The Seekin' of Ike

THE hot August sun beat fiercely down upon Missy’s turbaned head as she bent over the tubs, but she scrubbed away unmindful of the heat. She had no time to fret about the weather. Summer boarders pay well for their laundry, and must not be kept waiting for it. Because she took pride in her work, and was prompt in returning it, she had earned for herself a reputation for absolute reliability which brought to her many customers. In fact, she could not accommodate them all. Other colored persons might slacken their energies during the revival season, but Missy, having got religion years ago, had put it into daily practice, which is more than most of us do, and she firmly believed in working out her salvation, so she resisted the trend of her easy-going race which makes holiday on the slightest pretext. But though Missy was busily at work, her mind was not altogether on it. Once in a while she would straighten up, shade her eyes with her hand, and peer over to the furthest corner of the yard, where, stretched full length under a mimosa tree, lay the master of the house.

“ He’s seekin hard, Queen Esther,” she said in a low but jubilant tone. “ He ain’t teched yet de coffee an’ biscuit, nor de watermillion you done sot daown by him dis long time. Fo’ de Lawd I ’s hopin’ he’s gwine ter come t’rough.”

“ Daddy ’s right mungy, mammy,” complained Queen Esther, who sat on the doorstep nursing a rag-baby nearly as large as herself. “ Ain’t he ne’r gwine ter speak ter me no mo’ ? ”

“ Naow, don’ you-all be peste’ous, honey. Daddy ain’t ne’r fel’ de call er de Sperret befo’, an’ he ’s wrestlin’ right much wid ol’ Satan, who’s tryin’ ter keep him from grace. Jes’ wait twell he gets happy — den he ’ll spo’t an’ spo’t wid you.”

Many remarkable conversions had resulted from the ministrations of the visiting evangelist at present holding forth in Mathews County. He had spent a week in turn at each of the four colored Baptist churches in the vicinity, the congregations of them all following him in a body from one edifice to another, until now he had arrived at the last on the list, the one of which Missy was a pillar, though alas! her husband, Ike, had hitherto given more thought to his physical comfort than to his spiritual well-being. This had been a matter of deep grief to Missy, but she was confident now that the time was ripe for his repentance, and Brother Green encouraged her in this belief.

“ Mis’ Williams,” he had said to her only the evening before at the close of the service of prayer and praise, “ I’ve been ’sputin’ de Word fo’ twenty years, an’ I ain’t ne’r see de grace er Gawd flow so free an’ easy as hit do jes’ naow. Hit’s pourin’ out in a flood, an’ de wussest sinner can’t escape from hit. I reckon Ike will come t’rough washed whiter dan snow.”

As Missy swashed the clothes up and down in the suds, she thought of the preacher’s words, and she hoped that he would prove a true prophet. “ Seek and ye shall find,” was the command and promise. For more than three weeks Ike had certainly devoted his entire attention to carrying out the injunction, and Missy, to make sure of his receiving the reward, had aided and abetted him by shielding him from all distractions, getting up an hour or two earlier every morning so that she might do his share of the work on their small farm, and keeping from him all annoyances lest they disturb his meditations. Each day she looked for the sprouting of the seed of righteousness which her hopes saw planted in his harrowed soul, but though he was faithful in attendance at the Big Meeting he had not yet boldly taken his stand with the ransomed, and here it was Thursday — in three days more the evangelist would be gone and Ike might never again turn his feet into the narrow way. She sighed, and, as if in answer, a low moaning smote her ears. She lifted her head and listened.

” He’s fightin’! De adve’su’y is attackin’ him! Daddy’s got him by de neck! Glory be! He’s cert’nly beatin’ him! ”

“ Beatin’ who? ” asked Queen Esther, looking wildly about her.

“ Dat ol’ black devil! Listen! He’s singin’! He’s on de Lawd’s side an’ de Lawd’s on kis’n! ”

Ike Williams had not moved, but his lips were parted and in melodious cadence there came through them a volume of sound which resolved into a chant with variations: —

Missy placed her hands on her hips, swayed back and forth, and unobtrusively joined in the chorus: “ Well, ain’t dat a witness fo’ mah Lawd? ”

Three times they sang this refrain, and then, as Ike lapsed into silence, Missy with renewed vigor resumed her washing.

“ See, Queen Esther, how I soaps each spot an’ rubs hit on de boa’d twell hit ’s clean gone, an’ dat pertickler spot can’t ne’r come back. Dat’s jes’ like de Lawd do. He done take an’ washes away in de waters er babtism all our ugly sins. He does dis fo’ us mis’ble sinners ’dout money an’ ’dout price.”

Queen Esther dug her black toes into the ground and said nothing. Missy’s impressiveness awed her, but did not interest her. She began to croon softly to her doll, but the sound of wheels attracted her attention, and she pointed out to her mother a buggy which was coming up the road. “ Hyar’s de doctor, mammy! I reckon he ’s atter daddy.”

“ Sh-h! Daddy can’t go.” She wiped the white flecks of soap from her arms and hands, dried them on her apron, and, with a backward glance at prostrate Ike, hurried to the front of the house.

“ Good-mornin’, Missy! Where’s Ike? I’ve been lookin’ for him all the week.”

“ Yasser, I know, suh. He was pow’fu’ sorry ter hev ter disapp’int you-all, but he ain’t been fit ter do no work fo’ a right long time.”

“ What’s the matter ? Is he sick ? I ’ll have a look at him.”

He started to get out of the carriage, but Missy hastened to reassure him.

“Don’t bother yo’se’f, suh. He’s tole’ble well, but I needs him ter he’p me. He ’ll sholy come on Monday, ef you-all kin wait fo’ him.”

There was a pleading look in her eyes, and the doctor forebore questioning her further.

“ Well. Monday will do, but surely then. Joe’s Pete will take the place if Ike does n’t show up.”

He drove away, and remarked to his companion, a guest from the North,—

“ It’s just as I supposed. The fever has caught Ike at last, and he’s seekin’. He understands horses, and I ’ll have to wait for him. You can’t get the niggers to work durin’ the Protracted Meetin’. This is the season we have to watch our hen-houses, for gettin’ religion and stealin’ chickens go together.”

Queen Esther came running to meet her mother.

“ Daddy’s feelin’ some better, mammy! ” she cried. “ He ’s eatin’.”

“ Eatin’! ” Missy quickened her steps, filled with forebodings. Had he given up trying? She watched him dismally as he disposed of his refreshments until only the rind remained. She had taken his fasting as a good omen — an indication that the flesh was under subjugation. His back was turned toward her so she could not see whether he had lost his rapt expression, and he was unconscious of her observation. Suddenly he threw his arms up over his head and there burst from him; —

Missy’s heart swelled with thanksgiving. He had not given up! He was making progress. She added her voice to his, and even Queen Esther felt the stirring of the waters and piped in a pleasing treble, “ Ain’t dat a witness fo’ mah Lawd ? ”

But Ike was oblivious to all around him. Presently he fell face forward on the ground, and Missy, beside herself with delight, took this as conclusive proof that he was putting to rout the powers of darkness. She hung the wash up to dry, and, cautioning Queen Esther to be quiet, went into the cabin to her ironing, getting out of the way first some already dampened clothes of her own family’s — a stiff-bosomed shirt of Ike’s, a white dress for herself, and one for Queen Esther. The time was near at hand when they would have use for their choicest raiment.

She went through her work that afternoon as though in a dream. Ike had wandered off into the woods by himself, and her thoughts followed him. Her vivid fancy pictured him in a hand-to-hand encounter with the devil, and occasionally she brought her iron down with a thump as she imagined the telling blows Ike’s strong right arm was dealing.

It was late when Ike returned, walking with slow and solemn mien. He glanced neither to the right nor the left, and gave no sign of noticing Missy and Queen Esther, who, arrayed in white, sat outside on the bench by the door ready to welcome him. He went on into the kitchen, and Missy, peeping in through the window, hugged herself in ecstasy when he ignored the supper she had left spread for him on the table and passed on into the bedroom where she had laid out in state his wedding-suit. Smoothing down her ruffles, she composed herself to wait, and, as the church bell rang out, summoning the worshipers, he made his appearance, resplendent in his best, high hat and all, and gravely marched down the road with Missy and Queen Esther meekly following in his train.

Missy gazed at him admiringly.

“ Look at him in his Jim Swinger coat! Ain’t you-all got a han’sum daddy ? ” she whispered to Queen Esther, but received in reply only an absent-minded nod, for the royal personage was absorbed in the attempt to convince herself that her unaccustomed shoes with the ravishing squeak did not hurt the feet that they so adorned.

The service had just begun when they reached the meeting-house. They walked, a dignified procession, up the aisle to a vacant pew near the front, and Brother Green, from his post of vantage on the platform, took in the situation at a glance and piously clasped his hands together, thereby signifying his holy satisfaction. When the hymn-singing and prayers were over, Brother Jeffrey, the evangelist, launched into his exhortation.

“ Mah breddren, an’ mall sisters, an’ eve’y lil chil’ hyar ter night, I hopes youall is safe! I hopes an’ prays you is! Safe in de arms er Jesus! Hit’s a mighty ca’m an’ pleasant refuge. Hell-fiah can’t ne’r tech you dere. Hell-fiah! Hit’s ten times hotter dan dem brick-kilns I passed comin’ daown hyar dis evenin’. Ten times hotter! Dat’s a right smart fiah! Dere ain’t no water kin squenck hit. An’ ef you-all wallow in sin dat’s what youall will hev ter suffer twell Kingdom Come. Hev you-all e’er t’ought ’bout dat ? I’s askin’ ef you is callatin’ how long you ’ll hev ter stay in hell ef you go slidin’ — slidin’ — slidin’ — daown de bro’d path dat lands you dere ? Slidin’s easy, but what ’bout climbin’ ? You ’ll hev ter stay ” — here his voice sank to a sepulchral whisper — “ twell eve’y tiny picayune grain er sand has been toted off ol’ Mother Earth by jes’ one turtle-dove, who kin tote only one grain eve’y seven years — not eve’y minute, one, but one eve’y seven years! ” He paused to allow his hearers fully to realize the horrible prospect, and before he could go on Ike Williams had jumped from his seat and stood before him shouting, and waving his arms in vehement emphasis, —

“I ’m free! I ’m free! I’ve taken mah feet from de mire an’ clay an’ placed dem on de Rock er Ages! I’ve come t’rough! I’m happy! I’m happy!”

Instantly the congregation crowded around him. One after another seized him by the hand and shook it to show that they were rejoicing with him, while Missy stood beside him, very proud and thankful, with Queen Esther hanging on to her skirts and hiding in them as much as possible of herself. She did not like the confusion, and she felt disgruntled because, though she rose repeatedly on her toes, the noise was so great that she could not hear the lovely squeak.

The infection spread. Others, who had been slow in getting religion, now made profession of their finding grace, and one comely young woman with a baby in her arms worked herself up into such a frenzy that she tossed the pickaninny across the aisle to any one that would catch it — fortunately some one did — and proceeded to leap into the air so alarmingly that it took the united efforts of two strong men to hold her. Brother Jeffrey could not finish his discourse, but when the meeting broke up for the night he expressed himself as well content with its result.

The next three days were deliriously happy ones for Queen Esther. The sun of Missy’s affection beamed upon her spouse as it had never done before, and in its warm effulgence were included liberty and enjoyment for Queen Esther. She had been under restrictions for so long that she reveled in the absence of them, and she attached herself to her father, who played with her and told her stories, and was his old cheery self, though she had been afraid that he would always be mungy.

Ike found the halo of sanctification becoming and comfortable. It agreed with him to lie in bed late, and then to sit around all day with nothing to do but receive the congratulations of friends and kindred, with a pipe to while away the hours, and three good meals to strengthen him. It really seemed too good to last — and it was!

Monday morning he was rudely awakened from his matutinal slumbers by a forcible shake and a strident salutation, which had been foreign to his ears of late, and yet which had a familiar sound.

“ See hyar, you! What you-all doin’ lyin’ in bed dis time er day ? Don’ I tol’ you las’ night de doctor’s lookin’ fo’ you ter his house dis mornin’ ? Get up! ”

Ike opened his eyes and they gazed reproachfully into those of his wife.

“ Why, Missy! Yo’ ’s mekin’ a mistake! I ain’t gwine ter do dat kin’ er work no mo’.”

“ Huh? What’s dat? I reckon youall got a idea I’m gwine ter suppo’t you! You-all sholy do try me! You put off de ol’ man when you was babtized yesterday, an’ I was mighty glad. Ef you reckon dat I’m gwine ter stan’ yo’ ol’ fool ways now dat you is borned ag’in, you ’ll know mo’ dan dat ’fo’ you get many years older. I don’ wan’ no lazy niggah hyar no mo’.”

There was no mistaking the determination in her tone, but Ike, though his courage was ebbing, tried to stem the torrent which was threatening his sinecure. He raised himself on one elbow and made serious remonstrance: —

“Missy, I ain’t shif’less! But — I feels de call ter ’spute de Word. You sholy don’ wan’ me ter tek charge er cattle when pe’ishin’ human bein’s is waitin’ fo’ me ter he’p dem fight der devil ? ”

Missy turned a contemptuous shoulder.

“ I reckon de devil would n’t ne’r miss de souls you’d keep him from gettin’. Dere’s preachers ’nuff ter ’spute de Word ’dout you-all. I’s concerned in keepin’ mah word an’ dat’s ’bout all you kin do. Naow I ’m gwine ter fix up youall’s brekkus so’s you kin go ter der doctor’s like I done prommus. Ef you ain’t ready in fifteen minutes you’d better not come at all! ”

“ Ef you feels dat way ’bout hit, co’se I ’ll come,” said Ike resignedly.

Women are so inconsistent. Missy was always worrying before he had a halo, and now that he had earned one she would not let him wear it. He heavily reflected that his holiday time was over, for, having sought until he had found, he could never repeat the experience of seekin’ and enjoy the privileges that go with it. If he could only have held out for three days more that pleasure would have been his to look forward to for another year. Dejectedly he clapped his broad-brimmed farm hat on his head and went in to his cornbread and coffee.