GOING TO FARNER
BILL HAMILTON
THE CIRCUIT RIDER
THE YEAR WAS 1946; THE YEAR AFTER THE BIG WAR. THE MEN WERE COMING HOME, THE WOMEN WERE RETURNING TO THEIR DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES AND THE ECONOMY WAS STARTING TO COME ALIVE. WE HEARD ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS ON THE RADIO, BUT AT OUR LITTLE PLACE ON SHOAL CREEK, A COUPLE MILES FROM LIBERTY, NC, IT HADN'T AFFECTED US. IT WAS A FACT THAT MY BROTHER WAS OVER THERE SOMEWHERE, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE. MY DAD WAS STILL CUTTING TIMBER OFF OUR PLACE, AND PULLING IT TO THE LANDING WITH A BIG GRAY MARE. MY MOTHER WAS STILL WASHING CLOTHES ON A RUB BOARD DOWN AT THE CREEK, IRONING WITH A SMOOTHING IRON, COOKING ON A WOOD STOVE AND MENDING CLOTHES WITH A NEEDLE AND THREAD. BEING THE OLDEST SON, I STILL SLOPPED HOGS, FED CHICKENS, WORKED IN THE FIELDS, CARRIED WATER FROM THE SPRING AND ENJOYED THE LIFE OF A MOUNTAIN BOY. LIFE WAS GOOD!
MY GRANDFATHER, "PA" AND MY GRANDMOTHER, "MA" LIVED JUST A LITTLE WAYS UP THE HOLLOW FROM US. PA FARMED, AND SOLD MILK TO THE COOP, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE WAS A TRAVELING PREACHER; THE HORSEBACK KIND. PA WAS A RAW BONED MOUNTAIN MAN WITH A BIG HANDLEBAR MOUSTACHE, A VOICE LIKE A CANON AND A HANDSHAKE LIKE A WOOD CUTTER. MA WAS A LITTLE WOMAN, PART CHEROKEE WITH LONG BLACK HAIR AND A SMILE THAT CAME EASILY. MA WAS, IN MY OPINION, THE BEST COOK AROUND. SHE COULD MAKE CORNBREAD THAT WAS SO GREASY; IT WOULD MAKE A COUNTRY BOY DROOL AND A CARDIOLOGIST CRY. I WOULD PUSH BACK A T-BONE TO GET SOME OF HER POKE SALAD WITH POT LIQUOR, RUTABAGAS, MASHED POTATOES, PICKLED BEETS AND SMOKED HAM. (I'M GETTING HUNGRY RIGHT NOW JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!)
IT WAS ONE LATE AFTERNOON, IN THE SPRING I THINK. PA AND I WERE SPLITTING WOOD FOR THE COOK STOVES. WE HAD GOTTEN INTO SOME GOOD RED OAK, AND IT WAS SPLITTING GOOD. PA WAS SPLITTING WITH A GO-DEVIL AND SOME WEDGES, BOTH STEEL AND HICKORY. (A GO-DEVIL IS A MALL CUT OUT OF HICKORY OR ASH, ABOUT THREE FEET LONG. THREE FOURTHS OF IT WAS HAND TURNED FOR A HANDLE AND THE REST WAS THE MAUL.) PA WAS SEVENTY FIVE YEARS OLD, BUT HE COULD SWING A MAUL LIKE A YOUNG MAN. HE WAS SPLITTING AND I WAS STACKING; WHEN I SAW A MAN COMING UP OUR LITTLE ROAD, ALONG THE CREEK. I SAID, "PA." HE SAID, "I SEE 'IM. JES KEEP WORKIN." I COULD TELL, FROM THE LOOKS OF THE MAN, AND THE HORSE HE WAS RIDING, HE HAD BEEN TRAVELING FOR A WHILE. HE RODE ALMOST TO WHERE WE WERE WORKING, AND STOPPED. PA QUIT HIS SPLITTING AND LOOKED UP AT THE MAN, "HOW YE DOIN?" "TOLERABLE." HE ANSWERED. I'M HOT, TARD AND THIRSTY." "WELL, GIT DOWN AND RESTCHE SELF." AS THE MAN SLOWLY CLIMBED FROM THE SADDLE, PA LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, "SON, GIT IM SOME WATER." THE SPRING WAS CLOSE BY WITH WATER AS COLD AS ICE FLOWING YEAR AROUND. I BROUGHT THE MAN A BUCKET OF WATER WITH A GOURD FOR A DIPPER, AND OFFERED TO WATER HIS HORSE. HE ACCEPTED AND PA INVITED HIM TO SIT UNDER THE WILLOW TREES.
I LOOKED CLOSELY AND SAW HE DIDN'T CARRY A PISTOL, AND THERE WAS NO RIFLE ON THE SADDLE. HE DID HAVE A PRETTY GOOD KNIFE ON HIS BELT, BUT IT WASN'T THE FIGHTING KIND. AFTER DRINKING WHAT, SEEMED TO ME, HALF OF THAT BUCKET OF WATER, THE MAN FINALLY SPOKE AGAIN, "I'M LES CROWDER. I LIVE OVER TUTHER SIDE 'O FARNER, TENNESSEE." PA REACHED OUT HIS HAND AND SAID, "I'M BUD HAMILTON, PLEASE TA MEETCHE." LES CROWDER LOOKED DOWN, WIPED THE SWEAT FROM HIS HAT BAND AND SAID, "I'LL TELLYE WHYIM HERE. WEUNS HEERED ABOUCHE FROM FOLKS OVERTA TELLICO PLAINS. WE HEERED YOUENS WAS A FAIR PREACHER O THA WORD, AND WE NEED US A REVIVAL. PA LOOKED DOWN AND PICKED UP A PIECE OF A STICK, PULLED OUT HIS OLD CASE POCKET KNIFE AND STARTED TO WHITTLE A LITTLE BIT. NEITHER MAN SPOKE FOR SEVERAL MINUETS. I LOOKED AT ONE THEN THE OTHER. FINALLY LES SPOKE, "WEUNS UD BE WILLING TO PAYE WHAT WEUNS COULD." PA LOOKED UP QUICKLY THEN. THE MAN HAD HIS ATTENTION. HE LOOKED AT THE STRANGER, HIS LIPS TREMBLED AND I KNEW HE WAS UPSET. HE SPOKE, "MISTER, I AIN'T NEVER PREACHED FER NO MONEY, AND I AIN'T BOUT TA START." OLE BOSS, PA'S DOG WAS SLEEPING NEARBY, AND WHEN PA RAISED HIS VOICE, BOSS SAT UP TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. LES MOVED BACK AND SAID, "I DIDN MEAN TO RILE YE NONE. I JES WANTED YE TA KNOW WEUNS DON'T WANTCHEE TO COME FER NUTHIN." PA SAID, "I AIN'T RILED, BUT WHEN ME AN THA ALMIDY COME TO AGREE ABOUT ME PREACHIN, HE SAID HE'D TAKE KERE O ME, AND HE ALL WAYS HAS." HOW LONG DO YE WANT ME FER?" WELL, WEUNS NEED PREACHIN TO RAT BAD. HIT MIGHT TAKE A WEEK ER TWO." PA SAID, "YE GOTTA PLACE WHERE I'CN STAY AND A STABLE AND FOOD FER MY MARE?" "YESSIR, YESSIR, WEUNS CN TAKE KERE O YE PURTY GOOD!"
PA REACHED OUT AND SHOOK LES'ES HAND, AND SAID, "WHENYE NEED ME?" WAL, I TOLE EM I'D TRY TO BRANG YE BACK IFN I CUD." PA SAID, "IF YEILL HALP ME FINISH SPLITTEN MA WOOD, WE'LL LEAVE INA MORNING." LES PULLED OFF HIS JUMPER, AND GRABBED THE GO-DEVIL. "THEY'LL SHORE BE PROUDTA SEE YE PREACHER!" PA LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, "SON, GO TELL MA TA COOK US SOME VICTUALS, AND TA GIT MY PREACHIN CLOTHES READY. I'M AGOIN TO FARNER." "HOW LONG YE GOIN BE GONE, PA?" "AS LONG AS THA LORD WILLS, SON. FINE GE DEDDY, AND TELL IM I'LL BE GONE FER A SPELL." HE LOOKED AT LES WHO WAS BUSY SPLITTING WOOD, AND SAID, "MA BOY'LL TAKE CARE OF MA PLACE WHILE I'M GONE." (HIS "BOY" WAS MY DAD WHO WAS 47 YEARS OLD AND HAD SIX CHILDREN. WE LIVED ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YARDS DOWN THE ROAD IN A HOUSE MY DAD HAD BUILT. )
I WENT IN AND TOLD MA WHAT PA HAD TOLD ME. SHE NEVER SPOKE A WORD, JUST GOT UP AND STARTED. SHE KNEW THERE WAS NO STOPPING PA. THEN I WENT INTO THE WOODS TO FIND MY DAD.
(LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY DAD. HE WAS TALL AND SKINNY, "RAW BONED" DARK SKINNED; FROM THE SUN AND HIS CHEROKEE HERITAGE AND, AT THAT MOMENT, SOAKING WET WITH SWEAT. DAD ALWAYS WORE A FELT HAT, SUMMER AND WINTER, AND A LONG SLEEVED SHIRT, BUTTONED TO HIS WRIST AND UP TO HIS NECK. HE HAD ON SIXTEEN INCH LACE UP BOOTS, AND WAS HOLDING A DOUBLE BITTED AX. HE MIGHT NOT LOOK LIKE MUCH TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT THIS MAN AND THE ONE I HAD JUST LEFT WERE MY HEROES. I HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, GENERAL DWIGHT EISENHOWER, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND ALL THOSE FELLOWS, BUT THE MAN I WAS LOOKING AT AND THE ONE I HAD JUST LEFT, WERE MY HEROES, AND STILL ARE.")
MY DAD HAD MINED COAL IN KENTUCKY WHEN HE WAS YOUNG AND HAD "BLACK LUNG", AND SOMETIMES HAD SHORTNESS OF BREATH, BUT HE WORKED HARD EVERY DAY. WHEN DAD GOT HIS BREATH, HE SAID, " WHAT AYE DOIN SON?" "DADDY, PA IS FIXIN TA GO TO SOME PLACE CALLED FOREIGNER TO PREACH." "THAT'S FARNER SON. IT'S OVER IN TENNESSEE, ACROSS THA MOUNTAIN." "WELL, HE TOLE ME TA COME AND TELLYE."
NOW, PA ONLY HAD TWO SONS, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS AN ENGINEER ON THE L AND N RAILROAD. THAT MEANT WHILE PA WAS GONE, WE WOULD HAVE TO FEED OUR STOCK AND PA'S, MILK ALL THE COWS AND WHATEVER ELSE NEEDED TO BE DONE. DAD WOULD HAVE NEVER COMPLAINED. HE JUST TOOK OUT HIS OLD BANDANA, PULLED OFF HIS HAT AND WIPED HIS FOREHEAD. "DEDDY, YE 'ONT ME TA STAY AND HALP YE?" "NO SON, I GOT TEM ALL LIMBED. TOMMARA, I GOTTA BRANG OLE GRAY UP AN SNAKE EM OUT." (NOW, OLE GRAY WAS OUR HUGE LOGGING HORSE. DAD HAD GIVEN FIFTY DOLLARS FOR HER.
WE WALKED TOGETHER DOWN TO PA'S HOUSE, WHERE MY DAD WAS INTRODUCED AS "MABOY", AND THEN PA SAID, "SON, I'M AGOIN TO FARNER FER A MEETIN. I NEEGEE TO LOOK AFTER THANGS AND WATCH OUT FER MA" "WHENAYE LEAVIN?" ASKED MY DAD. "FIRS THANG IN THA MORNIN." "PA," MY DAD SAID, "ITLL TAKE MORNA DAY TO RIDE TA FARNER. WHERE YE GOIN STAY?" "I KNOW ALOTA PEOPLE TWEEN HERE' N' ARE"
EARLY THE NEXT MORNING, PA AND LES SADDLED UP, (I CAN STILL HEAR THE LEATHER SQUEAKING). PA HAD ON HIS SUNDAY SUIT, BOOTS AND BLACK HAT. HE HAD HIS BELONGINGS IN A PAIR OF SADDLE BAGS AND A FLOUR SACK, AND I KNEW SOMEWHERE IN THERE WAS AN OLD LEATHER BIBLE, GIVEN TO HIM BY HAW KNOB BAPTIST CHURCH. MA HAD FIXED THEM SOME BISCUITS AND SMOKED HAM. THEY WOULD DRINK SPRING WATER OR STOP AT SOME ONE'S HOUSE FOR A CUP OF COFFEE. WHEN IT GOT DARK, THEY WOULD STAY WITH SOMEONE, WHO WOULD FEED THEM AND THE HORSES, BECAUSE PA WAS "THA PREACHER" PEOPLE HE KNEW AND DIDN'T KNOW HAD A LOT OF RESPECT FOR HIM, BECAUSE OF HIS "CALLIN" AND HIS REPUTATION.
(NOW, IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHY HE WOULD WEAR HIS SUNDAY BEST FOR THE LONG RIDE, LET ME TELL YOU. HE TRAVELED IN STYLE. AFTER ALL, HE WAS THE PREACHER.)
PA GAVE MA A KISS ON THE CHEEK, LED OLE DOLLY UP TO THE PORCH SO IT WAS EASIER TO GET IN THE SADDLE, (HE WASN'T AS YOUNG AND SPRY AS HE USED TO BE AND "RHEUMATIZ"HAD SET IN) PICKED UP THE REINS, LOOKED BACK AT MA AND SAID, ""I'LL BE BACK WHEN I KEN.", THEN HE SPOKE TO LES, WHO TIPPED HIS HAT AT MA, AND SAID, "AIR YOUNS REDDY?" LES NODDED, CLUCKED TO HIS HORSE AND THEY RODE OFF. IT WASN'T A GALLOP, IT WASN'T A CANTER IT WASN'T EVEN A TROT. THEY KNEW THEY HAD A LONG TRIP ACROSS THE MOUNTAIN, AND THEY NEEDED TO SAVE THEIR HORSES.
MA WIPED HER HANDS ON HER APRON AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE. SHE HAD BEEN THROUGH THIS MANY TIMES. SHE WAS A TRAVELING PREACHER'S WIFE AND WAS USED TO HIS BEING GONE.
I FOLLOWED ALONG BEHIND THEM DOWN TO OUR BARN WHERE THEY SPOKE TO MY DAD, WHO WAS HARNESSING UP OLE GRAY. DAD SAID, "SON, WE GOTTA SNAKE EM LOGS OUT TODAY." "YESSIR." "DEDDY, HOW DOES PA KNOW LES IS A GOOD MAN AND WON'T TRY TO HURT 'IM?" DAD ANSWERED, "SON, PA KNOWS MEN, AND BESIDES, HE AIN'T EASY TO HURT." AS I WATCHED THEM RIDE OUT OF SIGHT, I SAID,"DEDDY, I WANNA BE A TRAVELIN PREACHER, LIKE PA." "SON, THAS NOT SUMPIN YE CHOOSE TADO, THAS SUMPIN GOD CALLS YE TADO." I PRAYED GOD WOULD CALL ME. I WOULD HAVE A BLACK SUIT AND BOOTS, A BIG BLACK HAT, A BIG BLACK BIBLE AND A DAPPLE GRAY MARE, JUST LIKE OL DOLLY.
NOTE: GOD DID CALL ME TO PREACH. I HAVE THE BLACK SUIT, BLACK HAT, BLACK BOOTS AND BIG BLACK BIBLE. I NEVER TRAVELED ON A DAPPLE GRAY MARE, BUT I HAVE TRAVELED MANY MILES ON A STEEL HORSE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN THE PREACHER MY GRANDFATHER WAS AND I'VE NEVER HAD THE REPUTATION HE HAD, BUT I TRIED HARD TO ANSWER THE CALLING. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S HARD TO FIND MEN
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