Donna was ready and waitin when Earl got back to her family’s place. “We need to hit the road Earl. I don’t know if we will make it back before dark,” she said.

  “Don’t worry, Donna. We will be fine.” Earl spoke calmly. He helped her load up and handed her the baby. “What have you got here? He asked as he handed her up a paper bag with a delicious aroma coming out of it.

  “Oh, that is our supper. We’ve got fried chicken, carrot sticks, home fries and some iced tea. Are you ready to eat, Earl?” Donna explained.

  “Let me get these guys out on the main road and then I kin use my hands to eat.” Earl said. He guided the horses through the ruts and out onto the main road (which was mostly a dirt road). “ How was yore ma? I heard yore aunt say she wasn’t feelin so good.”

  “She looks purty good, maybe a little pale, but the doctor says she’s got cancer in her breast. She still seems to be gettin around good and is still cookin and doin housework. I ain’t too worried yet,” Donna handed Earl a chicken leg and put some of the home fries on a sack between them on the wagon seat.

  “This chicken is mighty good, Donna. Did you make it?”

  “ Yes, I rounded up some food while the baby took a nap. Are you ready fur another piece of chicken or a sip of some tea, Earl?”

  “I think I could put away another piece of chicken. Thank-you Donna.” Earl said. They talked about children and gardening and the winter comin up. Then the subject turned to Earl makin moonshine.

  “How is that goin fur you, Earl? Are you goin to continue makin it? It seems to be kinda risky, what with Pete havin a still blow up on him and the revenooers seemin to be targetin you. Have you thought about goin back to the coal mines?” Donna queried.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “Yes, Lucy and I have been tossin around about what to do. I wus mighty encouraged a while ago in yore hometown. One of the men who used to be Clement’s family’s customer is real interested in my shine and I think he probably will sell a bunch of it to neighbors. He has already asked me to stop by next time I am in town. That kinda changes the way I am lookin at things. I think we might stand a chance of makin it work,” Earl said. “Kin you pass me some of that iced tea, please? Yeah, the more I think about it, we are goin to be fine. Those mines are a death trap.”

  “ You lost yore husband and I like to lost my leg and many of our neighbors have lost their lives too. The people in charge of the mines take too many shortcuts and don’t make their decisions around the health and well-being of the workers in the mines. Lucy and I talked about it when that big explosion happened and made our decision then to stay away from the mines and we just need to stick to it and believe things will work out,” Earl thought out loud.

  “Oh, I keep meaning to tell you that the cow has dried up,” Donna said. “She has been such a blessing while the baby was small. If you are thinking of breeding her so her milk will come back, I heard that Tom Covington has a purty virile bull and he has been known to breed a few cows.”

  “Well, don’t that beat all! We have been just talkin about that very subject!” Earl exclaimed. “Thinkin ahead, if we process the new calf, we will have the stomach from it to be able to make cheese. It’s been a long time since we had some good ol home made cheese!”

  They pulled into Donna’s property and Earl helped Donna get down from the wagon seat, as he held her baby. Earl was in a hurry to get home before the last rays of sunlight. He herded Cora and Karen, who had been watching Donna’s other children, out to the wagon and they rushed home.

  After the evening chores were completed and they had cleaned up from supper, and put the kids to bed, Earl had a chance to tell Lucy the good news about their eager customer! She was very happy, but with reservations. “Earl, we don’t have any of the equipment you would need to make any more moonshine,” Lucy said.

  “Unfortunately, you are right. I’m not sure how we will get started again, but I think losing the equipment is probably a good thing. As time goes on and Steve sees we are not doing anything about purchasing more copper and all, he will likely leave us alone!” Earl said. “Then, come springtime, we will just have to make a trip to a town further away to get our supplies!” Earl was not as confident as he sounded, but had a few months to work up the confidence!