The Broken Sword; Or, A Pictorial Page in Reconstruction

by D. Worthington

  CHAPTER XV.

  THE BLACK DIPLOMAT.

  Alice was persevering in those little attentions to the sick negro thatwere operating in a salutary way upon his heart. What power, howeverrebellious or unfriendly, could withstand the charm of that fragrantlife?--a life so redundant in acts of charity and benevolence, thatcarried its dispensations into the cabins of the poor freedmen to whomthe authorities under reconstruction made so many promises--promises tothe ear to be broken to the hope.

  The old negro's sympathies now and then for his master and youngmistress would die down into ashes, and then again, when he lookedtoward Ingleside and thought of its defenceless inmates, his feelingswould be grateful and kind.

  In all the years that were gone, his old master and mistress had been sokind to him, in sickness and health; they had clothed and fed him;without their assistance he would have been so helpless. Indeed, Ned hadnever felt the rigors or oppression of slavery in this household or uponthis plantation. Old master's government was patriarchal, andemancipation had come so inopportunely; somehow it never appealed to theaffections, or the love of the old negroes, but it came upon them asother great crises have come--with arguments and reinforcements thatshattered every principle of manhood and bestialized their natures. Itcame with proclamations against the universally denounced crime ofslavery, and with an energetically centralized power; and the oldnegroes, unable to reason intelligently from premises so false andenticing, forgot their loyalty to their friends and looked to thecarpet-bagger for a new revelation.

  The lovely girl was always happy when ministering to the sick, even inthe huts of destitution and squalor. She was happy when she pressedUncle Ned's wrinkled brow and felt that the consuming fever had beendriven out of his system by medication and faithful nursing.

  When her own heart was burdened by sorrow, she sang out of its fullnessand pathos to the negro, and the tears glided out of his eyes and randown into the deep-cut furrows of his black face.

  The old negro discovered in the experience of the few eventful yearsthat there was nothing hopeful or helpful in the pledges orproclamations of the reconstructionists. The very old negroes were notcounted in the aggregation of their numerical power, or in the sum totalof the freedmen. "Old Glory" never welcomed them with a dip of its proudcrest as they passed in and out of the town in tatters and rags. Itnever bade them with its caress to pause within its grateful shadow inthe dog days when they were over wearied with marching andcounter-marching.

  The great Commissariat persistently withheld its bounty when there wasno election--no votes to be polled for Laflin and his pampered minions.These dilapidated creatures were post-prandial guests in the banquetinghalls of the bosses; hounds rather to gnaw the bones that were flung asoffal upon the refuse heaps. They were not the artisans who were toilingupon the superstructure of the new south; not wanted in cabals,intrigues, conventions; not the journeymen who where revamping thepolitical edifice; not mechanics who were furbishing the weapons ofplunder; not trained to the harness as beasts of burden in dragging thecar of reconstruction with its whetted knives over the prostratedcountry. Hence it was that gaunt poverty with its steel tined fork wasconstantly prodding the old negroes who had turned their backs upontheir masters and whose new masters were dull of hearing, hence it wasthat so many who had hungered for the flesh pots were going back to theleaks and garlic; hence it was that hunger had given such acuteness toold Ned's sense of smell, that Alice was greeted with an exclamationbrimming over with gratitude.

  "I'm so skeert, young missis, dat I haint ergwine to git outen dis housein a hole munt."

  The exclamation provoked a smile from the sweet girl who came laden withgood things for Ned and she replied apologetically,

  "I am sorry, uncle Ned, that I couldn't know just what you wanted."

  The sick negro shook his head, for his mouth was too full for verbalexplanations, and then bowed his thanks, observing after a moment.

  "Clarsy, when I heerd yung missis at de do I node it was Santy Clors,sho nuff."

  "Bress you hart, missis, enny nigger dat wudn't fite twell def fur yuund ole marser had ort to be hung by de nek twell hes ded."

  Ned would have extemporized upon the subject perhaps at greater length;but for the interruption of a dilapidated negro, dressed in a dingythreadbare blue uniform; whose white head was covered by a decayedbeaver, from which a dirty red handkerchief hung over his left eye.

  The new comer was Joshua; perhaps the first and most patriotic recruitin the army of the freedmen; among the first to cut asunder the ligatureof slavery.

  As the huge Commissariat advertised the fatness of reconstruction, soJoshua advertised the leanness thereof.

  The black diplomat in a tentative way was preparing the colored peoplefor an event of momentous consequence. His mission to Ned's cabin wasfor this purpose.

  "Mornin to yu boff," came the crusty greeting.

  "Is dat yu, brudder Joshaway?" Clarissa enquired.

  "Yes, dis is me."

  "Cum in, den," said Clarissa, and Joshua, reeling from old age totteredin and took a seat with a groan.

  "Is dat you, Miss Alice?" he asked looking up and shading his eyes witha palsied hand and seeing the young lady in the cabin.

  "Scuse me, marm, I haint seed yu afore."

  "Good morning, Uncle Joshua, I am very glad to see you. You are astranger to us and the old home. I should think you would come to see usnow and then, to know how we are getting on. Have you entirely forgottenyour old friends?"

  The old negro dropped his head embarrassingly as he replied withhesitation. "Not eggzackly, mum, but fokeses has dun und got so kurousnow a days dar haint no telling how menny scrapes yu is ergwine to gitkotched in; I'm moest afeered to git outen Hanner's wision, deed I is,mum."

  "You are not a soldier I hope, uncle Joshua? Do you belong to the army,"asked Alice as she observed the blue uniform that he wore.

  "No mum, not pintedly," the negro furtively answered. "Dat is I don'ttote no muskeet--und I got my deesharge from de leftenant--und I haintgot no offis in pertickler, but de cappen lowed dat he mout pint mecorpurul of de gyard at de kumissurry ef I cud hole out."

  "Ef I cud hole out" sneeringly repeated Clarissa. "Ugh! Nigh unto erhunded year ole er holin out; mouter say ef yu cud hole in; jess esragged es er sedge hen."

  Alice was very much amused at the coarse wit of Clarissa, but it wasimportant that she should return home and perhaps, too, her presencemight embarrass the interview between the freed slaves, and taking uncleJoshua's hand in her own she bade him good bye with the observation.

  "Remember, old man, that father and I are still your friends; and whenyou are in trouble or distress come to us. May God bless you, uncleJoshua."

  "Good by, missis!" exclaimed Joshua, as he wiped his eyes with his coatsleeve, "May de Lord do de same to yu missis."

  After the young lady had retired, Joshua, with some trepidation,observed:

  "Brudder Johnsing, Hanner sont me ober heer to ax yu und sister to deweddin Saddy nite und to tell sister Johnsing how she mout bake er cakewid ice on de tip eend of hit, ur she moutent ef she didn't want to."

  "Who dat want er cake?" exclaimed Clarissa.

  "Yu heerd whot I sed, didn't yu?" Joshua petulantly replied.

  "Who dat ergwine to git married Joshua?" she asked.

  "Efrum, dats who," replied Joshua.

  "My King! dat biggerty nigger ergwine to git married sho nuff?"

  "Deed he is, und he is ergwine to marry way up yander outen sitetoo--ergwine to git er portly white gal wid de moest dimuns und watchchains und bunnets kivered wid hostrich fedders. When yu sees dat galyu'll see er hole steer kaart full of dimuns er shinin ebery which erway; und yu has to keep yo eyes shot rite tite, don't yu ergwine to gitstruck plum bline, same as de possle Peter dun when dat white man wasergwine up to Jarriko; dat yu will! Is you und sister Jonsin ergwine tode weddin; und is yu ergwine to bake de cake? Tell me dat fust."

  Clarissa deliberately raised herself
out of the rickety chair in whichshe was sitting, with a grunt, and walked over to Joshua, and liftingthe old beaver from his head, remarked in a provoking way:

  "I spishuned dat de boss had dun und crapped yo years wid swallerforks."

  "How much yu dun und got from ole Laffin fur bein his nigger; yu undEfrum; tell me dat?"

  "Swaller forks!" indignantly replied Joshua. "Sich humans as yu is dunwoured up de creeters dat toted de swaller-forks fo de belliun fell.Swaller-forks!" he again repeated in disgust; and turned in his seat tolook savagely at Clarissa and held his peace.

  "You need nt shine dem ole holler eyes at me, Joshaway; yuse ergwineerbout er hipperty hop from wun house to ernudder wid yo weddin inwitesund I lay a fo pence yu haint got narry tater nur hocake nudder whar yustays. I don't look fur nuffin else but er yurthshake to swaller up depizened niggers big und little er keepin dis plantashun in er monstrusflustrashun ebery day und nite de Lord sends. Ergwine to marry er portlywhite gal! Great King! Und yu er noratin de news, lookin dis werry minitlak a po run down gizzard shad wid one foot in de grabe und tuther wuner slanting innards. Ergwine to de weddin! When yu sees er biggertynigger er jinin hissef to er white gal in dis lan, yu ergwine to seeseben moons in de hellyments at wun time."

  "Yu and Efrum needn't spishun kase de Soufland is dun und konkered wuntime und flung upon hits back dat yu pizened niggers is gwine to git deunderholt de nex time, ef boff her hands is tied, Dares ole mars Jon'ssord a lyin agen de bofat er natally cryin fur a moufful of yore blackmeat same as a strayed gander er squorkin for his shipmates, und it aimsto cut hit off whay hit aint ergwine to heal togedder no mo! und ef yudon't walk mity perpundikkler, de werry fust time yu cums to yomembrunce, dat ole crows' nest on de tip eend of yo ole hed is ergwineto be layin in wun jam of de fence und yo old karkuss in er nudder.Ergwine to de weddin! Grate Jerusalem!"

  Joshua for a moment was completely disarmed by the rapid volleys fromClarissa's battery, but he was not without resources, even in thisterrific encounter. He fixed his savage glance upon the old negress, ashe asked with due gravity.

  "Is yu ergwine to fight for the secesh ef de war do take a fresh rise?"

  "Yu heerd what I sed, Joshaway," replied Clarissa with a significantgesture. "Ef yu don't want Mars Jon's sord er gashing yu into leetlehunks of horg meat yu got to walk mity perpundikkler.

  "Bress God!" exclaimed Joshua as he wiped his face with his dirtyhandkerchief, "How kin a humans walk perpundikkler wid free crooks in deback und de rumatiz in boff shanks?"

  "Dat ole sord is ergwine to tak dem dere crooks outen yore back same asa toof doctor jerkin out dat ole snag of yourn," answered Clarissa.

  "To be sho yu haint ergwine agin yo own kuller?" suggested Joshua.

  "Is yu fur de Nuniun ur de Secesh, ef de belliun haint squelched urnuffin?"

  There was a directness about the question that momentarily unnervedClarissa but she saw that she was tacitly reinforced by Ned and shereplied with the same exhibition of temper.

  "Me und Ned is boff ergwine to fight for ole marser, ef de war haintswaged und de time we gits froo wid yu, yu's ergwine to immytate dat olegyarment, er layin dere in dat pail of poke juice."

  "Grate Jarryko!" exclaimed Joshua with vehemence, "dat ar nigger dun undfotched on ernudder belliun widout ary shutin ion ur muskeet udder.Don't do hit, chile," he continued patronizingly, "kase ef yu upraresernudder insurreckshun fo dis heer wun is dun und ceasded in dis heer posouf, de dekins in de church is ergwine to fling yer into outerdarkness. Yu er sot back er Sundys in de jam of de mussy seat wid eyesshot tite lak de slidin elder, er singin 'Kanyun, sweet Kanyun,' undbress Gawd yu is batin de lams ob de flock wid leetle mouffuls o' hellfarr."

  "Ergwine tu de weddin! My Lord!" This was the derisive answer thatClarissa made to this fanfaronade of old Joshua.

  Ned laid upon the bed laughing to himself with his eyes fixed upon thecrude masonry of a dirt-dauber that was preparing to go into winterquarters just above his head.

  "Is yu dun wid speechifyin, sister Johnsin?" asked uncle Joshua as heagain wiped his moist face with his handkerchief. "Ef yu is, I has jesgot wun reckymendashun fur sich ez yu. Pend upon it, sister, ef yu wusHanner und Hanner wus yu, I wud play hail-kerlumby-happy-lan on yo olebones wid er palin fo brekfus und arter supper too, all de time. OleSatan hes dun und stobbed boff yo yeares wid pitch-forks, und de Lawdnose he is wusser dan de boss, und de pitch-forks is wusser dan deswaller-forks. Ef dat white gal wants to jine hersef to dat culludgemman, who's ergwine to hender? Tell me dat? I haint ergwine to pestermysef wid no sich low down trash es yu is, und ef yu goes to de weddindare haint ergwine to be no weddin gyarment fur yu, und when yu nocksat de do, brudder Effrum is ergwine to fling yu out into tarnel darknesswhar de whang doodlum hoops und hollers fur hits onliest chile."

  "My King," exclaimed Clarissa "whot is dat ole nigger er spashiatinerbout Ned?"

  Ned could not restrain himself, but burst out into a great guffaw.Joshua angered above measure gathered himself together and walked out ofthe cabin with the observation:

  "I wants to see wun mo whupping post in de lan fo I dies, und I wantshits uprared at dis do, und I wants to fling de whoop fur de highshuruff."

  Upon the exit of Joshua Ned began seriously to think of the flagrantacts of injustice which had more or less warped his nature; and all inhis heedless pursuit of freedom and sovereignty. He saw within his cabina perpetual menace to the peace of old master and young mistress. Uponevery visit that Alice made to his lowly home he saw that a grief toodeep to be sounded, bayonetted afresh her poor heart. The armed soldierwho slew her brother and sweetheart wore a blue jacket like the one thathung in the rack above his bed; how could he be true to his oath withthese menaces flaunting in the face of his young mistress? So with ahuge frown upon his face he said to his wife, "Clarsy, dem ole blugyarments und dat ole muskett is jess whot plade de devul twixt me undole marser. Mouter node dey wud set ole marser er fire; he er fitin demyankys fur fo year in de war und got yung mars Harry kilt, to cum backhome und see dese heer niggers er marchin baccards und furrards all oberde plantashun wid dem dar blu jackets jess lak de yankys wo in de war,und er beatin drums dat sounds to ole marsa same as er berryin. Yu jesstake dem ole gyarments outen dis house und gib to Ellik, und tell him togib em to de boss leftenent, und tell him dat corpul Jonsin has sinedhis persish in de milintery cumpny, und dat he aint ergwine to war nomo."

  "Dats whot you orter dun und dun fo yu jined," answered Clarissadeprecatingly; "jess gon und fotched all dis trubble on de lan furnuffin. Mouter node ole marser was ergwine to raise er harrykane when heseed de cussed niggers wid dere muskeets er marchin up und down deplantashun lak er passel of squorking gooses. I got wexed mysef und Ihaint fit in no war nudder. Dars dat po gal er cryin her eyeballs out,und her po lovyer er lying ober yander under de cold clods of Furginny.I don't specks nuffin else but dat ole Laflin ergwine to get all deniggers in de New United States massacreed. Needn't pin dere fafe towhippin de Souf ef she is flung upon her back.

  "Yander cums Ellik now lak a lunytik wid fedders nuff on de tip eend ofhis hat to stuff a fedder bed, wid his neck as stiff es er poker und hiseyes same es de sun in de clipse er sot in de sky."

  "Halt! Serlute!" came a self addressed command from the negro sergeant.

  "Aha! missus Jonsin, how is yo ladyship dis a. m.?" he asked in thestern voice of an officer.

  "I haint got no ladyship; dats whot I haint got, nur I haint ergwine tosay amen to no sich dooins nudder," replied Clarissa poutingly.

  "Hi!" ejaculated the black sergeant; "why, missus Jonsin," he continued"De las time I dun yu de onner to wisit yu, yu was spashiatin erbout defousend doller peanny corpul Jonsin was agwine to purchis fur yu, undhow yu was ergwine to play de hopperattiks fur yo frens.

  "Ugh!" grunted Clarissa scornfully, "I plays de hopperattiks now eberyday, twell my fingurs is clean wo' out on de wash bode, er slavin fur erno count miluntary nigger jes lak yu."

  "Nigger!" exclaimed the sergeant derisively, "Dere is no n
iggers in dis'lan ob de free und de home ob de brave.' We is sufferens und kings, undour wifes und dorters is queens; und yu holes de specter in yo hans efyu node it."

  Clarissa, greatly irritated at the saucy negro, placed her arms akimbo,and fixing her gaze upon him, exclaimed with wrath,

  "Yu go erway frum here, Ellik. I natally spises yu enny how, yu hatefulcreetur. I haint er puttin my mouf on yu, nigger, but fo' dis bressedyear runs out, yu is ergwine ter be er spexter, und de buzzards isergwine ter be er huvverin erroun yer ole bones; jess see ef day don't.Ole Mars Jon aint ergwine ter stan no mo'. Yu und Efrum er trapesinbackards und farrards ober dis plantashun wid a hep, hep, hep, same asCaptin Grant ur Ginurl Linkum. Pend upon it, nigger, dem white fokesesin de town fools yu to def yit."

  "Yu sprises me, missus Jonsin," responded the negro with assumeddignity. "I spishioned yu wus a patrot."

  "No I haint, nudder, und I haint ergine tu be no patrot; but I kin tellyu whot yu is ergwine ter be fo' dis year runs out--yu is ergwine ter beer pennytenshur conwick, er yu is ergwine ter be histed twixt de hebbensund de yurth on de gallus. Ef yu takes my wice yu'll burn up dem olesojer gyarments und tell ole Mars Jon yu is dun und cum back to stay.Dat is de moest senserbulest fing you can doo; dats whot me und Ned dunund dun und now ole mars Jon is es happy es a cockerroche in er borrulof flour."

  The sergeant waltzed up to Clarissa, and taking her with some violenceby the arm sang in a harsh unmusical voice:

  "Oh: say kin yu see by the dorhns early lite?"when a heavy back banded blow sent the sergeant bowling, as Clarissashouted in her anger.

  "Yaas, I sees de dorn und yu sees de stors."

  "Ah!" he exclaimed "I perseeves yu is not er patrot," and he commanded"Attenshun! eyes to de front! forrard march!" and marched away as hewhistled

  "De jay bird died wid de hooping coff, Und de sparrer died wid de kollery."

  Clarissa made one observation as the negro marched off, "Yu will be ded,sted of de sparrer und de jay bird."

  What had become of the warning paragraph in the reconstruction calendar?The three blood red stars that punctuated the enigmatical judgment,"sixty days within which to prove your loyalty." Powers that be, atwhose shrine shall the persecuted man make the act of apotheosis? Shallit be at the altar of Laflin, the freedman's deity? Shall it be in thepresence of the cringing minions who will mock at his calamity and laughwhen his fear cometh?

  An arctic night has dropped down upon the south; and in our denseblindness we know not in what direction lies the Serbonian bog. We onceerected upon this soil a mighty temple which wisdom and virtueconsecrated to patriotism. We laid the edifice upon foundations ofconcession and compromise; and we were vain enough to believe that itwould stand forever; but not so. So the dykes of Holland; the mountainsof Switzerland, and the surrounding Sea of Venice were proclaimed aseverlasting pledges for the preservation of patriotism, but intestinestruggles engendered those revolutionary factions which invited theattack of a despotism and secured its victory. So reasoned with himselfthis veteran of the civil war, and the father of a loyal-hearteddaughter, this slave of a power whose minions were drunken with itsexcess.