womenfolks

All they knew was that they were losing meat out of their smokehouses, eggs out of their hens’ nests, and sometimes even whole pans of corn- bread that the womenfolks had set out to cool.

She said that was the reason the rest of the men left him at home to sort of look after the womenfolks and kids while they were gone on the cow drive.

And all that time the womenfolks and children of Salt Licks would be left in a wild frontier settlement to make out the best they could.

Papa said he didn’t know as he never did get to see any of the womenfolks.

Jesse hunched his shoulders and slunk into the pew after the string of womenfolks and just before his dad.