The Southern Cross Part 22

[Charlotte puts her down; she gets cone; then Charlotte lifts her again, and slowly exit (Left).

Winth. (gazing longingly after her). And they have come to that--she teaching for her living! G.o.d! when will this end? And the others--are they, too, working--Mrs. Stuart and Fair? Have they come to this! If I could only see the old place. I wonder if it has gone to ruin as all the rest has gone. (He gazes longingly across the river, as Hopkins has done). h.e.l.lo! what's that? A boat! and crossing the stream.

By George, it's old Aunt Marthy; she's rowing the boat herself. I wonder where she's going. Poor soul! She's coming after Charlotte, I suppose.

She's landing; she can hardly climb the bank. I wonder who runs the ferry now, and the old mill, where Fair and I used to ride together and sit and watch the water on the wheel.

[His face has a white, set look.

Aunt Marthy (off Right). Ef I kin get up dis here bank. I ain't fit ter be climbin' 'round dis way. Dar, I's up, I reckon.

Winth. Coming this way. I'll speak to her. She'll tell me how they are.

[Enter Marthy (Right). She carries a small, covered basket.

She is looking down, picking her way over the rough ground, and does not see Winthrop.

Winth. Aunt Marthy.

Marthy (looks up, sees him, starts, looks again). Fo' Gaud! ef hit ain't Mars Winthrop.

Winth. I'm mighty glad to see you, Marthy. What are you doing 'way out here?

Marthy. Well, sir, I sho is sprised ter see you. I don come 'cross de river to fotch Miss Charlotte her dinner.

Winth. Where is she?

Marthy. She up dar at de school house. Ain't you don hear 'bout dat? She's teachin' school.

Winth. I haven't heard anything about them for a long time now. I haven't been here since the fight last May.

Marthy. I come hyer most every day to fotch de lunch for her. She bin teachin' since September. I couldn't git n.o.body to row de ferry, so I had ter get in de skiff and row dat way. Cos I bleeged ter get hyer some way.

Winth. How are they all now, Marthy? I hope they are all well. I have tried so hard to get some word of them, but no one seemed to know.

How are they?

Marthy. Well, sir, dey ant so well as what de might be. Pears like hits hard ter say just how dey is, de trouble done change um so. I reckon, do, deys well, and cose, sir, dey ant give up; nor, sir, ant ney one ob um done dat. You heard bout Mars George bein kill way down dar bout two miles other side of the place. Yes, sir, dats when you was hyr las time. Pears like hit come on us so fast I sorter disremember. Well, dey brought him home--Old Mistus and Miss Charlotte did--but, sir, hit change um mighty. Deys jus as brave and fine as dey ever bin, but cose, sir, hit change um. Den dar was de time Mars Carter he was captured and Mars Gorden go arter him and turn him loose, but he ant save hisself.

You know bout dat, do, I reckon. Dey--(she pauses, then continues with an effort). Dey hung him, sir, next mornin fo de suns up good. Cose dey offer him he freedom, but dat ant mek no difference ter him. He done save de army, and dat what he kyr bout. Well, sir, dey brung him home and me and Miss Charlotte and Miss Fair and Mars Bev we bury him wid our own hands. De soldiers say dey dig de grave, but Mistus she say no, she reckon we can do hit; so Cupid dig de grave down in de gyrden and we bury him dar next day, close by Mars Phil and Mars George (she pauses and draws her hand across her eyes). Well, sir, hit did seem dat ought ter be de end ob de trouble, but de very next Sunday mornin we see de ambulance wagen turn in at de gate, and hit was Mars Carter and Old Marster, both on um, sir, both on um! Mars Carter was done shot dead and Old Marster done had he leg shot off up near his body (she pauses again). Peared like Old Mistus knowed dey was comin. She done dress up in her black silk dress and standin out dar in de front porch waitin.

When dey come up to de do, she jus look down at um fer a minute, den she say rite lo, "In hyr, please," and she turn and led the way back to her room. She sot dar all night long wid Old Marster's head on her brest, talkin to him, rite easy, bout how proud she was ob her soldiers and how glad she was dat deyd come home: but, sir, hit warnt no use, he died long bout mornin, cause dey warnt no doctor we could get fer him. We buried um long side ob de others out dar in de gyrden; and dar dey is--five on um, sir, and we ant got n.o.body lef us cep little Mars Bev.

Yes, sir, he dar yet, praise Gaud!

[Winthrop has been listening eagerly, but towards the latter part he turns away, looking off across the river. When he turns he is strangely pale and worn looking. He speaks with an effort.

Winth. And Fair, how is she now?

Marthy. Well, sir, dat child done keep Old Mistus live, I recon.

She and Mars Bev dey took de old place rite in dey own hands and run hit, sir. Dey do mos everything whats did roun dar now. Cose Cupid he helps a little, but den he cripple wid de rumatiz and cose he can't do much. Dem chullen gets us mos all what we has ter eat. Dey raise er little c.r.a.p ob corn and work hit demselves. Dey got ol Jack yet. Dey done gib de other hoses to de army, since Old Mistus say she recon she ant need um no mo. Yes, sir, deys de bestis chullen. But Mars Bev still talk bout goin in de army. He say he bleged ter go, cause he par say de las thing fo he died dat he want hit (she is speaking slowly, almost to herself). Miss Fair done got de uniform ready. I reckon hit wont be long now; yes, sir, I reckon it wont be long.

Winth. (suddenly). Marthy, I want you to do something for me.

Will you?

Marthy. Yes, marster.

Winth. (gives her a roll of greenbacks). I want you to take this and see that they want for nothing (she hesitates). I am their kinsman, and I have a right to give this for their support. Here, take it.

[He presses the money into her hands.

Marthy. I thanks you sir; I sho does. Hit'll do me a power er good ter git um somethin' they kin eat. I reckon I better say nothin'

'bout hit, though. Dey's Stuarts yet, sir, even do de war done brek um.

Winth. Of course. And here--I'll send you more when this is gone.

Where can I send it?

Marthy. De post office at de junction don bin burn down. But ef you leave hit wid any one of um over dar, I'll git hit.

Winth. Yes. And is there anything else--anything on G.o.d's earth I can do for them?

Marthy (slowly). No, sir. And I thanks you fer doin' so much. But I rekon dey ain't nothin' none of us kin do.

[She slowly exits up the road (Left).

Winth. (looking after her). I guess she's right. There's nothing we can do.

[Enter Hopkins.

Hop. The men are coming on to camp here in the old place; the ground is too bad down there.

Winth. Yes, yes; of course.

[Enter Evans and a party of some ten or twelve soldiers. Two of them begin to light a fire on the old place covered with ashes.

Evans. We found good shelter for the horses underneath the pines.

[The men begin to spread the blankets and another to make coffee.

Winth. Have you a picket out?

Evans. Yes, down on the river bank. Shall we stop here to-night?

[It begins to snow very gently.

Snow! I'm glad we got into camp before night.

Hop. (rubs hands and looks towards the fire). And we'll have coffee soon. This reconnoitering ain't much to my taste.

[He turns to Winthrop. A noise (off Right).

[Enter soldier quickly.

Soldier. The enemy!

Winth. Where?