Chapter 6: The Day Of The Dead




      "Get away!" shouts the old man huddled under a rock overhang on the western slope of Cave Mountain.

"Let's go home," James quietly answers while stooping into the dark maw of Benjamin's secret cave. 

"You all don't want what I have," Benjamin groans as a raven croaks from the steep hillside above them.

"Alicy done broke out in chicken pox on the way to Little Rock," counters James reaching a hand down to his father. "We'll all have hallow's eve at home."



     Thinking he was dying anyway, Benjamin Reed had waited for a chance to do so alone. A perfect opportunity arose when his catching of the pox coincided with a family trip for the first fall festival at the newly completed Arkansas State House. After the rest were gone, he'd climbed on his young pack horse with a blanket and a horn flask containing his insurance policy, the toxic heads and tails from a moonshine run.

     Old Benny had found the small cavern on a trek up to Whitaker Point the previous winter. He'd noticed a shaft of steam rising in the chilly dawn from a spot on the hillside above the narrow trail. Scrambling up to discover the hidden mouth, he'd immediately pegged it as his own private mausoleum, never imagining someone else could find him there. 



     "How'd you track me down way up here anyways?" Benjamin asks from atop his roan gelding.

"That danged horse of yours knew right where to go," calls James over his shoulder as they pick their way down the rocky slope.

"Martin Van Buren always was a good egg, but I sent him home to be by my lonesome."

"No sense suffering alone, Pop. When your time comes we'll bury you in Hazel Valley."

     That good equine egg settles into a trot once they reach the main trail, and Benny Reed begins to whistle in time to the gelding's steps. Soon they're joined by a big black bird flapping along from tree to tree. After another half mile the old coot catches sight of a flash of red from the corner of his eye and breaks into a song that lasts all the way home:


     I've come to town to see you all,
     I ask you how d'ye do?
     I'll sing a song, not very long,
     About my long tail blue.

     Oh! for the long tail blue.
     Oh! for the long tail blue.
     I'll sing a song not very long
     about my long tail blue.

     If you want to win the Ladie's hearts,
     I'll tell you what to do;
     Go to a tip-top tailor's shop,
     And buy a long tail blue.

     Oh! for the long tail blue.
     Oh! for the long tail blue.
     I'll sing a song...




The End

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