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    Cow Tales: Folklore from Texas and the American Southwest
    Cow Tales: Folklore from Texas and the American Southwest
    Cow Tales: Folklore from Texas and the American Southwest
    Ebook82 pages1 hour

    Cow Tales: Folklore from Texas and the American Southwest

    By Elaine Kavanaugh Jones

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    About this ebook

    These authentic stories that focus on cowboy life, past and present are historic and rich with unforgettable characters. There’s Totto, who is reluctantly pulled into a mysterious treasure hunt that brings a startling revelation. There’s Boy, who discovers that sometimes the people we come to love most are the ones we know nothing about. There’s romance and humor too in several delightful tales. And then there’s a mini novel of a lone cowboy who has the surprise of his life on the most beloved of holidays, a surprise that changes everything. Each story has truth at its core and powerful emotion in its depths that linger long after the last page is read.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSunstone Press
    Release dateJun 20, 2016
    ISBN9781611394535
    Cow Tales: Folklore from Texas and the American Southwest
    Author

    Elaine Kavanaugh Jones

    After returning to the family farm to retire, Elaine Kavanaugh Jones embarked on a new occupation: cow hand. Feeding, birthing, caring for young calves and elderly animals became an almost full time job. But a greater appreciation for the animals came abo

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      Book preview

      Cow Tales - Elaine Kavanaugh Jones

      9781611394535.gif

      Cow Tales

      Folklore from Texas

      and the

      American Southwest

      -

      Elaine Kavanaugh Jones

      © 2016 by Elaine Kavanaugh Jones

      All Rights Reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including

      information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher,

      except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

      Sunstone books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use.

      For information please write: Special Markets Department, Sunstone Press,

      P.O. Box 2321, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-2321.

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Names: Jones, Elaine Kavanaugh, 1952- author.

      Title: Cowtales: folklore from Texas and the American southwest / by Elaine Kavanaugh Jones.

      Description: Santa Fe : Sunstone Press, [2016]

      Identifiers: LCCN 2015048268 (print) | LCCN 2016010644 (ebook) | ISBN

      9781632931122 (softcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781611394535 (ebook)

      Subjects: LCSH: Texas--Folklore. | Southwestern States--Folklore.

      Classification: LCC GR110.T5 J66 2016 (print) | LCC GR110.T5 (ebook) | DDC

      398.209764--dc23

      LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015048268

      www.sunstonepress.com

      SUNSTONE PRESS / Post Office Box 2321 / Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321 /USA

      (505) 988-4418 / orders only (800) 243-5644 / FAX (505) 988-1025

      This book is dedicated to my three angels

      Lillian

      Maurine

      Virginia

      1

      The Well

      Legend had it that the well never went dry even during the hottest drought of summer. Legend also had it that there was power in the water, almost magic. The old-timers covered it with a heavy, thick, solid round stone that took two mules to drop into place. Rain had become plentiful so the well was covered. Folks had put too much credit in that power. So what if the Henderson girl got over the fever and lived to a ripe old age after she bathed in it. So what if the Elderson’s baby thrived after drinking it when the doctor said there was no way it would live. So what if Annie Fergerson’s leg healed after her accident. A team of horses dragged her through a fence and the doctor said she’d never walk again. Her mother applied a water poultice and the leg healed.

      I laughed at myself, half believing those old fables. But sure enough if it didn’t rain soon we’d all be looking for the lost well. The lightning rod, liniment and windmill salesmen would be out of work. The whole state was in a drought, but this area was the worst. Streams, lakes and ponds that I had never seen dry before, were drying up. The river was only a trickle, almost stone dry.

      I rode my horse out into the country where I’d heard the well was located. I was back to riding a horse since my car had been repossessed by the bank. I couldn’t make the final payment. One payment left and I lost it all because of this thing called a Depression. Many people were out of work including me. But the President, Mr. Roosevelt, said over the radio, better times were coming. Easy for him to say, he was rich. With a war looking close in Europe and every man begging even for food, how on God’s earth could better times be coming?

      I scouted the countryside but saw no sign of a well or giant stone. One thing for certain, it was the hottest driest time I could ever remember. My horse would give out soon, so I started back. Tomorrow, I’d try again.

      For seven consecutive days, I went searching. I told no one, not even my wife, Lorena, who had a profile so beautiful that a man could go weak in the knees looking at her. Then I remembered someone saying old Mr. Lowrey, who’d gone blind, talked about the well. His daughter stationed him on a bench in front of the county store when she was too busy to watch him.

      One morning, after several times of trying to catch him sitting there, I rode up to the store. Alas, there sat old man Lowrey. He was past ninety if he was a day. He had on faded worn overalls and an equally faded worn out shirt. His work boots had seen better days. They were tied with a string. He wore an old straw hat over his balding head. No matter that he was blind, his mind was sharp and his quick memory was sure to recollect exactly where that well was located.

      I got off my horse, tied him to the hitching post. Then I walked over and sat down on the cane bottom chair next to the old man. Before I could utter a word, the old man burst out, Don’t tell me, I know who you are. We sat very quiet for a few minutes then the old man turned and smiled, You’re Totto, Annie and Lyman’s boy. I bet you come to ask about the well.

      Stunned, I said, Yes sir, I have.

      I can’t rightly tell you, but I can show you. I’ve still got my water witch stick somewhere if Jessie hadn’t thrown it away. We’ll have to go right about daylight so we won’t die of heat stroke, the old man advised.

      Again I sat stunned listening to the old man rambling away about the well. You realize, he said, "that there well has healing properties. Some people around these parts didn’t like that and insisted that it be capped. I was there when they rolled the stone over it. Took two mules and all their strength. You’ll have to bring a wagon or a buggy. I can’t ride a horse. Totto, you be at my place about daylight. I’ll be waiting on

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