The Bushwhackers

Papa’s off fighting for the Yankees when Bill Wilson and his gang of Missouri bushwhackers descend upon the McBrides. Mama, Aunt Lula, and Josey watch helplessly as the men ransack the farmhouse. Bill grabs Josey’s school lunchpail but flings it away when he discovers it’s full of snapping crawdads. Josey had planned to put a big ol’ crawdad in her sister Dora’s bed. When two of the bushwhackers pour some of Mama’s molasses into a ceramic pot they found in the yard, Josey’s eyes almost pop out of her head. The pot is the slop jar Dora has been using to relieve herself while laid up with a bad cold. Josey, disgusted at having to empty it, had purposely left the pot in the yard so Dora would have to use the outdoor privy.

- Christy Lenzi

Unsuspecting, Bill gloats over the molasses in the pot then saunters to the ladder leading to the loft where Dora lies hidden. “What d’ya got up there?” he thunders.

MAMA GRIPPED THE back of a chair to keep from shaking. She gathered her courage and straightened up, pushing the hair from her face. I knew she was thinking about Dora and about the special things in the wooden trunk we kept up in the loft.

“Mostly just winter goods are stored up there. B-blankets and such.” Her voice trembled, despite her efforts to control it. “But I believe there are some canned vegetables left, down in the cellar.” She glanced nervously in the direction of the loft. “You can go down and help yourselves—we’ve got plenty.” She started for the cellar door.

Bill laughed scornfully. “You’ve got plenty, eh?” He rested his hand on a ladder rung. “Well, I’ll just take a look-see up here, if you don’t mind.” The bushwhackers winked at each other and grinned.

Mama’s courage withered in an instant. Her face fell, and her eyes filled with tears as she stumbled backward against Aunt Lula.

Bill climbed to the top of the ladder and gave out a low whistle. “Well, what do we have here? Boys, I think I found the prettiest thing in the whole house! I reckon this gal’s mama won’t mind if I take her along with us.”

Dora!

Mama gasped, and Aunt Lula stiffened.

“Somebody come on up here and get this trunk, too. Mrs. McBride says help yourselves—they’ve got plenty!” Two men brought the trunk down the ladder and carried it out to the wagon while Bill stood at the edge of the loft, smirking at Mama. He turned to get Dora and hesitated. “What’s wrong with her? What’s she doin’ in bed?”