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Gordie Reaps the Whirlwind

By Elton Camp

(This is a continuation of the series about life in the rural South during the early 20 th

Century. This specific episode follows Equal Rights for Women, so it would make

more sense if you find and read that one first.)

On the way home, Leamon walked along with Gordies son. Whats your pawdoing at school today?

He aims t git th teacher fired, the boy reported with a conspiratorial tone. Hesez he knows jest how t do hit.

Leamon liked the teacher. She had opened new ideas for him, even lending himsome of her books and working with him after school. He discussed the injustice with

John, a pal of his who lived on the Brock Place, about a mile from his home.

Something needs to be done about Gordie, he urged. You like Miss Gunnelstoo. Want to help me pay him back?

Id like t, but I dont see much we kin do. Th word o th trustees awaysstands.

We cant stop him from running her off, but we can throw a scare into him,Leamon responded. I have a plan.

The two boys searched in Johns barn until they found an empty syrup bucket.Leamon worked the handle loose from the sides and discarded it. He wiped out a thicklayer of dust.

Thisll do fine. See if you can get a piece of string and some beeswax.

While John was hunting the items, Leamon picked up a small nail and drove it

through the center of the bottom of the syrup bucket.

Heer they ez, John said. He handed the two items to his fellow schemer. Whut

yu gwine t do wif em?

Im making a dumb bull.

Leamon inserted the string through the hole in the bottom of the syrup bucket,tied it to the nail, coated it with the beeswax and gave a tentative pull. The device emitted

a horrible sound like a moan.

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Around midnight, the two boys slipped out of bed and worked their way into

position about fifty yards behind Gordies house.

This ought to be a good place, Leamon whispered. Gordie was superstitious and

poorly informed even in country matters. A man like him was easily frightened.

Leamon pulled his hand slowly down the length of the string. The dumb bull

produced a low moan. He made the next pull harder. The sound was louder. By stopping

and starting and varying the speed of the pull, he was able to create a frightening series ofsounds.

Look. Theys wake, John whispered.

The dim glow of a kerosene lamp from one of the windows showed that the ruse

was working. Gordie opened the back door and stepped out onto the porch.

Whuts thet thar sound? Hit goes like a wild animl o sum kind.

Leamon handed the device to John, who added his own variations to the voice ofthe dumb bull. Both boys struggled to stifle laughter.

Mabe yu better go down thar n check, Gordie, his wife drawled as she joined

him on the back porch.

I aint goin nowhars nigh sich a thang. Hit mought be a panther or even the

devl hisself.

At school the next day, they learned that Gordie had closed and nailed the shutters

all around his house. That afternoon, Leamon overheard him talking to a group of men atSimps Store.

Hit wuz horribl ez cud b. His voice quivered with fear. I thoght shore we unswuz don fer. Hit squalld and waild n com rat up t th hous en scratchd n tore

agin th walls. I though shore et wuz gonna force n one o th winders. We could a

been kilt.

Leamon smiled with satisfaction. The plot had worked better than hed dared

hope. Hed never tell about it and hoped that John wouldnt. The situation wasnt

changed for the teacher, but Gordie didnt go completely unpunished for his treachery.

Miss Gunnels married a week after leaving the school. She and her husband

moved to Birmingham. Few in the community knew or cared what became of her.