(This is the continuation of the story I began two weeks ago titled “A Child Shall Lead”.)

“What do you mean somethin’s wrong with Dellie?” crossly questioned Granny Evie Tatum.

“She started hurtin’ early this mornin’. She left Evelyn to look after the other kids while I tried to lead her here. But she got to hurtin’ so bad that she made me leave her propped up against a stump while I run here to get you and Uncle Iv.”

“Well, I’ve got young’uns here that I can’t leave. Besides, Iv’s not here anyway. He’s up on Brown’s Fork helping Bert Newman plow for the spring plantin’. You’ll just have to go down to Maggie and Fain Mosley’s and get them to help. If Dellie had listened to Iv and me she never would have married their worthless son Fletch to begin with, then she wouldn’t be in this mess. If Dellie’s as bad off as you say, you’d better get goin’. SCAT!”

Bella had already started to run before she heard the BLAM of the door closing behind her. Bella knew Della needed help as soon as possible, and though she was only six years old and a city girl to boot, Bella was not lacking in common sense. She knew she was a lot closer to Aunt Liza’s log cabin than she was to Aunt Maggie and Uncle Fain’s house. Bella turned to the right when she reached the road and hurried to Aunt Liza’s.

Bella was yelling “Aunt Liza! Aunt Liza!” ten minutes later as she ran toward the small log cabin. It was always a treat when she and her cousin Evelyn got to stay with Aunt Liza and sleep in her loft that overlooked the cozy fireplace.

The door to the cabin opened and small, wiry Aunt Liza came skipping out. “Lord, honey, what’s wrong?” Bella had barely got out “Dellie needs you . . .” before Aunt Liza grabbed her ragged sweater and galoshes and started putting them on as she hopped down the gravel road with Bella. Bella continued telling about Della’s plight as Aunt Liza and she hurried along the gravel road. There was barely time to tell Aunt Liza anything so fast did she hurry down the road. As they hurried along, Aunt Liza said, “Honey, you run in there and get my sister Maggie. She’ll come hep’ me.”

Aunt Liza kept hurrying down the road as Bella turned into Mother Maggie’s yard. As Bella told of Della’s plight, Mother Maggie’s expression became increasingly worried and frightened. Maggie spoke not one word, but hugged Bella to her and patted her back. She hurriedly grabbed her dark, worn coat and said to her husband, “Fain, Dellie’s in a bad way. I’m gonna run down and see what I can do fer her.”

Mother Maggie walked more slowly than Aunt Liza but in no less determined a fashion. Bella, partly in her nervousness and partly out of childish curiosity, asked Mother Maggie many questions about what was wrong with Della. Mother Maggie listened patiently but repeated her answers, “Someday you’ll understand . . . young’uns ain’t supposed to know everythin’ . . . just hurry along, Bellie . . .” and similar answers. How sweet Mother Maggie is, Bella thought. She’s nothing like Momma . . . she’d be telling me to shut my nosy mouth and get out of her way, like she always does.

When Mother Maggie and Bella reached the place where Bella had left Della, Aunt Liza was already there. “Quick, Maggie,” Aunt Liza said. “We’ve got to get this young’un inside, and quick. He’ll freeze to death and I mean quick if we don’t hurry.”

Della thought, he? He who? Aunt Liza must be so excited that she called Dellie a ‘he’ by mistake. Bella found it interesting that Mother Maggie had not corrected Aunt Liza, but figured that she was so concerned with Della’s sickness that she either didn’t notice or figure it was worth fixing.

When Aunt Liza stood up, she was not wearing her ragged sweater but had it wrapped around something that Bella knew was important, for although Bella could not see what Aunt Liza was holding she knew it was important by way Aunt Liza was being so careful. Bella started moving closer so she could see Della, but Mother Maggie said in uncharacteristic sharpness, “Bellie, stay back there! Go back and get Fain and tell him to bring the wagon to haul Dellie. And be quick about it!”

Boy, I sure am getting’ a lot of hurrin’ and runnin’ and walkin’ up and down this holler this morning, Bella thought. But Bella was an active child and found all this somewhat exciting and puzzling at the same time. I don’t know what’s goin’ on, but somethin’s up, and it must be big!

Bella went back to Pa Fain’s house. Pa Fain was a short man with a neatly trimmed mustache. He was not one for foolishness, always very serious and “sober as a judge”, whatever that was supposed to mean. That’s what Bella’s mother Dolphia, Pa Fain and Mother Maggie’s oldest daughter, said about him anyway. Anyway, all kids knew when Pa Fain Mosley was around, you were to be seen and not heard. He was well noted for his quick temper.

Bella rushed inside and told Pa Fain to bring the wagon to get Della. “What fer?” Pa Fain said crossly. “Don’t you be sassin’ me, girl,” Pa Fain said. “Young’uns ain’t s’posed to tell their elders what to do.”

“But Pa Fain,” Bella said, “Mother Maggie sent me to tell you that. Dellie’s real sick and can’t walk anymore.”

“All right,” Pa Fain said, “you stay here with these young’uns while I go see what’s wrong.”

Bella stayed with the Mosley children while Pa Fain was gone. She played with, fed and kept them busy all morning and into the early part of the afternoon. It stayed cold and cloudy all day, but Pa Fain had stacked up plenty of firewood to keep them warm. How funny it is, Bella thought. Here I am taking care of my aunts, but I’m older then them.
Wonder how that happened? Little did young Bella know, but this was the rule rather than the exception a lot of time in the Newman and Mosley families.

Pa Fitch got home as the gray afternoon was starting to descend into the darkness of another cold, pitch-black night in the Tatum Holler. Bella had a thousand questions, but knew better than to trouble Pa Fain. He was a man that even children instinctively knew not to ask questions. Fain Mosley talked when he got ready to talk, not one minute before, and even then he was a man of very few words.

It was after Bellie had put the little Mosley aunts to bed and had turned in herself before Mother Maggie returned. She talked quietly to Pa Fain, so quietly that Bella tiptoed out of her bed and hid behind the living room door to hear what was being said. Bella was so curious to know what had happened to Della that she felt she could not sleep if she didn’t know. Sneaking like this was dangerous, for if Pa Fain had caught her, his belt strap would have given her backside a reminder not to snoop that would have lasted for at least a week.

Bella heard a story that night that would remain with her the rest of her life, long after every adult involved was clothed with the dust of the earth from which they had been made.

Faithful Reader—I hope this tale of the long ago troubles of others has helped you forget your own trials for a short while. Next week I’ll share with you what Della learned from behind the door. Until then, please keep safe and well.