Roger's Ramblings

Hi everyone! I can hardly wait to continue with our story from last week. Our adventure has been going on since January, so we have covered a lot of ground together. Our couple is Johnny and Mary Lou, who grew up during the pre-civil war years and were eventually married when the war began. Each week we have been reliving their lives of heartache and problems. Our Johnny

only received one letter and a telegram that bushwhackers had killed his wife during the war. Our Mary Lou never received any communications since her husband Johnny rode off to join the Union Army years ago. Last week we left this story with our couple meeting each other for the first time in years. Everyone is in shock. Hundreds of folks were awaiting the

railroad executive's speech only to discover it was Johnny, the husband of Mary Lou. (We are now going to discover the secrets from the past.) Remember from last week we have Mr. Kissee, Johnny, and Mary Lou on the podium with her Papa being held back by guards after trying to harm Johnny. Mary Lou, Johnny, and Mr. Kissee face off with each other trying to keep cool

heads during this moment of crisis. Mr. Kissee has Sendor, the telegraph operator, come up to the stage to explain why Mary Lou never received any letters and telegrams during the war. Mr. Kissee, "Sendor, do you have any knowledge about mail not arriving to our Mary Lou and Johnny?" (Sendor looks over at Mary Lou's Papa, who is being restrained, and then to our

Johnny and Mary Lou, who by now are standing shoulder to shoulder on the stage.) Everyone is

hushed and anxiously waiting for an explanation. Suddenly with great emotions, Sendor breaks down. "During the war, Ollie and I were civil war spies for the South." Ollie, quickly yells at Sendor, "Don't tell them nothing." Johnny, "Keep quiet, Ollie!" Ollie, "Sendor, you tell them anything, and I will see to it. You will be sorry!" Mary Lou walks over to Sendor, "Tell us the truth

Sendor! The war is over! If you and my Papa had anything to do with us not getting our letters, now is the time to clear this up in front of everyone and God!" Ollie quickly jumps forward, trying to clobber Sendor. Johnny moves in and grabs Ollie, and holds him back. Mary Lou and Mr. Kissee confronts Sendor. "Sendor, this is your one chance to clear yourself!" Sendor replies, "OK, Ollie and I were spies, and every letter and telegram were monitored, and all war information was sent to our generals via a courier to help our southern friends fight you Yankees. I disagreed with intercepting letters from you, Mary Lou! You got to believe me! He hated Johnny so very much. He hated your marriage to him and despised that he was fighting for the Union. It

broke my heart. Even after the war, he threatened my life. I had to obey him. He black-mailed me

to keep quiet, and he had me send the false telegram back to you, Johnny, that bushwhackers had killed Mary Lou. Johnny looks at Mary Lou with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Mr. Kissee motions for Ollie to be taken away. Meanwhile, Mary Lou and Johnny are holding

hands with tears of happiness. Johnny, "Mr. Kissee, you remember the day Mary Lou and I were married, and immediately after our wedding, everyone was ready for our celebration dance to begin? Mr Kissee, "Yes, I do." Mary Lou's Papa came out with his shotgun declaring via a telegram that Fort Sumter had surrendered to the North and our country's civil war had officially

begun. "We never got to have our wedding dance." (Mary Lou and Johnny whisper something to

each other.) Johnny asks everyone, "After my official railroad speech, we would like to have our official wedding waltz to begin the hoedown this evening that we never got to have when we married years ago. (Everyone explodes with happiness and says YES!) After the speech, Mr. Kissee said, "Fiddle, banjo, and guitar players, get ready for a great celebration for our lost couple to get back together again. I want everyone to make a huge circle. (By now, all the ladies are very emotional, and the whole town is in jubilation for our couple to have their long-awaited wedding dance.) The moonlight is just right, and the musicians begin playing a beautiful waltz, and no one has a dry eye. The music is moving. Johnny and Mary Lou thank everyone for all the hard work and understanding. Johnny looks at Mr. Kissee, and all of the crowd assembled, "It has now been worth it all. God has had his hand in getting us back together again. Thank you all so very much!" Mr. Kissee, "May the Lord bless you greatly for the rest of your lives!" Johnny and Mary Lou make their way to the middle of the dance floor, and the

musicians fire up the most beautiful music ever played, and our couple begins their waltz with everyone watching in amazement! After the dance is over, Sendor comes forward and hands over all of the intercepted letters from Johnny and Mary Lou that he has kept hidden. "I have saved these letters all these years. I, too, have prayed that somehow, someway, God almighty would put you two back together again. I am so very happy! Yes, I was under your Papa's control for years and feel so good now. I am willing to take any punishment you so feel fit for me." Mary Lou and Johnny whisper to each other, "You're forgiven!" Johnny, "War is horrible, but in the end, we must be able to forgive, or the demons from the past will ruin our lives forever." Mr. Kissee comes up to Johnny and Marylou, hands each of them a cup of sweet apple cider, and announces to everyone to toast our couple getting back together and the railroad being built. Everyone toasted, and a great evening and celebration continued on. Our couple were united until death and lived happily ever after. The End! It's been a long trail on this story. Thank you all for your support.! More Roger's Ramblings next week!