by Michelle N. Broughton

Created on: June 16, 2008

The wind had come up somethin' fierce the night before, tearing Johnny Ray's canvass off his already rickety wagon. Supplies showed through the remaining framework.

"Guess the rest of the trip will have to wait a spell," Johnny Ray said, his soft twang punctuating his words. "Ya'll jest go ahead and me and Mary Lee'll join you soon's we get that covering put back and tied down."

Glenn nodded and turned to get the wagon train back on schedule. The sun was rising, burning off the fog on several ponds in the area, giving an eerie feel to the dawning.

"We'll travel as slow as we can, Johnny Ray. Ya'll hurry now." His voice faded as the wagons moved away down the road.

It was the twenty-seventh covered wagon train gathering on that July 2nd morn, starting out from Eclectic, Alabama thirty miles to the rodeo grounds in Montgomery. Each year another wagon or two joined the trek and occasionally a member had to drop out due to illness or, in one instance their own death.

Johnny Ray and Mary Lee had been members since the first year, looking forward to the comraderie of the seven-day trip. Mary Lee bustled around the week before, gathering supplies resembling original wagoneers as close as possible. There were no plastic or aluminum coolers. Thin metal plates and cups made up meal dishes; the 'silverware' was a collection of wooden spoons and forks carved by Johhny Ray's own hands.

Some of the farmers brought a milch cow along to provide all dairy needs, such as milk for baking or children. Bags of flour, baking soda, salt and beans were stored in tightly sealed trunks. If anyone was foolish enough to think they'd stop to buy goods along the way, they were usually surprised to find themselves shunned after the others had shared one meal. Most brought only enough food for the members of their own families.

Johnny Ray killed a pig and a yearling once a year. Taking aside some pieces for the trip, he'd either pack them in salt or smoke the meat so it'd hold up for the trip without spoiling.

The first day had been breezy and mild for high summer, but just before bedtime, the wind picked up to storm level howling through the gathered opening in the front of the wagon and out the back.

"You know, I woulda swore that blow we had last night wouldn't do any damage worth noticing." Johnny Ray said while gathering the battered canvass to pull over the wagon frame.

Mary Lee laughed. "You should've seen your face, Johnny, when the corner of the tarp came loose."

"Well, you didn't look too

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• Next Page >>