Red Rock: A Chronicle of Reconstruction

by Thomas Nelson Page

  CHAPTER XXVIII

  MRS. WELCH ARRIVES AND GIVES HER FIRST LESSON IN ENTERPRISE

  The next day, Still called to see Major Welch and made him aproposition to sell him a part of the Red Rock place. On thinkingit over, he said, he believed he’d rather have the Major as a nearneighbor than to have him farther off, and he also believed that theMajor would find it safer to buy from him a place he had got underdecree of court, and had already held quietly for some time, than tobuy a place about which there might be a question and where he’d besure to incur the enmity of the old owners.

  This reason, to judge from Major Welch’s expression, did not make muchimpression on him. He did not wish to incur anyone’s enmity, he said.But if he bought honestly, and became the lawful owner of a place, heshould not mind what others thought.

  Still shook his head. Major Welch did not know these people, he said.“And to be honest with you, Major, I feel as if having you right hereby me was a sort of protection. They daresn’t touch a gentleman who’sbeen in the Union army, and who’s got big friends. And that’s onereason I’d like to have you right close to me.”

  His manner had something so sincere in it that it was almost pathetic.So, as he made Major Welch what appeared to be really a very reasonableproposal, not only as to the Stamper place, but also as to severalhundred acres of the Red Rock land adjoining, the Major agreed to takeit under advisement, and intimated that if the title should prove allright, and Mrs. Welch should like the idea when she arrived he wouldprobably purchase.

  Within a week or two following Major Welch’s trip to the county seat,and Still’s offer to sell him the Stamper place and a part of Red Rock,Mrs. Welch arrived. Mrs. Welch, in her impatience, could not wait forthe day she had set and arrived before she was expected. The telegramshe had sent had miscarried, and when she reached the station there wasno one present to meet her.

  A country station is a sad place at best to one who has just left thebustle and life of a city; but to be deposited, bag and baggage, in astrange land and left alone without anyone to meet you, and withoutknowing a soul, is forlorn to the last degree.

  Strong as she was, Mrs. Welch, when the train whirled away and no onecame to her, felt a sense of her isolation strike her to the heart. Atwo-horse carriage, the only one in sight, stood near a fence at somelittle distance, and for a short while she thought it might have comefor her, and she waited for some moments; but presently a tall coloredman and a colored woman got into it. The man was glittering with ashining silk-hat and a long broad-cloth coat; and the woman was in abrand-new silk, and wore a vivid bonnet. Even then, it occurred to Mrs.Welch that, perhaps, the man was the coachman, and, for a moment, shewas buoyed by hope, but she was doomed to disappointment. The man wastalking loudly, and apparently talked to be heard by all around him.Mrs. Welch could hear something of what he said.

  “We’re all right. We’ve got ’em down, and we mean to keep ’em down,too, by ——!” A shout followed this.

  “Yes, the bottom rail is on top, and we mean to keep it so till thefence rots down, by ——!” Another burst of laughter. “You jest stickto me and Leech, and we’ll bring you to the promised land. Yas, we’rein the saddle, and we mean to stay there. We’ve got the Gov’ment behindus, and we’ll put a gun in every colored man’s hand and give him, nota mule, but a horse to ride, and we’ll dress his wife in silk and giveher a carriage to ride in, same’s my wife’s got.”

  “Ummh! heah dat! Yes, Lord! Dat’s what I want,” cried an old woman,jumping up and down in her ecstasy, to the amusement of the others.

  “A _mule’s_ good ’nough for me—I b’lieve I ruther have mule ’n hoss,I’se fotched up wid mules,” called out someone, which raised a greatlaugh, and some discussion.

  “Well, all right; you shall have your ruther. Everyone shall take hispick. We’ll do the ridin’ now.”

  Mrs. Welch was listening with keen interest. The speaker, who wasNicholas Ash, the member from Red Rock, gathered up the reins. As hedid so, someone called:

  “You better watch out for de K. K.’s,” at which there was a roar oflaughter.

  “They’s the one’s I’m lookin’ for. I’m just fixed for ’em, by ——!”shouted the statesman.

  “Dee ain’ gwine meddle wid him,” said someone in the crowd, admiringly.

  “Don’ know. I wouldn’ drive roun’ heah and talk ’bout ’um like he does,not for dat mule he gwine gi’ me.” The laughter that greeted thisshowed that others besides the speaker held the same views.

  As the carriage drove off, Mrs. Welch’s heart sank. Her last hope wasgone. She was relieved somewhat by the approach of the station-agent,who up to that time had been engaged about his duties, and who now,seeing a lady standing outside, came up to her. Mrs. Welch told who shewas. He had heard that Mrs. Welch was expected, but did not know theday. No telegrams, such as she spoke of, had passed through his office,and it was an all-day’s ride up to Red Rock when the roads were bad.He invited her to remain as his guest. “People right often did so whenthey came, unexpected-like.”

  Mrs. Welch thanked him, but thought she would prefer to go on, if shecould get a conveyance, even if she could go that night only as far asBrutusville.

  “Can’t I get some sort of wagon?” she inquired.

  The agent gazed at her with a serenity that was in strong contrast withher growing decisiveness. He did not know as she could, the mail-wagonwent over in the morning after the early train; people generally wentby that. Dill Herrick had a sort of a wagon, and folks sometimes tookit if they got there too late for the mail-wagon and were in too big ahurry to wait till next day. But Dill was away that day. The wagon wasthere, but Dill had gone away on his horse and would not be back tillnext day.

  All this was told in the most matter-of-fact way, as if it was quite asmuch a thing of course as any other order of nature. Mrs. Welch was onher metal. She would for once give this sleepy rustic an illustrationof energy; she would open his eyes.

  “Well, is that the _only_ horse anywhere about here?” Her tone wasenergetic, perhaps even exasperated. The agent was unmoved.

  “No’m; Al Turley’s got a _sort_ of a horse, but he don’t work verywell. And Al ain’t got any wagon.”

  This was too much for Mrs. Welch.

  “Don’t you think we might get a horse of one man and the wagon andharness of the other, and put them together?” she laughed.

  The agent was not so sure. Al might be going to use his horse, and he“didn’t work so well, anyhow.”

  “But he does work?” Mrs. Welch persisted.

  “Oh, yes’m—_some_. Al ploughs with him.”

  “Well, now, let’s see what a little enterprise will do. I’ll pay wellfor both horse and wagon.”

  The agent went off, and after a time came back. Al would see what hecould do. But again he renewed his invitation to her to wait untilto-morrow. He was almost urgent; he painted the difficulties of thejourney in the gloomiest colors. Mrs. Welch now, however, had set hermind on carrying out her plans. It had become a matter of principlewith her. She had come down here to show what energy would accomplish,and she might as well begin now.

  While she waited, she passed her time watching the negroes who werecongregated about a small building which seemed to be part store, partbar-room, though from her observation the latter was its principaloffice.

  They were a loud and slovenly set, but appeared to be good-humored, andrather like children engaged in rough horse-play; and when their voicessounded most like quarrelling they would suddenly break out in loudguffaws of laughter.

  They were so boisterous at times that Mrs. Welch was glad when thestation-agent returned and asked if she wouldn’t go over and sit inhis house till Al came. She would have done so, but, as he evidentlyintended to remain in the office, she thought it would be a goodopportunity to learn something about the negroes, and perhaps also toteach him a little on her part.

  “Were the negroes not improving?” she asked. Her companion’s wholeman
ner changed. She was surprised to see what a keen glance wassuddenly shot at her from under his light brows.

  “Not as I can see—You can see ’em yonder for yourself.”

  “Do they ever give you trouble?”

  “Me?—No’m; don’t never give _me_ trouble,” he answered, negligently.“Don’ give nobody as much trouble as they did.”

  Mrs. Welch was just thinking this corroborative of her own views whenhe, with his back to her, stooped for something, and the butt of apistol gleamed in his trousers pocket. Mrs. Welch froze up. She couldhardly refrain from speaking of it. She understood now the significanceof his speech. Just then there was quite a roar outside, followed bythe rattle of wheels, and the next instant Mrs. Welch’s vehicle drewup to the door. For a moment Mrs. Welch’s heart failed her, and sheregretted the enterprise which had committed her to such a combination.In the shafts of a rickety little wagon—the wheels of which wobbledin every direction and made four distinct tracks—was a rickety littleyellow horse which at that moment, to the great diversion of the crowdof negroes outside, was apparently attempting to back the wagon througha fence. One instant he sat down in the shafts, and the next rearedand plunged and tried to go any way but the right way. Two negroeswere holding on to him while the others were shouting with laughterand delight. The driver was a spare, dingy-looking countryman pastmiddle age, and was sitting in the wagon, the only creature in sightthat appeared to be unmoved by the excitement. Mrs. Welch’s heart sank,and even after the plunging little animal was quieted she would havedeclined to go; but it was too late now. She had never put her hand tothe plough and turned back.

  “I can manage him,” said the driver serenely, seeing her hesitation.And as there were many assurances that he was “all right now,” andeveryone was expecting her to get in, she summoned the courage andclimbed in.

  It was a wearying drive. The roads were the worst Mrs. Welch had everseen, but, in one way, there was excitement enough. The tedium wasrelieved by the occasional breaking of the harness and the frequentnecessity of dismounting to walk up the hill when the horse balked.

  The day before had been very warm, and Mrs. Welch’s journey had notbeen a comfortable one, and this last catastrophe capped the climax.But she did not complain—she considered querulousness a sin—it was asign of weakness. Perhaps, she even found a certain satisfaction in herdiscomfort. She had not come for comfort. But when the harness brokefor the half-dozenth time, she asked:

  “Why don’t you keep your harness in good order?”

  The somewhat apathetic look in the driver’s face changed.

  “‘Tain’t my harness.”

  “Well, whosever it is, why don’t he keep it in order?”

  “You’ll have to ask Dill that,” he said, dryly.

  When, a few minutes later, they came to their next stand she beganagain:

  “Why don’t you keep your roads repaired and rebuild your fences?”

  “I don’t live about here.” This time the tone was a little shorter.

  “Well, it’s the same all the way. It’s been just as bad from the start.What is the reason?” she persisted.

  “Indeed, ma’am I don’t know,” he drawled, “some says it’s the Yankeecarpet-baggers steals all the money—”

  “Well, I don’t believe it—I believe it’s that the people are justshiftless,” Mrs. Welch fired back.

  The man, for answer, only jerked his horse: “Git up!”

  “A dull fellow,” thought Mrs. Welch, and presently she essayed again:

  “The Yankees are thrifty enough. In all the North there is not such aroad as this. I wish you could see their villages, how snug and trigand shipshape they are: houses painted, fences kept up, everything niceand neat.”

  “Maybe, that’s where they puts the money they steals down here,” saidthe driver, more dryly than before.

  Mrs. Welch grew hot, but she could not help being amused too.

  “It must be an accident, but I’ll write that home,” thought she.She, however, had not much time to think. For just then they weredescending a steep hill and the breeching gave way, the wagon ran downon the horse, and, without a second’s warning, the little steed, likethe Gadarine swine, ran violently down the steep hill, and on up theroad. The driver, who was swinging to him for life, was in the act ofassuring Mrs. Welch that she need not be scared as he could hold him,when the rein broke and he went out suddenly backward over the wheel,and Mrs. Welch herself must soon have followed him, had not a horsemanunexpectedly dashed up from behind and, spurring his fleet horse besidethe tearing little beast in the wagon, seized the runaway by the bridleand brought it to a stand-still.

  The transition from the expectation of immediate injury, if not death,to absolute security is itself a shock, and even after the vehicle wasquite still, Mrs. Welch, who had been holding on to its sides with allher might, could hardly realize her escape. Her first thought was forthe driver.

  “Oh! I’m afraid that poor man is killed!” she exclaimed.

  “Oh! he’s all right. I hope you are not hurt, madam?” said her rescuer,solicitously. “I think I’d better hold the horse, or I would come andtake you out.”

  Mrs. Welch assured him that she was not at all hurt, and she sprang outand declared that she would go back at once and look after the driver.Just then, however, the driver appeared, covered with dust, but nototherwise injured.

  “Well, I was just sayin’ I’d saved Al, anyhow,” he said as he came up.“And I’m glad to find, Cap’n, you saved the others.”

  “What are you going to do now?” Mrs. Welch asked when the driver hadfinished talking to the gentleman, and begun to work at the harness.

  “I’m going to take you to the Cote-house. I told you I’d do it.”

  “Behind that horse!”

  “Ain’t nothin’ the matter with the hoss—it’s the gear.”

  “I think I’d better take her,” the young man who had rescued her said,though with a little hesitation. “I can take her behind me, and get herthere by the through way.”

  “What! On that horse? I can’t ride that creature,” declared Mrs. Welchwith wide-open eyes, looking at his handsome horse which was stillprancing from excitement.

  “Why, he’s as quiet as a lamb—he’s carried double many a time, andseveral ladies have ridden him. I could get you there much quicker thanyou can drive. All you have to do is to hold on to me. Whoa, boy!”

  “I know that sort of lamb,” declared Mrs. Welch, “What shall I do withmy trunk?”

  The young man’s confidence was telling on her and she was beginning toyield. The choice was between the two horses and she had had experiencewith one.

  “Oh! your trunk’s all right. I’ll carry your trunk on,” agreed thedriver. He had finished his mending and was gathering up his reins.

  “Do you mean that you are going to get in there and try to drive thathorse again?”

  “That’s what I’m agoin’ to do ’m.”

  “Then I’ll get in, too,” declared Mrs. Welch, firmly. Her face waspale, but there was a light in her eyes that made her suddenlyhandsome. The two men looked at her and both began to expostulate.

  “I made him come, and I don’t mean that he shall risk his neck for mealone,” she declared, firmly, gathering up her skirts. But the horsemansuddenly interfered.

  “I couldn’t let you be run away with again under my very eyes,” hesaid, smiling, “I might be held accountable by your dau——by yourfam——your Government.”

  Mrs. Welch was not accustomed to being talked to in this way; but sheliked him none the less for it. However, she would not yield.

  It was finally agreed that a trial should be made first without her,and then, if the horse went all right, she could get in. Both meninsisted on this, and as they explained that the driver could managethe horse better without her, she temporized. Indeed she was obliged todo so, for the young man who had rescued her told her plainly, thoughpolitely, that he would not allow her to get in the wagon again unti
lthe experiment had been made.

  “I COULDN’T LET YOU BE RUN AWAY WITH AGAIN UNDER MY VERYEYES,” HE SAID.]

  After a little time, as the horse appeared to have been sobered byhis unwonted exertion, she was allowed to mount once more, and soproceeded, the young gentleman riding close beside the horse, toprevent any further trouble.

  Mrs. Welch at last had time to look at her deliverer. He was a tall,fine-looking young fellow, with the face and address of a gentleman.A slouch hat, much weather-stained, and a suit of clothes by no meansnew, at first sight made his dress appear negligent, but his voice wasas refined as any Mrs. Welch had ever heard; his manner was a mixtureof deference and protection, and his face, with clear, gray eyes, firmmouth, and pleasant smile, gave him an air of distinction and was oneof the most attractive she had ever seen.

  He had introduced himself to her when he first spoke; Captain Somebody,he said, but as she had been rather agitated at that moment she had notcaught the name, and she waited until he should mention it again orshe should get a chance to ask the driver. When she did ask him, sheunderstood him to say Captain Naline.

  After a time, as the horse was now quiet and there were no more badhills, the gentleman said he had an engagement, and would have to rideon. So, as Mrs. Welch declared herself now entirely easy in her mind,he bade her good-evening and galloped on, and soon afterward Mrs. Welchwas met by her husband on his way over to the station with a carriage.