Free The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers Page B

he sold out and they were moving West.
    James said his mother got crazy. She said she
    was tired of moving and had roots. She said if
    she was moving anywhere, it was back east to
    her family. His father said thar was better land
    West, and she said it werent land he was after.
    Her crying and his shouting made the horses
    start running. They wud not stop. A wheel brok
    off and the wagon turned over. God tuk mercy
    on James and threw him on soft ground. But his
    fathers head got cracked open like a melon and
    his mother got crushed when the wagon rolled
    over her.
    I am sorry his mother and father are dead, but
    I am not sorry James is with us. I hope he stays
    forever.
    When I grow up I am going to marry him.
    6 8
    T H E
    W I L D E R N E S S
    James let me sit with him today. He did not say
    much to me and I did not know what to say to
    him. I read him two chapters from Exodus about
    Moses in the bullrushes and pharaoh’s daugher
    finding him. James said thank you very much. He
    took my hand and kissed it.
    I will never wash my hand again as long as I live.
    God says we are to love one another, but it is very
    hard to love Lucas.
    Lucas told Mama he wuz in the barn when I got
    locked in the henhouse. He’s a liar. He always lies
    and Mama is so good she dont know the difference. I saw Lucas close the door. I heard him
    drop the bar. And I heard him laffing while I was
    screaming at him to let me out. He knows I am
    affeered of chickens.
    Mama asked me why he wud do such a thing to
    his sweet little sister. I said he done it because he
    is mean. She said that was a very bad thing to say
    about my own brother.
    Sometimes Mama dont want to hear the truth
    because then she will have to do something about it.
    Matthew wud have done something. But Matthew
    was out in the fields with Papa.
    Sometimes I wish I was a boy so I could grow
    big enuf to punch Lucas hard enuf to nock him
    down like Matthew does. Lucas needs nockin
    down.
    6 9
    T H E
    S C A R L E T
    T H R E A D
    Mama says that jest cause the devil nocks at
    your door dont mean you have to answer.
    I think Lucas opened his door and invited the
    devil in a long time ago.
    We went to camp meeting again. I did not like
    it much this time. Sally Mae Grayson and her
    yellow hair came. She has not been to a meeting
    in two years because she has bin living in Fever
    River with her grandmama and going to school.
    I wish she had stayed in Fever River with her
    grandmama.
    Even Matthew who thinks girls are stupid and
    empty headed looked at Sally Mae like he was a
    sick calf. All the boys were following her around
    and wanting to talk to her. The only one she pad
    attention to was James. They sat together during
    meeting and ate together at supper. Sally Mae
    kept looking at me and saying little pitchers have
    big ears. James told me to go and get him another
    mug of cider and when I did and came back with
    it he was gone. So was Sally Mae.
    I looked and looked until I found them.
    Now I know what courting is.
    I never want to talk about courting or hear about
    it again. No one is ever courting me like that.
    Mama found me down by the crek washing my
    hand. She askt me why I wuz crying. I told her.
    I thot she wud go and make them stop what they
    7 0
    T H E
    W I L D E R N E S S
    wuz doing or at least tell Mister Grayson. All she
    did was hold me and rock me for a long, long
    time. She said idols always have feet of clay.
    Sally Mae is not going bak to school in Fever
    River. James told Matthew that her grandmama
    wrote a letter to her father saying she was ailing
    and could not take her. She said Sally Mae wud
    be better off staying at the homestead with her
    papa. James said her schooling was lost on her
    anyway. He said Sally Mae knows more than she
    shud all ready.
    I am going to die. My heart hurts so much
    I know I will be in the grave soon. James is
    goin. I’m never going to see him again. The only
    consolashun I have is Sally Mae wont get him
    either.
    He thanked Mama and