The Yearling

We dedicate this picture to...

...those who came to our land ago and...

...made it their home-and and our inheritance!.

For us they faced the unknown.

For us they hungered and toiled.

Their endurance is our prosperity:

their struggle is our freedom:

their dream is our certainty:

....their dawn is our day.

From their dust we spring: and,

reaping the great harvest of their lives and works,

...we remember them with blessings.

Lake George, Florida. April, 1878.

I came across this lake once,

some years ago...

...in a boat that brought me home

after the war with the Yankees.

Came down this river,

going back into the wilderness...

...away from civilization,

looking for a place to settle...

...a place to live,

back into the scrub country.

It got wilder as I got deeper

into the woods.

I liked it. Vegetation was denser.

The trees had to struggle

for a breath of air.

Even wilder here, as I got back

closer to the sources...

...to the beginning of things,

further away from towns and wars.

And then I left the river,

went right into the woods themselves.

And here was the scrub country.

Not many people lived here then,

just a few pioneers.

I found myself a wonderful wife

in a little village nearby.

Between us, out of this sea of trees,

we cleared and cultivated...

...a little piece of half-fertile

ground we call islands, like this one.

That was many years ago,

but we still live here.

We've had our hardships

and our happinesses.

This is our home.

It's called Baxter's Island.

That's my name, Penny Baxter.

Here's where we live:

Me, my wife, Ora,

and our little boy, Jody.

Jody!

Jody!

Hey, coon. Them's mighty pretty

little fellas you got.

Jody!

You want Jody, Ma?

Where's that boy at?

I reckon he's around somewhere.

Most likely gallivanting somewhere

where it don't do nobody any good.

He's doing what's got to be done.

- I need some water!

- Well, we'll bring you some, Ma.

- When did you get back?

- Just got back now.

- Hello, Pa.

- Hello, Jody.

- Gets late mighty quick, Pa.

- That's April for you. Where you been?

To the glen.

I lay down and I was asleep.

Come, Caesar.

I aimed to follow some bees

and find the bee tree.

- You find it?

- I forget to look for it, till now.

Now tell the truth

and shame the devil.

Wasn't that bee tree an excuse

to go rambling?

I had a notion to go rambling.

That's what I figured. I was saving to

myself, "There's Ma, busy in the house.

There's Jody hoeing

in the corn field all by himself.

The hoe gets heavier every minute.

I bet he's thinking,

'I ought to go rambling. "'

- That the way you figured?

- Yes, Pa.

Ma don't hold with rambling.

Most women can't see

how a man loves so to ramble.

I never let on you wasn't here.

I said, "He's around. "

- Us men has got to stick together.

- Yes, Pa.

- Pa?

- Yes, boy?

I seen a sight today down at the glen.

A mammy coon with two babies.

- They was the prettiest little fellas.

- Coons is pretty.

Is it worth speaking to Ma about it?

They was so pretty, if I snare me one

for a pet, even Ma would love it.

Your ma ain't gonna love no coon.

Reckon she'd get mad

if I mentioned it?

What do you reckon?

- You two home at last?

- Yes, Ma!

I reckon she would.

But I wish I had me something

to pet and play with.

- You said men have to stick together.

- That's right, boy.

If you was to speak to Ma

about that little coon...

No, thank you.

I ain't aiming to die afore my time.

Get down to the sinkhole

and bring your ma some water.

Yes, Pa.

Hey, Ma! I like you, Ma!

You get mighty loving

when I got a dish in my hand.

That's when you're the prettiest.

That ain't sweet tater pone, is it?

- It is.

- It's sweet tater pone!

Pa, a big old buck watered down

at the glen today. I seen his...

When was you down at the glen?

Today, Ma.

So that's it.

And me calling and calling.

You getting slick as a clay road

in the rain.

- I fooled you! I got to fool you once!

- You fooled me.

- Evening, Ma.

- And you just as bad as the boy.

You both getting mighty sly.

Sit down afore the pone steams off.

Dear Lord, thanks again

for the vittles. Amen.

I declare,

that's a mighty skimpy blessing.

I get hungry when I go logging.

The Lord will know what I mean.

Ma? Ma, I seen a thing today.

Must I hear it or live in ignorance?

- It was only a big frog.

- A big frog?

A big frog!

Mighty interesting.

- Good night, Pa.

- Good night, boy.

- Good night, Ma.

- Good night.

Pa?

- Pa!

- What is it, boy?

Does a coon always wash everything

before he eats it?

Does he, Pa?

That's right, boy. Now go to sleep.

If he washes everything

before he eats...

...he must be a pretty

clean animal, eh, Pa?

Coons is clean, now lie down, boy.

A coon knows how to take care

of himself, don't he?

Most animals take care of themselves.

Now get to bed!

- What's this talk about coons?

- Don't know.

Did I tell you I seen

a coon today, Pa?

Yes, you told me.

Now go to sleep, boy!

Did I tell you she had

a couple of babies?

Yes, you told me that too.

If Ma had seen them baby coons,

she'd love them.

We won't have no coons here.

What about a bear cub then? If I

should find myself one. Or a possum?

I'd love to have a baby fox

or a baby panther.

But I just gotta have me a pet.

We got milk aplenty.

You think we got milk aplenty?

There ain't an extra drop.

- It could have mine!

- You're spindly enough as it is.

How can we spare rations for critters?

We can barely keep our bellies full.

I just want something all my own.

Something to follow me and be mine.

Something with dependence to it.

Well, you'll not find that nowhere.

Not in the animal world

nor in the world of man.

Going on 12 and still wanting

some kind of a play dolly.

Pa was doing his man's share

of work at your age.

Stop pestering and get to bed

afore I take a brush to you.

Yes'm.

Good night.

- Good night, Pa.

- Good night, son.

Seems like you get mighty hard

on the boy at times, Ora.

Let him tend to work.

Always running off...

...wanting to bring critters back.

Well, a boy ain't a boy too long.

Leave him kick up his heels a little.

Day will come, he won't even want to.

Ora, I've seen our boy stand agaze...

...and breathless at the wonderment

of bird and critter...

...wind, rain, the sun and the moon...

...just like I stood when I was a boy

in the forest.

Don't be afraid to love the boy, Ora.

I'll put up the stock.

What's the matter, Pa?

Your ma's gone down

to the burying ground, son.

Pa, a couple of old buck deer were

in our burying grounds today.

I seen their tracks.

Ora's and David's markers

were knocked down.

- Well, your ma wouldn't like that.

- I was obliged to right them.

One marker had something

written on it...

...but it's getting kind of dim.

I can't make it out.

That's Ezra Jr.

He never seen the light of day.

He died when he was born?

That's right, son.

- Ma never talks about them, does she?

- No.

Are they part of Ma's raring, Pa?

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