The Sins of the Father: A Romance of the South

by Thomas Dixon

  CHAPTER IX

  ANDY'S DILEMMA

  Andy left Norton's door and rapped softly at Tom's, tried the lock, foundit unfastened, pushed his way quietly inside and called:

  "Mister Tom!"

  No answer came from the bed and Andy moved closer:

  "Mister Tom--Mister Tom!"

  "Ah--what's the matter with you--get out!" the sleeper growled.

  The negro touched the boy's shoulder with a friendly shake, whispering:

  "Yo' Pa's here!"

  Tom sat up in bed rubbing his eyes:

  "What's that?"

  "Yassah, I fotch him through the country and we rid all night----"

  "What's the matter?'

  "Dat's what I wants ter see you 'bout, sah--an' ef you'll des slip on demclothes an' meet me in de liberry, we'll hab a little confab an' er counciler war----"

  The boy picked up a pillow and hurled it at Andy:

  "Well, get out, you old rascal, and I'll be down in a few minutes."

  Andy dodged the pillow and at the door whispered:

  "Yassah, an' don't disturb de major! I hopes ter God he sleep er month whenhe git started."

  "All right, I won't disturb him."

  Tom dressed, wondering vaguely what had brought his father home at such anunearthly hour and by such a trip across the country.

  Andy, arrayed in a suit of broadcloth which he had appropriated fromNorton's wardrobe in his absence, was waiting for Tom with evidentimpatience.

  "Now, what I want to know is," the boy began, "what the devil you mean bypulling me out of bed this time of day?"

  Andy chuckled:

  "Well, yer see, sah, de major git home kinder sudden like en' I wuz jest erlittle oneasy 'bout dis here new suit er close er mine----"

  "Well, that's not the first suit of his clothes you've swiped--you needn'tbe scared."

  "Scared--who me? Man, I ain't er skeered er yo' Pa."

  Minerva banged the dining-room door and Andy jumped and started to run. Tomlaughed and seized his arm:

  "Oh, don't be a fool! There's no danger."

  "Nasah--I knows dey's no danger--but"--he glanced over his shoulder to besure that the master hadn't come down stairs--"but yer know de ole sayin'is dat indiscretion is de better part er value----"

  "I see!" Tom smiled in perfect agreement.

  "An' I des has er little indiscretion----"

  "Oh, you make me tired, how can I help a coward?"

  Andy looked grieved:

  "Lordy, Mister Tom--don't say dat, sah. I ain't no coward--I'se descautious. Ye know I wuz in dat fus' battle er Bull's Run wid de major. Igit separated from him in a close place an' hatter move my headquarters.Dey said I wuz er coward den 'cause I run. But twan't so, sah! Twan't causeI wuz er coward. I knowed zactly what I wuz doin'. I run 'cause I didn'thab no wings! I done de very bes' I could wid what I had. An' fuddermo',sah, de fellers dat wuz whar I wuz en' didn't run--dey's all dar yit atBull's Run! Nasah, I ain't no coward. I des got de indiscretion----"

  Another door slammed and Andy dodged.

  "What's the matter with you anyhow, you old fool, are you having fits?" Tomcried.

  Andy looked around the room cautiously and took hold of the boy's coat:

  "You listen to me, Mister Tom. I'se gwine tell yer somfin' now----"

  "Well?"

  "I ain't er skeered er de major--but he's dangous----"

  "Bosh!"

  "Dey's sumfin' de matter wid him!"

  "Had a few mint juleps with a friend, no doubt."

  "Mint juleps! Huh! He kin swim in 'em--dive in 'em an' stay down er wholeday an' never come up ter blow his bref--licker don't faze him!"

  "It's politics. He's leading this devilish campaign and he's worried overpolitics."

  "Nasah!" Andy protested with a laugh. "Dem fool niggers des well giveup--dey ain't gwine ter vote no mo'. De odder feller's doin' all deworryin'. He ain't worrin'----"

  "Yes, he is, too," the boy replied. "He put a revolver in his pocket whenhe started on that trip."

  "Yassah!" Andy laughed. "I know, but yer don't understan'. Dat pistol's hisflatform!"

  "His platform?"

  "You ain' hear what he bin er doin' wid dat pistol?"

  "No--what?"

  "Man erlive, yer des oughter see 'im yistiddy when I take 'im dem paperster dat speakin', down in one er dem po' white counties full er Radicalsdat vote wid niggers. Er Kermittee comes up an' say dat de InternalConstertooshion er de Nunited States give 'em free speech an' he gwine terhear from 'em. De Lordy, man, but his bristles riz! I 'lows ter myself,folks yer sho is thumpin' de wrong watermillion dis time!"

  "And what did he say to the Committee?"

  "I nebber hear nary word. He des turn 'roun an' step up on dat flatform,kinder peart like, an' yer oughter see 'im open dat meetin'"--Andy pausedand broke into a loud laugh.

  "How did he open it?" Tom asked with indulgent interest.

  Andy scratched his woolly head:

  "Well, sah, hit warn't opened wid prayer--I kin tell ye dat! De fust thinghe done, he reach back in his britches, kinder kereless lak, an' pull datbig pistol an' lay hit down afore him on' de table beside his pitcher erlemonade. Man, you oughter see de eyes er dat crowd er dirty-lookin' po'whites! Dey fairly popped outen der heads! I hump myself an' move outtowards de outskirts----"

  Tom smiled:

  "I bet you did!"

  "Oh, I didn't run!" Andy protested.

  "Of course not--far be it from you!"

  "Nasah, I des tucken drawed out----"

  "I understand, just a little caution, so to speak!"

  "Yassah--dat's hit! Des tucken drawed out, whar I'd have elbow room in demergency----"

  "In other words," the boy interrupted, "just used a little indiscretion!"

  Andy chuckled:

  "Yassah! Dat's hit! Well, sah, he pat dat pistol kinder familious like an'say: 'Ef dey's any er you lowlife po' white scoundrels here ter-day thatdon't want ter hear my speech--git! But ef yer stay an' yer don't feelcomfortable, I got six little lead pills here in a box dat'll ease yerpain. Walk right up to de prescription counter!'"

  "And they walked right up?"

  "Well, sah, dey didn't _crowd up!_--nasah!" Andy paused and laughedimmoderately. "An' wid dat he des folded his arms an' look at dat crowd erminute an' his eyes began to spit fire. When I see dat, I feels my veryshoes commin' ontied. I sez ter myself, now folks he's gwine termagnify----"

  Tom laughed:

  "Magnified, did he?"

  The negro's eyes rolled and he lifted his hands in a gesture of supremeadmiration:

  "De Lordy, man--ef he didn't! He lit inter dem po' white trash lak erthousand er brick----"

  "Give 'em what Paddy gave the drum, I suppose?"

  "Now yer talkin', honey! Ef he didn't give 'em particular hell!"

  "And what happened?"

  "Nuttin' happened, chile--dat's what I'm tryin' ter tell ye. Nary one of'em nebber cheeped. Dey des stood dar an' listened lak er passel ersheep-killin' dogs. Lemme tell ye, honey, politics ain't er worryin' him.De odder fellers doin' all de worrin'. Nasah, dey's sumfin else de matterwid de major----"

  "What?"

  Andy looked around the room furtively and whispered:

  "Dar's a quare look in his eye!"

  "Ah, pooh!"

  "Hit's des lak I tells ye, Mister Tom. I ain't seed dat quare look in hiseye before since de night I see yo' Ma's ghost come down outen dat bigpicture frame an' walk cross dis hall----"

  The boy smiled and looked at the shining yellow canvas that seemed a livingthing gleaming in its dark setting:

  "I suppose, of course, Andy, you really saw her do that?"

  "'Fore God, es sho's I'm talkin' ter you now, she done dat thing--yassah!Hit wus de las' year befo' you come back frum college. De moon wuz shinin'froo dem big windows right on her face, an' I seed her wid my own eyes, allof a sudden, step right down outen dat picture frame an' walk across disroom, huggin' her baby close up in her arms--an'
you'se dat very baby,sah!"

  The boy was interested in the negro's weird recital in spite of hisamusement. He shook his head and said laughingly:

  "Andy, you've got the heat----"

  "Hit's des lak I tells ye, sah," Andy solemnly repeated. "I stood rightdar by dat table froze in my tracks, till I seed her go froo dat do' widoutopenin' it----"

  "Bah!" Tom cried in disgust.

  "Dat she did!--an' Miss Minerva she see her do dat same thing once beforeand tell me about it. But man erlive, when I see it, I let off one er demyells dat wuz hark from de tomb----"

  "I bet you did!"

  "Yassah, I went froo dat big window dar an' carry de whole sash wid me. Demajor he take out atter me when he hears de commotion, an' when he kotch medown dar in de fiel' I wuz still wearin' dat sash fer a necktie!"

  The boy laughed again:

  "And I suppose, of course, he believed all you told him?"

  The negro rolled his eyes solemnly to the ceiling and nodded his head:

  "Dat he did, sah. When I fust told 'im dat I seed er ghost, he laft fit terkill hissef----"

  The boy nodded:

  "I don't doubt it!"

  "But mind ye," Andy solemnly continued, "when I tells him what kin' erghost I seed, he nebber crack anudder smile. He nebber open his mouf erginfer er whole day. An' dis here's what I come ter tell ye, honey----"

  He paused and glanced over his shoulder as if momentarily fearing themajor's appearance.

  "I thought you'd been telling me?"

  "Nasah, I ain't told ye nuttin' yit. When I say what _kine_ er ghost Isee--dat quare look come in his eye--de same look dat come dar yistiddywhen I tells 'im dat Miss Helen wuz here."

  The boy looked at Andy with a sudden start:

  "Ah, how could that sweet little girl upset him? He's her guardian'sattorney and sent for her to come, of course----"

  "I don't know 'bout dat, sah--all I know is dat he went wil' es quick es Itells 'im, an' he bin wil' ever since. Mister Tom, I ain't skeered er demajor--but he's dangous!"

  "Ah, Andy, you're the biggest fool in the county," the boy answeredlaughing. "You know my father wouldn't touch a hair of your kinky head."

  Andy grinned.

  "'Cose not, Mister Tom," he said with unction. "I knows dat. But all desame I gotter keep outen his way wid dis new suit er close till I see 'imsmilin'----"

  "Always bearing in mind that indiscretion is the better part of value!"

  "Yassah--yassah--dat's hit--an' I wants you ter promise you'll stan' by me,sah, till de major's in a good humor."

  "All right; if you need me, give a yell."

  Tom turned with a smile to go, and Andy caught his sleeve and laughedagain:

  "Wait--wait er minute, Mister Tom--hold yer hosses. Dey's anodder littlething I wants ye ter help me out erbout. I kin manage de major all right efI kin des keep outen his sight ter-day wid dis suit er clothes. But detrouble is, I got ter wear 'em, sah--I got er 'pintment wid er lady!"

  The boy turned good-naturedly, threw his leg over the corner of the tableand raised his eyebrows with a gleam of mischief:

  "Oh, a lady! Who is she? Aunt Minerva?"

  Andy waved his hands in disgust.

  "Dat's des de one hit ain't--nasah! I can't stan' her nohow, Mr. Tom. I desnatchally can't stan' er fat 'oman! An' Miss Minerva weighs 'bout threehundred----"

  "Oh, not so bad as that, Andy!"

  "Yassah, she's er whale! Man, ef we wuz walkin' along tergedder, en she wuzter slip an' fall she'd sqush de life outen me! I'd nebber know what hitme. An' what makes bad matters wus, I'se er strong suspicion dat she gother eyes sot on me here lately--I des feels it in my bones--she's atter mesho, sah."

  Tom broke into a laugh:

  "Well, she can't take you by force."

  "I don't know 'bout dat, sah. When any 'oman gits her min' sot she'sdangous. But when a 'oman big an' black es she make up her min'!"

  "Black!" Tom cried, squaring himself and looking Andy over: "Aren't youjust a little shady?"

  "Who? Me?--nasah! I ain't no black nigger!"

  "No?"

  "Nasah! I'se what dey calls er tantalizin' brown!"

  "Oh, I see!"

  "Yassah, I'se er chocolate-colored gemman--an' I nebber could stan' desehere coal-black niggers. Miss Minerva's so black she kin spit ink!"

  "And she's 'atter' you?"

  "Yassah, an' Miss Minerva's a widder 'oman, an' ye know de Scripter says,'Beware of widders'----"

  "Of course!" Tom agreed.

  "I'se er gemman, yer know, Mister Tom. I can't insult er lady, an' dat's departicular reason dat I wants ter percipitate mysef wid my true love beforedat big, black 'oman gits her hands on me. She's atter me sho, an' ef shegits me in er close place, what I gwine do, sah?"

  Tom assumed a judicial attitude, folded his arms and asked:

  "Well, who's the other one?--who's your true love?"

  Andy put his hand over his mouth to suppress a snicker:

  "Now dat's whar I kinder hesitates, sah. I bin er beatin' de debbil roun'de stump fur de pas' week tryin' ter screw up my courage ter ax ye ter helpme. But Mister Tom, you gettin' so big an' dignified I kinder skeered. Yougot ter puttin' on more airs dan de major----"

  "Ah, who is she?" the boy asked brusquely.

  Andy glanced at him out of the corners of his rolling eyes:

  "Yer ain't gwine laugh at me--is yer?"

  With an effort Tom kept his face straight:

  "No, I may be just as big a fool some day myself--who is she?"

  Andy stepped close and whispered:

  "Miss Cleo!"

  "Cleo----"

  "Yassah."

  "Well, you are a fool!" the boy exclaimed indignantly.

  "Yassah, I spec I is," Andy answered, crestfallen, "but I des can't hep it,sah."

  "Cleo, my nurse, my mammy--why, she wouldn't wipe her foot on you if youwere a door-mat. She's almost as white as I am."

  "Yassah, I know, an' dat's what make me want her so. She's mine ef I kingit her! Hit des takes one drap er black blood to make er nigger, sah."

  "Bah--she wouldn't look at you!"

  "I know she holds er high head, sah. She's been eddicated an' all dat--butyou listen ter me, honey--she gwine look at me all de same, when I say deword."

  "Yes, long enough to laugh."

  Andy disregarded the shot, and prinked himself before the mirror:

  "Don't yer think my complexion's gettin' little better, sah?"

  Tom picked up a book with a smile:

  "You do look a little pale to-day, but I think that's your liver!"

  Andy broke into a laugh:

  "Nasah. Dat ain't my liver!"

  "Must be!"

  "Nasah! I got er patent bleacher frum New York dat's gwine ter make mewhite ef I kin des buy enough of it."

  "How much have you used?"

  "Hain't used but six bottles yit. Hit costs three dollars a bottle"--hepaused and rubbed his hands smoothingly over his head. "Don't yer think myhair's gittin' straighter, sah?"

  Tom turned another page of the book without looking up:

  "Not so that you could notice it."

  "Yassah, 'tis!" Andy laughed, eyeing it sideways in the mirror and makinga vain effort to see the back of his head. "I'se er usin' er concoctioncalled 'Not-a-Kink.' Hit costs five dollars a bottle--but man, hit sho isdoin' de work! I kin des feel dem kinks slippin' right out."

  "There's nothing much the matter with your hair, Andy," Tom said, lookingup with a smile, "that's the straightest thing about you. The trouble'sinside."

  "What de matter wid me inside?"

  "You're crooked."

  "Who--me?" Andy cried. "Ah, go long, Mister Tom, wid yer projectin'--yerdes foolin' wid me"--he came close and busied himself brushing the boy'scoat and continued with insinuating unction--"now ef yer des put in onelittle word fer me wid Miss Cleo----"

  "Take my advice, Andy," the boy said seriously, "keep away from her--she'llkill you."

  "Not
ef you help me out, sah," Andy urged eagerly. "She'll do anything feryou, Mister Tom--she lubs de very ground you walks on--des put in onelittle word fer me, sah----"

  Tom shook his head emphatically:

  "Can't do it, Andy!"

  "Don't say dat, Mister Tom!"

  "Can't do it."

  Andy flicked imaginary lint from both sleeves of Tom's coat:

  "Now look here, Mister Tom----"

  The boy turned away protesting:

  "No, I can't do it."

  "Lordy, Mister Tom," Andy cried in grieved tones. "You ain't gwine back onme like dat des 'cose yer went ter college up dar in de Norf an' git mixedup wid Yankee notions! Why, you an' me's always been good friends an'partners. What ye got agin me?"

  A gleam of mischief slipped into the boy's eyes again as he folded his armswith mock severity:

  "To begin with, you're the biggest old liar in the United States----"

  "Lordy, Mister Tom, I nebber tell a lie in my life, sah!"

  "Andy--Andy!"

  The negro held his face straight for a moment and then broke into a laugh:

  "Well, sah, I may has _pre-var-i-cated_ some times, but dat ain'tlyin'--why, all gemmens do dat."

  "And look at this suit of clothes," Tom said severely, "that you've justswiped from Dad. You'd steal anything you can get your hands on!"

  Andy turned away and spoke with deep grief

  "Mister Tom, you sho do hurt my feelin's, sah--I nebber steal nuttin' in mylife."

  "I've known you to steal a palm-leaf fan in the dead of winter with snow onthe ground."

  Andy laughed uproariously:

  "Why, man, dat ain't stealin! Who gwine ter want er palm-leaf fan wid snowon de groun'?--dat's des findin' things. You know dey calls me Hones' Andy.When dey ketch me wid de goods I nebber try ter lie outen it lak some foolniggers. I des laugh, 'fess right up, an' hit's all right. Dat's what make'em call me Hones' Andy, cose I always knows dat honesty's de bes'policy--an' here you comes callin' me a thief--Lordee, Mister Tom, yer shodo hurt my feelin's!"

  The boy shook his head again and frowned:

  "You're a hopeless old sinner----"

  "Who, me, er sinner? Why, man erlive, I'se er pillar in de church!"

  "God save the church!"

  "I mebbe backslide a little, sah, in de winter time," Andy hastened toadmit. "But I'se always de fus' man to de mourners' bench in de spring. Imos' generally leads de mourners, sah, an' when I comes froo an' gitsreligion over again, yer kin hear me shout er mile----"

  "And I bet when the chickens hear it they roost higher the next night!"

  Andy ignored the thrust and went on enthusiastically:

  "Nasah, de church folks don't call me no sinner. I always stands up ferreligion. Don't yer min' de time dat big yaller nigger cum down here fromde Norf er castin' circumflexions on our church? I wuz de man dat stoodright up in de meetin' an' defends de cause er de Lawd. I haul off an' biff'im right in the jaw----"

  "And you're going to ask Cleo to marry you?"

  "I sho' is, sah."

  "Haven't you a wife living, Andy?" the boy asked carelessly.

  The whites of the negro's eyes suddenly shone as he rolled them in theopposite direction. He scratched his head and turned back to his friendlytormentor with unction:

  "Mr. Tom, I'm gwine ter be hones'--cose honesty is de bes' policy. I didmarry a lady, sah, but dat wuz er long time ergo. She run away an' lef mean' git married ergin an' I divorced her, sah. She don't pester me no mo'an' I don't pester her. Hit warn't my fault, sah, an' I des put her away ezde Bible sez. Ain't dat all right, sah?"

  "Well, it's hardly legal to-day, though it may have been a Biblicalcustom."

  "Yassah, but dat's nuttin' ter do wid niggers. De white folks make de lawsan' dey hatter go by 'em. But niggers is niggers, yer know dat yosef, sah."

  Tom broke into a laugh:

  "Andy, you certainly are a bird!"

  The negro joined in the laugh with a joyous chuckle at its close:

  "Yassah, yassah--one er dese here great big brown blackbirds! But, Lordy,Mister Tom, yer des foolin' wid me--yer ain't got nuttin' 'gin yer olepartner, barrin' dem few little things?"

  "No, barring the few things I've mentioned, that you're a lazy, lying,impudent old rascal--barring these few little things--why--otherwise you'reall right, Andy, you're all right!"

  The negro chuckled joyfully:

  "Yassah--yassah! I knowed yer warn't gwine back on me, Mister Tom." Heedged close and dropped his voice to the oiliest whisper: "You'll say datgood word now to Miss Cleo right away, sah?"

  The boy shook his head:

  "The only thing I'll agree to do, Andy, is to stand by and see you commitsuicide. If it's any comfort to you, I'll tell you that she'll kill you."

  "Nasah! Don't yer believe it. Ef I kin des escape dat fat 'oman wid my lifebefore she gits me--now dat you'se on my side I kin read my titlesclar----"

  "Oh, you can get rid of Minerva all right!"

  "For de Lord sake, des tell me how!"

  Tom bent toward him and spoke in low tones:

  "All you've got to do if Minerva gets you in a tight place is to confessyour real love and ask her to help you out as a friend."

  Andy looked puzzled a moment and then a light broke over his dusky face:

  "Dat's a fine plan, Mister Tom. You saved er nigger's life--I'll do datsho!"

  "As for Cleo, I can't do anything for you, but I won't do anything againstyou."

  "Thankee, sah! Thankee, sah!"

  When Tom reached the door he paused and said:

  "I might consent to consult with the undertaker about the funeral and actas one of your pall-bearers."

  Andy waved him away with a suppressed laugh:

  "G'way frum here, Mister Tom! G'way frum here!"

  The negro returned to the mirror, adjusted his suit and after much effortsucceeded in fixing a new scarfpin of a horseshoe design in the centre ofthe bow of one of Norton's old-fashioned black string ties. He dusted hisshoes, smoothed as many of the kinks out of his hair as a vigorous rubbingcould accomplish, and put the last touches on his elaborate preparationsfor a meeting with Cleo that was destined to be a memorable one in herlife.