Outside the Reservation....part....8

Walt heard Jake hollering to him to get down there quick and that he did !! When he saw that huge buck that Jake had taken down he let out a holler to his Pappy !! "Come on down here and look what Jake has caught I can hardly believe it myself !!" Wiley came trucking on down to where they both where with that huge buck. "Well, I'll be !! I knew there was a big ole buck thrashing around in these woods Jake. I'm mighty glad you caught him too. Let me help you and Walt dress him out cause I ain't done this in a long time. " With that said Wiley drew his knife from the case in his boot and said, "Where do you want to start Jake. ? I always do it in a way that you can save the whole hide I can show you how if you'd like me too ? " Jake looked at Wiley and how excited he was over this big buck he said," Sure Wiley. Go ahead and show me how you do it. " With a big grin on his face he went right to work and he was fast too !! He got that deer skinned faster than Jake had ever seen it done before !! Then they cut between the tendons on the back legs and put some heavy rope through the holes. The three of them hoisted that deer up on a huge branch of a near by tree, so they could cut it open and let the innards fall out into a big wooden box that Wiley had placed right under that deer.

They saved the heart, liver, and some other parts the dogs could eat after it was cooked up first. Melva had come out to join the men in case they should need her. They handed her the heart, liver and the other stuff they had set aside for the dogs. She had a huge piece of tarp and rolled it all up inside that and took it on home so she could wash it and cook the stuff for the dogs. She wrapped the heart and liver in cheese cloth and stuck it inside two leather pouches and put that in the cold spring to keep for a couple days.. Then she placed the large slab stone over the cold spring to keep the critters away from it. Then she went back to the house and pulled out a huge pot to cook the parts that Wiley had saved for the dogs. The men were finished cutting up that deer and were haling it up to the house. Then they dug a huge pit and lined it with big rocks and packed them down in the soil. The pieces of meat were wrapped up in leather and bound with strong cords. The men laid the pieces of meat in one layer, then put big rocks on top of it. Then they put wet reeds on top of the rocks to keep the meat moist. They knew it had to be eaten up very soon before it went bad. So that meat planning a huge feast and inviting all the folks they knew and that was plenty !! Then Jake figured he'd better be getting on back home cause he knew he had been gone for quite a long time and that Marietta would be looking for him, he thanked everyone for helping with the deer and started on down the path again for home.

Marietta was sitting on the porch snapping beans into a big pot of water when she saw Jake coming down the path. She stood up and said, " Jake, where the dickens have you been ?? I got worried when you didn't come right back." Jake said, " Sorry Marietta I didn't mean to worry you none, and went on to tell her about the big buck deer he had caught off guard. And there was going to be a big feast for everybody !! We'll go on down the road and tell all the folks they're invited. Then we can get to the reservation and invite all the folk from there !!" "We must eat first Jake. I made a nice stew for us to eat and some corn bread too. " They sat and ate the food she had prepared as soon as it was ready, then they went to spread the good news about the big feast !! First they stopped at Spirit Crows and Little Feathers. They heard laughter coming from down the road and saw them playing with Spirit Tree Owl. He had grown so much !! He saw them coming and turned to his Mother and Father as if to ask if it was alright to go greet Jake and Marietta. They nodded their heads yes to him and he ran into Jakes open arms !! Jake was yearning to become a father. He wanted children to fill their lives with joy. Marietta saw the look on his face as he was holding Spirit Tree Owl and knew that he was ready for a family.

When they walked up to where Spirit Crow and little Feather were standing, Spirit Tree Owl got down and went to his mother and said, " Me like Jake and Mariwetta here !! " Then put his little hand over his heart !! When Jake and Marietta heard that they knew it would be a great time to start a family. Jake told them about the big deer he had caught, that they were planning a big feast at Wileys and Melva's place. He also said they were inviting all the new people they had met plus their friends from the reservation. "It will take place real soon. We going to Chet and Maddies they can spread the word to all the people there. " Then Spirit Crow spoke, " Let us go tell out people about this. We've not been there in a long time. They'll love to get to see Spirit Tree Owl. " Jake said, " That will be just fine my friend, we do have lots to get ready for the feast. We will let you know when and I hope it's soon !! See you later !! " Then down the road they went. Chet was outside working on another table when they got there. He held out his hand to Jake then to Marietta and asked them to sit for a while. Just then Maddie came outside and was smiling when she saw them. "Welcome my friends, we've not seen you for a while now." Then Jake told them why they had stopped by and they would be delighted if all these people would come for the feast, and he would let them know when. It was staring to get dark out early so they said their goodbyes and headed back up the path.

Jake was so happy he couldn't help but to take Marietta in his arms and kiss her, to let her know how much she meant to him. " I love you Marietta with all my heart. I never had this much love in my life before and it really feels right. I will try my best to make you happy for the rest of our days. Hoping that soon there will be little ones in our home. " Marietta never cried much but this really touched her heart, she took his face in her hands and said," Jake Peters you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I will always be your loving wife and yes, we will have little ones in our home, soon !! I'm not sure but I think I might be with child Jake !! I need to talk to my Maw about this tonight. " Jake was speechless!! But the big grin on his face said all she needed to know !! They walked up path to her parents house and they were sitting outside on the porch. Marietta said, " I need to talk to you about something Maw, in private please." A surprised look come across her Maw's face but she didn't speak until they were behind closed doors. " How can I know if I'm with child Maw? I have some morning sickness but not really bad." "Let me look at your face

Marietta, lets see what that tells me. " She looked at her daughter really close, not like she ever had before. Her face was full of love, her eyes sparkled like never before. " My dear Marietta, you are surely with child I should have seen the signs before now ! " She hugged her daughter for the first time since she was a little girl. It felt so good to Marietta she didn't want to let go. They both stepped out on the porch, but not a word had to be spoken because Jake knew she was with child when he saw her face beaming with joy !!

TO BE CONTINUED.....WRITTEN BY : BARBARA J. BRIGGS.....7/14/09