Travelers in Painted Wagons on Cohay Creek

Travelers is the story of Trudy’s friend Jeremy Smitherlin as he finds himself functioning as the adult in his home because his parents have emotional and physical illnesses. 

Jeremy first appeared in The Dream Bucket as the slimy boy who dipped Trudy Cameron’s braids into his ink well. 


He struggles to be perfect so he can win approval. The more he tries to do the right things, the more he irritates Caleb, his papa. Jeremy wants his mother to live, but she moves closer to death. 

Travelers (Gypsies) settle on Cohay Creek, which runs through Caleb’s farm. The captain of the Travelers becomes a friend. 

Although Jeremy would like to live an innocent, carefree life, evil adults slam him into a grown-up world. He learns about gunfights, adultery, drunkenness, physical abuse, and sarcasm. 


Sometimes, despite all his problems, Jeremy has adventures that are fun, such as snacking on a candy bar and soda at a store in Soso or wading in the ice-cold near the Spillway at Gitano, Mississippi.

...

Authors, Mary Lou Cheatham and Sarah Walker Gorrell, have teamed up to write a novel centered on the area where they were both born and where Mary Lou's mother was the midwife, during Sarah's birth.

Mary Lou grew up in the area, and Sarah's home sits on her family's old home place near the banks of Cohay Creek. She hears the cries of the panther, mentioned in the book, in the spring, and in the fall.

The old Slave Cemetery still exists in the woods near Sarah's home. The Mayhew house, in the book, is based on the house of renowned residents of the area - many years ago. 

The small town of Gitano, Mississippi was named for the Gypsies who inhabited the area.

Many hours were spent on research - indicating that there is much fact in this enjoyable book of fiction.

'Travelers in Painted Wagons on Cohay Creek' may be downloaded, on Amazon. The print version will be available later this month.