Normandy
Written By, Cheryl Harwell Bailey

Written to honor Nancy Harwell
 Born on November 4, 1896  

  

"Papa,
 are you sure our name comes from Scotland?
 Am I Cherokee or Scottish?"

"Mandy, my little sunbeam,
you are both, like me!
My grandparents, 
Jacob and Nancy were Scottish, 
but my Papa married a beautiful
 Cherokee girl, my dearest mother.
Her tribe showed my family of settlers,
how to survive in the wilderness."
"Papa, that sounds just like the pilgrims!
 Am I smart, like the warrior Squanto,
who helped the pilgrims?   

 I speak Cherokee, Spanish, and French,

 but English most of the time."

 "Yes Princess Sunbeam, you do.

Thanks to widow Bennett.

Now go help the queen bee, your ma!"

Watching Mandy run up to the house,

he understood exactly how she felt.

Bill began to think about his family,

 back home in Kentucky.
 Oh how he missed them, 

but he had no regrets about coming west.
     Where would he be
   without the love of his life, Emmy.

~10 years later~

"Hey, Sunbeam,
 that coffee is almost 

as good as your ma's, but not quite."

They were just finishing supper,
 when they heard widow Bennett
 pounding on the front door.

"What in tarnation is wrong, 
asked Bill, as he opened the door."
 "Cometh quickly Bill!
 There is a man in the valley!
 He appeareth to have perished." 

"Mandy go get help, hurry!"

As Bill approached him, 
this fellow indeed appeared lifeless.
 His horse waited nearby.

 Bill didn't recognize the young man.

When he raised up the mans head,
 Bill felt relieved,
 to see he was still breathing.
Widow Bennett washed his face. 
Bill gave him water. Emmy felt his forehead.
 The stranger was unconscious,
 and had a high fever.

About that time, 
Mandy and half the village showed up.

~~~~

"Hot as Hades is Texas.
 Go ye west young man, go ye west.
 Ay, if I had but known."

 William grew dizzy, dripping with sweat.
 he grabbed his canteen.

 The last thing he remembered. 

 William slipped in and out of consciousness.
 He watched, and listened. 
"Oh sweet Jesus, among the Indians am I. 

Be they peaceful or be they hostile?

Please help me?"

 "They dig a man-size hole.

 Thinking I am dead, 
shall they bury me?

 Now building a fire in my grave?  

Cedar planks, leaves, in the fire.

I wish to speak Lord,

 To tell them I liveth,

or they shall burn me sure!

Be that the blessed English language I hear?

It must the angel Gabriel, 

for it tis a large man.

I hear the voice

of a woman speaking English.

Ay! 

Behold she is an angel!

The most beautiful creature 
these eyes have ever seen!
I have died and gone to Heaven."

~~~~

 The sun began to go down,

as the valley filled with a fragrant aroma.

Eucalyptus and pine.

Mandy held the strangers head,
 and her grandmother gently rubbed
 dried mustard salve into his
 neck, shoulders, and chest.

Widow Bennett wrapped bandages
 around the mustard plaster.

Mandy could not but help noticing

 this stranger was handsome.
She was in awe of his
 flaming red hair and whiskers.

 Mandy wondered how his voice sounded.

William was lifted by the men, 

and placed on the warm wood planks. 

Mandy covered him with a blanket.

 Since the sun went down,
 a chill filled the air.

Everyone went home,
 with the exception of widow Bennett,
 Mandy, her mother and grandmother.

Come morning the fire was out.

The stranger was still unconscious,
 as he lay in a fetal position,
 covered by Mandy's blanket. 

Bill carried him into the house.

~~~~

William felt soft feminine hands,
 lift his head, 
onto soft down pillows.
He smelled the steaming chicken soup.
He was famished,
 but as his eyes began to focus,
 he was startled by "the angel,"
 he thought was a dream.
 She was real!

~~~~

Mandy sat a tray upon his lap,
 tucked a bib about his chin
 and began feeding William with
 small spoonfuls of soup.
"Sir, may I introduce myself.
I am Miss Normandy Palsgrove.
 Might I be so bold as to 
enquire after your name?"
"Ay fair lassie, you may.
I am William McPhearson.
 It tis a rare joy,
 to make your acquaintance.
I do not fancy meeting a lady, 
in my impossible state."
"Oh Mr. McPhearson,
 you have had the wrappings removed,
 been bathed, hair washed,
 and beard shaven.
Now if you please sir,
 eat while it is yet hot."
With every bite,
 he had never tasted anything so delicious.
 Huge slices of puffy yeast bread,
spread with sweet churned butter
 and strawberry jam,
 with a big glass of fresh milk.
"Thank you most kindly, 
Miss. Palsgrove." 
"You are most kindly welcome, 
Mr. McPhearson."
William blushed as Normandy feed him. 
She blushing even more than he.
"Perhaps a sip of grandmother's
 healing hot toddy, for medicine. 
It shall help you sleep."
It did!

~~2 Days Later~~ 



 "Mr. McPhearson,
 shall we go for a short walk? 
And when we return, shall we play chess?" 
"You play Chess Miss Palsgrove?"
"But of course. My Grandfather taught me.
 Don't you sir?"
"Ay Lassie, tis me game."

"Grandmother will sit with you
 a short while Mr. McPhearson,
 if you please?" 
"And you lassie, are ye leaving me?"
 "I must gather from the garden,
to put by for supper."
 "After supper will ye read to me
Miss Palsgrove?" 
"On one condition,
 Mr. McPhearson."
"And what would that be?"
"Please call me Mandy?"
"Miss Mandy it tis, fair lady."

 When Mandy returned,
 from the garden and smokehouse,
 William was sitting
 on the porch swing, waiting for her. 
He couldn't take his eye's from her 
as she walked up the path to the porch.

 "We shall go for a short morning walk.
 Just enough to help strengthen you.
 Come Mr. McPhearson, take my arm."
"On one condition Miss Mandy!"
"What would that be Mr. McPhearson?"
"That you, Miss Mandy,
 address me as William!"
"Thank you, William, I shall!" 
They walked slowly down the porch stairs.
 William was a bit unsteady,
 so she held onto him.
 They had a friendly conversation 
explaining the where, what, and when, 
of their personal lives.

William's family,
 The McPhearson clan were from
 Inverness, Scotland. 
Believing their son William,
 would have a greater opportunity in
 America, 
his parents wept and prayed
 a blessing on him as they
 bid him farewell.
They expected, on this earth,
 to never to see William again!     
 It was a sad parting,
 but later, with the new pony express,
 they were able communicate.

Normandy 
explained her family and tribe to William.
Her father, Bill Palsgrove, 
had an English father, George, 
and a Cherokee mother,
 the daughter of 
a great Cherokee Chief. 
   
"May I say, if it be as Great Britain, 
Miss Mandy, thou art a Princess.
 Ay, of the blood royal.
An American Indian Princess of the great Cherokee Nation." 

"Of course Father 
willed to spy out the frontier,
 and traveled here to Texas.
 Upon which he met and married mother.
 And here he stayed."

"Come William,
 perhaps we should go
 indoors before you tire."
 Reaching the bottom of the porch stairs,
William held tight to the cane.
"This is a steady cane.
 It appears quite ancient."
 "Oh it tis, hold tight to it on this side,
 and I on the other."
 William tenderly held her about the waist,
 a shy smile across his face.
Reaching the top of the stairs,
 William gave her a kiss on the hand.
Just touching her hand,
 made him feel so strong again. 
"Thank you, Princess Normandy!" 
"You are welcome, Sir William."  


Mandy sat a tray of hot biscuits and sliced venison sandwiches on the table.
 "Miss Mandy,
 I have scarcely met a lady who plays chess. You are a marvel." 
"We shall see," 
Mandy replied, making the first move.

~~~~

America was everything,
William dreamed it would be.
 It was much more.
 All the books he had read, 
could not contain the truth
 of this great land.
He must ready himself to continue
  his journey westward. 
 Understanding why,
 William sensed a stirring in his spirit.
   
"William, 
In your honor, as our guest sir,
 Mother, has been studying
 Scottish cookery.
She is preparing a special supper.
 I believe it is called,
"Haggis" 
"Ay Mandy,
 this is a rare treat indeed!"

William sat on the porch. 
The aroma of supper filled the air.
He could see widow Bennett
 coming in her buggy from afar.
William stood and greeted her.
 He helped her down from the buggy, tethering the mare.
"May I speak with thee, Mr. McPhearson?"
"But of course, Mrs. Bennett."
"Mr. McPhearson, art thou an educator?"
"Ay, Mrs. Bennett, I am."
"I have watched thee, these weeks,
 and see thou art indeed,
 a man of integrity!
Would thou address the students,
 about thy homeland Scotland,
 on the marrow?"
"Ay, Mrs. Bennett, I shall."
Thank you for inviting me.
Do all the students speak English?"
"Nay, Mr. McPhearson, they do not.
 Interpreters shall be present.
The students cometh from multiple cultures.
My late husband and I
 came as missionaries, a long time past".
"Ay, Mrs. Bennett,
the American Indian is the noblest of people.
We Scotch have a deep admiration for them.
A tribe, or a clan, ay,
 they be one in the same!"

~~~~


-One month later-

Miss Normandy Palsgrove became, 
Mrs. William McPhearson
The bride of, a red haired Scottish, 
school teacher.

~To be continued~