Black Feather

Black Feather

Daniel O'Reilly finished pounding on the piece of iron in the tongs and stuck it back into the fire to reheat. Then he pounded on it some more shaping it into the form necessary. When done he plunged it into water in a basin to quickly cool then hung it on a peg. He rolled his shoulders to loosen the muscles then wiped his brow with his long-sleeve shirt grateful for the heat of the fire on this cold January day. Working the forge had its advantages in the winter. It was wise to get supplies ahead of demand this time of year so there would be less to do in the heat of the summer. There were sure to be the unknown or the unexpected then but now he was focusing on staples. Horses would always be needing to be re-shod. He found he actually liked the demands of the forge. His brother Fred had always made it sound like drudgery. Of course, he's only been at it for four months, not three years like Fred. Was kind of ironic that Fred joined the army to get away from the forge only to be put right back on one in the engineering corps.

According to Fred's last letter he should on his way overseas by now. Wonder if he'll still be working the fire or under fire once he is on duty there? Wonder if that far away war will still be going on by the time I turn eighteen? Got a couple more years before that and I kind of hope it will all be over with by then. Don't see myself volunteering to get shot at like Fred. Pa and Ma need me too much around here anyway.

The winter sun was quickly slipping away into the mountains to the west. Been so cold recently even the sun is shivering. The teen thought as he packed away his tools and bundled up for going home. He decided to roll up some of the hot bricks from the forge and put on the foot board of the sled. His ma would put them to good use warming the beds for the kids.

The snow was deep so he harnessed the mule, Old Trampus, to the sled and headed to the house to pick up Pa, Houghy and Ralph to take them over the hill to the Lammert's barn to do the evening milking. Ma said there should be laundry to pick up from Blue Bird there, too. Then the drums started right on time.

The hired laundress, Blue Bird, wouldn't come to work for them unless she could bring her father, Black Feather, along. The old Native American from the Black Crow tribe insisted on greeting the morning sun and sending the evening sun on its journey by pounding a forlorn beat on a tom-tom. Nobody, even Blue Bird, could get him to explain why. A man of few words anyway it seemed likely he was touched in the head at least slightly. Somewhat like Hattie Lammert who barely recognized her own husband, Jan, at times but still cooed to each of her Holsteins by name as she escorted them to the milking stations.

Daniel was right about his mother, Leona, welcoming the heated bricks to help warm the blankets. He unloaded them for her while the fellows bundled against the cold and the four of them headed across the frozen tundra in the sled for the milking barn. Black Feather was still thumping out a rhythm as he danced and lamented a tribal song in front of his tepee nestled next to the twelve-sided milking barn.

Inside one corner of the barn had been fashioned into a winter laundry area for Blue Bird to wash and hang laundry for all the families on the large ranch. A low fire burned to heat water, dry clothes and prep the iron. A freshly ironed pile of laundry awaited the O'Reillys.

“Thank you so much, Blue Bird.” Patrick acknowledge her hard work. “Leona certainly appreciates this service you do for us.” He loaded the stack into the sled and turned toward the center of the barn where the cows awaited.

“Hi-ho, Jan. No Hattie today?” he asked the Dutchman as they each pulled a stool up under a cow.

“Afraid she's feeling poorly again today, My Friend. Must be the cold. Nasty weather we're having. Only gonna get worse, I'm sure. Talking to Raymond today. He says not only is this winter setting records in cold temperatures and amount of snowfall but there's starting to be a shortage of coal for heating. That's a deadly combination. I'm keeping the cows in the lean-to just outside the barn and feeding them in the lot. They'll go through more feed that way but I don't see how to get around it.”

“That is bad news. Hey, Daniel. You hear that. We better close down the forge for a while to be sure we have fuel for the household. You be broken up over that?”

“Nah, Pa. More time to help you guys and be sure these rough-y-uns are payin' mind to their lessons. Right?”

“You're so smug 'cause you don't have to do no more lessons.” Hough piped up. “Another year an I'll be done, too. So there! Then I can take over the forge and you can go fight in the war like Freddie.”

“I really don't think I want to go fight in any war. Is that old man out there drumming away still thinkin' he's on the war path? Kinda gets on one's nerves.”

Jan answered, “Hard to say what he's thinking, Daniel. He never speaks but he must miss the good old days. Hattie gets the same way sometimes. She remembers things from thirty years ago but not from this morning. Sometimes she's ready to milk the cows at noon. It's sad.”

“So sorry you have to deal with all that, Jan. You've had such a good life together but she doesn't know it.” Patrick comforted his neighbor. “With it being so cold will you bring the old gentleman inside out of his tepee?”

“That may be worse for him than anything. That's all he's ever known. Getting him to live like a white man would kill him or so Blue Bird thinks. We'll have to be sure we keep his tepee warm. She's given him extra blankets and takes hot meals to him. Been a great help to us saving Hattie from having to cook or clean house.”

Ralphy drug his full bucket next to the others in a line and started to mimic the dance steps he saw Black Feather doing. “Wish he would talk to us a little and tell what this kind of dancing means. Maybe he's trying to get his feet warmed up. Maybe his people used to travel to milder summer homes when they roamed freely. He must have some rousin' stories of his lifetime to tell.”

“Aw. They'd scare you plenty anyway. Good thing he keeps his mouth shut.” Hough teased his younger brother.

“Listen. Sounds like the entertainment is over for the night.” Pa interrupted. “Come along, boys. We'll slop the hogs and lock the chickens into the coop for little Stuart before we go in for supper. Keep the kid in out of the cold. We'll be back over in the morning, Jan. Hope Hattie starts to feel better. Best she doesn't have to come out in the cold, either.”

As they passed by the tepee in their sled Black Feather stood wrapped in a blanket his arm extended out with palm facing them then nodded and ducked into the fur covered shelter.

Too late they waved back, “Friendly sort of fellow.” Daniel remarked.