When Winter Winds Blow

Emmet and Emma Overholt had brought their family of six kids from south Texas, along with grandpa and Grandma Garner, Emma’s ma and pa. They had two very well build covered wagons, pulled by six horses each. Roy the eldest boy and Jennie Sue, his eleven year old sister rode horses and drove fifteen milk cows with seven three month old calves. One contrary bull had to be hit on the rump at least ten times a day to keep him moving.
Harmie was ten and walked behind the wagons with a long stick in hand driving nine sows and one boar. Twenty four piglets ran hard keeping up with their mothers.
A chicken coop with ninety four hens and seven roasters was stowed under the belly of one of the wagons. Spring was in the air as they slowly moved westward.
They stopped around noon to eat a bite of dinner. Emmet called over, “Grandpa, think we can get shelter built before hard winter?”
“Best we do Boy, them winter winds blow cold an’ hard down that valley. You knowed that when you homesteaded.”
“Yeah but that is one beautiful valley. How long now before we reach it?”
“If no trouble, ten days er less. We’re almost home.”
“Yeah about ten days was what I’s thinking.”
They had trouble, outlaws trying to steal cattle and horses. The Overholt family was used to raiders down in Texas, so this bunch of outlaws got nothing but bullets and rode off licking their wounds, while swearing the ones left alive, after they healed up would be back.
The only thing Emmet said was, “Don’t do it and live.”


Genre: Western