The Testimonie of Alyss Teeg

After a weak Trig sed maybee we shud call Gil Semmens, have him Eye-Ball James Elward.

Ma laffd, Semmens?

Trig shiftid in his chare, looking like he wishd he-ud kept his Mouth shut, but it was too layt for that, Ma full of scorn, was alreddy in his fayce—Had Gil Semmens nown how to saive Pa’s Poisond Fut? Or Trig’s own tatterd Arm? Had Semmens ever, in Six Long and Dust-Layden Summers, come forwud with any useful remidie for Dilly’s Hayfever? Did Trig trewly bileeve that such a purson cud help James Elward now in his Currant Pridicamint?

She leend forwud and cuffd Trig across the Hed and said she didnt plan on paying out any Doctors Fees for this one, leest of All three dollars to witniss a Cretin like Semmens lay his eer to James Elward’s chest and shyne a tinie lite in his eers and his eyes and ask him a lot of questshins about what hes been eeting and wether he has a payne in his Hed or his Hart or any other Part of his bodie, and give her a round green pil or a worthliss wite powdur in a twyst of paper to sprynkle in James Elwards tee.

Trig bowd his hed, rubbd his eer where Ma had caut it with the flat of her Hand and lookd Sheepish for a wile. It did not prevent him however later on that Afternoon, coming up with a diffrint plan—for Him and Pa to take James Elward hunting. The three of them off in the Wilderniss beyond Larabee Countie—a camp fyre and a deer carcuss strung up from a Lodgepole, the good ion smell of blood, the sound helthie Sleep of the Hunter.

Pa, sitting across from Trig, said he concurd with his eldist Son. The two of them noddid their big simlar heds. I wonderd how far into the wilderniss Pa woud be able to git with his crutch and his one good fut, and how sucsesfull Trig wud be weelding a ryfle with his mashd-up arm, but Ma did not pursew the Matter. She shot Pa a look of Scorn and gave Trig another wack around the Hed, lookd him in the eyes and told him she was weery of his Prattel.

He is a tall fayre-haird boy of fifteen, my brother James Elward Teeg, and it is exactlie one month since he announcd to me and Dilly and Ma and Pa and Trig and Delphine that God has made a missteak and he is amending the error now as best he can.

It is exactlie one month since there was, in the wake of this Anouncment, a seene of some cayos in our House—Dilly in tears, Delphine saying, Oh My Lord, that is somthing I was just not ecspecting. Trig mute, staaring. Pa getting up out of his chare and nocking James Elward to the ground with the point of his crutch and busting James Elwards lipp.

After that, a breef and gastly Quiet.

Then Delphine, standing there in her droopie shorl, shaking her Hed and saying, Well I gess we dont none of us, never, do we, see The Big Things Coming. Ma, not lisening to a word Delphine had to say—Ma with her chin razed and her hands akimbo, stepping forwud bitween Pa and James Elward and asking Pa in a lo and feersom voyce if he considerd that an intelligent way to proseed, to attack James Elward with his Crutch? To try and beet it out of him?

She is always the smart one, Ma.

Ryte from the begining she seems to have figurd out that this is a serius thing. From the momint James Elward came downstayrs that day with the news that he is Laura Kathrine now and not James Elward any more, she seems to have understood that his transformayshin is by far the worst thing ever to be-fall the Teegs—wors than Pa lossing his fut from the rusted nayle, wors than Trig getting his left arm mangld off in...