[or-roots] Aunt Charlotte's Book ( Nineveh and Epharain Ford)

[DaviesWalt at cs.com]

Marthy Jane and I were close friends till we were grown, till she married 
Ephraim. Then after a time we lost each other, for Ephraim. had never liked 
me. I do not remember why, it may possibly have been because I have never 
really like Ephraim. He was the younger brother of Niniva Ford and Niniva was 
always good to me. When we were on the plains I liked to ride with him. He 
drove a big covered "hack" and it was very nice in there on the cushioned 
spring seats.

    Sometimes "Ephy" drove. He did not ask me to ride with him, but he liked 
little Mary Ayers and used to take her in the front seat with him. She was a 
nice little thing and I liked her, but I did something that I have always 
been sorry for. Prickly pears are all that their names imply, some of them 
even more than that. One day I found one that had so many thorns that there 
was hardly room for another. Mary was riding with Ephraim. As they passed 
where I was trudging along, kicking up dust with my bare feet and acting as 
though I'd much rather walk than not, I reached up the prickly pear to Mary 
and not understanding exactly what it was, she caught at it and filled her 
hand with the ugly thorns. Ephy took them out and disliked me more than 
ever.I do not know why I did it. I had no malice toward Mary and I had no 
desire to ride with Ephraim., for I did not like him. I suppose it just 
happened without any special reason. Things did sometimes.

    Mother, who neither especially liked Mary or disliked Ephraim., spanked 
me soundly. I have always regretted it, the prickly pear, not the spanking. 
I'd had so many spankings that one more or less didn't really matter. Mary 
has been gone many years and I am still ashamed and sorry about the prickly 
pear.

Walt Davies
Monmouth, OR
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