When two little children, twins Rose of Sharon and Jacob Welty, weary, bug-bitten and hungry, stumble upon Blake Harris’ camp in the Arizona desert, he feeds them. After hearing their tragic story of hiding in a cave while a gang of men murdered their homesteading parents, he takes them to the nearest town. It’s obvious they need a home, and Harris becomes their guardian.
Through the years, Harris plays the father role, and before long marries the local school teacher, and they became a family. Rose has an unusual talent for writing, as well as a gift for “knowing something without the usual ways of knowing.” But sometimes a gift becomes a burden.
An Apache Indian boy, hungry for knowledge, lurks at the school house window, knowing he is not welcome. The twins become friends with White Buffalo and he is a regular visitor in the household, and later a ranch hand. Through White Buffalo we learn the sad plight of the Indian as they become displaced in their own land.
The author vividly portrays life on an Arizona scrub ranch in the late 1880’s. As Rose and Jacob mature, other children are born into the family and at times life becomes complicated. White Buffalo’s presence becomes a serious issue as he and Rose become sexually aware of one another.
Author Arletta Dawdy’s love of the land is obvious as she vividly describes the wild Huachuca Mountains and surrounding wildlands, She beautifully portrays the different seasons, each with its own uniqueness and challenges.
A novel, Rose of Sharon is the third of The Huachuca Trilogy. The first was Huachuca Woman followed by By Grace. To learn more about Arletta Dowdy and her work, visit http://www.arlettadawdy.com/