' Mount Up with Wings, as Eagles…'' [Three Tales of Two Cousins]

''But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.''
KJV/ Isaiah 40:31
a Laramie/Wagon Train Crossover Fic by Roniyah Gabrielle Caitrin Bhaer

Author's Note: This is where I could be saying : 'you asked for it.' Because I have been asked to write some Wagon Train and or Laramie fanfiction for the enjoyment [ I hope] of the RFFandom list. But I won't say that, honestly. I'd rather just say, please enjoy, please let me know what you think of this latest effort of mine,. But my sole intent is to offer you some enjoyable reading, along with some of my own ideas about the Laramie and Wagon Train characters.
So, you actually SHOULD consider this story as existing in a PARALLEL UNIVERSE , an alternative one to the one presented by those two classic westerns, with some notable variations. And please excuse the liberties I've taken, my 'poetic license', as it were with events, dates, and even some names in the lives of the well loved characters in this story. And I took some literary liberties with 'facts not in evidence' in the series as it aired, too; along the lines of things we didn't see or hear on-screen

But if I haven't made it clear enough, as yet, this story wouldn't have been written, without the friendships and fun and such I 'lucked onto' on the Robert Fuller Fandom list. And so because of that, I want and need to genuinely thank all my recently made friends there. I … was grateful just to find all y'all… and now that gratitude is, I hope, clearly shown in these pages : Special thanks goes to Moira, Carol, Cat, Twins, and Elaine for their kind words, reading and encouragement. :

Oh, and in case you haven't guessed it, these 'tales' wouldn't exist in any form without the wondrous inspiration of the following gifted, generous people: Spring Byington, Barbara Stanwyck, John McIntire, Hoagy Carmichael, Charles McGrath, Terry Wilson, Denny Miller, Michael Burns, Robert Fuller, and John Smith. My constant gratitude to them will hopefully be apparent in the following pages.
Roniyah Gabrielle Caitrin Bhaer Summer, 2007
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Disclaimer : None of the onscreen characters from Revue/Universal's 'Laramie' or 'Wagon Train' belong to me. And I'm prett nigh onto busted up about that, too. Instead they all belong to the creative minds of John Champion and Howard Christie, and all the gifted writers, directors, producers, and actors of those two high class, classic Westerns. Sigh. No copyright infringement or profit taking is intended by this work of fiction, so don't sue me please; the studio/company, etc attorneys have 'many, many things' better to do.

Cast of Characters
[ As this is fanfiction, with the usual handful of new characters introduced to the kindly readers, I thought this listing might be helpful. Yes, I'm also an old movie nut :) Rielle ]

Created/Invented/Extrapolated characters -- in the First Tale
Coop's, Jemmy's, Jess and Slim's families

Katherine Hepburn as Elisabeth Micaela Cooper Smith [ Coop's mother ]
Dame Vivien Leigh as Jessamyn Roisin Randolph Singer [ Jemmy's mother ]
James Mason as Stephen Jemison Singer [ Jemmy's father ]
Keegan Macintosh as Daniel Webster Smith 'Danny' Harper 'age 6' [ Jess' brother ]
Barbara Stanwyck as Jennet Meredydd Cooper Harper [ Jess' mother ]
James Stewart as Daniel Webster Smith [ Coop's father]

Jack Kaeding as Jemmy at seven, nine and eleven years old 1851, 1853, 1855
Gavin Fink as Coop at eight, ten and twelve years old, and
as Jess ast six, eight and ten years old

Michael Welch as seventeen-year-old Jemmy Singer
Jacob Young as seventeen- and a half year old Cooper Smith
Jacob Young as fifteen- and a half year-old Jess Harper
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First Tale of Two Cousins 1851-1861

CHAPTER ONE Nacogdoches, TX winter, 1851

The wiry framed, tall redhead walked out into the dooryard, his weathered features creased with laughter. ''Cooper! Nathaniel Kieran Anglim Cooper Smith, you stop playing in the mud and c'mon over here when I call you, little boy!'' Daniel Smith shouted.

A second later, dark-haired, broad shouldered, with 'a map of Ireland' in his clear features, Franklin Harper stepped up beside his cousin, and equally lighthearted, called out, ''And you, too, Jess! Jacob Emrys Sayer Smith Harper, stop tussling with your cousins, and come over, on the double quick, son!''

Now, Stephen Singer stomped out onto the porch, down the steps and lined up with his taller friends. He tried to look stern with his dark eyes narrowed and his fists planted on his hips, but the amusement on his elegant features couldn't be concealed. ''And you as well, Jemison Stephen Wesleyan Randolph Singer! You come up here … at once, Jemmy, you hear?''

'' Warn't playin in the mud, Daddy! Jesse was supposed to come into supper with Jemmy n' me, an' he tripped me up, right there!'' eight year old Cooper, his dark, unruly hair falling over his forehead, as always, his face shining with fun, his deep blue eyes glinting, answered, rushing over and trying not to giggle when his father smiled at him and shook his head.

Cooper was enduring another 'growing spurt' this year and it showed in his wiry frame, and the height he'd gained over his younger cousins, a fact 'Coop' took vast pleasure in.

'' 'M not called Jesse, 'm called Jess! An' dint neither trip you up! You jus' fell down your own self! Dint trip you up. Dint neither, Daddy!'' six year old Jess protested, his equally dark, equally disorderly hair falling over his blue-sky eyes, his freckled face gleaming, as he went running over to his father. Jess was growing taller and wirier this summer, too, but he had yet to lose the rosy rounded features of a little boy, and that irked him, badly.

''Jess dint trip nobody, Poppa. Coop fell right on over a tree branch that was juttin' purely out of th' hill, right down there. But he dint want to say so.'' Seven year old Jemmy Singer, the middle cousin added, his thick, sandy hair flying back from sharper features than his cousin's, his bright green eyes lit up like daybreak, as he hurried to obey his own father. Jemmy was finally over a bad bout of scarlet fever this winter, and determined to regain and redouble his previously vigorous health.

'' I dint tell my own Daddy any lie, Jemmy!'' Cooper argued, his blue eyes flashing outrage. '' I learned better n' that, when I was hardly even a baby!''

''Dint say you told any lies, Coop. Figure you dint see that branch none at all, whilst you was tryin' to get Jess an me up th' hill double quick like. Don't figure Jess-little here oughta catch blame for what you dint see, d' you?'' Jemmy asked, squinting his green eyes in the late afternoon light, his daybright grin quickly swallowed, too.

'' Stop that now, Jemmy!'' Jess shouted, outraged in turn. ''ain't 'little' anymore. Turned six on m' birthday! You wasn't here, but that don't mean you get to jus' fergit it, neither!''

''Well the three of you are so covered with mud, now; there's no telling who fell where first, much less how. '' Daniel Smith said, intervening. '' And you're not setting foot in your granddaddy's house looking like that, And Cooper, no matter how you got that way; I can't help thinking you have the larger responsibility here, as you're two years older than Jess, and a year older than Jemmy. Don't you think so, son?''

Cooper now looked mournfully up at his father, shifted his weight from one muddy boot to the other, and nodded. ''Yeah. ' mean t' say, yes, sir. Reckon … 'mean t' say, yes, sir, that's so. ''

'' And Jemison, while you're so busy nobly defending Jess, '' Stephen Singer said, setting one hand on each of Jemmy's arms, just below his son's wiry shoulders. ''Don't you think an older boy, like you, has a duty to treat all his friends fairly, as well as honorably? Don't you think Cooper deserves a good example from his cousin, just as much as Jess?''

''Umm… yeah… ummm, meant to say, yes, Poppa. '' Jemmy answered, his bright eyes downcast now, his thin shoulders slumping.

Jess was wriggling and squirming where he'd stopped in front of Frank Harper, unconcerned and impatient with the 'talking to' the bigger boys were getting. They were going to be sent indoors, now, the youngest of the trio was certain sure.
He, on the other hand, had maintained both his balance and the honor of his boyhood, and surely would be praised, petted and rewarded with more time to play before dinner. Jess almost itched to get back to the wonderful supply of potential mud forts and slick, slippery, missiles to arm them with, at the bottom of the hill. He kept thinking about the funny way mud could be too slippery to stand in one minute, and caked dry and nigh onto as hard as rock not long after, if the rain quit. He wasn't paying anymore heed to the grown folk, or his cousins, but quietly, for a six year old boy, considering just how fast he could build up his supply of mud 'shells', to be ready for any assault Coop or Jemmy might make, between dinner and suppertime, or between suppertime and lights out that night.

''Jess, Jess, are you listenin' to me, son?'' Frank Harper asked, when he noted his oldest boy's demeanor.

Jess' dark head snapped back on his shoulders and his eyes fixed on his father's face. The reproachful look Jess found there seemed to close up his throat and he merely shook his head. It hurt awfully to see how he'd gone woolgathering and disappointed the man who meant most in the whole, entire world to him.

''No, I guess you weren't. Well then, Jess. '' Frank said, turning a crooked smile on his son, '' Mebbee we need to talk about that, about paying heed to your elders. But for now I have a different question, Jess. You tell me if I'm wrong, son, alright?''

'' Yea… yes, sir.'' Jess nodded, somewhat cheered by his father's smile, and nearly dumbstruck by the idea that the elder Harper could be wrong.

''Alright then, Jess, didn't we have kind of a long talk ourselves, while we were on our way to your Granddaddy's, here? Didn't we talk, just the other day, about how you're growing into a fine, big boy, now?'' Frank asked, hiding half of the smile he wanted to give the youngster, just for the time being.

'' Yes, Daddy.'' Jess agreed.

''And didn't we decide together that one thing big boys always do, or try their best to do, is owning up when they've done something, or said something, or sometimes even thought something they shouldn't?'' the elder Harper went on, setting one strong hand on each of Jess' shoulders.

'' Ummm… ummm… yeah, Daddy.'' Jess nodded, shuffling, now shifting his weight from one wiry leg to the other, and looking down.

'' And what did we agree a big boy … or any fellow should do, son, once he's owned up to doing something he shouldn't?'' the elder Harper asked, lifting his oldest son's chin where it nearly touched Jess' chest, and bringing that blue-sky gaze back to his own.

'' … Ummm… shake hands, Daddy?'' the six year old guessed.

'' Well, that's fine, son. But what comes before shaking hands, Jess?'' his father probed.

'' … Ummm…. Sayin' m' sorry… '' Jess answered, dejectedly, biting at his lower lip.

'' That's right! Go ahead, then, son. Go on.''

'' 'M sorry. Cooper. I mebbee shoulda hollered out there was that branch down there. An' 'm sorry, Jemmy, I shouldn't go hollerin' at y' that way, when you were d'fendin me. '' Jess murmured, his face back down, his voice just barely loud enough to be heard and his right hand stuck out towards Coop, his left towards Jemmy.

''Jemison.'' Jemmy's father now said. And the single word was enough to prompt the response he sought from his son.

'' I'll accept yer 'pology, Jess, hopin ye'd go on an' take mine, too. You're surely not a little 'un anymore. Figure mebbee I oughta ask a fella if he wants defendin' fore I start in, anyhow.'' Jemmy admitted, and manfully pumped Jess' outstretched hand.

''Yeah, reckon mebbee y' should, after all.'' Coop murmured, not quietly enough to miss his father's sharp hearing.

''Cooper!'' Daniel Smith exclaimed, his own voice rising half an octave in surprise.

'' Aww, Daddy! Dang it!'' Coop shouted, frowning, his temper flaring again. ''Why'd I havta act all grown an' all?''

''Coop, honestly, if you don't understand that, yet, I'm not sure I know how to explain it to you, son.'' The elder Smith shook his head and looked to his cousin and their friend for help.

''Cooper, '' Frank Harper said quietly, moving over and bending his long legs to be face to face with the oldest boy. '' I know it's hard when someone, when anyone asks a fellow to show good manners and to keep his temper when he'd rather not. It's awfully hard for me, I know. And sometimes I think it's just as hard for your grandfather, Nathaniel Kieran. He calls it, 'struggling with his Apollyon.' Have you heard your grandfather use that phrase?''

'' Yes, sir.'' Coop was now the one shifting his weight from one foot to the other.. The admission of such a fault to a boy was all the more surprising for its source. His cousin Frank was never angry, as far as the eight year old knew.

'' We all have. And he manages awfully well, considering he's got so much to take care of and so many folks to look out for these days. And even though Nathaniel might not like my telling you boys this, I think it's too important to keep quiet about, now: He's ailing, now, which has to make holding his temper even harder, I'd have to guess.'' Frank added, solemnly trying to mentor the oldest son of his best friend, Danny Smith.

'' Granddaddy's sick?'' all three boys cried out, taken aback at this news.

'' Yes, yes he is, boys. But we haven't talked about it much. He doesn't want your mother or Jess' mother, or Jemmy's momma who grew up almost as his adopted daughter, to start worrying, or fussing over him. Your grandfather's a proud man, that way, and he's earned the right to that pride, in my book. So we're going to respect his wishes, unless and until Nathaniel says differently.
The other part of the answer to your question, Cooper, is that you have a little brother now, little Thomas Jefferson. And as he grows, you're going to learn more about little boys than you thought was possible. You're going to learn a lot more about little boys and growing up than you're certain sure, you already know. And that's pretty much, isn't it?''

''Y-yes, sir, Cousin Frank. Figure I thought to know 'bout all there was, bein' a boy, m'self, an all.''

'' And that's what we all think, Cooper, when we're boys. Now, one of the things you're going to learn is that little boys look up to the older boys they know tremendously. They want to act like them and talk like them and walk like them; because they admire them so much. And they tagalong after those older boys, Cooper, because they want to learn how to be just exactly like them. And you're an awfully bright young man, so I know you understand just why I pointed that out to you, don't you?''

'' Yeah, Yes sir, s'pose so.'' eight year old Coop nodded, very glad to be called a 'young man', by this uncle by marriage he admired so much.

'' Yes, I thought you would. And I know you understand that Jess and Jemmy both had a hard time apologizing just then. They had a hard time of it, especially apologizing to someone they admire as much as they do you. So, mebbee there's something more to be done here, something an older lad should do, to help a younger one learn how a man should act. Do you think that could be so?''

'' Yeah.'' Coop sighed loudly, biting his lower lip, and twisting his shoulders uncomfortably. '' Yeah, Cousin Frank, there is. But it's dang… it's awfully hard…''

'' Cooper, your Aunt Jenn and Cousin Frank, Cousin Jessy and Cousin Stephen all are our guests here, just now.'' Daniel interjected, taking his oldest son by the shoulders. 'Do you want them to think you're being raised to only do the easy thing? Do you, son?''

''No, sir, no, I don't. 'm sorry too, Jess. 'm sorry, Jemmy. 'm sorry, too, Cousin Frank' m sorry, Cousin Steve.'' Coop muttered, looking down still, now he held out his left hand.

'' Well that was very well said and well done, Cooper. And we accept your apology, gladly. Don't we, Jess?''

'' 'Cept your 'pology, Cooper.'' Jess answered, grinning again and shaking Coop's hand with all his strength.

''And you, young master Jemison?'' Stephen Singer asked his son, one dark eyebrow rising as he waited Jemmy's response? ''Don't you think that was handsomely done, by our cousin Cooper, just then?''

''It was … you did that just fine, Coop. I'll 'cept your apology, hopin' you'll take mine.'' Jemmy agreed with a shy grin pulling at one corner of his mouth.

''Thanks, Jemmy, I'll do just that, thanks.'' Coop replied, finally grinning again.

'' Well, then, let's get the three of you cleaned up before Beth, Jenny and Jessy see you; and before your brothers and sisters get the idea to come out and make mud pies, too.'' Daniel suggested, no longer hiding his wide grin at the young cousin's appearance.

'' We warn't makin' mud pies, Daddy!'' Coop protested, his eight-year-old pride stung again.

'' Nun-uh, Daddy. Warn't gonna make mud-pies till it stops rainin'!'' six year old Jess giggled, which naturally started Jemmy giggling too, winning a laugh from all of them.
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CHAPTER TWO Nacogdoches, Texas summer, 1853

A willowy young woman with dark auburn curls framing her clear, oval face, walked out of the summer kitchen behind the rambling old Cooper house on the crest of the hill. She shaded her deep blue eyes and her handsome freckled features with one strong hand, as she hefted a bucket of ice with the other. Down the steps behind her, came her sister, a lithe young woman with light brown hair and wide grey eyes, and both of her arms around an immense bowl of summer squash. Following the second sister was their first cousin, a slender young matron carrying only a tray of fresh bread, with dark, almost to black brown hair, pulled well back from her perfect, heart shaped face, but escaping in soft tendrils, at her brow, as if they hated to leave her green as grass bright green eyes to themselves.

Further on towards the old house, a lanky boy with dark, unruly hair and deep blue eyes heard the summer kitchen's screened-door shut and turned to grin and wave to his mother, Beth Smith, her sister Jenny Harper and their cousin Jessy Singer. Then Cooper rushed towards the three women, with only one backward glance towards Jemmy and Jess and a shouted. ''Fellas, c'mon!''

In just a few long strides, Coop was at his mother's side, asking her without saying a word, to let him take over her burden. Beth rewarded the ten year old with a grin as wide and bright as his own and nodded. ''Why, thank you, my kind young sir!'' she teased him just a bit, knowing he'd been reading several books this year by Sir Walter Scott.

'' Milady, you're more than welcome.'' Coop managed to say, while his face grew hot. Then he shook his head and did his best impression of Danny Smith's trademark drawl.
'' Now, now, shouldn't you have called that lazy, ne'er do well son of yours over to help before you started for the house with such a heavy burden, Missus Beth?''

''Kind sir, I'll have you know I have no ne'er do well, or lazy sons at all. Mine are all the finest and most considerate gentlemen I know.'' Beth laughed, ''Especially my eldest boy. And it looks to me as though his cousins are learning from his example, too. Which makes me awfully proud!''

Coop looked where his mother did and saw eight year old Jess, taking over the huge bowl of squash from Jenny, while nine year old Jemmy not only relieved Jessy of her tray, but supported her steps towards the house. ''They just like to monkey-see, monkey do what I do, momma, is all. Figure … meant to say, I think Jess and Jemmy would walk down th' road on their hands if Daddy, or Cousin Franklin or Cousin Stephen or even I did it first.''

''If your Daddy, or mine or Cousin Franklin did, I'd say it was certain sure we'd follow their lead.'' Jemmy spoke up now, with a grin of his own, as he walked his mother up to the house. ''But yours, Coop? Reck… I meant to say, I think Jess and I have better sense than that, by now!''

'' That's th' absolute, absolute truth of it, Jemmy, you tell him!'' Jess called out, laughing. ''We'd surely go on ahead and do whatever it was my Daddy an' yours an' Cousin Danny would do. But not Coop, not considerin' how much trouble we usedta follow ol' Coop right on into, when we were little kids.''

Coop rolled his eyes and pulled his mouth taut in a frown, meant to keep a sharp retort within. Seeing this, Beth put one staying hand on his left arm, nodded and smiled. Jenny on the other hand shook her head at her oldest son, reached to push back the dark, stubborn curls from his forehead, and sighed.

'' Jess, I'm very glad to hear you say you'd follow your father's example, or Danny's or Stephen's. They're all fine, strong, caring and decent men.'' She said, so quietly, Jess knew her words were only for him to hear. '' But since Coop for the most part, seems to be following their example, too, , surely you can't do badly by paying his example some heed, as well. Your own brothers, Johnny and little Danny can only benefit more from your example that way, especially when we're back at the new place, with so few older boys around, don't you think so, my Jess?''

Jess turned his blue sky gaze back over to Coop and then returned it to his mother's gently smiling face. And he answered her smile for smile and in just as quiet a tone. ''Momma, if you asked me to jump th' moon an' then rope it for you, you know I would, an' on th' double quick! So, sure… meant to say, yes ma'am, I'll keep an eye out … I'll surely pay heed to th' things Coop does an' says. Can't do any harm, mebbee it'd even sometime keep him outa trouble, too.''

''Well, I don't want the moon pulled down to earth, Sweeting.'' Jenny grinned. '' I have all I could ever ask for, right now, this minute. And I happen to like the moon, just fine, where it is. But thanks very much for the offer, thanks, Jess. Now, as long as you've got a good hold on that bowl, please go on and take it into the cold pantry for me. I want to go see how your cousin Jessy's doing. Our east Texas heat doesn't seem to agree with her as much as we … Well, never mind that, now, Jess. Thanks for hearing me out, Sweeting. ''
'' Always, momma.'' Jess answered, frowning as he caught the concern in her voice for Jemmy's mother. Walking as carefully as he could, the youngest of the three boys made fine progress and soon transferred care of his burden to Cook, the tall, grim and imposing ruler of his grandfather's kitchen. Coop was there, too, giving over the bucket of ice, and giving the busy kitchen a ten year old's keenly surveying glance. Both boys spotted the tray of popovers left from breakfast at the same instant, it seemed, exchanging deeply conspiratorial looks. Then Jess remembered what he'd told his mother, not five minutes ago.
'' Prob'ly not such a fine idea, there, Coop.'' Jess sagely advised the older boy, despite feeling a few pangs that could easily be remedied by such a treat.

''No, prob'ly not. '' Coop replied, disconsolately. ''Dinner's not that far off. Reckon Cook'd might catch an' turn us in, anyhow. An' Granddaddy wouldn't much care for that. Good call there, Jess. Dang, those popovers look fine, though, don't they? Best remove m'self from temptation, reckon.''

''Good call there, Coop.'' Jess nodded, and the two cousins strode out to the porch that meandered all the way around the old house. When they were halfway into a game of cats cradle, the strings wrapped wildly around Coop's fingers, Jess squinted thoughtfully and decided to bring up the question Jemmy's absence left him with.
'' D'you figure Jemmy's momma is gonna be alright?''

'' Dunno.'' Coop admitted, shaking his head. '' Momma went after her an' Jemmy upstairs. Figure momma can put right just about anybody from anything, once she starts in. Dunno, mebbee that's why Cousins Jessy an' Steve have been stayin' on, awhile, this year.''

''Reckon it could be that.'' Jess agreed, nodding, and taking the string maze onto his own hands. ''Jemmy'd just be wrecked, if somethin' happened to Cousin Jessy, wouldn't he?''

''Figure it's like Granddaddy Nate likes to say: You only get one family, and only one turn at th' livin' world. But yeah, it'd be danged hard on th' boy.'' Coop answered, keeping his gaze focused on the 'cradle' now, and blinking hard. '' Reckon it'd be danged hard on anybody. Dunno what I'd feel like, at all, if momma or Daddy was to pass on.''

Jess shook his head and giving the 'cradle' over to the older boy, grasped Coop's left arm, in a sudden burst of brotherly care. ''You'd have all of us here, Coop.'' the younger boy insisted earnestly. ''G-d forbid, o' course, but you'd have all of us here, Cousin, me included, same as Jemmy would.''

''Same as you'd have me, and all of us here, too, Jess.'' Coop agreed, giving the younger boy a wan grin. ''C'mon, let's go get Jemmy an' take him for a tramp before dinner. That's likely just what he needs, right now. Heck, his momma's more n' likely to be just fine! We all of us thought Granddaddy would pass on, last year, didn't we? An' he pulled through then. So will Cousin Jessy, now.''

'' Surely she will! Your momma could likely cure a cloudy day, onct she set her mind to doin' just that. Hey, Jemmy!'' Jess grinned, as their middle cousin walked out onto the
porch.

''Hey, Jess, Coop.'' their Carolinian cousin nodded, his frown belying his next words. ''Momma's just tired out a bit, she says. Told me to scoot on outa there an' go for a run or a ride b'fore dinner. Told her I would. D'ye want to come?''

'' We were just about to come an' drag you outa there to do just that!'' Jess laughed. ''let's get to it, boys!''

'' A ride sounds real good, just now.'' Coop agreed. '' An' we can check on that sorrel mare, the new one that Granddaddy wants to breed with some one of th' neighbor's studs. If she does -an' keep this one under your hats, fellas - for… just now; Granddaddy said if she does well, he'll think about when an' where to give or sell her foals!''

'' He won't just take 'em to auction straightaway, Coop? He'll think about gifting some of them, mebbee even to us. Is that what I hear you saying, boy?'' Jemmy demanded.

'' Yep!'' Coop answered, seeing his own excitement catch fire with the younger boys.

''Yippee! What're we waitin' for? Let's go have a look-see!'' Jess shouted and was off the porch, hardly landing a foot on the steps, running for the stables as fast as he could go. Luckily both his older cousins were as swift at foot racing as Jess, and kept up with the younger boy, stride for stride, until Coop's longer legs won the day, down by the said corral.

Behind the trio of boys, the trio of young women stepped out onto the rambling old porch and smiled watching their sons race out of sight. Then, Beth made certain sure Jessy had the most comfortable possible place to sit, while Jenny chattered away about anything but her cousin's health. Finally Jessy Singer sighed and shook her head at both her cousins, tugging at their arms until they sat on either side of her.

''I'm not an invalid, for goodness sake! And I won't be treated as one, just because I had the lack of foresight to confide in the two of you! You've both had whole, entire crops of babies. So you can't start in treating the condition as anything but natural to our gender, just because I've had some difficulties.''

''Dearest, don't be that way. '' Beth counseled, putting her left arm around the younger woman's shoulders. '' 'We're only concerned because you did have those difficulties, the last time. And I wish you'd stay to home here, so we can take good and proper care of you, and see if young master Jemmy won't have a healthy, thriving baby sister or brother.''

' '' No, I should go back up to Raleigh, and do my waiting for this baby in my own bed, if need be.'' Jessy insisted. '' Also, the house and grounds there won't run themselves, you know, not with all the will in the world. And then my boys, Jemmy's out of doors as much as he's in, or more, most days, and I've really got to get his things ready for that school in Richmond he's got his heart set on going to this fall. Stephen has been up to his eyebrows in the political meetings and such these days. But he wouldn't be able to find a single, solitary clean, starched collar to wear, without me there to help him. I honestly think the brighter a man is, the less common sense he's like to have.''

''I think she's right about that, Bethy.'' Jenny nodded, taking her turn to smile at and hug Jessy. '' But maybe if we put our heads together, instead of squabbling the way we used to, we can find a way to make sure Jessy has an easy time, with this baby. Do your boys even know you're… in this delicate condition, yet, Sweeting?''

'' No, no. Not yet. I didn't want to … Well, you both may laugh at me all you like, as I've become rather superstitious on this subject.'' Jessy answered. '' So I'm just not going to jinx it, by speaking up too soon, this time around. And I do so hope I'm going to give my two Jems a daughter and a sister, I do so want to raise a little girl, now. Jemmy's growing so quickly, too, these days. He'll hardly stand still for any signs of maternal affection. So, I haven't broached the subject of another child to either of my boys, not yet at least.''

''Well, alright, Jessy. You keep your wonderful secret as long as possible, then.'' Beth nodded. ''You're entitled. I simply doubt very much I could ever keep from telling Danny, if I were you. And Coop won't accept much more than a pat on the arm, these days. So I know just what you mean about our boys growing up!''

'' They're all growing like weeds!'' And I swear if it weren't for that stray bit of light brown hair right at his brow, I don't know that I could tell my Jess from your Cooper. '' Jenny sighed.

'' That's what I was thinking myself, Jenn.'' Beth agreed.

'' They're as like as peas in a pod.'' Jessy nodded. '' Cooper and Jess, they always have been. They could be twins. I'm so glad Jemmy has them for friends, just like the three of us are, and always will be.''

'' Only Jess out grows his shirts and his pants almost every month, it seems to me. And he eats like a house afire, but you could never tell by how scrawny the boy is! And he wants to go to boarding school, so badly! And he's going to be so disappointed when I finally tell him that's not going to happen again, this year. And all I seem to do these days is complain, when I should be nothing but grateful for all we do have.''

'' But you've had a hard time of it, everyone knows that. And sometimes things work out, just when we think they never possibly will.'' Beth said, linking arms with Jenny and Jessy, and walking back towards the rambling old house they'd grown up in.

'' And I know that tone of voice, Elisabeth Micaela Cooper Smith, and I won't have you treating me or my family as one of your charity cases! Frank would never stand for that either, not in a million years and you know that.''

'' The Book says Charity begins at home, doesn't it? And to my mind that means it starts with family. Well, if you and Frank and Francie, Jess and the young'uns aren't our family, I don't know who may be, Jennet Meredydd Cooper Harper!''

'' She's not going to back down, Beth.'' Jessy told her closest in age cousin. ''And you know how stubborn she can be, Jenny, so I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for her to change her mind. The two of you can't be taken for twins, I guess, unless it comes to your headstrong inmost natures!''

'' Oh, and Jessy here isn't the least bit wayward or willful, is she, Bethy?'' Jenny laughed, her temper forgotten as quickly as a summer storm.

''Who, our Jessy? No, never!'' Beth grinned. ''So now, my dears, let's drop this 'discussion for now. Daddy won't hear of us talking of anything but prayers and Bible lessons over Sunday dinner. And you know that as well as I. Jessy, you still look tired, dearest.''

''Beth Cooper Smith are you tryin' to run me, now?'' Jessy demanded to know, her bright eyes flashing. ''Because you should have learned how badly that works out years ago!''
''What did I just say about her inmost mulish nature?'' Jenny laughed.

''Nothing we both haven't known for years and years by this time!'' Beth answered. '' Now then, where were we? Oh, yes, Jenny stop sticking your chin out a mile and come help me set out supper. So we'll talk about the rest of this, later.''

'' Oh we'll talk about it, surely. '' Jenny answered, her chin jutting again, her pride being touched on.

''Uh-oh, Bethy, now you've gotten her Irish up!'' Jessy giggled, like the schoolgirl she'd been, years ago.

''Don't worry, Jessy. Her Irish came from the same, exact place as mine. But I was ahead of her in the line by a good two and a half or three years! .'' Beth answered, with a typically fierce grin of her own. ''So now don't, Jenny, just don't start thinking you can out-stubborn me! Danny says I can out-stubborn the balkiest Army mules he ever saw. And what is worse, he means it as a compliment!''

'' Jessy, Beth was only a year and a half ahead of me in that line. She just likes to exaggerate for effect, now and then.'' Jenny contradicted her sister, laughing. '' And Danny's just a little bit biased in your favor, Beth, don't you think?''

'' Oh, I hope so!'' Beth laughed

''Well, I think all of our men folk, Beth's Danny and Cooper and little Jeffy, Jenny's Frank and Jess, Johnny and little Danny, as well as my 'two Jems', which they surely are, just purely adore us, my girls. And that's precisely, precisely as it should be, isn't it?'' Jessy grinned, bright as day.

'' Precisely, precisely and precisely!'' her cousins chorused and linked arms with Jessy, to escort her back inside, like the fairy queen she'd loved to act in their schoolgirl plays, years ago. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
CHAPTER THREE Nacogdoches. Texas winter, 1855

The 'good parlour' of what had been Meredydd and Nathaniel Cooper's east Texas home was still stuffy, even though most of the 'company' had gone their separate ways by late afternoon. The row of tall windows set in the eastern wall to catch the cooler, morning light were shaded and shuttered. The patriarch's surviving family members had begun to disperse, now.
The Singers, Torrances and other relations from east of Texas had long journeys home the next day to prepare for, so they were already upstairs, packing. The Boudin and McConnell relatives from north Texas and Oklahoma Territory, had scattered to the homes of kin and friends around Nacogdoches. That left Beth Cooper Smith, her husband Danny, and their sons to care for the old, half empty seeming house, now; while Jenny Cooper Harper rested, her usually strong nerves badly frayed by all the 'commotion' of Nathaniel Cooper's final services. Jenny's husband, Frank did whatever and however he could for his wife, their children, and their cousins, knowing only time would ease their fresh grief by even the slightest measure.

''But why's Momma stayin' in her room all th' time now, Aunt Beth? Why?'' ten year old Jess asked again, wriggling inside his Sunday-suit, trying hard not to let anymore 'baby tears' slip down his face. ''She's not sick, too, like Grampa? Momma's not sick, is she, Aunt Beth? She's not gonna…''

'' No, no, Jess, she's not ill. And she's not going anywhere, dearest. She's sad, she's just very sad just now. We all are because your Grampa Nate's gone.''

Beth Smith shook her head, placing one hand warmly on each of the boy's thin shoulders. Her deep set eyes shone with tears of their own. But she held them back for now, for the sake of her sister's oldest son.

'' But Grampa Nate got real, real sad, too, Aunt Beth!'' the little boy blurted. ''He got too sad to stay away from Gramma Merey! That's what Momma and Daddy told me!''

'' That's right, Jess. That's what we told you, son. And it was the truth.'' Frank Harper nodded, taking his turn, turning his oldest son to face him, now. '' My Momma, your cousin Liza, passed on so long ago, son, that I hardly understood it myself at the time. It was when I was just about your age, Jess. And it was about the saddest, hardest time I ever knew. But my Poppa was still with me, and my brothers and sisters, and cousins, my Aunts and Uncles were all still with me, and they helped, they helped a whole lot. And now it's time for you to help your Momma, Jess. Do you reckon you could do that?''

Jess turned saucer-sized blue-sky eyes from his father's face to his aunt's in absolute confusion. ''Me? '' he asked, his voice breaking.

'' That's right. You can help your Momma a whole, whole lot, now, son. And it would be a great help to me, and to your Cousin Dan, your Aunt Beth here, and, your sisters and brothers, and cousins, too. What do you say, Jess? Will you?'' the elder Harper asked, his own blue eyes showing clearly how he ached to help his oldest son through this sad time.

'' I… I want to, Poppa. I want to help… But I don't get … I can't reckon how.'' Jess looked around again and now gave a small, sad grin to his cousin Cooper, who was sitting next to Beth Smith, looking real down.

'' That's exactly how, Jess. Just exactly.'' Beth answered. ''You just smiled at Cooper and he's been in some need of a smile the past few days. I think mebbee he lost all of his.''

Now Jess strode over to the older boy and was amazed to see a tear slide down Coop's face. There was no way in the whole, entire world Jess was going to shame his cousin in front of grown folks or anybody at all, by taking any more notice of that tear. So Jess simply put one hand on the twelve year old's left shoulder.

''Did you, Coop? Did you go and lose all of 'em?'' Jess asked, tugging at his own starched shirt collar.

''Reckon I did, Jess.'' Coop nodded sadly.

'' Well we'll go shares on mine for now. Do y' figure we can manage with half for each?''

Now Coop closely studied his cousin's face for a long minute, and Jess reckoned the older boy was looking to find even the smallest hint that Jess was funnin'. ''Figure we might mebbee could. You could always just sing out if you need more than half, if you need to.'' Coop said and standing, slid one arm around Jess shoulders, taking completely, completely unfair advantage, Jess figured, of bein' two years older and some few inches taller. But he was the one sharing. He was the one supposed to be helping. So Jess looked back to nod to his Poppa and Aunt Beth.

''Coop and me, we're gonna get this figured out. Reckon we'll go for a tramp to get that done, now. Is that gonna be alright, Aunt Beth?''

''That's gonna be just, absolutely fine, Jess. And you can believe me when I tell you that this will make your Momma so awfully proud.'' Beth Smith answered. ''Go change out of your good clothes, first, though, both of you?''

'' Momma!'' Coop exclaimed, in the first honest, boyish emotion he'd shown for several days. '' Jess an' me know not to go trampin' around in our good duds!''

'' She knows that, Cooper. She knows we're not babies.'' Jess calmly advised the older boy.

'' I do. I know that, Cooper. And I'm sorry. ' m sorry, dearest.'' Beth said, and put both hands up to her face, as her own voice began to break, now. Frank took his sister in law into a hug and when he noted the boys still standing, amazed, gestured for them to add their own young arms to his attempt to comfort her.

'' 'm sorry. 'm sorry, Momma. 'm sorry.'' Coop whispered as Beth pulled him and Jess both close for a hug of their own.

'' it's alright, Cooper. It is, really. It's alright.'' She whispered back, and reached to ruffle each dark, curly head. ''You two are a couple bursts of sunshine to me, to all of us, all of us, right now, just as much as the little ones are. I want you to know that. I want you to always remember that. Will you? Will you, please?''

''We will.'' the two 'bursts of sunshine' agreed, with a glance at each other to underline their lack of understanding 'woman-talk'. But the tremulous smile on Beth Smith's face, was matched in another moment one on Jenny Harper's as she walked out of her room.
This was something special, and something both boys understood, out of all the rest of that time, a long while after. And now Jenny took her turn now, and put one hand on each cousin's face for just a moment.

'' Cooper, I'm so. so very glad my Jess has you for a friend and a cousin. And Jess, I've scared you the past couple days. And I'm so sorry for that. I'm sorry, too, Sweeting. I am, truly. Will you forgive your self-indulgent Momma for that?'' For her answer, Jenny got two arms hugging her fiercely, while Jess pressed his face tightly against her thin frame, without another word spoken or needed between them.

'' Go on, change, and take your tramp, then, boys.'' Daniel Smith said, joining the family group. ''And make sure you're not trampin' in late for supper. Got that, Cooper? Got that, Jess?''

'' Got that, Daddy.'' Coop nodded, with half a smile borrowed from Jess spreading across his sad face.

'' Got that, Cousin Danny.'' Jess agreed, glad and proud to be entrusted with helping his 'bigger cousin'. The cousins were out the door on the double-quick and out in the crisp, rain-chilled afternoon within minutes. Their parents watched together and then turned to give each other some more sad smiles.

'' They're growing so fast. Much too fast for me.'' Beth said, linking arms with Jenny.

'' They're growing so strong, too! I think Jess could have almost picked me off the floor. And he's only ten!'' Jenny shook her head.

'' But he can't be!'' Beth exclaimed, half serious. '' Because if your Jess is ten that means my Cooper is twelve! And I just won't have that, Jenn! I simply won't have it!''

'' I agree, Bethy. Like it or not, back to the nursery they go! '' Jenny said, and managed her first soft laugh in nearly a week. This earned the sisters a chuckle from their respective husbands.

'Women!'' They mock-complained to each other, ''There's no understanding them.''

''Men!'' their wives replied and shook their heads at both errant fellows. ''There's no living with them!''

''But what would we do, without them, Beth?''

'' Finally know some peace and quiet, Jenny, is what momma always said. And she was always right. Daddy always said so.''
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With pants legs pushed up, dangling their bare feet into the creek behind Nathaniel Kieran Anglim Cooper's house, Jess and Coop found little to say and not much need to say even that, today. The upset and uproar and steady stream of mourners and comforters since his death was something neither boy could quite 'figure'; and neither was the confusion of their feelings, all mixed up with sadness, anger, and worry. This was the first death that came close to home with them, right to the center and focus of their young lives. The only grandfather they'd known was gone, and the remaining grown folks kept muttering and mumbling, while praying and crying and insisting all the time, that his passing was ' a blessing, a blessed relief, and a good end.''

Jess finally nodded, as if giving himself permission; and asked the question aloud that he'd held back from his elders. '' How can an end be good? How can bein' gone for always be a … blessing?''

'' Dunno. Jess. I don't rightly know. Can't figure it even one bit.'' Coop answered, shrugging glumly, glancing at his cousin, from his own perch on one long branch of the old live-oak tree there.

''But who got relieved? D' y' figure they mean Granddaddy did? Is that what y' figure?'' Jess went on with more questions he hadn't wanted to ask his mother or the other grown folks, either, not while they all looked so awfully sad.

'' That's about all I can figure.'' Coop agreed.

'' Yep, me too. That's all I can, too.'' Jess shook his head.

'' Reckon he was awfully sick.'' Coop added, frowning and chewing on his lower lip now.

''Yeah, reckon.'' Jess agreed. '' Figure old folks like Granddaddy Nate get plumb wore out by all the times they've already been sick. ''

'' Figure he could've been hurtin' somethin' fierce.'' Coop answered, and glanced at the younger boy again.

'' Figure that, yep.'' Jess nodded, looking over at his cousin, from a lower branch of the same oak tree.

'' Did Grampa Nate tell you he was missing Gramma Merey so awfully, Jess? Did he?'' Coop now took his turn at asking the bothersome questions he'd had for most of the past week, now.

'' Nope. Daddy told me he was; like I said b'fore, though.'' Jess answered, his blue sky gaze identical and identically sad.

'' Oh.'' Was all the answer Coop could seem to find at first. Then he decided to make an effort for the younger boy, and turned again to look at Jess. '' Reckon Gramma Merey bein' gone so awfully long an' all was really hard on Grampa. Figure my momma an' yours were about our age, then. Figure it might could've been awfully hard.''

''Yeah.'' Jess managed. ''Can't figure th' way grown folks figure these things out, though, Coop. Can't make much sense of it in my head at all. Seems like Grampa Nate of all the grown folks we ever knew would have it figured that Gramma Merey was waitin' for him, y'know, kinda up in heaven an' all. Him bein' a preacher, back in th' day, I mean, an' all.''

''Reckon he had that much figured, Jess. Bein' a preacher, like you said. Figure he just didn't have it in him to wait for her, not much longer. Grown folks, they start in with all that getting married an' bounded with each other, an' all.'' Coop answered and turned to study the brown green coolness of the creek's water again.

'' Umm, Coop?'' Jess asked, trying hard to suffocate a sudden giggle before it could reach his cousin's hearing.

'' Yeah, Jess?'' Coop asked, frowning in such a way that Jess knew he'd let some of that irksome giggle out, anyhow.

''Nothin', Coop. Only figure you meant to say bonded, dint you?'' Jess asked.

At this, Coop rolled his eyes upwards, rubbed one hand through his dark almost to black brown hair and shook his head, all three gestures very like his father's, but even more like his namesake's. Then he turned to squint at the younger boy, partly because he hoped that made him look like someone Jess wouldn't want to plague again; and partly because the early winter sunset was going on pretty much behind Jess' and across the creek.

''No, no, Jesse. '' another laughing, boyish voice, this one, Jemmy Singer's answered from the path down from the house, before Coop quite managed. ''Coopersmith definitely, definitely meant to say 'bounded'. He was thinkin' like a preacher there, y' see, Cousin. He was thinkin' th' way Granpa Nate would; how bein' married means th two married folks have to keep within th' bounds of their weddin' vows.''

The two cousins perched in the live oak turned as one to see the third, then they exchanged similar world-weary, and especially kin-weary glances. Without a word spoken, the two young Texans decided to do the worst thing they could think of in response to Jemmy's plaguing them this way, and following them to the creek. They ignored him.

'' D' you figure Grampa Nate would have liked all this fuss and feathers? I can't figure he would. Can you, Coop?'' Jess asked, just barely sparing another glance for Jemmy.

'' Nope. I don't figure he would, a bit, Jess. Grampa Nate never onct cared for fancy suits, and lots of fussin' over him, an' such. He never cared for that a bit, not ever onct.

But then Grampa Nate never onct liked and was never like some people who can't seem to help dressin' up like a costume ball, pretty nearly all the time.'' Coop answered, with one, quick as blue lightning glance at the target for his last jibe.

''Reckon that's so, Coop.'' Jess agreed, with a measured, almost rationed nod of his head in the direction of their cousin from Raleigh. Jemmy wasn't going to be dissuaded, both Texas cousins knew that. But they also knew they could make the Carolinian 'plumb uncomfortable' before they welcomed him to their now rather sedentary 'tramp'.
''Yeah, reckon some folks don't know how to dress to go trampin', not even a bit, or else mebbee some folks just dodged outa Grampa's house b'fore they could be roped and tied down to changin' outa their best duds. Figure if your momma an' Daddy an' great aunts an' such are real well off, it don't matter none how some folks wreck their good Sunday go to meetin' suits, now does it?''

Now Jemmy was frowning, but knew better than to interrupt his cousin's fun too soon. If he did, he and his good duds were likely to end up in that creek!

''It don't make a lick of sense, anyhow, not to me, Jess.'' Coop nodded, swallowing a crooked smile to keep Jemmy from joining the fun, just yet. '' Figure some folks just never got the sense G-d gave a gander, did they, and it ain't always their fault, either. Some folks, especially some loud mouthed fellas from somewheres up east in th' Carolinas, ain't got any older cousins or brothers around to help them build up that ol' common sense. So they have to pretty much run around without any. That would be th' reason, I figure, Jess, that those folks act like they can't even tell you an' me apart! ''

''Dint th' two of you fellas never look in a mirror?'' Jemmy couldn't keep himself from asking, wanting to shout or to laugh or both, just now.

'' Dint we, Coop?'' Jess asked, holding back on a laugh of his own.

'' What for? '' Coop finally allowed himself to laugh. ''We know what we look like! But you, Jemmy, you keep on talkin' like you get it all backwards, turned about, and whopper-jawed six ways from Sunday. His name's Jess, not Jesse. And my name's Cooper Smith, like that, not all smashed together. Matter of fact, my name's Nathaniel Kieran Anglim Cooper Smith, and maybe you should try rememberin' that, one of these times.''

'' Or maybe we'll just start in callin' you Wesleyan! Wesleyan! Wesleyan! Wesleyan!'' Jess offered, mock-helpfully.

'' Ah, c'mon! Y' don't have to … '' Jemmy protested, his green eyes sparking in frustration. ''I can't help it, if my Granma Jean's pure Methodist through and through, can I? She's the one stuck me with that… darn middle name, Wesleyan. Nobody even asked me!''

'' Yeah, get that. Figure that.'' Jess nodded, his temper gone as fast as it came on. ''They never ask us. Why they couldn't just wait awhile b'fore stickin' a fella with names he don't want, I can't figure. ''

''But they don't. And then a fella's just plain stuck with whatever they came up with.'' Jemmy mourned. ''Exceptin', I guess you're prett much okay with havin' your Granddaddy's name, now. Ain't you, Coop?''

Coop frowned a minute and then nodded, slowly. ''Yeah. Yeah, guess I am. Guess that's not so bad, is it?''

'' Nope.'' The two younger boys agreed. But then they sighed, as Coop's sense of humor suddenly lit his face.

'' Nope, figure it can't be as bad as Jemison Stephen Wesleyan Randolph Singer. And I reckon it could never be as terrible as bein' named Jacob Emrys…''

'' Coop, you stop now!'' Jess hollered. '' You stop now, and I mean now, this minute!''

'' Oh, you're givin' the orders around here, now, Gen'rl Harper, are you?'' Jemmy couldn't help laughing.

Coop was laughing too, and the frown on Jess face, and the fighting stance the younger boy had taken couldn't keep him from finishing what he'd started. '' … Sayer Smith Harper!''

'' Now you've gone and done it, Coop. Now you've got his Welsh an' Irish both up! Now he's boilin' mad.'' Jemmy warned. Coop turned towards the second youngest of the trio and away from Jess to shake his head.

''It's alright, Jemmy. He'll just pop off in another minute and then cool down and just forget it.'' Coop insisted, but he'd turned his back on the wrong cousin. In another minute he was sailing full length into the creek, sent there by the overwhelming impact of one fuming ten year old Welsh-Irish Texan.

'' Now it's alright, Jemmy.'' Jess said, grinning from ear to ear. ''Now, mebbee some folks around here will figure there's nothin' wrong with my Gramma's brother's name, neither!''

'' Get that, Jess. Figure that.'' Jemmy laughed loudly, and then turned to flee from the wrath of one much-wronged [ in his own eyes, at least] twelve year old black Irish-Texan. It was no use. Even though Jemmy was the fastest young foot racer in Wake County, North Carolina where he lived most of the year with his father's family; Coop was the fastest foot racer in Nacogdoches County, and had the advantage of height, more practice and longer legs. Within moments, both Jemmy and Jess were struggling in the grip Coop had on their respective collars, and before they could win free, splashing into the creek themselves.

''No, now it's alright, Jemmy.'' The eldest boy said, grinning as widely as Jess had been a minute before. But Coop stood by the creek a moment too long. And before he saw his danger clearly, he was flailing in the deepest part of the creek, again, wrestling and tumbling with both wriggling, giggling younger boys. Jemmy got the worst of the whole affair, as he'd escaped the house still in his 'best duds'.
And before the skirmish ended in a mutual armistice, all three scapegraces were soaked to the skin, tussling and shivering on the bank. But they were laughing loudly, happily, with each other, again.

Standing a few yards away, out of view behind a copse of willows, Beth and Jenny and their cousin Jessy, traded glances and grins of their own. The warm, full-out laughter of their respective eldest sons was the best thing the three women had heard in more than a week's time.
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CHAPTER FOUR Nacogdoches TX March, 1861

''I am goin', boys. I'm gonna to find the best company of cavalry in the whole, entire state of Texas. And when I do, I'm signin' on with 'em, come hell or high water.'' Jess told Jemmy and Coop, as they dawdled about their chores in the tack room.

They'd get those chores done, and 'pass inspection' themselves, or not get permission to go on a tramp, or a ride, much less to interrupt pre-supper goings on in Beth Smith's always busy kitchen. So while Coop worked at mending a cinch strap here, a binding there, Jess kept up the soaping and waxing he was giving to a whole row of saddles. He'd given himself the goal of getting them all done and gleaming, before he went to work on Traveler's new bridle. Jemmy, much less spirited than usual, today, was giving all his attention to the tack for his father's carriage.

''Jess, you can't. You can't go anywhere and just sign up.'' Coop insisted again, wondering why he was bothering, since Jess wasn't going to listen. Still he felt he owed that much at least to his Aunt Jenn and Cousin Frank, Jess' late parents. So as he turned back to working on Gambler's breast collar, Coop gave Jess a slight shove, meant to set him down on the hay bail right behind him. Instead Jess toppled backwards onto the stable floor and jumped up, angrier than before.

'' I can so, Coop. And I dang well will! '' Jess insisted, glaring at the older boy, with fists ready to fly at the next provocation.

'' No. you can't. You're fifteen, Jess. You're turnin' sixteen this summer. They won't take you into the Army, till you're seventeen or eighteen. They won't take anyone underage, and for good reason: This ain't goin' to be one of Jemmy's snipe-hunts up in Asheville, you know.'' Coop looked up from his work to shake his head at Jess.

'' Considerin' the Yankees are a lot more substantial than Jemmy's snipes, and a whole lot dumber, yeah, figure that. But you're a tad bit mixed up on birthdays, Coop. I'll be seventeen come July.'' Jess declared, frowning and starting to pace.

'' Aren't you getting that mixed up, again, Jess?'' Jemmy asked, looking up from his own task. ''I turned seventeen on my birthday, first of this month. Coop will turn eighteen this summer , the same day you turn sixteen, end of July. And being a year older than you isn't going to help me one whit!''

''Why th' devil not?'' Jess demanded to know, wondering why Jemmy looked so glum today.

''Yeah, why not?'' Coop asked, just as puzzled.

'' You want the long or the short version?'' Jemmy sighed, wondering how he always managed to start jabbering in their company.

'' Long.'' Coop voted.

'' Short.'' Was Jess' choice.
'' Short is better, really: According to the great Confederate state of Texas, I'm legally a citizen of the great state of North Carolina, being I grew up in Raleigh. Not only that, they won't accept my enlistment as a Virginian on my mother's side, either. And on top of that, they won't even consider the fact that I was born in Maryland! Seems as though the great state of Texas isn't even sure they'd let me enlist at all, or in the foreseeable, either. Cause the great state legislatures of North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia, haven't voted secession either up or down! Never mind we all know they'll do it, and any time now! So, I can't enlist anywhere I've ever lived, be it here, or down in San Antonio, or over in N'folk, or up in Maryland, or in Wake County!'' Jemmy answered, glaring at the harness as if he'd like to use it right now to throttle the entire legislative bodies of Texas, Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.

''Umm, Jemmy?'' Jess asked, a grin of pure mischief pulling at his mouth now.

'' Yeah, Jess?'' his middle cousin asked, knowing he should be wary, whenever that particularly light-hearted note was in Jess' voice.

'' That was the short version?''

'' I said it was, didn't I, Cousin?''

''Yeah, that's what you said, Cousin.'' Jess burst out laughing. His usually voluble cousin from Raleigh had been nearly as close mouthed as Coop, lately, until just then. In fact, Jess realized now both the older boys had been downright quiet the whole past week. Something was up with both of them, and Jess was just the one to find it out. '' Coop, I'm not sure we have time, not between now and next Christmas, for that long version you wanted. Not if what we just got was the short one.''

''Yeah, get that, Jess. But I still want that long version, Jemmy.'' Coop insisted, studying their middle cousin's pensive face. ''Cause you're leaving somethin' out. And I figure it's a pretty good sized 'somethin'. So, c'mon Jemmy, spill the beans, boy ''

'' Just how do you figure I'm leaving anything out, Nathaniel Kieran Anglim Cooper?'' Jemmy asked, squaring his shoulders, running one hand back through his light brown hair, and lifting his chin warily.

''Mebbee because you just straightened your back, stuck your chin out a mile, rubbed your head and then commenced chewing your lip, Jemison Stephen Wesleyan Randolph.'' Coop noted, standing up and walking towards Jemmy. ''C'mon, let's have it.''

'' Are you two gonna take all day decidin' whether or not to fight, or get on to it, for once?'' Jess asked them.

'' What makes you think we're thinkin' to fight, Jacob Emrys Sayer Smith?'' Coop asked, frowning to hide his impulse to grin at the younger boy's insight.

'' Cos one thing or another that's all you've been doin' all spring. Come to think of it, just about everybody around here's been spoiling for a fight since the winter.
No, not just about, everybody.'' Jess answered, feeling that same itch to get into some commotion or other. Fired up, ready to start pacing again, the younger Texan sat down instead on the hay bale Coop meant him to land on earlier. He'd been working hard, since coming back to Nacogdoches from the Panhandle, to find in himself some measure of his late father's calm manner and self control. So far, in this process, Jess considered he'd only learned how hard that had been for Frank Harper to achieve. He was certain sure he'd already learned the tireless determination Jenny Harper showed in all that mattered most to her.

'' And you can't figure why that would be?'' Jemmy asked, looking away from both Texans, out the open door of the tack room.

'' Mebbee I can. But how'd you figure it?'' Jess demanded. Jemmy wasn't one to forget how quick witted his younger Texas cousin was. So whatever was riding the Carolinian had to be something pretty danged disturbing.

''Jess, that's easy. Everybody's on tenterhooks around here, waiting to find out what ol' Jeff up in Richmond and ol' Abe up in Washington's City are fixing to do. And seems like they're spoiling for a fight, themselves. Seems like we all are, these days. Sorry, Coop, I don't want to fight with you, not one little bit.'' Jemmy answered, shaking his head as if he could clear it that way.

'' No more than I want to fight with you, Jemmy. So what's the matter?'' Coop asked over again, now with one long hand on Jemmy's left shoulder.

Jemmy sighed and shook his head. '' I druther not say, not just now. Besides, I thought we were talking about why Jess can't join up with that cavalry outfit he was talking about. ''

'' Yeah, yeah we were. '' Coop agreed, letting Jemmy turn his attention back to the youngest of the trio, for now. ''Jess, the main reason is you really don't want to scare, my momma, that way, do you? How'd you think she'd feel about you larkin' about up east? An' if we get to fightin', if we get to a shootin' war…. ''

'' It couldn't last more than a couple months, Coop, three at the outside!'' Jess protested. ''Everybody says so! Nearly everybody's sayin' there's gonna be a shootin' war. But it's gonna be no more than a grand lark for a couple weeks or a month, or two… ''

'' But did any of those everybodies ever go to any wars?'' Coop asked, silently admiring Jess' sheer cussedness in an argument.

''Reckon not, they're boys we know, around here. So how could they? There ain't been no shootin' wars at all since our Daddy's went to the one in Mexico. And b'sides, Aunt Beth knows we're all gonna go and fight them Yankees, sooner or later. She knows we're all of us boys gonna be in this war, whenever it comes. And b'sides…'' Jess suddenly grinned again, bright as day.

''B'sides, what?'' Jemmy asked, with a wary glance from Jess to Coop and back.

'' B'sides, this is exactly why the two of you dim-glows need me around.'' Jess claimed, laughing.

''What is?'' the other boys chorused, both frowning at Jess, both wondering what he'd come up with, this time.

'' Because you can't figure ; you don't figure there's a mort, a mortal lot of boys signin' up, givin' somebody else' birth date? Every boy we know wants only one thing, right about now, including the two of you, and getting' it is worth a white lie or two, I figure. '' Jess nodded, emphatically.

'' You mean we all want to get to the 'ball' before it's over? Y' got that much right, Jess, I'll admit. '' Coop nodded, but not as confidently. ''Listen, if I promise to leave some of those Yankees for you two to look after, will you just calm down about this, now?''

'' I don't aim to look after any Yankees, Coop. Not 'less they turn their yellow tails towards me and my huntin' rifle.'' Jess laughed, but then glanced at their middle cousin. ''Hey, Jemmy, why'd you look so down in the mouth?''

'' Cos I likely can't get to the 'ball' before it's done with, anyway. We're heading up to Frederick, soon as we can go, Dad and me, Aunt Jo and Robby, too. Great Aunt Meg is pretty sick, Aunt Jo got the wire yesterday. She already had a letter, so she doesn't want to get there too late, y' know.''

'' But, Jemmy that's all the way up almost to Pennsylvania! And there's gonna be a genuine shootin' war soon as spring gets here, everybody says so! Say, is your Daddy takin' you up north b'cause of that? '' Jess demanded, walking over to study his Carolina cousin's face intently.

'' I dunno, Jess. I plain don't know.'' Jemmy answered, shrugging and wishing he could have kept this particular 'cat' in it's 'bag' awhile. ''But he surely doesn't like to hear me talk about the Army, or about signing up, when I'm old enough. ''.

'' Dads are like that.' 'Coop acknowledged, morosely. '' Mine would've nearly had a conniption fit, about now, if he was still here. I surely wish he was anyway, sometimes, these days.''

Now Jess, who'd had another growth spurt that spring and was now nearly as tall as Coop, put one hand on the older boy's shoulder. '' Cousin Danny was the best, Coop. Just the best.''

'' He was that; except when we found a new way to get his Irish up.'' Coop agreed, while Jemmy nodded sadly.

''Reckon you came by yours honest, then, cousin. You'll want to save that for the damn Yankees, though.'' Jess chuckled.

'' I'll keep it in a the same jar with my chewin' tobacco.'' Coop laughed, glad to ease away from talking about his father's death from a stroke, seven months ago.
'' You don't chew tobacco!'' both younger cousins shouted and then exchanged glances before they asked ''Do you, Coop?''

''No, but talkin' about it surely gave you two a turn, didn't it?'' Coop asked, grinning wide as the Braxos.

''You don't smoke, either, do you, Coop?'' Jess prodded, frowning at the grown up notion, more than he was at his cousin.

'' Only when I'm on fire, boys.'' The oldest boy answered, unconsciously giving the line his father's dry delivery and wit.

This quip caught the younger boys completely off guard and they were soon in a heap next to the hay bin laughing hysterically, and repeating the joke, again and again. In the next moment though, recovering his breath and some of his composure, Jemmy looked up and stared hard at Coop. '' That might not be so funny in a few weeks or so. Dad says when his company got to the Mexican war, they had no idea what they were marching into. No idea at all.'' Jemmy offered, all the laughter gone from his voice, and his expression gloomy, again.

'' Oh, c'mon! Jemmy! '' Jess protested. '' Everybody knows we're gonna beat the tar out of those ol' Yankees and send them cryin' on home to their mommas.''

'' Here's hopin' you're right about that, Jess. Here's hopin'.'' Coop said. ''It's likely never goin' to be any kind of long dragged out fight. We'll have those Yankees beggin' to let the South just go her way in no time at all!''

'' No dumb as a pile of rocks, damn Yankees could ever beat any Southern boys! We'll push them back into the Potomac! That is if they ever got the nerve to come on across! We'll thrash those Yankees, black and blue! We'll hit them so hard they won't dast get up again, s'pposin' they could.'' Jess added, standing up and balling his fists as if to fend off a regiment of Yankees all by himself.

'' Now, hold it right there, Jess! Just hold it, for once!'' Jemmy shouted, on his feet again with fists cocked to fly at someone. '' Some of those dumb, damn Yankees are your kin, too, you know! ''

Now Coop and Jess stared holes through the younger boy, whose bright green eyes were brighter than usual right now. Jemmy's slight frame shook, with his temper up. Somethin' is up, with Jemmy, Coop thought, somethin' he doesn't want to be talking about.

'' Hey, Jemmy, take it easy. We're all getting excited about all this, this war and all. '' Coop offered, sitting down between the two younger boys.'' Jess knows that. He know we've all got cousins stretched out across the countryside from San Antonio to Cincinnati, and likely from Frederick on back through Missouri, by this time. Ain't that so, Jess?''

'' Figure that's so. '' Jess nodded, sitting down again, looking down, scuffing one boot toe against the bin. ''Didn't mean anything by it, Jemmy. Honest. Guess you're kinda worked up about headin' north, now with all this goin' on. Reckon ol' Aunt Meg will be glad to see all y'all visitin her.''

'' Reckon so.'' Jemmy agreed, kicking at the open gate of the empty stall behind him. '' Only it ain't goin' to be only a visit.'' He muttered, so low it was hard to make out.

''What?'' his cousins chorused, jumping to their feet again. ''Jemmy, what th' devil?''

'' Ah blast it! I'm not supposed to let on! You two can't go telling anybody I said that! You purely can't!'' Jemmy shouted, his green eyes wide and scared. ''You've both got to promise, and give your solemnest word you won't say a single solitary word!''

''Well, surely, Cousin.'' Jess started to agree, then stopped and shook his head. ''Hold on, Jemmy, hold on a minute. How're Coop an' me supposed to give our word we won't say somethin' if we don't know what that somethin' is to start with?''

'' The boy's got a point, Jemmy. '' Coop agreed, studying Jemmy's increasingly cheerless face.

'' Yeah, right here, on the top of his head.'' Jemmy tried to joke, reaching over to ruffle Jess' dark hair, just the way his younger cousin said he hated it done.

'' Stop it, Jemmy! You just stop. '' Jess protested, shoving the older boy away. '' And don't go slidin' off into talkin' about somethin' else, either. We can't give our word… We can't go around swearin' to things we don't know! How would we know, then if we were sayin' just what you want us to keep shut about? Come clean with us; and then we'll swear up and down we never heard a peep about it. But not till then.''

''No! You've both got to make your oaths, first, and only then hear me out! Coop, you know that's the way swearing oaths is supposed to go, don't you?'' Jemmy insisted, turning to Coop as the best advisor he knew in such matters these days. But Jess wasn't done asking questions.

'' Jemmy, what th' devil makes you figure Coop knows stuff like that?'' he demanded. The youngest of the trio felt left out, again, certain Jemmy and Coop weren't telling him everything they knew.

Coop sighed. Jemmy'd let more than his own 'cat' out of the 'bag', just then. But he wasn't ready to acknowledge that aloud, not to Jess, when the youngest of the cousins was already worked up. And Coop wasn't willing to drop the discussion of Jemmy's secret to go into his own. A tactical feint around Jess' right flank was needed here, the oldest cousin decided. '' Well, I reckon. Jess, figure the boy's right on that point, after all. I'm getting' the feelin' this is too important to spend time plaguing Jemmy about. What sort of oath do y' want given, an' how do y' want it done?'' Coop asked.

'' Well, it can't be on the Book. That's too much of a much, and we'd get in up to our ears in trouble for borrowing Granma's again, anyway. '' Jemmy answered thinking Coop could have and would have been right to knock him flat just then, for hinting at the confidence he'd given Jemmy the week before.
'' Nope, we just have to swear on something big; like the Declaration signers did, swear on our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. Yeah, that'll do 'er.''

'' Oh, just that, Jemmy?'' Jess tried to joke. ''You're certain sure you don't want us to throw in a few acres of the farm here or somebody's first born, are you?''

'' Nope. C'mon, Coop. You know how this works. You go first.'' Jemmy asked.

'' Wait, are you swearin' to somethin, too?'' Jess asked.

'' Yeah, Jess, I'm gonna swear off talkin' to my palaver lovin' Texas cousins, any minute now! And I'm giving' you my oath that I won't tell a single living soul about the block of ice, the sausages, or the lemonade that went missin' from the cold pantry last week.'' Jemmy continued, holding up his right hand and holding his left out, palm up as if a Bible in fact rested there. '' And I, Jemison Stephen Wesleyan Randolph Singer, give you both my solemn word I won't ever turn a cousin or a friend, much less both, away, no matter what, ever.''

''Alright. That's fine by me. You, Jess?

'' That's fine. Just seems like a mortal lot of trouble. No, it's just fine, Jemmy.''

''My turn, then.'' Coop said and repeated Jemmy's gestures. '' I, Nathaniel Kieran Anglim Cooper Smith do solemnly swear on my life which is only now getting' started, my fortune, which I don't have any, and my sacred honor, which is what a man has to keep to; never to turn a cousin or a friend away, much less both, no matter what, ever. Furthermore, I solemnly pledge my oath, never to divulge one syllable, letter or comma of what Jemmy, my cousin, Jemison Stephen Wesleyan Randolph Singer tells me today, no matter what, so help me, G-d.'' The oldest cousin said, his voice and his face both as solemn as his oath, his throat suddenly aching with tears. ''Okay, Jess, you're next up. ''

'' Yeah… yeah… figure that. '' Jess sighed, and ran one hand up over his forehead. Then he echoed the same swearing-in gesture Coop had used and swallowed hard. '' I, Jacob Emrys Sayer Smith Harper, do solemnly swear to shoot the next one of you who ever calls me that again…''

'' Jess!'' the other two boys shouted, manfully struggling not to laugh at his antics.

'' Yeah, alright… Alright!'' Jess shook himself much like a hunting dog leaving a stream and started over. '' I, Jacob Emrys Sayer Smith Harper, do take my most solemn oath that I will never turn away a friend or a cousin, let alone both, and further than that, I give my solemn word that I won't tell even one livin' soul the least bit of what Jemison Stephen Wesleyan Randolph Singer tells me here, today. So help me, G-d, no matter what. Now spill, boy!''

'' Yeah, c'mon, Jemmy.'' Coop urged when Jemmy fell silent again.

'' Alright, I will. But you're not gonna like it. We're going up to Frederick, where Aunt Meg lives. We're training up there in the next few days, or next week. And then, we're … staying. We're gonna live there, in Frederick. And, 'm gonna study some more to be a doctor, up there. And we're not likely to come back down to Raleigh, or here to Nacogdoches, or down to San Antonio, either, not any time soon.
That's why I had to have your oaths. boys. Nobody's to know what's in the works; b'cause it could make a lot of trouble! Some folks, like the real fire-eaters around about here, could make things damn all hard, did they get wind of my Dad's plan. Some folks will likely try to make the same kind of trouble for the family here, once we're relocated. Figure some folks will call my Dad and me everything but a child of G-d. But I know you two won't. You just won't. '' Jemmy finished and plopped down beside the hayrick, elbows on knees, with a face as long as a doornail.

''But you can't!'' Jess shouted, his own blue sky eyes sparkling with his quick temper again. ''Jemmy, you purely can't go and do that! We were talkin' all last year about the both of us goin' up to Virginia Military Institute, if we could get in at all!''

''Yeah. And Daddy said he partly decided on us leavin', when he heard about that. He doesn't want me in the Army, not in any army. He wants me to learn doctoring', and I like it, alright, what I've started in studying. And if I can't manage that, then he wants me to go on and read the Law, up there.''

'' But you don't want to go into any ol' doctorin'. Jemmy, you don't want to go and be some kinda lawyer, not when there's soldierin' to get done! '' Jess protested further, starting to pace back and forth between the two older boys.

'' And there's doctors and lawyers by the ton, here, in Nacogdoches County, and east Texas, and all around here. Why couldn't you learn from them?'' Coop asked

'' Because there really aren't that many doctors in these parts, Coop. If there were, your momma wouldn't have nearly as much midwifin' and fixin' folks up to do, as she does. '' Jemmy hedged, knowing both his cousins could and would see right through any and all stalling tactics. ''There's only really something like two or three doctors for each quarter of Nacogdoches county, these days. And the same holds true for most other counties in east Texas, or down around my other grandpa's place in San Antonio. Heck, there's hardly more than that up around Wake County, even with big towns and cities like Raleigh. So, with still so few doctors, most of 'em don't have time to take an apprentice.''

'' So, there's more docs up around Frederick, is what you're sayin' than there are here, or around Raleigh? And there's enough of 'em that you can go study with, get that studyin' done, an come on back to home when you're done, right Jemmy? You can go up there awhile, get that schoolin' and come on home, 'stead of stayin' up there, like you said, b'fore, right?'' Jess asked, more hopefully this time. Neither Jemmy nor Coop looked very hopeful though, and Jess felt his spirits sink. These two were as much as his brothers as Johnny, more in some ways. The youngest of the trio of cousins lost a small brother, Danny, and three little sisters, Lissy, Merey and Julie, along with their parents, all in one horrific night, nearly five years ago, now.

He'd only just lately, with Beth Smith's gentle, empathetic help, come to a place where he could touch those memories without wanting to fight, to hurt, or just tear down anything that crossed his path. The idea that he might lose one or both of these older 'brothers' was something Jess just couldn't allow for. They were lifelong friends. They were closer than kin. And they were a big part of the good memories Jess had of his lost parents and siblings, too.

Now Jemmy looked at Jess with so much regret in his eyes the younger man could almost feel it. The young Carolinian sighed, ran one hand back through his darkening sandy hair and at last planted his elbow on one knee and half covered his mouth with his hand, looking away again.

''Jem,'' Coop said, before Jess could get the words out of his mouth. ''Jemmy, it's not just the schoolin' then, is it? And it's not just your Great Aunt bein' ill, either. Cousin, we made each other another, different promise, a long while ago; a promise not to lie to , not to fib to, not to hold back from each other. And I'm real sorry to say; and I hope t' G-d you both will take my apology, that I came close to breakin' that promise myself, just lately. I told myself it was just with all this war-talk, with just everything getting whopper-jawed, an' bollixed up six ways from Sunday, on top of not havin' Daddy to talk such things through with, anymore.
But that was just me, lyin' to me. An' I mean to set that to rights, right now, b'fore you tell us whatever else you can tell us, Jem. B'cause, like Daddy did tell me time an' time again, I've got a year up on you, an' two up on Jess so I need to keep on goin' first amongst us, bein' I started out that way. So, this is it, boys: I'm already enlisted, over in Marion County, Company K, First Texas Volunteer Infantry,

'' Company K? Those boys that named themselves 'Invincibles?'' Jess asked, wide eyed again.

'' The Texas Invincibles, yeah. Most of the early part's done, now. But we… we're startin' the real work, pretty soon. Drillin' and marchin' and learnin' the manual of arms. And we just don't know where we'll get mustered in, Beaumont, mebbee, nor even when exactly that'll be, yet.

'' Yeah, yeah, sure. Ol' Jeff Davis, he's already calling up a flock of volunteers… '' Jemmy nodded. '' It was in the papers.''

''What's the oath say?'' Jess asked, eyes alight with curiosity again. ''Did you say it over the Good Book an' all? What was it like, Coop? How did you do it, what did they tell you? How did you feel?''

'' It says you swear to protect and defend the Confederate States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to obey the lawful authority of President Davis and the lawful orders of your officers. And sure, you have to do put one hand on a Bible, when you give that kind of oath. And it was danged strange. I thought I'd feel like I'd just got all grown up, like a grown man, now. But I felt like I was about three or four again, wonderin' what all the fuss and feathers goin' on way over my head was all about… .'' Coop answered, wondering if he'd caught all of Jess' questions.

'' But it felt good, real good to say that, to swear to all that, didn't it, Coop? Didn't it?'' Jess pressed him.

'' It did, Jess. It surely did, until just now, today. '' Coop answered, and glanced from Jemmy's solemn face to Jess' eager one, and back again.

'' How d' you figure that?'' Jess asked, wondering why he thought he knew the answer.
'' B'cause I did, that's how. You surely ask a mortal lot of questions, Jess.'' Coop sighed and half smiled. '' Your turn now, Jemmy.''

'' to protect and defend the Confederate States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic'' Jemmy repeated, his shoulders slumping again, speaking the words so sadly he could have been reading a funeral dirge. When he looked up at his Texas cousins again, his green eyes shone with tears he was fighting not to shed, and his mouth trembled, before he could go on. '' And I, Jemison Stephen Wesleyan Randolph Singer, give you both my solemn word I won't ever turn a cousin or a friend, much less both, away, no matter what, ever'' Jemmy went on, then looked up and over to Coop. '' Mebbee I shouldn't have asked you to swear to that too, Cooper.''

''You didn't, Jemison. I gave that whole, entire oath without fear or favor, of my own free will, the only way a man can give his oath, and have that oath mean a flyin' dam. You're not my enemy, Cousin. And you never could be, no matter what, ever. So, now; you're still second in line here, Jem, with Jess as calm and collected while he's kept waitin' as ever. What's it gonna be?'' Coop asked, shooting a meant to be calming look at Jess so they could get through this.

Now Jemmy stood up and started the pacing Jess had stopped doing. These two were the only close in age cousins he had, growing up. And they were as close to brothers as he'd ever know, the middle cousin was certain. And they knew him inside out, or they would never be having this conversation. And the idea of somehow breaking that bond was the most frightening he could imagine, short of losing his father, as suddenly as both these boys had lost theirs. And he didn't know, Jemmy guessed Coop and Jess didn't know either, how far their bond that was kinship and friendship life-long woven together could stretch, could strain, could twist, could be injured, and remain whole. And he figured they were all three soon to find out. With that understanding, Jemmy turned back to his cousins again, with the ghost of his usual daybright grin on his face.

'' You're right, Coop. Coop's right, Jess, I'm second in line. And Ah, G-d, does that make me glad I'm not first! And the absolute, absolute truth of the matter has more than one part to it, which won't surprise you two, knowing me, so well . The first part is, yes, I want more than anything to become a doctor, and a very, very good one, the best I ever can be. I told my Dad that for the first time, I think, the day after momma …died. And he said he understood that, and he said he'd long thought I would read the Law with him and become a lawyer. But he saw how I'd changed, how I'd grown while momma was so ill, that last year; when there was no one and nothing could help her, except at the end, just to ease … ease her on her way.

And you may have noticed, or not, when we've come down to Nacogdoches since then, that I've been spending time trying to help Coop's mother, when she's helping folks who get sick or hurt around here. And she's taught me more than any books I've read so far, ever could. She's encouraged me terrifically, too. And she's only made me want to do as much as she does, and just as well. I doubt I could ever do better. And I told her, I'd be proud to tell anyone I was Elisabeth Smith's apprentice, which is nothin' but true. Now apprenticeship, that's still how a lot of doctors learn their trade, that and reading everything that comes close to science and medicine, which I have done. And after that, you go to school for something like a year, mebbee, to learn about new medicines and anatomy and such things that can only be taught hands-on. And one of those one year schools is up in Frederick, where I can live with Aunt Meg and her kids and grandkids, and have room and time and all to study.'' Jemmy stopped and studied his cousin's faces for a long moment, as if he would memorize them.

'' And th' next part, Jemmy, what's that?'' Jess asked, wishing he didn't think he already knew it, certain sure.

''The next part is: I can't say I want to be a doctor b'cause of momma and not follow, not honor her way of thinking and acting, and believing. And you do know she was a Quaker. And you do know the 'Friends' stand… on some things. And it's my Dad's stand as well, in which he followed momma, and it's my own. The Singers, the Singers in North Carolina have never worked their land with any but freedmen and indentured servants. And my uncle Michael, who owns our home there, outside Raleigh, has taken some hard knocks, like his father before him, keeping to that.
And I feel, right now this minute as if just that one question is suddenly bein' hidden, bein' half buried, bein' lied about, on both sides! But those lies, don't have much more of a life expectancy, not from where I stand. The truth of the matter will out, and sooner, rather than late. And I know neither one of you would stand with any liars, anywhere, ever! And you know I won't. And I swear, again, I swear, I won't let that cost you your brother! So, please, please, don't let it cost me mine.'' Jemmy went quiet, his bright, worried eyes fixed on Jess' face, first, then on Coop's, then back again.

Now Jess rubbed one hand back through his hair, as if he thought to find some of his scattered thoughts. But for the next long moment the youngest of the cousins tried and failed, tried and failed again to get his voice together with his brain, or his heart. All his ideas about skylarking up east that all his own school friends had talked about for most of a year were flown. All his notions that the coming war would be quickly won and then even more quickly mended over, like a tear in a set of old denims were gone. Between them, as they almost always had done, Coop and Jemmy had reshaped Jess' whole, entire world, and the way he now looked at it.
And the strangest part was, both older boys looked exactly the same as they did a few minutes before, leaving Jess thinking he probably looked the same himself. But inside their familiar faces and scrawny, still growing frames, so much was different that Jess wondered how he still knew himself, let alone them. And more changes were sweeping up the road, just beyond the next dry riverbed, just past the next arroyo. Coop and Jemmy hadn't lied to him, or to each other. They'd only waited, Jess considered until the least little breathing space appeared to allow them this talk. And it was the same kind of waiting and truth-telling Jess knew he'd come by with his own father or Coop's, if only they could.
With that thought, the whirling world that was nearly spinning out of control, righted itself under the fifteen year old's feet again. The world was different, too. But not nearly as crazed as it'd seemed, moments ago. And Jess knew, as if he heard his father, his mother or Daniel Smith saying so, whatever changes came now, these three boys would withstand them, as far apart or as close together as the world and time took them now.
Nodding as if to acknowledge those three loving, hovering spirits, Jess walked over to Jemmy, and pulled his middle cousin into a fierce, wordless hug, gesturing for Coop to join in. When that was done, the youngest cousin found he did have something that needed to be put into spoken words. And, in typical Jessian style, he found a quasi lighthearted way.
''Now let me tell you something, you two ol' whippersnappers.'' Jess began, filling his voice and his mind with memories of Frank Harper joshing with his best friends.
''When I came back down to home here in Nacogdoches, a year, year an' a half ago or so, from that dustpan that some folks call the Panhandle, this is what I learned from our Aunt Beth, Jemmy, Coop's momma. I learned that no matter how far I'd gone, or how crazed I'd been there, our family was always gonna be right here, hopin' an' prayin' to see me, ready an' waitin', an' glad to have me here, at this old, broken down house on th' crest of a hill in Nacogdoches County.

An' yeah, at first, I'll admit I figured it was just there's always somebody needed around here to mend th' henhouse fences, or patch th' ceilin' holes in th' garret, or round up all th' stray little 'uns dashin' about in th' dooryard, to get them indoors for supper, things like that. But what I got to learn pretty danged quick, an' this lesson is what I mean to pound into your thick heads, right this minute, now, is this: No matter how bone weary, or how angry as a wet hen or how much rode hard an' put up wet, or as just plain sick of th' world an' all I could be time to time, There would always be somebody here to be so glad I'd come on to home, they'd fly down th' porch steps an' run down th' drive 'fore I could get halfway up it, an glom onta me so quick, so hard, an so fearsome, I'd be lucky to draw a breath fore they were there.

An the rest of what I learnt when I got here, an' Aunt Beth done all that, when she all but flew off th' porch, an' she rushed down th' drive an' she glommed onta me, so hard, that all I could do was to glom right back onta her; was that I would do just exactly th' same for any an' all friends or kinfolk that was so hasty as to stop at th' top of th' drive! An' so even though th' two of you are surely amongst some of the orneriest, most unhandsome, nigh onta worthless, an' not even goin' inta bein' th' most crazed types I know; should you be so rash as to come down this way again, an' should you be so reckless as to stop anywhere near th' top of that there drive, or any other drive I might happen to be stoppin' at t'other end of, then you'd be in terrible peril. Yep, you'd both be in th' most appallin' danger of bein' glommed onta by yours truly, that bein m'self! 'nuff said, Nathaniel? 'nuff said, Jemison?''

'' 'nuff said, Jacob.'' Both older boys said, chuckling and shaking their heads.

''Naw, I talk too much.'' Jess disagreed, suddenly self conscious of being the youngest, after all. ''An' I ask too many questions. Just Daddy would always say that was th' best way to learn.''

'' And Franklin was absolutely right about that, Jess.'' A clear, compelling grown man's voice offered, and all three boys turned to find Stephen Jemison Singer smiling at them, from the doorway between the yard and the tack room. ''So, don't let anyone stop you asking questions, Cousin.''

'' Reckon I won't, Cousin Stephen.'' Jess nodded. ''Aunt Beth says she figures I couldn't stop bein' curious if I even tried.''

'' Well, that's fine. And I'm glad I've found you, Jemmy. But I seem to have interrupted quite the serious conversation here. Should I remove to the stable yard and let you young gentlemen finish?'' The elder Singer had lived and gone to school in England as a boy; and still retained a rich British accent, as well as an eloquent manner. He also owned a way of talking to his son's friends that put them completely at ease with him. With always a hint of sadness in his wide, dark eyes, he was known to still mourn his late wife Jessy, after nearly five years.

'' We're prett much done, aren't we, boys?'' Jemmy asked.

'' Reckon we are. How are you, Cousin Stephen?'' Coop asked, '' Momma said you were feelin' poorly, the other day.''

'' Ah, but then I was the recipient of one of Elisabeth's well renowned cure-alls. Thank you, Cooper, I feel quite well, today. She has a healer's gift with her herbs and brews and such. May I be so forward as to ask what you three were discussing so ardently, just then?'' Singer asked, beaming at these boys, his son and the sons of his own best friends, Danny Smith and Frank Harper.

''Dad, 'm sorry sir, I let slip to Jess and Coop that we're trainin… that we're movin' to Frederick.'' Jemmy admitted. ''So, that's what we've been talking about. And I know apologies don't mend matters, sir. And …''

Stephen Singer shook his head and smiled more widely still at his son. '' Jemmy, wait, son. In the interests of candor, I should mention that I confided the same information with your Cousin Elisabeth, and it was a great weight off my mind to do so and find her as kindly encouraging as ever. In other words, son, no harm, no foul.''

''Figure I should tell you, Cousin Stephen, I was mostly th' one quizzin' ol' Jemmy here about all of that. And 'm sorry, too. I shouldn't be second guessin' Jemmy or you.''

'' But that's just the way you go about being his friend, Jess. And in fact, it puts me in mind very much of your mother, Jenny's way of being my own friend and Jessy's.'' Stephen nodded, when Jess gave him a wide eyed, surprised glance.

'' You do what she did for Jessy and myself, for Danny and Beth, and for your father, I'm quite sure, time and time again, Jess. You give your friends, like Jemmy and Cooper, your best thinking on the matter at hand, for starters. You ask your sharpest questions, because you know how much the answers matter to all of you. And you won't let them get by with half-answers, either. Maybe you should think of reading the Law. I think you might do well at it.'' Singer suggested.
'' Nope, not me.'' Jess laughed, more easily now. '' 'm not cut out for a whole lot of studyin'. I can stare at a page … for just about ever, and it just won't get inta my head.''

'' That's right.'' Coop laughed. '' Jess, here ain't cut out to be a lawyer, more likely he's gonna wind up needin' one, though. Hey, Jess, if you read the Law, then you could always have a good lawyer ridin' with you!''

'' That's actually not widely recommended, Coop.'' Jemmy grinned. '' A lawyer who takes on his own defense, they say, has a fool for a client.''

''Jemmy, I'm going back to the house. And, gentlemen, try to make your way there in short order, will you? I was asked in no uncertain terms to bring you back for supper.'' Singer said and left the cousins to themselves again.

'' Thanks.'' Jemmy said. '' Thanks a lot, fellows. You're the best, both of you. Just the best.''

'' Glad you got that figured.'' Jess laughed. '' Took you long enough.''

'' Not as long as it took him to tell us apart, though.'' Coop added.

'' Who says anybody can tell the two of you apart?''

'' Coop, can you figure that? 'cause I never could. '' Jess asked.

'' Nope, can't figure it, Jess, not even a bit.''

End, First Tale of Two Cousins.
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