Wanderer Springs: A Novel

County Names

LANCE: COUNTY NAMES The Ranchers Ma Lance, who brought her cattle to the county, and her three sons: Wilbur, who broke his back in a fall from a horse Earl, who shot Oscar Spruill, and probably Wilbur Delmer, "Earl's brother?" Cristobel, Delmer's wife, who dug up chickens and bore Delmer four children: Mattie, who discovered two strange children: Bobby Penn, who spoke latin until cured by Sister Druscilla Majors Shirley, who had "turtle eyes," could not speak at all, and may have been the woman with the black cat. Etta, who eloped with an Indian Selena, who escaped her own wedding Lucy, everyone's favorite lance, who played the organ at more than 200 funerals, and married Clifford Huff, veterinarian. SPIVEY: Eli, who ate Rough on Rats to pay his debts, and his wife, Una Bea, who saved dishwater for chickens. Their son, Junior, who helped his father cut down trees to feed his cattle. His wife, Helen, who claimed her name was Helene. Their children: 1 2 "*"WANDERER SPRINGS Bubba, who gave his life to his country Duane, who gave five years of his life to his country. SPRUILL: Oscar, who was shot in the barber's chair, and his wife, Ruby, who went deaf like aU the Spruill women, and their son, Elmer, who is remembered as a hunter although the only thing he ever killed was the last buffalo in the county. KINCHELOE: josh, who saw an animal no one else ever saw, and went right on having children. One of his daughters, Persia, married Elmer Spruill. Their daughter, jessie, married]. C. Tooley. Agrandson, BRYANT: joel, was sentenced to life in prison for murder and robbery. Monte, who almost lost his ranch to swindlers. His son, Buster, who saved the ranch by an extraordinary ride. His son, Boots, who never made a ride like his father but was lord of the range. The Farmers CAllAGHAN: Will, an hish immigrant, who came to Texas to build a railroad, bringing his wife, Carrie, who traveled to California unchaperoned, and their two sons: Emmett, a Texas bad man Will II, who died in antiseptic isolation. His wife, Lettie, who died on the front porch. Their son, COUNTY NAMES "*"3 Will Ill, one of the great howevers, who spent his entire life trying ro become a human being. McCARROLL: Hannon, who became superstitious. His wife, Mary, who lost the cows, her mind, and her daughter, Beth, who escaped her mother's clutches by marrying Babe English (who was shot at his tria}), and escaped that tragedy by marrying Ferguson the Fiddler (who would drop a plow or milk pail [0 fiddle at a dance), and bearing him a son, Ira, who spent his life trying to escape his Grandmother McCarroll's disease. BALLARD: Limp, who would rather fish than fann. His wife, Ida, who had sixteen fences to cross going home. Their nine children, one of whom, John, helped make the county what it was. TOOLEY: Horace, who bled to death unheard by his wife, Jessie, who was addicted to silence, and their daughter, Roma Dean, whose naked body was found in Turtle Hole. DRIESCHNER: Emil, a skilled carpenter, and the best farmer in the county, but Emil married a young woman who gave him three daughters and then died, causing everyone to feel superior to him. However, Emil raised his daughters right; they worked like men and were yelled at like women. Genevieve married Guy Shipman and made a success of him. Amanda married Alben Slocum. When Emil took sick, Amanda went home to look after him, and Alben and the children moved in too. Alben let £he farm run down, sold or lost Emirs tools, repaired the pig pen by tearing planks off the bam, and aCcidentally burned down the 4 "*"WANDERER SPRINGS house. Folks said Emil had to burn down the house to get Albert out of it. It was a Wanderer Springs joke. Albert was trying to start a fire in the wood stove by throwing coal oil on the wood. Then he absent-mindedly set the can of coal oil on the stove while lighting the fire. SLOCUM: Albert, who married Amanda Drieschner and led her to ruin. Their children, George, who died in the front yard during a norther Walter, who hid in the broom closet at the school Emma Slocum Harkness, who was rescued from her home and turned into...