[Vfw-times] Adventures in Chattahoochee Hollar - Mystery Bag (1/?)

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Adventures In Chattahoochee Hollar


The Mysterious Bag

By:  Kimberly M. Edwards


The hot, merciless summer sun sat high in the sky, baking everything below.  
Mr. Foxley wiped his brow with a handkerchief as he continued plowing his 
field. 
He turned around to check on Johnny, who was in the next field, plowing with 
the
mule team.  As he was turning back around, he saw his youngest child walking
towards him with two of his friends in the distance.  Scarcely a day had past
since Travis’s conversion, when he was already seeing fruit in that new, dear
babe in Christ.  Travis went and told all of his friends of Jesus, and His
beckoning plea to the lost and to the downtrodden.  The vulpine boy also read
his Bible with an insatiable desire, wanting to know the Saviour!  As they
approached, Mr. Foxley saw Travis and recognized Wadell and Strogie Smith,
muskrat brothers, who were the same age as Travis.  He stopped his Fordson
tractor and checked his pocket watch.   It was almost lunchtime.

“Hey boys, what can I do for you?” Mr. Foxley said, stepping off his tractor.

The trio walked up to the vulpine man, who once again took out his 
handkerchief
to wipe his face.

“Mr. Chavis gave each of us a big fish, and I thought Mommy could cook ‘em 
for
us.”

“Yeah,” said Wadell, chiming in.

“Our Mommy said we could eat lunch with Travis and play over here for a little
while if’n it was okay with you and Mrs. Foxley.”

“Of course you can stay!  We’d be glad to have you....but where’s your fish?”
 Mr. Foxley said, looking around the boys.

“Right here!” Travis answered, excitedly.

Travis struggled to pull his fish out of his pocket while Wadell and Strogie 
pulled
out theirs.

“See?” Travis squeaked. He held it up to his father’s face.

The bass stared blankly with its mouth gaped wide open.  A foul stench
permeated from the fish and rose up to the man’s nostrils.  Mr. Foxley gasped
and caught his breath.  He looked at his son lovingly, and smiled at the 
three.
“H-How long have you had that fish in your pocket?”

“Oh, we’ve had it for several hours.  We've been playing!”  Travis answered,
smiling innocently.

“We ran into Mr. Chavis while we were a’playin’ in the woods, and he gave 
‘em
to us.” Wadell added.  “He said we could have ‘em.”

“Yeah, and they’re nice, warm and toasty now.  Mommy doesn’t have to worry
about tenderizin’ ‘em.” Travis said.

“And they’re dead!” Strogie added, holding up his fish.

Mr. Foxley wiped his mouth, trying to prevent himself from laughing.

“That’s okay, boys,” Mr. Foxley said, then looked at Travis.  “I think your 
mother
has some fried chicken already made.”  “We’ll plant these in the garden 
after a
while.”

Travis looked down at his fish and frowned.

“Okay.”

Travis put the fish back into his pocket.   Wadell and Strogie did the same.

“Don’t worry, maybe I can take you fishing when I get done this evening.”

“Yeah, and Mommy can fry ‘em too!” Travis perked up.

“Thank you for the fish, all of you,”  Mr. Foxley said, looking at the 
friends.

“Can Wadell and Strogie spend the night?”

The boys exchanged hopeful smiles and crossed their fingers.

“We’ll have to see about that.  We’ll have to go to Mr. Max’s Grocery and 
call
their mother.” Go and tell your brother it’s time for lunch and tell him to 
wash up.” 
Mr. Foxley said, pointing towards Johnny.

“And be sure that you three wash up too.  I’m sure your mother’s looking for
you.”

“YEEEEEE-HAAAAAA!” all three boys said together.

The boys took off across the field, running towards Johnny.   When they were
out of hearing distance, Mr. Foxley slapped his leg and started laughing.   He
haven’t laughed so hard since the start of the Depression two years ago.  
Those
children blessed his heart.  

“Thank you dear Lord for children!”

Heavenly showers had poured out their blessings, and his cup had surely
overflowed.  Wiping away a tear, he walked towards the house thinking about
the love that was shown from the Savior and Friend.   He saw His love through
his children and his wife.  He saw the love the gentle Shepherd had shown
through many answered prayers.  He saw the love and the grace shown to him
and his family in that they were not only a family here in the Hollar, but 
were all a
part of God's eternal family.  He looked down at the budding plants.  Yes, he
even saw God’s love through these tiny sprouts.  Yes, he was grateful for the
Master Farmer, the One who created and cultivated them all.