CHAPTER XIV.
THE OATH OF FEALTY.
Since the death of Mrs. Seymour the negroes had been busily plying theiroffensive vocation filling to the very brim the vat of viciousfermentation. The air at night was laden with ribaldry and the sounds ofguns. The old master's labors were greatly multiplied too, since thenegroes were all the while in some exasperating way or other celebratingthe "Emancipation Proclamation," the dawn of freedom. Their presence hadbecome a serious menace, an ever recurring cause of alarm. Hisresources, too, were almost gone--the cattle had been slaughtered in therange, the horses appropriated and returned when convenient, and hedared not ask why this spoliation of his property.
Ned would occasionally announce his arrival upon the plantation byfurious blasts from a great cracked horn. He would be dressed from headto foot in a blue uniform with bright brass buttons and yellow cordsupon the revers and sleeves of his jacket, and a coarse slouched hatwith crossed swords in front, a huge yellow cord with tassels around thecrown, and it surmounted by a peacock's feather. The old master saw withdisgust the foolish negro from the verandah, marching up and down thecarriage way with his bright musket, going through the manual of arms,"Sport Harms! Horder arms! Charge bagonets!" Aleck and Ephraim and Henrywere dressed in the same fashion and going through the same evolutionson another part of the plantation. Now and then a discharge from theguns accompanied by demoniacal yells would frighten poor Alice almost todeath. In the dead hours of night these brutal negroes to terrify herand her father would drill in the front yard of Ingleside with vulgarand boisterous commands, and before breaking ranks they would dischargetheir muskets with horrifying screams--"Jess immitatin de brav sojerboys at Fort Piller," they said. Ingleside was virtually a camp ofmilitary instruction!
"Clarissa," Alice exclaimed, "we must go away from here. We will bemurdered if we do not get away from these horrid negroes, I shall diewith fright if I remain here any longer. They can come at any hour ofthe day or night and kill us. Father is old and feeble and cannotprotect me, and you know, Clarissa, I cannot protect him. Please go tohim and tell him we must get away this very day."
"Bress yo deer life, Miss Alice, ef yu seed how dis po ole heart was aflip flappin, fust peert und den slow, lak a yaller hammer beatin ergener dedded gum, fust on wun side und den on de tuther, yu'd say teryosef, 'po Clarsy!' Fo de Lawd, I'm skeert mo wusser dan yu is, und efdis heer flustrashun is ergwine on much fudder de Lawd is gwine ter ranedown fire und brimstone on dese niggers lak he dun on dem Mallyskites,und I specks er grate big hunk is ergwine to hit Ned und Joshaway too,rite slam twixt de eyeballs. Dem dare niggers, jamby granddaddies ofMethuserlum, lookin lak hants in all dem fethers and brass buttons, erheppin all ober de taters und de korn und de cotton, und bress de Lawd,ef I must tell de truf, dey is as perished up ez a mash hen er settin onturkle eggs. Yu needn't larf lak dat, Miss Alice; de Lawd is gwine tershow dese niggers whos er totin de biggest strane, und when he sez dewurd, dey's ergwine ter be dedder dan last yur's gode wines, und--"
"Perhaps, Clarissa," interrupted Alice, "these troublous times are butmercies in disguise?"
"Oh, my King!" ejaculated Clarissa in alarm, "Murder's gwine ter rise,yu sez? Oh, my hebbens! Is yu aiming fur dem kallamities tu cumimmegiate, missis?"
Alice laughed away the old negress' fears and replied in explanation:
"I said they were mercies--mercies in disguise."
"Dat is mo better, Miss Alice," observed Clarissa, slightly mollified."Kase I knoed ef dat tuther fing wuz ergwine ter hap'n, me und yu undole marser mout git kilt fo enybody but de niggers spishuned erresurreckshun. Ole Clarsy's skin is powerful black missis, und dis kinkyhed is pided lak dat ole wether's in de medder, but I'm ergwine ter stanby yu und ole marser twell de eend, und when Ole Marser up yander sez deword, I'm ergwine ter ax yu ter berry Clarsy at ole missis' feet; undden ef she heers de trumpet fust she'll call Clarsy, und ef I heers itfust I'm ergwine ter call her, und den me und her will jine hans und flyerway ter glory."
The pathos of this affectionate speech brought tears to the eyes of heryoung mistress, and the thought came out of her great sympatheticnature:
"Reconstruction so far has been a great smelting furnace--it hasseparated the pure from the impure, and with its refining heat hasgrappled with hooks of steel the hearts of mistress and servant. Wouldthat I could dictate a fitting eulogium for the faithful negroes; forthose who are groping still amid the shadows of an epoch that seemsobedient to no law but of caprice and change."
If I get to Heaven, Clarissa will be at the portal with some suchexpression upon her tongue as this: "Bress yer hart, missis, I've beenwaitin right here fur yer ever since I heard yer wus er cummin. Comewid me, young missis, und let me show yer dis beautifullest city in dehole wurrel."
"Sixty days within which to prove your loyalty!" "Sixty days" werecoming upon tireless pinions. Are the mills of the gods still grinding?Is there yet water in the flume to run the heavy wheel? Is there stillgrist to feed the stones?
"To prove your loyalty" ran the judgment. What badinage to toss into theface of a man who had braved death upon a hundred battle-fields and allfor "loyalty!" He had proved it by great scarifications that would haveappalled every carpet-bagger in the South. Loyalty is the counterpart ofhonor--the collaborator with duty, and the old soldier for sixty fiveyears had maintained and performed his part in his particular sphere oflife; yea out of the crucible of hell he had rescued his loyalty--hischaracter as pure as the untrodden snow.
Another sunrise shoots its gleams into the cribbed heart of OldIngleside, and Clarissa has not returned to prepare breakfast; what canbe the matter? "Perhaps she is unwell. I am sure she cannot befaithless," argued Alice with herself. "I will go and see." As sheentered the door of the cabin she saw Ned rolling and tossing upon thebed in wild delirium and she asked Clarissa what was the matter with herhusband.
"Don't know, Miss Alice," replied Clarissa, "epseps he is tuck wurserwid wun ob dem bad spells agin; dey is cummin und agwine ebery now andden, und he gits rite foolish und komikell."
Alice drew her chair closely to the bedside and felt of the old negro'shead and it was very hot; she felt his pulse and it was beating like atriphammer. He was groaning, too, as if in great pain, crying out indelirium occasionally "Charge bagonet! Sport harms! hep! hep! hep!" asif drilling and going through the manual of the soldier. Alice saw thatsomething must be done and very quickly, and she said to Clarissa.
"I will run for the doctor."
"Lor, missis, yer a gwine a trapesing away over yander fur de doctur byyour lone lorn sef? I specks hits er mile ur too ef its ary step."
Within an hour the physician was at the bedside of the sick negro,diagnosing the case and prescribing medicine.
"He is not in immediate danger," observed the physician to Alice, "Buthe must be watched."
"I want to put him under your care and whatever your charge may be Iwill pay it."
"Thank you, miss," replied the physician with a smile. "I will see thathe does not suffer for the want of medical treatment. By the way, how isyour father's health now, Miss Alice?" he asked.
"I think I can see that he is failing, sir," the girl replied sadly.
"I presume he, like every body else, is greatly annoyed by thefreedmen."
"Yes, a few of them have given us trouble," she replied.
"Perhaps I shall see you again to-morrow. You will find that the negrowill rest very well after his fever abates a little," and the doctor,shaking Alice's hand cordially, bade her good morning.
"Now Clarissa," Alice said after the doctor had gone, "You run over homeand prepare breakfast for father, and I will watch by Uncle Ned untilyou get back.
"Miss Alice," exclaimed Clarissa "sposin dat kommykle nigger gits outenbed what is yer agwine to do den?"
The old negro's expression was so ludicrous that Alice was obliged tolaugh as she observed, "I will take care of him; never mind. If he getsout of the bed I will get him back again."
"Und him a
plum stracted idjeot?" ejaculated Clarissa as she passed outof the door.
Alice pursuing the directions of the physician, brought from the springnear by a bucket of very cold water and sat down again at the bedsideand very gently, soothingly, bathed the old negro's face and brow. Thefever was abating, still the deft fingers dripping with the waterpressed the fevered face. Once Ned partially aroused exclaimeddeliriously,
"I'se a woting ebery time fur de boss, who's yer a woting fur,Joshaway?"
After quite awhile Ned awoke, at first a little abstracted and asked.
"Is dat yer, Clarsy, wid dem dar shiny eyes?" and again dropped into arestful slumber.
This time there were no exacerbations, no delirium, but he slept astranquilly as a little child. The fever had passed away. He awoke andsaw the dear child whom he had so brutally wronged sitting like aguardian angel by the bed; her white hands cool and refreshing stillpressing his forehead, and the old negro covered his wrinkled face withhis skinny hands and wept. Wept from a sense of shame, remorse. Heremembered that when her need was sorest he had acted the brute--turnedhis back upon this poor child who with a full knowledge of his manifoldacts of cruelty and injustice was nursing him back to life.
"Is dat yer, Miss Alice?" he asked through his blinding tears. "Gordbress yer dear sweet life, young misses, I fort yer wus ur angel. Ididn't fink dat my young misses dat I left ober yander in de grate houseby her lone sef, to fend fur hersef und de ole marsa, wud do dis urrenob mussy fur a po' outcast nigger lak ole Ned." And the old negro beganto cry afresh.
"Don't cry, Uncle Ned, the good Lord commands us to visit the sick and Iam trying to do my duty toward Him and toward you. You are so muchbetter now; don't worry and cry over me. The Lord is chastening us, butit is all for His glory, Uncle Ned."
"When I woke fust time, missis, I didn't know whar I wus," he continued,wiping his eyes, "und den I drapped back to sleep agin und it peared lakde butifullest sperits huvered all erround de bed, and wun ob dem mobutifuller dan tother wuns crep rite easy lak und put her hand on myforhed und I heerd tother wuns call her 'Alice,' und I spishuned itmouter been yer, I knowed it wus yer. Does yer know why dis ole niggercried jess now, missis?" "Taint my fault dat I turned agin yer und olemarsa--de Lord in Hebben knows it aint. Ef I had minded Clarsy, yer undole marsa wudn't faulted me no how. I wudn't hurt a har on yer hed for awurrell ful of freedum--dat I wudn't. De dratted niggers tole me how datI mout be biggety und play boss-lak, und den I wud git to be leftenantund den I mout be cappen ob de miluntary cump'ny, und wear grate biggold upperlips lak de boss, und ef I wus agwine to die dis minit Iclares on my solemnkolly ofe dat dem dare biggity white fokses in detown is de meanest passel ob humans in de yurth. Dey is worsernjack-lanterns 'ticin' de culled fokses furder und furder into misery.Missis, ef yer und ole marser will oberlook dese here transgrashuns I'llnebber, nebber gin yer no mo sorrer, dat I won't."
"Uncle Ned," replied Alice with her beautiful eyes radiant throughtears, "from the bottom of my heart I forgive you if you have ever givenoffense to my father or to me. I think I can see that great good is tocome out of it all. Don't you know how the children of Israel sufferedin Egypt, and in their journeyings through the desert land, when the dryparched lands yielded no corn and the Lord fed his people and led themsafely into Canaan?"
"Yes, marm, dat I duz, und He is ergwine ter leed us outen deselowgrounds, too, missis, und ef He doan do dat I knows whut He isergwine ter do--He is ergwine ter dribe dese Filistin men outen diskentry wid a storm ob yaller jackets lak He drib Farro outen de lan obde Mallyskites."
Clarissa having performed her work in the great house came into thecabin at this moment and was greatly surprised to find Ned in ananimated conversation with her mistress: Ned observing as her footfallarrested his attention:
"Dar now, Clarsy, yer is dun und gone und fotched us down agin."
"Fotched yer whar, Ned," exclaimed Clarissa in wonderment.
"Frum de perly gates, dat's whar," replied Ned. "Me und Miss Alice hasjes bin ergwine erbout all ober de New Jerusalum, und yu fotched us riteback to de yurth agen--dat's er sin ter yer, Clarsy."
"Fo de Lawd, is yer er plum stracted idjet? What is yer er doin in deNew Jerusulum? Is yer dun und washed erway yer sins? I don't see nowhings in dis heer house--how did yer git up dar Ned."
Alice laughed immoderately, and even Ned obliged himself to confess "dathe was in de sperret in de New Jerusulum."
"Miss Alice," asked Ned quite earnestly, "has yer got de good book widyer?"
"Yes, Ned, I have my mother's bible with me; wherever I go it is mycompanion always. Shall I read a passage to you?" answered Alice.
"Ef yer plese, mum. I aims ter cut ernudder notch in my ole walkinstick, und when I looks at dat I'm ergwine ter drap rite down und pray."
Alice opened the little thumb-worn book at the second chapter of Johnand began to read:
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. Andif any man sin we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ theRighteous."
"Don't you see, Uncle Ned," Alice said as she looked up into the oldnegro's black face, "how good the Lord is to us? He puts it into themouth of His apostle to call us little children, and he tells us thatthe Saviour is pleading for us poor sinners. 'Love not the world,neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world thelove of the Father is not in him.' When we are in distress or trouble,"continued Alice, "we must turn away from the beggarly elements of theworld and cast our cares upon Him, for He careth for us."
"Whot sort er elements did yer say, missis?" asked Ned attentively.
"Beggarly elements," replied Alice. "There is nothing that satisfieth inthis life, uncle Ned; and all the world can give us in comforts andriches are as husks--we must look to Jesus and to Him only forconsolation--for salvation."
"Dat is de Gospel truf," exclaimed Clarissa, with emotion.
"Miss Alice, will yer fault me fur axin yer wun mo questun? Is dere enydefference in hebben twixt er cullud pussun und a white pussun?"
"No indeed," replied Alice; "we are His children if we are faithful--thework of His hands."
"Dat questiun, missis, has oversized me all dese days, und I was afeereddat we was de gotes dat de Lawd drib ober on tother side, erway frum delams, kase, missis, when I gits dar I wants ter live rite close ter olemarser's und young missis' 'great house,' whar I kin see yer und tendyer boff."
"You will not need to do us that service, Uncle Ned. You will have amansion of your own; there will be no great houses there. The good Lordwill know no difference between you and me, only as you or I shall excelhere in doing His holy will. Don't you want to serve Him, old negro, soyou shall have a crown of rejoicing by and by?"
"Dat I does, young missis. My ole bones is mity shackly, und it aintergwine ter be long afore I goes outen dis cabin fer de las time; und efits His will ter call me fust, I'm agwine ter pick out de butifulestgreat house in de city, und stay rite dere lak er watch-dorg twell yerund ole marser cums und taks perseshun. When I gits outen dis bed,missis, I'm gwine back home--gwine back to ole Mars Jon, lak datprodigle man dat woured up dem korn cobs way out yander."
Alice, the true hearted Christian, could not withhold her tears as theold negro so eloquently, yet so ignorantly, revealed his love andloyalty. She arose from her chair to bid him good bye:
"One word mo, missis, und den I'm dun. I wants jes one little drap o'prayer, pleas'm."
Alice knelt reverently at the bed and tenderly prayed that the old negromight be accepted as a child of the King--a royal son of a Royal Father,whose kingdom was above all thrones and principalities, and fromeverlasting to everlasting.
"Und now, Clarsy," said old Ned, "yer stan rite dere, und Miss Alice yerstan whar yer is, und hear me swar dis ofe: 'I, Ned Semo, does swar undkiss dis little bible ob ole missusses' who's dun und gon to hebben, datnebber mo' will I lif my mouf nur my han nur my hart in mischuf agen olemarser und young Miss Alice, so help me Gawd!"
Let us belie
ve that the recording angel in the heavenly court hasengrossed this oath in a never-fading holograph in his journal, and thatwhenever the sacred tome is read as witnessing the good there is in thecreature, the word "approve" shall appear upon the margin.
The Broken Sword; Or, A Pictorial Page in Reconstruction Page 16