morning, Squirt. You going somewhere today?”
Huh? Uh…
“Well thank you, Sheldon. Yes, my brother Nate here is about to take me downtown to buy me a handbag at the notions shop, if I can find one in that huge selection. May take awhile.”
Nate’s smile lessened, but then he nodded at her. Jacob came bounding in the back door and through to the front.
“Hey Sheldon, ready to go? Hi Sis, why you all dressed up?”
Before she could answer, the boys were out the door and on their way down the hill. There was an awkward silence.
“Guess I’m taking you to the store.”
“You beast. You meanie. You evil monster. How could you do that do me?”
“Thought you deserved a chance with him,” Nate said, his smiling never leaving. “Guess he likes Jake more.”
“I will never forgive you, you, you horsetail!”
“Come on, baby girl. I think I owe you a handbag. One you can take to Boston.”
Well, at least I’ll get something out of this.
“You may want to put on your shoes first, though.”
Oh yeah, shoes.
So Nate and Cassie walked to the store. It was pretty long for Nate to go and she could see he was uncomfortable.
“Does it hurt?”
“Sure, but not always the same way. Sometimes it’s from hanging down and it starts throbbing. Sometimes its from swinging back and forth and it hits a tender spot inside. Sometimes it suddenly feels like a knife is stabbing me there and I don’t know why.
“The strangest thing, though, is sometimes I can feel the whole leg. I can feel my foot move, my toes wiggle, by ankle bend. I look down expecting to see it there.
“I can’t explain it, Sissy,” Nate said.
They walked on in silence.
“I am amazed that I am here and able to do so much. I suppose I can complain that I have lost my foot, my shin, but I mostly am grateful that I still have a good leg, and so much of this other leg.
“I don’t know why, but I can only feel joy for what I still have. I think Mama and Papa have taught me that, taught us that. Grandpappy, too, no doubt.
“Sissy, you can either dwell on what you no longer can do, or you can be thankful for the many more things you still can do.”
“Such as walking to the store and buying a handbag for my beautiful baby sister!”
