Chief

THE hotel porter who came to the railroad station wore a very big brass watch-chain with many seals ; he was pompous in his manner and dress, and he bore a great name ; for he called himself “Chief Justice John Marshall.” He was commonly known as “Chief.” He had belonged to the Marshall family in Virginia. That he had taken the name of the most illustrious member of the family caused no wonder. He went regularly to the station, seeking patrons for the hotel that he served. The train was late on this particular day, and I was interested in noticing that Chief seemed especially impatient and was scolding about the delay. He was expecting some one in whom he was deeply concerned, and I was amused at his impatience.

“ Dey calls her de limited,” he said, turning to me, “ but what she ’s limited fer I doan’ know, ’thout’n hit’s ter git in behin’ time. Sho’ ’s yer ’speck her, she ’s boun’ ter be late, jes’ ter fool yer; yaas, fool yer ev’y blessed time. En dat boy ’ll git year arfter dark, en I ’bleeged ter git back ter dat hotel ter look arfter dem trunks. I sutt’nly is dis’p’inted, dat I is ; en dat chile ’speck’n me ter meet ’im, en he doan’ know no mo’ ’bout dis city ner er coon. Dey sutt’nly ought ter look out ’bout dese trains; hit’s too discomposin’ fer ter be hendered dis er way.”

“ Who are you looking for, Chief ? ” I asked.

“ Why, de young marster, o’ co’se ; who you think I could be lookin’ fer, ’sep’n him ? ” he replied, seeming to think I could see the perplexed state of his mind by looking at his face ; “ de young marster Ben, he comin’ f’m Lynckbug, en he start on de train dis mawnin’, en I knows de chile’s liongry en tie’d, too, travelin’ all dat er way by hisse’f. Yaas, suh, he tuck de train at Lynchbug dis mawnin’, en he come all de way f’m Amhust Cote House ter teck it at dat.”

“ Does he live here ?” I inquired.

“ Who ? him ? Ain’ I jes’ tell yer he live in Amhust, en dat’s way down in Verginia, where I wuz horned en raise’. Yaas, suh, down in Amhust, en er good place hit is w’ en you gits dar. Lemme see : dat boy ’ll be sixteen year ole dis summer comin’, dat he will, en I ain’ seed him dis two year. Yaas, suh, hit ’ill be nigher two year dan one sence I sot eyes on ’im. I speck he grow so I sca’cely knows ’im; but I bet I does, fer he got he daddy eye, en he daddy walk too. Yaas, jes’ lemme see he eye en I knows ’im right off. He got er eye jes’ like de marster w’at fit ’long in de wah, right ’long side Gen’l Stuart, w’at wuz killed down at de Yaller Tavern, nigh Richmun’. He die game, so de say, en dat boy’s gamer ’n his daddy. He ain’ feard de debbil hisse’f.”

“ Is he coming here to school ? ” I asked, by way of keeping up the conversation.

“ He ? Lawd, nor, suh ! He got no call ter go ter school. He smart ’nuff ’thout’n gwine ter school. Leastways de miss’s ain’ gwine trus’ ’im dis fur ’way ter no school. She teach him herse’f, she do, en dat boy knows ez much ez de miss’s. Nor, suh, he ain’ got no need ter go ter no school in dis place. He jes’ comin’ on ter see ole Chief, dat’s all. He come ’bout onct er year, anyway, en de miss’s come wid ’im sometimes, Dey ain’ fergit Chief, not dey. I gits dis fer him,” he added confidentially, “ gits hit lars’ night, en I gwine gin her to ’im soon’s he gits off’n de train en I gits nigh ’nuff ter han’ her to ’im.” And as he spoke he took from his pocket a really handsome silver watch with a gold chain.

“ Where did you get that ? ” I said.

“Who? me? Ain’ I jes’ tell you I git hit fer de boy ? Bought hit wi’ my own earnin’s, too ; did n’ s’pose I stole her, did you ? ”

He was evidently indignant, and I apologized.

“Yaas, suh ! bought her wi’ my own money, fer dat boy.”

“ And his father was your master, was he ? ” Chief’s story was getting interesting. I wished to hear more of it.

“Yaas, suh, dat he wuz, en er good marster he wuz, fer sho’ en suttin. You see my mammy she 'longed ter nuther estate f’m ourn, en long ’fo’ de wah de man w’at owned her he broke up ’n wuz gwine ter de Wes’. En he say he gwine ter sell all he people ter de Georgia traders; en de marster say ’t wuz er shame, en he gwine ter buy me an’ my mammy anyway, fer he know’d her pussonally. So he goes to de sale, he does, en he bids her in, her’n me, fer er thousan’ dollars. En w’en he come ter pay de money he foun’ he did n’ have ’nuff, en de man w’at sells us he say ’t warn’ no matter ’bout de cash, dat de marster could gin ’im er deed er trus’ on de plantation; en so de marster he done dat, en de deed jes’ run on. De miss’s she wuz orneasy ’bout it, but de marster say ’t wuz all right long ez he pay de intrus’ but she keep tellin’ ’im he better git dat deed fix’; but he wuz er keerless sort o’ man, en jes’ let her run. He say he done pay de intrus’, en dat wuz ’nuff,”

“I suppose you left Virginia when the war came on,” I remarked.

“ Me ? Nor, suh ! I been ’way f’m dar er long time ’fo’ dat. De marster he had er cousin in dis city, en he let him have me fer so much er year, — kind o’ hire me out ter him, yon know. Yaas, I wuz hayar two year befo’ de wah.”

“Then the war brought you your freedom,” I suggested.

“Well, suh, fur’s dat,” he replied, “ Chief ain’ wantin’ no better freedom en I gits right at home. I ’s had ter scuffle thu some tough places sence de wah, but’t wuz easy times fer er lazy nigger at home. De warn’ no boss liurryin’ you up all day ; nor, suh, dat de warn’. De han’s on de plantation teck de time, yaas, plenty time, time fer eatin’ en sleepin’, en holidays ’nuff fer anybody. De marster wuz easy man wi’ easy ways, en he did n’ hurry nobody, en de did n’ hurry dese’ves ’sep’n in de harves’, en de ’bleeged ter hurry den ter git de crap in.

“Cap’n Jack dey calls ’im, he keeps dis hotel, en I wuz de porter, jes’ like I is now, ’fo’ de wah. En w’en de wah comed on he slips away Souf, en he plans ter teck me wi’ im. But de blockade runners dey would n’ teck me, so I had ter stay. But ’t wuz mightily ’ginst de grain fer me ter stay, en de marster en dat boy er hiz’n en de miss’s all yander in Amhust. But de warn’ no he’p fer it, so de tells me. En w’en Cap’n Jack he goes away he leaves de bisness in he partner’s ban’s, en he say he thought de right thing ter do wuz ter pay me de same ez w’at he’d pay any oder porter, seein’ I wuz wuckin’ studdy en de warn’ no way tor sen’ de wages ter de marster. So he pays me de fus’ monf forty dollars in gol’, en say, ‘ Chief, you 'll be rich.’ But I looks at de money en I say ter myse’f, ‘ Chief, you know dat money ’longs ter de marster, doan’ you now ? ’ En hit seem ter me de money mos’ speak back, ‘ Dat I does, — I ain’ yourn, but de marster’s, sho’ ! ’ Co’se I knows ef de marster wuz right here en see me teck de money he ’d say he did n’ keer, fer I yearns hit myse’f, en he got ’nuff. But ev’y time I looks at dat money, en dat money looks at me, it say, en I say, ' We bofe 'longs ter de marster, me en de money, en de money en me, —sho’ ’s def, hit do.’ So I puts her away in er box; but I feard ter let her stay dar, fer I gwine in en out, en who knows but some o’ dem ornery free nigger waiters at dat hotel steals hit ? So I axes de cluck at de hotel, en he tecks me down ter de bank en interjuses me ter de head man, en de tecks de money en gins me a little book, en says w’en I got any mo’ I mas’ come right down. Yaas, suh, de treats me jes’ like I wuz er gent’mun. So de nex’ monf I had forty dollars mo’, en I puts dat erway too. I had n’ no call fer money myse’f, fer I gits my boa’d at de hotel, en I had plenty clo’es.

“ But all dat time I’s stud’in’ ’bout de marster ’n dat hoy ’n de miss’s. En I say ter myse’f, I does, de marster’s yander in Amhust, er mebbe he gone inter de ahmy, en dat boy ’n de miss’s all by dese’ves, en I known hit’s hard times down datter way, fur I hayarn de hotel cluck say so. En den de blockade runners comed thu de lines wi’ er letter ter de boss, en de tells me ’bout hit. So I says ter de blockade runner, — he wuz stayin’ at de hotel, pertendin’ he wuz f’m some furrin country er other, — I says ter him, I wants him ter teck de money thu de lines so de marster’ll git it. Well, suh, he mos’ fall down, he larf so, en he say I ’s de bigges’ fool nigger dis side o’ fool-town ; dat de money’s mine ter spen’ er keep, jes’ ’s I choose; en ez fer teckin’ dat ter Amhust, he got ter go by Richmun’, en like ez not he git sunk in de bottom o’ de Potomac ’fore he gits ’cross; dat hit wuz dange’ser ’n er battle, crossin’ de river wi’ all dem gunboats in de way. Den I speaks ter ’nudder man, en he say, oh yaas, he teck her. But he mos’ too ready, en I ax de hotel cluck, en he say doan’ trus’ ’im ; he wuz er mean Jew w’at wuz carry’n’ counterban’ goods, en ef he tuck de money I mout never see her no mo’. So I gin hit up. But hit hu’t me ter think dat de marster wuz mos’ likely ’way f’m home, fer I done hayar he gone ter fight de Yankees wi’ Gen’l Stuart, en wuz one o’ his leadin’ men too, fust in de fight en larst ter leave off. He ’way f’m de miss’s en dat boy, en dey by dese’ves on dat plantation. But de warn’ no way ter he’p it. So I goes ’long, I does, en I saves ev’y cent o’ de wages, en by en by de boss raise her ter sixty dollar en er good suit er clo’es, kaze de house wuz full er people all de time, en de did n’ seem ter keer w’at de pays. De jes’ ez leave han’ Chief er dollar fer totin’ er valise ter de station ez ten cents in de ole times. En one day er man — I thinks be wuz er general, er some sich — he gin me er five dollar gol’ piece fer he’pin’ him ’cross de street. He wuz er little bit lame, en he say he fightin’ ter set us all free. I doan’ keer fer dat, so I gits de money.

“ So dis sort o’ doin’s gwine on fer nigh fo’ year, en I wuz layin’ up er right good pile o’ money. Good deal o’ hit wuz in gol’. En one day I wuz gittin’ de cluck ter add her up fer me in de little book de bank gin me, en he say, ‘ Chief, you gittin’ rich ; you got mo’ ’n nine hun’ed dollars in gol’.’ ‘ Well,’ I say, ‘ gol’ ’s money, en money’s gol’.’ But he say gol’ ’s wuff two twenty-five. ‘Well,’ I say, ‘w’at good dat do me?’ ‘ Good ! ’ he say ; ‘ why, you kin teck dat gol’ en sell her fer mo’ ’n two thousand dollars in greenbacks. En dey’s ez good ez’ gol’ fer you er me eider.’ En den he say, ‘ Chief, why doan’ you spen’ you’ money ? ’ But I up ’n tell him dat de money warn’ mine ; dat I savin’ her fer de marster. Hit ’long ter him. Den he look at me er little while, en he say, ‘ Chief, you too hones’ fer dis worl’: de quicker you gits out’n it de better ! ’ En den he say he did n’ want to hu’t my feelin’s, but he thinks he better tell me dat he hearn day before yistuday dat de marster he done got killed some time befo’, down at de Yaller Tavern, nigh Richmun’, fightin’ wi’ Gen’l Stuart. He doan’ like much ter tell me befo’, but ’t wuz sutt’nly so. Den I ax 'im ’bout de miss’s ’n dat boy, en he say he doan’ know much erbout ’em, but dat he hearn de all mighty po’, sence de wah done 'flicted ’em so. De warn’ nobody ter wuck de craps, en he ’specks de all starve mos’ 'fo’ de een o’ things come. De niggers all lef’ soon ’s dey could, en he ’specks de warn’ er han’ lef’ ’bout de place. Ez fer all de money I done save, he say ef de marster wuz livin’ he got no claim on de money ; dat I wuz free ez er no’thwes’ win’ now, en fer de matter o’ dat, had been sence de proclamation ; dat de warn’ nobody ownin’ me no more ’n de king er Cuba. But I tells ’im ez fer dat, I doan’ know so much ’bout dat, but I knows w’en de marster done bought my mammy ’n me he tuck he own money ter do it, en w’en I tecks dat money fer mine, I wants hit straight f’m home fust. W’en de miss’s say so, hit mought be all right, but I mus’ see her fust.

“ En dat night I had er dream en I see de marster. He wuz rulin’ he hoss, ’n gwine out de front gate, ter jine de ahmy. En he call me en say jes’ ’s plain ez kin be : ‘ Chief, I doan’ know w’en dis wah’s gwine ter be over, ner what’s ter be de een o’ all dis ; but ef I dies. I dies er fightin’, en I looks ter you ter see dat de miss’s en dat boy ’s tooken keer o’.’ I see dat, en hayar dat, — hayar ’im en see ’im, jes’ ’s plain ez daylight. En den I knows jes’ w’at ter do.

“ So I goes to de cluck en I say I gwine home, — I ’bleeged ter go. But he say de warn’ no way ter git home; dat de railroads warn’ runnin’, en not even de bridges put up. So de warn’ nuttin’ ter do ’sep’n ter wait.

“ Den t’wards de fall he tells me dey done fix de railroad en de trains runnin’ thu some sort o’ way, en I seed some people w’at comed thu f’m Lynchbug, at de hotel. Dey did n’ know nuttin’ ’bout de folks at home, do’. Den I gits ready ter start. I hear 't wuz awful hard times down dat way, en how de people w’ars de commones’ sort o’ clo’ es, en how de warn’ ’nuff money in Amhust ter buy er poun’ er coffee ; en ez fer sugar, dey done los’ de tas’ o’ dat. So I gits er nice little bun’le o’ sugar ’n coffee, en some tea, fer I knows de miss’s love dat, en I gits de cluck at de hotel (he sutt’nly wuz good ter me en I ain’ gwine fergit ’im nuther) fer ter fix all de papers at de bank, so dat money all straight.

“ Den I thinks ’bout dat boy en I stud’in’ ’bout some clo’es fer 'im. I ’specks he grow right smart, so I gits er suit, de nices’ one in de sto’, en er nice paar er shoes, de fines’ dey had in de sto’, en er bag er candy, en I wuz ’bout ready. I wuz mighty ’tic’l’r ’bout dat money, kaze I knows de miss’s wuz ’tic’l’r, en she uster say dat somebody had ter be ’tic’l’r, else dey all be in de po’house, de marster wuz so keerless en easy-goin’. So I gits de papers fix so ef anythin’ happ’n ter me ’t would be all right fer de miss’s. I know’d de miss’s, do’, mighty well, en I mistrus’ ef she teck dat money. She mighty quaar sometimes ’bout w’at’s hern, but I gits er stifficut. f’m de bank sayin’ de money wuz all right, all ’sep’ some change I tucken out ter trabbel wi’.

“ En now I wuz ready ter start. I kep’ thinkin’ ’bout dat dream, en seem jes’ like de marster wuz jes’ overhead o’ me all de time, sayin’, ‘ Chief, teck cayar o’ dat boy an’ de miss’s.’

“ I wuz stud’in’ ’bout home all de time, mos’, fer I ain’ fergit ’em, ef’t wuz er long time. I know’d dat de marster wuz killed in de wah, en I know’d all de han’s lef’ de place. I seed one er two o’ em endurin’ o’ de wah, comin’ thu dis very depot, en de say de gwine ter Boston. En I ax ’em ’bout de place en de people, en de tells me suttin’. But I ax ’em ain’ de shame ter run off en leave de miss’s now dat de marster wuz gone ; en de looks right sheepish ’bout hit. But de say all de niggers in de county done gone. I doan’ b’l’eve dat, fer I know I ain’ runnin’ erway, but I stud’in’ how ter git back. En I know one thing fer suttin’: ef dem niggers git ter Boston, en furder ’n dat, de won’ fin’ no home ez good ez Amhust, en no frien’ ez good ez de miss’s. Nor, suh, dat de won’. En de axes me w’at I doin’ all dis time; w’en I tells 'em how much I meck, en how I done save it fer de miss’s en dat boy, de jes’ larfs at me en say I ’s er bigger fool ’n w’en X lef’ home, — dat I wuz free en dat de money wuz mine — all de niggers wuz free. Den I up ’n tells ’em dat de ain’ got sense ter meck money fer dese’ves, let ’lone de miss’s. Yaas, suh, I know dem niggers ain’ gwine fin’ no quarters en hick’y logs on de fire en ’taters roastin’ in de ashes, let ’lone ’possums en coons ready fer ketchin’ 'n cookin’. En I tells 'em de ain’ no dodgin’ wuck up datter way, ner meckin’ b’l’eve you got er chill, en havin’ de miss’s sen’ you er dram ter keep hit off. Nor, suh, home’s good ’nuff fer dis nigger, ’n I wuz gittin’ mo’ ’n mo’ longiner fer it.

“I wuz sayin’ ’t wuz t’wards fall, but I b’l’eves hit wuz nigher Chris’mus, en I wuz thinkin’ ’bout hawg-killin’, en I gits er mighty longin’ fer some o’ dat sossige dat de miss’s meck, she en Jane de cook. Hit jes’ melt in you’ mouf. En dar wuz de hasslets en tripe, en — why, my Lawd, suh, dat wuz livin’ ! En hominy ! De good ole hominy de meek in de mortar hollered out’n er log, en Big Sam ter beat her wi’ er pestle! Meck my mouf water dis minnit!

“ I tecks de kayars at dis ve’y depot, en I starts fer Amhust. I gits so busy thinkin’ dat I draps off ter sleep, en ef de corndoctor hed n’ wake’ me up I ’specks I sleep all de way ter No’th C’liner. Ez it wuz de kayars carry me pas’ de Amhust station en clean ter Lynchbug. So I gits off at Lynchbug, en it wuz way in de night. De warn’ nuttin’ ter do ’sep’n ter wait tell daylight, so I sot by de fire in de station en doze twell mawnin’. En I looks out’n de winder, en de wuz right smart fall er snow, en I feels mighty like stickin’ by dat fire. But dat warn’ right, so I picks up my bun’le ’n starts mos’ ’fo’ day. En all de way I’s thinkin’ ’bout home en I gits longiner en longiner ter see ’em.

“ ’T warn’ so ve’y fur ter de Cote House, en de ole place wuz jes’ beyan’, ’bout er mile er so. So I gits dar in time fer breakfus,’ en tries ter hunt up somebody I knows ; but de warn’ nobody ’bout dat know’d me. I done been gone so long, dey done fergitted me clean out en out. Well, I say, de miss’s en dat boy ain’ fergit me, I sho’ o’ dat, — de know me de fus’ sight. I sot by de fire in de Cote House warmin’ myse’f, en ef I did ’n git ter nappin’ ergin ! Yaas, suh, fer er fac’ ; en w’en I wakes up de bell wuz ringin’, en de judge wuz comin’ in, en de sheriff wuz hollerin’, ' Oh yes, oh yes; ’ en when I hears dat I says I’s home now fer sho’. Fer de marster uster be de sheriff in de ole times, en many’s de time I heard ’im holler ' Oh yes,’ jes’ dat way. But w’en I looks at dat man w’at wuz hollerin’ I say ter myse’f, ' Dat man ain’ no Marshall ; no, ner none er de stock ’bout hayar.’ I liss’n, en he talk thu he nose like dem Yankee fellers in de wah. You cayrn’t fool me ’bout you’ speechifyin’ ; I knows de Ole Verginia speech ev’y time. So I sot dar, en de did n’ nobody say nuttin’ ter me, ner I say nuttin’ ter none er dem.

“ Putty soon de journs de cote, en de say de gwine ter have a sale. So de man what hollers ‘ Oh yes,’ he gits on de Cote House steps en reads some papers ’bout ’t wuz ’cordin’ de deed o’ trus’, en say de gwine sell de ole Marshall place. When I hayars dat I wakes up fer good, fer when he calls de Marshall name you know I boun’ ter liss’n. So I gits up clost, en he say how de place wuz one er de fines’ in de county, er Ole Verginia homestead, ’bout fo’ hun’ed acres mo’ o’ less, wi’ timber en house en outbuildin’s.

“ En I say ter myse’f, ' Name er Gord ! de gwine ter sell my ole miss’s home ! ’ I tell you, suh, I wuz so tecken erback I mos’ fergit my own brudder. So I sez ter myse’f, ' I gwine ter speak ter de jedge, so I is,’ — I see ’im stan’in’ clost by. So I aidge over his way en ax if ’t wuz er fac’, de sellin’ de ole Marshall place. En he say ’t wuz so, dat wuz de place. Well, suh, it fayar meck me grunt. En I ax ’im warn’ de no way ter stop hit ? ' Nor,’ he say, ' not ’less’n you buys it,’ en he larf when he say dat. ' Dat’s er fac’, suh,’ sez I, ' en I’s mightily ’bleeged ter you. I had n’ thought o’ that.’ En all of a suddent hit come over me all ’bout de marster hirin’ me out in Baltimo’, at de hotel, en how good he wuz ter me, he en de miss’s, en how de good Lawd hed prospered me en he’p me pick up all dat money, en how I had dat honin’ ter come home, en I gits dar jes’ in de nick er time wi’ de money I ’specks rightly ’longs ter de miss’s, — mos’ o’ hit, anyway; en please Gord, I gwine ter buy de place dis day ef de money hol’ out!

“I’s er ’lig’us man, suh, en sometimes in de meetin’ I gits kinder happy, en feels like shoutin’. But de Lawd knows I feels mo’ like shoutin’ jes’ den dan in all de meetin’s put togeder; I b’l’eves I did holler jes’ er little. But de auctioneer wuz cryin’ de sale, en sayin’ dat de deed o’ trus’ wuz er thousan’ dollar, en how de wuz fo’ year intrus’ on it, but dat de cote had ’cided dat de could n’ ’lect de intrus’ w’at had growed endurin’ o’ de wah, en de place wuz fer sale, en, gentermuns, how much you give ? Did n’ nobody seem like de want ter bid, en one man say de warn’ er thousan’ dollars in de county, en warn’ sho’ de wuz in de state. En one feller he start her at a hun’ed dollars, en de auctioneer larf ’n say ’t teck dat much fer buy er graveyard; en de oder man say de wuz plenty er men like him git graveyards down hayar fer nuttin’ not so ve’y long ergo, ’sep’n fer de bullit hit took fer fetch ’em. So dat start a larf, en de auctioneer say, ‘ Genternmns, dis place is boun’ ter be sol’, even ef she doan’ sell fer mo’ ’n ’nuff ter pay de deed er trus’. Dis place wuz wuth fo’ thousan’ dollars ef hit wuz wuth er cent.’

“ Den I steps up clost en I ax ’im, ‘ How much you say is owin’ on de place ? ’

“ ‘ One thousan’ dollars,’ he say.

“ Den hit all come over me like er streak er lightnin’ ’bout dat deed er trus’ de marster put on de place ter buy me ’n my mammy ter keep us f’m bein’ sol’ ter Georgia ; en now I knows how de good Lawd he done sont me down hayar dis day, jes’ in de nick er time. ’T wuz Providence, sho’ ; so I knows now jes’ what ter’ do. I mecks up my min’, en I steps up ter de front en I say, ‘ I buy de place myse’f.’

“Well, suh, you ought ter hayar de people larf, en somebody say de bottom rail gittin’ on top, sho’, w’en de Marshall place ’longs ter er nigger. De hung one, so he say, lars’ week, fer sheep-stealin’, en he ax me whar I f’m. En I tells ’im, en he ax my name ; en w’en I tells ’im dat, he bus’ out, ' Why, I know de man ! I seed him in Baltimo’ many er time w’en I wuz blockade runnin’.’

“ En sho’ ’nuff, ’t wuz de ve’y blockade runner I seed at de hotel dar, — not de Jew one, but de one w’at brung de letter f’m Amhust. So I tecks him one side, fer I did n’ want ev’ybody meddlin’ in my business, en I shows him de stifficut f’m de bank. En he say he know de bank well; en de judge step up, en he say he knows her too, dat 't wuz good ez gol’. So dey bofe ’grees ter go on de bon’ er condemnation, en de auctioneer say, ' All right, ole man, de place is yourn.’

“ I steps ercross inter de cluck’s office wi’ ’im, en gits de deed er release, as de calls hit; anyway de fix it all right so’t wuz my place.

“But ’twarn’ my place, suh! Nor, suh ! 't wuz de miss’s’, en so I say he mus’ fix her so she ’long ter de miss’s. So he fix some mo’ papers, en he git me ter meck my cross in de right place, en he gits ’nudder gent’mun ter witness ter it, en he say, ‘ You done sign hit over ter de Widow Marshall.’

“ ' Dat’s right,’ I say ; ' dat’s jes’ what I want.’

“ Den he larf er little at me, en I hearn one o’ de gent’muns say my heart wuz bigger ’n my haid. But I ain keerin’ now, en I gits ready ter start fer home ergin.

“ ’T warn’ so fur, ’bout er mile er so ’cross de fiel’, en de day wuz Chris’mus Eve. Lawd, how many Chris’musses I had on dat ole place ! en good ones too. ’T warn’ none o’ your one day Chris’mus, en gwine ter chutch barf de time at dat. Nor, suh ! ’t wuz er good solid week, en mo’ ’n dat. Ef Chris’mus wuz er Friday, de han’s stop wuck Thu’sday, en de wuck no mo’ ’ntwell arfter de New Year. No, not twell de Monday arfter de New Year. En den de done jes’ ez de please. De warn’ no overseer on dat place. De marster say w’en his han’s ’bleeged ter have er overseer, he doan’ want ’em no mo’. He de boss hisse’f, en he boss good part o’ de time wi’ he eyes shet. Ef 't warn’ fer de miss’s, I doan’ know what ’d come ter de place. She 'bleeged ter boss er leetle.

“ So all de ole times gone, en de marster killed at de Yaller Tavern, fightin’ wi’ Gen’l Stuart, en de miss’s en dat boy wi’ Chris’mus ’mos’ hayar, en dey thinkin’ de place sol’ over de haids. I pulls out right lively when I thinks o’ dat, en jes’ ’fo’ sundown I sighted de ole place. I ’specks hit wuz de sunshine on de snow, kinder blindin’ my eyes, er somehow de water kep’ cornin’ in my eyes anyway. So I walks up terde kitchen do’, en ef dar warn’ dat ole setter dawg o’ de marster’s layin’ on de steps like he been dar all he days ! I notice’ he did n’ bark nor look at me, en w’en I gits clost ter ’im I see he stone blin’, en I b’l’eves he deef too. Dawgs gits ole farster ’n people. But I feels kinder shy o’ ’im fer all dat, so I goes up ter de do’ mighty cautious en try de latch, en ’t wuz locked. ’T wuz de fust time Chief ever foun’ dat do’ locked agin him ! So I goes ’roun’ ter de po’ch, at de front do’, en I peeps in de winder, en I sees de miss’s en dat boy ! She wuz settin’ by de fire in er big cheer, — de same one she sot in ’fo’ I went erway, — ’t wuz her gran’mother’s, so de say, en brung f’m ’cross de water, — en dat boy wuz settin’ ’longside o’ her, on de flo’, wi’ he haid in her lap. Lawd, suh ! I ain’ seed nuttin’ like dat fer I doan’ know how long. Dar de set, jes’ like ’fo’ de wah, en she wuz pushin’ he hayar back f’m he forrerd. En dat boy he had he arm roun’ her ; en doan’ you know, suh, he wuz mos’ er man.

“ Well, suh, I bus’ out larfin’, en I say ter myse’f, ' Name er de Lawd, how dat boy gwine ter git hisse’f inter dem clo’es en dem shoes ? He big ’nuff fer two suits er clo’es.’ En I larf so dey bofe jump up en looks ’roun’, en den I see he daddy over agin, eyes en mouf en hayar en all. En when he step, he step proud like he daddy. So he come ter de do’ en opens hit, en he ax me w’at I wan’, jes’ ’s perlite ez de marster hese’f, fer he wuz er gentermim ter ev’ybody. En jes’ den er sudden notion tuk me, en I say I wuz beggar man f’m Lynchbug. He say he sorry fer me, but dat I come beggin’ ter er beggar house ; dat de wuz sca’cely er man er woman in de state po’er ’n dem.

“ En while be wuz talkin’, de miss’s git up f’m de cheer, en ez she tu’n roun’, I see her hayar all tu’n white dat wuz black ez er crow w’en I went erway, en de wrinkles done come in her face. But she wuz putty yet, spite o’ dat. En she come ter de do’, en she say, ' Ole man, I’s sorry fer yo, en wish I could he’p yo.’ En w’en I gin ter look at her, her clo’es wuz meaner dan de meanes’ han’ on de place in de ole times ; en I look at her shoes, en de wuz all wored out en ragged, en de warn’ bofe erlike, Dat’s er fac’ ! But de hel’ de haids up all de same, do’ hit wuz plain de ’flictions drag ’em down.

“ I see de miss’s lookin’ at dat boy, en den I see de tears in her eyes. I could n’ stan’ dat, en I draps de bun’les on de po’ch, en I bus’ right out er cryin’, en I say : —

“ ' Miss’s, doan’ you know me ? doan’ you know Chief ? ’

“ Well, suh, you oughter seed her face light up like de sun risin’ on hit.

“ ' Why, so’t is ! ’ she say, '’t is Chief come back. Yon been gone so long we thought you ’d forgetted us, or wuz daid. You mus’ come in, Chief, and I ’ll try to git you somethin’ to eat.’

“ En you know, suh, she retched out bofe o’ her han’s ter me, on shuck han’s wi’ me same’s I wuz er white gentermun ! She did fer er fac’. En dat boy he keep he eye on me, like he feard hit warn’ all right, fer you know, suh, he’d growed out’n all 'membunce er me. So I goes in, I did, en sot down, at home en thankful fer it.

“ En den de miss’s ax me whar I cum f’m lars’, en I tells her f’m de Cote House. En she start ter ax me ’bout de sale, but she kin’ o’ choke en stop. En den I fumbles wi’ my bun’les, en I say 'I bring you all some Chris’mus, sence I ain’ been home fer so long.’ En I showed ’em de coffee en sugar en de oder little things, en I say I hope she ’ll ’cept ’em f’m Chief, fer I ’members ’em all de time I wuz erway.

“ She smile her ole way, like she smile befo’ de wah, en she say she sutt’nly is thankful, en hit wuz real kind ter ’member ’em ’bove all times at Chris’mus. En den I pull out de suit er clo’es en de shoes, en I say I feard I meck er mistake ’bout dat boy ; I fergits he growin’ so. ’T wuz er nice suit, do’, en bofe of ’em larf right hearty; fer de pants wuz mos’ up ter de boy’s knees, en ez fer de coat, hit warn’ much mo’ ’n big ’nuff fer one side o’ ’im. But de miss’s say she do b’l’eve she kin w’ar de shoes herse’f. En doan’ you know, suh, de fits her fus’ rate. De wuz nice shoes, wi‘ low quarters en buckles.

“ So de all sets down, en I stan’s up by de fireplace, en I see by de miss’s face she thinkin’ ’bout de marster. She look at dat boy, en den she look at me, en she say, ' Chief, I s’pose you know de cunnel’s daid ? ’

“ I say, ' Yaas, ’m ; I hayars dat ’fo’ de wah close.’

“ ‘ He wuz er brave man,’ she say, ‘ en de bring ’im home en bury ’im in de fambly buryin’-groun’ out dar.’

“ Den arter er while dey tole me ’bout de sellin’ er de ole place. Well, suh, I could n’ stan’ no mo’, en I say ter de miss’s, ‘I done buy de place myse’f.’

“ ' What! ’ she say. ‘ I doan’ un’erstan’ ! ' En she look kin’ o’ white in de face.

“ 'Yaas, ’m,’ I say, 'I done buy de place. Hit my place ; dat is, hit you all’s place. I tell you I done buy de place dis day at de Cote House. Hayar de deed.’ En I pulls de paper out’n my pocket, en shoves hit inter her han’, en say, ' De marster, he done hire me out up yander in Baltimo’, en I saves de money when de wall comes on same’s ’t wuz his’n. Yaas, ’m, dat I did. En I fotches de money wi’ me, en I bid in de place, en gits de cluck ter ’lease de deed er trus’, en meck de whole place over ter you all, en hayar 't is. Hit’s all yourn, you ’n dat boy. Yaas, ’m.’

“ Well, suh, I thought she’d er drapt, she looked so white. But in er minnit she comed ter herse’f, en de color comed back in her face, mo’ ’n I seed all de time I’d been dar. En she tu’n ter dat boy, en she say, ' Han’ me dat Bible, son,’ en she open hit en read dat saarm commencin’ ' Bless de Lawd, O my soul,’ en it soun’ like de voice er de angels comin’.”

With grinding, screeching brakes and clang of bells the Southern train wound into the station. As Chief stepped forward, I saw alight from the car a tall, bright-faced youth, with a keen eye and an elastic step, and running up to Chief he put his arm through his, and the two disappeared in the crowd.

James B. Hodgkin.