"I hate and despise you! I wish never to see you or speak to you again!"
"Very well; I will take care that henceforth you have no opportunity to
do either."
These words--the first in the passionately vibrant tones of my
sister-in-law, and the latter in the deeper and more restrained accents
of an angry man--startled me from my nap. I had been dozing in my
hammock on the front piazza, behind the honeysuckle vine. I had been
faintly aware of a buzz of conversation in the parlor, but had not
at all awakened to its import until these sentences fell, or, I might
rather say, were hurled upon my ear. I presume the young people had
either not seen me lying there,--the Venetian blinds opening from the
parlor windows upon the piazza were partly closed on account of the
heat,--or else in their excitement they had forgotten my proximity.
I felt somewhat concerned. The young man, I had remarked, was proud,
firm, jealous of the point of honor, and, from my observation of him,
quite likely to resent to the bitter end what he deemed a slight or
an injustice. The girl, I knew, was quite as high-spirited as young
Murchison. I feared she was not so just, and hoped she would prove more
yielding. I knew that her affections were strong and enduring, but that
her temperament was capricious, and her sunniest moods easily overcast
by some small cloud of jealousy or pique. I had never imagined, however,
that she was capable of such intensity as was revealed by these few
words of hers. As I say, I felt concerned. I had learned to like Malcolm
Murchison, and had heartily consented to his marriage with my ward; for
it was in that capacity that I had stood for a year or two to my wife's
younger sister, Mabel. The match thus rudely broken off had promised to
be another link binding me to the kindly Southern people among whom I
had not long before taken up my residence.
Young Murchison came out of the door, cleared the piazza in two strides
without seeming aware of my presence, and went off down the lane at a
furious pace. A few moments later Mabel began playing the piano loudly,
with a touch that indicated anger and pride and independence and a dash
of exultation, as though she were really glad that she had driven away
forever the young man whom the day before she had loved with all the
ardor of a first passion.
I hoped that time might heal the breach and bring the two young people
together again. I told my wife what I had overheard. In return she gave
me Mabel's version of the affair.
"I do not see how it can ever be settled," my wife said. "It is
something more than a mere lovers' quarrel. It began, it is true,
because she found fault with him for going to church with that hateful
Branson girl. But before it ended there were things said that no woman
of any spirit could stand. I am afraid it is all over between them."
I was sorry to hear this. In spite of the very firm attitude taken by
my wife and her sister, I still hoped that the quarrel would be made up
within a day or two. Nevertheless, when a week had passed with no word
from young Murchison, and with no sign of relenting on Mabel's part, I
began to think myself mistaken.
One pleasant afternoon, about ten days after the rupture, old Julius
drove the rockaway up to the piazza, and my wife, Mabel, and I took
our seats for a drive to a neighbor's vineyard, over on the Lumberton
plankroad.
"Which way shall we go," I asked,--"the short road or the long one?"
"I guess we had better take the short road," answered my wife. "We will
get there sooner."
"It's a mighty fine dribe roun' by de big road, Mis' Annie," observed
Julius, "en it doan take much longer to git dere."
"No," said my wife, "I think we will go by the short road. There is a
bay tree in blossom near the mineral spring, and I wish to get some of
the flowers."
"I 'spec's you'd find some bay trees 'long de big road, ma'am," said
Julius.
"But I know about the flowers on the short road, and they are the ones I
want."
We drove down the lane to the highway, and soon struck into the short
road leading past the mineral spring. Our route lay partly through a
swamp, and on each side the dark, umbrageous foliage, unbroken by
any clearing, lent to the road solemnity, and to the air a refreshing
coolness. About half a mile from the house, and about halfway to the
mineral spring, we stopped at the tree of which my wife had spoken, and
reaching up to the low-hanging boughs I gathered a dozen of the fragrant
white flowers. When I resumed my seat in the rockaway, Julius started
the mare. She went on for a few rods, until we had reached the edge of a
branch crossing the road, when she stopped short.
"Why did you stop, Julius?" I asked.
"I didn', suh," he replied. "'T wuz de mare stop'. G' 'long dere, Lucy!
W'at you mean by dis foolis'ness?"
Julius jerked the reins and applied the whip lightly, but the mare did
not stir.
"Perhaps you had better get down and lead her," I suggested. "If you get
her started, you can cross on the log and keep your feet dry."
Julius alighted, took hold of the bridle, and vainly essayed to make the
mare move. She planted her feet with even more evident obstinacy.
"I don't know what to make of this," I said. "I have never known her to
balk before. Have you, Julius?"
"No, suh," replied the old man, "I nebber has. It's a cu'ous thing ter
me, suh."
"What's the best way to make her go?"
"I 'spec's, suh, dat ef I'd tu'n her roun' she'd go de udder way."
"But we want her to go this way."
"Well, suh, I 'low ef we des set heah fo' er fibe minutes, she'll sta't
up by herse'f."
"All right," I rejoined, "it is cooler here than any place I have struck
to-day. We'll let her stand for a while, and see what she does."
We had sat in silence for a few minutes, when Julius suddenly
ejaculated, "Uh huh! I knows w'y dis mare doan go. It des flash 'cross
my reccommemb'ance."
"Why is it, Julius?" I inquired.
"Ca'se she sees Chloe."
"Where is Chloe?" I demanded.
"Chloe's done be'n dead dese fo'ty years er mo'," the old man returned.
"Her ha'nt is settin' ober yander on de udder side er de branch, unner
dat willer tree, dis blessed minute."
"Why, Julius!" said my wife, "do you see the haunt?"
"No'm," he answered, shaking his head, "I doan see 'er, but de mare sees
'er."
"How do you know?" I inquired.
"Well, suh, dis yer is a gray hoss, en dis yer is a Friday; en a gray
hoss kin alluz see a ha'nt w'at walks on Friday."
"Who was Chloe?" said Mabel.
"And why does Chloe's haunt walk?" asked my wife.
"It's all in de tale, ma'am," Julius replied, with a deep sigh. "It's
all in de tale."
"Tell us the tale," I said. "Perhaps, by the time you get through, the
haunt will go away and the mare will cross."
I was willing to humor the old man's fancy. He had not told us a
story for some time; and the dark and solemn swamp around us; the
amber-colored stream flowing silently and sluggishly at our feet, like
the waters of Lethe; the heavy, aromatic scent of the bays, faintly
suggestive of funeral wreaths,--all made the place an ideal one for a
ghost story.
"Chloe," Julius began in a subdued tone, "use' ter b'long ter ole Mars'
Dugal' McAdoo--my ole marster. She wuz a ladly gal en a smart gal, en
ole mis' tuk her up ter de big house, en l'arnt her ter wait on de w'ite
folks, 'tel bimeby she come ter be mis's own maid, en 'peared ter 'low
she run de house herse'f, ter heah her talk erbout it. I wuz a young
boy den, en use' ter wuk about de stables, so I knowed ev'ythin' dat wuz
gwine on roun' de plantation.
"Well, one time Mars' Dugal' wanted a house boy, en sont down ter de
qua'ters fer hab Jeff en Hannibal come up ter de big house nex'
mawnin'. Ole marster en ole mis' look' de two boys ober, en 'sco'sed wid
deyse'ves fer a little w'ile, en den Mars' Dugal' sez, sezee:--
"'We laks Hannibal de bes', en we gwine ter keep him. Heah, Hannibal,
you'll wuk at de house fum now on. En ef you're a good nigger en min's
yo' bizness, I'll gib you Chloe fer a wife nex' spring. You other
nigger, you Jeff, you kin go back ter de qua'ters. We ain' gwine ter
need you.'
"Now Chloe had be'n standin' dere behin' ole mis' dyoin' all er dis yer
talk, en Chloe made up her min' fum de ve'y fus' minute she sot eyes on
dem two dat she didn' lak dat nigger Hannibal, en wa'n't nebber gwine
keer fer 'im, en she wuz des ez sho' dat she lak Jeff, en wuz gwine ter
set sto' by 'im, whuther Mars' Dugal' tuk 'im in de big house er no; en
so co'se Chloe wuz monst'us sorry w'en ole Mars' Dugal' tuk Hannibal en
sont Jeff back. So she slip' roun' de house en waylaid Jeff on de way
back ter de qua'ters en tol' 'im not ter be downhea'ted, fer she wuz
gwine ter see ef she couldn' fin' some way er 'nuther ter git rid er dat
nigger Hannibal, en git Jeff up ter de house in his place.
"De noo house boy kotch on monst'us fas', en it wa'n't no time ha'dly
befo' Mars' Dugal' en ole mis' bofe 'mence' ter 'low Hannibal wuz de
bes' house boy dey eber had. He wuz peart en soopl', quick ez lightnin',
en sha'p ez a razor. But Chloe didn' lak his ways. He wuz so sho' he wuz
gwine ter git 'er in de spring, dat he didn' 'pear ter 'low he had ter
do any co'tin', en w'en he'd run 'cross Chloe 'bout de house, he'd swell
roun' 'er in a biggity way en say:
"'Come heah en kiss me, honey. You gwine ter be mine in de spring. You
doan 'pear ter be ez fon' er me ez you oughter be.'
"Chloe didn' keer nuffin' fer Hannibal, en hadn' keered nuffin' fer 'im,
en she sot des ez much sto' by Jeff ez she did de day she fus' laid eyes
on 'im. En de mo' fermilyus dis yer Hannibal got, de mo' Chloe let
her min' run on Jeff, en one ebenin' she went down ter de qua'ters en
watch', 'tel she got a chance fer ter talk wid 'im by hisse'f. En she
tol' Jeff fer ter go down en see ole Aun' Peggy, de cunjuh-'oman down
by de Wim'l'ton Road, en ax her fer ter gib 'im sump'n ter he'p git
Hannibal out'n de big house, so de w'ite folks 'u'd sen' fer Jeff ag'in.
En bein' ez Jeff didn' hab nuffin' ter gib Aun' Peggy, Chloe gun i'm a
silber dollah en a silk han'kercher fer ter pay her wid, fer Aun' Peggy
nebber lak ter wuk fer nobody fer nuffin'.
"So Jeff slip' off down ter Aun' Peggy's one night, en gun 'er de
presents he brung, en tol' er all 'bout 'im en Chloe en Hannibal, en ax'
'er ter he'p 'im out. Aun' Peggy tol' 'im she'd wuk 'er roots, en fer
'im ter come back de nex' night, en she'd tell 'im w'at she c'd do fer
'im.
"So de nex' night Jeff went back, en Aun' Peggy gun 'im a baby-doll, wid
a body made out'n a piece er co'n-stalk, en wid splinters fer a'ms en
legs, en a head made out'n elderberry peth, en two little red peppers
fer feet.
"'Dis yer baby-doll,' sez she, 'is Hannibal. Dis yer peth head is
Hannibal's head, en dese yer pepper feet is Hannibal's feet. You take
dis en hide it unner de house, on de sill unner de do', whar Hannibal'll
hafter walk ober it ev'y day. En ez long ez Hannibal comes anywhar nigh
dis baby-doll, he'll be des lak it is--light-headed en hot-footed; en
ef dem two things doan git 'im inter trouble mighty soon, den I'm no
cunjuh-'oman. But w'en you git Hannibal out'n de house, en git all thoo
wid dis baby-doll, you mus' fetch it back ter me, fer it's monst'us
powerful goopher, en is liable ter make mo' trouble ef you leabe it
layin' roun'.'
"Well, Jeff tuk de baby-doll, en slip' up ter de big house, en whistle'
ter Chloe, en w'en she come out he tol' 'er w'at ole Aun' Peggy had
said. En Chloe showed 'im how ter git unner de house, en w'en he had
put de cunjuh-doll on de sill he went 'long back ter de qua'ters--en des
waited.
"Nex' day, sho' 'nuff, de goopher 'mence' ter wuk. Hannibal sta'ted in
de house soon in de mawnin' wid a armful er wood ter make a fier, en he
hadn' mo' d'n got 'cross de do'sill befo' his feet begun ter bu'n so
dat he drap' de armful er wood on de flo' en woke ole mis' up an hour
sooner'n yuzhal, en co'se ole mis' didn' lak dat, en spoke sha'p erbout
it.
"W'en dinner-time come, en Hannibal wuz help'n de cook kyar de dinner
f'm de kitchen inter de big house, en wuz gittin' close ter de do' what
he had ter go in, his feet sta'ted ter bu'n en his head begun ter swim,
en he let de big dish er chicken en dumplin's fall right down in de
dirt, in de middle er de ya'd, en de w'ite folks had ter make dey dinner
dat day off'n col' ham en sweet pertaters.
"De nex' mawnin' he overslep' hisse'f, en got inter mo' trouble. Atter
breakfus', Mars' Dugal' sont 'im ober ter Mars' Marrabo Utley's fer ter
borry a monkey wrench. He oughter be'n back in ha'f an hour, but he
come pokin' home 'bout dinner'time wid a screw-driver stidder a monkey
wrench. Mars' Dugal' sont ernudder nigger back wid de screw-driver,
en Hannibal didn' git no dinner. 'Long in de atternoon, ole mis' sot
Hannibal ter weedin' de flowers in de front gyahden, en Hannibal dug up
all de bulbs ole mis' had sont erway fer, en paid a lot er money fer,
en tuk 'em down ter de hawg-pen by de ba'nya'd, en fed 'em ter de hawgs.
W'en ole mis' come out in de cool er de ebenin', en seed w'at Hannibal
had done, she wuz mos' crazy, en she wrote a note en sont Hannibal down
ter de obserseah wid it.
"But w'at Hannibal got fum de oberseah didn' 'pear ter do no good. Ev'y
now en den 'is feet'd 'mence ter torment 'im, en 'is min' 'u'd git all
mix' up, en his conduc' kep' gittin' wusser en wusser, 'tel fin'ly de
w'ite folks couldn' stan' it no longer, en Mars' Dugal' tuk Hannibal
back down ter de qua'ters.
"'Mr. Smif,' sez Mars' Dugal' ter de oberseah, 'dis yer nigger has tu'nt
out so triflin' yer lately, dat we can't keep 'im at de house no mo', en
I's fotch' 'im ter you ter be straighten' up. You's had 'casion ter deal
wid 'im once, so he knows w'at ter expec'. You des take 'im in han', en
lemme know how he tu'ns out. En w'en de han's comes in fum de fiel' dis
ebenin' you kin sen' dat yaller nigger Jeff up ter de house. I'll try
'im, en see ef he's any better'n Hannibal.'
"So Jeff went up ter de big house, en pleas' Mars' Dugal' en ole mis' en
de res' er de fambly so well dat dey all got ter lakin' 'im fus'rate, en
dey'd 'a' fergot all 'bout Hannibal ef it hadn' be'n fer de bad repo'ts
w'at come up fum de qua'ters 'bout 'im fer a mont' er so. Fac' is dat
Chloe en Jeff wuz so int'rusted in one ernudder since Jeff be'n up ter
de house, dat dey fergot all about takin' de baby-doll back ter Aun'
Peggy, en it kep' wukkin fer a w'ile, en makin' Hannibal's feet bu'n mo'
er less, 'tel all de folks on de plantation got ter callin' 'im Hot-Foot
Hannibal. He kep' gittin' mo' en mo' triflin', 'tel he got de name er
bein' de mos' no 'countes' nigger on de plantation, en Mars' Dugal'
had ter th'eaten ter sell 'im in de spring; w'en bimeby de goopher quit
wukkin', en Hannibal 'mence' ter pick up some en make folks set a little
mo' sto' by 'im.
"Now, dis yer Hannibal was a monst'us sma't nigger, en w'en he got rid
er dem so' feet his min' kep' runnin' on 'is udder troubles. Heah th'ee
er fo' weeks befo' he'd had a' easy job, waitin' on de w'ite folks,
libbin off'n de fat er de lan', en promus' de fines' gal on de
plantation fer a wife in de spring, en now heah he wuz back in de
co'nfiel', wid de oberseah a-cussin' en a r'arin' ef he didn' get a ha'd
tas' done; wid nuffin' but co'n bread en bacon en merlasses ter eat;
en all de fiel-han's makin' rema'ks, en pokin' fun at 'im ca'se he be'n
sont back fum de big house ter de fiel'. En de mo' Hannibal studied
'bout it de mo' madder he got, 'tel he fin'ly swo' he wuz gwine ter git
eben wid Jeff en Chloe ef it wuz de las' ac'.
"So Hannibal slipped 'way fum de qua'ters one Sunday en hid in de co'n
up close ter de big house, 'tel he see Chloe gwine down de road. He
waylaid her, en sezee:--
"'Hoddy, Chloe?'
"'I ain't got no time fer ter fool wid fiel'-han's,' sez Chloe, tossin'
her head; 'W'at you want wid me, Hot-Foot?'
"'I wants ter know how you en Jeff is gittin' 'long.'
"'I 'lows dat's none er yo' bizness, nigger. I doan see w'at 'casion any
common fiel'-han' has got ter mix in wid de 'fairs er folks w'at libs in
de big house. But ef it'll do you any good ter know, I mought say dat me
en Jeff is gittin' 'long mighty well, en we gwine ter git married in de
spring, en you ain' gwine ter be 'vited ter de weddin' nuther.'
"'No, no!' sezee, 'I wouldn' 'spec' ter be 'vited ter de weddin',--a
common, low-down fiel'-han' lak I is. But I's glad ter heah you en Jeff
is gittin' 'long so well. I didn' knowed but w'at he had 'mence' ter be
a little ti'ed.'
"'Ti'ed er me? Dat's rediklus!' sez Chloe. 'W'y, dat nigger lubs me so
I b'liebe he'd go th'oo fier en water fer me. Dat nigger is des wrop' up
in me.'
"'Uh huh,' sez Hannibal, 'den I reckon is mus' be some udder nigger w'at
meets a 'oman down by de crick in de swamp ev'y Sunday ebenin', ter say
nuffin' 'bout two er th'ee times a week.'
"'Yas, hit is ernudder nigger, en you is a liah w'en you say it wuz
Jeff.'
"'Mebbe I is a liah, en mebbe I ain' got good eyes. But 'less'n I IS a
liah, en 'less'n I AIN' got good eyes, Jeff is gwine ter meet dat 'oman
dis ebenin' long 'bout eight o'clock right down dere by de crick in de
swamp 'bout halfway betwix' dis plantation en Mars' Marrabo Utley's.'
"Well, Chloe tol' Hannibal she didn' b'liebe a wud he said, en call'
'im a low-down nigger who wuz tryin' ter slander Jeff 'ca'se he wuz mo'
luckier'n he wuz. But all de same, she couldn' keep her min' fum runnin'
on w'at Hannibal had said. She 'membered she'd heared one er de niggers
say dey wuz a gal ober at Mars' Marrabo Utley's plantation w'at Jeff
use' ter go wid some befo' he got 'quainted wid Chloe. Den she 'mence'
ter figger back, en sho' 'nuff, dey wuz two er th'ee times in de las'
week w'en she'd be'n he'p'n de ladies wid dey dressin' en udder fixin's
in de ebenin', en Jeff mought 'a' gone down ter de swamp widout her
knowin' 'bout it at all. En den she 'mence' ter 'member little things
w'at she hadn' tuk no notice of befo', en w'at 'u'd make it 'pear lak
Jeff had sump'n on his min'.
"Chloe set a monst'us heap er sto' by Jeff, en would 'a' done mos'
anythin' fer 'im, so long ez he stuck ter her. But Chloe wuz a mighty
jealous 'oman, en w'iles she didn' b'liebe w'at Hannibal said, she seed
how it COULD 'a' be'n so, en she 'termine' fer ter fin' out fer herse'f
whuther it WUZ so er no.
"Now, Chloe hadn' seed Jeff all day, fer Mars' Dugal' had sont Jeff ober
ter his daughter's house, young Mis' Ma'g'ret's, w'at libbed 'bout fo'
miles fum Mars' Dugal's, en Jeff wuzn' 'spected home 'tel ebenin'. But
des atter supper wuz ober, en w'iles de ladies wuz settin' out on de
piazzer, Chloe slip' off fum de house en run down de road,--dis yer
same road we come; en w'en she got mos' ter de crick--dis yer same crick
right befo' us--she kin' er kip' in de bushes at de side er de road,
'tel fin'ly she seed Jeff settin' on de back on de udder side er de
crick,--right under dat ole willer tree droopin' ober de watah yander.
En ev'y now en den he'd git up en look up de road to'ds Mars' Marrabo's
on de udder side er de swamp.
"Fus' Chloe felt lak she'd go right ober de crick en gib Jeff a piece er
her min'. Den she 'lowed she better be sho' befo' she done anythin'. So
she helt herse'f in de bes' she could, gittin' madder en madder ev'ry
minute, 'tel bimeby she seed a 'oman comin' down de road on de udder
side fum to'ds Mars' Marrabo Utley's plantation. En w'en she seed Jeff
jump up en run to'ds dat 'oman, en th'ow his a'ms roun' her neck, po'
Chloe didn' stop ter see no mo', but des tu'nt roun' en run up ter de
house, en rush' up on de piazzer, en up en tol' Mars' Dugal' en ole mis'
all 'bout de baby-doll, en all 'bout Jeff gittin' de goopher fum Aun'
Peggy, en 'bout w'at de goopher had done ter Hannibal.
"Mars' Dugal' wuz monst'us mad. He didn' let on at fus' lak he b'liebed
Chloe, but w'en she tuk en showed 'im whar ter fin' de baby-doll, Mars'
Dugal' tu'nt w'ite ez chalk.
"'What debil's wuk is dis?' sezee. 'No wonder de po' nigger's feet
eetched. Sump'n got ter be done ter l'arn dat ole witch ter keep her
han's off'n my niggers. En ez fer dis yer Jeff, I'm gwine ter do des
w'at I promus', so de darkies on dis plantation'll know I means w'at I
sez.'
"Fer Mars' Dugal' had warned de han's befo' 'bout foolin' wid
cunju'ation; fac', he had los' one er two niggers hisse'f fum dey bein'
goophered, en he would 'a' had ole Aun' Peggy whip' long ago, on'y Aun'
Peggy wuz a free 'oman, en he wuz 'feard she'd cunjuh him. En wi'les
Mars' Dugal' say he didn' b'liebe in cunj'in' en sich, he 'peared ter
'low it wuz bes' ter be on de safe side, en let Aun' Peggy alone.
"So Mars' Dugal' done des ez he say. Ef ole mis' had ple'd fer Jeff he
mought 'a' kep' 'im. But ole mis' hadn' got ober losin' dem bulbs yit,
en she nebber said a wud. Mars' Dugal' tuk Jeff ter town nex' day en'
sol' 'im ter a spekilater, who sta'ted down de ribber wid 'im nex'
mawnin' on a steamboat, fer ter take 'im ter Alabama.
"Now, w'en Chloe tol' ole Mars' Dugal' 'bout dis yer baby-doll en dis
udder goopher, she hadn' ha'dly 'lowed Mars' Dugal' would sell Jeff down
Souf. Howsomeber, she wuz so mad wid Jeff dat she 'suaded herse'f she
didn' keer; en so she hilt her head up en went roun' lookin' lak she wuz
rale glad 'bout it. But one day she wuz walkin' down de road, w'en who
sh'd come 'long but dis yer Hannibal.
"W'en Hannibal seed 'er he bus' out laffin' fittin' fer ter kill: 'Yah,
yah, yah! ho, ho, ho! ha, ha, ha! Oh, hol' me, honey, hol' me, er I'll
laf myse'f ter def. I ain' nebber laf' so much sence I be'n bawn.'
"'W'at you laffin' at, Hot-Foot?'
"'Yah, yah, yah! W'at I laffin' at? W'y, I's laffin' at myse'f, tooby
sho',--laffin' ter think w'at a fine 'oman I made.'
"Chloe tu'nt pale, en her hea't come up in her mouf.
"'W'at you mean, nigger?' sez she, ketchin' holt er a bush by de road
fer ter stiddy herse'f. 'W'at you mean by de kin' er 'oman you made?'
"W'at do I mean? I means dat I got squared up wid you fer treatin' me
de way you done, en I got eben wid dat yaller nigger Jeff fer cuttin' me
out. Now, he's gwine ter know w'at it is ter eat co'n bread en merlasses
once mo', en wuk fum daylight ter da'k, en ter hab a oberseah dribin'
'im fum one day's een' ter de udder. I means dat I sont wud ter Jeff dat
Sunday dat you wuz gwine ter be ober ter Mars' Marrabo's visitin' dat
ebenin', en you want i'm ter meet you down by de crick on de way home en
go de rest er de road wid you. En den I put on a frock en a sun-bonnet
en fix' myse'f up ter look lak a 'oman; en w'en Jeff seed me comin' he
run ter meet me, en you seed 'im,--fer I had be'n watchin' in de bushes
befo' en 'skivered you comin' down de road. En now I reckon you en Jeff
bofe knows w'at it means ter mess wid a nigger lak me.'
"Po' Chloe hadn' heared mo' d'n half er de las' part er w'at Hannibal
said, but she had heared 'nuff to l'arn dat dis nigger had fooler her en
Jeff, en dat po' Jeff hadn' done nuffin', en dat fer lovin' her too much
en goin' ter meet her she had cause' 'im ter be sol' erway whar she'd
nebber, nebber see 'im no mo'. De sun mought shine by day, de moon by
night, de flowers mought bloom, en de mawkin'-birds mought sing, but po'
Jeff wuz done los' ter her fereber en fereber.
"Hannibal hadn' mo' d'n finish' w'at he had ter say, w'en Chloe's knees
gun 'way unner her, en she fell down in de road, en lay dere half a'
hour er so befo' she come to. W'en she did, she crep' up ter de house
des ez pale ez a ghos'. En fer a mont' er so she crawled roun' de house,
en 'peared ter be so po'ly dat Mars' Dugal' sont fer a doctor; en de
doctor kep' on axin' her questions 'tel he foun' she wuz des pinin'
erway fer Jeff.
"W'en he tol' Mars' Dugal', Mars' Dugal' lafft, en said he'd fix dat.
She could hab de noo house boy fer a husban'. But ole mis' say, no,
Chloe ain' dat kinder gal, en dat Mars' Dugal' should buy Jeff back.
"So Mars' Dugal' writ a letter ter dis yer spekilater down ter
Wim'l'ton, en tol' ef he ain' done sol' dat nigger Souf w'at he bought
fum 'im, he'd lak ter buy 'm back ag'in. Chloe 'mence' ter pick up a
little w'en ole mis' tol' her 'bout dis letter. Howsomeber, bimeby Mars'
Dugal' got a' answer fum de spekilater, who said he wuz monst'us sorry,
but Jeff had fell ove'boa'd er jumped off'n de steamboat on de way ter
Wim'l'ton, en got drownded, en co'se he couldn' sell 'im back, much ez
he'd lak ter 'bleedge Mars' Dugal'.
"Well, atter Chloe heared dis she pu'tended ter do her wuk, en ole mis'
wa'n't much mo' use ter nobody. She put up wid her, en hed de doctor gib
her medicine, en let 'er go ter de circus, en all so'ts er things fer
ter take her min' off'n her troubles. But dey didn' none un 'em do no
good. Chloe got ter slippin' down here in de ebenin' des lak she 'uz
comin' ter meet Jeff, en she'd set dere unner dat willer tree on de
udder side, en wait fer 'im, night atter night. Bimeby she got so bad
de w'ite folks sont her ober ter young Mis' Ma'g'ret's fer ter gib her
a change; but she runned erway de fus' night, en w'en dey looked fer
'er nex' mawnin' dey foun' her co'pse layin' in de branch yander, right
'cross fum whar we're settin' now.
"Eber sence den," said Julius in conclusion, "Chloe's ha'nt comes eve'y
ebenin' en sets down unner dat willer tree en waits fer Jeff, er e'se
walks up en down de road yander, lookin' en lookin', en' [sic] waitin'
en waitin', fer her sweethea't w'at ain' nebber, nebber come back ter
her no mo'."
There was silence when the old man had finished, and I am sure I saw a
tear in my wife's eye, and more than one in Mabel's.
"I think, Julius," said my wife after a moment, "that you may turn the
mare around and go by the long road."
The old man obeyed with alacrity, and I noticed no reluctance on the
mare's part.
"You are not afraid of Chloe's haunt, are you?" I asked jocularly.
My mood was not responded to, and neither of the ladies smiled.
"Oh no," said Annie, "but I've changed my mind. I prefer the other
route."
When we had reached the main road and had proceeded along it for a short
distance, we met a cart driven by a young negro, and on the cart were
a trunk and a valise. We recognized the man as Malcolm Murchison's
servant, and drew up a moment to speak to him.
"Who's going away, Marshall?" I inquired.
"Young Mistah Ma'colm gwine 'way on de boat ter Noo Yo'k dis ebenin',
suh, en I'm takin' his things down ter de wharf, suh."
This was news to me, and I heard it with regret. My wife looked sorry,
too, and I could see that Mabel was trying hard to hide her concern.
"He's comin' 'long behin', suh, en I 'spec's you'll meet 'im up de road
a piece. He's gwine ter walk down ez fur ez Mistah Jim Williams's, en
take de buggy fum dere ter town. He 'spec's ter be gone a long time,
suh, en say prob'ly he ain' nebber comin' back."
The man drove on. There were a few words exchanged in an undertone
between my wife and Mabel, which I did not catch. Then Annie
said: "Julius, you may stop the rockaway a moment. There are some
trumpet-flowers by the road there that I want. Will you get them for me,
John?"
I sprang into the underbrush, and soon returned with a great bunch of
scarlet blossoms.
"Where is Mabel?" I asked, noting her absence.
"She has walked on ahead. We shall overtake her in a few minutes."
The carriage had gone only a short distance when my wife discovered that
she had dropped her fan.
"I had it where we were stopping. Julius, will you go back and get it
for me?"
Julius got down and went back for the fan. He was an unconscionably long
time finding it. After we got started again we had gone only a little
way, when we saw Mabel and young Murchison coming toward us. They were
walking arm in arm, and their faces were aglow with the light of love.
I do not know whether or not Julius had a previous understanding with
Malcolm Murchison by which he was to drive us round by the long road
that day, nor do I know exactly what motive influenced the old man's
exertions in the matter. He was fond of Mabel, but I was old enough, and
knew Julius well enough, to be skeptical of his motives. It is certain
that a most excellent understanding existed between him and Murchison
after the reconciliation, and that when the young people set up
housekeeping over at the old Murchison place Julius had an opportunity
to enter their service. For some reason or other, however, he preferred
to remain with us. The mare, I might add, was never known to balk again.