Brightwell
Time walker
During the war of Northern Aggression outside Nashville Missouri is a ferry over the North Branch River. Grandma Moore oversaw the operation of the ferry. Her grandson Clevis Moore is the operator of the ferry. Now Clevis is not all that smart, but he is strong and can pull the rope that guides the ferry across the river. It can take a good 20 minutes to pull the ferry over from the East side to the West side. Grandma Moore has a shack on a slight rise near the riverbank where she and Clevis live.
The most common sight is Grandma Moore sitting in her rocking chair smoking her corncob pipe knitting up a storm. From her vantage point she can see down the road to the bend on her side and a break in the trees where the road ends at the river's edge on the other. On a wooden sign is written.
Man walking-10c
Woman walking-10c
Child walking-2c
Man with a horse-25c
Worman with a horse-20c
Child with a horse-15c
Man with one horse and a wagon-40c
Man with two horses- 40c
Man with two horses and a wagon-50c
Limit on ferry is one wagon or four horses.
Now Grandma Moore would wrap on her sign to let the folks know the prices. "Can you Read?" She would call out. And she would watch to see how the traveler responded.
"You pay before you load!" She would point to double barrel shotgun that leans on the rail of her porch. If you can't read and you don't pay. I'll put you in the river!"
Clevis's job is to collect the money for the ferry trip across the river. She called out the amount of the fee and Clevis would count it out and yell the amount back to Grandma Moore.
Now during the War of Northern Aggression armed men would come to the ferry. Grandma Moore would wrap on her sign with a stick. Clevis would hear Grandma Moore and come out to see who it was. From time-to-time Missouri raider would use the ferry to cross the river. Clevis would come out of the shack take a look and start whistling Dixie with a big smile on his face talking up how the best president was ole Jeff Davis. Other times Kansas Red legs would show up. Grandma Moore would wrap on her sign. Clevis would come out take a look and start to whistle Johnny comes marching home. He would talk up that good old honest Abe was the salvation of the country.
One day near the end of the war a man rode slowly up the road. He had a Missouri long rifle across his saddle and a brace of two pistols in plain sight. He has a hard weathered face and dead looking eyes. He looks at the sign and spits a stream of tobacco juice at the base.
Grandma Moore whistles Dixie.
The most common sight is Grandma Moore sitting in her rocking chair smoking her corncob pipe knitting up a storm. From her vantage point she can see down the road to the bend on her side and a break in the trees where the road ends at the river's edge on the other. On a wooden sign is written.
Man walking-10c
Woman walking-10c
Child walking-2c
Man with a horse-25c
Worman with a horse-20c
Child with a horse-15c
Man with one horse and a wagon-40c
Man with two horses- 40c
Man with two horses and a wagon-50c
Limit on ferry is one wagon or four horses.
Now Grandma Moore would wrap on her sign to let the folks know the prices. "Can you Read?" She would call out. And she would watch to see how the traveler responded.
"You pay before you load!" She would point to double barrel shotgun that leans on the rail of her porch. If you can't read and you don't pay. I'll put you in the river!"
Clevis's job is to collect the money for the ferry trip across the river. She called out the amount of the fee and Clevis would count it out and yell the amount back to Grandma Moore.
Now during the War of Northern Aggression armed men would come to the ferry. Grandma Moore would wrap on her sign with a stick. Clevis would hear Grandma Moore and come out to see who it was. From time-to-time Missouri raider would use the ferry to cross the river. Clevis would come out of the shack take a look and start whistling Dixie with a big smile on his face talking up how the best president was ole Jeff Davis. Other times Kansas Red legs would show up. Grandma Moore would wrap on her sign. Clevis would come out take a look and start to whistle Johnny comes marching home. He would talk up that good old honest Abe was the salvation of the country.
One day near the end of the war a man rode slowly up the road. He had a Missouri long rifle across his saddle and a brace of two pistols in plain sight. He has a hard weathered face and dead looking eyes. He looks at the sign and spits a stream of tobacco juice at the base.
Grandma Moore whistles Dixie.
Last edited: