"{\move(10,10,190,230,100,400)\fad(0,1000)\fscx25\fscy25\t(0,6000,\fscx125\fscy125)\cH000000\3cH00FFFF}anoXmous" "{\move(400,10,190,270,100,400)\fad(0,1000)\fscx25\fscy25\t(0,6000,\fscx125\fscy125)\cH000000f\3c0000a6}anoXmous" "Territory of Nebraska" "Come on girls!" "Hello, Bob." "Afternoon, Miss Cuddy." "C'mon inside." "I got supper ready." "The pie is made out of peaches... from a can!" "They had four of those cans." "I don't know who got the other three." "I don't know who could afford em!" "It's good pie." "If it pleases you, we might have a postprandial recital." "Do what?" "A bit of music." "I like music." "# On the distant Prairie where # # they had a while #" "# In its quiet beauty lived and smiles #" "# Stands a little cottage and a creeping whine #" "# Loves around his porch to twine #" "# In that peaceful dwelling was a lovely child #" "# With her blue eyes beaming soft and mild #" "# And the weaving winglets of her flaxen hair #" "# Floating in the summer air #" "# Fair as a lily, joyous and free # # light of that prairie, home was she #" "# Everyone who knew her felt the gentle prowl #" "# Rosalie "The Prairie" round #" "That sure was pretty singing, Miss Cuddy." "I got some cheese." "Cheese?" "Yes ma'am." "You know I gotta a few sheep out." "I know." "I made some cheese outta their milk." "Wonder if you'd like to have some?" "I got some here in my pocket." "Well..." "Cheese would be a fine finish to our fried chicken dinner and peach pie this evening." "Well then, here it is." "This is fine cheese, Bob." "So why not marry?" "Do what?" "Why not throw in together... lands, animals and women's lives..." "The whole bowl of wax." "We could use my capital and know how to improve your claimant mine." "And if the union produces children, so much the better." "Look that from any angle, it works." "So why not marry?" "I reckon, I go back East to find me a wife." "Please, Mr.Giffen." "I won't take no for an answer." "Miss Cuddy..." "I appreciate the offer and supper... and concert and all..." "But I cannot marry you." "Will not." "Won't." "I ain't perfect..." "But you are too bossy... and plum damn plain." "Ain't no medicine for it." "This one here still is breathing a little bit mamma." "Mother is dead!" "She is dead." "I'll take care of it." "No!" "We must bury her properly!" "I'll prepare." "She will smell soon." "No!" "No!" "You wanted her to die!" "You hated her." "You hate me." "I hate you!" "You can't leave mom outside!" "You can't leave mom outside!" "You can't leave mom outside!" "It's... freezing..." "Cold..." "Father!" "Oh My Jesus!" "Do what do I owe this pleasure, Reverend?" "Springtime Miss Cuddy!" "Are Clydene and kids getting along alright?" "Me and her never grew by the minute." "Put your mule up and c'mon inside the house." "There has been some trouble amongst the women hereabout." "I've heard about it." "It's bad." "Guess what I'm ordering?" "I couldn't..." "A melodeon." "You are not!" "Yeap" "I don't trust shipping a piano, so..." "Soon as I get in the loop, I'm going to order a Mason and Hamlin melodeon." "You'll have the only melodeon in the territory." "Back home, I used to play the piano by the hour." "I cannot live without real music much longer." "I could help you with them dishes." "I don't want any help with the dishes." "So... how you getting along that Giffen boy?" "He uses my mules when I don't need them." "He helps me with my corn." "We planted some potatoes together and we keep the fences up." "How you getting along?" "When my bulls have finished their work here, I let him turn it on his heifers." "Well..." "Seems like you are getting along together alright." "Feed him a meal every now and then..." "Like you do me." "You're a good citizen, Mary Bee" "The bed up on the loft has for a sleigh and I..." "Take the slop out to the hogs before you go to sleep." "You're gonna give me a son." "You're gonna give me a son." "Hell no!" "This here is a goddamn free country, Dowd!" "Can't nobody make me do it." "Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in vain, Vester." "Specially not in His own house." "No I won't go." "I can't." "Why not?" "In the name of our Savior, Vester." "I ask you, why not?" "I can't take no time away from the crops and I got the girls to look after... and I can't afford to pay for no wagon." "I ain't in on this deal." "Then what are we gonna do about Theoline?" "Pitcha dot hole out dowd house." "You are a poor specimen of a man, Vester Belknap!" "I came here for the drawing." "Me too." "Let's get it over with." "What about Vester?" "I will draw for Vester." "What do you mean?" "I said I'll draw for him." "What did she say?" "I said I'll draw for Vester Belknap." "Can we proceed?" "This is a painful occasion for you and your families and I grieve for you." "Your wives are fine and godly women." "But life gave them more than they could bear." "Now we'll draw our lots." "Whoever draws the black bean will draw the women home to where from they come from." "Shall we defer the lady?" "I will draw the last." "I'll go first." "Keep your hands closed until everybody has drawn." "Thor." "Miss Cuddy." "Put your hands in the circle here." "On the count of three..." "One..." "Felt bean in my hand is black." "I dunno..." "Two ...should I flash for it." "Three." "Does that mean Vester has to go?" "He said he wouldn't." "He has to, he is one of us." "I baptized him." "I don't trust Vester." "Me neither." "It's true, Reverend." "Vester is a brute with no conscience." "I'll go." "You can't." "Yes I will." "A woman?" "I can ride as well as anybody." "I can handle a team and shoot." "You all know that." "And I can cook and care for... those women better than any of you can." "Hell!" "She's right." "She sure as hell right!" "That's my Connie, Miss Cuddy." "You tell us what you need and we'll see to it." "When will you leave?" "As soon as I can." "Today is May 5." "She could be back in time to celebrate 4 of July with us." "Reverend Dowd, we cannot allow this." "It is not a lone woman's place to drag a wagon across this country." "Much less when it carries three of the Lord's least capable children." "Then why not go with me, Miss Linens?" "We can do it together." "You too, Miss Polhemus." "Better still." "No, you have husbands and family to care for as you should." "But I do not." "I live uncommonly...alone." "Enough!" "Please...be seated." "I'm afraid y'all are right about Mr.Belknap." "He is untrustworthy." "With the task of this gravity..." "And we need a homesman." "We will do everything we can to equip and... accommodate for this journey, Miss Cuddy." "If you gentlemen will excuse me for a minute." "Come look after your wagon?" "I did." "My Lord...what is that?" "It's train wagon." "Trade for it last year." "Since then been sitting out here in the snow." "When Svendsen and Sours came around here want for a wagon," "I gave a hell of a deal on it." "I give it to him!" "I cut the windows, a bit bigger... greased it real good." "Set some new spokes and fellows." "That's the just the right thing for them women." "I put a sliding bolt on the door." "What for?" "Lock them ladies in." "Why would I do that?" "Stop and think about it." "No" "What's that?" "You might wanna tie something down..." "Put in ten of..." "Oh my!" "I'm not sure I'm ready." "You scared?" "A little Listen here, Mary Bee..." "You got a passable rig... mules." "and you're as good a man as any man hereabouts." "And you're doing a hella of a fine thing.." "So go ahead on... get to it... and do it." "Does everybody know?" "Yeap." "What are they saying?" "Don't say nothing." "People dun like to talk death and taxes when it comes to crazy... they stay hushed up." "Miss Cuddy!" "Mary Bee!" "Mary Bee!" "I tried to catch you in town, but you was already gone." "What do you want, Reverend?" "To give you these." "Letters to the women's closest kin... around Hebron, Iowa and going back East." "Your journey will be long, difficult and dangerous." "I expect it will." "God bless you woman." "Bless you." "You know I believe in you, don't you?" "You truly do." "I know it." "I go in your place, if I could." "Now let us pray." "Heavenly Father, look down upon my daughter." "Bless her in this undertaking." "Grant her Thy strength, guide her with Thy grace... that she may carry home these poor souls." "We beg of Thee." "In the name of Jesus Christ, Thy only begotten son who gave his life" "for the sins of man." "Amen." "Come on outta there!" "You claims jobbing' son of a bitch!" "Cmon down in here, and you'll be the sad bastard long as you live and that won't be very long." "Then you'll salwage, you dirty bastard!" "This is Bob Giffen's place." "Bob Giffen has gone abandoned this place, and I have a filed a new claim with." "Go on!" "Get the hell off my roof or face stifle recourse!" "Damn I gotta blow you!" "We need to hang that son of a bitch!" "Cmon!" "Are you are an angel?" "You're not dead." "Help me." "Would you help me?" "For God sake?" "Suppose I do..." "What would you do for me?" "Anything!" "Anything!" "God as my witness!" "If I cut you down, would you do what I tell you to?" "Yes I will!" "Swear to God!" "Swear to it?" "I swear..." "Swear to that Almighty God you been talking about." "Vengeance is mine..." "Sayth the Lord." "bring in sheaves and... and do another's... if you cut me down from this goddamn tree..." "I'll do anything you tell me to." "I swear on God's holy name." "Please..." "Alright." "I'll save you." "I gotta a job that'll work for you." "But if you try to hurt me, or you try and run away," "I'll kill you." "Take off the noose." "I need to collect my possibles." "This is Bob Giffen's place..." "I never met him." "What happened to his sheep?" "I ate 'em." "Now you even blasted up 'em vigilantes and hanged for jumping Bob's claim." "Hell!" "That's abandoned." "Look at it." "He didn't abandon nothing." "He just went back East, find himself a wife." "It's abandoned." "I'm sure is." "This is abandoned." "Damn..." "Unhitch and stable the mules." "Tend to my mare, Dorothy." "and see to it that all the stock on the place is fed and watered." "Your horse needs feed too." "Or if you don't care to, I will." "And your supper will be an hour late!" "Get up that way now!" "Get up there now!" "Get up!" "Get up there!" "Cleanup before you come in." "What this job-work you have in mind?" "I'd be grateful if you not use my good chair that way." "My name is Cuddy." "Mary Bee Cuddy." "Where is Mr.Cuddy?" "I'm unmarried." "What's the job?" "Three women in this country have lost their minds... their husbands can't care for them properly." "You and I are gonna take them back across the river to Iowa." "The Missouri River?" "We leave tomorrow." "Hell, that's five goddamn weeks from here!" "I will not sit still for profanity in my house." "I see why you're single!" "I need someone who can hunt and guide and spell me at the rains... help with the animals on the trip." "That's why I set you free." "It's your job and you sworn to do it." "Three crazy women for five weeks is a lot more than I bargained for." "If you lied to me... and intent on abandoning your responsibility, then you are a man of low character." "more, disgusting pig than honorable man" "Thank you for the kind words, sister." "You know no pride in yourself... plain as no ten pail and you are bossy!" "But I'll sit out with you, because I said I would... and I'll help you tang your cuckoo-cuckoo clocks as long as it suits me." "However, I'll up and leave when, where and if I please." "Now, if you don't mind me asking you, where the hell is my goddamn bed?" "In the stable, where you belong." "What are you doing, Mom?" "I am cleaning." "I see you clean." "Why do you clean?" "Our house is clean." "Our house was always clean." "Mom, you've lost your mind." "Soil is made of dust." "You intend to dust off the dust?" "This house will be clean" "Cleanliness is next to godliness" "# Up there, at the crossroads #" "# There is a small house #" "# Whose walls are curved #" "# Up there, at the crossroads #" "# There is a small house #" "Why?" "The winds blown all the corn over." "I know it." "All we can do is burn the cobs and the stove." "There ain't more corn for us to eat." "Just cobs." "Just bare old cobs." "I know it." "The wheat and Oats are dead." "I know 'bout it." "What do you know?" "Are you crazy?" "Pull up there." "Better lock me in the wagon." "Why?" "I cheat them one rope, I don't wanna change to another." "Sons of bitches try to hang me again." "Or..." "You might be recognized." "You got any money?" "Some." "Why?" "Just need 3 boxes of paper cartridges for a navy coach and a jug of whiskey." "Bullets maybe." "But no whiskey." "Why not?" "Can't have you drunk around poor defenseless women." "No." "So I won't go East with you." "Goodbye, Cuddy." "What's your name?" "That's my business." "I going to the bank and I need your name." "oh well, hmmm." "It's George." "George what?" "Umm..." "Briggs." "George Briggs." "That's right." "George Briggs." "George Briggs." "Read this." "Here I'll read it for you." "Mr.George Briggs, care of Mrs.Altha Carter, Lady's 8th Society" "Methodist Church Hebron, Iowa" "So?" "I put banknotes for $300 inside this envelope." "This for you." "Oh!" "Why not let me have it now?" "Right this minute I'm going to the Post Office to put it in the mail." "Why not carry it along with us?" "When we get to Hebron, Mrs.Carter will have it for you." "Her boy is not very not old." "Have to watch him close." "I don't know what he'll do when we take Arabell away." "Ma'am..." "Well there she is." "My wife, Belle." "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Sours." "She won't say nothing, Miss Cuddy." "She just sits there and looks out the window... it's like her body is all stowed up." "I have to carry her to the hour house..." "Undress her nights, dress her in the morning" "How long she been like this?" "Ever since..." "I don't even know her no more." "How old is your wife?" "Nineteen." "And you?" "Twenty one" "I see." "Ma'am, she was beautiful, Miss Cuddy." "She maybe once again." "Mr.Briggs, would you litter up your leisure long enough to lend a hand?" "Now." "I wish you God's comfort, Garn." "Here's...here's this too." "Her grandma's wedding gift." "I reckon that should go with her." "I'll keep it for her and see she takes it home." "We'll be back in a few weeks." "You'll hear from me or Reverend Dawd she's safe." "Step up there!" "Yah!" "Goodbye!" "Goodbye!" "You don't love me!" "You won't even look at me." "You don't give a tinker's damn!" "Just go on home and pet your damn doll." "Leave me up against it." "You don't love me" "Goodbye...don't just care!" "Just goto hell." "Goodbye!" "You don't love me." "Good Morning, Mr.Svendsen." "Come in." "She is ready." "Why is she tied?" ""God will strike you down", she says to me." "She thinks she's God." "Her cousin will pickup in Iowa and take her to asylum." "Stop it!" "How will we get her loaded?" "Unbolt the wagon door." "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "Open the the wagon door!" "Help me...push her in." "Do not untie her." "She will try to kill you, she'll try to kill her, too." "Come out!" "What are you doing with that son of a bitch?" "No!" "He's going with us." "He's the one who tried to take Bob Giffen's place." "I need help." "Surely you understand!" "He was suppose to hang." "Mr.Svendsen." "Get down of that wagon." "Get down of that wagon right now!" "Or I'll shoot you where you sit." "I can't do this alone." "I need him." "Now you leave us be!" "Get us moving." "Boys don't have balls to hang me!" "You wanted my horse to do it for you, didn't ya?" "Cmon!" "Let's go." "Keep that gun on that son of a bitch." "I'll watch over your wife, Mr.Svendsen, I promise." "It will be safe with me." "You'll give me a son..." "But you refuse." "You'll receive my seed, woman." "You will bear my child." "You girls goto your room while I talk to your mama." "Theoline, this is Mary Bee." "Undo!" "Undo your hands?" "I am." "Undo, undo..." "Undo, undo, undo..." "Do you know me, Theoline?" "Undo, undo, undo..." "Line, darling," "I am, Mary Bee, your friend." "Don't you know me?" "Now listen, girls... your mother is very sick." "But she loves you just the same as she always has." "And you must love her too and help her as much as you can." "Here are some things, I want you to do for her" "Want you to undress her, heat some water... and give her a nice bath... with soap." "From face to feet." "Right on the bed?" "Right on the bed." "Wash and dry her hair too." "Then brush and comb it." "Then find some clean clothes for her and underwear... and dress her again." "Now while you do all this," "I want you to smile at her and say kind things." "Do you know a little song you can sing?" "We know "Flow gently, sweet Afton"" "That would be fine." "And when you're finished with this, I want you to do some chores for your father too." "You are now the ladies of the house." "I want you to sweep it out, wash the dirty dishes, take the bedding outdoors and air it..." "Show him how grown up you are." "Will you do that for him, for me?" "Alright." "Now start singing." "# Flow gently, sweet Afton...# Good" "And remember..." "# Among thy green braes # love your dear mother." "# Flow gently, I'll sing thee #" "Now get busy as bees." "# a song in thy praise #" "# Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise #" "# My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream #" "# Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream #" "# Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds tho' the glen #" "# Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den, Thou green-crested lapwing thy screaming forbear #" "Mrs Svendsen, is that you?" "Please, stop wailing, Mrs Svendsen" "Mrs Svendsen, I asked you to stop." "Please do!" "Stop!" "Mrs Svendsen, you stop!" "You think these mules will make it all the way to the Missouri river?" "I doubt it, not without a good feed of corn." "The one putting her ears, she knows she's the subject of our discussion.." "She's a thinker." "The other ones a worker." "They should have names, what should we name them?" "Mules don't need names." "They need feed and corn's the best there is." "I'll name that one Grace, and that one Redemption." "My mare, her name is Dorothy, after my sister." "She's married to a doctor up in New York state." "That's where we are from." "Dorothy has a little six year old boy and a baby on the way." "Her mother died when we were little girls." "What's your horse's name?" "Brown." "You didn't give me the two dove's skinny blankets." "It gets cold the night out here!" "You noticed." "You need to head south-east, follow the river bottoms." "No." "We'll meet more people that way in case we need help." "You know, there are three kinds of people out here..." "And you gonna meet wagon trains that don't want to see crazy people." "You gonna meet traders who will surely rape you..." "And you gonna meet the Indians, who will kill you... and then rape you." "After they kill me, no!" "We gonna go straight East to the river." "We've a hell odd lot of freight." "They are not afraid, they are human beings." "They are crazy." "They are precious to the Lord." "Precious to me too." "Give me that skillet." "That's $300 worth." "Wake up!" "Time to get moving!" "Get up and go pee!" "Go on, there now." "Go on" "Watch your head on the hub there." "Baby go on!" "Let's go." "Pee." "Goddamn!" "Squat now!" "Squat now!" "Go pee." "God will strike you down." "God will strike you down." "I love trees." "I don't to see many trees." "I miss them." ""God will strike..."" "New York... has lots of trees." "Surely you wouldn't defy and desecrate..." "You are horrible." "And morbid!" "I do not wanna be cold anymore while I'm trying to sleep." "I need this buffalo hide, that dead Indian don't." "I was in the Dragoons." "Company safe US 1st Division." "Fort Kearney." "Had a nice riots club one time there in Kansas with them goddamn Kiowas!" "Tell me." "We headed out to Fort Leavenworth." "Supply chain..." "Six mule wagons and a herd of 300 horses." "And we had Kiowas like flees trailing us!" "War paints." "Sassy." "Big as life and twice as natural" "Want them horses." "I see." "Well we camped down Arkansas river one night... and them teamsters picketed 36 mules and... they picketed 300 horses in the sand." "Sand!" "Hell them picket fence wouldn't hold prairie dogs in the sand." "Sure enough, that night..." "Kiowas come through, stomped the bunch and away they went." "Trampled the wagons to all pieces." "The stock all tangled up in the ropes, and crippled up with the flying picket fence." "And them Kiowas just running through there hooping and hauling." "My oh my." "Wouldn't we rewed!" "We blew bugles, boots and saddles and way went after them with the sun rising" "We caught Kiowas here and Kiowas there." "We caught them in bunches and killed every one of 'em." "We rounded up our stock and go right through the middle... of goddamn Kiowas camp up that hill" "Pretty fine job!" "It works." "Company C 1st U.S Dragoon!" "Well how interesting." "# I dun want your waving wheat and I dun want your Barley # # that boy make on the hour that hick boy charlie #" "# Ah there cherry tree # # there goes the cherry #" "# The more you have kids girl # # the more she love to marry #" "# Charlie, he's fine young boy #" "# Charlie, he's a dandy #" "# Everytime he goes town #" "# He bring girls some candy #" "What are they?" "Pawnee, probably." "What was that?" "Bugle." "Somewhere along the line they killed themselves a US cavalry bugler." "What do they want?" "Whatever we got... trouble is they don't know what that is." "They never seen a wagon... as could be goods inside... soldiers." "Anything to them." "Hell they don't know." "I count four rifles amongst 'em." "If they think if we're worth the trouble, we're dead." "I'll try to buy 'em off." "If something happens to me, they come all the way down here." "Don't you fill that carbine." "You get in the wagon quick as you can." "You shoot the women in the head then shoot yourself" "You got four good rounds." "Come on." "Turn around" "Ho!" "Get out of here" "Get out of here!" "What will they do with Dorothy?" "They probably eat her." "No!" "What the hell?" "She's gone, Mr.Briggs!" "Mr.Briggs!" "She's gone!" "She's gone!" "We have to get her back!" "Cuddy that was a god dammed horse." "Get up, you wrought!" "She hasn't taken a step by herself since we put her on the wagon." "Hells Bells..." "That gal didn't run off." "Morning!" "Morning!" "Where you from, friend?" "Freight trail, camped down south little ways." "Bigger?" "Thirty wagons, six yolk." "Two weeks ago outta Fall City headed for Salt Lake." "You their driver?" "I am!" "Out hunting' meat, you seen any?" "No not today." "I am out looking for this young lady here." "She's lost." "She ain't now." "Friend..." "I gotta frame wagon back there," "I am carrying three crazy women to a church in Iowa... so they can go home back East." "This young girl is one of 'em." "She is married." "Her name is Sours." "She had three little children." "Lost 'em all to the diphtheria... in short order and lost her mind." "She ran away from us last night." "I'm a friend." "So am I." "So you won't wanna not waste her yet." "She can spread her legs, can't she?" "I tell you what?" "Why don't we leave it to her." "See here sweet thing..." "Who you ready to go with?" "Him or me?" "Lady be." "She caught me stun and love already." "Friend, I'm taking this girl home." "Not likely." "She mine now." "Possession is not point to the law, so all level us out here, ain't it?" "Sorry, I'll just have to have her." "God Almighty!" "Fight you for her." "Best man takes the prize, how's that?" "I'm agreeable." "Alright." "I say "pitch", we pitch these guns." "How's that?" "Anytime." "Pitch!" "God Almighty!" "Say it again and act right this time." "Pitch!" "Goodbye." "Did you have to take an eternity?" "She nearly froze to death." "We lost one horse Cuddy, here's here another one." "Who did you get this horse?" "Man let us have him." "Why would he do that?" "Because he's dead." "Ms Sours shot him." "Who would do such a thing?" "Indians." "For the clothes." "Wolves." "Cissy Hahn" "Eleven years, two months, nine days" "God loved her and took her home onto Him" "Let's go, Cuddy." "I intend to tidy up this grave." "Getting late." "I don't care." "Suit yourself, I'm going home." "Then I'll take a horse and join you later" "Not mine you won't." "You have to ride that plain horse." "I wanna a shovel too." "O Sweet Merciful Father," "Prince Jesus," "Good Shepherd," "Harvester of righteousnesses... take Thee this token and bury them deep," "carry in...carry her, in love let us sleep." "Send me summons to wed Thee one day," "Love us," "And love me." "O love me, I pray." "Amen." "Why...why?" "Why didn't you light a fire for me?" "What about supper?" "I did light a fire for you Cuddy." "Where's that shovel?" "I lost the goddamn shovel!" "Who cares about a shovel?" "You are...insane!" "The hell I am..." "Cuddy, trying... to move alone to the river as quick as I can and draw that $300" "That's all there is." "There ain't no more." "# If I should prosper #" "# Hear my heart pray #." "# Send me a summons to wed thee wonder #" "# Take me this token and love me all way #" "# But if I should perish, I promises to keep #" "# Take our thee two hearts and bury them here #" "# Take Thee our tokens and love let us sleep #" "I couldn't sleep." "I could." "How long now we get there?" "Week... whereabouts." "Maybe a month." "Hell I dunno." "It's almost over now." "We stay in Iowa or come back to the territory?" "I dunno." "You are not much of a racking' plans." "No, not much." "Mr.Briggs, you're an intelligent man... and if you think on it," "I'm sure you will see the wisdom in it." "After you have turned them over to Mrs Carter... why don't we marry and come back together." "I'm 31 years old and if I will ever marry, it better be soon and... you are not getting any younger." "You see my house, my stock..." "I got two fine claims and money in the bank..." "I am in good health and capable of child bearing." "I plan to buy shoats next spring and fattens 'em on corn... and come next summer I will have 60 acres in wheat." "I plan to put in pumpkins too." "We make a good team you and I." "If we pull together, we are bound to prosper." "Don't you agree?" "I ain't no farmer." "Well you could try..." "you could try." "I've tried it one time, when we were with a woman... north of Wamego." "Cutting 'em goddammed rows, daylight to dark." "These are prettier things to look at than the ass end of an Ox." "One morning I just rode off." "You deserted her." "When I left her, I was sorry." "But I never did look back." "I see." "So you won't marry me?" "No." "I won't." "I know, I am plain as an old tin pail... but would you think about it from here to Hebron and talk to me about it again?" "Talks cheap." "Mr.Briggs perhaps you don't realize what a grand thing you are doing taking.... these poor helpless women home." "If you don't, I assure you the good Lord does and I do." "Might be the most fine, generous act of your life." "It might be $300." "You won't marry me?" "No" "Then I am plain..." "I wish you would say one kind word to me." "Like what?" "That I'm a good woman..." "that I helped you." "Fair enough." "You damn good woman and you helped me." "I deserted from the Dragoons." "That's right, Company C 1st U.S" "Fort Kearney." "Stole a horse and way outta there." "Ain't attached to nothing." "Just me." "No" "I want to lie with you." "No" "You must." "I saved your life." "No..." "Please, spare me my dignity, sir." "Raise your knees." "Take me in your hand." "Just remember Cuddy, I didn't force you." "I will." "If it hurt you, you can't help it." "I know." "You asked me." "I didn't ask you." "I know." "So let me in you." "Yes." "Cuddy?" "Cuddy!" "My God of heaven, Cuddy we made a deal to carry these women back to Iowa..." "I kept my word and here you're." "You broke yours." "See here?" "You see what you done?" "You killed her." "Look at her!" "You killed her!" "Can't have crazy pay attention to anything!" "Goddamn lunatics!" "You don't know nothing about this world." "Can't even piss straight." "Hadn't been for you, Mary Bee wouldn't be dead." "She wouldn't leave me out here!" "If you hadn't gone crazy, she wouldn't have made this trip" "If you had stayed steady and strong, she'd be alive... and at her home." "In her own house." "And so would you, but no." "You went crazy and drove her crazy and it killed her." "You do you gotta say about that?" "Well I'll be..." "I'm going' home by myself." "You are on your own." "Far enough long here East somebody will come along and attend to you." "Neither a damn one of you, understand a word I am saying." "O my God." "How do?" "Got them three women outside, haven't had anything to eat for three days." "They need supper now, rooms for the night and hot baths." "We are fill up." "With what?" "People." "Mister I didn't come here for any trouble." "Well I'm tired." "When I'm tired I'm easy to aggravate." "Now this is a hotel, I got money." "I want supper now, then I want a room for myself... and a room for three women." "And four hot baths." "Reasonable or not?" "Wait here a minute." "Greetings!" "How do?" "My name is Aloysius Duffy, and yours is?" "Briggs." "I understand you are in need of a meal..." "and accommodations, Mr.Briggs" "That's right." "For myself and three passengers." "Women" "Oh!" "Unusual cargo, I must say." "In any case, Mr.Briggs..." "I regret I cannot oblige you" "Why not?" "This is a hotel, ain't?" "Have a drink on the house." "Grand." "There she went." "Now then, Mr.Briggs, you couldn't have shown up at in a more inauspicious time." "So happens a party of 16... potential investors is coming from St.Louis by steam boat and coach." "I trust you recognize, we cannot accommodate anyone else." "These are gentlemen of means... and the fate of our venture may very well depend on..." "We had a bad winter." "Drive a long way to get here." "And they had nothing to eat for three days." "I'm sorry." "The women are in bad shape, they're... awful hungry." "Let me see them." "Good God." "You can't turn us away." "I can't..." "Mr.Briggs... those women are pitiful, I can see it." "But we can't have them here tonight." "Milk of human kindness be damned." "And kindly, be out the door and take that wagon away from here." "And God speed to you." "Shoes on the other foot now, you put them guns on the floor real careful... and get us supper on the table right goddamn now." "Shoes back where it belongs Mr.Briggs." "Grand." "Well done." "Be on your way, my friend" "And lament your neglect of my offering of whiskey" "Alright." "But I tell you what, you are the worst one bunch of... pisshead lying thieving sons of bitches is ever I run into." "You turn your back on these poor women you answer for it for the rest of your lives." "You won't sleep." "You choke on your whiskey and on your water... the food you eat will block up your bowels... you will die of your own shit." "Your mother and your sisters, your wives and your daughters.... will curse your broke dicks old." "Get on!" "O for God sake..." "Commin' go get us something to eat." "Now you all be good girls and goto sleep." "I'll be back directly." "You need to get on outta here." "Don't look back, don-nit." "Son of a bitch!" "Goddamn that hurts!" "Ah shite..." "She looked ridiculous, with that..." "Pardon Ma'am, I'm looking for a woman by the name Altha Carter." "Do you know where her house is at?" "That would be the Minister's wife." "Yes, ma'am that right." "Tt would be." "Go on down to the Methodist church." "The house across the street, that's the presbytery." "Alright, ma'am." "Thank you." "Come Maisy." "Don't look at him." "Sir?" "Afternoon, ma'am." "Are you Mrs.Altha Carter wife of the Methodist Minister?" "I am." "Well, my name is Briggs." "I am from the territories." "I brought you three women." "Women?" "Goodness sakes, yes!" "You've a long time coming, Mr.Briggs." "I am relieved you are here." "I'm sorry Reverend Carter, isn't." "He's out burying a beloved member of our congregation." "Just a minute..." "I thought a woman named Cuddy was bringing' em." "that's what Reverend Dowd wrote." "She was with us up to a week ago, ma'am." "I'm sorry to tell you that a fever took her." "I buried her and we moved on." "Mary Bee Cuddy." "Was her name." "Oh what a... terrible loss." "She must have been a fine brave human being." "She truly was." "They have ridden all this way in that box?" "O Mercy!" "Well...it's time to meet them." "I'm not sure I'm ready." "You must have had an awful winter." "We did, ma'am." "Put them on the satin, Mr.Briggs." "Do they speak?" "No" "Do they understand anything?" "Ma'am,I don't know..." "I noticed their eyes move around the room, what's that mean?" "That's hard to tell." "Perhaps each remembers a parlor from their own past." "Poor poor dears." "Have you noticed any improvement in their condition?" "They don't scrap with each other and don't run off anymore." "Tell me their names." "This Theoline Belknap." "She killed her baby." "Oh no no no!" "Please don't tell me, Mr.Briggs Don't care to know." "That one is Nordic woman by the name Gro Svendsen." "Very well..." "And that's little Sours." "She's only a girl." "Why has she even have a doll." "She had three little children, lost them all to the diphtheria in three days." "Dear Lord!" "Please don't say anymore." "There are letters for all three of 'em in this bag here... about their kin folks and all." "I better move on." "They just might jump up and follow me." "Ah!" "I think this room would hold them." "Oh!" "I almost forgot... this is for you, Ms Sours." "It's lovely." "Maybe you want it," "One fine day." "Well goodbye, ladies." "God bless you." "They be alright." "I want to say goodbye to you." "You can give this wagon and those mules and that plain horse and everything else to the Methodist Women... maybe they can sell their thing, use it for railroad fare and whatever else." "Mr.Briggs!" "I'm delighted." "How very generous of you." "Tell the Reverend to give a good feeding of corn." "Will you go back to the territory?" "I do not know." "If you do, please thank Reverend Dowd for me." "And wish him well." "Yes, ma'am." "Well then." "This is our goodbye, Mr.Briggs. Give me your hand." "God Our Father, bless this good man, wherever he may go." "keep watch over him." "Cause Thy face to shine upon him and bring him home to Thee one day." "In Jesus name I pray, Amen." "I hope we meet again, Mr.Briggs. Goodbye." "You can go on now." "Oh yes." "Looks better, sir." "How old were you?" "16." "You ain't got no shoes on your feet..." "Well that's my business ain't?" "I'll take them shoes, right there." "Playing high stakes, sir." "Can you show us $50?" "Here's $300 for you." "Mind if I take a look?" "Suit yourself." "Have a look at this, Mr.Carmichael" "Bank of Loup?" "Right near Wamego." "How long since you been there,sir?" "Five, six weeks." "Bank of Loup went bust." "Happens all the time to..." "South buster banks in the territory." "I've lost more than my fair share of this wild cat paper." "Do you have any greenbacks?" "No..." "I spent it all." "Well I'm sorry, sir." "I cannot accept these banknotes." "Nobody around here will." "Sorry, but you can't sit this table unless you are playing." "I have to ask you to leave." "Why?" "Please leave the table, sir." "You're not socially acceptable here, see?" "You ever know a woman by the name Mary Bee Cuddy?" "No, sir." "These are for you." "You still gotta pay your bill." "Them gravy and biscuits you made were pretty good." "Thank you." "I gotta good piece of advice for you." "When you get grown, don't marry some shitty odd head kid.... heading West and laying claim on a farm that he ain't gonna build yet." "Don't do that." "You stay here." "Why?" "Because I told you to." "Who is Mary Bee Cuddy?" "Mary Bee Cuddy... was a fine a woman ever walked." "You will never know her." "Well then so what?" "so what?" "You are the living breathing reason... she'll never be lost." "That's all, Darling'" "You are a strange man." "Expect I am." "Why don't we marry?" "Maybe..." "All ways!" "# Take her by her Lilly white hand # # meet her like a pigeon #" "# Make her dance like wily-wheel scatter Her religion. #" "You boys know the weevil-weigh?" "Yeah!" "Yeah Get on up here" "# O Charlie, he's a fine man #" "# Charlie, he's a dandy #" "# Every time that He goes to town # # brings back girls candy #" "Hey cut out that noise!" "There's people here trying to sleep!" "You sons of bitches!" "We are heading West, goddammit!" "Better level them lips goddamn level!" "# O Charlie, he's a fine man #" "# Charlie, he's a dandy #" "# Every time that He goes to town # # brings back girls candy #" "©anoXmous @/ user/anoXmous" "©anoXmous @/ user/anoXmous"