A Stepmother Enters the Home

By Elton Camp (Life in the rural South in the early 20th Century) Milas had remarried just over a year after Mirandas death. When Belle arrived at his house, all she brought were the clothes she wore, a child and an old cast iron wash pot from her mother. Its legs were about burned off from decades of use. Pleasd t meet cha, Belle spoke into the air as she avoided eye contact with any of Milas children who had appeared at the approach of their fathers wagon. Well git long fine, Im shore. Her words expressed more of a wish than a genuine expectation. She knew that she was certain to be resented. Belle climbed down from the wagon and glanced toward her new home. While a hovel by todays standards, it was far better than where shed been living. Milas was quite a catch even if he was older and had five children. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It wouldnt be easy, but shed take one day at a time. Suppertime was coming up. Shed start with that. Belle strode toward the front steps to exude an aura of confidence and to demonstrate that she was now in charge of the household. Belle eyed Bertha standing in the doorway with a rag in her hand. She quickened her pace and mounted the steps. Bertha stepped back so that she could enter. Belle clasped her hands in front of her to stop their slight tremor. Despite the tension introduced into the home by the unexpected appearance of Belle, things went tolerably well for about two weeks. Bertha reverted to the role of oldest daughter. She and Mamie often discussed their stepmother, but never in her hearing. I dont know whut paw seed n her, Bertha confided to Mamie as they mended clothes. Shes ugly ez a mud fence. The cruel simile was untrue. In fact, Belle was of moderately good looks. With grooming and better clothes, shed have been acknowledged as pretty. Me neither, Mamie agreed. We shore dont need her round heer. Belle generally ignored the older boys. She left their discipline and work assignments to her husband. Albert and Leamon accepted her presence without apparent concern. Howard didnt seem to know quite what to make of her. Whuts thet ole hag doing here? When ez she goin home? he asked Leamon. His sisters had influenced him in his view of Belle.

Leamon, imitating his paw, only grunted. He had no intention of trying to explain such delicate matters to his younger brother. Because Leon was so young, Belle gave him special attention similar to the care she gave her own daughter. She felt compassion for the motherless child. In time, hed forget Miranda, she thought. Despite multiple attempts, she couldnt induce him to call her Maw. Bertha made sure of that. She aint yore maw n dont yu fergit hit, Bertha whispered insistently to Leon when their stepmother wasnt in hearing distance. Call her Belle. In the rural way, Belle laced all vegetables with generous dollops of brown bacon grease. She, however, cooked them down to a slimy, tasteless mush. The twang of too much salt only added to the misery. A confrontation between Bertha and Belle was inevitable. It didnt come about cooking, but cleanliness. Belle, I think hitd b lots nicer if yu warsh yore hands afore yu make bread, Bertha advised. Her stepmother had come directly from the barn and began to mix up the sticky dough. Ye jest wait. Ill tell yore paw bout this, Belle stormed. She couldnt let such an affront to her authority go unchallenged. She knew Bertha didnt like her, but shed gone too far. That night, Bertha heard Belles shrill voice as she made accusations, but Milas only listened. He declined to impose himself into a dispute between two women. They could work it out for themselves.

Tension developed in the home