Eben Holden: A Tale of the North Country

by Irving Bacheller

  Chapter 40

  But now I have better things to write of, things that have some relishof good in them. I was very weak and low from loss of blood for days,and, suddenly, the tide turned. I had won recognition for distinguishedgallantry they told me--that day they took me to Washington. I lay threeweeks there in the hospital. As soon as they heard of my misfortuneat home Uncle Eb wrote he was coming to see me. I stopped him by atelegram, assuring him that I was nearly well and would be home shortly.

  My term of enlistment had expired when they let me out a fine day inmid August. I was going home for a visit as sound as any man but, inthe horse talk of Faraway, I had a little 'blemish'on the left shoulder.Uncle Eb was to meet me at the jersey City depot. Before going I, withothers who had been complimented for bravery, went to see the president.There were some twenty of us summoned to meet him that day. It was warmand the great Lincoln sat in his shirt-sleeves at a desk in the middleof his big office. He wore a pair of brown carpet slippers, the rollingcollar and black stock now made so familiar in print. His hair wastumbled. He was writing hurriedly when we came in. He laid his pen awayand turned to us without speaking. There was a careworn look upon hissolemn face.

  'Mr President,' said the general, who had come with us, 'here are someof the brave men of our army, whom you wished to see.

  He came and shook hands with each and thanked us in the name of therepublic, for the example of courage and patriotism we and many othershad given to the army. He had a lean, tall, ungraceful figure and hespoke his mind without any frill or flourish. He said only a few wordsof good plain talk and was done with us.

  'Which is Brower?' he enquired presently.

  I came forward more scared than ever I had been before.

  'My son,' he said, taking my hand in his, 'why didn't you run?'

  'Didn't dare,' I answered. 'I knew it was more dangerous to run awaythan to go forward.'

  'Reminds me of a story,' said he smiling. 'Years ago there was a bullyin Sangamon County, Illinois, that had the reputation of running fasterand fighting harder than any man there. Everybody thought he was aterrible fighter. He'd always get a man on the run; then he'd ketchup and give him a licking. One day he tadded a lame man. The lame manlicked him in a minute.

  '"Why didn't ye run?" somebody asked the victor.

  '"Didn't dast," said he. "Run once when he tackled me an I've been lameever since."

  "How did ye manage to lick him?" said the other.

  '"Wall," said he, "I hed to, an' I done it easy."

  'That's the way it goes,' said the immortal president, 'ye do it easy ifye have to.

  He reminded me in and out of Horace Greeley, although they looked nomore alike than a hawk and a handsaw. But they had a like habit offorgetting themselves and of saying neither more nor less than theymeant. They both had the strength of an ox and as little vanity. MrGreeley used to say that no man could amount to anything who worriedmuch about the fit of his trousers; neither of them ever encounteredthat obstacle.

  Early next morning I took a train for home. I was in soldier clothes Ihad with me, no others--and all in my car came to talk with me about thenow famous battle of Bull Run.

  The big platform at Jersey City was crowded with many people as we gotoff the train. There were other returning soldiers--some with crutches,some with empty sleeves.

  A band at the further end of the platform was playing and those near mewere singing the familiar music,

  'John Brown's body lies a mouldering in the grave.

  Somebody shouted my name. Then there rose a cry of three cheers forBrower. It's some of the boys of the Tribune, I thought--I could seea number of them in the crowd. One brought me a basket of flowers. Ithought they were trying to have fun with me.

  'Thank you!' said I, 'but what is the joke?'

  'No joke,' he said. 'It's to honour a hero.'

  'Oh, you wish me to give it to somebody.'

  I was warming with embarrassment

  'We wish you to keep it,' he answered.

  In accounts of the battle I had seen some notice of my leading a chargebut my fame had gone farther--much farther indeed--than I knew. I stooda moment laughing--an odd sort of laugh it was that had in it the saltof tears--and waving my hand to the many who were now calling my name.

  In the uproar of cheers and waving of handkerchiefs I could not findUncle Eb for a moment. When I saw him in the breaking crowd he wascheering lustily and waving his hat above his head. His enthusiasmincreased when I stood before him. As I was greeting him I heard alively rustle of skirts. Two dainty, gloved hands laid hold of mine;a sweet voice spoke my name. There, beside me, stood the tall, erectfigure of Hope. Our eyes met and, before there was any thinking ofpropriety, I had her in my arms and was kissing her and she was kissingme.

  It thrilled me to see the splendour of her beauty that day; her eyes wetwith feeling as they looked up at me; to feel again the trembling touchof her lips. In a moment I turned to Uncle Eb.

  'Boy,' he said, 'I thought you...' and then he stopped and beganbrushing his coat sleeve.

  'Come on now,' he added as he took my grip away from me. 'We're goin' t'hev a gran' good time. I'll take ye all to a splendid tavern somewheres.An' I ain't goin' to count the cost nuther.

  He was determined to carry my grip for me. Hope had a friend with herwho was going north in the morning on our boat. We crossed the ferry andtook a Broadway omnibus, while query followed query.

  'Makes me feel like a flapjack t'ride 'n them things,' said Uncle Eb aswe got out.

  He hired a parlour and two bedrooms for us all at the St Nicholas.

  'Purty middlin' steep!' he said to me as we left the office. 'It is,sartin! but I don't care--not a bit. When folks has to hev a good timethey've got t' hev it.

  We were soon seated in our little parlour. There was a great glow ofhealth and beauty in Hope's face. It was a bit fuller but had nobleroutlines and a colouring as delicate as ever. She wore a plain greygown admirably fitted to her plump figure. There was a new and splendid'dignity in her carriage, her big blue eyes, her nose with its littleupward slant. She was now the well groomed young woman of society in thefull glory of her youth.

  Uncle Eb who sat between us pinched her cheek playfully. A little spotof white showed a moment where his fingers had been. Then the pinkflooded over it.

  'Never see a girl git such a smack as you did,' he said laughing.

  'Well,' said she, smiling, 'I guess I gave as good as I got.'

  'Served him right,' he said. 'You kissed back good 'n hard. Gran sport!'he added turning to me.

  'Best I ever had,' was my humble acknowledgement.

  'Seldom ever see a girl kissed so powerful,' he said as he took Hope'shand in his. 'Now if the Bible said when a body kissed ye on one cheekye mus' turn if other I wouldn't find no fault. But ther's a heap odiffer'nce 'tween a whack an' a smack.

  When we had come back from dinner Uncle Eb drew off his boots and satcomfortably in his stocking feet while Hope told of her travels and I ofmy soldiering. She had been at the Conservatory, nearly the whole periodof her absence, and hastened home when she learned of the battle and ofmy wound. She had landed two days before.

  Hope's friend and Uncle Eb went away to their rooms in good season. ThenI came and sat beside Hope on the sofa.

  'Let's have a good talk,' I said.

  There was an awkward bit of silence.

  'Well,' said she, her fan upon her lips, 'tell me more about the war.

  'Tired of war,' I answered; 'love is a better subject.

  She rose and walked up and down the room, a troubled look in her face. Ithought I had never seen a woman who could carry her head so proudly.

  'I don't think you are very familiar with it,' said she presently.

  'I ought to be,' I answered, 'having loved you all these years.

  'But you told me that--that you loved another girl,' she said, her elbowleaning on the mantel, her eyes looking down soberly.

  'When? Where?' I asked.r />
  'In Mrs Fuller's parlour.'

  'Hope,' I said, 'you misunderstood me; I meant you.

  She came toward me, then, looking up into my eyes. I started to embraceher but she caught my hands and held them apart and came close to me.

  'Did you say that you meant me?' she asked in a whisper.

  'I did.'

  'Why did you not tell me that night?

  'Because you would not listen to me and we were interrupted.

  'Well if I loved a girl,' she said, 'I'd make her listen.'

  'I would have done that but Mrs Fuller saved you.'

  'You might have written,' she suggested in a tone of injury.

  'I did.'

  'And the letter never came--just as I feared.'

  She looked very sober and thoughtful then.

  'You know our understanding that day in the garden,' she added. 'If youdid not ask me again I was to know you--you did not love me any longer.That was long, long ago.

  'I never loved any girl but you,' I said. 'I love you now, Hope, andthat is enough--I love you so there is nothing else for me. You aredearer than my life. It was the thought of you that made me brave inbattle. I wish I could be as brave here. But I demand your surrender--Ishall give you no quarter now.

  'I wish I knew,' she said, 'whether--whether you really love me or not?

  'Don't you believe me, Hope?

  'Yes, I believe you,' she said, 'but--but you might not know your ownheart.

  'It longs for you,' I said, 'it keeps me thinking of you always. Onceit was so easy to be happy; since you have been away it has seemed as ifthere were no longer any light in the world or any pleasure. It has mademe a slave. I did not know that love was such a mighty thing.

  'Love is no Cupid--he is a giant,' she said, her voice trembling withemotion as mine had trembled. 'I tried to forget and he crushed me underhis feet as if to punish me.

  She was near to crying now, but she shut her lips firmly and kept backthe tears. God grant me I may never forget the look in her eyes thatmoment. She came closer to me. Our lips touched; my arms held hertightly.

  'I have waited long for this,' I said--'the happiest moment of my life!I thought I had lost you.

  'What a foolish man,' she whispered. 'I have loved you for years andyears and you--you could not see it, I believe now.'

  She hesitated a moment, her eyes so close to my cheek I could feel thebeat of their long lashes.

  'That God made you for me,' she added.

  'Love is God's helper,' I said. 'He made us for each other.

  'I thank Him for it--I do love you so,' she whispered.

  The rest is the old, old story. They that have not lived it are to bepitied.

  When we sat down at length she told me what I had long suspected, thatMrs Fuller wished her to marry young Livingstone.

  'But for Uncle Eb,' she added, 'I think I should have done so--for I hadgiven up all hope of you.'

  'Good old Uncle Eb!' I said. 'Let's go and tell him.

  He was sound asleep when we entered his room but woke as I lit the gas.

  'What's the matter?' he whispered, lifting his head.

  'Congratulate us,' I said. 'We're engaged.

  'Hey ye conquered her?' he enquired smiling.

  'Love has conquered us both,' I said.

  'Wall, I swan! is thet so?' he answered. 'Guess I won't fool away anymore time here in bed. If you childen'll go in t'other room I'll slipinto my trousers an' then ye'll hear me talk some conversation.

  'Beats the world!' he continued, coming in presently, buttoning hissuspenders. 'I thought mos' likely ye'd hitch up t'gether sometime.'Tain't often ye can find a pair s'well matched. The same style angaited jest about alike. When ye goin' t' git married?

  'She hasn't named the day,' I said.

  'Sooner the better,' said Uncle Eb as he drew on his coat and sat down.'Used to be so t'when a young couple hed set up 'n held each other'shan's a few nights they was ready fer the minister. Wish't ye couldfix it fer 'bout Crissmus time, by jingo! They's other things goin' tohappen then. S'pose yer s'happy now ye can stan' a little bad news. I'vegot to tell ye--David's been losin' money. Hain't never wrote ye 'boutit--not a word--'cause I didn't know how 'twas comin' out.

  'How did he lose it?' I enquired.

  'Wall ye know that Ow Barker--runs a hardware store in Migleyville--hesold him a patent right. Figgered an' argued night an' day fer more 'nthree weeks. It was a new fangled wash biler. David he thought he see achance if put out agents an' make a great deal o'money. It did look jestas easy as slidin' downhill but when we come slide--wall, we found outwe was at the bottom o the hill 'stid o' the top an' it wan't reel goodslidin. He paid five thousan' dollars fer the right o'ten counties. Thenbym bye Barker he wanted him t'go security fer fifteen hunderd bilersthet he was hevin' made. I to!' David he hedn't better go in no deeperbut Barker, he promised big things an' seemed to be sech a nice man 'atfin'ly David he up 'n done it. Wall he's hed 'em t' pay fer an' the factis it costs s'much if sell 'em it eats up all the profits.

  'Looks like a swindle,' I said indignantly.

  'No,' said Uncle Eb, ''tain't no swindle. Barker thought he hed a gran'good thing. He got fooled an' the fool complaint is very ketchin'. Gotit myself years ago an' I've been doctorin' fer it ever sence.

  The story of David's undoing hurt us sorely. He had gone the way of mostmen who left the farm late in life with unsatisfied ambition.

  'They shall never want for anything, so long as I have my health,' Isaid.

  'I have four hundred dollars in the bank,' said Hope, 'and shall givethem every cent of it.

  'Tain' nuthin'if worry over,' said Uncle Eb. 'If I don' never losemore'n a little money I shan't feel terrible bad. We're all young yit.Got more'n a million dollars wuth o' good health right here 'n thisroom. So well, I'm 'shamed uv it! Man's more decent if he's a leetle bitsickly. An' thet there girl Bill's agreed t'marry ye! Why! 'Druther hevher 'n this hull city o' New York.

  'So had I,' was my answer.

  'Wall, you am'no luckier 'n she is--not a bit,' he added. 'A good man'sbetter 'n a gol'mine ev'ry time.

  'Who knows,' said Hope. 'He may be president someday.

  'Ther's one thing I hate,' Uncle El continued. 'That's the idee o hevin'the woodshed an' barn an' garret full o' them infernal wash bilers.Ye can't take no decent care uv a hoss there 'n the stable' they'reso piled up. One uv 'em tumbled down top o' me t'other day. 'Druther'twould a been a panther. Made me s'mad I took a club an' knocked thatbiler into a cocked hat. 'Tain't right! I'm sick o' the sight uv 'em.

  'They'll make a good bonfire someday,' said Hope.

  'Don't believe they'd burn,' he answered sorrowfully, 'they're tin.

  'Couldn't we bury 'em?' I suggested.

  'Be a purty costly funeral,' he answered thoughtfully. 'Ye'd hev to diga hole deeper n Tupper's dingle.

  'Couldn't you give them away?' I enquired.

  'Wall,' said he, helping himself to a chew of tobacco, 'we ve triedthet. Gin 'em t'everybody we know but there ain't folks enough' there'ssuch a slew o'them bilers. We could give one to ev'ry man, woman an'child in Faraway an' hex enough left t'fill an acre lot. Dan Perry druvin t'other day with a double buggy. We gin him one fer his own fam'ly.It was heavy t'carry an' he didn't seem t' like the looks uv it someway.Then I asked him if he wouldn't like one fer his girl. "She ain'tmarried," says he. "She will be some time," says I, "take it along," sohe put in another. "You've got a sister over on the turnpike hain'tye?" says I. "Yes," says he. "Wall," I says, "don' want a hex her feelslighted." "She won't know 'bout my hevin' 'em," says he, lookin' 's ifhe'd hed enough. "Yis she will," I says, "she'll hear uv it an' mebbemake a fuss." Then we piled in another. "Look here," I says after that,"there s yer brother Bill up there 'bove you. Take one along fer him.""No," says he, "I don' tell ev'ry body, but Bill an' I ain't on goodterms. We ain't spoke fer more'n a year."

  'Knew he was lyin',' Uncle Eb added with a laugh, 'I'd seen him talkin'with Bill a day er two bef
ore.

  'Whew!' he whistled as he looked at his big silver watch. 'I declareit's mos' one o'clock They's jes' one other piece o' business to comebefore this meetin'. Double or single, want ye to both promise me t'behum Crissmus.

  We promised.

  'Now childern,' said he. ''S time to go to bed. B'lieve ye'd stan' thereswappin' kisses 'till ye was kner sprung if I didn't tell ye t' quit.

  Hope came and put her arms about his neck, fondly, and kissed himgood-night.

  'Did Bill prance right up like a man?' he asked, his hand upon hershoulder.

  'Did very well,' said she, smiling, 'for a man with a wooden leg.

  Uncle Eb sank into a chair, laughing heartily, and pounding his knee. Itseemed he had told her that I was coming home with a wooden leg! 'Thatis the reason I held your arm,' she said. 'I was expecting to hear itsqueak every moment as we left the depot. But when I saw that you walkedso naturally I knew Uncle Eb had been trying to fool me.

  'Purty good sort uv a lover, ain't he?' said he after we were donelaughing.

  'He wouldn't take no for an answer,' she answered.

  'He was alwuss a gritty cuss,' said Uncle Eb, wiping his eyes with a bigred handkerchief as he rose to go. 'Ye'd oughter be mighty happy an' yewill, too--their am'no doubt uv it--not a bit. Trouble with most youngfolks is they wan' to fly tew high, these days. If they'd only fly clusenough t'the ground so the could alwuss touch one foot, they'd be allright. Glad ye ain't thet kind.

  We were off early on the boat--as fine a summer morning as ever dawned.What with the grandeur of the scenery and the sublimity of our happinessit was a delightful journey we had that day. I felt the peace and beautyof the fields, the majesty of the mirrored cliffs and mountains, but thefair face of her I loved was enough for me. Most of the day Uncle Eb satnear us and I remember a woman evangelist came and took a seat besidehim, awhile, talking volubly of the scene.

  'My friend,' said she presently, 'are you a Christian?

  'Fore I answer I'll hev to tell ye a story,' said Uncle Eb. 'I recollec'a man by the name o' Ranney over 'n Vermont--he was a pious man. Gotinto an argyment an' a feller slapped him in the face. Ranney turnedt'other side an' then t'other an' the feller kep' a slappin' hot 'nheavy. It was jes' like strappin' a razor fer half a minnit. Then Ranneysailed in--gin him the wust lickin' he ever hed.

  '"I declare," says another man, after 'twas all over, "I thought you wasa Christian."

  "Am up to a cert in p'int," says he. "Can't go tew fur not 'n theseparts--men are tew powerful. 'Twon't do 'less ye wan' to die sudden.When he begun poundin' uv me I see I wan't eggzac'ly prepared."

  ''Fraid 's a good deal thet way with most uv us. We're Christians up toa cert'in p'int. Fer one thing, I think if a man'll stan' still an' seehimself knocked into the nex' world he's a leetle tew good fer this.'

  The good lady began to preach and argue. For an hour Uncle Eb satlistening unable to get in a word. When, at last, she left him he cameto us a look of relief in his face.

  'I b'lieve,' said he, 'if Balaam's ass hed been rode by a woman he never'd hev spoke.'

  'Why not?' I enquired.

  'Never'd hev hed a chance,' Uncle Eb added.

  We were two weeks at home with mother and father and Uncle Eb. It wasa delightful season of rest in which Hope and I went over the slopingroads of Faraway and walked in the fields and saw the harvesting. Shehad appointed Christmas Day for our wedding and I was not to go again tothe war, for now my first duty was to my own people. If God prosperedme they were all to come to live with us in town and, though slow topromise, I could see it gave them comfort to know we were to be for themever a staff and refuge.

  And the evening before we came back to town Jed Feary was with us andUncle Eb played his flute and sang the songs that had been the delightof our childhood.

  The old poet read these lines written in memory of old times in Farawayand of Hope's girlhood.

  'The red was in the clover an' the blue was in the sky: There was music in the meadow, there was dancing in the rye; An' I heard a voice a calling to the flocks o' Faraway An' its echo in the wooded hills--Go'day! Go'day! Go'day!

  O fair was she--my lady love--an' lithe as the willow tree, An' aye my heart remembers well her parting words t' me. An' I was sad as a beggar-man but she was blithe an' gay An' I think o' her as I call the flocks Go'day! Go'day! Go'day!

  Her cheeks they stole the dover's red, her lips the odoured air, An' the glow o' the morning sunlight she took away in her hair; Her voice had the meadow music, her form an' her laughing eye Have taken the blue o' the heavens an' the grace o' the bending rye.

  My love has robbed the summer day--the field, the sky, the dell, She has taken their treasures with her, she has taken my heart as well; An' if ever, in the further fields, her feet should go astray May she hear the good God calling her Go'day! Go'day! Go'day!