Into the Red Dust We Die By RS Luebben

Chapter One

"Slow Lean" Jim Lewis stepped off the steamer in , and for the first time in a while, he could take a deep breath. I still could reconcile that the war was over. All those men spilling their guts onto the battlefield, and at the moment it felt like what we had to do. I never felt awake on the steamboat ride up the Mississippi, just the waters pushing apart through my dreams. Bewilderment, confusion, and regret were souring my self-identity, and the skin I occupied covered ever more weary bones. This was just another stop in the journey back to the farm. After moving from Illinois, we had barely been there a year when I volunteered for the 1st Minnesota. The journey my family and I took was one of joy, and new hopes. Farmland of our very own, cheap and easy to attain, it was too good to be true. This trip isn't as joyous as it should be. I should be filled with the excitement of seeing my family again, but Somehow all I can feel is that the boy who left for war died out on those battlefields. Out of his ashes rose this new man, who is burdened with the same face but it is a different soul behind those eyes.
After a stop at Fort Snelling to officially muster out of the Army, I joined a caravan of wagons heading west who were willing to let me tag along. There is still a lot of goodwill towards us soldiers right now, due to the Union victory. During the war, people were rarely eager to see us coming. These families I'm riding with remind me of my family when we came looking west for opportunities. I might have to look to the west, for the stir in my soul can't find any rest among the familiar. As much as I'd like to see my parents again, they may not like what I've been forged into. Would they even see anything of their son left?
What was it that caused me to volunteer so quickly back then? Was it because I feared the South leaving the Union? Was it because of slavery and the plight of the colored men? Was it because of patriotism? I wish I could claim high morals. The simple truth is I think I did so because everyone else did.
As the wagons drive on and the roads and hills become familiar, I almost feel like I'm heading back into battle, fearing how my reception will be. As we rode through town, it felt familiar but something strange about it, like it, was no longer mine to claim.
They dropped me off near the edge of our farm outside of Sauk Centre and I said my thanks and wished them good luck in finding a piece of land to settle. Due to a war injury, I have a slight lean and limp in my walk. My 6'4 frame has mostly been a blessing but now it just adds pressure on my leg. So making my way up to the main house isn't as swift as I'd like.
As I walk down the luscious green hills, descending I can see the house, and Clothes flying around on the line. Behind the flapping clothes, I see a middle-aged woman next to a half-filled basket, pinning damp clothes up. She has more grey than the last time I saw her, but she seems to be wondering the same thing as I am. "James! Is that… you? Thank the Lord in heaven, you've come back to me." She fell to her knees in a mess of tears with her hands touching the ground. I ran to her side and as I did my two brothers, sister, and father all appeared. I helped my mother to stand as we hugged, I couldn't help the mist in my eyes and the rush of emotion. Everyone took their turn hugging me, as they forgot about their chores.
We sat at the table as mother brought out varied baked goods. Everyone had too many questions to think about food, and despite my hunger, I resisted as I had many questions of my own. I dodged detailed questions about the war, they wanted to talk about me like a hero but I felt anything but.
My two brothers were pestering me for battle details, as my little sister sat on my leg, leaning in so as to hug me. She said she was scared I'd leave again, so she wasn't going to let go. I didn't have the heart to tell them that I just couldn't stay. The war had sent my soul a fire and I couldn't find peace in my mind.
Ma updates me on my younger siblings, "Roger's been helping the most with the chores like you used to, while Tommy and Trudie help where they can. Tommy's usually building forts out of hay bails and play-acting his own battles. Trudie wonders about the pasture and usually comes back with soaked hair from playing around in the pond. I tell her the cattle to drink out of that, but if you can stop her, you're better than I. I've been too soft with that one." "Jim, I know you just got back but have you got any ideas about what you're fixing to do now?" Pa inquired.
"No, not really sir." "Well, you came back at the perfect time. Ain't no two ways about it, for you're going to find out eventually. Roger, take your brother and sister outside for a minute."Pa waited for them to close the door. "There's a gambling house and brothel that moved into town, and I decided to try my luck gambling there. The crops ain't been the best and I thought I might win some money to help with the situation. I wasn't doing bad but I started in on the drink and from then on I started to lose, really lose. I owe the Liston's quite a lot, and they want the farm. I told them I'd get them the money somehow, just give me some time. These aren't patient men. They've made some threats that they'd burn the place down if I don't give them the full amount, things like that. We already passed the deadline for when they wanted the money and were on pins and needles waiting to see what they'll do." Pa starting to get riled up.
Taken aback by the suddenness, "You said anything to the law about all this? Asked if you can make a payment plan or use next year's harvest as collateral?" I fired off a bunch of questions.
"You're Pa has tried the law and the local authorities. They say that we owe the money and we should pay it" Ma's face was awash in imitation.
"So what do we do?" I'm still searching for clarity.
"The thing is, I usually don't drink when I gamble, but they were offering it for free. Kept filling my glass. I don't even remember betting all that money. I just woke up in jail and was told I fed money." I'm very suspicious of the whole thing but what can I do? Pa pleaded "I think they want our land for the railroad and are looking to cheat us off it. Worse, they're looking for us to pay them for our land. That's what I think." Ma angrily spewed.
"Well, at least give me a night to sleep on all this. It's also to take in is all." I flashed a smile trying to comfort them. I can't say that any of us slept on all too well.
It took more than a night for me to think of anything. We went about our chores on the farm, went into town, and did normal things and nothing seemed out of place. Maybe this Liston family out of the east was just trying to use scare tactics. They're business people, getting payments from us is better than nothing. I talked to Pa about some money I put away in a bank in St. Paul. I'd planned to look for work there after spending time on the farm, but if it helps the family to keep the farm I could put that on hold a little longer.
My parents sent me to St Paul to get the money and they said they'd let the Liston's know. Even though it might take a couple of days extra for them to get their money, at least they'd get it right? I took some stages there and back, and the only trouble was the riding. I was walking down towards the main house on my return when a foul stench hit me, and it brought me back to the smell of a battlefield. I instantly was nauseous. I ran to see my father and mother sitting by the front door in a defeated slouch. They didn't even raise their heads as I approached.
"What is going on? What is that smell?" I asked but got nothing in response at first. "It's over son, it finished." My Pa said in the most disturbingly quiet voice. "They… They poisoned the cattle. They're all dead."
"Son." My mother's voice stammered through tears. "Your sister." She couldn't even continue the thought much less say the words.
Pa continued for her but I knew what he was about to say. "Trudie, she's, gone." He turned away, fighting tears.
"And Roger and Tommy?" "They're fine. They are staying at the neighbor's for we didn't want them in the house to watch their sister dying." Ma sobbed.
"What do you mean, they poisoned them? Tell me who did this!" I was now in a storm of anger. "The Listons?"
"I don't have any proof but someone poisoned the cattle's drinking water, the pond." Pa started. "I notice the cattle were acting funny but by the time I noticed…" "And Trudie, how did they do this to her?" I demanded "She was probably playing in the pond as she does so often, somehow it got into her system," Pa added.
"How do you know they were poisoned?"
"The pond is full of arsenic." Pa continued. "I don't know how or when, but I know it's the Listons that did this." Pa now growing angry. "They can have the land now, we have nothing."
"I don't understand, I thought they wanted money from you, why kill the cattle? They could have sold the cattle." I tried to find the logic.
"This was never about the money, I see that now. They wanted the land. If I wasn't selling they couldn't legally take it. Without proof, I've got no legal claim they did this, and I still owe them the money, they'll get the land for free to settle the debt. With the cattle dead, I can't sell them full of arsenic, so I can't use them to settle the debt now." He laid it out plain. "You still have the money I just brought back. You and ma can put that toward starting over." I showed them the bag of money.
"That's for you son, that's yours." Ma said.
"No, I won't be needing it. I've got something else in mind."
"What are you going to do?" Ma hesitated to ask.
"I'm going to find the Listons."
"What do you plan on doing when you find them?" Pa questioned.
"I'm going to kill them Pa.
"Son, if you do that, then will lose you too. Don't add to this tragedy." Ma begged "Where's Trudie? I want to say goodbye." "She's lying on her bed." Ma turned and walked away quietly.
I knelt before Trudie at her bedside. She had some coloration to her skin, but other than that she looked peaceful. I held her hand and said I prayed for her soul to find its way. Then I told God to forgive me for what I had to do. I wept for her.
I put on my weapons for the first time since the war with the intent to use them. Once more into battle as it were. I was going to start in town looking for Listons, for I wanted to make an announcement. I wanted them to come to me and this was my declaration of war. I walked into the Saloon in town, Caspers's. I managed to get everyone's attention very quickly, showing my guns.
"I'm looking for Listons, or the who work for them, any here?" Nobody moved or spoke up. "My name is Jim Nelson, the Listons poisoned our cattle. Not very long ago my sister Trudie took her last breath because of them." I waited to see if that stirred them. Once again no one spoke up. This saloon and brothel were owned by the Listons as well, so I went to the office door and kicked it in. No one was inside.
I went to the general store that the Liston's own and looked around there. I had to break the lock. I snooped around and finally saw what I was looking for, a casket of arsenic. Sold to help keep pests out of fields if you apply it in small measures to the right areas, but mishandling can be catastrophic to many things on a farm, like cattle and children.
With no luck in the town of finding them, I made my way to the Liston farm. Their farm was empty, nobody was around. Probably left town to give themselves an alibi. Perhaps Pa is wrong and they didn't have anything to do with it. Who else had the motive and access to that much arsenic? They may not have poisoned the water themselves but it was on their orders. No one else has the motive. I searched around their farm looking to see if I could find any matching caskets of arsenic or evidence. I didn't find anything. That's why they're gone, they went to get rid of evidence and supply an alibi at once.
I was coming from the Liston cattle pasture when I heard a wagon coming. I moseyed on up to where they could see me. It was a man in his '50s with a grey balding head, a woman of similar age, and three boys, the oldest being about 25.
"Hey, who is that?" The older man shouted. "What are you doing on my property? Get out of here before I shoot you dead on the spot."
"I'm James Nelson, I'm here looking for the Liston family. I didn't get the chance to meet ye before I left for the war. It's over now, consider this my hello." I teased.
"I could have saved you some time, we didn't need to be introduced. As I hear, your family is leaving this area anyways." Mr. Liston was boasting.
"I don't usually introduce myself to swine, but I wanted to meet someone so cold-hearted that they could kill little girls." I accused.
At that the oldest boy jumped down, Billy Liston I later found out, "Don't you talk to my father like that you piece of shit." I ignored him. He drew his gun.
"No, let him leave son. He and his kin we'll be leaving this town and they'll be handing over that land soon enough." Mr. Liston seemed proud of himself.
"If you were out of town, how'd you know all about our troubles?" I interrogated "Why, it's all over town. We just heard the bad news ourselves, how terrible." Feigning emotion.
"I'll leave but this ain't over you scum." And I started to walk by their wagon. "Hold on!" I stopped by the back of the wagon and looked in. Something wet had spilled in a corner. I reached to touch it but Billy shoved me away. "Looks like the evidence you went to dump, leaked. The sheriff might be interested to know." I turned and started to move to get out of there when I heard the noise of a gun being cocked. I spun and drew my pistol to see Billy drawing a bead on me. I shot without even thinking. I'll never know if he intended to shoot me or scare me. I didn't really care. He dropped dead all the same.
"Billy!" Mr. Liston shouted as he jumped down to attend to his oldest son. "You'll hang for this, I swear it." I know he meant it.
I wanted to shoot his whole family and burn his farm to the ground. I wanted to feel satisfied that I killed Billy but I didn't. I didn't feel much at the moment. Did he draw on me or did I kill him in cold blood?
I needed to say goodbye to my folks because I knew I'd never see them again but I ran the risk of getting caught. I'd take the chance. I made my way back home as fast as I could but it was no use. I didn't have a horse and so they easily tracked me down and arrested me for the murder of Billy Liston.
If Mr. Liston had his way, they'd skip the trial and go straight to hanging me. The sheriff fearing retaliation had me sent to the St. Cloud Jail until he could get a judge and jury assembled. I didn't get to say goodbye to my family and no one seemed terribly interested in exploring the Listons part in poisoning our cattle and my sister Trudie. It was going to eat away at me knowing that they were going to be free and getting richer, while my parents would be leaving in shame. How could God allow this? Everything seemed backward. Just a week ago I came back a war hero, now I'm leaving in disgrace. If only I could escape and prove the Liston's are corrupt. Justice seems blind to poor people.