CHAPTER X.
FREEDOM IN FLOWER.
Ned, who was now in his seventy-third year, was drinking to intoxicationfrom the cup the carpet-baggers had lifted to his lips.
He sat in the shade of a mulberry tree near his cabin furbishing hismusket for the next company inspection, and stopping now and then toobserve the sportive pranks of a domesticated raccoon.
He heard the irritable voice of his old master calling him from theverandah of the mansion, and observed with gravity to his wife--
"Jes lissen at dat! Golly! to be sho ole Semo dun und furgit dat disSoufland is konkered und de niggers sot free. Haint dat a purefiedscandle? De werry fust munny I gits outen de bero, arter I pays fur declay-banks und de lan und de grate-house, I'm ergwine to uprare er silumfer dat po stractified creetur way out in de big woods, twixt displantashun und de crick, whay he kin call 'Ned, Ned!' und nobody'sergwine ter ansur but de blue herrons. Don't yu heer his gwines on,Clarsy? Jeemes' ribber! don't yu heer dat ofe he's dun und swore! Sposinde surcus rider had er heerd dat cuss wurd he flung at me und yu? Golly!he'd histe him upon de horns o' de haltar twell he riggled same ez erfettered wezul. Dat makes me sez whot I duz erbout dese ole isshu whitefokeses. When dare aint no grass in de crap und de smoke house am fullo' meat, hits brudder dis und sister dat; but bimeby, when de ole isshudraps inter de trap sot by de scalyhorgs, Jeemes' ribber! 'ligion hezdun und tuck er backsot. Don't yu see? Yu mout sot down whey dat oleman is wid yo teef clinched same ez er hasp in de lock, und he mout begwine on wid his stractified nonsense, und ef yu didn't spishun nuffin,de fust fing you node hit mout be ole marser dis und ole marser dat, undbimeby yu'd clean clare furgit yosef, dat yu wud, und be totin degrubbin ho und er swettin ober de wire grass fur de secesh. Don't yusee? Me und yu's jes bleeged ter walk perpendikler ur we's gwine ter bekotched agen lak minks."
"Dat's de troof, hit sho is," interrupted Clarissa with emphasis.
"Und den," Ned continued, "me und yu mout be wusser niggers dan inslabery time."
"Pend upon it dat po ole white man has dun und gon plum strakted. Inebber seed sich shines as he is a cuttin up, by his lone lorn sef, inall my born days, nur yu nudder. Dar he now trapesing furwards andbaccards wid boff hans ahin his back und histin up his cote skeerts, unda callin, Ned, Ned! jes lac slabery times. Ef de good Lord puts off hiswisitation much furder, und don't take him outen his misry, hes gwine tosassinate hissef fore de time kums. 'Ned, Ned; I ses Ned Ned,'" gruntedthe old freedman mockingly. "Jes as well be callin wun of Joshaway'scatfishes outen de crick, ebery bit an grane. Clarsy, don't it mak yousorter solumkolly to see how idjeotick ole mister Semo is a gittin, sensde culled fokes is franksized?"
"It sho do," replied Clarissa with some force of expression.
"Pend erpon it woman, ef we culled genmen don't take holt of dis hereplantashun, und de house, und de craps, us is all agwine to suck sorrer,shows you born."
"Dats de Lords truff" exclaimed Clarissa.
"Mr. Semo, he don't look arter nuffin, dat he don't," Ned continued, ashe laid his musket on the ground to rub his back against the jamb of thechimney, "De hoppergrasses is avourin de craps, und de cotton is in degras up to de tip ends, und de dratted, flop-yeared dorgs is jamby et upall de sheepses, und dere is dem hosses in de stable, a whinkering und awhinkering fur a moufful ob fodder, un de cattle beastes is er strayinerway inter de mash, und cum rane er shine, dare is ole Mars Jon asottindare lak er ole settin turkey hen er callin Ned, Ned; lak dare want nofreedum in de lan. Twant fur Miss Alice dat ole man und all totherfokeses on dis here plantashun wud be lak a passel ob gizzard shads,plum run down to nuffin."
"Now yu is a woicin it Ned," again exclaimed Clarissa, as she stitchedthe last feather in Ned's military cap.
"Dare aint but one way fur dat ole man to eber sucker hissef outen hismisery und be spectable," said Ned.
"Und hows he agwine tu du dat Ned?" interrupted Clarissa.
"Don't hit stan ter reson dat ef ole Marse Jon wud jine de publikins undgo erbout de kentry baccards and furrards a speechifyin fur defranksized woters, dat he wud git a offis? I don't blame ole marser furfitin arter Mars Harry got kilt. I'd fout tu, fur my onliest boy, butwhar Mars Jon dun rong wus kase he didn't stop Mars Harry fore he ridoff to Manassy. Kase Mars Harry he didn't no no better und ole marsterdid, don't you see de pint, Clarsy?"
"I sho duz," again exclaimed Clarissa.
"Dere is de shuriff, he fit in de war, jess lak Mars Jon dun, and wharsdat man now? de high shuriff! Kase he seed what wus agwine tu kum whende bellum fell, und he flopped ober to de publikins, und de fust fingyu noes, dat man is ergwine tu be de pressiden ob de Newnited States."
"Haint yu seed fo now" continued Ned argumentatively, "wun of dem darelorgerhed turkles drap back into de mud, ergwine furder und furder under setlin down und downer twell he kivers hisself all epseps his two radeyes, und bimeby heer cums erlong ole Joshaway er probing wid de gig,und bimeby he gits his konfedence, und den he flings him on de back undtells him rite saft lak, 'please stay dar twell he cums back ergin;'well den de skalyhorgs day dun und got deyselves skotched in de offussesjes lak dat ar turkle, und de fust fing yu nose ef ole Mars Jon haintergwine to flop ur nuffin heer cums erlong ole Jeff Davis, de seceshman, und ole Mars Jon er probin wid dare ole debbil fork, und bimeby dayflings dem publekins on de back und tells dem to stay rite dar twell daycums back. Don't yu see; und den de fat is dun und flung in de fire undde bellyun is dun un riz ergin."
"Ole Mars Jon ain't agwine to flop no whers, dat he aint," ejaculatedClarissa.
"Den he aint agwine tu git no offis nudder," rejoined Ned, quiteseriously and relapsed into silence.
"Ned, whats yu agwine tu du wid yosef dis arternoon?" she asked.
"Me" asked Ned, "Ise agwine tu scotch mysef on dis here plank fur a nap,dats what."
"Whats yu gwine to do," he asked.
"Me," asked Clarissa, "I'm agwine tu slabe fur er nocount free nigger,lak yu, jess lak I has ben doin fur forty yers, dats what."
"No count free nigger hay! dats a sin to yu Clarsy, who keeps dat ar potbilin?"
"Bilin" she asked, in disgust, "Sposin yu lift dat ar led often dat potan see whats a bilin, taint nuffin yu fotched home, I tells yu dat."
Ned distrustfully advanced to the fire place and lifted the top from thepot and sank back with a groan, into an old bottomless chair.
"What do ail you, Ned?" asked Clarissa, laughingly.
"Lors a massy, I wudn't a had yu projjeck wid me dat ar fashun fur ahundred dollars. I wus skert tu ax yu what yu had in dare, und I kep astuddin and a studdin, und I kep tryin to smel sum yerbs or udder ursnuffin an er snuffin an er snuffin, und I kep listenin fur yu to say'Ned, lift dat bilin pot offen de farr wid dem yurbs und horg meat; hitar sho dun by dis time', und Bress de Lord, it haint nuffin ceptin erole kalliker skeert; dat dar mistake is wurf a hundred dollars. Jess aswell flung a hundred dollars outen my pocket into de fire, as to gib medat ar set back."
"A hundred dollars," mockingly repeated Clarissa, "How much money has yuhad sence de belyun dun fell?"
"Me?" asked Ned.
"Yes, you, dats who, how many cents yu had most fo yer sence freedum cumin de lan, und yu is as ragged as a settin pefowell."
"Nebber mind," said Ned, "I'm ergwine to git forty akers ob dis hereplantashun, und maby de grate house flung in, und I'm gwine to git depeertest mule on de hill, und when I flings de whoop und pulls deribbuns, yu is ergwine to see a yerthshake."
"Ugh, Ugh!" ejaculated Clarissa, "I mout, und den agen I moutent. I seesyu a flinging de whoop now, but taint ober nary wun ob ole Mars Jon'smules, dat it taint. I seed a passel ob niggers tother day, jess lak yu,a flingin de whup und a pullin de ribbuns, but twas in de conwic campjess whar yus agwine to be fo de hoppergrasses wours ole Mar's Jon'scrap. Dars yer a stretcht out on dat plank in de brilin sun, lak wun obdem streked lizzards on de wurm ob de fense, wid nary a moufful obwittles in de house, high nur lo. Cum here an see who dat is agwine longyander ercross de medder in de hot brilin
sun, wid her bonnit skeertslak de wings ob a white hearon, a floppin backards an furards, haint datMiss Alice?"
Ned raised his hand to shield his eyes from the hot glaring sun as heobserved, "Tain't nobody else. Ef dat ar white gal don't hab detarryfyin feber ur de brownskeeters, den I haint no doctor."
"I wunder whar dat ar gal is ergwine to here at twel erclock in de day,und de July flies er farely deefnin de fokeses wid der racket?" askedClarissa.
"Lordy! Lordy! Clarsy," exclaimed Ned, "ef we uns only hed sum ob demgud wittles Miss Alice got in dat basket, I wudn't be in narry grane oba hurry fur dem forty akers ob lan und de mule nudder, wud yu?"
"Mout hab had gud wittles all dis time ef yu hadn't ben sich erflambergastered fule. Yu und Joshaway er tarnally spasheating erbouthopperrattucks und pianny fortys und de freedmun's bero und deconwenshun und de miluntary, und bress de Lord nary wun ob yu's seed ahunk o' meat ur a dust o' flour sense freedum cum in de lan, und boff obyu luks dis werry minit lak perishin conwicks, ur de sutler's mulesturned out to grass. Neber herd dat yungun open her mouf agin enybody inmy life, white er black. Ef yu axes her fer enyfing, she is er smolin debutifulist smile all de bressed time, und ef de cullud fokeses' chillunis er hongry she feeds dem wid lasses and homny und gud truck twell deyis fitten ter pop open; und when dey is sick, she is jes lak er harkangel, und bress Gord, dat ar gal is ergwine tu hab er golen krown, under harp too, und gole slippers, when her hed is lade low; und ef shegoes fust I'm ergwine ter keep her grabe kivered wid de butifulistflowers in ole missus' flower garden." And Clarissa, overburdened withthe tumult of her tender soul, began to sob and cry.
"Hit nachully tares my ole hart strings outen my body to sen her datwurd; kase yu nose, Ned, dat Miss Alice's hans is tu swete und tender tucut de wud fur de kitchen und lif dem hebby pots in dis yer bilin sun.Ef I had my chusin I wudn't gib wun stran ob her golen hare fur all defreedum in de lan, und ole Lincum frowed in, dat I wudn't."
Clarissa could maintain her equilibrium whenever Ned expatiated uponmatters, persons and events unconnected with her young mistress, butevery chord of feeling in her black bosom was instantly vibrant withemotion if anything in disparagement of her was spoken.
Dear, dear child! She was now oblivious to all that was passing in thelittle cabin.
There she goes, singing a sweet lullaby, on her mission of love, movingalong in the sunshine that encircles her as with a magic zone of glory.
The little daisies lift up their heads to laugh as they whisper to eachother, "There she goes, our little sweetheart!" And an old womanessaying to free herself from the fetters of the tyrant Death at theother end of the line is whispering, "Here she comes, my darling!" Hergreat, sympathetic nature, whose capacity was enlarged to embrace allthe poor, white and black, made the black cruel heart of Aleck, even,unwittingly to relent after he had torn her fair face with the thornbush in the meadow.
When the paralytic, Alexander MacLaren, died twelve months ago, hebequeathed a redundance of squalor and misery to his widow, and nowdeath in slouching strides was coming toward her little hut beyond themeadow; coming as if unwilling to take away the old friend of sweetAlice; coming, not like the swift cruel messenger, but languidly, evendubiously; halting to ask if his commission would permit him to spareher yet a little while for Alice's sake. There was a footfall upon thedoor block; there was the low voice from within, "Come in, dearie," andAlice and a flood of sunshine entered together.
"My sweet bairn," the old lady exclaimed, in the language of thehighlands, "how you do gladden my auld een! Let me kiss you, my lassie,ond touch your bonnie hair with my auld stiffened fingers. I want tofeel your presence ivery minute."
Alice bowed lovingly at the bedside of the poor widow and kissed thepallid cheek, and looking into the faded eyes asked, with heartfeltsympathy, if she knew who had kissed her?
"Ah, vera well lassie," she answered smilingly. "I ken nae ane in thispuir auld world but you; And why should I dearie? Do you think I shallever cease to love you, Allie, you are sae bright and trustful; yourgentle spirit is like the little star that shines just yonner when thetwilight deepens into the night, its light ond joy ond comfort are forsome ither fauk, for some ither fauk," she repeated with earnestness.
"Oh, I do thank you, Mrs. MacLaren, for such kind, yet undeservedexpressions, they are sweet dewdrops that are always leaking from aheart, kind and true," said Alice, as she brought from her little basketsuch delicacies as she thought would tempt the sick lady.
"Now that you love me so dearly," continued Alice, "will you not take alittle nourishment, for my sake?"
"For your sake, dearie," interrogated the old lady, "thot I will, andthank you with an auld ruck of a heart thot has but ane love--all foryou, chiel, all for you. If I live it will be to bless you, ond if I deeI will whisper to the angels to love my sweet chiel as I have loved you,Allie."
The old head was very tired and the eyes that now mirrored another lightthan that which came through the natural senses were closing as Alicesang so tenderly, so softly her favorite hymn; and it appeared to comefragrant, laden with the aroma of the heather, with the memories of thegude auld days from the glades and trossachs.
"It's here we hae oor trials, ond it is here that He prepares A' his chosen for the raiment, which the ransomed sinner wears Ond it is here that he would hear us, mid oor tribulations sing We'll trust oor God who reigneth in the Palace of the King.
"Though his palace is up yonner, He has kingdoms here below; Ond we are his ambassadors, wherever we may go; We've a message to deliver, ond we've lost anes hame to bring To be leal and loyal hearted, in the Palace of the King.
"Its ivory halls are bonnie, upon which the rainbows shine, Ond its Eden bowers are trellised with a never fading vine; Ond the pearly gates of Heaven do a glorious radiance fling, On the starry floor that shimmers in the Palace of the King.
"Noo nicht shall be in Heaven ond nae desolating sea, Ond nae tyrant's hoof shall trample in the City of the free; There is everlasting daylight ond a never-fading Spring, Where the Lamb is all the glory in the Palace of the King."
The widow lay as though she were dead, so tranquil was the slumber thathad kissed down her heavy eyelids, and her crossed hands were laid uponthe light coverlid that rested upon her bosom.
"Oh," thought Alice as she looked upon the scarcely animated human body,"if it were not a sin, and if you were not so wearied, how I would envyyou, Mrs. MacLaren; you are soon to be so happy. Your tired feet willsoon press the 'Starry floor that shimmers in the palace of the King'ond your tired een will soon 'behold the King in his beauty,' ond yourtired heart will throb with a divine feeling when He bids you welcome inthe 'palace of the King; ond he will gae you the title to your mansionwith a smile, ond you ken fine it is your ain hoose, ond after sich saetravail you have coom hame to abide for aye.'"
After a while the old lady awoke to find Alice kneeling at her head, towipe the damp from her brow with her handkerchief.
Alice was the first to speak and she said quite endearingly "How are younow, my dear Mrs. MacLaren? I hope you feel ever so much better."
The old lady with some effort raised her eyes and responded feebly,"Better chiel. Ah my dearie," she said almost hopefully, "may be I'llnae go to my ain hame the day. Just then I was so weary and I had almostforgotten that you were still with me. Ond were you nae singing a weebit ago dearie? or was I dreaming ond heard the Angels singing, 'We'lltrust our God who reigneth in the palace of the King?' It might havebeen the voice of my auld mither, I dinna ken, I dinna ken," sherepeated emotionally.
"If you are not tired, Allie, will you not read a passage from theblessed book, just to make me think of the auld, auld story."
Alice took the Bible from the little deal table and upon opening itspages a five dollar treasury note of the Confederate government, of theissue of eighteen hundred and sixty two, fell upon the floor. Itappeared to Alice as a pictorial representation of war, its havoc, itschariot wheels, wi
th great cruel tires and knives, and its heaps ofslain. She turned it over and saw this writing, in a neat feminine handon the back, "It was not for the like of this that my lad was slain atGettysburg, it was for honor. With the tidings of his death came thisnote from his hands. 'The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away,blessed be the name of the Lord.'"
Alice placed the note back in the Bible with the thought almostexpressed by her tongue, "The liveliest emblems of Heaven are Hissaints, who in the deep sense of anguish can uplift their hearts to Himin simple child-like faith."
The old lady again expressed herself as feeling so much better. Poorwoman, perhaps it was but a momentary reinforcement of the vital energy,that was preparing her for the last interview with death, when he shouldcome again with shroud and coffin. "And the Spirit and the bride saycome," the sweet girl began to read, "and let him that heareth say come,and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take of thewater of life freely."
"The water of life freely, and let him that is athirst say come," echoedthe old lady feelingly. "Ond all, all, dearie, we shall hae in oweraboondance in the palace of the King, bye and bye. Ond wud you mindputting up a wee bit prayer for sich an auld rack of a body?"
Alice got down upon her knees and clasping the hands of the sick lady inher own she prayed fervently that the Father of all mercies would watchover her charge who had been faithful through her life; deal lovinglywith her, for she is thy child; be with her now and always to comforther and give her that peace which the world cannot give or take away.
Alice rose from her supplications to kiss the old lady once more beforetaking her departure, when the invalid, pointing to a little box inbeautiful Mosaic upon the mantel, said to her, "You will find there alittle siller that I have put by for my beerial chiel, for the gown ondthe coffin ond the grave."
As Alice entered the old mansion at Ingleside with her mind tranquilizedby the experience through which she had just passed, she heard herfather in quite a loud voice, call one of his old servants, "Ned, Ned,where is that black rascal Ephraim?"
"Don't know, mars Jon, came back the answer, Specks he is dun gone to debaptising in de crick sar."
"Where is my saddle mare?"
"Don't know dat sar, nudder, specks she's dun gone wid Ephraim tu sar."
"Where is my new hat and umbrella?"
"Don't know mars Jon, specks dey is dun took demselves off en widEphraim tu sar."
"Who is that banging on Miss Alice's piano?"
"Dey is dem culled ladies sar, Miss Maria und Miss Susan, er playin highopperattucks sar. I seed dem er gwine in dere und spishoned dey wurgwine rong, und I axed dem to play de high opperattucks some wheys else,kase dis grate house was too dimmycratuck fur dem, but dey lowed datdere daddy had worked fur hit und dey wus hissen und den I didn't say nomo, kase I wus afeared. Pend erpun hit, mars Jon, de bottom rail has dungot on top now sho nuff."
Reconstruction had come with its mildew. Black cavernous mouths werelapping up the virus and spitting it out everywhere. Retribution inhistory had come too with the evolution of the negro.
The old master like a besieged baron of mediaeval civilization, wasstill looking out upon his broad domains and his cattle upon a hundredhills, but there was rust upon the plow shares, tares in the wheat,cockles in the rye, and the high noon bell in its tower hung lifelessand tongueless. No summons thence to the tired hands and feet and backsupon the old plantation. Labor was disorganized--discipline a deadprecedent--the negroes, like the swallows and ravens in the old rookery,homeward and townward as they list, were pluming their flight.
The many-gabled mansion lay fast asleep in the Sabbath nooning. Abee-martin, as it leaped to wing from the neglected meadow, piped ashrill note or two and scurried away after the thieving crow; and theinterlacing oaks and elms of a century's growth coquetted with thewhispering winds.
Alice felt that she had sustained a mortal shock when she heard thesound of her mother's piano, every chord thrilling with strangedissonance; boisterous, vulgar singing and the shuffling of feet uponthe richly carpeted floor.
She started to enter the room when a rude black hand was placed withviolence upon her arm, and she was thrust back into the hall, with theremark, "jess git outen here forthwid. Us ladies is musin our selfs ermakin dis ole fing farly howl. Daddy ses how dat ef we cullud ladiesnotices white trash lak yu is eny mo he's ergwine ter whup us an' whupus good," and with this they courtesied toward each other and retired asif they had been princesses of some black realm.
Alice wept out her indignation in her mother's room. Poor Alice! Sowingthe wind! By and by what shall the harvest be?
"Ned," called Colonel Seymour, "tell Aleck to come to me." Ned came backin a few minutes concealing a grin with his open hand to his mouth."Boss," he said, "I seed Ellick, und he tole me how dat I mout tell yupintedly dat ef yu wants ter see him wusser dan he do yu, yu mout cumter him er let hit erlone udder. Dem wus his berry wurds." The old manturned away with the wish in his heart that the black vat ofreconstruction might be heaped up to the brim with the freedmen who hadturned their backs upon their only friends.
As the evening sun was drawing a watery cloud before its face to shutout, if possible, the degradation of the white people of the South,Ephraim rode up at break-neck speed upon the exhausted mare and as healighted upon the foot-block he threw the bridle towards his old masterwith the insulting demand, "unsaddle dat beastis Semo, widout yu wantsher tu tote de saddle all her life."
"You insolent scoundrel!" exclaimed the old man in white heat, "has itcome to this?"
"Looker heer, po white man, dus yu no who's yu er sassin? Ise erspectable cullud gemman, sar, er franksized woter, sar, und what's yusar? Po down white trash. Take yer ole mar und yer ole umbrill, und yerole hat, und go ter de debbil." Thus was slipping away the eventide ofthe day that God, in his infinite condescension aeons ago, had hallowedand blessed.
In the excitement of these almost tragical events Alice had quiteforgotten the sick woman across the meadow, and she was hurrying thereas fast as she could, when she was intercepted in her journey by Aleck,who commanded,
"Hole up dar, white 'oman! Whar is yer agwine wid dat baskit und demwittles?"
The girl was greatly alarmed at the presence of the brutish negro inthis solitary place and she spoke as complacently as possible and toldhim that she was carrying some food to poor Mrs. MacLaren. "Will you notlet me go on?" she said; "the poor woman is very ill, and I am sure thatI am doing no one any harm."
"Yes yu is fer a fac, the negro replied with anger, pears lak yu an yeryo ole daddy is terminated tu gin de culled genmen all de tribulashun yukin und we haint ergwine tu stan hit no longer. Boff ob yu is jist gottu git outen de grate house und stop toting wittles tu de po whitetrash. When we takes holt ob dis plantashun dey haint ergwine ter benary horg, nur chickin, nur pefowell on de lan und de culled genmen undladies will be bleeged to look at tother wuns and suck dey fingers inmisery."
As the negro turned away from the affrighted girl he purposely threwagainst her fair face, with a deft hand a thorn switch, that tore theflesh and caused the cheek to bleed and then laughed with thegratification of an arch-fiend.
She went on her way in silence but her outraged spirit could hardlycontain itself, and this she said to herself with burning anger isreconstruction! A civilization that with whipcords and chains hassuspended law and love and benevolence.
When Alice reached the little home of the widow she knew that the deathangel had entered before her and was putting his icy finger upon the eyeand the heart, and with an almost inaudible exclamation of "poor Allie"she passed away.
With tenderness and love Alice arranged the coverlid over the body andlocked the door and went in search of help to prepare the old woman forburial. She saw aunt Charlotte gathering sticks for fuel for the potthat was boiling in her yard, for it was wash day, and told her thatpoor old Mrs. MacLaren was dead. "Will you not go with me and give suchassistance as you can?" "Dat I wont," sharply replied the old neg
ress"Ise dun und got way by any sich drudgery as dat now a days. When wun obour siety ceases we has grate blowin' ob horns und muskits shooting atde grabe und ebery body is as hapy as er rane frog in de willer tree.Yu sees dem dere bilin cloes in de pot don't yu, and yu sees dat ar sunergwine down as peert as er race hoss, well den Ise got my orders fromJoe und I don't ame tu git a beatin when he cums home ef I kin hep it."
Alice went on and there were fantastic shadows here and there in theprimitive landscaping of nature and timid rays of the setting sun werestealing softly through thorn and bush and bough. She found Mary Perkinsand her younger sister Gussie at home and she knew that poverty had notdestroyed their kindly natures. She told them with sadness her missionand when the little assemblage gathered reverently in the little glebethe next day and the man of God uncovered his white locks and lookedupon the forbidding pall and grave, there was a broken column of whiteflowers resting over the dead heart of poor Mrs. MacLaren. "Earth toearth, ashes to ashes," is the universal requiem of nature--theproclamation an offended God uttered when he placed sentinel Cherubimwith flaming swords in Paradise to guard its portals. It was the voiceof the aged ambassador of Christ this day, when there was no responsivesound to come forth from the dark chamber hidden under the clods of thevalley.
Alice returned from the burial in a spirit of resignation, clad in acoat of mail figuratively speaking, strong and riveted in every joint."What sore need for the upbuilding of character in this degenerate age;when evil is personified; when courage is so sadly needed," said thegirl, "I will try ever so hard to be pure in heart."
She joined her father in the verandah for a few moments, and she saw ata glance that the old man was battling with conflicting emotions.
He said at last very disconsolately, as he stroked her golden tresses."I had hoped my darling child to go to my grave in a green old age, butif it please God to take me and my child I should not murmur. God knowsI am drinking the lees from a cup full of bitterness. Thereconstructionists say that they are making treason odious and arescouring the land for distinguished examples."
"Let us not despair, dear father" said Alice as she threw her armsaround the old man's neck. "You still own dear old Ingleside. Let ussell what we have and flee ere the whirlwind shall overwhelm us withevil, I will work for you father and we may be happy again some day,somewhere. The good Lord will stay the hands of our oppressors but letus not wait for that, let us go hence as quickly as we can."
"You almost unnerve me my dear child with your eloquence and tears, butthat will not do. I--I can clean the rust from my old sword and I amsure it will cut as red a swath now as it did in '63. Our Scotch-Irishblood is thicker than water. Never shall it be said by the cravenhearted enemy that John Seymour has ever defiled the proud lineage ofhis people. Let us dismiss these unhappy thoughts and pray at least forour disenthralment."
Monday came and the shadows began to deepen. The patriarchal oaks andelms were still bowing gracefully each to its vis a vis. There was nocook in the old mansion, no stable boy to feed the horses, and oldJupiter like the old sexton among the graves was groping hither andthither abstractedly, perhaps in quest of memories.
Clarissa the old standby had rebelled, rebelled against the sovereigntythat had been too indulgent and too patriarchal perhaps; rebelledagainst a mistress and a master who condoned every failing of hernature; rebelled against a destiny made up of the comforts of life,without its sacrifices.
You will come back home some fair day Clarissa and there will be tearsin your eyes, there will be sorrow in your old black heart, andpenitence syllabled upon your tongue. You will come back to tell yourdear young mistress something of the delusions that made you swerve frominterest and duty and you will see the light of forgiveness in thepretty blue eyes of Alice.
The message came as it were wrapped up in cactus leaves. "Tell MissAlice dat she needn't speck culled ladies is ergwine to mommick up deysevs no mo, cooking wittles fur de white trash. Ned is ergwine tu git erorgan und hosses und kerridge und she wus ergwine tu split de rode ratewide open er cummin und ergwine. He's dun und jined de milintery companyund sakes er live dat genmen does hab de butifullist feathers andbuttons und muskit tu be sho!" Poor Alice in her heart "felt like onewho treads alone, some banquet hall deserted; whose lights had fled,whose garlands dead and all but her departed."
The Broken Sword; Or, A Pictorial Page in Reconstruction Page 12