A Planting Season: The Cotton Chronicles Volume One

Chapter 2

      Annie McGee Turner was born in 1873. All who knew her remarked upon her beauty and refinement. Her father Michael owned a successful mercantile and provided well for his wife and three daughters, Pearl, Rebecca, and Annie. The McGee's loved horses and Walt was more than willing to sell them the best he had.

      It was on one of his first deliveries Walt became aware of Annie's existence. He had come to deliver a pair of trotters when he spotted her as she sat upon her Bay horse, tall and proud in the saddle. She gazed straight ahead, seemingly ignoring him as her reddish curls gently nuzzled her smooth, pale neckline. Her rose colored cheeks were beacons and her emerald green eyes turned to him and met his briefly before she turned away.

      He felt the blood rush to his head and his cheeks matched hers in color. His heart sank to his stomach, and he realized he was smitten with this girl. He prophetically thought to himself, "I must have her." For the first time in Walt's life, he had only one goal: to rope Annie McGee into marriage and take her back to Alabama.

                                                                                     .....

        As the months passed, Michael observed Walt while suspecting his interest in Annie. Although he feared the potential outcome, he invited him to supper to satisfy his own self-serving need to connect with his fellow countryman. The house boy, Anthony, rang a tiny bell signifying that it was time for dinner to be served and they all moved toward the dining room.

      "Take this seat." Michael ceremoniously took his place at the head of the table and directed Walt to a seat on his right where Annie was seated between her two sisters. While it was considered an honor to be seated at the right of the host, Michael had an ulterior motive: to minimize Walt's ability to engage in conversation with Annie.

      He had not, however, anticipated their silent communications as they exchanged coy glances throughout the meal. Michael was consumed with much chagrin. He had counted on an evening with Walt's recounting engaging anecdotes of his far-flung travels, but Walt thought of a different type of engagement. His mind was elsewhere; at least two chairs away.

      Michael watched the two exchange glances and his emotions stirred. He enjoyed Walt's company but the thought of Walt's courting his beloved Annie was more than he could handle. She was, after all, a debutante with numerous suitable prospects in the local community. And, he thought, she certainly was not reared to be a farmer's wife.

      He envisioned Annie as a thoroughbred being led down the aisle at her wedding by a donkey and he chuckled. Why couldn't Walt see himself as wholly unsuitable to take on a wife of Annie's social status!

      He would not enjoy the task he saw he must undertake, but the time had come to have a meeting of the minds regarding his expectations for Annie. What he had to say to Walt might hurt his feelings but it was essential that Walt abandon his ill-conceived plans to be betrothed to Annie.

      As quickly as they finished the dessert course, Michael ushered Walt outside and away from the house. As they walked to the stables, he produced two cigars. After pausing briefly to light them, their talk of maintaining a healthy stable of horses continued. Although Michael had been involved with the care of horses throughout his life, he eagerly listened to Walt's counsel on the subject.

      Pointing to a pair of horses, Walt said, "These are trotters and they need room to run. You have to give them long straightaways in order for them to achieve their stride and there isn't enough acreage on your property to create a mile run. Since I have not seen a mile track anywhere around here, have you given thought as to how you intend to maintain their stamina for competition at the track?"