Josie Walks Through the Door

The price of a woman in Cold Water Crossing in the autumn of 1887 was apparently thirty-five dollars and a mule with a bad leg. Hayes Mercer had come down from the mountain for flour, lamp oil, salt, coffee, and a new axe handle. He had not come to buy a human being. He had especially not come to spend the last forty dollars in his pocket...

By My Life Story Editorial

Published November 2, 2026 · Updated November 2, 2026