Clifton County Fireworks

by Joannie Kay

  “She is in jail.” Jennie Rose announced. “Johnny arrested her for slandering me and for disturbing the peace.”

  “What?” It was Robert’s turn to be surprised. “He did?”

  “Yes. He’d just finished telling me that I still have a temper, and then he went and lost his temper with Mrs. Peters, and hauled her off to jail! Mr. McCauley applauded once they were out of hearing! He said that Johnny is still smitten with me. Do you think that could be true?” She wanted to know.

  “You’ll have to ask Tanner.” Robert smiled. “I wouldn’t object to his courting you, honey, if that is what you want to know. I thought you too young two years ago, but you’ve both grown up in that time. I would still like to invite him to dinner.” He added, letting her know that he approved of Johnny.

  ********************

  The Sheriff had been expecting the mild-mannered Jacob ever since Johnny Tanner locked up Marybelle, who hadn’t stopped talking and making threats since he put her in the cell. “Jacob, have a seat.” He invited.

  “Sheriff, I’ll come to the point. Is my wife locked up here?” He wanted to know.

  “Yes, she is, Jacob. Johnny Tanner arrested her this morning in McCauley’s Mercantile.”

  “I see. What are the charges?” He asked, taking a seat.

  The Sheriff explained the situation as best he could, and saw Jacob’s eyes narrow when he told him the amount of the bail, and Johnny’s stipulation for releasing Marybelle.

  Jacob got to his feet and said, “Do you trust me, Sheriff?”

  “Well, sure I do, Jacob.”

  “Might I have the key to Marybelle’s cell and ask you to leave for at least thirty minutes? I am sure she will be convinced by then that she needs to make amends for her behavior. She was warned by me not to jump to conclusions when we saw Jennie Rose ride into town with Johnny Tanner this morning, but she drew her own conclusions and has done her best to ruin that child’s reputation. I will not tolerate that, and she will make amends to Jennie Rose before this afternoon is over.”

  The Sheriff handed Jacob the ring of keys and said, “You can lock the door after me so you have privacy, Jacob.” The man nodded, and did just that before walking back to face his wife. It was long past time he took her in hand, and he figured that a good half hour with his belt across her backside would see an improvement in the way she treated people.

  ********************

  Jennie Rose and Robert were ready to leave the table when the door opened and Jacob and Marybelle walked inside. Jennie Rose could tell that Marybelle had been crying and she was walking stiffly, as if in pain. Jacob led her over to their table, and Robert stood up, an angry expression on his face.

  “My wife has an apology to make to Jennie Rose, Robert.” Jacob headed off whatever Robert intended to say. “Marybelle?”

  “Very well, Jacob. I jumped to conclusions this morning when we saw you ride into town with Johnny Tanner, Jennie Rose. Apparently I was wrong, and I want to apologize for the things I said to you in the Mercantile. I will see to it that I let everyone know I was wrong.”

  “You certainly were wrong, Mrs. Peters.” Jennie Rose said clearly.

  “You may tell the entire room that you were wrong, Marybelle.” Jacob said firmly.

  “Jacob!”

  “Now, or I will take off my belt again and convince you.” He promised.

  Marybelle certainly didn’t want that, so she obeyed her husband. It was humiliating, but just the beginning. He marched her all over town, and finally ended at Abigail’s Dress Shop. “Oh no, Jacob! I didn’t go in there. I don’t speak to that woman, ever!”

  “You will certainly do so now, and you will tell Marshal Tanner that you have met his terms.” He opened the door and pushed her inside ahead of him. “Hello, Mrs. Tanner. Is Johnny here?” He asked pleasantly.

  “Why, yes. He’s upstairs. I’ll call him,” Abigail offered. She went into the back room, and called upstairs for Johnny. When he came to the top of the steps, she said, “Mr. and Mrs. Peters are here, dear.”

  Johnny frowned, but he came downstairs.

  “Marshal, my wife wishes to speak to you.”

  Marybelle gave Jacob a hostile look, and she was already plotting different ways of getting even with him for humiliating her publicly as he had. “I have done as you asked, Marshal; I expect you to drop the charges now.”

  “Marybelle, you’ve earned yourself another spanking when I get you home.” Jacob scolded. “And, unless you want that spanking to happen right here and now, you will apologize immediately.”

  “Jacob, what’s gotten into you?” She wailed. “You’ve never been like this!”

  “I know, and I’m sorry I’ve let you turn into such a hateful, spiteful woman. You never have a kind word for anyone. Now apologize.”

  Marybelle stomped her foot in frustration, but did as she was told. She didn’t want to be locked up for the Fourth of July. She loved the picnic and all the other activities, and wouldn’t miss it for the world.

  Johnny nodded, and once assured by Jacob that she had apologized to Jennie Rose, he promised to drop the charges.

  Abigail could see that the other woman was near tears, and tried to offer comfort. “We’ll see you at the big celebration in a couple of days, Marybelle.”

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Tanner, but Marybelle will not be attending this year.”

  “What? Jacob, what are you saying? Of course I’ll be there!”

  “No, you will not. You are being punished for the next few weeks, and that means you will not be leaving our house without my express permission. You are going to mend your attitude and the way you talk to and about others, Marybelle.”

  “But, I’m judging the pickle contest!” She reminded him, as if he were completely crazy. She’d done the judging for several years now, and it was her obligation!

  “No, you won’t be judging this year. You will be staying home all day and scrubbing the floors on your hands and knees.” He took her arm and said goodbye to the others in the room before leading her away. Marybelle was arguing and pleading with him, and he simply ignored her. She needed a firm lesson.

  ********************

  Jennie Rose rose early, dressed in pants again, and picked a different horse from the stables. She also took a gun with her this morning, just in case. She knew better than to tell her parent she was going for a ride, but it was something she enjoyed doing and she wasn’t about to let her fears keep her at home and in her bed. It was a glorious day, and she was going to enjoy it. She headed out of town at a brisk pace, pleased when she didn’t see anyone out and about. It was very early, and the time of day she loved most.

  Jennie Rose rode for a while, and simply couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being followed. She rested her hand on her gun, planning to pull it quickly if she was threatened. A few minutes later, she was positive she heard someone behind her. Terror set in, she pulled the gun, and the very second the person came in sight, she pulled the trigger! When she saw Johnny Tanner fall to the ground, she cried out in dismay, and rushed to get to his side.

  “Johnny! Johnny! Are you all right?” She demanded, shaking him. There was blood on the side of his head from where her bullet creased him. “Oh, no! Johnny!!! Please don’t die!”

  “I’m not dead, you little fool!” Johnny’s green eyes opened and she could feel the fury radiating off of him. “Why did you shoot?” He demanded.

  “I was scared.” She admitted. “I’m so sorry! Why didn’t you tell me you were back there instead of following me like that?”

  “I didn’t know you were out here, Jennie Rose.” He declared. “This is a public road. You don’t own it and you don’t have exclusive rights to ride in the morning!” He roared, his temper blazing.

  “You don’t need to yell at me, Mister!” Jennie Rose smacked his chest, and then jumped to her feet.

  “Yell at you! Little girl, I ought to turn you over my knee and spank the everlasting daylights out of you
!” He announced, getting to his feet as well.

  “You just better not try it, Johnny Tanner! I’m no longer a child!”

  “No, you’re just a foolish woman who damn near committed murder!” He told her. “I could arrest you for attempted murder, and you’d go to prison. I’d think you’d be begging me to give you a spanking instead of that!” There was no way he’d send her to prison, and he knew it, but his temper was speaking.

  “You know perfectly well I was not attempting to murder you!” Jennie Rose didn’t believe his threat of prison.

  “Jennie Rose, you can’t go around shooting at people just because they’re traveling the same road you are!” He said in exasperation.

  “You act like I do this all the time!”

  “Even once is too often.” He stated. “I think you need to have this impressed on you in a way you’ll remember.” He reached for her, but she danced out of the way.

  “I’m not a child! Don’t you dare do what you are thinking, Johnny Tanner!” Jennie Rose shook a finger at him.

  “A child would have more sense.” He growled. He grabbed for her again, and this time he succeeded in capturing her hand.

  “Let me go!” Jennie Rose screamed, and tried to fight him.

  Johnny was used to dealing with hardened criminals, and one little girl wasn’t going to give him a hassle he couldn’t handle. It didn’t take him long to spot a tree stump he could sit on to haul her over his knee for a good spanking, and he lost no time in pulling her over to it, sitting down, and flipping her over his thighs. “This, young lady, will remind you to look before you shoot next time!” Johnny brought his hand down on the seat of her jeans and her yell of outrage and pain was satisfying.

  “Owwwww!” Jennie Rose hollered loudly as Johnny continued to spank her bottom. His hand was hard, and he was spanking her much harder than he did the last time he did this! “You are the only one in my life who has dared to do such a thing to me!” She scolded. “Let me go at once!”

  “I don’t think so, honey. You damn near killed me! I can’t let you get away with doing something so foolish. Do you realize that if I’d died, you would have been hung for murder?” He spanked even harder.

  “I didn’t mean it!” She bawled.

  “I know that! But do you think the judge would tap your knuckles with a ruler and say, ‘No no, don’t kill anyone again, Jennie Rose.’ He would tell you it’s not a good excuse and put you behind bars for life, or hang you! This spanking is going to remind you not to be so darn foolish again!” Johnny continued heating her bottom, and his hand in the process.

  “Stop, please! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” She cried out.

  Johnny stood her on her feet and then looked at her sternly. “If you’re as sorry as you say, then you’ll admit you earned a good, solid spanking.”

  Jennie Rose was crying too hard to speak, but she nodded. It was probably the worst thing she’d ever done in her entire life! She’d been taught not to shoot unless her life was in danger. It wasn’t. And she’d almost killed Johnny! He had every right to punish her for doing something so stupid!

  “I want you to prove it by taking down your britches and your drawers and asking me to finish your spanking. Now, I already know how modest you are, Jennie Rose, and I’m not taking advantage of you here. But, I will tell you that if you go over my knee again because you’re too stubborn to own your behavior and accept the consequences for it, I’ll take off my belt and stripe you over your jeans six ways to Sunday, and you’ll get the pleasure of walking all the way back to town. I won’t be one bit merciful. It’s your choice, bottom bare and ask for the rest of your tanning, or a strapping you’ll feel for the next month.” Johnny knew he was being hard on Jennie Rose, but he wasn’t about to make light of the situation. Killing someone was a hanging offense, and she needed a serious consequence right now.

  Jennie Rose did not want Johnny to take his belt to her. But, baring herself and asking for a spanking was unthinkable. It might be deserved, but how on earth could she do that?

  “Don’t make this harder on yourself, honey.” He said softly, giving her time to make her decision.

  Jennie Rose couldn’t look at him as she undid the buttons on her pants and pushed them down. “Couldn’t I please keep my drawers, Johnny? Please?”

  “I’m sorry, Jennie Rose. You can’t. This has to be a lesson you’ll remember.”

  Jennie Rose untied the blue ribbon holding up the lace-trimmed garment and she pushed them down to bare herself, turning a bright red as she did so. She was embarrassed to tears. “Will you give me the rest of my spanking now?” She managed to whisper.

  Johnny praised her for asking, and helped her over his knee once more. He was surprised to see how red her skin was and knew that the rest of her spanking was going to hurt a lot. He didn’t intend to be harsh with her, but he had to give her enough to bring the lesson home.

  Jennie Rose was shocked at how much it hurt when Johnny spanked her right below her cheek on the delicate skin there. He alternated sides, and she was pleading with him to stop before the fifth spank! “It hurts too much there!” She begged. “Please stop!”

  Johnny knew it hurt. That was the purpose, after all. He didn’t stop until he reached ten on each side, and then he said, “Please, Jenny Rose, be careful with your gun.” He stood her up and helped her pull up her clothing since she was crying so hard. Once she was decent, he pulled her down on his lap and held her close. “I’m sorry that was necessary, Jennie Rose, but you just can’t shoot at people. An inch to the left, and you would be facing trial for murder.”

  “I’m so sorry!” She cried.

  “I know you are, honey.”

  Johnny took her back to town, trying not to smile when she had considerable trouble sitting her saddle. If he was the type of man to place a bet, she wouldn’t be riding tomorrow. And, she wouldn’t enjoy sitting down at the Fourth of July picnic, either. He wondered if she was going to bring a basket for the auction, but decided it might not be the best time to ask.

  Jennie Rose was embarrassed when she looked in the full-length mirror in her bedroom and saw how red her backside was! She’d deserved the spanking, but she didn’t think Johnny needed to be so firm with her and insist she bare herself for the last spanks. She was so sore, and she hoped that soaking in the bathtub would alleviate some of the ache she felt. Tomorrow was the big picnic, and how on earth would she sit down with anyone to eat?

  Chapter Five

  “Johnny! Johnny! Get up!” Jeremy jumped from his bed and shook his older brother’s shoulder. “It’s the Fourth of July! I can’t wait for the fireworks!” He exclaimed in excitement.

  Johnny hadn’t slept well and wanted nothing more than to turn over and go back to sleep, but Jeremy’s excitement was contagious. He opened his eyes and said, “The fireworks won’t happen until it’s dark, kid.”

  “But there’s stuff all day! Come on, Johnny! You don’t want to miss anything!”

  Johnny grinned. “Better make your bed and wash up before going down to see Ma. She’ll want to see you all spruced up for the day.”

  “Awwww! Are you going to spruce up, too?” He asked.

  “You bet.”

  “Are you going to buy Jennie Rose’s basket at the picnic today?” He asked curiously.

  “I don’t know if she’s going to bring a basket to sell.” Johnny replied truthfully.

  “She will. She’s a pretty girl, and all the pretty girls bring baskets. Even the ones who aren’t really pretty bring a basket. Someone always buys them. You’d be smart to buy Jennie Rose’s.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because girls don’t like to be spanked when they get older, and if Jennie Rose is mad at you for tanning her, she might get over being mad if you buy her basket.” He said with eight-year-old logic.

  “How did you know I spanked her, Jeremy?” Johnny sat up to demand.

  “Me and George were hunting for turtles and we heard a shot. We went to s
ee what happened, and heard you two fussing. When you started to tan her, we thought we’d better get out of there before you saw us and thought we was spying.”

  “Jeremy, that was between Jennie Rose and me. I’d better not find out you two kids told anyone else about what happened. Hear me?”

  “Yeah, I hear you.” Their Ma called to them to wake up and Jeremy was hoping that Johnny wouldn’t question him further. He didn’t know that Johnny wouldn’t want anyone else to know he spanked Jennie Rose, and he’d already told most of his friends. They were all expecting to see fireworks today between the couple…

  ********************

  Jennie Rose was up early, cooking food for her basket. She truly doubted that Johnny Tanner would buy it this time, especially after yesterday, but the money raised would go to buy a new piano for the schoolhouse, and Jennie Rose wanted to do her part to help raise that money. If nothing else, she knew she could count on her father to buy her basket. It would be disappointing and embarrassing, but not unheard of for that to happen.

  Her father was already downtown at the festivities helping to run everything when Jennie Rose decided to take her filled basket and go to the picnic. She placed her basket with the others for auction and the Mayor smiled pleasantly. I can see you marked yours with a blue ribbon again this year, Miss Jennie Rose. Are you hoping for anyone in particular to buy your basket?” He teased.

  She smiled and replied, “I just want to help buy the new piano for the school, Mayor.”

  He winked, and then whispered something to the lady helping him. She giggled, and Jennie Rose couldn’t help but feel they were laughing at her. She went to find someone to talk to, and Ginger spotted her and came running. “Jennie Rose, I am so sorry about yesterday! I shouldn’t have believed Mrs. Peters. Please forgive me for being so rude.”

  “Of course I will, Ginger. How are you?” Jennie Rose asked politely.