by Larry Hunt
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Homecoming
Luke, Catherine, Sam, Nate, Kentucky Lead and the hounds spend the past week resting and relaxing at the old fort at Fort Payne, Alabama. News arrives that the War is nearly over. Over? It is hard to visualize, no more kill or be killed. Now Luke believes they can get back home and get on with their lives.
“Everyone get aboard; it’s roughly forty more miles and we will be home. We’ll get up on Sand Mountain at Rainsville, head south, and two days later we will be eating supper with Mother and the rest of the family. Who knows, Father and Matthew may already be there.”
Luke propped his silver spur adorned black boot upon the dashboard of the wagon and yells, “Let’s go, Albertville or Bust!” The remainder of the day they spend working their way up the steep mountain road from Fort Payne to Rainsville. As the sun sets on the western side of Sand Mountain, Robert stands with his arm around Catherine watching the ever-changing rainbow of lights fade as night approaches. Turning to Catherine, “That’s one good thing about living on top of a mountain my dear wife.”
“And what’s that my dear husband?”
“You get to see a beautiful sunset every day!”
“I know, and isn’t it gorgeous?”
Sitting around the campfire that evening Robert describes the farm – the rolling hills of grass, the pines, Hog Creek, the canyon and the caves. He tells Sam how the mountainsides are covered with raccoons and laughs when he makes a joke about how Kentuck will think he is in ‘coon heaven. He tells Sam the area abounds with ‘coon hunters and after Sam has his pack of Walker coonhounds ready for sale he’ll be rolling in money. Those ‘coon hunters will pay good Yankee greenbacks for his Walker hounds.
Morning comes early on top of a mountain; it is the first place the initial rays of sunshine strike. This morning is no different, the first light of day falls on two wagons already up and moving south across the mountain toward Luke’s home. “Just one more day and we’ll be there,” says Luke.
It is nearing mid-afternoon when Luke halts his wagon. He announces to everyone that the farm is just around the next curve. “The gate will be on the left, and the farmhouse can be seen a little ways up the road from the gate.”
Luke is anxious; he snaps the reins and the horses jump. “Gitta up gals, we’re almost home.”
They round the curve and arrive at the gate. The gate is secured tightly with an enormous log chain wrapped around the gate and gatepost, a lock big enough to secure a boat to its mooring holds the chain together. A weathered piece of paper flutters in the breeze. Luke snatches the paper down and sees it is an eviction notice dated back to the summer of last year. “What is this? It says ‘Eviction for Non-payment of Taxes’!
“Nate hand me the Spencer!”
Luke loads one cartridge, aims directly at the huge lock and fires.
The large .56 caliber lead bullet tears through that old lock like a hot knife through butter. Luke jerks the chain loose, jumps back upon his wagon seat and moves through the gate.
Reaching the front porch Luke stops. He cannot imagine what he sees - the place is empty! Not just empty it appears deserted. Leaves have blown upon the porch; grass and weeds are growing through the front steps, and a pane of glass is broken out of one of the porch windows. A portion of a white curtain pokes out and waves in the breeze.
Before anyone can speak, Nate sees the little cemetery under the red oak tree. Luke, Catherine, and Sam watch him slowly move toward the tree and they follow. Inside the picket fence, they see three graves. One stone is marked ‘Margaret Scarburg,’ another ‘Jed Scarburg’ and the third ‘Jefferson Scarburg.’ Nate falls to his knees but does not speak; tears begin to form in his eyes. “This is my Pa and brother Jefferson. What could have happened Luke? Pa and Jefferson is dead!”
“Yes, it appears so. I am sorry Nate, but your mother must still be alive. Notice there is no grave with Sary’s name on it. The other grave is sister Margaret; she got killed on the trip from South Carolina. Your Pa and Father went back to North Georgia and brought her here to her final resting place.”
“Yer rite Luke, but where’s Ma, and where’s yer family?”
Getting back on the wagons Luke suggests a visit to Doc Crawford’s place. Doc is just down the road, and if anyone knows what has happened, it will be the doctor.
Knocking on Doc Crawford’s door Luke is anxious to find out what has happened to his mother, brothers, and sisters. Nate needs an explanation for the death of his father and brother too.
Doc Crawford is surprised to see the group standing on his front porch – he thinks he recognizes Luke, but Nate, the woman, and the young lad are not familiar to him. After introductions, he invites them to have seats on the porch, and before he can ask them to sit and get comfortable Luke and Nate barrage Doc with questions about their families.
“Slow down gentlemen, one at a time. I understand you both are quite upset over the events on the Scarburg place. First off, for you Luke, your family left some time ago and went back to Scarlettsville. Some tragedy had befallen your Uncle Isaac at Scarlett, and the overseer had requested they come and give him some assistance. The request was fortuitous Luke since your family’s farm had fallen into delinquency over its taxes with the county. Your mother could not pay what was due.”
Walking back inside to his desk, he withdrew the Quit Claim deed for the farm. Back on the porch he hands it to Luke, “As you can see Luke she signed the farm over to me if I could pay the back taxes. I’m sorry Luke I did not have the money to buy your farm. If I had, I would let you have it back.”
“What happened to the farm Doc?”
“The farm was purchased by Judge Slade. The worst sort of Carpetbagger the South has ever had to endure – he has bought up most all the land up and down Hog Creek, except mine. So far I have been able to stay barely ahead of him and the tax collector. Slade had a strong-arm by the name of Louie Labeau, who did all his dirty work. He is a scoundrel from New Orleans, I believe. Judge Slade has his Yankee tentacles in the county courthouse also. When Slade finds land he wants, he gets that other Carpetbagger county judge to foreclose on ’em. Then Slade picks the land up for pennies on the dollar.
“Nate, even tho’ we have never officially met I have known about you all these years. I have been acquainted with your Ma and Pa, and I hate to be the one to inform you of the death of your father and brother. Their deaths were at the hand of that coward Louie Labeau. Shot’em down in the yard, he did, they never had a chance.
“During the War, Labeau was Captain of the Home Guard and had come to Malinda’s place to conscript William and Isaac into the Confederate Army. Uncle Jed and Jefferson stood up to him and he killed them both. Shot your Mama too, but she survived. Uncle Jed and Jefferson are buried right there under that red oak tree at the edge of the yard. One good word though Nate, your Ma’ma is all right, she went with Malinda back to Scarlett.”
“Yessir, thanks, Doc, we’d done seen theirs graves. Thank ya, for the story ‘bout how they done got kilt tho’, I appreciate it. I sure do appreciate knowing about Ma.”
“Mrs. Scarburg...”
“Please Doc, call me Catherine.”
“Luke, Catherine, Sam and Nate you all are welcome to stay here with me until you can decide what your next plans are – I have plenty of room for all of you.”
“Thanks, Doc, but I already know what our plans are – we are heading to Scarlettsville.”
“I don’t blame you son, but I know your horses and mules are done worn out. Before you leave go out to my barn, get you a couple of strong mules and some fresh horses. Turn yours loose in my pasture – they deserve a good rest. They’ll be right here if you ever get to come back.”
“Nate, to show Doc our appreciation go out to your wagon and let’s get Doc one of them things we keep wrapped up in the back.”
“Yer’s means one of the hounds, does you?”
“Well, now that you mention it yes, if it’
s all right with Sam, I’d like Doc Crawford to have one of those beautiful Kentucky coon hounds. Doc has always been a big coon hunter; he’ll appreciate a dog like that.”
“Darn right, Luke I’d love for Doc to have one of my hounds.”
“And Nate in addition to the hound, bring Doc one of the rifles.”
“Well, I’ll be,” said Doc standing on the porch looking at the Walker coon dog. “That’s one of the finest dogs I’ve ever laid my eyes on, what’s his breed you say?”
“Doc, just call him a ‘Walker’,” replies Sam.
Nate handed Doc the Henry rifle. Doc jerked his hand back like the gun was hot, “What is that? That ain’t a Henry is it? I’ve heard boys comin’ home from the War talkin’ about them. Never knew they existed until now. My, oh my, a Henry! They say it holds sixteen shells at one time.”
“That’s about right Doc,” Luke handed him one of the outlaws pistol belts with every loop loaded with an extra Henry cartridge. Luke let the Colt .44 remain in the holster, besides they still had a wagon full of them.
“You givin’ me this Colt six-shooter too. Why, that’s way too much Luke. You keep ’em you might need ‘em on the trail to Carolina.”
“Nah, Doc we got plenty more. Take care of yourself; hope to see you some day. Oh, has any word ever been received about Father or Matthew?”
“I’m sorry Luke, not a single word about them, the only word lately is about the War finally ending.”
“The War is over?” asked Nate? “When Doc?”
“I heard is was sometime around the first week in April.”
“Over, it’s finally over!” said Luke, astonished.
“Luke you surely must not have received any news lately?”
“Nah Doc, We have been on the trail for weeks and didn’t hear about the War ending. We laid over at Fort Payne and news there was the War was about over.”
“You didn’t hear about the President either, I gather?”
“The President? You talkin’ about President Davis?”
“No, President Abraham Lincoln. He was assassinated on the 14th of April and died the next morning. A man by the name of Booth killed him.”
“Booth? John Wilkes Booth?”
“Yes that was his name. You look surprised? Did you know him Luke?”
“Kind of, I suppose,” Luke replied thinking of his friend Jamie Morefield, and the night they spent in the wagon in front of Surratt’s Tavern. “Yeah, I knew him.”
Nate walked back upon the porch, “Doc, I want you to do me a favor.”
“Anything Nate, if it’s within my power.”
“I want you to tell that Louie Labeau feller to sleep with one eye open from now on. ‘Cause one day, he won’t know when, he won’t know where and fer sure he won’t know how. You tells him I’m gonna kill him – stone cold dead! I swear it before you, Luke, Catherine, Sam and God...on my Pappy and Jefferson’s graves...tell him this ain’t no warnin’, it’s fer shore a promise!”