by Diane Munier
“No, Ma. You may speak to me here. It is all of us in this like Pa said.”
“Well daughter…when you demand…it is a closed fist. There is what you want…but you must look at what Josiah needs. And mayhap you will open yourself to helping him in a way you would not see when you held so tight. And mayhap you will see more you could do than you first thought…for him and others…if you open your hand. It will cost you. But we do not…at no time…live first for ourselves.”
Rosie nodded. Fresh tears rolled her face and dripped. “Thank you, Ma,” she whispered.
We sat quiet then. The outside door opened, and Addie brought a sleeping Josiah into the big room. My heart swelled at the sight of them and I hastened to help her again. She went in the room she had stayed in to lay him down and Rosie got up and followed her in and shut the door on us. The room grew smaller then, but Ma filled it with giving everyone a round of coffee and pushing scones. Susan was awake and thank God we had her to look on like a peace offering.
We drifted into other talk, but all eyes and ears were toward that room. We could hear crying one time, then stillness. After close to an hour, the door opened, and Addie came out first carrying Josiah. She walked to William and handed him off. Lenora had her hands already full with Susan and she stood now. That made everyone else who had a seat get up, exception of Pa.
So it was Rosie came out bag packed. Her dress was fresh and her hair braided, by my sweet wife I knew.
She walked to Gaylin and kissed him. “I will just go back with William then for Allie needs me.” Well, she looked so worn out I felt the love then, first time in a way I could know it was in me for this sister who lied need took her.
Gaylin grabbed her to him. They both cried. It was like a wake, but not like one at all, for when we buried we denied our hearts, we stayed stoic, we held our feelings from one another out of protection, lest we topple one another with grief. But this we could not hold in. And all colors in the room cried the same. Wounded.
Tom Tanner
Chapter Thirty
The complications with Josiah drove a lesson home. It wasn’t enough to be right. You had to be wise. Right meant taking a stand. Wise meant caring about you while I took it.
And wisdom was in short supply. But being right was everywhere.
Jimmy knew. By end of summer, sheriffing included giving whoopings. That was not what Jimmy went in for.
Well, there was a boy fourteen years and just come into the county with a group of four freedmen. Jimmy got to know him a bit as he and William had to keep check on everyone coming through now.
This boy took, or it was said he did, a corn muffin off the seat of Jedidiah Colson’s wagon. His wife did pack those for him and when he went in the livery this one Negro was passing by and took that muffin. Colson raised a ruckus about it. He wanted that boy, that thief whipped, or he would press charges and this boy could go before the judge and then he could see jail.
A crowd did gather it being Saturday. And then it did start, the general conversation how we had to get a handle and it all came down to whipping this boy.
Crowds were what Jimmy did best. I’d seen him more than once, that day of the posse riding on Monroe and further back in the war, many times there. And Jimmy Leidner could calm a grizzly just out the cave after a long winter for there was a force in him. But he could not talk Jedidiah out of this whipping.
Easiest thing would have been to pass the trouble to Jedidiah. But Colson was too eager to punish and Jimmy would not hand authority over. I understood how that went.
So he did tell the boy to put his hands onto the wagon’s wheel. He took a leather strap and whipped him there three strokes. Then three more when the crowd protested it weren’t enough. When they protested again Jimmy got to that place I used to goad him into in my darker times. He told that crowd, “Move yourselves or I’ll be filling that cell with you-ins.”
Well, some did move. Some, just two with babies, did move off when those blows first landed. But others were slow to break apart and talk went on, “Well what were we going to do these coming through here? They are looking to work in the harvest, but our boys home need that work, too, and others coming up.” That is how the talk went.
“Well, go on to your business,” Jimmy said rattled, moving through them himself to get them broke apart, the way a man might do with cattle.
William took that young boy off. Once it was done, I came forward and said, “Sheriff Leidner.”
He looked relieved to see me, not surprised, maybe shamed some, but I wasn’t there to shame him. Much as I had no wish to be him, I understood he was in the river, too, bottom rocky on his feet and pushed from all sides. And he had whipped that boy the way a daddy would, problem was he did it public, but that was his intent to save that one from something worse.
I followed him back to the jail and he dropped in his chair and hit the whiskey right off. Two were in the cell sleeping off their Friday night yet.
William came in then, that boy in his grip. He threw that one across the floor. “That worth dying for?” he said to the lad who got quick to his feet.
The boy shook his head and stared at the floor.
“You are hungry come and see me and mayhap I can help. But this…theiving work down south?” Jimmy said.
“No sir,” the boy mumbled.
“Well, it don’t work up north, either,” he said. “You are free…but not free to steal…even when you are hungry,” he said. “You could have died over…you see how it is?”
That boy kept looking down, but he nodded.
“You mayhap want to get your licks in,” Jimmy said to him, “but you can save it for that race.”
The boy looked up, hope in his face. “You still want me, sir?”
“You reckon your foolery is behind?” Jimmy said.
“Yes sir,” the boy said.
“Where you gonna use that pluck I know that strap don’t touch?” Jimmy said.
“In the race, sir,” the boy said, something close to a grin.
“That’s right,” Jimmy said. “Don’t make me look a fool again…or I will drive you down that road myself and they are no more friendly yonder and you won’t have me an’ William to save your hide.”
“Yes sir,” he said, his voice lightened.
William took that boy out then.
“He taking him to Lenora?” I said.
“Yes, to his house, ever stray, everyone. She’ll check those stripes I gave him. She’ll feed him and try to get him to wear some shoes. Hopefully he learned his lesson. We take our corn muffins serious round here apparently.”
“You schoolmarm now?” I said, but I knew.
“Hell of a thing,” was all Jimmy said taking another drink. “You know what a vice I got my willy in? No way in hell William can last in this. He ain’t talking to me half the time things I got to do now to keep folks from going over to the lake and cleaning out the Negro population.
“And they are pressuring him to show loyalty over and again and he ain’t one to kiss their lily-white behinds but he sees the way of it…a keg of powder just waiting. And that may happen yet, I tell you. How the hell…it’s me an’ him standing between it right now. They come in a group Mose won’t be able to withstand…if he’s even around. More and more he’s off do-gooderin’….
“I get elected mayor it’ll ease me from having to do the dirty swill work of it myself but I got to be out of my mind for I will be walking this here fence…and I want Allie to go home with you, but she can’t be moved now with the baby coming.”
“Rosie is not going anywhere. I was just over checking on them. Rosie showed me the Derringer. She will use it if provoked. You want I’ll send one of Amuel’s in to keep watch on Allie. Brace is more reliable.”
“I got that taken care of, I already knew you were there. I got Harley around and Lem. I do not take chances with Allie. That Derringer is the same kind Boothe used on Mr. Lincoln. Took it off one of these boys. But still I don’t
like her here around this. Makes a man want the plow and I never thought I’d want the plow again.”
Jimmy did not like farming. He never had. Pa had set him land, well for Allie, but Jimmy made it clear he would not ever work it himself. To say it was a preference to his political ambition said it all.
“I’m ever going to make it to Springfield where a fella might do some good I got to come up through the ranks. But Lord…this kind of mob thinking…I’ll take the war over this. Enemy comes you fire and be done…but these are the ones we went to school with…some we fought alongside…now…it’s anyone’s guess who I gotta take a stand against!”
“No time to run from it,” I said. “Minds of reason have to keep a hand in it or then what?” I said sounding just like Pa I knew. “William is no fool. He don’t have to like it to see the sense,” I said.
“We never seen something like this. We never had to do such,” Jimmy said. “There’s no honor here…and I ain’t a soft man…but this feels like shit. William is afraid to let Lenora go to the store and he’s our damn deputy! And what about him…he’s got those children. And don’t think it were anyone but William that wouldn’t be called in. Things heat up they’ll add that into their list of reasons to vigilante all the way through…do whatever they want to do ‘fore they even think about it.”
“You really think it’s a good idea to be bringing back the fair so soon?” I said.
“Oh, the fair. You think that’s me? I hope Bimer knows what the hell he’s doing. He went up to Springfield to some mayor’s meeting and got wind they’re bringing it back and now we got to have one, too. It’s the way to heal, they say. You can’t heal a festering wound. That means something is still in there. Don’t I know?
“Bimer’s kept the boys working on that race track. Just when I think they got themselves occupied something flares. Now the work of harvest coming to an end…well we got to have something to keep these sinners inspired. I hope this is it.”
You running that black?”
Now he did grin. He’d been leaning his chair back on two legs. Now he let it slam to the floor. “Hell yes,” he said. “And that boy I whipped is one hell of a rider.” He slapped the desk then and papers scattered, but he was laughing. “That boy will get his pride back soon enough.”
“You always did know how to drive the spike. You sure this is the time?”
“I’m sure I’m winning that race. I don’t lay down on this,” he said, “well hell…did I ever? You can’t skin ‘em front door, you take your muddy boots round back and come on in and do what you can. Didn’t I always say? Tom…there is always a way.
“My black, his rider dark-skinned…they will be unified for as long as it takes…that race. The whites will cheer for my black…the Negros for the boy. But that horse and rider are one thing and one can’t win without the other.
“Well, that is my muddy boots and I am in the damn door. So beware righteous pricks, cause I got a way of seeing this. Day I get my say I will have the last hoorah.”
Even in the midst of such turmoil late summer turning into fall brought one hopeful thing after another it seemed. Allie and Jimmy had a little girl. Well, she came early, but she was living and Allie said it was Rosie kept her going until she could be strong on her own for Allie was a longtime down and Rosie took over and made this one suckle, kept her warm, kept her breathing, held her round the clock.
Jimmy said Rosie was one of the cherubim come to earth and I could not believe for I had said they looked at her that way on the wharf that time I did see her perform. And she was so unlike any other one could only say thank you God for sending her. Would you think he had a thing to do with it? Well, I did not. And I was wrong.
Josiah was taken into St. Louis by a group moving through with the help of the churches. There was a small school there, and Lavinia was taking it forward. Addie and me did send some money and Lavinia and Quinton were looking into the school and its needs. Seth was becoming involved through seminary and their wish to help. It was him who would keep closest to Josiah’s plight. Him and Lavinia. So this was some comfort to Rosie.
Pa’s leg was giving trouble. It was not healing like it should so he had to leave off working in the shed, he had to stay put, the doctor said, and keep it still and propped, so now Pa whittled all the day and we all had many fine things, well the womenfolk did especially for he made Ma and Allie and Rosie and Addie spoons of many sizes and depths and styles of handles and dowels, bowls, trenchers and plates, butter molds. Then a treasure box for Johnny’s paper and pencils and one long chain for his own amusement.
My new barn was bursting with new hay. My bins and silos were filling up. I had plenty help and a couple of young ones rose up as young men will given a chance. One was a nephew of Jacob Colson’s, Taminay Colson, another a young man Mose brought and prevailed on me for. His name was Willard Sparrow. He did know the field, and he was strong and eager. Well, the threshing machine was coming through and Willard would help fill my bins. It was hard work and he took to it and did love that machine and the new barn.
Day came in September we moved in to our big house. Downstairs anyway. Upstairs wasn’t finished and truth to tell I did not know if it would be before weather turned cold. Well those five bedrooms had lathe but no plaster and woodwork, so we were living in the downstairs for now.
And I did carry my sweet girl over the threshold into her new kitchen. It was such a wonder that folks came from around to see it. Even the cellar was inviting, yes a cellar, so well figured and dry and full of shelves and bins you could be proud. And we had some truck to fill it with and what we had not had the time to grow ourselves, Ma and Rosie had so we were spilling.
Well, Addie cooked for the threshers this year. We did not let Ma carry it, first time in forty years, she said. Pa was enough and she had food to put by and no daughter at all for Rosie was with Allie.
So my Addie cooked and Lenora’s cousins with her and they did turn it out. Well those boys did love to gawk at all the modern way of that kitchen. Indoor water hot and cold, two sinks, lots of windows for air, with shutters that lifted and could be latched in place to serve as awnings over the windows, so there was air from two directions, and a table big and long down the center, cupboards under the windows with tops for making food, and that stove with those five burners and those two big ovens and that bread warmer on top. Shelves and flour bins to hold dishes and tools, and jars of food, a pantry, an outdoor shoot to feed the wood box through and a water closet in the back corner. Then attached on the back a lean too for leaving dirty boots and shoes, and out back about twenty steps a bath house and laundry. Then clotheslines a plenty running from that little house to a pole yonder.
It was orderly and lovely. And that did not include the little sewing room with the new sewing machine. Well they didn’t need to see it all. It was for her. She’s all I cared about. So she cooked and we fed those threshers.
Well, I did not need them gawking at my Addie, but she was so joyous, fact was me too, that we did allow them to stick their beaks in and see what a man and woman could do if they thought about it. But more than once my girl turned round and there were strangers standing beneath the propped shutters looking in. Since Amuel was usually working on the place, he kept an eye on her for me, and she had Lenora’s cousin still and Amuel’s sons on days they weren’t working elsewhere. Then Willard was in the barn.
Other men said, the wife will want such a kitchen as this now. But they were usually happy to see how well things worked, and if they were not, they could go kiss a hog’s behind for all I cared.
The war had pulled me over this country and I had ideas and a fearlessness about trying things. I saw those round here never got more than five miles from home and that to go to town. I was not as small in my mind as some. Not about matters big or matters small and there were many ways to do things if one kept an open hand as Ma did say to Rosie. And an open hand was an open mind for sure.
Middle of September when cr
ops were in and the fair was nearly upon us, I had finished in the barn and neared the house to bring the sections of the bed-frame Gaylin had delivered and put on the porch that morning. I heard my wife singing, and I came around the house to one of the kitchen windows to look at her and refresh myself. She was like that for me…a thing to ponder.
Rain had kicked up and I stood under the shutter looking in. She did not see me. Janey was on the floor, looked like she had been sitting there playing with spoons and bowls and fallen right over and went to sleep. Addie was at the table going over her recipes for she did plan to enter her bread in the fair that week’s end.
How I loved standing there the rain walling me in, watching her in this place I had built with such fierce love. To give such a one as her something good, something thought out…I could do no better.
Well, no more lying in Richard Varn’s bed. I had not brought it into the new part of the house, but left it in place for Lenora’s cousins to sleep upon. Me and Addie had been lying on two ticks stacked on the floor. But tonight it would be different. Tonight…well a man could hope.
Addie looked up then as if feeling the heat of my thoughts. I loved the way her dark hair contrasted with her pale skin. Her eyes were the same as that hair, her brow, some freckles here and there. There was not a time I saw her something didn’t kick up its heels in me. And her smile, it was the prize I had won and she gave it free to me.
She looked at Janey, saw she was sleeping, and walked to the window I stood at. “Come in out of the rain,” she said, leaning on the counter there so her face came close to the screen.
“Hello pretty girl,” I said.
“You best get out of here. My husband sees, he’ll shoot you.”
“I don’t fear him. But that woman of his…she’s fierce they say.”
She laughed a little. “She can be,” she whispered.
“It would be worth the risk, what I got planned.”
“What have you got planned farmer?” She blushed and I loved that, too.