at moments such as these , while meredith was making free use of her vast store of questionable scientific wisdom and authentic gimcracks , suddenly , a surge of sisterly pride , and a real western conceit coursed through me , and the physical reaction in my body was like a team of horses jerking on the tongue of a wagon following the pistol shot that began the oklahoma land grab , this pride stretched , then stiffened , my spine and made my flesh tingle .