Chapter I

by Mary Jane Holmes

　　MR. WILMOT ARRIVES AT MR. MIDDLETON'S

　　It was the afternoon of a bright October day. The old town clock had justtolled the hour of four, when the Lexington and Frankfort daily stage washeard rattling over the stony pavement in the small town of V----, Kentucky.In a few moments the four panting steeds were reined up before the door ofThe Eagle, the principal hotel in the place. "Mine host," a middle-aged,pleasant-looking man, came hustling out to inspect the newcomers, andcalculate how many would do justice to his beefsteaks, strong coffee,sweet potatoes and corn cakes, which were being prepared in the kitchen byAunt Esther.

　　This good dame divided her time between squeezing the steaks, turning thecorn cakes, kicking the dogs and administering various cuffs to sundrylittle black urchins, who were on the lookout to snatch a bit of the "hoecake" whenever they could elude the argus eyes of Aunt Esther. When therattling of the stage was heard, there ensued a general scrambling toascertain which would be first to see who had come. At length, by a seriesof somersaults, helped on by Aunt Esther's brawny hand, the kitchen wascleared and Aunt Esther was "monarch of all she surveyed."

　　The passengers this afternoon were few and far between, for there was butone inside and one on the box with the driver. The one inside alighted andordered his baggage to be carried into the hotel. The stranger was a youngman, apparently about twenty-five years of age. He was tall,well-proportioned and every way prepossessing in his appearance. At leastthe set of idlers in the barroom thought so, for the moment he enteredthey all directed their eyes and tobacco juice toward him!

　　By the time he had uttered a dozen words, they had come to the conclusionthat he was a stranger in the place and was from the East. One of the men,a Mr. Edson, was, to use his own words, "mighty skeary of Northern folks,"and as soon as he became convinced that the stranger was from that way, hegot up, thinking to himself, "Some confounded Abolitionist, I'll warrant.The sooner I go home and get my gang together, the better 'twill be." Buton second thought he concluded that "his gang" was safe, for the presentat least; so he'd just sit down and hear what his neighbor, Mr. Woodburn,was saying to the newcomer.

　　The Kentuckians are as famous as the Yankees for inquisitiveness, but ifthey inquire into your history, they are equally ready to give theirs toyou, and you cannot feel as much annoyed by the kind, confiding mannerwith which a Kentuckian will draw you out, as by the cool, quizzing waywith which a Yankee will "guess" out your affairs.

　　On the present occasion, Mr. Woodburn had conjectured the young man'sbusiness, and was anxious to know who he was, and, if possible, to renderhim assistance. It took but a short time for the stranger to tell that hewas from the East, from New York; that his name was Wilmot, and that hewas in quest of a school; and in as short a time Mr. Woodburn had welcomedyoung Wilmot to Kentucky, but expressed his regrets that he did not comesooner, for all the schools were engaged. "But," added he, "you had betterremain around here awhile and get acquainted, and then there will be nodoubt of your eventually getting a situation. Meantime, as you are astranger here, you are welcome to make my house your home."

　　Such kindness from an entire stranger was unlooked for by Wilmot. He knewnot what to make of it; it was so different from the cold, money-makingmen of the North. He tried to stammer out his thanks, when Mr. Edsoninterrupted him by nudging Mr. Woodburn and saying: "Don't you mind oldMiddleton. He's been tarin' round after a Yankee teacher these six weeks.I reckon this chap'll suit."

　　Mr. Woodburn hesitated. He did not like to send Mr. Wilmot to such a placeas Mr. Middleton's, for though Mr. Middleton was a very kind man, he wasvery rough and uncouth in his manner and thought his money much betterapplied when at interest than when employed to make his house and familymore comfortable.

　　At length Mr. Woodburn replied: "True, I did not think of Mr. Middleton,but I hardly like to send a stranger there. However, Mr. Wilmot, you mustnot judge all Kentuckians by him, for though he is very hospitable tostrangers, he is extremely rough."

　　Mr. Wilmot thanked them for their information and said he thought he wouldgo to Mr. Middleton's that night.

　　"Lord knows how you'll get there," said Mr. Edson.

　　"Why, is it far?" asked Wilmot.

　　"Not very far," said Mr. Edson, "little better than four miles, but amighty mean road at any time and a heap worse since the rains. For a spellyou can get on right smart, but then, again, you'll go in co-slush!"

　　Mr. Wilmot smiled, but said he "thought he would try the road if Mr. Edsonwould give him the direction."

　　Then followed a host of directions, of which the most prominent to Wilmotwere, that "about two miles from the house is an old hemp factory, full ofniggers, singing like all fury; then comes a piece of woods, in the middleof which is a gate on the left hand; open that gate and follow the roadstraight till you come to the mightiest, mean-looking house you ever seen,I reckon; one chimbley tumbled down, and t'other trying to. That isMiddleton's."

　　Here Mr. Woodburn said, "That as the road was so bad, and it was gettinglate, Mr. Wilmot had better stay at his house that night and the next daythey would send him to Middleton's."

　　Before Mr. Wilmot had time to reply, Mr. Edson called out, "Halloo! Justin time, Wilmot!" Then rushing to the door he screamed, "Ho! Jim Crow, youjackanapes, what you ridin' Prince full jump down the pike for? Say, youscapegrace, come up here!"

　　Mr. Wilmot looked from the window and saw a fine looking black boy ofabout sixteen years of age riding a beautiful horse at full speed throughthe street. He readily divined that the boy was the property of Mr. Edson,and as he had brought from home a little abolitionism safely packed away,he expected to see a few cuffs dealt out to the young African. But whenthe young hopeful, at the command of his master, wheeled his horse up tothe door, gave a flourish with his rimless old hat and a loud whistle withhis pouting lips, Mr. Wilmot observed that his master gave the bystandersa knowing wink, as much as to say, "Isn't he smart?" Then turning to theboy he said, "How now, you Jim, what are you here for, riding Prince todeath?"

　　"I begs marster's pardon berry much," said the negro, "but you see how Idone toted all the taters you told me, and missis she 'vise me to ridePrince a leetle, 'case he's gettin' oneasy like when Miss Carline rideshim."

　　"Likely story," said Mr. Edson; "but for once you are in the way when Iwant you. You know where Mr. Middleton lives?"

　　"Yes, marster, reckon I does."

　　"Well, this young man wants to go there. Now jump down quick and help himon. Do you hear?"

　　"Yes, marster," said the negro, and in a moment he was on the ground,holding the stirrup for Mr. Wilmot to mount.

　　Wilmot hesitated for two causes. The first was, he was not a good horsemanand did not like to attempt mounting the spirited animal before so manypairs of eyes. He looked wistfully at the horse block, but did not darepropose having the horse led up to it. The second reason was he did notknow whether to accept or decline the kindness of Mr. Edson; but that manreassured him by saying:

　　"Come! What are you waiting for? Jump up. I'd a heap rather Jim would gowith you than ride Prince to death."

　　Here Mr. Woodburn spoke. He knew that New York people were, comparativelyspeaking, inferior riders, and he conjectured why Mr. Wilmot hesitated; sohe said:

　　"Here, Jim, lead the horse up to the block for the gentleman"; thenturning to the bystanders, said, as if apologizing for Wilmot: "You knowit is so thickly settled in New York that they do not ride as much as wedo, and probably the young man has always been at school."

　　This was satisfactory to the white portion of the audience, but not to thegroup of blacks, who were assembled at the corner of the house. Theythought it a shame not to be a good rider and when they saw the awkwardmanner in which Mr. Wilmot finally mounted the horse and the ludicrousface of Jim Crow as he sprang up behind him, they were, as they afterwardtold Aunt Esther, "dreffully tickled and would have larfed, sartin, ifthey hadn't knowed marster would have slapped their jaws."

　　"And sarved you right," was the rejoinder of Aunt Esther.

　　But to return to Mr. Edson. As soon as Mr. Wilmot, Jim and Prince haddisappeared, he felt a return of his fears concerning the "confoundedAbolitionist." Thought he, "What a fool I was to let Prince and Jim Crow,too, go off with that ar' chap! Thar's Prince, worth a hundred and fifty,and Jim, at the least calculation, 'll fetch eight hundred. Well, anyway,they can't get far on that dirt road, so if Jim isn't home by nine, I'llgo after 'em, that's so." Having settled the matter thus satisfactorily inhis own mind, he called for his horse and started for home.

　　Meantime Mr. Wilmot was slowly wending his way toward Mr. Middleton's. Ittook but a short time for him to ascertain that the road was fully equalto the description given of it by Mr. Edson. At times he could scarcelykeep his head, and he felt conscious, too, that the black machine behindhim was inwardly convulsed with laughter at his awkward attempts to guidethe horse in the best part of the road. At length he ventured a remark:

　　"Jim, is this animal ugly?"

　　"Ugly! Lor' bless you, marster, is you blind? As handsome a creetur asthar is in the country!"

　　Mr. Wilmot understood that he had used the word ugly in its wrong sense,so he said:

　　"I do not mean to ask if the horse is ill-looking, but is he skittish?"

　　"If marster means by that will he throw him off, I don't think he will aslong as I'm on him, but sometimes he is a leetle contrary like. Reckonmarster ain't much used to ridin'."

　　By this time they had reached the gate spoken of by Mr. Edson. To Mr.Wilmot's great surprise the horse walked tip to it and tried to open itwith his mouth! Mr. Wilmot was so much amused that he would not suffer Jimto get down and open the gate, as he wished to see if the horse could doit.

　　"Oh, yes, marster, he'll do it easy," said the negro; and sure enough, ina moment the well-trained animal lifted the latch and pushed open thegate! But it was a rickety old thing, and before Prince had got fairlythrough it tumbled down, hitting his heels and causing him to jumpsideways, so as to leave Mr. Wilmot riding the gate and Jim Crow in quietpossession of the saddle! With a great effort Jim forced down his desireto scream and merely showed twenty-eight very large, white teeth.

　　Springing from the horse he offered to assist Mr. Wilmot to mount again,but he had no inclination to do so. He preferred walking the rest of theway, he said, and as he could now easily find the house, Jim could returnhome. This was not what Jim wanted. He had anticipated a nice time inrelating his adventures to Mr. Middleton's negroes, but as Mr. Wilmotslipped a quarter into his hand, he felt consoled for the loss of his"yarn"; so mounting Prince again, he gave his old palm leaf threeflourishes round his head, and with a loud whoop, started the horse with atremendous speed down the road and was soon out of sight, leaving Mr.Wilmot to find his way alone through the wood. This he found no difficultyin doing, for he soon came in sight of a house, which he readily took forMr. Middleton's.

　　It was a large, old-fashioned stone building, with one chimney fallendown, as Mr. Edson had said, and its companion looked likely to followsuit at the first high wind. The windows of the upper story weretwo-thirds of them destitute of glass, but its place was supplied byshingles, which kept the cold out if they did not let the light in.Scattered about the yard, which was very large, were corn cribs, hayracks, pig troughs, carts, wagons, old plows, horses, mules, cows, hens,chickens, turkeys, geese, negroes, and dogs, the latter of which rushedferociously at Mr. Wilmot, who was about to beat a retreat from souninviting quarters, when one of the negroes called out, "Ho, marster,don't be feared, 'case I'll hold Tiger." So Wilmot advanced with somemisgivings toward the negro and dog.

　　He asked the negro if his master were at home.

　　"No, sar, marster's done gone away, but Miss Nancy, she's at home. Jistwalk right in thar, whar you see the pile of saddles in the entry."

　　Accordingly, Mr. Wilmot "walked in where the pile of saddles were," andknocked at a side door. It was opened by a very handsome young girl, whopolitely asked the stranger to enter. He did so and found within amild-looking, middle-aged lady, whose dark eyes and hair showed her atonce to be the mother of the young lady who had opened the door for him.

　　Mrs. Middleton, for she it was, arose, and offering her hand to thestranger, asked him to be seated in the large stuffed chair which stoodbefore the cheerful blazing fire. In a few moments he had introducedhimself, told his business and inquired for Mr. Middleton.

　　"My husband is absent," said Mrs. Middleton, "but he will be at hometonight and we shall be glad to have you remain with us till tomorrow atleast, and as much longer as you like, for I think Mr. Middleton will beglad to assist you in getting a school."

　　Mr. Wilmot accepted the invitation and then looked round the room to seeif the interior of the house corresponded with the exterior, It did not,for the room, though large, was very comfortable. The floor was coveredwith a bright-colored home-made carpet. In one corner stood a bed, thecounterpane of which was as white as snow, and the curtains of the windowswere of the same hue. In another corner was a small bookcase, well filledwith books and on a stand near a window were several house plants.

　　He concluded that the books and the plants were the property of the younglady, whom Mrs. Middleton introduced to him as her eldest daughter Julia.She was an intelligent-looking girl, and Mr. Wilmot instantly feltinterested in her, but when he attempted to converse with her, she stolequietly out of the room, leaving her mother to entertain the visitor.

　　At last supper was brought in by old Aunt Judy, who courtesied so low tothe "young marster," that she upset the coffee pot, the contents of whichfell upon a spaniel, which lay before the fire. The outcries of the dogbrought Miss Julia from the kitchen, and this time she was accompanied byher younger sister, Fanny, who together with Julia and Aunt Judy, lamentedover the wounded animal.

　　"I didn't go to do it, sartin, Miss July," said Aunt Judy, "Lor' knows Ididn't."

　　"Who said you did, you black thing, you?" said Julia, who in her grief forher favorite, and her anger at Aunt Judy, forgot the stranger, and herbashfulness, too. "You were careless, I know you were," she continued, "oryou never could have tipped the coffee over in this manner."

　　"Never mind, sister," said Fanny, "never mind; of course, Aunt Judy didn'tmean to do it, for she likes Dido as well as we do."

　　"Lor' bless Miss Fanny's sweet face, that I do like Dido," said Aunt Judy.

　　"Yes, that you do," repeated Julia mockingly, "just as though you couldlike anything."

　　Here Mrs. Middleton interposed and ordered Julia and Fanny to take theirseats at the table, while Judy cleared away all traces of the disaster.Julia complied with an ill-grace, muttering something about "the hatefulnegroes," while Fanny obeyed readily, and laughingly made some remark toMr. Wilmot about their making so much ado over a dog, "but," said she, "weare silly girls, and of course do silly things. Probably we shall dobetter when we get old like you--no, like mother, I mean."

　　Here she stopped, blushing deeply at having called Mr. Wilmot old, when infact she thought him quite young, and very handsome--in short, "just thething." She thought to herself, "There, I've done it now! Julia and I haveboth introduced ourselves to him in a pretty light, but it's just likeme--however, I'll not say another word tonight!"

　　The little incident of the coffee pot gave Mr. Wilmot something of aninsight into the character and disposition of the two girls. And surelynothing could have been more unlike than their personal appearance, asthey sat side by side at the supper table. Julia was about seventeen yearsof age and was called very handsome, for there was something peculiarlyfascinating in the ever-varying expression of her large black eyes. Shewas a brunette, but there was on her cheek so rich and changeable a colorthat one forgot in looking at her, whether she were dark or light. Herdisposition was something like her complexion--dark and variable. Herfather was a native of South Carolina, and from him she inherited a quick,passionate temper. At times she was as gentle as a lamb, but when anythingoccurred to trouble her, all her Southern blood boiled up, and she was asFanny said, "always ready to fire up at a moment's warning." Mr. Middletoncalled her "Tempest," while to Fanny he gave the pet name of "Sunshine,"and truly, compared with her sister, Fanny's presence in the house waslike a ray of sunshine.

　　She was two years younger than Julia and entirely different from her, bothin looks and disposition. Her face was very pale and her bright goldenhair fell in soft curls around her neck and shoulders, giving hersomething the appearance of a fairy. Her eyes were very large and verydark blue, and ever mirrored forth the feelings of her soul.

　　By the servants Julia was feared and dreaded; but Fanny was a favoritewith all. Not a man, woman or child on the plantation but was ready to doanything for "darling Miss Fanny." And they thought, too, every one mustlove her as well as they did, for they said "she showed by her face thatshe was an angel." This was the opinion of the blacks, and it was also thepartially formed opinion of Mr. Wilmot before he finished his supper; andyet he could not help thinking there was something wondrously attractivein the glance of Julia's large, dark eyes.

　　After supper he tried to engage the girls in conversation in order toascertain which had the better mind. He found Fanny most ready toconverse. She had forgotten her resolution not to talk, and before theevening was half spent seemed perfectly well acquainted with him. She haddiscovered that his name was Richard, that he had a sister Kate, whocalled him Dick, that he was as yet possessor of his own heart, but was indanger of losing it! The compliment Fanny very generously gave to hersister Julia, because she observed that Mr. Wilmot's eyes were oftendirected toward the corner where the dark beauty sat, silent andimmovable.

　　Julia had taken but little part in the conversation and Mr. Wilmot'sefforts to "draw her out" had proved ineffectual. She felt piqued thatFanny should engross so much attention and resolved on revenge; so shedetermined to show Mr. Wilmot that she could talk but not upon such sillysubjects as pleased Fanny. Accordingly, when books were mentioned, sheseemed suddenly aroused into life. She was really very intelligent and avery good scholar. She had a great taste for reading, and what books shecould not prevail on her father to buy, she would borrow, so she had atolerably good knowledge of all the standard works. Mr. Wilmot wassurprised and pleased to find her so well informed and in the spiritedconversation which followed poor Fanny was cast entirely into thebackground.

　　Fanny, however, attributed it to her sister's superior knowledge of Latin,and inwardly "thanked her stars" that she knew nothing of that languagefurther than the verb Amo, to love. The practical part of that verb sheunderstood, even if she did not its conjugation. She sat quietly listeningto Mr. Wilmot and her sister, but her cogitations were far different fromwhat Julia's had been.

　　Fanny was building castles--in all of which Mr. Wilmot and Julia were thehero and heroine. She gazed admiringly at her sister, whose face grewhandsomer each moment as she became more animated, and she thought, "Whata nice-looking couple Julia and Mr. Wilmot would make! And they would beso happy, too--that is if sister didn't get angry, and I am sure shewouldn't with Mr. Wilmot. Then they would have a nicer house than this oldshell, and perhaps they would let me live with them!"

　　Here her reverie was interrupted by Mr. Wilmot, who asked her if she everstudied Latin. Fanny hesitated; she did not wish to confess that she hadonce studied it six months, but at the end of that time she was soheartily tired of its "long-tailed verbs," as she called them, that shehad thrown her grammar out of the window and afterward given it to AuntJudy to start the oven with!

　　This story was told, however, by Julia, with many embellishments, for shedelighted in making Fanny appear ridiculous. She was going on swimminglywhen she received a drawback from her mother, who said:

　　"Julia, what do you want to talk so for? You know that while Fanny studiedLatin, Mr. Miller said she learned her lessons more readily than you didand recited them better, and he said, too, that she was quite as good aFrench scholar as you."

　　Julia curled her lip scornfully and said, "she didn't know what her motherknew about Fanny's scholarship." Meantime Fanny was blushing deeply andthinking that she had appeared to great disadvantage in Mr. Wilmot's eyes;but he very kindly changed the conversation by asking who Mr. Miller was,and was told that he was a young man from Albany, New York, who taught intheir neighborhood the winter before.

　　The appearance of some nice red apples just then turned the attention ofthe little company in another channel and before they were aware of it theclock struck ten. Mr. Middleton had not returned and as it was doubtfulwhether he came at all that night, Julia went into the kitchen for Luce,to show Mr. Wilmot to his room. She was gone some time, and when shereturned was accompanied by a bright-looking mulatto girl, who, as soon asshe had conducted Mr. Wilmot into his room, commenced making excuses about"marster's old house! Things was drefful all round it, but 'twasn't MissJulia's fault, for if she could have her way 'twould be fixed up, sartin.She was a born'd lady, anybody could see; so different from Miss Fanny,who cared nothing how things looked if she could go into the kitchen andturn hoe cakes for Aunt Judy, or tend the baby!"

　　By this time Luce had arranged the room all it wanted arranging, and asMr. Wilmot had no further need of her services, she left him to think ofwhat she had said. He did not know that the bright red ribbon, whichappeared on Luce's neck next morning, was the gift of Julia, who hadbribed her to say what she did to him. Julia knew that she had made afavorable impression on Mr. Wilmot by making him think meanly of Fanny.

　　What Luce said had its effect upon him, too. He was accustomed to therefinements of the North and he could not help respecting a young ladymore who showed a taste for neatness. That night he dreamed that a brightpair of dark eves were looking at him from each pane of shingle in thewindow, and that a golden-haired fairy was dancing the Polka in AuntJudy's hoe cake batter.