"I HATE you and
despise you! I wish never to see you or speak to you again!"
"Very well; I will
take care that henceforth you have no opportunity to do either."
These words -- the
first in the passionately vibrant tones of my sister-in-law, and the latter in
the deeper and more restrained accents of an angry man -- startled me from my
nap. I had been dozing in my hammock on the front piazza, behind the
honeysuckle vine. I had been faintly aware of a buzz of conversation in the
parlor, but had not at all awakened to its import until these sentences fell,
or, I might rather say, were hurled upon my ear. I presume the young people had
either not seen me lying there, -- the Venetian blinds opening from the parlor
windows upon the piazza were partly closed on account of the heat, -- or else
in their excitement they had forgotten my proximity.
I felt somewhat
concerned. The young man, I had remarked, was proud, firm, jealous of the point
of honor, and, from my observation of him, quite likely to resent to the bitter
end what he deemed a slight or an injustice. The girl, I knew, was quite as
high-spirited as young Murchison. I feared she was not so just, and hoped she
would prove more yielding. I knew that her affections were strong and enduring,
but that her temperament was capricious, and her sunniest moods easily overcast
by some small cloud of jealousy or pique. I had never imagined, however, that
she was capable of such intensity as was revealed by these few words of hers.
As I say, I felt concerned. I had learned to like Malcolm Murchison, and had
heartily consented to his marriage with my ward; for it was in that capacity
that I had stood for a year or two to my wife's younger sister, Mabel. The
match thus rudely broken off had promised to be another link binding me to the
kindly Southern people among whom I had not long before taken up my residence.
Young Murchison came
out of the door, cleared the piazza in two strides without seeming aware of my
presence, and went off down the lane at a furious pace. A few moments later
Mabel began playing the piano loudly, with a touch that indicated anger and
pride and independence and a dash of exultation, as though she were really glad
that she had driven away forever the young man whom the day before she had
loved with all the ardor of a first passion.
I hoped that time might
heal the breach and bring the two young people together again. I told my wife
what I had overheard. In return she gave me Mabel's version of the affair.
"I do not see how
it can ever be settled," my wife said. "It is something more than a
mere lovers' quarrel. It began, it is true, because she found fault with him
for going to church with that hateful Branson girl. But before it ended there
were things said that no woman of any spirit could stand. I am afraid it is all
over between them."
I was sorry to hear
this. In spite of the very firm attitude taken by my wife and her sister, I
still hoped that the quarrel would be made up within a day or two.
Nevertheless, when a week had passed with no word from young Murchison, and
with no sign of relenting on Mabel's part, I began to think myself mistaken.
One pleasant afternoon,
about ten days after the rupture, old Julius drove the rockaway up to the
piazza, and my wife, Mabel, and I took our seats for a drive to a neighbor's
vineyard, over on the Lumberton plankroad.
"Which way shall
we go," I asked, -- "the short road or the long one?"
"I guess we had
better take the short road," answered my wife. "We will get there
sooner."
"It's a mighty
fine dribe roun' by de big road, Mis' Annie," observed Julius, "en it
doan take much longer to git dere."
"No," said my
wife, "I think we will go by the short road. There is a bay tree in
blossom near the mineral spring, and I wish to get some of the flowers."
"I 'spec's you'd
find some bay trees 'long de big road, ma'am," said Julius.
"But I know about
the flowers on the short road, and they are the ones I want."
We drove down the lane
to the highway, and soon struck into the short road leading past the mineral
spring. Our route lay partly through a swamp, and on each side the dark,
umbrageous foliage, unbroken by any clearing, lent to the road solemnity, and
to the air a refreshing coolness. About half a mile from the house, and about
halfway to the mineral spring, we stopped at the tree of which my wife had
spoken, and reaching up to the low- hanging boughs I gathered a dozen of the fragrant
white flowers. When I resumed my seat in the rockaway, Julius started the mare.
She went on for a few rods, until we had reached the edge of a branch crossing
the road, when she stopped short.
"Why did you stop,
Julius?" I asked.
"I didn',
suh," he replied. "'T wuz de mare stop'. G' 'long dere, Lucy! W'at
you mean by dis foolis'ness?"
Julius jerked the reins
and applied the whip lightly, but the mare did not stir.
"Perhaps you had
better get down and lead her," I suggested. "If you get her started,
you can cross on the log and keep your feet dry."
Julius alighted, took
hold of the bridle, and vainly essayed to make the mare move. She planted her
feet with even more evident obstinacy.
"I don't know what
to make of this," I said. "I have never known her to balk before.
Have you, Julius?"
"No, suh,"
replied the old man, "I nebber has. It's a cu'ous thing ter me, suh."
"What's the best
way to make her go?"
"I 'spec's, suh,
dat ef I'd tu'n her roun' she'd go de udder way."
"But we want her
to go this way."
"Well, suh, I 'low
ef we des set heah fo' er fibe minutes, she'll sta't up by herse'f."
"All right,"
I rejoined, "it is cooler here than any place I have struck to-day. We'll
let her stand for a while, and see what she does."
We had sat in silence
for a few minutes, when Julius suddenly ejaculated, "Uh huh! I knows w'y
dis mare doan go. It des flash 'cross my reccommemb'ance."
"Why is it,
Julius?" I inquired.
"Ca'se she sees
Chloe."
"Where is
Chloe?" I demanded.
"Chloe's done be'n
dead dese fo'ty years er mo'," the old man returned. "Her ha'nt is
settin' ober yander on de udder side er de branch, unner dat willer tree, dis
blessed minute."
"Why,
Julius!" said my wife, "do you see the haunt?"
"No'm," he
answered, shaking his head, "I doan see 'er, but de mare sees 'er."
"How do you
know?" I inquired.
"Well, suh, dis
yer is a gray hoss, en dis yer is a Friday; en a gray hoss kin alluz see a
ha'nt w'at walks on Friday."
"Who was
Chloe?" said Mabel.
"And why does
Chloe's haunt walk?" asked my wife.
"It's all in de
tale, ma'am," Julius replied, with a deep sigh. "It's all in de
tale."
"Tell us the
tale," I said. "Perhaps, by the time you get through, the haunt will
go away and the mare will cross."
I was willing to humor
the old man's fancy. He had not told us a story for some time; and the dark and
solemn swamp around us; the amber-colored stream flowing silently and
sluggishly at our feet, like the waters of Lethe; the heavy, aromatic scent of
the bays, faintly suggestive of funeral wreaths, -- all made the place an ideal
one for a ghost story.
"Chloe,"
Julius began in a subdued tone, "use' ter b'long ter ole Mars' Dugal'
McAdoo -- my ole marster. She wuz a ladly gal en a smart gal, en ole mis' tuk
her up ter de big house, en l'arnt her ter wait on de w'ite folks, 'tel bimeby
she come ter be mis's own maid, en 'peared ter 'low she run de house herse'f,
ter heah her talk erbout it. I wuz a young boy den, en use' ter wuk about de
stables, so I knowed ev'ythin' dat wuz gwine on roun' de plantation.
"Well, one time
Mars' Dugal' wanted a house boy, en sont down ter de qua'ters fer hab Jeff en
Hannibal come up ter de big house nex' mawnin'. Ole marster en ole mis' look'
de two boys ober, en 'sco'sed wid deyse'ves fer a little w'ile, en den Mars'
Dugal' sez, sezee: --
"'We laks Hannibal
de bes', en we gwine ter keep him. Heah, Hannibal, you'll wuk at de house fum
now on. En ef you're a good nigger en min's yo' bizness, I'll gib you Chloe fer
a wife nex' spring. You other nigger, you Jeff, you kin go back ter de
qua'ters. We ain' gwine ter need you.'
"Now Chloe had
be'n standin' dere behin' ole mis' dyoin' all er dis yer talk, en Chloe made up
her min' fum de ve'y fus' minute she sot eyes on dem two dat she didn' lak dat
nigger Hannibal, en wa'n't nebber gwine keer fer 'im, en she wuz des ez sho'
dat she lak Jeff, en wuz gwine ter set sto' by 'im, whuther Mars' Dugal' tuk
'im in de big house er no; en so co'se Chloe wuz monst'us sorry w'en ole Mars'
Dugal' tuk Hannibal en sont Jeff back. So she slip' roun' de house en waylaid
Jeff on de way back ter de qua'ters en tol' 'im not ter be downhea'ted, fer she
wuz gwine ter see ef she couldn' fin' some way er 'nuther ter git rid er dat
nigger Hannibal, en git Jeff up ter de house in his place.
"De noo house boy
kotch on monst'us fas', en it wa'n't no time ha'dly befo' Mars' Dugal' en ole
mis' bofe 'mence' ter 'low Hannibal wuz de bes' house boy dey eber had. He wuz
peart en soopl', quick ez lightnin', en sha'p ez a razor. But Chloe didn' lak
his ways. He wuz so sho' he wuz gwine ter git 'er in de spring, dat he didn'
'pear ter 'low he had ter do any co'tin', en w'en he'd run 'cross Chloe 'bout
de house, he'd swell roun' 'er in a biggity way en say:
"'Come heah en
kiss me, honey. You gwine ter be mine in de spring. You doan 'pear ter be ez
fon' er me ez you oughter be.'
"Chloe didn' keer
nuffin' fer Hannibal, en hadn' keered nuffin' fer 'im, en she sot des ez much
sto' by Jeff ez she did de day she fus' laid eyes on 'im. En de mo' fermilyus
dis yer Hannibal got, de mo' Chloe let her min' run on Jeff, en one ebenin' she
went down ter de qua'ters en watch', 'tel she got a chance fer ter talk wid 'im
by hisse'f. En she tol' Jeff fer ter go down en see ole Aun' Peggy, de
cunjuh-'oman down by de Wim'l'ton Road, en ax her fer ter gib 'im sump'n ter
he'p git Hannibal out'n de big house, so de w'ite folks 'u'd sen' fer Jeff
ag'in. En bein' ez Jeff didn' hab nuffin' ter gib Aun' Peggy, Chloe gun i'm a
silber dollah en a silk han'kercher fer ter pay her wid, fer Aun' Peggy nebber
lak ter wuk fer nobody fer nuffin'.
"So Jeff slip' off
down ter Aun' Peggy's one night, en gun 'er de presents he brung, en tol' er
all 'bout 'im en Chloe en Hannibal, en ax' 'er ter he'p 'im out. Aun' Peggy
tol' 'im she'd wuk 'er roots, en fer 'im ter come back de nex' night, en she'd
tell 'im w'at she c'd do fer 'im.
"So de nex' night
Jeff went back, en Aun' Peggy gun 'im a baby-doll, wid a body made out'n a
piece er co'n-stalk, en wid splinters fer a'ms en legs, en a head made out'n
elderberry peth, en two little red peppers fer feet.
"'Dis yer
baby-doll,' sez she, 'is Hannibal. Dis yer peth head is Hannibal's head, en
dese yer pepper feet is Hannibal's feet. You take dis en hide it unner de
house, on de sill unner de do', whar Hannibal'll hafter walk ober it ev'y day.
En ez long ez Hannibal comes anywhar nigh dis baby-doll, he'll be des lak it is
-- light-headed en hot-footed; en ef dem two things doan git 'im inter trouble
mighty soon, den I'm no cunjuh-'oman. But w'en you git Hannibal out'n de house,
en git all thoo wid dis baby-doll, you mus' fetch it back ter me, fer it's
monst'us powerful goopher, en is liable ter make mo' trouble ef you leabe it
layin' roun'.'
"Well, Jeff tuk de
baby-doll, en slip' up ter de big house, en whistle' ter Chloe, en w'en she
come out he tol' 'er w'at ole Aun' Peggy had said. En Chloe showed 'im how ter
git unner de house, en w'en he had put de cunjuh-doll on de sill he went 'long
back ter de qua'ters -- en des waited.
"Nex' day, sho' 'nuff,
de goopher 'mence' ter wuk. Hannibal sta'ted in de house soon in de mawnin' wid
a armful er wood ter make a fier, en he hadn' mo' d'n got 'cross de do'sill
befo' his feet begun ter bu'n so dat he drap' de armful er wood on de flo' en
woke ole mis' up an hour sooner'n yuzhal, en co'se ole mis' didn' lak dat, en
spoke sha'p erbout it.
"W'en dinner-time
come, en Hannibal wuz help'n de cook kyar de dinner f'm de kitchen inter de big
house, en wuz gittin' close ter de do' what he had ter go in, his feet sta'ted
ter bu'n en his head begun ter swim, en he let de big dish er chicken en
dumplin's fall right down in de dirt, in de middle er de ya'd, en de w'ite
folks had ter make dey dinner dat day off'n col' ham en sweet pertaters.
"De nex' mawnin'
he overslep' hisse'f, en got inter mo' trouble. Atter breakfus', Mars' Dugal'
sont 'im ober ter Mars' Marrabo Utley's fer ter borry a monkey wrench. He
oughter be'n back in ha'f an hour, but he come pokin' home 'bout dinner'time
wid a screw-driver stidder a monkey wrench. Mars' Dugal' sont ernudder nigger
back wid de screw-driver, en Hannibal didn' git no dinner. 'Long in de
atternoon, ole mis' sot Hannibal ter weedin' de flowers in de front gyahden, en
Hannibal dug up all de bulbs ole mis' had sont erway fer, en paid a lot er
money fer, en tuk 'em down ter de hawg-pen by de ba'nya'd, en fed 'em ter de
hawgs. W'en ole mis' come out in de cool er de ebenin', en seed w'at Hannibal
had done, she wuz mos' crazy, en she wrote a note en sont Hannibal down ter de
obserseah wid it.
"But w'at Hannibal
got fum de oberseah didn' 'pear ter do no good. Ev'y now en den 'is feet'd
'mence ter torment 'im, en 'is min' 'u'd git all mix' up, en his conduc' kep'
gittin' wusser en wusser, 'tel fin'ly de w'ite folks couldn' stan' it no longer,
en Mars' Dugal' tuk Hannibal back down ter de qua'ters.
"'Mr. Smif,' sez
Mars' Dugal' ter de oberseah, 'dis yer nigger has tu'nt out so triflin' yer
lately, dat we can't keep 'im at de house no mo', en I's fotch' 'im ter you ter
be straighten' up. You's had 'casion ter deal wid 'im once, so he knows w'at
ter expec'. You des take 'im in han', en lemme know how he tu'ns out. En w'en
de han's comes in fum de fiel' dis ebenin' you kin sen' dat yaller nigger Jeff
up ter de house. I'll try 'im, en see ef he's any better'n Hannibal.'
"So Jeff went up
ter de big house, en pleas' Mars' Dugal' en ole mis' en de res' er de fambly so
well dat dey all got ter lakin' 'im fus'rate, en dey'd 'a' fergot all 'bout
Hannibal ef it hadn' be'n fer de bad repo'ts w'at come up fum de qua'ters 'bout
'im fer a mont' er so. Fac' is dat Chloe en Jeff wuz so int'rusted in one
ernudder since Jeff be'n up ter de house, dat dey fergot all about takin' de
baby-doll back ter Aun' Peggy, en it kep' wukkin fer a w'ile, en makin' Hannibal's
feet bu'n mo' er less, 'tel all de folks on de plantation got ter callin' 'im
Hot-Foot Hannibal. He kep' gittin' mo' en mo' triflin', 'tel he got de name er
bein' de mos' no 'countes' nigger on de plantation, en Mars' Dugal' had ter
th'eaten ter sell 'im in de spring; w'en bimeby de goopher quit wukkin', en
Hannibal 'mence' ter pick up some en make folks set a little mo' sto' by 'im.
"Now, dis yer
Hannibal was a monst'us sma't nigger, en w'en he got rid er dem so' feet his
min' kep' runnin' on 'is udder troubles. Heah th'ee er fo' weeks befo' he'd had
a' easy job, waitin' on de w'ite folks, libbin off'n de fat er de lan', en
promus' de fines' gal on de plantation fer a wife in de spring, en now heah he
wuz back in de co'nfiel', wid de oberseah a-cussin' en a r'arin' ef he didn'
get a ha'd tas' done; wid nuffin' but co'n bread en bacon en merlasses ter eat;
en all de fiel-han's makin' rema'ks, en pokin' fun at 'im ca'se he be'n sont
back fum de big house ter de fiel'. En de mo' Hannibal studied 'bout it de mo'
madder he got, 'tel he fin'ly swo' he wuz gwine ter git eben wid Jeff en Chloe
ef it wuz de las' ac'.
"So Hannibal
slipped 'way fum de qua'ters one Sunday en hid in de co'n up close ter de big
house, 'tel he see Chloe gwine down de road. He waylaid her, en sezee: --
"'Hoddy, Chloe?'
"'I ain't got no
time fer ter fool wid fiel'-han's,' sez Chloe, tossin' her head; 'W'at you want
wid me, Hot-Foot?'
"'I wants ter know
how you en Jeff is gittin' 'long.'
"'I 'lows dat's
none er yo' bizness, nigger. I doan see w'at 'casion any common fiel'-han' has
got ter mix in wid de 'fairs er folks w'at libs in de big house. But ef it'll
do you any good ter know, I mought say dat me en Jeff is gittin' 'long mighty
well, en we gwine ter git married in de spring, en you ain' gwine ter be 'vited
ter de weddin' nuther.'
"'No, no!' sezee,
'I wouldn' 'spec' ter be 'vited ter de weddin', -- a common, low-down
fiel'-han' lak I is. But I's glad ter heah you en Jeff is gittin' 'long so
well. I didn' knowed but w'at he had 'mence' ter be a little ti'ed.'
"'Ti'ed er me?
Dat's rediklus!' sez Chloe. 'W'y, dat nigger lubs me so I b'liebe he'd go th'oo
fier en water fer me. Dat nigger is des wrop' up in me.'
"'Uh huh,' sez
Hannibal, 'den I reckon is mus' be some udder nigger w'at meets a 'oman down by
de crick in de swamp ev'y Sunday ebenin', ter say nuffin' 'bout two er th'ee
times a week.'
"'Yas, hit is
ernudder nigger, en you is a liah w'en you say it wuz Jeff.'
"'Mebbe I is a
liah, en mebbe I ain' got good eyes. But 'less'n I is a liah, en 'less'n I ain'
got good eyes, Jeff is gwine ter meet dat 'oman dis ebenin' long 'bout eight
o'clock right down dere by de crick in de swamp 'bout halfway betwix' dis
plantation en Mars' Marrabo Utley's.'
"Well, Chloe tol'
Hannibal she didn' b'liebe a wud he said, en call' 'im a low-down nigger who
wuz tryin' ter slander Jeff 'ca'se he wuz mo' luckier'n he wuz. But all de
same, she couldn' keep her min' fum runnin' on w'at Hannibal had said. She
'membered she'd heared one er de niggers say dey wuz a gal ober at Mars'
Marrabo Utley's plantation w'at Jeff use' ter go wid some befo' he got
'quainted wid Chloe. Den she 'mence' ter figger back, en sho' 'nuff, dey wuz
two er th'ee times in de las' week w'en she'd be'n he'p'n de ladies wid dey
dressin' en udder fixin's in de ebenin', en Jeff mought 'a' gone down ter de
swamp widout her knowin' 'bout it at all. En den she 'mence' ter 'member little
things w'at she hadn' tuk no notice of befo', en w'at 'u'd make it 'pear lak
Jeff had sump'n on his min'.
"Chloe set a
monst'us heap er sto' by Jeff, en would 'a' done mos' anythin' fer 'im, so long
ez he stuck ter her. But Chloe wuz a mighty jealous 'oman, en w'iles she didn'
b'liebe w'at Hannibal said, she seed how it could 'a' be'n so, en she 'termine'
fer ter fin' out fer herse'f whuther it wuz so er no.
"Now, Chloe hadn'
seed Jeff all day, fer Mars' Dugal' had sont Jeff ober ter his daughter's
house, young Mis' Ma'g'ret's, w'at libbed 'bout fo' miles fum Mars' Dugal's, en
Jeff wuzn' 'spected home 'tel ebenin'. But des atter supper wuz ober, en w'iles
de ladies wuz settin' out on de piazzer, Chloe slip' off fum de house en run
down de road, -- dis yer same road we come; en w'en she got mos' ter de crick
-- dis yer same crick right befo' us -- she kin' er kip' in de bushes at de
side er de road, 'tel fin'ly she seed Jeff settin' on de back on de udder side
er de crick, -- right under dat ole willer tree droopin' ober de watah yander.
En ev'y now en den he'd git up en look up de road to'ds Mars' Marrabo's on de
udder side er de swamp.
"Fus' Chloe felt
lak she'd go right ober de crick en gib Jeff a piece er her min'. Den she
'lowed she better be sho' befo' she done anythin'. So she helt herse'f in de
bes' she could, gittin' madder en madder ev'ry minute, 'tel bimeby she seed a
'oman comin' down de road on de udder side fum to'ds Mars' Marrabo Utley's
plantation. En w'en she seed Jeff jump up en run to'ds dat 'oman, en th'ow his
a'ms roun' her neck, po' Chloe didn' stop ter see no mo', but des tu'nt roun'
en run up ter de house, en rush' up on de piazzer, en up en tol' Mars' Dugal'
en ole mis' all 'bout de baby- doll, en all 'bout Jeff gittin' de goopher fum
Aun' Peggy, en 'bout w'at de goopher had done ter Hannibal.
"Mars' Dugal' wuz
monst'us mad. He didn' let on at fus' lak he b'liebed Chloe, but w'en she tuk
en showed 'im whar ter fin' de baby-doll, Mars' Dugal' tu'nt w'ite ez chalk.
"'What debil's wuk
is dis?' sezee. 'No wonder de po' nigger's feet eetched. Sump'n got ter be done
ter l'arn dat ole witch ter keep her han's off'n my niggers. En ez fer dis yer
Jeff, I'm gwine ter do des w'at I promus', so de darkies on dis plantation'll
know I means w'at I sez.'
"Fer Mars' Dugal'
had warned de han's befo' 'bout foolin' wid cunju'ation; fac', he had los' one
er two niggers hisse'f fum dey bein' goophered, en he would 'a' had ole Aun'
Peggy whip' long ago, on'y Aun' Peggy wuz a free 'oman, en he wuz 'feard she'd
cunjuh him. En wi'les Mars' Dugal' say he didn' b'liebe in cunj'in' en sich, he
'peared ter 'low it wuz bes' ter be on de safe side, en let Aun' Peggy alone.
"So Mars' Dugal'
done des ez he say. Ef ole mis' had ple'd fer Jeff he mought 'a' kep' 'im. But
ole mis' hadn' got ober losin' dem bulbs yit, en she nebber said a wud. Mars'
Dugal' tuk Jeff ter town nex' day en' sol' 'im ter a spekilater, who sta'ted
down de ribber wid 'im nex' mawnin' on a steamboat, fer ter take 'im ter
Alabama.
"Now, w'en Chloe
tol' ole Mars' Dugal' 'bout dis yer baby-doll en dis udder goopher, she hadn'
ha'dly 'lowed Mars' Dugal' would sell Jeff down Souf. Howsomeber, she wuz so
mad wid Jeff dat she 'suaded herse'f she didn' keer; en so she hilt her head up
en went roun' lookin' lak she wuz rale glad 'bout it. But one day she wuz walkin'
down de road, w'en who sh'd come 'long but dis yer Hannibal.
"W'en Hannibal
seed 'er he bus' out laffin' fittin' fer ter kill: 'Yah, yah, yah! ho, ho, ho!
ha, ha, ha! Oh, hol' me, honey, hol' me, er I'll laf myse'f ter def. I ain'
nebber laf' so much sence I be'n bawn.'
"'W'at you laffin'
at, Hot-Foot?'
"'Yah, yah, yah!
W'at I laffin' at? W'y, I's laffin' at myse'f, tooby sho', -- laffin' ter think
w'at a fine 'oman I made.'
"Chloe tu'nt pale,
en her hea't come up in her mouf.
"'W'at you mean,
nigger?' sez she, ketchin' holt er a bush by de road fer ter stiddy herse'f.
'W'at you mean by de kin' er 'oman you made?'
"W'at do I mean? I
means dat I got squared up wid you fer treatin' me de way you done, en I got
eben wid dat yaller nigger Jeff fer cuttin' me out. Now, he's gwine ter know
w'at it is ter eat co'n bread en merlasses once mo', en wuk fum daylight ter
da'k, en ter hab a oberseah dribin' 'im fum one day's een' ter de udder. I
means dat I sont wud ter Jeff dat Sunday dat you wuz gwine ter be ober ter
Mars' Marrabo's visitin' dat ebenin', en you want i'm ter meet you down by de
crick on de way home en go de rest er de road wid you. En den I put on a frock
en a sun-bonnet en fix' myse'f up ter look lak a 'oman; en w'en Jeff seed me
comin' he run ter meet me, en you seed 'im, -- fer I had be'n watchin' in de
bushes befo' en 'skivered you comin' down de road. En now I reckon you en Jeff
bofe knows w'at it means ter mess wid a nigger lak me.'
"Po' Chloe hadn'
heared mo' d'n half er de las' part er w'at Hannibal said, but she had heared
'nuff to l'arn dat dis nigger had fooler her en Jeff, en dat po' Jeff hadn'
done nuffin', en dat fer lovin' her too much en goin' ter meet her she had
cause' 'im ter be sol' erway whar she'd nebber, nebber see 'im no mo'. De sun
mought shine by day, de moon by night, de flowers mought bloom, en de
mawkin'-birds mought sing, but po' Jeff wuz done los' ter her fereber en
fereber.
"Hannibal hadn'
mo' d'n finish' w'at he had ter say, w'en Chloe's knees gun 'way unner her, en she
fell down in de road, en lay dere half a' hour er so befo' she come to. W'en
she did, she crep' up ter de house des ez pale ez a ghos'. En fer a mont' er so
she crawled roun' de house, en 'peared ter be so po'ly dat Mars' Dugal' sont
fer a doctor; en de doctor kep' on axin' her questions 'tel he foun' she wuz
des pinin' erway fer Jeff.
"W'en he tol'
Mars' Dugal', Mars' Dugal' lafft, en said he'd fix dat. She could hab de noo
house boy fer a husban'. But ole mis' say, no, Chloe ain' dat kinder gal, en dat
Mars' Dugal' should buy Jeff back.
"So Mars' Dugal'
writ a letter ter dis yer spekilater down ter Wim'l'ton, en tol' ef he ain'
done sol' dat nigger Souf w'at he bought fum 'im, he'd lak ter buy 'm back
ag'in. Chloe 'mence' ter pick up a little w'en ole mis' tol' her 'bout dis
letter. Howsomeber, bimeby Mars' Dugal' got a' answer fum de spekilater, who
said he wuz monst'us sorry, but Jeff had fell ove'boa'd er jumped off'n de
steamboat on de way ter Wim'l'ton, en got drownded, en co'se he couldn' sell 'im
back, much ez he'd lak ter 'bleedge Mars' Dugal'.
"Well, atter Chloe
heared dis she pu'tended ter do her wuk, en ole mis' wa'n't much mo' use ter
nobody. She put up wid her, en hed de doctor gib her medicine, en let 'er go
ter de circus, en all so'ts er things fer ter take her min' off'n her troubles.
But dey didn' none un 'em do no good. Chloe got ter slippin' down here in de
ebenin' des lak she 'uz comin' ter meet Jeff, en she'd set dere unner dat
willer tree on de udder side, en wait fer 'im, night atter night. Bimeby she
got so bad de w'ite folks sont her ober ter young Mis' Ma'g'ret's fer ter gib
her a change; but she runned erway de fus' night, en w'en dey looked fer 'er
nex' mawnin' dey foun' her co'pse layin' in de branch yander, right 'cross fum
whar we're settin' now.
"Eber sence
den," said Julius in conclusion, "Chloe's ha'nt comes eve'y ebenin'
en sets down unner dat willer tree en waits fer Jeff, er e'se walks up en down
de road yander, lookin' en lookin', en' [sic] waitin' en waitin', fer her
sweethea't w'at ain' nebber, nebber come back ter her no mo'."
There was silence when
the old man had finished, and I am sure I saw a tear in my wife's eye, and more
than one in Mabel's.
"I think,
Julius," said my wife after a moment, "that you may turn the mare
around and go by the long road."
The old man obeyed with
alacrity, and I noticed no reluctance on the mare's part.
"You are not
afraid of Chloe's haunt, are you?" I asked jocularly.
My mood was not
responded to, and neither of the ladies smiled.
"Oh no," said
Annie, "but I've changed my mind. I prefer the other route."
When we had reached the
main road and had proceeded along it for a short distance, we met a cart driven
by a young negro, and on the cart were a trunk and a valise. We recognized the
man as Malcolm Murchison's servant, and drew up a moment to speak to him.
"Who's going away,
Marshall?" I inquired.
"Young Mistah
Ma'colm gwine 'way on de boat ter Noo Yo'k dis ebenin', suh, en I'm takin' his
things down ter de wharf, suh."
This was news to me,
and I heard it with regret. My wife looked sorry, too, and I could see that
Mabel was trying hard to hide her concern.
"He's comin' 'long
behin', suh, en I 'spec's you'll meet 'im up de road a piece. He's gwine ter
walk down ez fur ez Mistah Jim Williams's, en take de buggy fum dere ter town.
He 'spec's ter be gone a long time, suh, en say prob'ly he ain' nebber comin'
back."
The man drove on. There
were a few words exchanged in an undertone between my wife and Mabel, which I
did not catch. Then Annie said: "Julius, you may stop the rockaway a
moment. There are some trumpet-flowers by the road there that I want. Will you
get them for me, John?"
I sprang into the
underbrush, and soon returned with a great bunch of scarlet blossoms.
"Where is
Mabel?" I asked, noting her absence.
"She has walked on
ahead. We shall overtake her in a few minutes."
The carriage had gone
only a short distance when my wife discovered that she had dropped her fan.
"I had it where we
were stopping. Julius, will you go back and get it for me?"
Julius got down and
went back for the fan. He was an unconscionably long time finding it. After we
got started again we had gone only a little way, when we saw Mabel and young
Murchison coming toward us. They were walking arm in arm, and their faces were
aglow with the light of love.
I do not know whether
or not Julius had a previous understanding with Malcolm Murchison by which he
was to drive us round by the long road that day, nor do I know exactly what
motive influenced the old man's exertions in the matter. He was fond of Mabel,
but I was old enough, and knew Julius well enough, to be skeptical of his
motives. It is certain that a most excellent understanding existed between him
and Murchison after the reconciliation, and that when the young people set up
housekeeping over at the old Murchison place Julius had an opportunity to enter
their service. For some reason or other, however, he preferred to remain with
us. The mare, I might add, was never known to balk again.
Charles W. Chesnutt.