{No Turning Back -part XIV}
July 20th, 1847
Missy got bit by a rattler today. I'm so feared for her, I'm shaking as I write.
We reached the Green River a while after lunch and made camp to wait for our turn to cross. With the daylight left, me and Missy decided to look for wild fruit since we were along the river. We'd found a lot of fruit, and then Missy saw a place where she could dig up some of those roots Miss Myrtle showed us.
She'd started digging and I was saying something 'bout making a pie when she screamed. The hairs on my neck stood up, and I ran to where she was.
"Missy, what is it?" I said as I knelt next to her. She was holding her left arm.
"A rattler, Callie, a rattler! Oh, I hear it," she cried, "behind you!"
I turned, and not three feet from where Missy'd been digging was the biggest rattler I'd ever seen, shakin' it's tail at me. Missy was sobbing.
"Missouri Anne," I said, to get her attention,"Get up and stand real still. Don't move your arm, and stop cryin' or you'll make your heart race."
I picked up a rock, pretty good size, and threw it on the snake. It was still alive, but it was pinned down and anyway, I couldn't see its beady little eyes that way.
Thank the Lord we had Paint with us, because I knew that Missy needed to keep still or she'd send the poison through her blood faster. We got on Paint and rode back to the train. I yelled for Pa or Joel or Clint, but I couldn't find them. Then Mr. Cole and Miss Myrtle came over to see what was wrong. I rolled up Missy's sleeve to look.
On the outside of her arm, right below her elbow, were two little holes. They weren't really bleeding, but there were red streaks all around them.
"Tie it off," Mr. Cole said to me, "Up here." he touched his upper arm.
I ripped off a piece of my petticoat and tied it around Missy's arm.
"Tighter," he said. I tightened it.
Then Mr. Cole got a big knife.
"What're you doin'?" I said.
"Gotta suck the poison out." he said as he cut an x on both the holes. Missy flinched, but she didn't scream like I thought she would. Then Mr. Cole started sucking on the x's. He'd suck a little, then spit it out. Suck and spit, for what seemed like forever. Then Miss Myrtle gave him something that he put on the bite and tied.
"What's that?" I asked.
"It's just a poultice, chile," Miss Myrtle said," It'll he'p pull out the poison." She patted my arm. "Don't worry. Tell God." Then we laid Missy in the wagon.
I told Pa later what Mr. Cole did and he said good. She should be doin' better.
But tonight she has a fever, and I ain't so sure. I been sittin' here bathin' her head, tryin' to bring it down.
July 21st, 1847
We crossed the Green River today with the help of the Shoshoni indians. We had to caulk the wagons and float 'em across, with the indians guiding on their horses. Pa says there's big rocks in the riverbed and the indians know where they are, so that's why we hired them.
Missy still has a fever. I can't seem to get it down. Mr. Cole tried to suck some more poison out today.
I keep praying that God will save her, and I know He can, if He wants to. That's the part that scares me. What if God don't want to save her? What if He wants Missy up there?
July 23rd, 1847
Missy's fever broke today.
July 24th, 1847
I can't stop praising the Lord for giving me my sister back.
Passed Church Butte today. Hardly noticed, I was so excited about Missy eating a full meal.
July 25th, 1847
Tonight we're camped about a mile past Name Rock. We all, 'cept Missy, carved our names in it, but it was almost hard to find a spot to.
Lem Withers, Mr. MacGregor, and the Brewers all came over tonight. It was good to sit around the campfire, listenin' to stories and laughing together. Seems we were able to forget all the hardships of this trail, even if it was only for one night.
Missy got bit by a rattler today. I'm so feared for her, I'm shaking as I write.
We reached the Green River a while after lunch and made camp to wait for our turn to cross. With the daylight left, me and Missy decided to look for wild fruit since we were along the river. We'd found a lot of fruit, and then Missy saw a place where she could dig up some of those roots Miss Myrtle showed us.
She'd started digging and I was saying something 'bout making a pie when she screamed. The hairs on my neck stood up, and I ran to where she was.
"Missy, what is it?" I said as I knelt next to her. She was holding her left arm.
"A rattler, Callie, a rattler! Oh, I hear it," she cried, "behind you!"
I turned, and not three feet from where Missy'd been digging was the biggest rattler I'd ever seen, shakin' it's tail at me. Missy was sobbing.
"Missouri Anne," I said, to get her attention,"Get up and stand real still. Don't move your arm, and stop cryin' or you'll make your heart race."
I picked up a rock, pretty good size, and threw it on the snake. It was still alive, but it was pinned down and anyway, I couldn't see its beady little eyes that way.
Thank the Lord we had Paint with us, because I knew that Missy needed to keep still or she'd send the poison through her blood faster. We got on Paint and rode back to the train. I yelled for Pa or Joel or Clint, but I couldn't find them. Then Mr. Cole and Miss Myrtle came over to see what was wrong. I rolled up Missy's sleeve to look.
On the outside of her arm, right below her elbow, were two little holes. They weren't really bleeding, but there were red streaks all around them.
"Tie it off," Mr. Cole said to me, "Up here." he touched his upper arm.
I ripped off a piece of my petticoat and tied it around Missy's arm.
"Tighter," he said. I tightened it.
Then Mr. Cole got a big knife.
"What're you doin'?" I said.
"Gotta suck the poison out." he said as he cut an x on both the holes. Missy flinched, but she didn't scream like I thought she would. Then Mr. Cole started sucking on the x's. He'd suck a little, then spit it out. Suck and spit, for what seemed like forever. Then Miss Myrtle gave him something that he put on the bite and tied.
"What's that?" I asked.
"It's just a poultice, chile," Miss Myrtle said," It'll he'p pull out the poison." She patted my arm. "Don't worry. Tell God." Then we laid Missy in the wagon.
I told Pa later what Mr. Cole did and he said good. She should be doin' better.
But tonight she has a fever, and I ain't so sure. I been sittin' here bathin' her head, tryin' to bring it down.
July 21st, 1847
We crossed the Green River today with the help of the Shoshoni indians. We had to caulk the wagons and float 'em across, with the indians guiding on their horses. Pa says there's big rocks in the riverbed and the indians know where they are, so that's why we hired them.
Missy still has a fever. I can't seem to get it down. Mr. Cole tried to suck some more poison out today.
I keep praying that God will save her, and I know He can, if He wants to. That's the part that scares me. What if God don't want to save her? What if He wants Missy up there?
July 23rd, 1847
Missy's fever broke today.
July 24th, 1847
I can't stop praising the Lord for giving me my sister back.
Passed Church Butte today. Hardly noticed, I was so excited about Missy eating a full meal.
July 25th, 1847
Tonight we're camped about a mile past Name Rock. We all, 'cept Missy, carved our names in it, but it was almost hard to find a spot to.
Lem Withers, Mr. MacGregor, and the Brewers all came over tonight. It was good to sit around the campfire, listenin' to stories and laughing together. Seems we were able to forget all the hardships of this trail, even if it was only for one night.
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