[Footnote: From "In Ole Virginia," by Thomas Nelson Page.
Copyright, 1887, by Charles Scribner's Sons.]
One afternoon, in the autumn of 1872, I was riding leisurely down
the sandy road that winds along the top of the water-shed between
two of the smaller rivers of eastern Virginia. The road I was
travelling, following "the ridge" for miles, had just struck me as
most significant of the character of the race whose only avenue of
communication with the outside world it had formerly been. Their
once splendid mansions, now fast falling to decay, appeared to
view from time to time, set back far from the road, in proud
seclusion, among groves of oak and hickory, now scarlet and gold
with the early frost. Distance was nothing to this people, time
was of no consequence to them. They desired but a level path in
life, and that they had, though the way was longer, and the outer
world strode by them as they dreamed.
I was aroused from my reflections by hearing some one ahead of me
calling, "Heah!--heah--whoo-oop, heah!"
Turning the curve in the road, I saw just before me a negro
standing, with a hoe and a watering-pot in his hand. He had
evidently just gotten over the "worm-fence" into the road, out of
the path which led zigzag across the "old field" and was lost to
sight in the dense growth of sassafras. When I rode up, he was
looking anxiously back down this path for his dog. So engrossed
was he that he did not even hear my horse, and I reined in to wait
until he should turn around and satisfy my curiosity as to the
handsome old place half a mile off from the road.
The numerous out-buildings and the large barns and stables told
that it had once been the seat of wealth, and the wild waste of
sassafras that covered the broad fields gave it an air of
desolation that greatly excited my interest. Entirely oblivious of
my proximity, the negro went on calling "Whoo-oop, heah!" until
along the path, walking very slowly and with great dignity,
appeared a noble-looking old orange and white setter, gray with
age, and corpulent with excessive feeding. As soon as he came in
sight, his master began:
"Yes, dat you! You gittin' deaf as well as bline, I s'pose! Kyarnt
heah me callin', I reckon? Whyn't yo' come on, dawg?"
The setter sauntered slowly up to the fence and stopped, without
even deigning a look at the speaker, who immediately proceeded to
take the rails down, talking meanwhile:
"Now, I got to pull down de gap, I s'pose! Yo' so sp'ilt yo' kyahn
hardly walk. Jes' ez able to git over it as I is! Jes' like white
folks--think 'cuz you's white and I'se black, I got to wait on yo'
all de time. Ne'm mine, I ain' gwi' do it!"
The fence having been pulled down sufficiently low to suit his
dogship, he marched sedately through, and, with a hardly
perceptible lateral movement of his tail, walked on down the road.
Putting up the rails carefully, the negro turned and saw me.
"Sarvent, marster," he said, taking his hat off. Then, as if
apologetically for having permitted a stranger to witness what was
merely a family affair, he added: "He know I don' mean nothin' by
what I sez. He's Marse Chan's dawg, an' he's so ole he kyahn git
long no pearter. He know I'se jes' prodjickin' wid 'im."
"Who is Marse Chan?" I asked; "and whose place is that over there,
and the one a mile or two back--the place with the big gate and
the carved stone pillars!"
"Marse Chan," said the darky, "he's Marse Channin'--my young
marster; an' dem places--dis one's Wealls, an' de one back dyar
wid de rock gate-pos's is ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin's. Dey don' nobody
live dyar now, 'cep' niggers. Arfter de war some one or nurr
bought our place, but his name done kind o' slipped me. I nuver
hearn on 'im befo'; I think dey's half-strainers. I don' ax none
on 'em no odds. I lives down de road heah, a little piece, an' I
jes' steps down of a evenin' and looks arfter de graves."
"Well, where is Marse Chan?" I asked.
"Hi! don' you know? Marse Chan, he went in de army. I was wid 'im.
Yo' know he warn' gwine an' lef Sam."
"Will you tell me all about it?" I said, dismounting.
Instantly, and as if by instinct, the darky stepped forward and
took my bridle. I demurred a little; but with a bow that would
have honored old Sir Roger, he shortened the reins, and taking my
horse from me, led him along.
"Now tell me about Marse Chan," I said.
"Lawd, marster, hit's so long ago, I'd a'most forgit all about it,
ef I hedn' been wid him ever sence he wuz born. Ez 'tis, I
remembers it jes' like 'twuz yistiddy. Yo' know Marse Chan an' me
--we wuz boys togerr. I wuz older'n he wuz, jes' de same ez he wuz
whiter'n me. I wuz born plantin' corn time, de spring arfter big
Jim an' de six steers got washed away at de upper ford right down
dyar blow de quarters ez he wuz a-bringin' de Chris'mas things
home; an' Marse Chan, he warn' born tell mos' to de harves' arfter
my sister Nancy married Cun'l Chahmb'lin's Torm, 'bout eight years
arfterwoods.
"Well, when Marse Chan wuz born, dey wuz de grettes' doin's at
home you ever did see. De folks all hed holiday, jes' like in de
Chris'mas. Ole marster (we didn' call 'im OLE marster tell arfter
Marster Chan wuz born-befo' dat he wuz jes' de marster, so)--well,
ole marster, his face fyar shine wid pleasure, an' all de folks
wuz mighty glad, too, 'cause dey all loved ole marster, and aldo'
dey did step aroun' right peart when ole marster was lookin' at
'em, dyar warn' nyar han' on de place but what, ef he wanted
anythin', would walk up to de back poach, an' say he warn' to see
de marster. An' ev'ybody wuz talkin' 'bout de young marster, an'
de maids an' de wimmens 'bout de kitchen wuz sayin' how 'twuz de
purties' chile dey ever see; an' at dinner-time de mens (all on
'em hed holiday) come roun' de poach an' ax how de missis an' de
young marster wuz, an' ole marster come out on de poach an' smile
wus'n a 'possum, an' sez, 'Thankee! Bofe doin' fust rate, boys';
an' den he stepped back in de house, sort o' laughin' to hisse'f,
an' in a minute he come out ag'in wid de baby in he arms, all
wrapped up in flannens an' things, an' sez, 'Heah he is, boys.'
All de folks den, dey went up on de poach to look at 'im, drappin'
dey hats on de steps, an' scrapin' dey feets ez dey went up. An'
pres'n'y old marster, lookin' down at we all chil'en all packed
togerr down dyah like a parecel o' sheep-burrs, cotch sight o' ME
(he knowed my name, 'cause I use' to hole he hoss fur 'im
sometimes; but he didn't know all de chile'n by name, dey wuz so
many on 'em), an' he sez, 'Come up heah!' So up I goes tippin',
skeered like, an' old marster sez, 'Ain' you Mymie's son?''
Yass, seh,' sez I. 'Well,' sez he, 'I'm gwine to give you to yo'
young Marse Channin' to be his body-servant,' an' he put de baby
right in my arms (it's de truth I'm tellin' yo'!), an' yo' jes'
ought to a-heard de folks sayin', 'Lawd! marster, dat boy'll drap
dat chile!' 'Naw, he won't,' sez marster; 'I kin trust 'im.' And
den he sez: 'Now, Sam, from dis time you belong to yo' young
Marse Channin'; I wan' you to tek keer on 'im ez long ez he lives.
You are to be his boy from dis time. An' now,' he sez, 'carry 'im
in de house.' An' he walks arfter me an' opens de do's fur me, an'
I kyars 'im in my arms, an' lays 'im down on de bed. An' from dat
time I was tooken in de house to be Marse Channin's body-servant.
"Well, you nuver see a chile grow so. Pres'n'y he growed up right
big, an' ole marster sez he must have some edication. So he sont
'im to school to ole Miss Lawry down dyar, dis side o' Cun'l
Chahmb'lin's, an' I use' to go 'long wid 'im an' tote he books an'
we all's snacks; an' when he larnt to read an' spell right good,
an' got 'bout so-o big, old Miss Lawry she died, an' old marster
said he mus' have a man to teach 'im an' trounce 'im. So we all
went to Mr. Hall, whar kep' de school-house beyant de creek, an'
dyar we went ev'y day, 'cep Sat'd'ys of co'se, an' sich days ez
Marse Chan din' warn' go, an' ole missis begged 'im off.
"Hit wuz down dyar Marse Chan fust took notice o' Miss Anne. Mr.
Hall, he taught gals ez well ez boys, an' Cun'l Chahmb'lin he sont
his daughter (dat's Miss Anne I'm talkin' about). She wuz a leetle
bit o' gal when she fust come. Yo' see, her ma wuz dead, an' old
Miss Lucy Chahmb'lin, she lived wid her brurr an' kep' house for
'im; an' he wuz so busy wid politics, he didn' have much time to
spyar, so he sont Miss Anne to Mr. Hall's by a 'ooman wid a note.
When she come dat day in de school-house, an' all de chil'en
looked at her so hard, she tu'n right red, an' tried to pull her
long curls over her eyes, an' den put bofe de backs of her little
han's in her two eyes, an' begin to cry to herse'f. Marse Chan he
was settin' on de een' o' de bench nigh de do', an' he jes'
reached out an' put he arm 'roun' her an' drawed her up to 'im.
An' he kep' whisperin to her, an' callin' her name, an' coddlin'
her; an' pres'n'y she took her han's down an' begin to laugh.
"Well, dey 'peared to tek' a gre't fancy to each urr from dat
time. Miss Anne she warn' nuthin' but a baby hardly, an' Marse
Chan he wuz a good big boy 'bout mos' thirteen years ole, I
reckon. Hows'ever, dey sut'n'y wuz sot on each urr an' (yo' heah
me!) ole marster an' Cun'l Chahmb'lin dey 'peared to like it 'bout
well ez de chil'en. Yo' see, Cun'l Chahmb'lin's place j'ined ourn,
an' it looked jes' ez natural fur dem two chil'en to marry an' mek
it one plantation, ez it did fur de creek to run down de bottom
from our place into Cun'l Chahmb'lin's. I don' rightly think de
chil'en thought 'bout gittin' MARRIED, not den, no mo'n I thought
'bout marryin' Judy when she wuz a little gal at Cun'l
Chahmb'lin's, runnin' 'bout de house, huntin' fur Miss Lucy's
spectacles; but dey wuz good frien's from de start. Marse Chan he
use' to kyar Miss Anne's books fur her ev'y day, an' ef de road
wuz muddy or she wuz tired, he use' to tote her; an' 'twarn'
hardly a day passed dat he didn' kyar her some'n' to school--
apples or hick'y nuts, or some'n. He wouldn't let none o' de
chil'en tease her, nurr. Heh! One day, one o' de boys poked he
finger at Miss Anne, and arfter school Marse Chan he axed 'im
'roun' 'hine de schoolhouse out o' sight, an' ef he didn't whop
'im!
"Marse Chan, he wuz de peartes' scholar ole Mr. Hall hed, an' Mr.
Hall he wuz mighty proud o' 'im. I don' think he use' to beat 'im
ez much ez he did de urrs, aldo' he wuz de head in all debilment
dat went on, jes' ez he wuz in sayin' he lessons.
"Heh! one day in summer, jes' fo' de school broke up, dyah come up
a storm right sudden, an' riz de creek (dat one yo' cross' back
yonder), an' Marse Chan he toted Miss Anne home on he back. He
ve'y off'n did dat when de parf wuz muddy. But dis day when dey
come to de creek, it had done washed all de logs 'way. 'Twuz still
mighty high, so Marse Chan he put Miss Anne down, an' he took a
pole an' waded right in. Hit took 'im long up to de shoulders. Den
he waded back, an' took Miss Anne up on his head an' kyared her
right over. At fust she wuz skeered; but he tol' her he could swim
an' wouldn' let her git hu't, an' den she let 'im kyar her 'cross,
she hol'in' his han's. I warn' 'long dat day, but he sut'n'y did
dat thing.
"Ole marster he wuz so pleased 'bout it, he giv' Marse Chan a
pony; an' Marse Chan rode 'im to school de day arfter he come, so
proud, an' sayin' how he wuz gwine to let Anne ride behine 'im;
an' when he come home dat evenin' he wuz walkin'. 'Hi! where's
yo' pony?' said ole marster. 'I give 'im to Anne,' says Marse
Chan. 'She liked 'im, an'-I kin walk.' 'Yes,' sez ole marster,
laughin', 'I s'pose you's already done giv' her yo'se'f, an' nex'
thing I know you'll be givin' her this plantation and all my
niggers.'
"Well, about a fortnight or sich a matter arfter dat, Cun'l
Chahmb'lin sont over an' invited all o' we all over to dinner, an'
Marse Chan wuz 'spressly named in de note whar Ned brought; an'
arfter dinner he made ole Phil, whar wuz his ker'ige-driver, bring
'roun' Marse Chan's pony wid a little side-saddle on 'im, an' a
beautiful little hoss wid a bran'-new saddle an' bridle on 'im;
an' he gits up an' meks Marse Chan a gre't speech, an' presents
'im de little hoss; an' den he calls Miss Anne, an' she comes out
on de poach in a little ridin' frock, an' dey puts her on her
pony, an' Marse Chan mounts his hoss, an' dey goes to ride, while
de grown folks is a-laughin' an' chattin' an' smokin' dey cigars.
"Dem wuz good ole times, marster-de bes' Sam ever see! Dey wuz, in
fac'! Niggers didn' hed nothin' 't all to do-jes' hed to 'ten' to
de feedin' an' cleanin' de hosses, an' doin' what de marster tell
'em to do; an' when dey wuz sick, dey had things sont 'em out de
house, an' de same doctor come to see 'em whar 'ten' to de white
folks when dey wuz po'ly. Dyar warn' no trouble nor nothin'.
"Well, things tuk a change arfter dat. Marse Chan he went to de
bo'din' school, whar he use' to write to me constant. Ole missis
use' to read me de letters, an' den I'd git Miss Anne to read 'em
ag'in to me when I'd see her. He use' to write to her too, an' she
use' to write to him too. Den Miss Anne she wuz sont off to school
too. An' in de summer time dey'd bofe come home, an' yo' hardly
knowed whether Marse Chan lived at home or over at Cun'l
Chahmb'lin's. He wuz over dyah constant. 'Twuz always ridin' or
fishin' down dyah in de river; or sometimes he' go over dyah, an'
'im an' she'd go out an' set in de yard onder de trees; she
settin' up mekin' out she wuz knittin' some sort o' bright-
cullored some'n', wid de grarss growin' all up 'g'inst her, an'
her" hat th'owed back on her neck, an' he readin' to her out
books; an' sometimes dey'd bofe read out de same book, fust one
an' den todder. I use' to see 'em! Dat wuz when dey wuz growin' up
like.
"Den ole marster he run for Congress, an' ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin he
wuz put up to run 'g'inst ole marster by de Dimicrats; but ole
marster he beat 'im. Yo' know he wuz gwine do dat! Co'se he wuz!
Dat made ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin mighty mad, and dey stopt visitin'
each urr reg'lar, like dey had been doin' all 'long. Den Cun'l
Chahmb'lin he sort o' got in debt, an' sell some o' he niggers,
an' dat's de way de fuss begun. Dat's whar de lawsuit cum from.
Ole marster he didn' like nobody to sell niggers, an' knowin' dat
Cun'l Chahmb'lin wuz sellin' o' his, he writ an' offered to buy
his M'ria an' all her chil'en, 'cause she hed married our
Zeek'yel. An' don' yo' think, Cun'l Chahmb'lin axed ole marster
mo' 'n th'ee niggers wuz wuth fur M'ria! Befo' old marster bought
her, dough, de sheriff cum an' levelled on M'ria an' a whole
parecel o' urr niggers. Ole marster he went to de sale, an' bid
for 'em-r but Cun'l Chahmb'lin he got some one to bid 'g'inst ole
marster. Dey wuz knocked out to ole marster dough, an' den dey hed
a big lawsuit, an' ole marster wuz agwine to co't, off an' on, fur
some years, till at lars' de co't decided dat M'ria belonged to
ole marster. Ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin den wuz so mad he sued ole
marster for a little strip o' lan' down dyah on de line fence,
whar he said belonged to 'im. Ev'ybody knowed hit belonged to ole
marster. Ef yo' go down dyah now, I kin show it to yo', inside de
line fence, whar it hed done bin ever sence long befo' Cun'l
Chahmb'lin wuz born. But Cun'l Chahmb'lin wuz a mons'us
perseverin' man, an' ole marster he wouldn' let nobody run over
'im. No, dat he wouldn'! So dey wuz agwine down to co't about dat,
fur I don' know how long, till ole marster beat 'im.
"All dis time, yo' know, Marse Chan wuz agoin' back'ads an'
for'ads to college, an' wuz growed up a ve'y fine young man. He
wuz a ve'y likely gent'man! Miss Anne she hed done mos' growed up
too--wuz puttin' her hyar up like old missis use' to put hers up,
an' 'twuz jes' ez bright ez de sorrel's mane when de sun cotch on
it, an' her eyes wuz gre't big dark eyes, like her pa's, on'y
bigger an' not so fierce, an' 'twarn' none o' de young ladies ez
purty ez she wuz. She an' Marse Chan still set a heap o' sto' by
one 'nurr, but I don' think dey wuz easy wid each urr ez when he
used to tote her home from school on his back. Marse Chan he use'
to love de ve'y groun' she walked on, dough, in my 'pinion. Heh!
His face 'twould light up whenever she come into chu'ch, or
anywhere, jes' like de sun hed come th'oo a chink on it suddenly.
"Den' ole marster lost he eyes. D' yo' ever heah 'bout dat? Heish!
Didn' yo'? Well, one night de big barn cotch fire. De stables, yo'
know, wuz under de big barn, an' all de bosses wuz in dyah. Hit
'peared to me like 'twarn' no time befo' all de folks an' de
neighbors dey come, an' dey wuz a-totin' water, an' a-tryin' to
save de po' critters, and dey got a heap on 'em out; but de
ker'ige-hosses dey wouldn' come out, an' dey wuz a-runnin'
back'ads an' for'ads inside de stalls, a-nikerin' an' a-screamin',
like dey knowed dey time hed come. Yo' could heah 'em so pitiful,
an' pres'n'y old marster said to Ham Fisher (he wuz de ker'ige-
driver), 'Go in dyah an' try to save 'em; don' let 'em bu'n to
death.' An' Ham he went right in. An' jest arfter he got in, de
shed whar it hed fus' cotch fell in, an' de sparks shot 'way up in
de air; an' Ham didn' come back, an' de fire begun to lick out
under de eaves over whar de ker'ige-hosses' stalls wuz, an' all of
a sudden ole marster tu'ned an' kissed ole missis, who wuz
standin' nigh him, wid her face jes' ez white ez a sperit's, an',
befo' anybody knowed what he wuz gwine do, jumped right in de do',
an' de smoke come po'in' out behine 'im. Well, seh, I nuver
'spects to heah tell Judgment sich a soun' ez de folks set up! Ole
missis she jes' drapt down on her knees in de mud an' prayed out
loud. Hit 'peared like her pra'r wuz heard; for in a minit, right
out de same do', kyarin' Ham Fisher in his arms, come ole marster,
wid his clo's all blazin'. Dey flung water on 'im, an' put 'im
out; an', ef you b'lieve me, yo' wouldn't a-knowed 'twuz ole
marster. Yo' see, he had find Ham Fisher done fall down in de
smoke right by the ker'ige-hoss' stalls, whar he sont him, an' he
hed to tote 'im back in his arms th'oo de fire what hed done cotch
de front part o' de stable, and to keep de flame from gittin' down
Ham Fisher's th'oat he hed tuk off his own hat and mashed it all
over Ham Fisher's face, an' he hed kep' Ham Fisher from bein' so
much bu'nt; but HE wuz bu'nt dreadful! His beard an' hyar wuz all
nyawed off, an' his face an' han's an' neck wuz scorified
terrible. Well, he jes' laid Ham Fisher down, an' then he kind o'
staggered for'ad, an' ole missis ketch' 'im in her arms. Ham
Fisher, he warn' bu'nt so bad, an' he got out in a month to two;
an' arfter a long time, ole marster he got well, too; but he wuz
always stone blind arfter that. He nuver could see none from dat
night.
"Marse Chan he comed home from college toreckly, an' he sut'n'y
did nuss ole marster faithful--jes' like a 'ooman. Den he took
charge of de plantation arfter dat; an' I use' to wait on 'im jes'
like when we wuz boys togedder; an' sometimes we'd slip off an'
have a fox-hunt, an' he'd be jes' like he wuz in ole times, befo'
ole marster got bline, an' Miss Anne Chahmb'lin stopt comin' over
to our house, an' settin' onder de trees, readin' out de same
book.
"He sut'n'y wuz good to me. Nothin' nuver made no diffunce 'bout
dat. He nuver hit me a lick in his life--an' nuver let nobody else
do it, nurr.
"I 'members one day, when he wuz a leetle bit o' boy, ole marster
hed done tole we all chil'en not to slide on de straw-stacks; an'
one day me an' Marse Chan thought ole marster hed done gone 'way
from home. We watched him git on he hoss an' ride up de road out
o' sight, an' we wuz out in de field a-slidin' an' a-slidin', when
up comes ole marster. We started to run; but he hed done see us,
an' he called us to come back; an' sich a whuppin' ez he did gi'
us!
"Fust he took Marse Chan, an' den he teched me up. He nuver hu't
me, but in co'se I wuz a-hollerin' ez hard ez I could stave it,
'cause I knowed dat wuz gwine mek him stop. Marse Chan he hed'n
open he mouf long ez ole marster wuz tunin' 'im; but soon ez he
commence warmin' me an' I begin to holler, Marse Chan he bu'st out
cryin', an' stept right in befo' ole marster an' ketchin' de whup,
sed:
"'Stop, seh! Yo' sha'n't whup 'im; he b'longs to me, an' ef you
hit 'im another lick I'll set 'im free!'
"I wish yo' hed see old marster. Marse Chan he warn' mo'n eight
years ole, an' dyah dey wuz-old marster stan'in' wid he whup
raised up, an' Marse Chan red an' cryin', hol'in' on to it, an'
sayin' I b'longst to 'im.
"Ole marster, he raise' de whup, an' den he drapt it, an' broke
out in a smile over he face, an' he chuck' Marse Chan onder de
chin, an' tu'n right 'roun' an' went away, laughin' to hisse'f,
an' I heah 'im tellin' ole missis dat evenin', an' laughin' 'bout
it.
"'Twan' so mighty long arfter dat when dey fust got to talkin'
'bout de war. Dey wuz a-dictatin' back'ads an' for'ads 'bout it
fur two or th'ee years 'fo' it come sho' nuff, you know. Ole
marster, he was a Whig, an' of co'se Marse Chan he tuk after he
pa. Cun'l Chahmb'lin, he wuz a Dimicrat. He wuz in favor of de
war, an' ole marster and Marse Chan dey wuz agin' it. Dey wuz a-
talkin' 'bout it all de time, an' purty soon Cun'l Chahmb'lin he
went about ev'ywhar speakin' an' noratin' 'bout Firginia ought to
secede; an' Marse Chan he wuz picked up to talk agin' 'im. Dat wuz
de way dey come to fight de duil. I sut'n'y wuz skeered fur Marse
Chan dat mawnin', an' he was jes' ez cool! Yo' see, it happen so:
Marse Chan he wuz a-speakin' down at de Deep Creek Tavern, an' he
kind o' got de bes' of ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin. All de white folks
laughed an' hoorawed, an' ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin--my Lawd! I fought
he'd 'a' bu'st, he was so mad. Well, when it come to his time to
speak, he jes' light into Marse Chan. He call 'im a traitor, an' a
ab'litionis', an' I don' know what all. Marse Chan, he jes' kep'
cool till de ole Cun'l light into he pa. Ez soon ez he name ole
marster, I seen Marse Chan sort o' lif' up he head. D' yo' ever
see a hoss rar he head up right sudden at night when he see
somethin' comin' to'ds 'im from de side an' he don' know what 'tis?
Ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin he went right on. He said ole marster hed
taught Marse Chan; dat ole marster wuz a wuss ab'litionis' dan he
son. I looked at Marse Chan, an' sez to myse'f: 'Fo' Gord! old
Cun'l Chahmb'lin better min', an' I hedn' got de wuds out, when
ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin 'cuse' old marster o' cheatin' 'im out o' he
niggers, an' stealing piece o' he lan'--dat's de lan' I tole you
'bout. Well, seh, nex' thing I knowed, I heahed Marse Chan--hit
all happen right 'long togerr, like lightnin' and thunder when
they hit right at you--I heah 'im say:
"'Cun'l Chahmb'lin, what you say is false, an' yo' know it to be
so. You have wilfully slandered one of de pures' an' nobles' men
Gord ever made, an' nothin' but yo' gray hyars protects you.'
"Well, ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin, he ra'd an' he pitch'd. He said he
wan' too ole, an' he'd show 'im so.
"'Ve'y well,' says Marse Chan.
"De meetin' broke up den. I wuz hol'in' de hosses out dyar in de
road by dee een' o' de poach, an' I see Marse Chan talkin' an'
talkin' to Mr. Gordon an' anudder gent'man, and den he come out
an' got on de sorrel an' galloped off. Soon ez he got out o' sight
he pulled up, an' we walked along tell we come to de road whar
leads off to'ds Mr. Barbour's. He wuz de big lawyer o' de country.
Dar he tu'ned off. All dis time he hedn' sed a wud, 'cep' to kind
o' mumble to hisse'f now and den. When we got to Mr. Barbour's, he
got down an' went in. Dat wuz in de late winter; de folks wuz jes'
beginnin' to plough fur corn. He stayed dyar 'bout two hours, an'
when he come out Mr. Barbour come out to de gate wid 'im an' shake
han's arfter he got up in de saddle. Den we all rode off. 'Twuz
late den-good dark; an' we rid ez hard ez we could, tell we come
to de ole school-house at ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin's gate. When we got
dar, Marse Chan got down an' walked right slow 'roun' de house.
After lookin' 'roun' a little while an' tryin' de do' to see ef it
wuz shet, he walked down de road tell he got to de creek. He stop'
dyar a little while an' picked up two or three little rocks an'
frowed 'em in, an' pres'n'y he got up an' we come on home. Ez he
got down, he tu'ned to me an', rubbin' de sorrel's nose, said:
'Have 'em well fed, Sam; I'll want 'em early in de mawnin'.'
"Dat night at supper he laugh an' talk, an' he set at de table a
long time. Arfter ole marster went to bed, he went in de charmber
an' set on de bed by 'im talkin' to 'im an' tellin' 'im 'bout de
meetin' an' ev'ything; but he nuver mention ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin's
name. When he got up to come out to de office in de yard, whar he
slept, he stooped down an' kissed 'im jes' like he wuz a baby
layin' dyar in de bed, an' he'd hardly let ole missis go at all. I
knowed some'n wuz up, an' nex' mawnin' I called 'im early befo'
light, like he tole me, an' he dressed an' come out pres'n'y jes'
like he wuz goin' to church. I had de hosses ready, an' we went
out de back way to'ds de river. Ez we rode along, he said:
"'Sam, you an' I wuz boys togedder, wa'n't we?'
"'Yes,' sez I, 'Marse Chan, dat we wuz.'
"'You have been we'y faithful to me,' sez he, 'an' I have seen to
it that you are well provided fur. You want to marry Judy, I know,
an' you'll be able to buy her ef you want to.'
"Den he tole me he wuz goin' to fight a duil, an' in case he
should git shot, he had set me free an' giv' me nuif to tek keer
o' me an' my wife ez long ez we lived. He said he'd like me to
stay an' tek keer o' ole marster an' ole missis ez long ez dey
lived, an' he said it wouldn' be very long, he reckoned. Dat wuz
de on'y time he voice broke when he said dat; an' I couldn' speak
a wud, my th'oat choked me so.
"When we come to de river, we tu'ned right up de bank, an' arfter
ridin' 'bout a mile or sich a matter, we stopped whar dey wuz a
little clearin' wid elder bushes on one side an' two big gum-trees
on de urr, an' de sky wuz all red, an' de water down to'ds whar
the sun wuz comin' wuz jes' like de sky.
"Pres'n'y Mr. Gordon he come, wid a 'hogany box 'bout so big 'fore
'im, an' he got down, an' Marse Chan tole me to tek all de hosses
an' go 'roun' behine de bushes whar I tell you 'bout-off to one
side; an' 'fore I got 'roun' dar, ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin an' Mr.
Hennin an' Dr. Call come ridin' from t'urr way, to'ds ole Cun'l
Chahmb'lin's. When dey hed tied dey hosses, de urr gent'mens went
up to whar Mr. Gordon wuz, an' arfter some chattin' Mr. Hennin
step' off 'bout fur ez 'cross dis road, or mebbe it mout be a
little furder; an' den I seed 'em th'oo de bushes loadin' de
pistils, an' talk a little while; an' den Marse Chan an' ole Cun'l
Chahmb'lin walked up wid de pistils in dey han's, an' Marse Chan
he stood wid his face right to'ds de sun. I seen it shine on him
jes' ez it come up over de low groun's, an' he look like he did
sometimes when he come out of church. I wuz so skeered I couldn'
say nothin'. Ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin could shoot fust rate, an' Marse
Chan he never missed.
"Den I beared Mr. Gordon say, 'Gent'mens, is yo' ready?' and bofe
of 'em sez, 'Ready,' jes' so.
"An' he sez, 'Fire, one, two'--an' ez he said 'one,' old Cun'l
Chahmb'lin raised he pistil an' shot right at Marse Chan. De ball
went th'oo his hat. I seen he hat sort o' settle on he head ez de
bullit hit it, an' HE jes' tilted his pistil up in de a'r an'
shot-BANG; an' ez de pistil went BANG, he sez to Cun'l Chahmb'lin,
'I mek you a present to yo' fam'ly, seh!'
"Well, dey had some talkin' arfter dat. I didn't git rightly what
it wuz; but it 'peared like Cun'l Chahmb'lin he warn't satisfied,
an' wanted to have anurr shot. De seconds dey wuz talkin', an'
pres'n'y dey put de pistils up, an' Marse Chan an' Mr. Gordon
shook han's wid Mr. Hennin an' Dr. Call, an' come an' got on dey
hosses. An' Cun'l Chahmb'lin he got on his hoss an' rode away wid
de urr gent'mens, lookin' like he did de day befo' when all de
people laughed at 'im.
"I b'lieve ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin wan' to shoot Marse Chan, anyway!
"We come on home to breakfast, I totin' de box wid de pistils
befo' me on de roan. Would you b'lieve me, seh, Marse Chan he
nuver said a wud 'bout it to ole marster or nobody. Ole missis
didn' fin' out 'bout it for mo'n a month, an' den, Lawd! how she
did cry and kiss Marse Chan; an' ole marster, aldo' he never say
much, he wuz jes' ez please' ez ole missis. He call me in de room
an' made me tole 'im all 'bout it, an' when I got th'oo he gi' me
five dollars an' a pyar of breeches.
"But ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin he nuver did furgive Marse Chan, an'
Miss Anne she got mad too. Wimmens is mons'us onreasonable nohow.
Dey's jes' like a catfish: you can n' tek hole on 'em like udder
folks, an' when you gits 'im yo' can n' always hole 'em.
"What meks me think so? Heaps o' things--dis: Marse Chan he done
gi' Miss Anne her pa jes' ez good ez I gi' Marse Chan's dawg sweet
'taters, an' she git mad wid 'im ez if he hed kill 'im 'stid o'
sen'in' 'im back to her dat mawnin' whole an' soun'. B'lieve me!
she wouldn' even speak to him arfter dat!
"Don' I 'member dat mawnin'!
"We wuz gwine fox-huntin', 'bout six weeks or sich a matter arfter
de dull, an' we met Miss Anne ridin' 'long wid anurr lady an' two
gent'mens whar wuz stayin' at her house. Dyar wuz always some one
or nurr dyar co'ting her. Well, dat mawnin' we meet 'em right in
de road. 'Twuz de fust time Marse Chan had see her sence de duil,
an' he raises he hat ez he pahss, an' she looks right at 'im wid
her head up in de yair like she nuver see 'im befo' in her born
days; an' when she comes by me, she sez, 'Good-mawnin', Sam!'
Gord! I nuver see nuthin' like de look dat come on Marse Chan's
face when she pahss 'im like dat. He gi' de sorrel a pull dat
fotch 'im back settin' down in de san' on he hanches. He ve'y lips
wuz white. I tried to keep up wid 'im, but 'twarn' no use. He sont
me back home pres'n'y, an' he rid on. I sez to myself, 'Cun'l
Chahmb'lin, don' yo' meet Marse Chan dis mawnin'. He ain' bin
lookin' 'roun' de ole schoolhouse, whar he an' Miss Anne use' to
go to school to ole Mr. Hall together, fur nuffin'. He won' stan'
no prodjickin' to-day.'
"He nuver come home dat night tell 'way late, an' ef he'd been
fox-huntin' it mus' ha' been de ole red whar lives down in de
greenscum mashes he'd been chasin'. De way de sorrel wuz gormed up
wid sweat an' mire sut'n'y did hu't me. He walked up to de stable
wid he head down all de way, an' I'se seen 'im go eighty miles of
a winter day, an' prance into de stable at night ez fresh ez if he
hed jes' cantered over to ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin's to supper. I
nuver seen a hoss beat so sence I knowed de fetlock from de
fo'lock, an' bad ez he wuz he wan' ez bad ez Marse Chan.
"Whew! he didn' git over dat thing, seh--he nuver did git over
it.
"De war come on jes' den, an' Marse Chan wuz elected cap'n; but he
wouldn' tek it. He said Firginia hadn' seceded, an' he wuz gwine
stan' by her. Den dey 'lected Mr. Gordon cap'n.
"I sut'n'y did wan' Marse Chan to tek de place, cuz I knowed he
wuz gwine tek me wid 'im. He wan' gwine widout Sam. An' beside, he
look so po' an' thin, I thought he wuz gwine die.
"Of co'se, ole missis she heared 'bout it, an' she met Miss Anne
in de road, an' cut her jes' like Miss Anne cut Marse Chan.
"Ole missis, she wuz proud ez anybody! So we wuz mo' strangers dan
ef we hadn' live' in a hundred miles of each urr. An' Marse Chan
he wuz gittin' thinner an' thinner, an' Firginia she come out, an'
den Marse Chan he went to Richmond an' listed, an' come back an'
sey he wuz a private, an' he didn' know whe'r he could tek me or
not. He writ to Mr. Gordon, hows'ever, an' 'twuz 'cided dat when
he went I wuz to go 'long an' wait on him an' de cap'n too. I
didn' min' dat, yo' know, long ez I could go wid Marse Chan, an' I
like' Mr. Gordon, anyways.
"Well, one night Marse Chan come back from de offis wid a telegram
dat say, 'Come at once,' so he wuz to start nex' mawnin'. He
uniform wuz all ready, gray wid yaller trimmin's, an' mine wuz
ready too, an' he had ole marster's sword, whar de State gi' 'im
in de Mexikin war; an' he trunks wuz all packed wid ev'rything in
'em, an' my chist was packed too, an' Jim Rasher he druv 'em over
to de depo' in de waggin, an' we wuz to start nex' mawnin' 'bout
light. Dis wuz 'bout de las' o' spring, you know. Dat night ole
missis made Marse Chan dress up in he uniform, an' he sut'n'y did
look splendid, wid he long mustache an' he wavin' hyar an' he tall
figger.
"Arfter supper he come down an' sez: 'Sam, I wan' you to tek dis
note an' kyar it over to Cun'l Chahmb'lin's, an' gi' it to Miss
Anne wid yo' own han's, an' bring me wud what she sez. Don' let
any one know 'bout it, or know why you've gone.' 'Yes, seh,' sez
I.
"Yo' see, I knowed Miss Anne's maid over at ole Cun'l
Chahmb'lin's--dat wuz Judy whar is my wife now--an' I knowed I
could wuk it. So I tuk de roan an' rid over, an' tied 'im down de
hill in de cedars, an' I wen' 'roun' to de back yard. 'Twuz a
right blowy sort o' night; de moon wuz jes' risin', but de clouds
wuz so big it didn' shine 'cep' th'oo a crack now an' den. I soon
foun' my gal, an' arfter tellin' her two or three lies 'bout
herse'f, I got her to go in an' ax Miss Anne to come to de do'.
When she come, I gi' her de note, an' arfter a little while she
bro't me anurr, an' I tole her good-bye, an' she gi' me a dollar,
an' I come home an' gi' de letter to Marse Chan. He read it, an'
tole me to have de hosses ready at twenty minits to twelve at de
corner of de garden. An' jes' befo' dat he come out ez ef he wuz
gwine to bed, but instid he come, an' we all struck out to'ds
Cun'l Chahmb'lin's. When we got mos' to de gate, de hosses got
sort o' skeered, an' I see dey wuz some'n or somebody standin'
jes' inside; an' Marse Chan he jumpt off de sorrel an' flung me de
bridle an' he walked up.
"She spoke fust ('twuz Miss Anne had done come out dyar to meet
Marse Chan), an' she sez, jes' ez cold ez a chill, 'Well, seh, I
granted your favor. I wished to relieve myse'f of de obligations
you placed me under a few months ago, when you made me a present
of my father, whom you fust insulted an' then prevented from
gittin' satisfaction.'
"Marse Chan he didn' speak fur a minit, an' den he said: 'Who is
with you?' Dat wuz ev'y wud.
"'No one,' sez she; 'I came alone.'
"'My God!' sez he, 'you didn' come all through those woods by
yourse'f at this time o' night?'
"'Yes, I'm not afraid,' sez she, (An' heah dis nigger! I don'
b'lieve she wuz.)
"De moon come out, an' I cotch sight o' her stan'in' dyar in her
white dress, wid de cloak she had wrapped herse'f up in drapped
off on de groun', an' she didn' look like she wuz 'feared o'
nuthin'. She wuz mons'us purty ez she stood dyar wid de green
bushes behine her, an' she hed jes' a few flowers in her breas'--
right hyah--and some leaves in her sorrel hyar; an' de moon come
out an' shined down on her hyar an' her frock an' 'peared like de
light wuz jes' stan'in' off it ez she stood dyar lookin' at Marse
Chan wid her head tho'd back, jes' like dat mawnin' when she pahss
Marse Chan in de road widout speakin' to 'im, an' sez to me,
'Good-mawnin', Sam.'
"Marse Chan, he den tole her he hed come to say good-bye to her,
ez he wuz gwine 'way to de war nex' mawnin'. I wuz watchin' on
her, an' I tho't, when Marse Chan tole her dat, she sort o'
started an' looked up at 'im like she wuz mighty sorry, an'
'peared like she didn' stan' quite so straight arfter dat. Den
Marse Chan he went on talkin' right fars' to her; an' he tole her
how he had loved her ever sence she wuz a little bit o' baby mos',
an' how he nuver 'membered de time when he hedn't 'spected to
marry her. He tole her it wuz his love for her dat hed made 'im
stan' fust at school an' collige, an' hed kep' 'im good an' pure;
an' now he wuz gwine 'way, wouldn't she let it be like 'twuz in
ole times, an' ef he come back from de war wouldn' she try to
think on him ez she use' to do when she wuz a little guirl?
"Marse Chan he had done been talkin' so serious, he hed done tuk
Miss Anne's han', an' wuz lookin' down in her face like he wuz
list'nin' wid his eyes.
"Arfter a minit Miss Anne she said somethin', an' Marse Chan he
cotch her urr han' an' sez:
"'But if you love me, Anne?'
"When he said dat, she tu'ned her head 'way from 'im, an' wait' a
minit, an' den she said--right clear:
"'But I don' love yo'.' (Jes' dem th'ee wuds!) De wuds fall right
slow--like dirt falls out a spade on a coffin when yo's buryin'
anybody, an' seys, 'Uth to uth.' Marse Chan he jes' let her hand
drap, an' he stiddy hisse'f 'g'inst de gate-pos', an' he didn'
speak torekly. When he did speak, all he sez wuz:
"'I mus' see you home safe.'
"I 'clar, marster, I didn' know 'twuz Marse Chan's voice tell I
look at 'im right good. Well, she wouldn' let 'im go wid her. She
jes' wrap' her cloak 'roun' her shoulders, an' wen' 'long back by
herse'f, widout doin' more'n jes' look up once at Marse Chan
leanin' dyah 'g'inst de gate-pos' in he sodger clo's, wid he eyes
on de groun'. She said 'Good-bye' sort o' sorf, an' Marse Chan,
widout lookin' up, shake han's wid her, an' she wuz done gone down
de road. Soon ez she got 'mos' 'roun' de curve, Marse Chan he
followed her, keepin' under de trees so ez not to be seen, an' I
led de hosses on down de road behine 'im. He kep' 'long behine her
tell she wuz safe in de house, an' den he come an' got on he hoss,
an' we all come home.
"Nex' mawnin' we all come off to j'ine de army. An' dey wuz a-
drillin' an' a-drillin' all 'bout for a while, an' dey went 'long
wid all de res' o' de army, an' I went wid Marse Chan an' clean he
boots, an' look arfter de tent, an' tek keer o' him an' de hosses.
An' Marse Chan, he wan' a bit like he use' to be. He wuz so solumn
an' moanful all de time, at leas' 'cep' when dyah wuz gwine to be
a fight. Den he'd peartin' up, an' he alwuz rode at de head o' de
company, 'cause he wuz tall; an' hit wan' on'y in battles whar all
his company wuz dat he went, but he use' to volunteer whenever de
cun'l wanted anybody to fine out anythin', an' 'twuz so dangersome
he didn' like to mek one man go no sooner'n anurr, yo' know, an'
ax'd who'd volunteer. He 'peared to like to go prowlin' aroun'
'mong dem Yankees, an' he use' to tek me wid 'im whenever he
could. Yes, seh, he sut'n'y waz a good sodger! He didn' mine
bullets no more'n he did so many draps o' rain. But I use' to be
pow'ful skeered sometimes. It jes' use' to 'pear like fun to 'im.
In camp he use' to be so sorrerful he'd hardly open he mouf. You'd
'a' tho't he wuz seekin', he used to look so moanful; but jes' le'
'im git into danger, an' he use' to be like ole times--jolly an'
laughin' like when he wuz a boy.
"When Cap'n Gordon got he leg shot off, dey mek Marse Chan cap'n
on de spot, 'cause one o' de lieutenants got kilt de same day, an'
turr one (named Mr. Ronny) wan' no 'count, an' de company said
Marse Chan wuz de man.
"An' Marse Chan he wuz jes' de same. He didn' never mention Miss
Anne's name, but I knowed he wuz thinkin' on her constant. One
night he wuz settin' by de fire in camp, an' Mr. Ronny--he wuz de
secon' lieutenant--got to talkin' 'bout ladies, an' he say all
sorts o' things 'bout 'em, an' I see Marse Chan kinder lookin'
mad; an' de lieutenant mention Miss Anne's name. He had been
courtin' Miss Anne 'bout de time Marse Chan fit de duil wid her
pa, an' Miss Anne hed kicked 'im, dough he wuz mighty rich, 'cause
he warn' nuthin' but a half-strainer, an' 'cause she like Marse
Chan, I believe, dough she didn' speak to 'im; an' Mr. Ronny he
got drunk, an' 'cause Cun'l Chahmb'lin tole 'im not to come dyah
no more, he got mighty mad. An' dat evenin' I'se tellin' yo'
'bout, he wuz talkin', an' he mention' Miss Anne's name. I see
Marse Chan tu'n he eye 'roun' on 'im an' keep it on he face, and
pres'n'y Mr. Ronny said he wuz gwine hev some fun dyah yit. He
didn' mention her name dat time; but he said dey wuz all on 'em a
parecel of stuck-up 'risticrats, an' her pa wan' no gent'man
anyway, an'--I don' know what he wuz gwine say (he nuver said it),
fur ez he got dat far Marse Chan riz up an' hit 'im a crack, an'
he fall like he hed been hit wid a fence-rail. He challenged Marse
Chan to fight a duil, an' Marse Chan he excepted de challenge, an'
dey wuz gwine fight; but some on 'em tole 'im Marse Chan wan'
gwine mek a present o' him to his fam'ly, an' he got somebody to
bre'k up de duil; 'twan' nuthin' dough, but he wuz 'fred to fight
Marse Chan. An' purty soon he lef' de comp'ny.
"Well, I got one o' de gent'mens to write Judy a letter for me,
an' I tole her all 'bout de fight, an' how Marse Chan knock Mr.
Ronny over fur speakin' discontemptuous o' Cun'l Chahmb'lin, an' I
tole her how Marse Chan' wuz a-dyin' fur love o' Miss Anne. An'
Judy she gits Miss Anne to read de letter fur her. Den Miss Anne
she tells her pa, an'--you mind, Judy tells me all dis
arfterwards, an' she say when Cun'l Chahmb'lin hear 'bout it, he
wuz settin' on de poach, an' he set still a good while, an' den he
sey to hisse'f:
"'Well, he earn' he'p bein' a Whig.'
"An' den he gits up an' walks up to Miss Anne an' looks at her
right hard; an' Miss Anne she hed done tu'n away her haid an' wuz
makin' out she wuz fixin' a rosebush 'g'inst de poach; an' when
her pa kep' lookin' at her, her face got jes' de color o' de roses
on de bush, and pres'n'y her pa sez:
"'Anne!'
"An' she tu'ned roun', an' he sez:
"'Do yo' want 'im?'
"An' she sez, 'Yes,' an' put her head on he shoulder an' begin to
cry; an' he sez:
"'Well, I won' stan' between yo' no longer. Write to 'im an' say
so.'
"We didn' know nuthin' 'bout dis den. We wuz a-fightin' an' a-
fightin' all dat time; an' come one day a letter to Marse Chan,
an' I see 'im start to read it in his tent, an' he face hit look
so cu'ious, an' he han's trembled so I couldn' mek out what wuz de
matter wid 'im. An' he fol' de letter up an' wen' out an' wen' way
down 'hine de camp, an' stayed dyah 'bout nigh an hour. Well, seh,
I wuz on de lookout for 'im when he come back, an', fo' Gord, ef
he face didn' shine like a angel's! I say to myse'f, 'Um'm! ef de
glory o' Gord ain' done shine on 'im!' An' what yo' 'spose 'twuz?
"He tuk me wid 'im dat evenin', an' he tell me he hed done git a
letter from Miss Anne, an' Marse Chan he eyes look like gre't big
stars, an' he face wuz jes' like 'twuz dat mawnin' when de sun riz
up over de low groun', an' I see 'im stan'in' dyah wid de pistil
in he han', lookin' at it, an' not knowin' but what it mout be de
lars' time, an' he done mek up he mine not to shoot ole Cun'l
Chahmb'lin fur Miss Anne's sake, what writ 'im de letter.
"He fol' de letter wha' was in his han' up, an' put it in he
inside pocket--right dyar on de lef' side; an' den he tole me he
tho't mebbe we wuz gwine hev some warm wuk in de nex' two or th'ee
days, an' arfter dat ef Gord speared 'im he'd git a leave o'
absence fur a few days, an' we'd go home.
"Well, dat night de orders come, an' we all hed to git over to'ds
Romney; an' we rid all night till 'bout light; an' we halted right
on a little creek, an' we stayed dyah till mos' breakfas' time,
an' I see Marse Chan set down on de groun' 'hine a bush an' read
dat letter over an' over. I watch 'im, an' de battle wuz a-goin'
on, but we had orders to stay 'hine de hill, an' ev'y now an' den
de bullets would cut de limbs o' de trees right over us, an' one
o' dem big shells what goes 'Awhar--awhar--awhar!' would fall
right 'mong us; but Marse Chan he didn' mine it no mo'n nuthin'!
Den it 'peared to git closer an' thicker, and Marse Chan he calls
me, an' I crep' up, an' he sez:
"'Sam, we'se goin' to win in dis battle, an' den we'll go home an'
git married; an' I'se goin' home wid a star on my collar.' An' den
he sez, 'Ef I'm wounded, kyar me home, yo' hear?' An' I sez, 'Yes,
Marse Chan.'
"Well, jes' den dey blowed boots an' saddles, an' we mounted; an'
de orders come to ride 'roun' de slope, an' Marse Chan's comp'ny
wuz de secon', an' when we got 'roun' dyah, we wuz right in it.
Hit wuz de wust place ever dis nigger got in. An' dey said,
'Charge 'em!' an' my king! ef ever you see bullets fly, dey did
dat day. Hit wuz jes' like hail; an' we wen' down de slope (I
'long wid de res') an' up de hill right to'ds de cannons, an' de
fire wuz so strong dyar (dey hed a whole rigiment o' infintrys
layin' down dyar onder de cannons) our lines sort o' broke an'
stop; de cun'l was kilt, an' I b'lieve dey wuz jes' 'bout to bre'k
all to pieces, when Marse Chan rid up an' cotch hol' de fleg an'
hollers, 'Foller me!' an' rid strainin' up de hill 'mong de
cannons. I seen 'im when he went, de sorrel four good length ahead
o' ev'y urr hoss, jes' like he use' to be in a foxhunt, an' de
whole rigiment right arfter 'im. Yo' ain' nuver hear thunder! Fust
thing I knowed, de roan roll' head over heels an' flung me up
'g'inst de bank, like yo' chuck a nubbin over 'g'inst de foot o'
de corn pile. An' dat's what kep' me from bein' kilt, I 'spects.
Judy she say she think 'twuz Providence, but I think 'twuz de
bank. 0' co'se, Providence put de bank dyah, but how come
Providence nuver saved Marse Chan? When I look' 'roun', de roan
wuz layin' dyah by me, stone dead, wid a cannon-ball gone 'mos'
th'oo him, an' our men hed done swep' dem on t'urr side from de
top o' de hill. 'Twan' mo'n a minit, de sorrel come gallupin' back
wid his mane flyin', an' de rein hangin' down on one side to his
knee. 'Dyar!' says I, 'fo' Gord! I 'specks dey done kill Marse
Chan, an' I promised to tek care on him.'
"I jumped up an' run over de bank, an' dyar, wid a whole lot o'
dead men, an' some not dead yit, onder one o' de guns wid de fleg
still in he han', an' a bullet right th'oo he body, lay Marse
Chan. I tu'n 'im over an' call 'im, 'Marse Chan!' but 'twan' no
use, he wuz done gone home, sho' 'nuff. I pick' 'im up in my arms
wid de fleg still in he han's, an' toted 'im back jes' like I did
dat day when he wuz a baby, an' ole marster gin 'im to me in my
arms, an' sez he could trus' me, an' tell me to tek keer on 'im
long ez he lived. I kyar'd 'im 'way off de battlefiel' out de way
o' de balls, an' I laid 'im down onder a big tree till I could git
somebody to ketch de sorrel for me. He wuz cotched arfter a while,
an' I hed some money, so I got some pine plank an' made a coffin
dat evenin', an' wrapt Marse Chan's body up in de fleg, an' put
'im in de coffin; but I didn' nail de top on strong, 'cause I
knowed ole missis wan' see 'im; an' I got a' ambulance an' set out
for home dat night. We reached dyar de nex' evein', arfter
travellin' all dat night an' all nex' day.
"Hit 'peared like somethin' hed tole ole missis we wuz comin' so;
for when we got home she wuz waitin' for us--done drest up in her
best Sunday clo'es, an' stan'n' at de head o' de big steps, an'
ole marster settin' in his big cheer--ez we druv up de hill to'ds
de house, I drivin' de ambulance an' de sorrel leadin' 'long
behine wid de stirrups crost over de saddle.
"She come down to de gate to meet us. We took de coffin out de
ambulance an' kyar'd it right into de big parlor wid de pictures
in it, whar dey use' to dance in ole times when Marse Chan wuz a
schoolboy, an' Miss Anne Chahmb'lin use' to come over, an' go wid
ole missis into her charmber an' tek her things off. In dyar we
laid de coffin on two o' de cheers, an' ole missis nuver said a
wud; she jes' looked so ole an' white.
"When I had tell 'em all 'bout it, I tu'ned right 'roun' an' rid
over to Cun'l Chahmb'lin's, 'cause I knowed dat wuz what Marse
Chan he'd 'a' wanted me to do. I didn' tell nobody whar I wuz
gwine, 'cause yo' know none on 'em hadn' nuver speak to Miss Anne,
not sence de duil, an' dey didn' know 'bout de letter.
"When I rid up in de yard, dyar wuz Miss Anne a-stan'in' on de
poach watchin' me ez I rid up. I tied my hoss to de fence, an'
walked up de parf. She knowed by de way I walked dyar wuz
somethin' de motter, an' she wuz mighty pale. I drapt my cap down
on de een' o' de steps an' went up. She nuver opened her mouf;
jes' stan' right still an' keep her eyes on my face. Fust, I
couldn' speak; den I cotch my voice, an' I say, 'Marse Chan, he
done got he furlough.'
"Her face was mighty ashy, an' she sort o' shook, but she didn'
fall. She tu'ned 'roun' an' said, 'Git me de ker'ige!' Dat wuz
all.
"When de ker'ige come 'roun', she hed put on her bonnet, an' wuz
ready. Ez she got in, she sey to me, 'Hev yo' brought him home?'
an' we drove 'long, I ridin' behine.
"When we got home, she got out, an' walked up de big walk--up to
de poach by herse'f. Ole missis hed done fin' de letter in Marse
Chan's pocket, wid de love in it, while I wuz 'way, an' she wuz a-
waitin' on de poach. Dey sey dat wuz de fust time ole missis cry
when she find de letter, an' dat she sut'n'y did cry over it,
pintedly.
"Well, seh, Miss Anne she walks right up de steps, mos' up to ole
missis stan'in' dyar on de poach, an' jes' falls right down mos'
to her, on her knees fust, an' den flat on her face right on de
flo', ketchin' at ole missis' dress wid her two han's--so.
"Ole missis stood for 'bout a minit lookin' down at her, an' den
she drapt down on de flo' by her, an' took her in bofe her arms.
"I couldn' see, I wuz cryin' so myse'f, an' ev'ybody wuz cryin'.
But dey went in arfter a while in de parlor, an' shet de do'; an'
I heahd 'em say, Miss Anne she tuk de coffin in her arms an'
kissed it, an' kissed Marse Chan, an' call 'im by his name, an'
her darlin', an' ole missis lef' her cryin' in dyar tell some on
'em went in, an' found her done faint on de flo'.
"Judy (she's my wife) she tell me she heah Miss Anne when she axed
ole missis mout she wear mo'nin' fur 'im. I don' know how dat is;
but when we buried 'im nex' day, she wuz de one whar walked arfter
de coffin, holdin' ole marster, an' ole missis she walked next to
'em.
"Well, we buried Marse Chan dyar in de ole grabeyard, wid de fleg
wrapped roun' 'im, an' he face lookin' like it did dat mawnin'
down in de low groun's, wid de new sun shinin' on it so peaceful.
"Miss Anne she nuver went home to stay arfter dat; she stay wid
ole marster an' ole missis ez long ez dey lived. Dat warn' so
mighty long, 'cause ole marster he died dat fall, when dey wuz
fallerin' fur wheat--I had jes' married Judy den--an' ole missis
she warn' long behine him. We buried her by him next summer. Miss
Anne she went in de hospitals toreckly arfter ole missis died; an'
jes' fo' Richmond fell she come home sick wid de fever. Yo' nuver
would 'a' knowed her fur de same ole Miss Anne. She wuz light ez a
piece o' peth, an' so white, 'cep' her eyes an' her sorrel hyar,
an' she kep' on gittin' whiter an' weaker. Judy she sut'n'y did
nuss her faithful. But she nuver got no betterment! De fever an'
Marse Chan's bein' kilt hed done strain her, an' she died jes' fo'
de folks wuz sot free.
"So we buried Miss Anne right by Marse Chan, in a place whar ole
missis hed tole us to leave, an' dey's bofe on 'em sleep side by
side over in de ole grabeyard at home.
"An' will yo' please tell me, marster? Dey tells me dat de Bible
sey dyar won' be marryin' nor givin' in marriage in heaven, but I
don' b'lieve it signifies dat--does you?"
I gave him the comfort of my earnest belief in some other
interpretation, together with several spare "eighteen-pences," as
he called them, for which he seemed humbly grateful. And as I rode
away I heard him calling across the fence to his wife, who was
standing in the door of a small whitewashed cabin, near which we
had been standing for some time:
"Judy, have Marse Chan's dawg got home?"
"POSSON JONE"