The Dust Bowl Years

 The heat and dirt seemed to not only seep through the cracks in the old house, but in her eyes, nose and in her hair. Sometimes it would get in her mouth. She had taken old dish towels and soaked them in dishwater then wrung them out with her chapped hands. She wearily tugged them into the corners or her windows where calk used to keep out the weather. The damp towels helped to keep the dust out, but some always seemed to get in. She couldn't afford to buy new calk. She couldn't afford anything. The job of keeping the fine dirt out of her house was never ending. Only in her dreams at night did she remember the green grass and flowers that bloomed in the spring. Flowers. When was the last time she had seen the red, yellow and orange zinnias that she would plant every year? It seemed forever. "I wish just for a minute that I could walk outside and draw a breath of fresh air. I've heard tell of folks getting dust pneumonia from this dirt. I sure don't need that." She had taken a short break that morning even though it was already hot to see if there was any water at all left in the creek. Not to her surprise she had seen that the leaves lay in the creek bottom; brown crisps of nature's folly. Soon they would be ready to fly with the next gust of wind. "I wonder if I will live to see my boys grown. I wonder if this will ever end. They call it the Dust Bowl. I call it the Devil's work. Preacher says not to think or say things like that, but what am I to think? My love died trying to work this land. He dug a well only to have it dry up. I don't think I can go on much longer. When she got back to the house she picked up her old journal that she had written in since she was a child and simply wrote, "Not much longer. I am sick of heart and soul and body. I worry about my boys."

The Double D was in trouble. The heat and the dust was hard on the horses. The hands had to keep them in the barn to keep the flying dirt out of their eyes and nostrils. Feed for the horses was scarce. The owner was thinking of selling out. "How am I going to keep these animals fed? Yes the mine is full of silver, but I need water to mine it. I still have some water in my wells. I had the foresight to dig them deep, but only God knows how long this drought will last. For now, I think I will sell that filly. She looks like she's going to be a good horse for someone that wants to work with her. She's a little stubborn and not worth my time.

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His mother had been gone for several years now. He and his brother had sold the little farm after she had died. Thousands of people died during those terrible years and over two million folks were homeless. Wheat, oats, and corn crops were cut in half because of the lack of rain. The brothers had different ways of thinking. One was a cattle man and had made a life for himself working his way up to foreman on a cattle ranch next to the Double D Dude Ranch. He was saving for his own ranch. J smiled when he remembered his brother when he was a boy. I worked for the Double D long enough to save enough money to buy the filly from the old man. In those days I felt like I had made it big time. I was eighteen and on my own. I had a horse, a little house and a two stall barn that I rented for thirty dollars a month. Life was good.

 I was determined not to end up like Ma and Pa did. They worked their fingers to the bone and for what? Nothing, that's what. Not me. Horses can be your living or your worst best friend.  Oh how I remember that little filly I bought. She threw me every time she got a chance. I even named her Juliet after a pretty young gal that turned me down every time I asked her to the movies. She was stubborn, willful, but beautiful. She was my ticket. My ticket to a way of life that was nothing like the way I grew up. I'll never forget going to the American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri. I think I was about twenty or a little older. It might have cost me a couple of bucks to enter. but my beautiful American Saddlebred won ribbon after ribbon and several awards.

  Marlee smiled in her sleep as she dreamed of the boy that was at the fair. It was a really big fair. There were horses and cattle and lots of good food to eat.    He looked like he was a little bit older than she was, but he was wearing a cowboy hat and looked like to her he was having a birthday party. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Then he waved for her to come over and have a piece of cake. 

Marlee's mom and dad checked on Marlee before they went to bed. Marlee's dad whispered, "I wonder what she is smiling about? She's probably planning her next adventure or her next prank on Whitlee. "I would like to take a look at that book of hers. It might be interesting reading. She does love those old pictures."