by Ginny Dye
“Where are we staying tonight?” Frances asked.
“The Park Hotel,” Carrie answered. “It’s the same hotel Moses and Rose stayed at with the family when they arrived.” She looked around the train station, thrilled to be in Oberlin. She couldn’t wait to see Rose’s face when she discovered they were here.
“I say we settle into the Park Hotel and find some dinner,” Abby said, inclining her head toward Frances.
When Carrie looked over, Frances was making a futile effort to hide a gaping yawn. Carrie smiled, knowing everything was brand new to the little girl. She had refused to sleep during their long train ride, because she didn’t want to miss anything. She must be exhausted.
“Good-bye!” Frances yelled to the conductor who had stepped out the back door of the caboose to wave at her. “Thank you!”
The portly conductor waved cheerfully, bowed slightly, and then stepped back inside.
Carrie laughed. “Well, you certainly charmed him.”
“He was wonderful,” Frances said enthusiastically. “He told me everything about the train, and every town we stopped in. He knows everything!”
Her fatigue seemed forgotten in her excitement, but Carrie knew it would crush down on her soon. She waved a carriage over and climbed in with Abby and Frances, praying there would be no reason for Rose or Moses to be in the same part of town they were.
*****
Rose slid the light blue gown over her head, hardly able to believe she was dressing for her college graduation. She gazed into the mirror over her bureau, wishing with all her heart that her mama were alive to share the day with her.
“What are you thinking about?” Moses asked.
Rose stared into his eyes over her shoulder, and then turned away from the reflection of the mirror to face him. “I’m thinking about Mama,” she said softly. “I’m remembering all the nights I taught the secret school in the woods... I’m remembering the times I snuck books out of the Cromwell library, stealing candle ends so I could read at night.” Her mind swirled through the memories.
“I’m thinking about teaching at the contraband camp during the war, and then starting the school on the plantation.” She shook her head. “The road to this moment has been so long and crooked. Most of the time I had no idea where it was going, though I knew I always wanted it to end up at this very moment in time.”
“A college graduate,” Moses murmured as he looked down at her. “I’m proud of you, Rose. I could not possibly be prouder of you for making this dream come true.”
“We made it come true,” Rose replied. “I wouldn’t be here today without you.” She kissed him warmly and then, still enclosed in the circle of his arms, she leaned back to gaze at him. “You really don’t mind? You don’t mind not getting your degree as a lawyer?”
Moses shook his head. “If I ever decide I need to finish college, I will, but all I want to do now is go home to the plantation and do what I love more than anything. I want to hold you in our bedroom. I want to walk with you on the shores of the James River. I want to go horseback riding with our children through tobacco fields.” He chuckled. “All I’ve been able to think about the last few months was going home.”
“And now we are,” Rose said softly. “I can hardly wait, either.” A flash of sadness gripped her.
“What was that look for?” Moses asked keenly.
Rose knew better than to think she could hide her feelings from her astute husband. “I’m so happy to be graduating, but it seems odd…”
“For no one else to be here?” Moses finished for her. “I know.”
Rose wondered if she would ever quit being surprised that her husband knew her so completely. “I wouldn’t have wanted to go to school anywhere but here in Oberlin,” Rose said, “but it’s so far away.” Her thoughts darkened as she thought ahead. “Felicia will be so far away…”
“Stop,” Moses commanded. “We’ve gone over this so many times. Felicia is doing what she wants to do. She will receive wonderful care here, and she can come home anytime she wants to.” He shook her shoulders lightly. “I will absolutely not let you ruin your graduation day by worrying.”
Rose smiled. Moses was right. She would tuck her worries away, but she knew she would still feel them. Felicia was her daughter. It was her job to worry about her. “It’s really rather amazing,” she said with a smile.
“What is?” Moses asked.
“We didn’t even know Felicia existed a few years ago, and now it’s as if she has been our daughter forever. It doesn’t seem like there was ever a time when she hasn’t been ours.” She paused. “I was so terrified to become her mama, but it has been such a joy, and I’m beyond proud of her. And,” she added defiantly, “of course I’m going to worry about her. It’s my job to do that. Don’t even bother pretending you’re not going to do the same thing, Moses Samuels.”
Moses shrugged. “I’ll worry about her every day,” he admitted, “but at least I won’t have to for a month. She’s going home with us in two days. I’ll have her right where I want her.”
“And in just a few days, we’ll be home,” Rose said happily. “I got a letter from Abby. It said Carrie was heading home to the plantation, as well. I can hardly wait to see her.”
“Mama!”
Rose cocked her head. “Felicia is calling us.”
“Mama! Daddy! We have company!”
Rose raised a brow and looked at Moses. “Were you expecting anyone?”
“No. You?”
Rose shook her head. “I’m meeting some classmates before the ceremony, but I wasn’t expecting anyone here.”
“Mama!”
“Mama! Daddy! Come!” John cried.
Rose was mystified. “Whoever it is, they sound excited.”
“Only one way to find out,” Moses said with a chuckle. He held out his hand. “Madame Graduate, let’s get you to your ceremony.”
Rose curtsied gracefully, took his hand, and walked with him down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, and looked into the parlor, she froze. But only for a moment. “Carrie? Abby? I don’t believe this!” She leapt forward as both of them opened their arms at the same time.
The three women embraced, laughing joyfully.
Rose finally pulled back. “What are you doing here?”
Carrie rolled her eyes. “Did you really think we were going to miss your graduation?”
Rose looked at Moses. “Did you know?”
“No idea,” he assured her. “Of course, I have noticed that you are the only one to get a hug.”
Carrie laughed and rushed into his arms, followed by Abby. John and Hope danced around the room with joy.
Rose noticed someone standing in the corner of the room. She smiled at the lovely little girl with long brown hair and glistening amber eyes. “Well, hello,” she said. “Who are you?”
“I’m Frances.” The girl’s voice was shy and hesitant.
Carrie stepped away from Rose and walked over to put an arm around Frances. “I’d like to introduce you to my daughter, Frances Borden. I adopted her just a few days ago.”
Rose opened and closed her mouth, but no sound came forth.
Carrie laughed. “I know that was mean, but I wanted to see the look on your face when you discovered I have a beautiful daughter.”
“It’s true?”
“Oh, it’s very true,” Carrie said, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
Suddenly, Rose remembered, and turned back to lean down and look into the little girl’s eyes. “Are you the Frances that Carrie helped on the wagon train last year?”
Frances nodded shyly. “My family died of the flu a few months back.”
“All of them?” Rose asked with a gasp.
“Yes, ma’am,” Frances answered. “I sent Carrie a letter and told her I was going to an orphanage.” An expression of awe filled her eyes. “She came and found me, and adopted me,” she said. “We came here so we could see you graduate before we all go home to the plantation
.”
Rose gazed at her, understanding instantly why Carrie had fallen in love with the little girl with such expressive and intelligent eyes. She had many questions for her best friend, but they would wait. “I’m very glad you’re here, Frances,” she said sincerely. “Have you met Felicia yet?”
Frances shook her head. “Not yet,” she admitted. “She was real eager to get you downstairs when she saw Carrie and Oma.”
“Oma?”
“It’s German for grandmother,” Abby explained happily.
Rose nodded, her mind spinning. A glance at the clock told her they needed to leave for the graduation ceremony. Any more questions would have to wait until later. She put an arm around Frances, and then turned her to meet Felicia. “Frances, I would like you to meet my daughter, Felicia.”
“Hello, Felicia,” Frances said. “I may just be meeting you, but Carrie told me all about you last year when she saved me during the blizzard. I’m glad to meet you.”
Felicia smiled back and moved forward to take Frances’ hand. “I’m glad to meet you, too. Will you sit next to me during the graduation? It will be nice to have someone close to my own age.”
Frances beamed with pleasure. “I would love that,” she replied. She glanced at Carrie. “Is it all right?”
“Certainly,” Carrie assured her. “Shall we go?”
*****
Rose linked arms with Carrie and Abby as they strolled along Oberlin’s tree-lined streets.
“This is a lovely town,” Abby said.
“It is,” Rose agreed. “What is truly lovely about it, however, is the opportunity it gives everyone for an education. It’s been so wonderful to learn in a college that embraces women and blacks.” She shook her head, once again becoming immersed in memories. “I couldn’t have even imagined a place like this ten years ago.”
“When you were hiding in the woods teaching your little school,” Abby murmured.
“Yes,” Rose replied. “Sometimes it feels like things will never change, yet it’s been less than a decade since I gave up my chance to escape on the Underground Railroad. I was afraid I would spend the rest of my life as a slave on the plantation, but I wouldn’t leave Mama. Everything has changed. This country…my life…” She shook her head again. “There are moments when I believe we are quite insane to go back to the plantation, but I have to believe things will continue to change if enough people will fight for it.”
“You’ve learned that here,” Abby observed.
“Partly,” Rose acknowledged. “I believe I already knew that, but attending a college founded on the belief that educated and committed people could change this country, especially in regard to slavery, has reinforced the knowledge that change only comes when enough people are determined to make things change.”
“Are you afraid?” Carrie asked solemnly.
Rose glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one could overhear their conversation. Moses was busy with John and Hope, and Frances and Felicia had their heads close together, talking. The sight made her smile, but then it faded. “Sometimes, I’m so scared I feel like I can’t breathe,” she admitted. “Most of the time I’m not, and I know it’s the right thing for us to do.”
She looked Carrie in the eye. “How are you feeling about being an adoptive mother? I was absolutely terrified when Moses wrote me that he was bringing Felicia home.”
“I was more terrified that I wouldn’t find her,” Carrie replied. “You had never met Felicia. I fell in love with Frances last winter.” She glanced back, her eyes glowing with love. “She’s very special. I’m lucky.”
Rose had a million more questions, but the sight of the college in the distance meant she would have to wait. “We can talk tonight?”
“And tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that…” Carrie promised. “I’m so excited we’re all going back to the plantation together.”
“How long will you be there?” Rose asked.
“What will tomorrow bring?” Carrie asked with a laugh. “I’ve given up trying to imagine what the future will be. I have no idea how long I will be on the plantation. We’ve talked so many times about how swiftly plans can change once they’ve been made, but if you had told me a week ago that I would now be a mother, I would have thought you were insane.”
Rose frowned, her thoughts spinning when Carrie said the word insane. “I got your letter about Alice. It’s terrible! Can we talk about that when we’re done celebrating?”
“Oh, I think we’ll just add it to the celebration,” Carrie said with a grin. “I’ll give you all the details later, but Alice surprised me by coming to my graduation.”
Rose gasped. “She’s out of that awful asylum?”
“She is,” Carrie confirmed happily. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”
Moments later, their group reached the building where graduation was being held. Rose turned and hugged both her friends again. “Thank you so much for being here,” she said softly. “It means so much to me.”
“I’m so proud of you!” Carrie cried. “You deserve to be graduating early.”
Abby pulled her close again. “You’ve been an extraordinary teacher for years, my dear, but it’s important for the future that you have this degree. I’m so proud of you for making your dream come true.”
*****
Rose stood proudly when her name was called. She was still surprised they were allowing her to graduate a year early, but she acknowledged she had earned it. As she walked across the stage, she had a clear vision of her mama’s glowing smile and tender eyes. She blinked back tears and looked toward Moses. His eyes were locked onto her, his face illuminated with such pride it almost took her breath away.
The two of them had come such a long way together. Her mind flew to the night she had met him, and his shock at discovering she taught a secret school in the woods. Her husband had gone from being completely illiterate to being a college student, and the very successful co-owner of Cromwell Plantation. Her love for him swelled so large she thought surely her heart would explode.
Her eyes settled on her children smiling at her with such delight, even little Hope who couldn’t possibly understand all this moment meant, and then they shifted to Carrie and Abby. She would always be so grateful they had made the trip to be with her.
She finally reached the college dean midway across the stage. “Hello, sir.”
“Congratulations, Mrs. Samuels,” he said warmly. “You are a complete credit to this school.”
“Thank you, Dean Love.” Rose accepted the diploma with a steady hand and turned away.
“Wait,” the dean murmured.
Rose hesitated, not sure she had heard him correctly. Everyone else walking across the stage had simply accepted their diploma and moved on. She was certain the college hadn’t changed their mind, but she didn’t know what was happening. “Wait?”
“Yes, please.”
Rose remained where she was standing, watching the dean for some indication of what was happening. He met someone’s eyes and a look of relief crossed his face. Dean Love motioned for Rose to stay where she was, and then turned to the audience.
“We have a quite extraordinary addition to our graduation ceremonies today. We weren’t certain it would be possible, but we have a distinguished guest with us who has made a special request,” Dean Love said, his voice ringing through the building.
Rose turned to look at Moses, but his expression showed he was as mystified as she was. When she looked back at the dean, she glanced toward the side of the stage. She couldn’t stifle her gasp of surprise.
“I take it you know who she is?” Dean Love asked quietly.
“Of course,” Rose whispered, looking toward the end of the stage. She had no idea why she was still standing on it. “I should go sit down.”
“No,” the dean replied, looking almost as curious as she was. “She asked for you to remain on stage.”
Rose watched the stooped old woman make her way
across the platform. Once again, she was struck by Sojourner Truth’s quiet dignity. It hardly seemed possible it could have been two years ago that she’d heard her speak in New York at the American Equal Rights Association meeting. Now, as she had then, the woman radiated power as she made her way slowly to the center of the stage, her eyes locked on Rose. All Rose could do was gaze back in speechless shock.
The building was completely quiet as everyone waited to see what was about to transpire.
Sojourner Truth walked to the center of the stage, reached out to squeeze Rose’s hand for a moment, and then turned to the audience. “I imagine everyone here today knows who I am, so I will not bore you with information. I will also not talk for long, for that is not what today is about. Today is meant to celebrate the end of a student’s quest for knowledge. That is something I always applaud.”
Every eye in the room was fixed on the woman who had fought for decades for the abolition of slavery, and who had now turned her efforts to women’s rights. She was a heroine to everyone there.
“Two years ago,” Sojourner continued, “I had the pleasure of speaking at the meeting of the American Equal Rights Association. Whenever I stand in front of a crowd, I always pick out one person who I believe is meant to hear what I’m saying more than anyone else. I like to believe it is because that person is very special, and will someday carry into the future the torch of those of us who fight now.” She glanced at Rose and smiled. “Two years ago, the person I spoke to was Rose Samuels.”
Rose held a hand to her mouth, not able to believe what she was hearing. She had never forgotten her time in New York, and had indeed felt Sojourner Truth was speaking directly to her. She could hardly believe, however, that the famous woman had felt the same way.
“We did not meet in person that day, but I made sure to learn her name. When I came to meet with a friend here at the college, I heard her name again. Of course, I had to know more.” She smiled again. “I was not at all surprised to learn she was graduating early, and not surprised to learn she is going back to the South to teach, because she believes that will have the greatest impact.”