human
Howdy, folks.
gpt
Hello!
human
My name's Winterson, Henry Winterson. I live-- with a gesture of his thumb he indicated the entire west
gpt
We're the Tower family, Joe introduced the individual members,
human
Glad to know you! Winterson acknowledged.
gpt
Glad to know you! He came to Barbara.
human
Woo-hoo! Double glad! If I wasn't already married to Martha, you wouldn't get away!
gpt
Careful, Joe grinned.
human
Barbara and Ellis are figuring on being married before very long.
gpt
Well, strike me down! We not only got close neighbors but there's going to be a wedding! Martha will be plumb out of her mind when she hears that! When's the big day?
human
Soon, I hope.
gpt
We'll come, asserted Winterson, who hadn't been invited but took it for granted that he would be.
human
Martha and me will be here and you can bet on that! Yup! You can just bet on it! Sure is a lucky thing I rode into Axton this morning! Otherwise I might never of known we had neighbors! Yup! Worth losing a horse to find that out!
gpt
You lost a horse?
human
Yup. There's some half-witted Indians prowl about here and they must have run it off. Figured I'd report it to Axton. Never can tell. Those soldier boys might be shot through with dumb luck some day and find something they're looking for.
gpt
Indians bother you much?
human
Nah! Winterson said scornfully.
gpt
Martha and me came through last year, right at the tail end though we started at the fore. Wagon broke down five times this side of Axton. Finally I said, 'Martha, if this blamed thing breaks down again we're setting up right where it happens.' Those were my very words. That's exactly what I said to her. So the blame thing broke down again and we set up right there. This is the first time Indians pestered us even a mite; mostly they're too lazy to scratch when they itch. You don't have to trouble your head about 'em.
human
They told us at Axton to watch out for hostiles.
gpt
And why wouldn't they tell you that at Axton? As long as that iron-faced major can keep up an Indian scare, he can set around here and enjoy life. If they transfer him to some other post he might have to work and I doubt if he could stand the shock. This country's every bit as safe as Vermont. Sure do like these meadows. If we'd known about 'em we probably would have come here.
human
Come anyhow, Joe urged.
gpt
There's plenty of room.
human
Martha'd bend a skillet over my head. We've got our buildings up and our crops in. The day we moved in Martha said, 'Henry, I moved from Vermont to here. That's enough moving for one lifetime.' Those were her very words. That's exactly what she said to me. She meant it, too. I know she'll be fretting to come and visit, though, soon's she knows you're here. She hasn't seen a woman since last year.
gpt
Please bring her, said Emma, who hadn't seen a woman other than Barbara since they'd left Laramie.
human
We'll be delighted to see her. Come prepared to stay a while.
gpt
Do that, Joe seconded.
human
We've plenty of room.
gpt
I can see that. Winterson eyed the house.
human
You sure built as though you aim to stay here a spell.
gpt
We'll be here, Joe assured him.
human
We've had enough moving too.
gpt
Guess everybody has, time they get to Oregon. Winterson eyed Emma's chickens.
human
You wouldn't want to sell or trade a couple of those hens, would you?
gpt
That's my wife's department,
human
I don't believe so, Emma told Winterson.
gpt
We have only four left. There were six, but two of them were broody and went off to steal their nests. I haven't seen them since, and suppose some animal must have caught them.
human
That's our trouble too, Winterson said sadly.
gpt
We fetched three hens and a rooster all this way and they all went in one night. Martha tells me often, 'Henry, the sound I'm most lonesome for is a clucking hen.' Those are her very words. That's exactly what she tells me. I do have a right nice bunch of little pigs. My sow littered eleven, and I know that a piglet for a hen is giving a lot but I'd be willing--Hey, look!