A cowboy's love story

Pride and Politics

Jack

   "Pop would you hurry up?", I holler at my dad who is racing to catch up on his horse. "Boy I should've left ya with ya mama.", he yells back laughing. "The book store is gon close soon and I need to get there, it ain't often I get a new book.", I holler back to him racing through the gate to town. I get to the door just as the shop keep is sweepin' up to close. "Howdy there jack, what cha here for? Whatever it is you should hurry the mayor is in town doin' some huge campain speech, I gotta close up shop.", he says to me.

Adaline

   "Mama is this really nessasary? This dress weighs more than two and a half tons, and this corset is squeezin' the life right out of me. I can hardly breath.", I say proppin' myself against the closest wall. "Adaline Anne, ya better stand up, this is ya daddy's big day and ya play ya cards right it'll be yours too.", mother says brushin' the waves out of my brown hair. "Ma, what ever happened to findin' love and livin' happily ever after.", I say gaspin' as she pulls my hair back into a perfect knot on top of my head. "Love is for people of the lowest standin's, if a wealthy man chooses ya, ya live with it because your a lady and ladies take care of their family. Besides, ya daddy has his eye on one for ya."

Jack

   Book in hand me and the shop keep exit the shop. "Well not a moment to soon, here comes the mayor and his family.", he says. I look up the street, the mayor is riddin' with his chest puffed out confedently in front his wife who had a completely fake perfect smile plastered across her face riddin' side saddle the way ladies do. 'Bout time they got in front of me she glanced back at the third horse in their small parade where a girl who was also riddin' side saddle had her head down readin' a book. I couldn't see the girls face for her big ol' hat until her mother snaped, "Adaline anne get out of that book and pay attention.", and like that the girls head snapped up and she glanced around her. She smiled a fake smile just like her mothers down to the crowd who was gatherin' on either side of the road. Besides that fake smile she was probably the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. Her skin was flawless save for a few light brown freckles. Her eyes in the sun of the midday were like pools of fresh honey, and her voice as she greeted the towns folk was twice as sweet. One single lock of her brown hair cradled  her face, obviously loosened from the horse ride. As she rode by our eyes locked for just a seccond before she snapped back to attention and continued riddin' on past. "Ya know Jack, shes lookin' for a husband.", the shop keep laughs beside me, "Save up ya pennys boy, someday you might be able to shine his shoes when she finds him."

Adaline

   I stand beside my mama pickin' at the bow at my neck holdin' my hat on. "Would ya quit that? ya destractin' form ya daddy's speech.", mama snaps through her fake smile only loud enough for me to hear. "Can I just take this thing off? Its makin' me itch more than a glove full of poison ivy.", I whisper back. "Don't ya dare adaline. Now would ya be quiet and stay still?", She growls. I do as I'm told and look into the faces of the crowd. All the men within a twenty year radius to my age stare back at me grinnin' and silently beggin' to put their hands on me, little girls stare up at me in wonder, older women glare at me in a twisted envious way, and the oldest women look at me in some sort of nastallgic praise. Bein' that this is the first time I have come to one of daddy's campain functions, I imagine that I am somethin' new and excitin'. I'm in my eighteenth year and not yet married I just know that the seccond I step off this stage there is a good chance that the men in this crowd are gonna start biddin' on me like some sort of prized farm animal. I bitterly scan the crowd once more, but this time my eyes land on a fimiliar face, the boy from in front of the bookstore. I catch myself stairin' at him and look away. I peek back over and he is smilin' at me. My cheeks tighten and I feel myself smile back. He is such a handsome young man, one that mother would NEVER aprove of. Still, I can't help stairin' at him. "Adaline get ya head outta the clouds would ya?", mama says grabbin' my arm and pullin' me with her.
    "So then the conductor says, 'Mr. Mayor this here rail road ya funded is a real beaut.", daddy says. The crowd laughs and mama pushes me up to him. "Oh yes, gental men, this is my daughter Adaline Anne.", daddy says pullin' me into the group of men. "How would ya like ta come home with me? Bet ya daddy would be over the moon to hand ya off to a man with enough money to buy two of ya.", A big old man with a cigar laughs blowing smoke in my face. I start a fit of coughs. "Get yaself together gal.", mama growls in my ear. "If y'all gentalmen will excuse me", I say between coughs, "I need some fresh air." I squeeze through the crowd of men.
     I sneak off to the bookshop and sit agaist the wall of the the store. I take off my hat and start readin' my book. "Howdy ma'am.", someone says in front of me. "I beg ya pardon sir, I'm not quite lookin' to-", I say lookin' up from my book into a pair of sweet brown eyes. "You.", I say smilin' softly. "Sorry there ma'am I was just gon let ya know that books endin' might make you a little mad. I'll let you alone now.", the boy says noddin' at me and turnin' to leave. "Wait, what kind of a lady would I be if I refused the company of such a gentleman.", I say standin' to take him by the hand. He looks down at our joined hands and smiles.