Yes--and then,oh!the most wonderful thing happened:a family settled in the arm of the mountain at the west end--a family that had a woman and a baby in it--a sure-enough woman with a sweet face and of a high grade though worked down pretty level what from hardships--and a baby that laughed,just laughed whenever he saw me coming in the dugout--and I was over there every day.And that's how I got to be like a woman,and know how to dress,and how to meet strangers without being scared,and preside at table,and use language like this.Other settlers began coming into Greer,but they were far away,and Brick and Bill don't like folks,so they stayed shut up pretty close.But for three years I had the mother and her baby to show me how to be a woman.Then came the soldiers.Brick thinks a big cattle-king stood in with Congress,and he got the soldiers sent here to drive out all the settlers because they were beginning to farm the land instead of letting it grow wild for the cattle.Anyway,all the settlers were driven out of the country--and it's been four years since I lost my only friends in the world--except Brick and Bill.What makes me and Brick and Bill mad is,that the soldiers didn't have any right to drive out the settlers,because Texas claims this country,and so does the United States,but it's never been settled.
But they didn't drive YOU out,Wilfred remarked inquiringly.You see,Brick explained simply,we didn't want to go.
It nearly broke Mrs.Featherby's heart to have to leave,Lahoma added,for they'd got a good stand of wheat and I think she liked me 'most as well as I liked her.But Mr.Featherby came from Ohio,and he had respect to the government,so when the soldiers said 'Go,'he pulled up stakes.
We ain't got no respect to nothing,Brick explained,that stands in the way of doing what we're a mind to.The soldiers come to force us out,but they changed their minds.I reckon they knew they hadn't no morality on their side.Sure thing,they knowed they had but very little safety,whilst occupying their position.None was left but us in this country till you cattlemen come monopolizing Heaven and earth.Knowing we got just as much right to this cove as Uncle Sam himself,we expect to stay here at anchor till Lahoma steams out into the big world with sails spread.She expects to tug us along behind her--but I don't know,I'm afraid we'd draw heavy.Until that time comes,however,we 'lows to lay to,in this harbor.We feels sheltered.Nothing ain't more sheltering than knowing you have a moral right and a dependable gun.