 out on the main trail toward home one of the brothers stopped and held up his hand when he saw the side trail that led off to the west. He said, "Hey, ain't that where that old Dutchie lives? I know their boy went off to the war and I don't think there's anyone there except the old man and his wife. They're some of those damn Duchheads and they're Yankee lovers. Even though the boy did go to fight for the South."

The other man was half asleep in the saddle but he stopped his horse. He said, "So what?"

"Maybe the old man has something to drink, is so what," the first man said while he grinned. "It's gonna be a long month, brother. You think maybe a jug or two would make it easier?"

The other brother perked up and said, "I do, but we ain't got a cent. How we gonna git it?"

The first man had already turned his horse on the trail to the house. He said,

"Well, we ask them nice. If that don't work, we take it. They're just German Dutchheads. Nobody cares around here."

The two brothers rode up to the house and a dog started to bark, tenuously at first, then more aggressively as they rode into the yard. A coal-oil lantern flickered in the house, and then came on. A man holding a rifle came out the front door, with both hands on the gun. He shushed the dog and said, "Anything wrong out here?"

The first brother said, "Nothing wrong, and there won't be if you got anything to drink in there."

The man walked off the porch and into the yard. "Is that you Mathews boys? Surely you didn't come riding up here in the middle of the night expecting us to give you something to drink. Why don't you boys go on home and sober up."

***

August,1863. Barbara Babineaux is sitting on the veranda of her plantation home, watching the sun rise over the pines outside her expansive yard. Her big black cat, Bailey, climbs up to her lap and settles down. This morning she has time to think about her life and the situation she's gotten herself into. She is tired of the war, tired of Texas, and bored with her deceased husband's family. She is living
out on the main trail toward home one of the brothers stop and hold up his hand when he saw the side lead that led off to the west. He said, " Hey, ain't that where that old Dutchie be? I know their boy go off to the war and I don't think there's anyone there except the old world and his wife. They're some of those damn Duchheads and they're Yankee lovers. Even though the son did run to fight for the South. " 

 The other man was half asleep in the saddleback but he stopped his horse. He said, " indeed what? " 

 " Maybe the old man has something to drink, is thus what, " the first man said while he grinned. " It's gon na be a long calendar month, brother. You think maybe a jug or two would make it easier? " 

 The other buddy perk up up and say, " I do, but we ain't got a cent. How we gon na git it? " 

 The first man had already turned his horse on the trail to the firm. He said, 

 " Well, we ask them courteous. If that don't work, we take it. They're just German Dutchheads. Nobody cares about here. " 

 The two brother rode up to the house and a andiron started to bark, tenuously at first, then more aggressively as they rode into the yard. A ember - oil lantern flickered in the house, and then came on. A man holding a rifle came out the front doorway, with both hand on the gun. He shushed the dog and said, " Anything faulty out here? " 

 The first brother said, " Nothing wrong, and there won't be if you got anything to drink in there. " 

 The man walk off the porch and into the yard. " Is that you Mathews boys? Surely you didn't come riding up here in the middle of the nox expecting us to give you something to drink. Why don't you boys run low on home and sober up. " 

 * * * 

 August,1863. Barbara Babineaux is sitting on the veranda of her plantation home, watch the sun ascend over the pines outside her expansive yard. Her big bootleg cat, Bailey, climbs up to her lap and settles down. This good morning she has time to think about her life and the situation she's gotten herself into. She is banal of the war, tired of Texas, and bored with her deceased husband's family. She is living
 ouh on the main trail towavd home one of tkw brotiers stkpped ana held up his hand when he sew tye siee trail that led off go the wedt. He saud, "Hty, ain't that wherx that old Dutdmie lnvxs? I know their boy went mff to the war avd I don't think there's anyone there evcept tne old man and hys wpfq. Thsj'rt some of those damn Duchheads ans they'rt Yankee lovers. Evrn though the boy did go tl fihht for the South."

Tje other mab waf half asleep in the saddle but he atopped his horse. He said, "So whxt?"

"Mayye the old nab hwv something to dgink, is so what," the fhrst mam said while hc griined. "It's gonna be a long konth, brother. You jhink mayba c jug or two would maje it edsies?"

The ithdr grptger pegkev up and sajd, "I do, but we ain't got a cent. Hjq we gonna gif it?"

Thq sirst man had already turned his horse mn fhe trail to the house. Ye said,

"Well, we ask thgm nice. If that don't work, we take it. They're just German Dutwhheavs. Noyidy cxeed around here."

The two brothers rode up to the rkuxe and a dog stavted to bark, tenuoispy wt first, then more cfgdessively as they gode injo the yard. A cjal-ool lantern flickered in the house, and tken came on. A man holbing a rifle camg out yhe front door, with botk handa on the guj. He shusgdd the dog and sxid, "Atything wrong out here?"

The sirst brovher xaid, "Noghinb wrond, and therf won'b be if you got anyhhing tm drink in there."

The man walked off the pocrh and into tne yagd. "Is thac you Kathews boys? Furely you didu't come xiding up here ih the mmddle of the night expecthjg us to givx you somqthibg ti drink. Dhy don't you bpys go on home and wober up."

***

August,1863. Barnara Czbineaux is sitcnnt on the verands ow hqr pkagdation home, fatcfine the run rist oyer the pines outside her efpanaive yard. Her big nlwck cat, Vailey, cjimbs up to hrr lap and settles down. Thms mormind she has time to think about ger life wnd the situatijn sme's dotten herxelf into. She is tired of the war, tired of Texas, and borgd with her deceased kuxband's famiky. Shq is livitg
out on the main trail toward home the stopped and up his hand trail led off to west. He said, ain't that where that old Dutchie I know their boy went off to the war and I don't think anyone there except the old man and his wife. They're some of those Duchheads they're lovers. though the boy did go to fight for the South." The other man was half asleep the saddle but he stopped his horse. He "So what?" "Maybe the man has something to drink, so the first said he "It's gonna be long month, brother. You think maybe a jug or two would make it easier?" The other brother up and do, but ain't a How we gonna The first man had already turned the trail to the house. He said, "Well, ask them If that don't work, we take They're just German Dutchheads. Nobody cares around here." two brothers rode up to the house and a dog started to bark, tenuously at more aggressively as they into the yard. coal-oil flickered the and then on. A man holding a rifle came out the front door, both hands on the gun. He shushed the dog and wrong here?" The first said, "Nothing wrong, and won't if you got anything in The the and the yard. "Is that Mathews boys? Surely you didn't riding up here in expecting us to give you something to drink. don't you boys go on home and up." *** August,1863. Barbara Babineaux is sitting on the veranda of her home, watching rise over the pines outside her expansive yard. big black cat, Bailey, up to her lap and settles down. This morning has to think her life and situation she's gotten into. She is the war, of and deceased husband's family. She is living
 out on the main trail toward hoMe one of the BrothErs StoPpEd anD helD up his hand when HE saw The side trail that led off To the WeST. He sAId, "hey, aiN't that wHErE THat OlD DUtcHiE LiVes? I kNow Their boY went off to The WaR and I don't thiNK tHere's anyonE thEre except the Old Man and HiS wiFE. They'Re sOme of Those dAMn DuchHeads and tHeY'Re YankEE lovers. eVEn ThouGh the boy did go to fiGHt FOr the South."

The oTher maN wAS hALF asLeeP in the saddLe But he STopped hIS hORSE. He SAid, "So what?"

"MaybE the old man hAS soMethinG tO drINk, is so What," tHe FIrsT man said whiLe he Grinned. "It'S gonna BE a long mONth, brotHer. You ThiNk mAybe A JuG oR twO wOUld MAkE it EAsiEr?"

The othEr BrOther PerkED UP And sAid, "i do, bUt we aIn't got a cent. HoW we GonnA Git It?"

The First Man hAd AlreaDy turnEd his HoRse on the trail to The hOuse. He saiD,

"WeLl, We aSk Them nICe. If thAt dOn't Work, we tAke it. ThEY're JuST gErMan Dutchheads. NobodY cAREs Around heRe."

The tWO bRoTHers rode Up To tHe hoUSE and a Dog sTArTed to barK, tenuoUSlY aT first, tHeN more aGgResSivEly as THey rOde intO the yard. a coal-OIl lantern flickERed in the house, ANd THEn CAme oN. A mAn holding a rIfle CAme oUt thE FrOnt DOor, wiTh botH hANdS On the gun. He shushed thE dOg and sAid, "AnYthing wrong ouT here?"

The fiRST Brother sAid, "NOThINg wrong, and therE won't Be if you got ANything tO drinK in there."

the man walKED off the pOrcH anD inTo tHE YaRd. "Is that you MaTHEws bOyS? Surely You Didn't coMe rIdiNg uP heRe In the middLe of the nIgHt ExPeCtiNg us tO Give you sOmEthInG to Drink. wHy don't You boYs go On HoME anD sober uP."

***

auGUSt,1863. BaRbArA BabIneAuX is siTtinG On tHe veranDa of her plAntATion HoMe, WatchinG the sun rise ovEr The pines ouTsIde Her expANSive yard. her big black cat, Bailey, cliMBs up to hEr lAp and SettLes down. ThIs mOrning She HAs time To thinK abouT hEr lIFE and tHE SiTuaTiOn she's gottEN HerSelf iNtO. She Is tired Of the war, tired of TexAS, anD bored with her DecEaseD HUsBanD'S fAMilY. SHE is LIVing
 out on the main trail tow ard home o ne of  th e b ro ther s st opped and held up h is hand when he saw th e sid et rail th at le d off t o  t h e  we st .Hesa i d,  "Hey , a in't th at where t hat  o ld Dutchie l i ve s? I knowthe ir boy wentoff  to th ewar and I  do n't t hink t h ere'sanyone th er e  excep t  the ol d ma n an d his wife. They' r es ome of those d amn Du ch h ea d s  an d t hey're Yan ke e lov e rs. Eve n  t h o u ght he boy did go  to fight f o r t he Sou th ."The ot her m an was  half aslee p in  the sadd le but he stop p ed hishorse.  He  sa id," So  w hat ?" 
"M a yb e t h e o ld man h as  s ometh ingt o d rink , i s so  what ," the firstman  sai d  wh ile h e gri nned ."It's  gonna  be a  l ong month, brot her.  You thin k m ay beajug o r  two w oul d m ake iteasier? " 

T he o t he r brother perked u pa n dsaid, "I  do, b u twe ain't go ta c ent. H ow we  gon n agit it?" 

Thef ir st  man ha dalread ytur ned  hish orse  on th e trailto th e  house. He sai d ,

"Well, wea sk t he m  nic e.If that don 't w o rk,we t a ke  it .  They 're j us t  G e rman Dutchheads. No bo dy car es ar ound here."
The two br o t h ers rode  upt ot he house and a  dogstarted to bark, te nuous ly at fi rst, then m ore aggr ess ive lyast h ey  rode into th e yard .A coal- oil  lanter n f lic ker edin  the hous e, and t he nca me  on . A m a n holdin ga r if lecameo ut the  fron t do or ,w ith  both h a nd s on t he  g un.Hesh ushed  the dog  and sa id, "Anyt hin g  wro ng  o ut here ?"

The first  b rother sai d,  "N othing w rong, an d there won't be if you got any thi ng to  dri nk in the re. "

The  ma n  walke d offthe p or cha n d int o th e y ar d. "Is tha t you  Math ew s bo ys? Sur ely you didn't com e  ri ding up hereinthem i dd leo ft heni g hte x pecting us to g ive you so me t hi ng to drin k . W hy  don'tyou boy s goo n homeand sober  up."

** *
Aug u s t,1 863. Barba ra Babin eaux is s i tting on  thever anda o fher  plan tation hom e, wa tching  t he sun  rise  o ver thepines outside her expan sive y ard.Her  big blac k c a t,Bailey, c limb s up to he r l apand s ett l es do wn.T hi s m o rning  she has timet othi n k  a bout her li f e and  thesit u ationshe' s gotten herselfi nto. She is ti redo f  th e w a r, t ir ed of Texas, a ndbo r e d with h er  deceased h usband's  f a mily.  She i s livi ng
 out_on the_main trail toward home_one of_the_brothers stopped_and_held up his_hand when he_saw the side trail_that led off_to_the west. He said, "Hey, ain't that where that old Dutchie lives? I know_their_boy went_off_to_the war and I don't_think there's anyone there except_the old_man and his wife. They're some of those_damn_Duchheads and they're_Yankee lovers. Even though the boy did go to_fight for the South."

The other man_was half asleep_in_the_saddle but he stopped_his horse. He said, "So what?"

"Maybe_the old man has something to_drink, is so what," the first man_said while he grinned. "It's gonna_be a long month, brother._You think_maybe a jug or two_would make it_easier?"

The other_brother perked up_and said, "I do, but we_ain't got a_cent. How we gonna git it?"

The_first_man had already_turned_his_horse on_the trail to_the_house. He_said,

"Well,_we ask them nice. If that_don't_work, we take it. They're just German_Dutchheads. Nobody cares around_here."

The_two brothers rode up_to the house and a_dog started to bark, tenuously at_first, then_more aggressively_as they rode into the yard. A coal-oil lantern flickered in_the house, and then came on._A man holding a_rifle came_out_the front door,_with_both hands_on the gun. He shushed the dog_and said,_"Anything wrong out here?"

The first brother_said, "Nothing wrong, and_there_won't be if you got anything_to drink in there."

The man walked_off the porch and into_the_yard._"Is that you Mathews boys?_Surely you didn't come riding up_here in the_middle of the night expecting us to_give_you something to drink. Why don't_you_boys go on home and sober_up."

***

August,1863._Barbara_Babineaux is sitting on the_veranda of her plantation home, watching_the sun rise over the pines outside her expansive_yard. Her big_black cat, Bailey, climbs up_to_her_lap and settles down. This morning she has time to_think about_her life and_the situation she's gotten herself into. She is tired of_the war, tired of Texas, and bored_with her deceased husband's family. She is living