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Where the River Bends

by Marlene Monroy

129 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-0942; ISBN 1-4120-3115-X; US$15.56, C$20.00, EUR13.00, £9.01

This is the story of six generations of a rancher/warrior family whose men fought in every war from the Wounded Knee Massacre to Desert Storm Campaign.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

In Buffalo Gap, South Dakota, there still stands to this day an old ranch house from the 1880's. Some say "Sanctuary", as we'll call it, is haunted with the wailing and screams of some of Big Foot's band of Lakota Indians who made it there after members of the Seventh Cavalry, still seeking revenge for Custer's defeat at the Little Big Horn, opened fire on the defenseless Indians, killing many women and children.

This is also the story of tender love between two teenagers, one white and one Indian. It is also about the forbidden, adult love that exits between a widowed rancher and the wife of the local banker.

How the love of these four people and their descendents survive hard times for ranchers and Indians is depicted by faith in God and faith and love for each other.

This is the story of six generations of warriors from the 1880's to the present day who went off to fight in wars from The Massacre at Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1890 to Desert Storm Campaign in the present day.

It is the story of the women who gave their loyalty, support and undying love to their men and the friends who never failed in their devotion to the Smyth/Walking Bear family.

Each generation of this fictional family had to overcome hardships and sufferings in their times of existence.

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About the Author

There have been many books written about cowboys, Indians, range wars. love, hate, suffering and triumph of the human spirit. How many of these have a haunted house as the core of its theme?

In Where the River Bends the haunted ranch house the author calls "Sanctuary" really exists out on the prairie of South Dakota. What is the crying and wailing that even today is heard and related by creditable people?

Is there a connection with the spirit world there? Are the souls of the Indians who died there after the Wounded Knee Massacre still tied to the earth in some phenomenal way?

In the author's imagination, six generations of warrior/ranchers inhabited the ranch. Each generation had heroes, and women who loved them, overcoming sufferings, difficulties and separations with the help from believing in God and each other.

The Smyth/Walking Bear family is fictitious but the ghosts are not. From the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890 to the present day, a member of the family has fought for our country with honor and dedication.

Local readers in Rapid City, Hot Springs, Buffalo Gap, Hermosa and Red Shirt Table, South Dakota might find the book of interest because its setting is right in their neck of the woods. Other folks from far away might be teased to read a different kind of western.

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Excerpts

(1) It was late March and it hadn't rained. The cattle were down at the river and the grass was low and sparse.

(2) "He spends a lot of time over at the 3T Ranch, Mr. Smyth. I don't trust him, sir."

(3) As they paused on the hill overlooking the village, the modern civilization of 1886 seemed to slip away.

(4) It was freezing cold as Garrett, Little Bison and Walking Bear sat mounted on their ponies, searching for any sign of Big Foot and his people.

(5) Garrett was given the rank of sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps. Working with the Army, he had given instructions to Colonel Roosevelt's troops on the methods of jungle warfare.

(6) War was brewing in Europe. There was talk that America might find herself at war as Canada was already in it.

(7) John and Rose Willow's horses were becoming well known. She was able to ride John's stud called Nagila Akichita (Spirit Warrior) and was seen many mornings exercising the beautiful white stallion.

(8) Then it happened. A live grenade was tossed at them and John reacted instantaneously. He threw himself on the live ammo and saved his men.

(9) It was at the Battle of Guadalcanal that Walter met Phil Misukie. Water continued to fire his machine gun. "Hi! Need some help?" - "What the hell?" was Walter's response and then he kept firing as the man assisted him.

(10) Garrett and Jenna were watching TV. Neil Armstrong was walking on the moon ." Well, I'll be! Jenna, a man walked on the moon!" "Yes, darling, I can see it. Isn't it wonderful?"

(11)The ranch continued to prosper under Phil but so did the sounds coming from the house.

(12) At the emergency room in the hospital, Judy paced the floor as Phil, Poppy and Rose Willow rushed in. "He has a broken right arm and three broken ribs but I'm sue he'll recover," the doctor said.

(13) As they finished after a couple of rocking songs, Billy stood up twilling the drumsticks and yelling a very loud,"Yeah!"

(14) One mourning Phil went to the mantel and took down the little gold box. "So this is what you've been keeping in that little gold box of yours. It's the stone of Crazy Horse!" "Yes, this is now yours to pass on to your son and many sons to come in the future. Let's go now and visit the cemetery, Bill."

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Catalogue Information

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