Vance and Deb’s five-room cabin were fully built and the old one torn down, Deb’s humility started to dwindle. She wanted to travel north to New York to purchase their furniture. Vance had Baerbel to talk to her, she told Deb about a big city east of Titleburk. She said, “dat’s where we got our furniture.”
Deb said, “thank you.” Deb traveled to the city and purchased their furniture, plus new expensive fancy dresses.
The children had furniture but they slept-on mats.
Moses recommended that Harry spruce up his house and remodel a few rooms to make it elegant for his family.
The old horse stable behind Harry’s house was torn down, a more durable and larger stable was built. Inside Harry's house, Moses walking around noted that the floor would give and where heavy furniture sat, was sinking. In the dining room, the gargoyles stands were pulling away from the wall.
When renovations began on Harry’s mansion, he had to move out. He took his family to live, temporarily, in the MacCall mansion, that was several rooms larger than Harry’s. Baerbel was happy to be home again, Harry was determined to build a humongous castle, and tear down the MacCall house. [RL30]
Moses and his crew took everything out of Harry’s home and stored it in the empty slave shacks and barn. When they ripped out the floors, the mansion was sitting on a tree trunk in the four corners of the mansion, with several in the middle. Moses asked Harry about it, he said, “I thought that was good enough.”
“Hum,” Moses said, he asked, “what did the builders say.”
Harry answered saying, “They claimed it would not hold.”
When Harry was not around Moses said to himself, “no wonder the foundation was a shoddy job, and ignorant man was in charge.”
Moses had the men to remove the twelve tree trunks that were holding up the house. Working on buildings in New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C., Moses had learned how to make and use concrete. The whole mansion was renovated from the roof down to the foundation inside and out. Moses gathered that Harry liked dark reds and brown, he took a chance and ordered mahogany wood planks for the mansion floors. He purchased the wood from a New York company that he had worked with.
The outside of the mansion was painted white all over, Moses was in a chance-taking mood, he purchased black plantation shutters for every window on the house. He had the men to paint the post on all the porches black. They stood back and looked up at their handy work, it was spectacular. When Harry and his family returned, they thought the same.
While the gargoyles were off the wall, the women waxed and shined what they called, the ugly beast. The furnishings were returned inside the mansion, the women made new curtains, quilts, and fancy frilly bedspreads out of expensive materials. A crew of women cleaned and polished the chandeliers.
The first thing Harry noticed was the mahogany floors, he absolutely loved them. Moses bold chance paid off.
Several times a day, Harry strutted proudly around his house inside and out.
A few times a month he took carriage rides through the hired hands area, he fantasized about the children section, the big black gleaming gates that were going to be installed. He chuckled when he remembered hearing a woman refer to a cabin as a house.
As the completion of the hired hand compound came to an end, Harry gave everyone a week off. He told them to get away for a little while. However, to entice them to return and install the gates and plates, he called them all to where it all began, to the back of his newly renovated mansion. Over sixty new people had joined the original hired hands. Zeek yelled out, “dis be whar’s we start long ago.”
Harry said looking at the man, “that is correct,” he looked at the group and said, “all adults that return from their weeklong trip will be paid a silver dollar every Friday, children six to fourteen pay is a quarter. I need you to install the gates, plates, and tear down the cabins.
They all shouted. A woman asked, “you be tearin’ down da’ shacks, whar’s we stay?”
Harry replied, “in the new cabins when you return.”
Several of the hired hands shouted aloud, “thank you, Mr. Brown.”
Moses said, “we’ll be back.”
With the hired hands gone, Harry went to see the new cabins. He entered one and said, “wow, this is nice.”
Separating the two rooms downstairs was a ceiling beam, and two steps that led down into the cooking and eating area. Harry went up to the second floor, the bedrooms sat on either side of a narrow hallway. The rooms did not have doors, the women made curtains to cover the entrance for privacy. Harry was extremely pleased with their work. “No wonder they call this a house,” he said to himself as he looked around. Each bedroom had a closet, dresser, and chest-of-drawers. The only thing missing were mirrors, Harry purchased one for each bedroom in all the cabins.
He had received a letter that he thought was from Billy, before leaving his home Harry put the letter in his pocket and went to the slave compound. He returned downstairs and made himself comfortable in one of the living room cushioned chairs to read the letter.
The last time Harry heard from Billy was when he wrote that Stella’s kids found their mother dead. Entirely, due to Baerbel’s letter. Harry was hoping to hear from his friend again, this time apologizing for quitting and severing their friendship. The letter was not from Billy, it was from a third person that had taken over Billy’s job. The letter informed Harry that the steel rods and plates were complete. Harry was happy and sad at the same time, he had no idea where Billy had gone. Unfortunately, the Brown Steel Mill was folding, Harry wanted the money it generated but to make that happen, he needed Billy. One day while Harry and Charles were walking by the workers, Charles asked, “why are you putting in metal plates?”
Harry impatiently said roughly, “to keep the forest roots from growing anywhere near the gate. Otherwise the slaves, I mean, thieves will be able to grab a branch and climb over. I can't have that.”
“I see,” Charles said confused. He thought to himself, pops said, “slaves.”[RL31]
Harry adored his hired hands, he wanted to keep them building his Metropolis, and pay them top dollar. With money not flowing in from the steel mill, Harry was afraid he would need to stop work or pay his workers a lot less money. He began to worry. Through the years, out of the original three hundred plus, twenty-seven saved their money and left Harry’s employment. The remaining original hired hands stayed the full eleven years to bank as much money as they could. In place of the ones that moved on, Harry always gained twenty to fifty more people looking for work.
One day, Harry was walking around his second-floor porch rejoicing, thinking, and looking through his binoculars. He was happy to see poor whites and coloreds save their money for a better life. He understood what Charles was talking about, we are all the same from our brain down to our toenails. Harry said out loud, “it’s not the color of skin, it’s the ambition of the person.” Harry leaned on the porch railings, smiled and continued, “that’s what Charles was explaining.” He thought about Moses, who didn’t look like the coloreds or whites. Moses had told Harry that he was half Egyptian and Indian. Harry had never seen either race, though often, Moses reminded him of Mr. Evans.
In the adult slave area, they had one square mile to move about. A half mile on the southwest corner of the cabins, the men-built a bar, general store, and a large pretty church close to the western area of the outer gate. Harry asked them to build it big enough to hold two hundred people. One of the men carved a cross made from walnut wood to be placed on top of the church. A female slave asked Harry if they could put round glass windows around the walls. Harry consented. They also built wood pews for the two hundred people to sit, a pulpit, and podium for the preacher. When Harry saw the church, he was angry and yelled, “it’s too close to the gate, I should make you tear it all down.” He stormed off because it would cost him more money and take extra months to cut down a few trees, cut up the wood to replace any wood that would be destroyed while d
ismantling the church. He did not have the money to buy wood that was cut professionally.
Harry was irritated because the Brown Steel Mill was losing money, no one at the mill knew where Billy had gone. The lack of cash flow was making his pockets thinner than his patients. To make extra cash, he sold items from the MacCall house that brought in a nice sum of money. It was mostly the northerners that made the purchases. Harry put in the newspaper that he was having a sell, the news spread north.
Moses got what he wanted, he and Paula had a church wedding, Harry attended with his family and friends. Baerbel and Paula became close, they were more like mother and daughter than slave and mistress. Baerbel traveled to Titleburk with Paula, to purchase a wedding dress. Paula was excited, even though she had to stay in the lower level of the hotel with the other slaves, she did not care. In the basement, the coloreds ate well and had a dance party. Paula had fun that night. And now, Like Moses, she had traveled. On their way back to the plantation, Paula said, “mistress, da’ world be, mighty big and a whole lot of fun.”
“Yes, it is,” Baerbel said as she thought about her travels. She was rich and had only been to MacCall and Titleburk. She sat thinking. She reached over and grabbed Paula’s hand and said, “you are so right, my little girl.”
Baerbel’s parents lied royally to her. She was told that her dad was from London, England, he told her that his sister was an assistant to a Knight, that was related to the Queen. Her mother expressed her upbringing as an aristocrat. She raised Baerbel to be a debutant, just like she was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. The MacCall’s never thought that their grandson or daughter would one day, travel to find their important relatives.
Traveling with Paula ignited a longing, to go further than the two towns. Baerbel was on a mission to find her aunt that was close to the Royal family. She had excited jitters running through her vain. As she and Paula were heading back to the mansion, Baerbel thought of attending parties in the castle. She was going to ask Charles for money so that she could purchase three beautiful gowns for the elaborate parties at the Queen's palace, spending money, and her trip across the ocean. Baerbel was full of excitement, it was like living with her parents again.
When she thought of Drew, Baerbel’s smile turned upside down. Drew looked like Harry’s hired hands, the only different, Drew wore wrinkled suits, and sometimes stunk of alcohol. And never had money. [RL32]She thought asking Drew for money would be no different than asking little Paula.
She looked at Paula with a big smile and said, “I am going to travel.”
Paula had no idea what Baerbel was talking about, she was excited about her wedding to the best-looking man she had ever seen, and her pretty store-bought wedding dress.
The reception was held in Harry’s backyard, several guests arrived for the food and drink. The slave women made it look festive, though, Harry’s friends thought it looked a little primitive and plain. Paula gasp at the beautiful decorations, and Moses felt like a king. He was escorted on the porch to be introduced, Moses stood tall and proud with the Brown Family, and his beautiful bride by his side. The moment was exactly what he envisioned so many years ago.
Harry looked over at Moses, he watched Moses raise his chest, square his shoulders, point his nose skyward. Harry shook his head when seeing Moses looking beyond the crowd as though he was above and better than everyone. Harry looked down at the paper that Moses had given him with his full name written, Mr. Moses Berhanu. He crumbled the paper and said as he looked out at the crowd, “I introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Moses.” He quickly glanced at Moses to see his reaction.
Everything about Moses deflated. Harry’s purposeful blunder made Moses angry, it instantly showed in his face. Moses pushed Paula to the side, ran off the porch, and rushed through the crowd knocking them out of his way. He had been insulted and shamed.
Harry smiled as he watched the proud niggra ego burst in front of everybody. Paula stood all alone on the porch confused and embarrassed. It didn’t matter to the crowd, no one knew his last name, and the whites did not know that coloreds had two names, only their owner’s name. Still, Moses rough exit did not hinder the party. There was plenty of food, good music, and dancing, Harry had hired a band from Titleburk.
Paula went home to Moses, when she got there, he was gone. She changed clothes and cried.
A few weeks after their wedding, Harry noticed that sometimes Paula had a bruise or two. “Hum,” Harry said to himself, “good job keeping her in place.”
Baerbel said to Paula, “run before it’s too late.” Baerbel looked around to see if anyone was listening, she whispered so low that Paula had to read her lips to see what she was saying. “I am planning my escape; you do the same. It may take years but start planning, now.”
Charles had noticed the bruises as well, on one occasion he pulled Moses aside and beat him good and hard. Moses told Harry about his beating, he did not have to tell, Harry could see Moses swollen face with black and purple bruises. Harry halfheartedly reprimanded Charles, he was proud of his son. He went to his room and chuckled, “I love that boy.”
During the time the church was being built, Zeek had had an epiphany. Five whites and four colored men were completing their work on the church. The nine men stood back and said it was very pretty. During lunch they were sitting on the ground in the churchyard, Zeek said, “I have a strange feelin.”
A builder said, “nothin’ strange bout' dis' place, God gonna' be in here.”
A white hired hand asked, “what ja' mean, strange?”
“We's need ta' build a small Backroom,” Zeek answered.
“Why?” another man asked.
“Don't know, but we's need ta' add a room wid’ dirt flo,” Zeek answered. He went inside the church to the back wall.
The others followed him inside. He looked at the wall and said as he used his hands to put an emphasis on his idea, “cut out a doe’ right here.”
“We can use the wood to lay the flo,” one of the men mentioned.
Zeek said in a fixed tone, “No, we‘s got’s ta’ leave the flo’ as is, dirt only. I's' know it sound strange but it's what we hafta’ do.”
“That ain't how Moses drew it,” chimed Dan one of the white men, “and he be close ta' Mr. Brown.”
“I don't care, it's what we got's ta' do.” Zeek insisted.
Dan said to the white men, “let’s go.” As they were leaving, he said, “we’ll let the niggra’s finish what dey’ be doin’ den’ tell Mr. Brown.”
It was agreed, among the five.
One of the men said, “why’s don’t we’s tell da’ other whites ta’ leave and let da’ niggra’s’ do da’ rest of da’ work.”
Dan said, “we’s gots’ plenty money ta’ go.”
Again, the five agreed and put their plan in motion.
While the coloreds were discussing on restructuring the church back wall, the five white men petitioned the whites to leave. They told them what the four men were doing, as though they could not see since they all lived and worked inside the slave area.
Moses was in his cabin, he heard the men stirring up trouble, he went to the church. When he arrived Zeek explained that the church was not complete, he said, “der’ be no room foe’ da’ cleanin’ thangs.”
Moses agreed it was a good plan, he said, “I’m on my way to see Mr. Brown, I will let him know that you are doing a good deed for his museum.” He began to leave, but turned around and said, “allow me to show you how to cut the wood, so it can be used again, it won’t be enough to build a room, which is okay, I have plenty of wood to give you.”
The men were happy to have Moses help. When he left the men said together, “Thank you.”
Zeek said, “you’s a kind man, Mr. Berhanu.”
Moses waved as he left.
One of the coloreds asked, “Zeek, why you’s call him Mr. he be colored like us.”
“I’s just gittin’ him on our side.”
One of the coloreds said, “You kn
ow, Zeek be right.”
The four men laughed.
Zeek continued, “iffen’ Massa ask why we build da small room, we say da’ church need stuff ta’ clean it, dis' be a good place ta’ hold dat’ stuff.”
One of the men said, “it work foe’ Moses.”
Another one agreed, he said, “show ’nuff did.”
It was settled and agreed between the four coloreds, as to what to say, if asked. One of the men asked Zeek, “why is we makin’ a small room.”
Zeek answered, “I don’t know. We’s just hafta.”
Jim, the leader of four men that tried to betray Zeek over the church backroom, liked a woman named Jane, he said, “git yo’ thangs ready to leave. We’s got’s nuff’ money to git’ married.”[RL33]
She gave Jim a hug and kiss, and then said, “it’s bout’ time you’ ax’ me.” She ran in her shack and packed her things.
Jim and the other four men went around to the other white men and women, they told them to let the coloreds finish all the jobs. Jim told a group of men, “I’s leavin’ y’all needs to come.”
It took three days to complete the backroom in the church. Moses went to the church to inspect the extra room, he told them, “job well done.”
Jim, Jane, with the four white men went to Harry’s mansion to report the colored building an extra room in the church. They said nothing about Moses. Harry told the men; I will handle it. He asked if they wanted something to eat, “of course we do,” Jane answered. Harry took them to the drawing-room, Jim said, “I like this animal chair.”
Harry replied as he was leaving, “it’s a gargoyle, I’ll ask my cook to get you some plates ready.” He saw Drew coming down the stairs, he said, “follow me.”
When they entered the kitchen, Harry told Paula to set the dining room table for six, and Baerbel to warm some food. When the two women were done, he sent them out and told them not to return until evening. Harry asked Drew, “is Charles here.”
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