The Courtship
Fiction
Hunter
returned home and started to rebuild his life. Before he left, he had gone to
work for his father in the coal mines and was buried under a rock fall when he
was fourteen that resulted in a broken ankle. In 1929 Hunter turned sixteen and
went to work in east Kentucky
Two years was a
long time for the young man to be away. He was older than the other kids in
high school since he had quit school in the eighth grade. Now he had to make
new friends with all the younger kids. His buddies had graduated from school
and now worked the mines or local farms. His older brothers had left home to
look for work in California
Hunter turned his
life around, got back in church and tried to put his young, troubled life
behind him. He was looked up to by everyone and loved to play football. Soon he
became the local football hero, playing every game. Hunter did well in school,
so well that the teachers would put him in charge when they were out.
The Clark family had a farm about two miles west of town on a
gravel road. Mr. Clark was a widower left with four daughters and three sons to
raise, He was a kind, fun-loving man, and the girls made sure there were always
dances and parties on the weekends. Nellie was the youngest, and was in the
same grade with Hunter, who was four years older.
Nellie was one of
the most beautiful girls in school, and all the young men were trying to take
her out, but she had her eye on Hunter. Hunter was busy with school, football
and hunting. He sold the squirrels to a man in town who loved the wild meat.
After buying the rifle shells, he would end up with two bits for each squirrel.
Hunter was a good shot. He would watch the squirrels play, and when they lined
up just right he would get two with one shot! Nellie was really impressed with
Hunter when he would bring over fresh meat for dinner, and of course Mr. Clark
would ask him to stay and eat with them.
Hunter would always
find some reason to visit the Clarks , maybe to
go hunting with the boys or dance with the girls. During the winter months he
would strap on a pair of ice skates and skate on the ice and snow-covered road
to the Clark home.
Hunter could not
play football his last year of school because of his age. However he was the
class president and Nellie was voted the prom queen. Everyone in town knew that
the two were in love and could not be separated.
After graduation
Hunter went back to work in the local coal mines, fishing, hunting and dating
Nellie. The town was excited when the news of the marriage was out. No one was
invited to the wedding, it was just assumed that everyone was welcome. And come
they did. The church was full, and the rest of the town people crowded around
the church, looking in the windows.
Hunter took his new bride home, and his mother fixed up the front bedroom for them. When it came time to go to bed, she made herself a spot across the foot of the bed for the wedding night!
Copyright © 2015 Hubert Clark Crowell
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