The Cellmate
The rays of the sun glistened through the mist as it rose between the mountains, covering the landscape with a wet cloak. Squinting his eyes against the shimmering light, Andy Sturgil stood in awe of the morning's beauty. The dew made everything on the ground sparkle, and reaffirmed his belief that this was truly God's country. You could keep Chicago, New York; all of those big cities. Whitesburg would do just fine.
Whitesburg Kentucky was not a bustling metropolis in 1925, but to the people, like Andy, who lived in the region, it was the center of trade, law and information. The mountain people made infrequent trips down the slopes and out of the hollows to supplement their meager lives with the essentials; coffee, sugar, flour, and sweet wheat middling. Wheat middling was the chosen grain for feeding milk cows. Middling without salt was the main ingredient for White Lightning. If a man could make good liquor, and Andy did, he would also make an excellent profit. One jug of the precious brew had sold for forty dollars at the end of the war. A man just might get fifty these days.
On this particular Indian summer day, Andy journeyed toward the town and made a mental note of what he would trade for. He was in need of an ample supply of sugar and sweet wheat middling. The still was ready for use after the new copper tubing was put on, and he was eager to churn out the best supply of White Lightning in years. Andy knew that he had to find a new location for his still because Sheriff Turner was on a rampage. The law had already destroyed four of his neighbors' secret enterprises, and Andy knew that he had to be shrewd in choosing his new spot. He had finally decided on settling the still on a dry ridge, away from any of the mountain streams, and pipe the water to where it was needed. This would take more time, but the sheriff and his men knew to look for stills along the waterways. With the arrival of winter, the snow and ice would help to cover the pipeline.
A few meager jars of last year's supply were nestled in a knapsack slung across his shoulders. Old Man Tribbit had told Andy to bring him a few jars before winter set in. He would pay the going price. It would help in fighting the sickness that always came in the cold weather months.
Even Doc Handy was known to prescribe toddies made with Andy's brew for the croup. So great was his reputation that Sheriff Turner made it his primary goal to lock the brewer king up every chance that he could.
Andy's thoughts touched on Turner as he made his way down the serpentine path. The bottom of his trousers swayed heavily with his strides as they collected the dew from the dense grass and brush. Andy knew that the region's stills were a source of irritation for the sheriff. In Turner's eye, the mountain people had been living by their own code for too long. As the appointed law officer in the region, he was determined to make them respect his authority.
However, in recent weeks the war that was being waged on moonshiners, had taken a backseat to a special case, which had monopolized the bulk of Sheriff Turner's time. Lloyd Frazier had been found guilty of murdering a woman. Most people knew the kind of person Lloyd had been, quiet and kind of shy. Nobody really understood how he had been capable of such a crime. They did, however, know that Lloyd's mother had been jealous of the victim; they had been seeing the same man.
Annie Frazier had given Lloyd a saddle horse in return for the promise of getting rid of her rival.
It had been difficult to find an executioner to carry out the sentence. Men had resigned rather than be responsible for taking the life of the young man.
News of a hanging had spread quickly throughout the region. Whitesburg had never had a public execution and the subject was on everyone's lips. Andy was vaguely aware of the facts. He knew little of the family, although he had known Annie. They had attended the same small one-room schoolhouse as children. He had glimpsed the boy now and then through the years in town with Annie's father. The old man had loved the boy as his own, and unlike the rest of the family, overlooked Lloyd's illegitimacy. He had also fostered the boy's love of horses, and had promised to get Lloyd the finest mount possible. The promise had turned into a dream following the old man's death. Dejected, the boy looked to his mother for any kind of affection as he continued to withdraw from the rest of the world.
Andy's mind closed on the subject as he approached Old Man Tribbit's door. He had been looking forward to some hot coffee and happy conversation when he arrived, but the sight of the old man's face let him know that this would not happen.
Tribbit had known the boy since childhood and knew of his devotion to his mother. He was also aware of his love of horses.
As the old man led Andy inside he asked, "Well, did you know that young Lloyd dies tomorrow?"
With a shake of his head, the old man continued, "He always did do what that no-account bitch of a woman wanted. She knew how to get to him too. She knew he wanted that chestnut mare something fierce. Lied to him, she did. Told him that the woman had threatened her. Said how afraid she was. Lord knows that boy wouldn't have hurt anyone on his own."
After settling business, Andy said good-bye to the old man, and as he closed the door behind him, he thought of Annie Frazier. She had never been a virtuous woman. It was no surprise to anyone when she turned up pregnant with Lloyd at sixteen. Still, she had been responsible for the boy and cared for him. Annie had never married, and was still a fine looking woman at the age of thirty-six. Andy knew that she had been seeing a railroad man, but didn't think much of it. Annie always had a man.
Andy's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a sharp sounding voice. "Stop right where you are Andy." He turned to see the sheriff and two of his deputies standing close behind him.
"I'm taking you in for questioning. We've uncovered a stash of bootleg liquor and I think you know something about it."
Andy grinned at the men, knowing that Turner had no such evidence, but decided that it was best to cooperate in order to cover his tracks.
"Whatever you say John."
As Andy was escorted into the jail, another deputy motioned for Turner, and the two whispered softly, looking once in his direction.
"Andy," Turner said, "We only have one more cot left and the cell is occupied by the Frazier boy. You don't have to stay there, I mean, we could make other arrangements."
The thought of spending the night handcuffed to Turner's desk didn't appeal to him. John Turner had an irritating habit of rolling a toothpick back and forth in his mouth, and the vision of being forced to witness the smacking sounds in between lectures on law enforcement hastened his answer.
"I don't mind bunking with Frazier."
As the key turned the lock, a slight movement caught Andy's attention and he found himself staring into a pair of dark eyes. Surprisingly, nothing was said and Andy nodded his head as he sat on the cot. The boy looked at him for a moment and then turned away. Feeling uneasy, Andy lowered himself down on the cot and attempted to find sleep.
The sound of a horse whinnying broke the silence of the cell. Lloyd rose from the cot and moved to the window, staring at the sight below. His chestnut mare was enclosed in a small area behind the town's blacksmith barn. Beyond, were the gallows, but Lloyd's eyes were fixed on the mare.
"She needs to be brushed and one shoe is loose."
Andy opened his eyes at the soft whisper. "I'm sure they'll take care of her."
Lloyd continued as if he had not heard the remark. "She also likes a little taste of sugar now and then."
The boy continued to stand by the window, and Andy finally drifted off to sleep.
The night grew chilly and the single blanket on the cots did a poor job in keeping out the cold. After a while, a slight stirring from the other side of the cell awakened Andy. As he felt Lloyd's presence hovering over him, fear crept into his brain and he found that he could not move. Lloyd placed his own blanket over Andy and carefully spread it evenly over his shivering body. Ashamed and embarrassed by his fears, Andy pretended to be asleep while his cellmate stood by the window and watched below.
Lloyd was removed from the cell early in the morning. Andy had awakened to find that he was alone, and went to the window. The crowd seemed to fill the entire town and the sound of hymns rose into the air. He saw the boy climb the steps but could not bring himself to watch the execution. Down below, the mare paced the small enclosure and snorted nervously.
At midday, Andy was set free. He knew he would be. Sheriff Turner warned Andy to watch his back because he would always be there. As he approached the door he turned and asked, "What about the mare?"
"What about her?" Turner was busy shuffling papers and didn't bother to look up.
"I mean, who'll take care of her now? You think Annie will...."
"Look, I don't have time to worry about a damn horse - least of all that horse. Tanner will probably sell her for as much as he can get to make up for her room and board, even if it means the glue factory. Nobody in Frazier's family came to claim his body, let alone his property. It's up to the blacksmith."
At the end of the day, the sun slanted at the edge of the sky, casting shadows of everything it touched. On the road, which led out of town and forked into the numerous hollows and farms, Andy Sturgil made his way back to his home. He had purchased supplies; coffee, flour, sugar, and a few sacks of sweet wheat middling, without salt. He dug into the side pocket of his coat and filled his palm with sugar. There would not be enough for a huge supply of moonshine that winter. He stopped and held his open hand beneath the mare's lips.
Yes, she was a beautiful horse. He would fix the loose shoe, brush her, and give her a taste of sugar now and then.
As the two figures made their way down the road, the sun set slowly behind the mountains. The night air grew chilly, but Andy wasn't cold.
"I'll take care of her, Boy," he whispered softly.
Comments
The Cellmate is a wonderful story! I really enjoyed..
The Cellmate is a wonderful story! I really enjoyed stepping into that world for a brief moment to experience Crystal Arbogasts tale. Even more facinating is to find out that it is based on a true story! Please, please feature more of Mrs. Arbogasts work! Thank you.
The Cellmate is a vignette, not a story. Theres no..
The Cellmate is a vignette, not a story. Theres no conflict, no crisis, no resolution. The reader is left with no comment about the human condition, but, rather, a list of facts and acts. If I have missed the point, please let me know.
I loved your story because you established a rural setting..
I loved your story because you established a rural setting that I could visualize and told a true experience. Thank you so much.
In this short space Arbogast paints a vivid picture of the..
In this short space Arbogast paints a vivid picture of the life in a small town in Kentucky, where everybody knows everything about each other. It has a feel-good ending.
It is not a short story in the usual sense - lacks conflict..
It is not a short story in the usual sense - lacks conflict and resolution. however, it is a touching story with detail that brings one into the setting and the way life was in those days. I enjoyed it.
I am from Madisonville, Kentucky and now living in Johnson..
I am from Madisonville, Kentucky and now living in Johnson City,m Tn. I thank you for sharing your story and providing a bit of Kentucky culture and history to the rest of the country (USA) and the world. Again I say, THANK YOU!
A touching story. Sad but love shies through. Thanks for..
A touching story. Sad but love shies through. Thanks for writing it.
Dont let anyone tell you it isnt a story-Greg Mullen
Dont let anyone tell you it isnt a story-Greg Mullen
Better than " Backhand of the Lord..." Sad, but the author..
Better than " Backhand of the Lord..." Sad, but the author is careful to not commercialize on sorrow which is a gift in itself.
Extremely well written, but uneventful.
Extremely well written, but uneventful.
This story is so stupid . I dont even think it made sense...
This story is so stupid . I dont even think it made sense. To whom ever made wrote this story 2 words TRY AGAIN!!!
Great story, I liked how the soon to be dead man gave his..
Great story, I liked how the soon to be dead man gave his blanket to the main character. He had compassion. Also a great ending, a nice heart touching story, thank you for sharing it with us. Keith Browning
This was a true story. Maybe, TRY AGAIN!!! person needs to..
This was a true story. Maybe, TRY AGAIN!!! person needs to stick with the fiction. I thought it was very beautiful.
4.The Cellmate was a wonderful story. It kept me interested..
4.The Cellmate was a wonderful story. It kept me interested through the entire story. The words that the author used were so detailed that I felt as if I was there. I could see what the author was describing like I had already seen it myself. The idea was a very good one it told a whole story without missing anything or losing a reader. The plot was easy to follow and interesting. The author did not say too much but also said enough
The cell mate is a story. It has a problem, a crisis, a..
The cell mate is a story. It has a problem, a crisis, a setting, a plot, and a solution. The person who said it didnt doesnt have any friends and has nothing better to do than be a snobby bastard.
I really like the story!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really like the story!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think the story was really great! I would like to know a..
I think the story was really great! I would like to know a lot more about it. Im so glad someone wrote something about Kentucky because I live in Johnson County, Kentucky.
i think this story is good I would recomend it to anybody..
i think this story is good I would recomend it to anybody to read
this story is pretty good but not great.
this story is pretty good but not great.
Another very descriptive tale by Crystal Arbogast. Shes..
Another very descriptive tale by Crystal Arbogast. Shes great at describing the natural surroundings in her story.
I couldnt get past the first paragraph because the style so..
I couldnt get past the first paragraph because the style so was to damn trite.
Once you get past the first paragraph, the style seems to..
Once you get past the first paragraph, the style seems to change. I think it is a little odd at first but the story is very well written. One thing stuck out to me. When Lloyed is about to cover Andy with the blanket, It does not seem to dramatic... But once you examine the story you see that a convicted killer is coming at him with a blanket, for all he knows Lloyed could be trying to kill him. Yet its ironic how the convicted killer gives up his own blanket to Andy just so he will feel comfortable. Whoever said this is a bad story, read it once or twice more and you will probably change your mind.
I dont see how anyone can criticise this story - i was very..
I dont see how anyone can criticise this story - i was very impressed! Very vivid and beleivable. Also excellent use of language and vocab. always enjoy reading this writers work
Sorry Crystal, got a few pages into your story and couldnt..
Sorry Crystal, got a few pages into your story and couldnt continue. Mind you being an Australian all this moonshine stuff didnt mean much to me.
I liked this story very much. kind of sad...
I liked this story very much. kind of sad...
This story was WONDERFUL. It made me cry. :)
This story was WONDERFUL. It made me cry. :)
It is really incredible how such a small event can change..
It is really incredible how such a small event can change ones life or in the least change ones perception. Crystal, any one who can provoke thought like you have done certainly awaits a productive and meaningful future. Well done! Ill be looking forward to reading more of your work.
The story was just facts and a list of acts...the writer..
The story was just facts and a list of acts...the writer seems to shy away from dialogue leaving his characters stale...for me it just dragged itself to its predictable ending and left me unaffected. Pretty boring stuff.
This story is anything but boring, Crystal. Keep up the..
This story is anything but boring, Crystal. Keep up the good work.
To my Students: The comments you are about to read are..
To my Students: The comments you are about to read are someone elses opinion. These comments are their EVALUATION of the story, "The Cellmate". 1) Which comments do you agree with? 2) Which of the comments would be considered constructive criticism? 3) Which ones would not be considered constructive? 4) What comments would you make about the story? 5) What did you like about the story? 6) What improvements would you like to see?
I thought this story was fantastic, great job, however I..
I thought this story was fantastic, great job, however I was kind of loosing intrest in the begining, but overall, nice job. I loved the ending.
the descriptions and transition is great and provides a lot..
the descriptions and transition is great and provides a lot of insight to Andys mind, and the ending was beautiful and memorable. Brought a tear to my eye.
The author described the settings well. While reading it, I..
The author described the settings well. While reading it, I could visualise its surroundings and atmosphere. BY NO(33).
Very tight language, effortless transitions, brilliant. ..
Very tight language, effortless transitions, brilliant. The stiff arm of the law can never properly understand, let alone govern, the fluid complexity of human desire...whether it be the desire for liquor to calm our nerves and cure our ailments, or for a companion, regardless of the species, to serve as an outlet for our contagious good nature.
/applause
/applause
very evocative, touching, really enjoyed. Cheryl
very evocative, touching, really enjoyed. Cheryl
Great story by Crystal Arbogast Turner and Andy knew each..
Great story by Crystal Arbogast
Turner and Andy knew each other he could of arrested him at any time but he happened to choose that particular night.
it is a wonderful story. I am enjoy it very much. great..
it is a wonderful story. I am enjoy it very much. great great great
good
good
Oh, it is a wonderful story. I love the story very much. I..
Oh, it is a wonderful story. I love the story very much. I believe I have nerve seen such a great story.The story is exciting . Sad but love shies through.
It is weird!!!
It is weird!!!
The story is so hard for me to understand, but i have only..
The story is so hard for me to understand, but i have only know some of the content of it.I think Andy isa kind person who is willing to help the other people. If i meet a king man like him ,I will be happy to make friend with him.
I really could imagine that such a short passige can..
I really could imagine that such a short passige can contain so many wanderful containts.Since I have already read this story, if I dont say one word, it not only means I dont respect the auther, but also means that I dont respect such a good story. So all that I want to say is, "woderful".
--Hamlet
BIS8
I do not think it is a short story. Of course it is not a..
I do not think it is a short story.
Of course it is not a long story either.
I do not like story like this .
Although this story is a bit too difficult for me to..
Although this story is a bit too difficult for me to understand, i think it is a good story. After reading it, i get to know some cultures and landscapes in Kentucky and many useful and interesting things. In short, The Cellmate is GOOD!!
It is a moved storywhich I have ever read.Within details..
It is a moved storywhich I have ever read.Within details describtion,I can easily feel the sence of the characters.It describes a kind-hearted man Andy who lived in a poor state of the world to helped the other people and fed a horse.The sad endding almost made me cry.I think it is a worth reading story.
In my opinion, it is a wonderful story.I like it very..
In my opinion, it is a wonderful story.I like it very much. Though I cannot understand it completely ,it really moved me a lot.
boring story there is no goal and i hate stupid stories..
boring story there is no goal and i hate stupid stories with murder that has no description. i want to know where is the blood. im a bloodthirsty person
Great story!! To the bloodthirsty person, youre just a jacka*%
Great story!! To the bloodthirsty person, youre just a jacka*%
I thought this short story gave you a feeling of what a..
I thought this short story gave you a feeling of what a small town is. Everyone knows everything about you whether you want them to or not. Very good story! Great ending!
Add new comment