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No coinal tears As tense as Prudy was for the labor, she sat there in the ater and nursed the baby in front of us all

Present were myself, Bitsy, Becky Myers, and two of the ot in my hair, Mrs Wade and Mrs Blum, the doctor’s wife I hope they don’t co froood for these ti

19

Thaw

A week of heavy rain, and patches of green appear New icicles melt as soon as they forh the earth

Yesterday, just after Bitsy went hunting for turkey down on the flats near the Hope River, I saw, through the kitchen , soain, I figure, but as I stare, the open cart with two burros passes the Maddocks’ mailbox and continues to travel fast up the hill E, and Sasha chimes in The cart pulls to a halt, and the driver jumps down and ties his animals to the picket fence

"Mrs Potts says come quick" It’s Reverend Miller, the pastor of the Hazel Patch Baptist Chapel At the gate he ties his ani snow has caused a flood in the Wildcat Mine Twelve miners are trapped They fear a cave-in"

The poorto be injured, and there’s no doc to be found She wants you now" I don’t think to argue but step into rab my birth satchel, scratch a note to Bitsy, and jue around and slaps the on There’s no way an auto could h this muck," he offers Other than that he doesn’t sayand sliding in thehome from town and pull over so he can pass I wave hiood job stitching

"Wait!" I yell to Reverend Miller

"Mr Hester," I call, standing up in the cart "There’s trouble at the Wildcat Mine A flood Men are trapped They fear a cave-in, maybe injuries Can you come?"

"He won’t make it in that auto," the pastor advises under his breath "That’s why I didn’t bring et in with us"

"Did you hear? The pastor says the roads are no good Your Model T won’t make it"