Part 23 (1/2)
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE WRIT OF EJECTMENT.
Shortly after the events narrated in the last chapter, the announcement was made by Clarissa that a white man, ”und dat biggety n.i.g.g.e.r Ellic, was at de do to see ole ma.r.s.er.” The interview occurred on the verandah.
Abram Laflin, the carpet-bagger, introduced the subject as follows:
”I observed” said he, ”in pa.s.sing the court house on yesterday, that you had advertised my home to be sold to pay a debt of five thousand dollars due you. Will you be kind enough to make the calculation and inform me what is due you, princ.i.p.al and interest?”
”Certainly I will, with great pleasure,” replied the Colonel. ”Here is the account accurately computed.”
”Make your calculations, Mr. Wiggins, and see if the gentleman is correct,” he said to the negro.
Mr. Wiggins adjusted his gold rimmed eyegla.s.ses, fingered a moment the gold chain upon his immaculate s.h.i.+rt bosom, scratched his head a time or two with the point of his gold pencil and pa.s.sed the statement to his lord and master.
”Ah, ha,” exclaimed the carpet-bagger, ”Four thousand three hundred and fifty-seven dollars and thirty-three and one-third cents, and not five thousand dollars as you have it, Mr. Seymour.”
”Ah, very well” replied Mr. Seymour ”You may settle by my calculation if you wish, if not the sale shall go on.”
”Give me the paper and pencil, Mr. Wiggins, I will make the calculation for myself,” said the carpet-bagger. ”The result as you have it sir, is correct. Here is your money sir.”
”Now, sir, I will show you the gate,” replied the Colonel with asperity.
”Good morning,” and the two men locked arms and went away.
As the enraged man was entering the verandah, he was greeted unexpectedly and obsequiously by Joshua, with ”Compliments, ole Ma.r.s.er.
I have fotched you some long-necked G.o.de seeds; spected yer would lak to hab dem, mars Jon.”
”Yes, Yes, I am glad you remembered me Joshua. I thought my old slave had quite forgotten me,” replied the Colonel.
”You mout hab spected dat ole ma.s.ser, but I knowed all de time you wus de onliest fren I had in de wurrell,” answered the old negro.
”I am surprised to see you looking so badly, Joshua. Why your hair is as white as cotton, and your clothes too are ragged and dirty, and there are great hollows in your cheeks; what have you done with yourself old man?”
The old negro dashed a great big tear from each eye as he replied hesitatingly, ”Better ax tother fokeses dat ar questun, ole marsa; better ax de bosses at de kommissery; I'se been froo de froos sens I seed you sar, mommucked up monstrus, dat I is. Dem dar pizen'd carpet-baggers tole us cullud fokses ef we didn't do jess lak dey sed, dat dey was agwine to put us bak in slavery, und dey skeert us jam ni to def, dat dey did. Dey uprared a grate big sto in de town, und sakes alive! de moest la.s.ses und horg meat und flower und backer, und sich lak yu nebber did see, mars Jon, und likker, too; und wun ob de bosses he c.u.m to de do und sez, sez he boys, fetch yer happysaks und jimmyjons ebery Tuesday, und eberry Saddy nite de Lord sens und fill dem chok full. I clar ma.r.s.er, I felt jess lak I wus in Paradise, wid de angels er harpin pon golden harps und soppin la.s.ses; und I took dat white man at his word, und I'se been on de rode twixt my house und de sto fur seben weeks, backards und forrards, a totin my ole jimmyjon un happy-sak; I clar pon my Ma.r.s.er in Heben, I haint eben got de rappins ob my finger from dat sto yit. De boss wud laf und say de rashuns had gin out fore I got dere, und to c.u.m agin nex Tuesday sho; und mars Jon, I'se jess nachully a tired to def, widdout a moufful ob wittels in my house fur me nur Hanner nudder, und we bof a peris.h.i.+n to def. Ole marsa, hain't yer got nary ole ash tater, nur a leetle piece ob meat skin yer kin gib dis ole darky jess to pacify his stummik, seems lak I jess hab to draw my galluses rale t.i.te roun it to keep it frum creepin fru my mouf.”
The old soldier of fifty battles looked down upon the poor old negro in his squalor and emaciation and wretchedness, and the tears came into his eyes, too, as he said,
”If there is anything in this house to eat, Joshua, you shall have all you want. I pity you from my heart, old negro. These people are not your friends nor mine. The day will come when you will know them as they are--enemies of every one who will not wash their dirty linen.”
”Eber yu spoke de truf, Mars Jon, you spoke it den--hit's de G.o.d's truf.”
”Clarissa!” called the Colonel, ”Clarissa!”
”Sar!” came Clarissa's voice from the kitchen. ”I'se er c.u.mmin, ole marsa, jes es fast es I ken.”
As she saw Joshua she threw up her hands and impulsively exclaimed,
”Fur de Lawd's sake, Joshaway, whot do ail yer eny way? I faut yu wuz er gostis er settin outen here wid ole ma.r.s.er. Po ole n.i.g.g.e.r! Duz sis Hanner luk lak yu duz? De grabeyard is er yornin fer yu rite now.” And Clarissa placed her hand feelingly upon the old negro's white head, saying the while, ”Po Joshaway! Po n.i.g.g.e.r!” while Joshua covered his face with his knotty hands and his feeble body shook as with a spasm.
In obedience to orders, Clarissa placed before Joshua a huge dish of boiled ham, cabbage, potatoes--Irish and sweet--and the old negro in the joy of his heart sprang nimbly to his aged and aching feet and ”cut de piggen whing jes ter sho ole marsa how spry und suple he wus.”