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[This story has no title, but I believe shows the break that happened deep within my mother’s child mind. This story was written right after her 10th birthday – the story begins right here…..]
Oh no but I wanted to ask but Priscillia said it would be alright if we didn’t but I find out differently now for their is just fire fire on all sides of us and she added sobbing we don’t know where our mother is. but I do answered the man it’s about time I told about myself Beth iam your Uncle Charlie that lives in Minniappolias. remember now didn’t your mother say that I was coming about four weeks ago. why is it you Uncle Charlie are you going to take us back home are you are you going to take us home. Yes! iam going to take you home answered Uncle Charlie. He was kind of puzzled himself as he looked around all ways trying to see if there was any way to get home but he was a brave man and did not show his troubles his head turned to the right Then in back of him where the fire was creeping swiftly on them. He looked in front of him then he turned to the left and saw a small path which led to safety. He quickly picked Priscilla up and placed her on the opposite shoulder from which Beth was. A small cheek was resting on a large one of Uncle Charlie’s and two small blue eyes were closed tightly dreaming of her beloved mummy one who she dearly loved. Beth was sound asleep. Down the path they walked down [the street is crossed out here] until ahead of them was a street a street wheir you did not half to look in front of you in back on the left hand side for fire of was Uncle Charlie glad to see this but he did not know the way from their back to Mrs. Hunter [some words crossed out here] home Mrs. Hunter [written very darkly through the crossed through name, Montgomery] was Beths mother’s name Priscillias mothers name was Mrs. Bliss. Again, Uncle Robert [sic] was puzzled now he did not know the way to get home he heard a funny sound he knew it came from somewhere around him he looked up in the tree no nothing their this [where that is crossed out] place that place everywhere he looked.
He just noticed that their was something inside his coat oh what could it be he then heard a little bark that proved the situation but he would have to get the animal out he tapped Beth a gentle tap on the shoulder up came Beth she jumped as though a stone had hit her she landed in a big puddle of mud oh dear what shall I do she cried oh I am so wet Uncle Charlie so very wet what shall I do. here take my coat and wrap it around you it will at least keep you warm out jumped the puppy joyfully oh so happy to be out.
bow wow wow barked the dog. Oh it’s my puppy Spot. Oh Spoty called Beth the dog jumped upon Beth again almost knocking her down into the mud again Youll lead us home right away wont you Spoty Bow wow answered Spoty. The dog at once began to run up the road then down the street Beth Pris. and Uncle Charlie not uttering a word to anyone none of them speaking to each other all having as much as they could do to keep up with Spoty, ahead of them now was a long steap hill to climb so again Uncle Charlie lifted to heavy again in the same possion that they had been before so they then started to climb the steep hill they would be running up if they knew it was the end of their journey as soon as they got to the top for the dog had been very faithful and lead them home.
They were almost to the top when they looked around to see that the dog was not to be seen anywhere at all but Uncle Charlie said it would be best for them to finish going up the hill and then they might know where they were they looked around when they got to the top of the hill but could not see Mrs. Hunter [written over an erased Montgomery] house or Mrs. Blisses house but to their surprise it seemed to be their own hill wheir their own houses used to stand.
Beth said I know how to tell if this is our own hill and she quickly ran over to where they thought that their houses should stand and looked around and she then quickly knew that this was the right hill for there were the most glorious bluebells
she quickly then ran over to her Uncle Charlie shouting this is our hill it is it is the hill that we used to live on [looks like us] but where is my mummy wheirs my mummy I ask you wheirs my mummy I ask you wheirs my mummy and wheirs your houses joined in Uncle Charlie up their [cannot read this word, looks like eais] Priscillia. wheir asked Uncle Charlie and Beth in a chorus [spelled chourus]
[The next sentence as she wrote seems to make no sense!] Charles up their pir happy our house isn’t their but the anders – [maybe address? What is she saying here?] — of it is a peculiar plan [looking at the original written page there is no break in the writing to indicate any kind of a shift in her flow of thought. Perhaps “it is a peculiar plan” belongs at the start of this next sentence?]
Uncle Charlie, Beth and Priscilla have hunted, knocked at doors, and everything you could imagine until now, until now that the sun is setting and the stars are beginning to peek from behind the dark blue sky down.
The next task is to find a place to sleep, said Uncle Charlie. Priscilla, asked Uncle Charlie, have you any relatives that the fire hasn’t tackled and got the best of? Why, I have an Aunt and Uncle in Maine, and a Grandma and Grandpa in New Hampshire, and some cousins in Wyoming, answered Priscilla.
That’s quite near here, just about a mile away from this redland. Oh, Uncle, why do you call Melrose that? asked Beth. Well, you see, this morning Melrose was as red as a ripe apple, answered Uncle Charlie, smacked his lips as he mentioned his favorite fruit. He was just about as hungry as Beth and Priscilla for none of them had had any lunch that day. Wasn’t it very red this morning? Continued Uncle Charlie. Wasn’t it, wasn’t it very red with blazes.
Well, that is a very good name for them. As he was talking he was following Priscilla’s careful steps toward Wyoming.
Up hills they went, around corners, down dusty streets where children were crying and shoemakers closing up their shops until finally ahead of them was sign with huge printed words WYOMING on it.
They all rejoiced when they saw those blessed words WYOMING but now the question was what street what street this was a question that none could answer
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