Mary Clare's first story

One afternoon I was making dinner and Mary Clare came down with her journal.  She told me she was writing a story about a pregnant woman whose husband was fighting in the Civil War and wanted to read it to me.  I was amazed -- she is only 7 years old and some of the writing, the topics, etc are pretty mature.  I wanted to preserve it; I did not change the spelling.  Here is her story:

My Side of the Magic by Mary Clare Jones

Chapter 1.  Monday.

My Dear Athena, I must then present you with this letter to inform you that Jack Wyatt will return home soon inuf.  Captain Thad

Athena didn't know what to think.  She was nervous and excited!  She didn't know when he was coming, if he was coming terribly soon he would come for the baby's arrival.  Soon inuf, she heard a knock at the wooden door.  Jack!  Athena thrusted her arms around him.  "Thou want anything?"  "Maybe some rest", Jack Wyatt said.  He climbed up the ladder into his room.  "Yes, indeed," Athena said, curiously.  He was ?? when we first met.  She mumbled.  "What?" said Jack.  "Nothing," she said.  That night she couldn't sleep.  She heard the owls whoing and the panthers screaming.  She grabbed the gun off the hook and ran outside.

Chapter 2.  She ran into the woods and found a nice juicy pig.  She shot the pig and sliced him up for breakfast.  When Jack woke up he found upon him was the sliced pig and a letter she wrote to him that morning.

Jack, I'm plowing crops and more.  Athena

Chapter 3.  "Why, my good Athena", he said.  She came inside with torn clothes and a hopeful smile.  "Do thou like the corn bread and pig?"  "Yes, indeed.  I was just about to say it. You and I could build a cradle. "

"Yes, indeed, I will," she said with a tear rolling down her cheek.

Chapter 4.  He hugged her and said, "Knit the cloth or the quilt and I shall cut the wood.  He hugged her once more and said, "Good bye, my dear Athena."  Another tear rolled down her cheek.

Chapter 5.  When she got done, she ran outside and yelled.  "Jack, the baby's coming!"  She walked to the barn and shut the door on Jack.  Three hours later - she walked out with a gorgis baby . . . girl!  "Her name is Maria," Athena said.  "Indeed," Jack said, "indeed."

Chapter 6.  That night I had to confess that it took one hour to have the baby and two hours to find her name.  Jack laughed and chuckled "Ho ho ho!  Ha ha ha!"  "I will go to bed now," she said.  "Okay," said Jack, "I'll see thou in the morning."  She heard a squeal and cry.

Chapter 7.  That night he wrote a poem,

My beautiful baby, eyes who shine so bright.
I will never stop loving you, my beautiful girl.

He heard his wife singing to his baby girl and the screech owl singing and the panthers screaming all to his baby girl.

Chapter 8.  Happy Birthday Athena!  It was Athena's birthday.  The baby giggled and everybody smiled.