Original and true story from Lewis Boring about his Grandma Alderman:

The scent of honeysuckle hung heavy in the crisp autumn air as Grandma Alderman hitched her horse, Bess, to the post under the church’s ancient oak. It was 1926, a perfect Sunday morning for a Baptist sermon. Sunlight dappled through the leaves, casting playful shadows on the weathered clapboard church.

Inside, Pastor John’s booming voice filled the small room as he passionately talked about 1st Corinthians 15:1-4.He explained that Christians were saved by believing in the death of Jesus for their sins; that he was buried in a tomb for three days; that he rose on the third.

 Grandma Alderman, a woman of steely blue eyes and a spine as straight as an arrow, listened intently. But her tranquility shattered with a bloodcurdling scream that ripped through the church.

Chaos erupted. Pews creaked as people scrambled back, their faces contorted in terror. In the midst of the pandemonium, a horrifying sight slithered into view – a Florida Cottonmouth, its copper scales gleaming menacingly as it emerged from a gaping hole in the floorboards just behind the back pew. Panic surged through the congregation; this venomous serpent barred their only exit.

Everyone froze, except Grandma Alderman. With a calmness that belied the situation, she reached under her starched apron. A collective gasp filled the room as a glint of steel caught the sunlight – a Smith and Wesson 44. This wasn’t your typical church accessory, but life in rural Tennessee often demanded unconventional tools.

Her aim was steady, her experience etched in the lines around her eyes. Four rapid cracks echoed through the church, the smell of gunpowder stinging the air. The Cottonmouth writhed, its body twitching before going limp. The threat was neutralized, but the floorboards bore the brunt of Grandma Alderman’s swift justice.

With a stoic nod, she yanked the lifeless snake through the hole and tossed it into the nearby swamp. Dusting off her hands, she turned back to the congregation, their faces a mixture of awe and disbelief. Grandma Alderman simply smiled, a glint of mischief in her eyes, and tucked the pistol away. It was as if nothing extraordinary had happened.

Silence hung heavy in the air. Then, a nervous cough broke the spell. Soon, whispers turned into nervous laughter, the tension slowly dissipating. Grandma Alderman, ever the pragmatist, strolled back inside, ready to resume the social hour.

There was no grand speech of heroism that day. But from that moment on, Grandma Alderman’s reputation shifted. The seemingly proper church lady became a legend – a testament to the fact that strength comes in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes, even to church.

For additional true stories (listed below) about Lewis Boring’s family go to: myboringstoriesnet.wordpress.com

1. Grandmas Quilts
2. Sugar Cane
3. Pistol Packing Grandma
4. Two Graves Side by Side
5. The Mountain Lion
6. From The Backwoods of Tennessee
7. A Vision of Hope
8. Red Haired Devil From Georgia
9. Indian Mary
10. Fearless Mountain Man