by Lisa Prysock
Signs of spring abounded. Butterflies flitted in and out amongst them as they walked beneath branches of maple leaves and pine offering patches of shade here and there. Blooms of tulip, crocus, and daffodil greeted them in the garden beds. Spring seemed to blossom early that year, something no one complained about. A few patches of dormant grass dotted the lawn from winter, but most of the new season of grass provided a lush, green carpet to walk upon. Her aunt chatted on about the plantation minister, Reverend Abel Granby.
“You’ll like him. He’s a good Baptist preacher like your father. I’m very glad to hear you slept well and are enjoying the Rose Room,” Aunt Millie commented.
“I can see quite a view of the Ohio River through the trees beyond the gardens from my bedroom. Polly seems very pleased with her room as well. She especially enjoys the view. It is as you said it would be!” Jen replied.
“We never did have a chance to discuss your crossing. How was the voyage?”
“What should have taken about fifteen and a half days took twenty-three days due to the ice bergs, though best to sail slowly than become shipwrecked,” Geneva added. “I’m thankful we had a captain with a great deal of experience to navigate the ship through the dangerous places.”
“I was worried about the weather for the voyage this time of year. I didn’t know if your parents would wait until later in the year to send you or not. Did you have a nice cabin? I paid the fare for first class.”
“The accommodations were very nice… and the food, wonderful. Polly and I spent many an afternoon in the comfort of our cabin’s sitting room. They fed us very well. I enjoyed the time to catch up on my writing and read three lengthy books.”
“I didn’t realize you liked to write.”
“Yes, I hope to become published one day. I’m looking forward to using the writing desk in the Rose Room.”
“I know you enjoy walking, writing, and teaching. What else do you like to do? Do you ride?”
“Yes, I do like to ride, but Father couldn’t afford keeping an extra horse around for my pleasure. I am a decent horseback rider as in childhood we lived in the countryside and rode horses. When we moved to the city, I was only able to ride when my friend, Bryn Palmer, invited me to ride horses from the Palmer stables… or if Paddy was available from time to time, Papa’s horse. I like to crochet and stitch samplers, but I don’t enjoy long, tedious sewing. I have never been able to learn how to do any knitting. Using two needles always baffled me.”
“That makes two of us! You may have one of our horses for riding. I think you would find Royal Anna a fine riding horse. Feel free to take her for a ride whenever you please. I’ll tell Bird-dog. He can saddle her for you whenever you ask… or any of the stable hands.”
“I do enjoy decorating hats, shopping, and reading. Who is Bird-dog?”
“He happened to need work and I took pity on him. I rather suspect he is a slave trying to escape to freedom as he came to us from South Carolina, but there are slave catchers to be avoided-- so I haven’t asked too many questions. He has been very helpful in the stables, with our livestock, and even helping in the fields. Henry or Bird-dog can help you become acquainted with Royal Anna. Henry manages our stables and has taken Bird-dog under his wing. I suppose there is an abolitionist streak within many of us at Grace Hill. George and I could never abide by the institution of slavery. We loathed it a great deal. Do you enjoy the opera?” Aunt Millie inquired.
“No, but I very much enjoy plays… and entirely admire those who are abolitionists. I’m passionately against slavery myself and cannot abide the institution.”
“What a welcome relief to hear! I don’t enjoy the opera, either. I know you play the piano and enjoy singing. Rachel wrote to me about your progress with piano over the years. What are your favorite foods? Or, should I ask, what don’t you like to eat?”
“Well, I don’t like shellfish or shrimp… but I do enjoy lobster. I will tolerate cod and salmon. Hmm, my favorite foods… I like stew, vegetable beef soup, pork chops in plum sauce, peas with pearl onions in cream sauce, and salad greens. My favorite meat is chicken. I do like bara brith, orange muffins, string beans, asparagus, oh… and sometimes Mama used to cook stewed celery with tomatoes, a dish I enjoy now and then. I do enjoy green apples, oranges, and many fresh fruits… oh, and potato corn chowder. Anything with potatoes is delicious… I think that’s just about everything. I do enjoy roast beef, too… oh, and of course, I like all sorts of tea, scones with jam, and cinnamon apple cake.”
“It sounds as though we share many of the same tastes in foods, but I haven’t had stewed celery with tomatoes or bara brith in a number of years… not since I was a young girl about your age,” Aunt Millie replied with a smile at the memory. “Delia, our cook… she can prepare nearly everything well. Since I know you like to read, who are your favorite authors?”
“Charles Dickens and Jane Austen… but I read a great many books and a wide variety of authors.”
“Grace Hill’s library will afford you much opportunity for reading,” Aunt Millie smiled. “George indulged my inclination toward books and added to the library significantly over the course of our marriage. What would you like to see first, the rest of the manor house… or the grounds?”
“Well, since we are outdoors, I think a look at the rest of the grounds would be sensible,” Jen said as they progressed toward the rear right corner of the mansion lawn. They continued alongside a tree line parallel to the drive leading to the stables.
“Very well, as you can see we’re almost to the Stable Courtyard.”
They crossed over to the cobble stone drive and continued walking beneath a stone arch opening into a cobble stoned courtyard with two barns and the gardener shed on the right; a long, low stable and carriage house straight ahead; and the business manager’s office on the left. Aunt Millie introduced her to Joseph Kemp, the Business Manager, and Hank Marshall, the Gardener. She had already met Henry Scott, the Stable Manager. She remembered he had been the coach driver who had met them where the riverboat had docked yesterday after the one day journey down the Ohio River from Cincinnati. He greeted her again with a polite nod and tip of his hat. A few other stable hands nodded in their direction but kept working at various tasks.
“In case you’re wondering, the male staff employees sleep above the Stables or the Staff Dining Hall, except for Mr. Kemp. He has sleeping quarters in his office building,” her aunt explained as they exited the Stable Courtyard through the arch. “Henry lives in a farm house on our property with his wife.”
“Joseph Kemp is the serious one with the beard; Hank Marshall is the lean, tall elderly fellow; and Henry Scott is the stocky one with the Irish accent and side burns. Did I remember them correctly?” Geneva asked.
“You did…” her aunt chuckled.
Next, Aunt Millie led her to explore the length of land running directly behind the mansion. First, they passed a meadow to the right beyond the business manager’s office and entered a shrub garden. A rose garden not in bloom yet led from the edge of the shrub garden to the terrace. The shrub garden was located across from the mansion’s terraced courtyard enveloped by the two wings of the house. It contained brick paths and a pond.
As they continued on, cutting across the shrub garden, she discovered the two paths leading to an ice house and spring house. Beyond the paths, Aunt Millie pointed out the well and pump for fresh water near the kitchen, at the rear of the house on the left wing. Next, they encountered two buildings behind the left wing, the Staff Dining Hall and the Laundry House. These were in close proximity to a fenced hen house and coop. Beyond the Laundry House was a kitchen garden almost completely cultivated and ready to be seeded. The kitchen garden was located beside a wood chopping area.
“Are you ready to tour the manor house?” Aunt Millie inquired.
“Oh yes,” Geneva replied. “I’m very eager to see the rest of the house!”
“I’m certain you are. I felt lost when George first brought me
here as a young bride until I had explored each room.”
“It must have been so romantic… coming to America with your new husband and moving into a grand house such as this,” Geneva speculated dreamily.
“It was romantic! Ours was a match made in heaven! We spent many happy years together, except for not having children. Such a lament weighted upon my soul for a number of years! I suppose it was part of the reason I never returned to Scotland or England to visit family. My heart was too full of grief, bitterness, and shame to return. The Lord did eventually heal me by giving me so many spiritual children with our school for orphans as my mission. Serving the Lord became my greatest joy!”
“Yes, I can attest to similar feelings of joy from serving. I was born to teach and it gives me great joy. It’s a miracle how the Lord shapes talent within us and prepares us to serve, is it not?” Geneva asked as Millie nodded in reply. She added, “This is a spectacular place for a mission school and home for orphans. Fenway Street Mission was not nearly as loving as I am certain it is here, and sadly, did not have an adequate setting. As soon as I set foot here, I felt the love you have poured into this place, even as we traverse the grounds.”
“It does my heart good to hear what you have observed so far, much more than you know,” her aunt replied.
She soon found herself in the pantry behind a long kitchen. Aunt Millicent ran directly into the housekeeper as they entered the kitchen from the pantry and mud room. “There you are Edna! Have you met my niece, yet? Geneva, Edna Tipper is the best housekeeper in Jefferson County.”
“Pleased to meet you, Miss Rosemont,” Edna bobbed and smiled in her direction. “Welcome to America!”
“Likewise and thank you,” Geneva replied.
“Where is everyone? Delia and Betsy are usually in a frenzy about this time of day preparing our supper.” Aunt Millie looked about, but clearly, the long kitchen was empty of staff.
“I’ve taken the liberty of lining up the staff properly for introductions, ma’am,” Edna explained. “I happened to see you were nearly finished with the tour of the grounds. They are all waiting in the Grand Hall.”
“Perfect! Thank you Edna,” Aunt Millie looked relieved. Turning to her niece, “Follow us and I’ll introduce you to the rest of Grace Hill.”
They traipsed through a formal dining room with a view of the terrace and courtyard. “There are two mahogany tables and chairs enough to seat twenty-four comfortably,” her aunt explained as they passed through into a spacious, sitting area opening into the Grand Hall where Aunt Millie made the introductions.
She met Maxwell Craymoore, the Butler; Pearl Jenkins, Aunt Millie’s personal maid; Jimmy Selby, an orphan house worker taken in by the mission; Betsy Lewis, Laura Parks, and Julia Farnsworth, house maids; Delia Gardner, the Kitchen Manager and Cook; and Jack Hale, a general house employee. Her aunt explained Bird-dog Smith and several farm hands were not available to be introduced because they were busy working somewhere on the five-hundred acre plantation.
“We not only sire a decent number of horses here, but we produce apples and wheat. You will notice we’re busy with spring plowing, pruning, and planting this time of year… so some of our farm hands are out and about on the property at present. In addition, we are as self-sufficient as possible at Grace Hill Manor & Mission. We produce most of our own ham, chicken, beef, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, soaps, candles, and jams, to name a few items.”
After staff introductions, her aunt led her through the main entrance. On one side, they toured the Drawing Room; and on the other side of the foyer, a door led to a room she had named Millie’s Parlor. A door connected from there into what had formerly been George’s Study. Uncle George’s Study led to the Gallery, a raised room containing family portraits. The Gallery brought them back out and down several steps leading into the Grand Hall again. Here, they turned right into the Library and beyond, the Conservatory. The Conservatory and Library opened onto the Terrace Courtyard, as did the Grand Hall and Dining Room. Geneva began to understand the layout of the mansion and appreciated how the rooms wrapped around the Terrace Courtyard.
Upstairs, she enjoyed a tour of the Violet Room, Blue Room, and Gold Room. These were guest bedrooms. She saw Aunt Millie’s suite of rooms, the Morning Room, second floor Powder Room, the upstairs Drawing Room, the Sitting Room where they’d had tea with Ridge, and the Grand Ball Room.
She noticed a balcony on the far right of the house and the other balcony the bedrooms faced. Finally, they toured the Servant Quarters, Student Quarters, third floor Sitting Rooms, third floor Powder Room, and School Rooms… all on the third floor. She was pleasantly surprised at how clean and organized the students kept their quarters.
“Well, you’ve seen a brief glimpse of just about everything,” her aunt concluded as they descended the staircase to the second floor. “It’s nearly time for our afternoon tea. We serve breakfast at eight o’clock in the Dining Room when the students are here… and in the kitchen when they aren’t at Grace Hill or usually when school isn’t in session... though I often have my breakfast served privately. Dinner is served at noon in the Dining Room. Tea is generally served at three in the afternoon in the first floor Sitting Area by the Grand Hall, and the supper meal at seven in the Dining Room. The staff take their meals in the Staff Dining Hall two hours earlier than each of our meals. Would you mind terribly, dear Geneva, if I have some tea and scones sent up to your room? For some reason, I seem a bit tired today. I’m going to need a rest before supper.”
“Certainly,” she replied. “I still feel a bit tired from the journey. A lie down sounds like bliss!”
“I’ll meet you in the Dining Room at seven then. I generally take my all of my meals at the tea table in the Sitting Room on the second floor when the students are away and quite often for breakfast, but since it will be your first real supper at Grace Hill, I’d like for us to use the Dining Room.”
Chapter 8.
West of Appalachia
He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me. Psalm 18:19
“Begging your pardon, but if I am to inherit all of this one day, and I don’t see any slaves on the plantation… how do you afford to pay for all of these employees? Father mentioned sharecropping, but… I’m not sure I understand.”
Geneva’s question made Aunt Millie smile as they conversed, seated at one of the two long tables in the Dining Room. She had arrived promptly at seven, thankful Polly had laid out her tartan plaid skirt and a freshly ironed white blouse. The blouse featured three-quarter length sleeves trimmed in five inches of cascading lace at the forearms. True to Polly’s suspicions, her aunt had changed from the afternoon floral dress into a dove gray evening gown for the supper meal. Geneva wore her dark hair half down, the rest pulled up and secured with pearl edged combs. Again, the cameo brooch from her parents adorned her high neck collar. She wore white lace mitts for gloves, but was thankful to see her aunt did not wear gloves. Perhaps meals wouldn’t be too stiff and formal if her aunt didn’t wear gloves.
“To answer your question,” Aunt Millie explained, ”I maintain a ledger with the details of pay arrangements. The household employees are employed in exchange for boarding room, meals, and a tidy monthly sum for incidentals. The Reverend does a bit of sharecropping, as does our Business Manager, Joseph Kemp, and the Stable Manager, Henry. I also give Henry one horse and a calf each year to sell or keep as he pleases. We allow him to live in a small farm house with his wife on our property. I provide Mr. Kemp with a small stipend, meals, and boarding. He dabbles in some carpentry work for additional income. Hank came to us alone in the world. He just wanted boarding and meals, but I provide him with a small sum each month. Of course, there are other investments and funds George left to me of a considerable sum, and the annual sale from our portion of the crops.”
“I see,” Geneva replied as she tasted the stew, pondering the explanation. “How do you find them all… the employees
?”
“Oh, the good Lord just sends them my way, though a few have been with the Colonel’s family for years. ‘Tis the same with our students… I never know who the Lord is going to send my way, but somehow, He just does. I give each of the staff Sundays off and one other day each week. The students help with various chores, too. We usually eat light meals we prepare ourselves on Sundays. Sometimes the students attempt to take turns cooking meals.”
“I don’t think I’ll easily remember them all.”
“Give it time and you’ll come to know each of them. By the time the students return, you’ll know all of the staff. Then you’ll have a few more new names and faces to recognize.”
“Indeed,” she replied to her aunt.
“How is Polly adjusting?”
“She seems to feel right at home. She has been embraced by Delia and Edna. I rather hope Pearl takes Polly under her wings to show her the ropes of being a personal ladies’ maid. “Tis quite a change from being our family cook and doing light housekeeping all of these years…”
