The Point (standard:drama, 2139 words)
Author: stanley mcqueen kentucky backwoods writer	Added: Jul 18 2007	Views/Reads: 3481/2373	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
backwoods tales

The Point Backwoods writer Stanley Mcqueen 

The Kentucky mountains is were I was raised up . By two good Christian
parents . Fathers name  is Luther wells and Mother name is  Sara. My 
name is Jake and I have one sister and her name is Martha, she is just 
twelve years old, and quite a pretty girl , she is dark skinned like 
mammy. Our small corn farm sets surrounded by rough ridges and paw own 
sixty acre more or less of land, Our small Farm house is crude and 
build out of logs paw cut and made with his own hands before me or 
Martha was born, growing corn is how we make end meet and we also have 
a few hogs and cattle to tend too.  Paw fell sick last month with a 
disease called consumption . And doctor smith said he was going to die 
, and that there was no cure for this lung disease . Being just sixteen 
and hardly big enough to plow a mule and tend to the farm work has 
brought a bad hardship to our family.. Paw is too proud to ask any 
neighbor to help us out and mammy has been helping me in between 
helping take care of paw . Bad times have befallen us . Paw lays in the 
big room of our shack he is pale and cannot hardly walk and help 
himself, last night I heard maw crying after ever the lantern was blow 
out and it was dark in the shack. She was praying that God would help 
paw to live and not die , and this made me so sad I hardly slept a wink 
after hearing her crying., Paw said God must have a job for him up in 
the heavenly throne calling him home so early at just forty six years 
old... it was so hard to look at paw just withering away right before 
our eyes and he was so frail looking ., and just months before he was 
so strong and working and doing the farm chores and now he is barely 
able to set up in bed for a spell. Martha I don't think really quit 
understand just how sick paw is and we have not told her paw is going 
to pass away , maw said we should not tell her that paw is going to die 
soon , paw called me into his room and said he had a favor to ask of me 
and I asked him what did he want me to do. Well Jake you go over and 
tell Tom north and Fred Gilmore and wade Bishop I need them to come to 
the shack that I need to asked them to do something for me... what is 
it that you need them for I asked  paw, never mind son just go as I 
have told you and don't ask me no question. You know after they have 
come he added, I saddle the little mule old Charlie and rode across the 
ridges to each of paw friend and neighbor as he requested . Then I 
headed back home and was soon there and after a little while all three 
of paw good friend showed up to see what paw needed of them. Maw showed 
them the room paw was in and he greeted them with a faint smile and had 
maw to set three chairs beside his bed for them to set on while he 
talked to them from his sick bed. Now boys I have called you all three 
here to do me a favor and I have worked beside all three of you on 
these old rough ridges for many years now and we have swapped work and 
help each other in all kind of needs on each party benefits , now boys 
it falls on you fellows to do  Luther a favor .. Tom speak up and say 
what is it that you need us to do Tom asked paw? I want you boys to dig 
my grave paw says and the three men look strangely at paw., then Fred 
says who ever heard of digging,  a man grave before he is dead ? Well 
Fred im not like most men , I want things done good and proper and I 
know this is a strange request , but like I said I want to make these 
choices before my eyes closes in death, and furthermore I have works 
along side each of you when we all pitched in and helped dig neighbors 
graves and I know you all will do a good job and dig my grave six feet 
deep and you'll square the edges just right so my box will fit 
perfect.. I don't want a lazy man digging my grave and I don't want 
varmint digging my bone ups and scattering them around the woodland. 
Well when do you want us to dig it asked Fred , tomorrow is fine 
because boys im not going to be here much longer , as you all see I 
have wasted away to nothing but skin and bone. And furthermore when you 
boys are finished with my grave I want each of you to visit every 
neighbor in these parts and invite them to my shack for a meal and 
singing and I want to say a word to all these fine hill folks that have 
all been real good neighbors and farmers like we all are paw says and 
tries to give a cheerful smile at his last words, and also I what my 
overalls put on me and my old ragged cap that I have wore for nearly 
ten long years back . My Sara will take care of the latter paw tell the 
men. Well Luther we will be here early and do as you have asked .. Tom 
says. Where do you want the grave dug at asked Tom, as they were about 
to leave?   Paw point at the ridge that stands just beyond our shack , 
it can be seen from paw winder and paw said that old point is fit for 
nothing but laying a bodies bones on it to steep to turn and plow for 
corn ground ,, those big oaks that stand there will shade my resting 
bones paw says sort of grinning, well Tom said we will be off and we 
will see you in the morning , paw waves at his friends as they make 


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