by John Fox
CHAPTER 20.
OFF TO THE WAR
Throughout that summer Chad fought his fight, daily swaying this wayand that--fought it in secret until the phantom of neutrality faded andgave place to the grim spectre of war--until with each hand Kentuckydrew a sword and made ready to plunge both into her own stout heart.When Sumter fell, she shook her head resolutely to both North andSouth. Crittenden, in the name of Union lovers and the dead Clay,pleaded with the State to take no part in the fratricidal crime. Fromthe mothers, wives, sisters and daughters of thirty-one counties camepiteously the same appeal. Neutrality, to be held inviolate, was theanswer to the cry from both the North and the South; but armedneutrality, said Kentucky. The State had not the moral right to secede;the Nation, no constitutional right to coerce: if both the North andthe South left their paths of duty and fought--let both keep theirbattles from her soil. Straightway State Guards went into camp and HomeGuards were held in reserve, but there was not a fool in theCommonwealth who did not know that, in sympathy, the State Guards werealready for the Confederacy and the Home Guards for the Union cause.This was in May.
In June, Federals were enlisting across the Ohio; Confederates, justover the border of Dixie which begins in Tennessee. Within a monthStonewall Jackson sat on his horse, after Bull Run, watching the routedYankees, praying for fresh men that he might go on and take theCapitol, and, from the Federal dream of a sixty-days' riot, the Northwoke with a gasp. A week or two later, Camp Dick Robinson squatted downon the edge of the Bluegrass, the first violation of the State'sneutrality, and beckoned with both hands for Yankee recruits. Soon anorder went round to disarm the State Guards, and on that very day theState Guards made ready for Dixie. On that day the crisis came at theDeans', and on that day Chad Buford made up his mind. When the Majorand Miss Lucy went to bed that night, he slipped out of the house andwalked through the yard and across the pike, following the little creekhalf unconsciously toward the Deans', until he could see the light inMargaret's window, and there he climbed the worm fence and sat leaninghis head against one of the forked stakes with his hat in his lap. Hewould probably not see her again. He would send her word next morningto ask that he might, and he feared what the result of that word wouldbe. Several times his longing eyes saw her shadow pass the curtain, andwhen her light was out, he closed his eyes and sat motionless--how longhe hardly knew; but, when he sprang down, he was stiffened from themidnight chill and his unchanged posture. He went back to his roomthen, and wrote Margaret a letter and tore it up and went to bed. Therewas little sleep for him that night, and when the glimmer of morningbrightened at his window, he rose listlessly, dipped his hot head in abowl of water and stole out to the barn. His little mare whinnied awelcome as he opened the barn door. He patted her on the neck.
"Good-by, little girl," he said. He started to call her by name andstopped. Margaret had named the beautiful creature "Dixie." Theservants were stirring.
"Good-mawnin', Mars Chad," said each, and with each he shook hands,saying simply that he was going away that morning. Only old Tom askedhim a question.
"Foh Gawd, Mars Chad," said the old fellow, "old Mars Buford can't gitalong widout you. You gwine to come back soon?"
"I don't know, Uncle Tom," said Chad, sadly.
"Whar you gwine, Mars Chad?"
"Into the army."
"De ahmy?" The old man smiled. "You gwine to fight de Yankees?"
"I'm going to fight WITH the Yankees."
The old driver looked as though he could not have heard aright.
"You foolin' this ole nigger, Mars Chad, ain't you?"
Chad shook his head, and the old man straightened himself a bit.
"I'se sorry to heah it, suh," he said, with dignity, and he turned tohis work.
Miss Lucy was not feeling well that morning and did not come down tobreakfast. The boy was so pale and haggard that the Major looked at himanxiously.
"What's the matter with you, Chad? Are you--?"
"I didn't sleep very well last night, Major."
The Major chuckled. "I reckon you ain't gettin' enough sleep thesedays. I reckon I wouldn't, either, if I were in your place."
Chad did not answer. After breakfast he sat with the Major on the porchin the fresh, sunny air. The Major smoked his pipe, taking the stem outof his mouth now and then to shout some order as a servant passed underhis eye.
"What's the news, Chad?"
"Mr. Crittenden is back."
"What did old Lincoln say?"
"That Camp Dick Robinson was formed for Kentuckians by Kentuckians, andhe did not believe that it was the wish of the State that it should beremoved."
"Well, by ----! after his promise. What did Davis say?"
"That if Kentucky opened the Northern door for invasion, she must notclose the Southern door to entrance for defence."
"And dead right he is," growled the Major with satisfaction.
"Governor Magoffin asked Ohio and Indiana to join in an effort for apeace Congress," Chad added.
"Well?"
"Both governors refused."
"I tell you, boy, the hour has come."
The hour had come.
"I'm going away this morning, Major."
The Major did not even turn his head.
"I thought this was coming," he said quietly. Chad's face grew evenpaler, and he steeled his heart for the revelation.
"I've already spoken to Lieutenant Hunt," the Major went on. "Heexpects to be a captain, and he says that, maybe, he can make you alieutenant. You can take that boy Brutus as a body servant." He broughthis fist down on the railing of the porch. "God, but I'd give the restof my life to be ten years younger than I am now."
"Major, I'm GOING INTO THE UNION ARMY."
The Major's pipe almost dropped from between his lips. Catching thearms of his chair with both hands, he turned heavily and with dazedwonder, as though the boy had struck him with his fist from behind,and, without a word, stared hard into Chad's tortured face. The keenold eye had not long to look before it saw the truth, and then,silently, the old man turned back. His hands trembled on the chair, andhe slowly thrust them into his pockets, breathing hard through hisnose. The boy expected an outbreak, but none came. A bee buzzed abovethem. A yellow butterfly zigzagged by. Blackbirds chattered in thefirs. The screech of a peacock shrilled across the yard, and aploughman's singing wailed across the fields:
Trouble, O Lawd! Nothin' but trouble in de lan' of Canaan.
The boy knew he had given his old friend a mortal hurt.
"Don't, Major," he pleaded. "You don't know how I have fought againstthis. I tried to be on your side. I thought I was. I joined the Rifles.I found first that I couldn't fight WITH the South, and--then--I--foundthat I had to fight FOR the North. It almost kills me when I think ofall you have done."
The Major waved his hand imperiously. He was not the man to hear hisfavors recounted, much less refer to them himself. He straightened andgot up from his chair. His manner had grown formal, stately, coldlycourteous.
"I cannot understand, but you are old enough, sir, to know your ownmind. You should have prepared me for this. You will excuse me amoment." Chad rose and the Major walked toward the door, his step notvery steady, and his shoulders a bit shrunken--his back, somehow,looked suddenly old.
"Brutus!" he called sharply to a black boy who was training rosebushesin the yard. "Saddle Mr. Chad's horse." Then, without looking again atChad, he turned into his office, and Chad, standing where he was, witha breaking heart, could hear, through the open window, the rustling ofpapers and the scratching of a pen.
In a few minutes he heard the Major rise and he turned to meet him. Theold man held a roll of bills in one hand and a paper in the other.
"Here is the balance due you on our last trade," he said, quietly. "Themare is yours--Dixie," he added, grimly. "The old mare is in foal. Iwill keep her and send you your due when the time comes. We are quiteeven," he went on in a level tone of business. "Indeed, what you havedone about the place
more than exceeds any expense that you have evercaused me. If anything, I am still in your debt."
"I can't take it!" said Chad, choking back a sob.
"You will have to take it," the Major broke in, curtly, "unless--" theMajor held back the bitter speech that was on his lips and Chadunderstood. The old man did not want to feel under any obligations tohim.
"I would offer you Brutus, as was my intention, except that I know youwould not take him," again he added, grimly, "and Brutus would run awayfrom you."
"No, Major," said Chad, sadly, "I would not take Brutus," and hestepped down one step of the porch backward.
"I tried to tell you, Major, but you wouldn't listen. I don't wonder,for I couldn't explain to you what I couldn't understand myself. I--"the boy choked and tears filled his eyes. He was afraid to hold out hishand.
"Good-by, Major," he said, brokenly.
"Good-by, sir," answered the Major, with a stiff bow, but the old man'slip shook and he turned abruptly within.
Chad did not trust himself to look back, but, as he rode through thepasture to the pike gate, his ears heard, never to forget, the chatterof the blackbirds, the noises around the barn, the cry of the peacock,and the wailing of the ploughman:
Trouble, O Lawd! Nothin' but trouble--
At the gate the little mare turned her head toward town and startedaway in the easy swinging lope for which she was famous. From acornfield Jerome Conners, the overseer, watched horse and rider for awhile, and then his lips were lifted over his protruding teeth in oneof his ghastly, infrequent smiles. Chad Buford was out of his way atlast. At the Deans' gate, Snowball was just going in on Margaret's ponyand Chad pulled up.
"Where's Mr. Dan, Snowball?--and Mr. Harry?"
"Mars Dan he gwine to de wah--an' I'se gwine wid him."
"Is Mr. Harry going, too?" Snowball hesitated. He did not like togossip about family matters, but it was a friend of the family who wasquestioning him.
"Yessuh! But Mammy say Mars Harry's teched in de haid. He gwine tofight wid de po' white trash."
"Is Miss Margaret at home?"
"Yessuh."
Chad had his note to Margaret, unsealed. He little felt like seeing hernow, but he had just as well have it all over at once. He took it outand looked it over once more--irresolute.
"I'm going away to join the Union army, Margaret. May I come to tellyou good-by? If not, God bless you always. CHAD."
"Take this to Miss Margaret, Snowball, and bring me an answer here assoon as you can."
"Yessuh."
The black boy was not gone long. Chad saw him go up the steps, and in afew moments he reappeared and galloped back.
"Ole Mistis say dey ain't no answer."
"Thank you, Snowball." Chad pitched him a coin and loped on towardLexington with his head bent, his hands folded on the pommel, and thereins flapping loosely. Within one mile of Lexington he turned into across-road and set his face toward the mountains.
An hour later, the General and Harry and Dan stood on the big portico.Inside, the mother and Margaret were weeping in each other's arms. Twonegro boys were each leading a saddled horse from the stable, whileSnowball was blubbering at the corner of the house. At the last momentDan had decided to leave him behind. If Harry could have no servant,Dan, too, would have none. Dan was crying without shame. Harry's facewas as white and stern as his father's. As the horses drew near theGeneral stretched out the sabre in his hand to Dan.
"This should belong to you, Harry."
"It is yours to give, father," said Harry, gently.
"It shall never be drawn against my roof and your mother."
The boy was silent.
"You are going far North?" asked the General, more gently. "You willnot fight on Kentucky soil?"
"You taught me that the first duty of a soldier is obedience. I must gowhere I'm ordered."
"God grant that you two may never meet."
"Father!" It was a cry of horror from both the lads.
The horses were waiting at the stiles. The General took Dan in his armsand the boy broke away and ran down the steps, weeping.
"Father," said Harry, with trembling lips, "I hope you won't be toohard on me. Perhaps the day will come when you won't be so ashamed ofme. I hope you and mother will forgive me. I can't do otherwise than Imust. Will you shake hands with me, father?"
"Yes, my son. God be with you both."
And then, as he watched the boys ride side by side to the gate, headded:
"I could kill my own brother with my own hand for this."
He saw them stop a moment at the gate; saw them clasp hands and turnopposite ways--one with his face set for Tennessee, the other makingfor the Ohio. Dan waved his cap in a last sad good-by. Harry rode overthe hill without turning his head. The General stood rigid, with hishands clasped behind his back, staring across the gray fields betweenthem. Through the winds, came the low sound of sobbing.