Snow Falling on Cedars Chapter 10

Etta is testifying about moving to a small apartment in town after her husband died, because she could not work the farm by herself. In 1945, Kabuo came back from the war and went to see Etta. She hadn't seen him in three years. Kabuo is angry because Etta sold the land to Ole without telling him the Miyamotos were one payment away from ownership. Etta shut the door in his face. Ever since then, she says, she and Carl Jr. had to watch out for Kabuo--he was always giving them dirty looks. She claims, "We're enemies all right. They've been botherin' us over those seven acres for near ten years now. My son was killed over it." Chapter 10, pg. 141

Nels Gudmundsson questions Etta until he learns that she sold her land to Ole at twenty-five thousand dollars more than she was selling it to the Miyamotos.

Alvin Hooks questions Ole Jurgensen, a frail old man, and learns that Kabuo came to him and angrily asked to buy his land back. Ole, who knew nothing about Etta's selling the Miyamoto land away, said that he did not want to sell any of his newly acquired land. However, after Ole had a stroke and could not work the land anymore, he put the land up for sale publicly. Carl Heine came and told him that he wanted to buy back the land his mother had sold to Ole. The fishing life didn't suit him, he said. Ole was pleased with the idea.

Topic Tracking: Small Town Life 4

The same afternoon, Kabuo Miyamoto came to try to buy Ole's land. When Ole told him he had just sold it to Carl, Kabuo's face showed anger for just a moment. Then he left.