Travis Read Online Free PDF

in Memphis. After that, she and her little brother begged and stole food along the docks to survive. Then in desperation, she’d started picking up men on the streets to feed herself and Tommy. Poor Tommy. She choked back a sob. After three years, he got yellow fever in the summer and she had only herself to look after. She thought she could better herself by coming west, but no one wanted to hire her except saloon owners. She’d listened to Duke’s promises of marriage, but he was like the others, only wanting to use her himself and make money off her body. Well, now was her chance to escape, but she was weighed down with four children. What to do?
    “I’m hungry,” said Kessie behind her.
    “So am I,” Limpy echoed.
    Boo Hoo began to cry again.
    “I’ll get us some food,” Violet promised, but she wasn’t sure how. “Let’s walk over to all those wagon people. Maybe someone down that line will offer to feed us.”
    They started walking and had to stop once for Limpy to catch up. “I’m sorry,” he said, shame-faced. “One of my legs is shorter than the other and I just can’t keep up.”
    “It’s all right.” Violet patted his thin shoulder. “We can slow down a little.”
    There must have been a hundred buggies and covered wagons stretched out along the creek and some men with just a horse and a blanket spread out by campfires.
    They approached the first wagon and Violet gave the lady her saddest smile. “Please, ma’am, we’re all orphans and we’re hungry. Could you spare us a little of that bird you’re cooking?”
    The woman shook her head. “Sorry, honey, I got five kids of my own in the wagon and this might barely feed them.”
    Boo Hoo began to cry again as they walked to the next wagon. A middle-aged farmer was stirring a pot of chili.
    “Please, mister,” Violet said, “we’re orphans and we’re hungry. Could you spare us a little?”
    He looked Violet up and down in a way that made her skin crawl. “How old are you, honey?”
    “Thirteen.”
    The man grinned. “Young, just like I like ’em. You crawl into the wagon for a few minutes with me, kid, and I’ll feed all of you.”
    Limpy grabbed her arm and stepped in front of her. “No, she ain’t doing that.”
    “Then starve, you little beggars!” The man cursed them and they hurried away.
    It was growing dark now and Violet was getting a headache. There was food aplenty for her at the Diamond Horseshoe, but she shuddered at the thought of going back there and besides, she couldn’t abandon these kids.
    They next came to a buggy where a young man and woman sat by a campfire eating bread and butter.
    Violet said. “Please, ma’am, we’re hungry orphans. Could you spare us a little?”
    The lady had a kind face. She stared up at little Boo Hoo. “Why is she crying?”
    “Because she’s hungry, ma’am,” Harold said.
    The lady said to her husband. “Isn’t that the cutest baby you ever saw?”
    “Now, Lucinda, don’t even think—”
    “She’s an orphan, too?” the young woman asked.
    “Yes, ma’am,” Violet said.
    “Then why don’t you give her to me?” The young woman stood up and held out her hands. “We don’t have any children and we’d love to take—”
    Boo Hoo set up a howl that could be heard a mile away and clung to Violet like a baby monkey. “No! No! Feathers! Stay with Feathers!”
    Kessie, Limpy and Harold all presented a front, stepping in front of Violet. Violet said, “I’m sorry, we can’t give her away. You see, we’re all family.”
    “I’d give her a good home,” the woman said.
    Violet shook her head and began backing from the couple. “No, we just can’t do that.”
    The five scurried away with the woman calling after them. Violet’s heart was beating hard. Maybe the couple would have given Boo Hoo a good home, but suddenly this seemed like her own little girl and she couldn’t let her go.
    They walked a little farther and found an older couple with a sad-looking