I was not in a very amiable frame of mind and passed a bad quarter of an
hour while I sat down there on a stump, recovering myself and deciding
what to do next.
I still had over thirty miles to go and instead of reaching my
destination before morning, as I had just decided I would be able to do,
I was left without a horse and in very poor trim to make good speed on
foot. However, I started on, determined to investigate every place along
my road and get a horse if possible without leave or license, but
fearing that all not already confiscated were in too secure hiding for
me to unearth. I had some hope of finding my own poor beast, but it was
not realized.
Every house I came to was dark and forsaken looking and all the inmates
seemed to be away or asleep. Even the dogs made no disturbance, if
there were any around. My search in stables, sheds and pasture lots only
took up time, without gaining help, for not a sign of a horse did I
find.
At last, while making a circuit to bring me around by the place of a man
named Carter, thinking he might have something left in the way of
horseflesh, as he had a remarkable way of holding on to everything
belonging to him, I saw a light in a small cabin perched near a road. I
had come on the place from the rear, as I was taking a short cut.
Drawing near with much circumspection, I could hear the sound of voices
and laughing. Evidently from the noise a good time of some kind was in
progress.
I crept up in the shadow of the house near enough to look around an
angle and see into the room. Three officers in Confederate gray were
seated at a table taking supper, and laughing and joking with a long,
lean mountaineer, who seemed to be plying them with questions, while
his wife served them. As I watched, a pretty girl entered from another
room with a jug of cider, which she proceeded to pour out into tumblers.
At the sight of the foaming liquid one of the officers trolled a verse
of a rollicking drinking song.
It did not take me long to conclude that they must be the very fellows
who had been in such hot haste after me, to infer that they had given
over pursuit and that their horses must be somewhere near. I retreated
into the shadow of the trees and thus sheltered made my way around to
the front of the house. To my exceeding joy, I found there three slick
Confederate steeds tied to the fence. I hastily untied the halters, for
while I did not intend to perform another circus act by riding all three
at once, I did not care to leave any behind to aid in my pursuit. I led
them as gently as possible down into the road and mounted one, a
powerful black. The other two at first made some resistance, but an
energetic pull or two decided them to follow. The noise of my departure
brought out the pleasure-loving cavalrymen in hot haste, but they were
not quick enough to do any effectual work.
I followed the obscure, little-used road, on which the house stood, for
a short distance, then turning from it I made a cut between two hills
and came out on a road running parallel with the one I had started from
J---- on. After going several miles I turned the extra horses loose and
they soon stopped to graze.
My late acquisition was possessed of prodigious activity and I soon made
up the time I had lost. I had no further detention and as the gray dawn
again appeared I reached my destination.
Turning from the road I walked my horse slowly up the wide, tree-lined
avenue toward the mansion. Tired as I was and interested in but one
object, the deserted, desolate appearance of the place impressed me
deeply, and I drew rein for a moment to look around. I knew the family
had been away but a comparatively short time, yet the house and
surroundings had already that uncared for, lonely look that soon hangs
over a closed house. It was the first time I had ever seen that wide,
hospitable mansion when it was not filled with life and mirth. It was
the first time I had ever come to it without receiving a warm welcome.
Leaving the lawn in front, I made my way to the quarters of the family
servants beyond the house. To my surprise I found them empty and
deserted. I knew that when the family went to G---- all except two of
the servants had been left behind and I expected to find them there. I
knew my aunt would not leave without making ample provision for their
comfort and I felt certain they were too strongly attached to the family
to run away, so I could not understand the vacant cabins.
I could not believe but what some of them were still around the place.
I searched and called without unearthing a soul, and had just returned
from another tour around the house, and was pondering how best to effect
an entrance into it when I caught sight of a gray head peeping out of an
opening in the top of the kitchen, which stood a few rods from the
house. It was instantly withdrawn, but not until I had seen it belonged
to Ned, an old negro owned by my mother, but who made his home at S----.
He had evidently been watching me from his place of concealment, but had
not recognized me in my rough clothes. Going into the kitchen it
appeared as empty as before, but I finally discovered the frightened old
negro curled up on top of a wide set of shelves behind a barricade of
cooking utensils, taking a reconnoissance from the ventilator just
above.
"Come down, Ned," I called, but he made no sign of having heard.
It was some time before I could convince him who I was, but as soon as
he could get his scattered wits together his delight was unbounded, and
he came down from his elevated perch to an accompaniment of rattling
tinware.
I soon learned that when my aunt found she would be detained
indefinitely, she had sent back word for all the servants to go to a
neighboring plantation, which they had all done with the exception of
Ned, who had staid behind intending to make his way to me and beg me to
keep him for my body servant, an office he had always desired.
While Ned prepared and served me with a breakfast, which I insisted on
taking in the kitchen, he gave me the family news and told me all about
the death of his wife, which had occurred a few weeks before.
After I had finished my meal and Ned had fed my horse, he brought out
the keys from their place of concealment, and if I would have permitted
him to do so, would have thrown open the whole house in my honor. Much
to his disappointment, I dared not allow him to unclose a single shutter
or even turn the slats, except at the back of the house. I explained to
him that it must still present a closed appearance to any chance
observer, and that no one must know that I was there.
We entered the house and proceeded through the long, dusky hall and up
the wide stairs to the second story. After Ned had gathered everything
necessary to my comfort into the room which I occupied whenever I was at
S----, and which was always left undisturbed in my absence, he left me.