Death-in-the-Woods

DeathintheWoodsBySherwoodAndersonIShewasanoldwomanandlivedonafarmnearthetowninwhichIlived.Allcountryandsmall-townpeoplehaveseensucholdwomen,butnooneknowsmuchaboutthem.Suchanoldwomancomesintotowndrivinganoldworn-outhorseorshecomesafootcarryingabasket.Shemayownafewhensandhaveeggstosell.Shebringstheminabasketandtakesthemtoagrocer.Thereshetradesthemin.Shegetssomesaltporkandsomebeans.Thenshegetsapoundortwoofsugarandsomeflour.Afterwardsshegoestothebutcher'sandasksforsomedogmeat.Shemayspendtenorfifteencents,butwhenshedoessheasksforsomething.Formerlythebutchersgavelivertoanyonewhowantedtocarryitaway.Inourfamilywewerealwayshavingit.Onceoneofmybrothersgotawholecow'sliverattheslaughterhousenearthefairgroundsinourtown.Wehadituntilweweresickofit.Itnevercostacent.Ihavehatedthethoughtofiteversince.Theoldfarmwomangotsomeliverandasoupbone.Shenevervisitedwithanyone,andassoonasshegotwhatshewantedshelitoutforhome.Itmadequitealoadforsuchanoldbody.Noonegaveheralift.Peopledriverightdownaroadandnevernoticeanoldwomanlikethat.TherewassuchanoldwomanwhousedtocomeintotownpastourhouseonesummerandfallwhenIwasayoungboyandwassickwithwhatwascalledinflammatoryrheumatism.Shewenthomelatercarryingaheavypackonherback.Twoorthreelargegaunt-lookingdogsfollowedatherheels.Theoldwomanwasnothingspecial.Shewasoneofthenamelessonesthathardlyanyoneknows,butshegotintomythoughts.Ihavejustsuddenlynow,afteralltheseyears,rememberedherandwhathappened.Itisastory.HernamewasGrimes,andshelivedwithherhusbandandsoninasmallunpaintedhouseonthebankofasmallcreekfourmilesfromtown.Thehusbandandsonwereatoughlot.Althoughthesonwasbuttwenty-one,hehadalreadyservedaterminjail.Itwaswhisperedaboutthatthewoman'shusbandstolehorsesandranthemofftosomeothercounty.Nowandthen,whenahorseturnedupmissing,themanhadalsodisappeared.NooneevercaughthimOnce,whenIwasloafingatTomWhitehead'sliverybarn,themancamethereandsatonthebenchinfront.Twoorthreeothermenwerethere,butnoonespoketohim.Hesatforafewminutesandthengotupandwentaway.Whenheleavingheturnedaroundandstaredatthemen.Therewasalookofdefianceinhiseyes.Well,Ihavetriedtobefriendly.Youdon'twanttotalktome.IthasbeensowhereverIhavegoneinthistown.If,someday,oneofyourfinehorsesturnsupmissing,well,thenwhat?Hedidnotsayanythingactually.I'dliketobustoneofyouonthejaw,wasaboutwhathiseyessaid.Irememberhowthelookinhiseyesmademeshiver.Theoldmanbelongedtoafamilythathadhadmoneyonce.HisnamewasJakeGrimes.Itallcomesbackclearlynow.Hisfather,JohnGrimes,hadownedasawmillwhenthecountrywasnew,andhadmademoney.Thenhegottodrinkingandrunningaftertowomen.Whenhediedtherewasn'tmuchleft.Jakeblewintherest.Prettysoontherewasn'tanymorelumbertocutandhislandwasnearlyallgone.HegothiswifeoffaGermanfarmer,forwhomhewenttoworkoneJunedayinthewheatharvest.Shewasayoungthingthenandscaredtodeath.Yousee,thefarmerwasuptosomethingwiththegirl--shewas,Ithink,aboundgirlandhiswifehadhersuspicions.Shetookitoutonthegirlwhenthemanwasn'taround.Then,whenthewifehadtogoofftotownforsupplies,thefarmergotafterher.ShetoldyoungJakethatnothingreallyeverhappened,buthedidn'tknowwhethertobelieveitornot.Hegotherprettyeasyhimself,thefirsttimehewasoutwithher.Hewouldn'thavemarriedheriftheGermanfarmerhadn’ttriedtotellhimwheretogetoff.Hegothertogoridingwithhiminhisbuggyonenightwhenhewasthreshingontheplace,andthenhecameforherthenextSundaynight.Shemanagedtogetoutofthehousewithoutheremployer'sseeing,butwhenshewasgettingintothebuggyheshowedup.Itwasalmostdark,andhejustpoppedupsuddenlyatthehorse'shead.HegrabbedthehorsebythebridleandJakegotouthisbuggy-whip.Theyhaditoutallright!TheGermanwasatoughone.Maybehedidntcarewhetherhiswifeknewornot.Jakehithimoverthe:faceandshoulderswiththebuggy-whip,butthehorsegottoactingupandhehadtogetout.Thenthetwomenwentforit.Thegirldidn'tseeit.Thehorsestartedtorunawayandwentnearlyamiledowntheroadbeforethegirlgothimstopped.Thenshemanagedtotiehimtoatreebesidetheroad.(IwonderhowIknowallthis.Itmusthavestuckinmymindfromsmall-towntaleswhenIwasaboy.)JakefoundherthereafterhegotthroughwiththeGerman.Shewashuddledupinthebuggyseat,crying,scaredtodeath.ShetoldJakealotofstuff,howtheGermanhadtriedtogether,howhechasedheronceintothebarn,howanothertime,whentheyhappenedtobealoneinthehousetogether,hetoreherdressopencleardownthefront.TheGerman,shesaid,mighthavegotherthattimeifhehadn'theardhisoldwomandriveinatthegate.Shehadbeenofftotownforsupplies.Well,shewouldbeputtingthehorseinthebarn.TheGermanmanagedtosneakofftothefieldswithouthiswifeseeing.Hetoldthegirlhewouldkillherifshetold.Whatcouldshedo?Shetoldalieaboutrippingherdressinthebarnwhenshewasfeedingthestock.Iremembernowthatshewasaboundgirlanddidnotknowwhereherfatherandmotherwere.Maybeshedidnothaveanyfather.YouknowwhatImean.Suchboundchildrenwereoftenenoughcruellytreated.Theywerechildrenwhohadnoparents,slavesreally.Therewereveryfeworphanhomesthen.Theywerelegallyboundintosomehome.Itwasamatterofpureluckhowitcameout.IIShemarriedJakeandhadasonanddaughter,butthedaughterdied.Thenshesettleddowntofeedstock.Thatwasherjob.AttheGerman'splaceshehadcookedthefoodfortheGermanandhiswife.Thewif