The next day brought interesting things upon the Benson Ranch. Jonny was digging holes for potatoes when, in the distance he heard hoofs and "Hi ye ye ye ye ye!" Jonny knew what that was. He ran to the house and grabbed his revolver while yelling, "Indians! Indians!" By then everyone had manned stations in the house and were prepared for a fight. But instead the indians grabbed White-Foot, Sid, Bright, and Willow and took off. "Let's get em, guys!" shouted Charles. Clarence Charles and Brad swung up onto horses that the indians did not steal and took off. Jonny was about to follow but decided not since there would only be four men to guard the house. So he stayed and relaxed. "Hey Will, do you want to go down to the creek to catch some fish?" Jonny asked. "Sure Jo, I'd be glad to!" was the quick reply. The two of them marched off down to the creek bottoms to catch a fresh batch of fish. Ma was cleaning the house, sowing and working in the garden. Pa was training wild horses to be cattle herding horses. Clem and Karl were hauling hay from off a wagon into the barn.
"Yo wow ho, look at the size of this fish!" exclaimed Jonny. "Yeah that is the biggest one we have caught yet." After a little while they turned back to the house with their buckets of fish. They got to the house when Jonny remembered he had left his prize skinning knife down at the creek. He walked out the front door and toward the creek. He felt a hand grasp his arm gently. "Wo, Alisha, I did not see you there." he said. "Oh, I'm sorry, I just wanted to come with you down to the creek." she said gently. "Wh- why sure, come and join me." so the two of them walked down and talked. "You know, I sure do wish we could, well, you know, we could, aw, well..." "Yeah I was just thinking the same thing." she answered before he even said it. "I would have to ask Pa, and if it was ok with Ma I guess... Well I cant talk to your Pa..." Jonny said in somberness. Alisha looked at the ground, a tear rolled down her cheek, her face no trace of grief. After a few minutes of silence Jonny said, "Alisha, will you marry me?" There was a pause, Jonny felt the most awkward he had ever felt. It seemed forever for her to say something. Finally she took a breath. He closed his eyes and listened. "I would be so very privileged to do so. Yes Jonny, I will." Jonny felt like yelling at the top of his lungs. In these times, people got married very young. They then had children when they were younger, and then the parents could easily see their grandchildren. It was a custom back then.
That night Jonny went up to his father. "Father, I want to ask you if, well, Alisha and I have decided, with your permission of course, that we want to be married." "Well well well, so son, you finally decided to marry her?" "Yes Pa I have." "Well now Oscar, don't rush the two of them, let them be." Ma interrupted. "I was just testing him." Pa exclaimed back. "Well, we will have to set up a little wedding here and have the preacher from town come in to marry the two of you." Ma said. Jonny quickly found Alisha. "My Ma said she is going to prepare for the wedding and she is calling the preacher to come out here too." Jonny exclaimed in an excited tone. "Oh, so soon? I thought it wouldn't be for a while." Alisha said. "Well you know my parents, when it rains it pours." Alisha smiled up at Jonny. He took her hand and they went to Ma to talk about the soon coming wedding.
YOU ARE READING
Jonny and the Comanches
Historical FictionThe thrilling story of a young boy named Jonny and his pony, White-Foot, set in the 1800s about life on the prairie in Colorado and he and his family's encounters with Comanche Indians.
