JUST UP THE ROAD - HISTORY OF ELKMONT, PART 7

SUBMITTED BY GARY COMPTON

The things that the commander told Levi troubled him as much as having to move. Old Bully was pushed hard to get home as soon as possible. Levi felt he was about to loose the place he called home and it would set him back for a long time. He had gone as far as he could go to hang on to what he and his family worked so hard for. Here it is in the early part of winter; no stability and nothing to look forward to. He was a couple of miles away from home when he suddenly stop old Bully, got off and dropped to his knees and begin to pray as he had never prayed before. Levi knew the Lord had provided for a long time and he would also guide him thru this situation.

He approached the cabin and heard the sound of livestock he hadn’t heard before. Somebody is here that doesn't  belong. He cautiously eased toward the cabin. There was a candle burning inside but there was no sounds. There was two horses tied up on the porch railing. Levi cocked the hammer on his flintlock musket and prepared to kick the door open. Then he heard a voice inside, “There is something outside.” Levi recognized the voice and shouted “Is that you, Wendell” ? “Yeah and you better be Levi”. The door flew open. Wendell , Harland and Levi embraced . The brothers had found where he lived. They had been traveling for nearly three months and they looked very frail. Ma Gretchen had fed them a good meal. The boys hardly knew their uncles and seemed somewhat distant. Levi tried to show hospitality but all that transpired that day was still hanging heavy on his mind. “Brothers, I am sure glad to see you but we all need to rest for there is a gospel meeting tomorrow afternoon up the hill. It is a good hour ride from here. We all need to go.

Levi was the first up the next morning. He hadn’t slept much at all. He went to the branch to wash off. He looked up the hill to see Gretchen coming. She could tell that things didn’t go well the day before. “Levi “ what is going to happen”? Cause I can tell things didn’t go well. Levi explained everything that had happened. “We are to stay here for now but my brothers must move on back a couple of miles.” “There is a lot of uncertainty as to what is going to take place around here and my brothers being here are only going to make things worse.”

They headed back to the cabin and by then everyone was up. Ma stoked up the fire and begin to cook some of the fatback Levi brought home. There was a good mess of eggs ready to be fried. Harland had brought about 20 pounds of the remaining wheat he and Wendell had been living off of the last few months. Herman got busy grinding some of it up to make bread. Ma sent Andrew to the branch to pick some water crest so she could pour hot grease on it. This made delicious greens. They all set down to a great Breakfast.