The Badger Riot by J.A. Ricketts Read Free Book Online Page A

installed one for her, on the ground floor off the kitchen where the old pantry used to be.
    Ruth cared for Eli as if he were her own father. The old man was a bit gruff with her at first, but you couldn’t stay gruff around Ruth for long and, after a couple of months, he warmed to her good cooking, her cleanliness and her comforting ways. This was probably due in large part to her successful treating of his gout. In autumn, Ruth would pick gallons of wild cherries that grew in profusion along the banks of the Little Red Indian River. These she would steep, strain through cheesecloth, and bottle. Eli drank the result three times a day all through the winter and spring. When Rod asked her how she’d come upon that cure, she said that she’d gone to Annie Drum for advice.
How come Pop and me never thought of that?
Rod wondered.

5
    It took a few days for the goose egg on Jennie Sullivan’s head to disappear and then she was out and about once more, looking for any excuse to meet up with Tom. It was easy to find him in the small town. She would often walk down to the chip stand or to Coleman’s Restaurant, and if he wasn’t in either of those places she would find him over by the town hall. There were always friends about, and she could usually find some reason to stand close to him.
    â€œHow you feeling Jennie?” he asked when she joined them that first evening.
    â€œOh don’t you worry about me, Tom Hillier,” Jennie laughed up at him. “Sure it was only a little ball and I am made of sterner stuff than that!”
    Ralph and Vern were standing nearby and Ralph knew that Jennie was right: it would take more than a ball to hurt his Amazon Beothuk Woman. All the same, he wasn’t too sure about the way Jennie was looking up at Tom. Maybe a lot more had come of that accident than he wished.
    Vern knew right away that it was a sure thing between Jennie and Tom, especially with them bantering back and forth all the time. Jennie loved to tease Tom and, when she flirted, her quick tongue and saucy manner were at their best. Tom danced around her like a young rooster until both Vern and Ralph were fair sick of them.
    Jennie was dying for Tom to ask her to go for a walk down bythe River in the dark of a summer evening as other couples did. But he didn’t. Religion again, she supposed.
    That fall, they returned to school for their last year. Jennie, Ralph and Vern went back with the nuns while Tom attended the amalgamated school. Although his school was only up the road, it was a sad fact for Jennie that the two religions kept all their activities apart.
    In the spring of 1946, before he finished his grade eleven, Tom up and quit school. When Jennie heard this, she just had to talk to him. That Friday night was cold and raining and she figured the best place to find him would be up to Coleman’s Restaurant. Sure enough, when she went in he was sitting at one of the tables eating chips with a few of the boys.
    With Jennie Sullivan there were no back doors. She marched up to the table and tapped Tom on the shoulder. “I heard from Phonse that you up and quit school. What’d you do a thing like that for, Tom? Sure, you know how important education is, especially in this day and age.”
    Tom stood up and took her by the arm and walked away from the table.
    â€œYes, Jennie, and it’s nice to see you again too.” He smiled into her eyes and she realized how abrupt she’d been. “Listen, I’ve learned all I need to know,” he continued, “and besides, them seats are just too small for me. I asked the principal if I could use a table and chair, but he asked me if I thought I was the teacher, because students have to sit in desks and only teachers got tables and chairs.” Tom laughed. “Don’t worry about me. I am going to work and start making some money. I already got meself a job!”
    â€œWhat do you mean, a job? Are you going