The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: Chapter 25  Summary & Analysis

Cussy Mary is relieved that Pa is alive and horrified to realize the position she put Queenie in. The Company harasses or harms anyone they catch passing union notes. Cussy waits until she and Junia are completely alone on the trail before opening the letter. Pa is in “family talks”—code for union negotiations—near the Tennessee border. He says he’ll be home in two nights.

When Junia halts, Cussy puts down the letter and sees the rattlesnake directly in their path. She tries to force Junia to go around but the mule refuses, and in their argument, Cussy is thrown to the ground. She and the letter land within inches of the rattlesnake’s bite. Suddenly, she hears a loud explosion. Convinced that Company men are after her, she hides her head in her arms. But it’s just Angeline, out hunting. The women quickly realize that Junia refused to go off the trail because she saw the rattlesnake’s nest there. Angeline shoots it, then gathers the dead animals for her dinner. Angeline looks wild and free, standing barefoot on the roots of the old trees, and Cussy feels a momentary desire to be wild again, like Angeline, like Cussy herself was as a child.

Angeline reports that Mr. Moffit is healing, thanks to the medicines. She takes Cussy’s hand and kisses it. Cussy recoils, warning Angeline that she shouldn’t be seen touching her, for fear of angering Mr. Moffit or exciting gossip and trouble among other people. Angeline doesn’t care much for Mr. Moffit’s pride, or for the talk of people who don’t care for her and her family like Cussy does. As the women part ways, Cussy’s stomach growls at the thought of the rabbit and rattlesnake stew Angeline will be making for dinner, knowing all too well that she won’t have anything more substantial than wild nettle soup herself.