Moses asked, “Montu?”
“Yes, he is the falcon-god of war. He is the god of my…” He looked at Moses and said, “our people.”
Dakota said, “tell him how you got here from Africa.”
Thaddeus continued, “my youngest son’s leg was shackled to my leg and his arm mine. My oldest son was killed, the men were telling him what to do, but none of us understood their language, they killed my boy and several others. The white-skinned men marched us down the mountain, to the ocean and dumped us in the belly of that big boat. It stunk so bad, it was years before the smell was gone out of my nose and memory. When we got to this country my son shackles were removed when he was purchased. My boy looked at me, he kissed the back of my hand, looked up at me and smiled, he said, “I love you, dad.” He jumped off the auction block head first, he died like his mother, head bust wide open. “A big oversized man kicked my baby boy to the side like he was trash.”
Moses cried.
Dakota said, “how do people that think they are better, more intelligent, and believe they are privileged to do such evilness to others. When I was taken, that is the first thing they did to me, removed my clothes and raped me.”
Moses handed his father a towel, using the cloth to wipe his face Thaddeus said, “Koda, tell him your story.”
Moses stood, before leaving his father’s bedside, kissed him on the forehead, squeezed his hand and said, “I love you pops. Just like my brother loved you.” He kissed the back of Thaddeus' hand.
He went to his mom; she was sitting in a chair by the fire. Moses asked about her health. She said, “I’m doing fine.”
He knelt next to her and said, “Dad mentioned that you were already in this country, how did they take you?”
Dakota said, “I am from the Rocky mountain area of this country. Like your father, I was married, had two daughters and one son. I am eleven years older than Thad; my children were teenagers. My husband was at work, my kids were with friends, I was out for a walk enjoying the warm sun and nature. You see son, I taught my tribal community how to use the herbs of the land for illnesses. I often walked looking for herbs.” She looked at Thaddeus and said, “we both are from a tribe that functioned and lived peacefully together, as one unit.”
“Yes, we were,” Thaddeus responded as he sat on the side of the bed.
Dakota continued, “our Massa was an Army Captain, he had gotten shot in his leg and shoulder, a caravan was returning him home to New York. I should have run, but I stopped to watch them go by, big mistake on my part. Massa said something to a few of the men on horseback, they came after me, I took off running fast as I could which was not fast enough, they caught me. The men stood me next to a covered wagon, Massa came around instructed the men to remove all my clothing. He inspected me, then violated me. Afterward, he said, “she’ll be a good house slave.” Dakota stopped talking and cried. She ended by saying, “How sick is people.”
Moses looked around, and saw his dad walking towards them, he asked, “what are you doing pops?”
“Help me next to your mother.”
When he was sitting next to Dakota, Thaddeus reached over and took her hand in his, then said, “she was here for two years before I arrived, after I was purchased in 1841, I was put in this shack, my name was changed to Sam, only Massa call me that.”
Dakota said, “he changed my name to Rebecca, we never used those names. Your father calls me Koda, I call him, Thad.” Still holding Thaddeus' hand, she squeezed it, then continued, “when I was brought here, Massa put me in the loft of the barn, close to the house. Two years later, he bought Thad and put us together, like animals we were to begin breeding. We did not touch each other until we were legally married, in that slave church not far from here.” She smiled before continuing, “we both, was introduced to God and His Son, Jesus.”
Moses asked, “did you tell each other about where you came from?”
“Yes, we did,” Dakota answered, “we were escaping to my home.”
“Mom, how were you going to explain to your husband, dad and me?”
“We were only thinking about being free,” Thaddeus said.
Dakota said, “we were caught, you were taken from us”
Moses said laughing to break the sadness that had consumed the shack, “I must have been an awful child because they gave me back to you.”
Thaddeus and Dakota laughed out loud. Finally, Moses thought, joy had returned to the family.
Dakota said, “child you tore that place up, when Massa brought you back, he said, you bite, hit, kicked him and his wife, broke windows, dishes, and knocked over a very expensive vase.”
Laughing, Thaddeus said, “the vase was from another country.”
Thaddeus and Dakota had a good laugh as they told Moses about his seven months stay with their Massa. Thaddeus said laughing, “Massa showed us where you had bitten him that day.”
Dakota said, “those tiny little teeth marks.” She and Thaddeus laughter out loud and hard.
Moses said, “let’s keep this moment going, filled with laughter and joy. On my way home from work, I will stop past the garden and get some vegetables and herbs, then ask the cook for a chicken. Will, you teach me how to cook a dish from my Indian and African heritage?”
“Yes son, we’ll end the day on a high note,” Dakota said.
She began singing a tribal song as Moses left.
Watching Moses leave, Thaddeus said, “I’m glad we told him.”
“Yes, he took it well.” Dakota replied as she looked around at the table filled with breakfast, she said, “let’s eat.”
Outside, Moses ran to the field, fell on his knees, and cried. He felt the scars on the side of his face, he said aloud, “thanks dad for saving me.”
True to his word, Moses returned home that evening with a whole chicken, vegetables, herbs, Massa’s cook had given him corn, salt, sugar, oil, meal, and flour. Thaddeus, Dakota, and Moses had fun preparing that evening’s meal together, and an even greater time as they sat at the table enjoying the delicious food. During supper, Thaddeus and Dakota reviewed that morning discussion and shared more of their story. Thaddeus said, “Adlai, one day write our history.” That evening Moses jotted down talking points of what his parents had told him.
The next morning Thaddeus had a burst of energy, while Dakoda prepared breakfast, Thaddeus and Moses went to the horse barn. It had been a few years since Thaddeus had been further than the front of the cabin, he was shocked to see how dilapidated the barn had become, and the condition of the horses. He was even more surprised, that there were only four horses. The owner of the plantation had gotten old and was no longer involved in horse racing. Together father and son washed and brushed the horses, then fed them, and cleaned their stalls. One of the horse’s name was Rocky, Thaddeus told Moses to take care of the horse. He explained that Rocky was the grandson of the fastest horse their Massa ever raced. Two hours later they returned and ate everything that Dakota had prepared. Moses left to see what the Massa had for him to do.
While Moses was away, Thaddeus and Dakota talked for a little bit, he said, “I am tired.” She helped him to bed. He smiled, held Dakota’s hand next to his heart, and said just above a whisper, “my beautiful wife, thank you for my son and a good life.”
Dakota said, “I am joining you soon Thad. First, I have to get our son off this plantation.”
Thaddeus said, “please do, tell our son, I love him.” He kissed Dakota’s hand, closed his eyes, and whispered, “I love you.” He peacefully passed away.
Thaddeus funeral was held the next day.
Moses had his mother with him for two days after his father passed. He and his mother sat in front of the fire, they cooked meals together, they talked. Dakota pleaded with Moses to leave the plantation. Their second day together, three days after Thaddeus death, early in the morning, Moses was standing by his mother’s bedside. She said, “your father and I love you dearly, it is time for me to go. Adlai, I need for you to
escape this place and be free.”
Moses laid his head on his mother’s chest and cried, he said, “I cannot lose you both.”
Dakota said very softly as she rubbed Moses head,” use your jockey training, run to Ohio and join the army, run son, run.”
Moses heard and felt his mother’s heart stop. He jumped up and yelled, “mom!”
The next day she was buried next to Thaddeus.
It took Moses a week to finally leave. Though he knew his parents would soon leave him, he had not prepared his heart for their departure. Moses became lethargic, he stopped eating, for several days he sat in his father’s chair, rocking and crying. The sadness was thicker than syrup and bitter than sour grape.
His last night in the shack, he was awakened by his parent’s laughter, he smelt food cooking, he heard his mother say, “run.”
Twenty-year-old Moses jumped out of bed called out, “dad, mom, you here?” he lit a candle no one was in the shack. He said to himself, “it was a dream, I have to go, and I know how.” Twenty minutes later he left the cabin.
Both of Moses parents died in April 1863, three days apart.
Moses brushed Rocky down, fed and saddled the horse. The few remaining overseers thought Moses was doing his chore. But when Moses jumped on Rocky’s back and galloped off, they learned differently. Being a professional jockey, the overseers could not keep up.
On his flight away from the plantation, he was happy that he and his father had gone to the barn, one last time together. After his dad’s funeral, he and his mom went to their shack and prepared a few meals together. She told him to run and join the American Army.
To keep his slaves from escaping, Moses Massa told his slaves, that people with candles in their window were evil, and to stay from them. When he arrived in Philadelphia, he saw a tiny house with a candle in the window, Moses and his horse was tired and hungry, so he knocked on the door. He figured they could be no worse than his Massa. The couple were nice and accommodating. He made two more stops before landing in Ohio which took him five weeks to reach. In Ohio, he joined the army and fought gallantly for the freedom for his mom, dad, brothers, and sisters he would never meet.
Coloreds during the Civil War could not arm themselves with guns or swords, Moses found a big thick stick and was better with that stick, than most whites that carried weapons.
Moses unit went south and fought in Chickamauga on top of Look Out Mountain, and Chattanooga at the foot of a mountain, his unit fought in several southern states until the end of the war. Through it all, his unit only lost one man.
After the Civil War, officially ending on April 1865, Moses was a homeless recluse that worked odd jobs, he searched for something stable.
Moses job search ended when he found himself in MacCall. In the middle of town, he saw four men riding on flatbed wagons, hiring people, Moses walked up to one of the wagons, and said, “Sir I am filthy, I stink, I need a job.”
Vance said, “hop on the back.”
Moses jumped on the back of Vance wagon, he reached in his pocket and pulled out the papers with his family history and his graduation certificate.
IX
Charles Brown
Charles Moved To Boston 1872
The day Charles was moving to Boston, Drew and Baerbel stood on the front porch waving bye. Harry watched his favorite son leave from the drawing-room window, he whispered, “going to miss you son, wish I was more like you.”
Baerbel would not stop crying so Drew sent her back in the mansion, when she entered Harry left and went to the library. When Charles carriage got to the end of the driveway, he turned and waved. The carriage disappeared out of Drew’s site when it went around the bend. Silently, Drew cried. They were one year apart, they were like twins, they had fought, argued, talked, planned, played, even went to war together. Drew like Harry admired Charles free spirit. Drew went to the side of the mansion, fell on his knees and cried.
*******
When Charles arrived in Boston, the first person he inquired about was Billy, the new manager at the Steel Mill gave him Billy’s Vermont address. Charles went to Billy’s home, he was old and sad, but doing well. Due to Harry’s treachery, his employees lost respect for him, they never gave Harry, Billy’s new address.
Billy’s wife was diagnosed with a stomach ulcer early on from stress. Her husband and Harry splitting their ways, disappointment in the little boy called Moe, permanently leaving her home in Boston were reasons the ulcers hemorrhaged.
Billie tried to make his wife last days fun and peaceful. He bought a carriage and two horses, he took her on long rides, she enjoyed the warm wind blowing in her face. Her favorite was a walk in the park, when the ulcers worsened, extracurricular activity stopped. Soon, she faded away looking into Billy’s eyes, she saw that they began to water, she said, “no-no, none of that. We had a good life, from slavery to I wrote a book, you were the manager of a big company, we bought two big houses.”
Billy put his forehead on hers, eyes to eyes he said, “I love you.” Being so close to Liza, he could see his wife was declining, her warm breath on his face was weakening each time she exhaled.
She smiled and said, “I know, I love you too.” Her pupils shut, one long breath emitted, she was gone with a smile on her face. Billy closed her eyes.
He rattled around the house, for two years, feeling lonely and sorry for himself until Charles showed up.
Billy told Charles about the wrong his father had done, he studied Charles facial expressions and mannerisms, he was better looking and refined. Billy thought, he must have received it from his mother’s side. He told Charles, “I have no reason to hold a grudge against you young man.”
Charles had no idea what Billy was talking about, he simply replied with an innocent, “okay.”
Billy left no stone unturned, he told Charles about his father from Mo to Harry, and about Mr. and Mrs. Brown that adopted him when he was eleven years old. Charles responded, “the MacCall’s are old money, so dad is-is…”
“Pathetic. You see Charles, Mr. Henry Brown had a family member who was one of the Pilgrims that came over here from England. He was one of the ones to help set up colonies.”
“What a history,” Charles remarked.
Billy gave Charles a copy of his wife book, which had the picture of Harry when the Browns took him in.
“Harry is everything old money is not,” Billy said.
“When he’s not around, mom calls him butt lips, because of how his mouth is round and poke out.”
Billy laughed, and said, “our thoughts exactly.”
“Our?”
“Yes, me and the guys at the mill claim Harry’s nothing but a goofball.”
They laughed so hard Charles held his stomach from the pain. Billy wiped tears off his cheeks from laughing. “I am so happy I met you,” Charles said wiping his eyes then continued, “I haven’t laughed like this since, never.”
Billy liked Charles, he thought he would be a good match with a female he knew. Billy went back to Boston with Charles. He showed him the house Harry was raised in, he took him around the steel mill and presented him as the owner of the company. Many of the men shook Charles' hand, the manager asked if Billy was coming back. Billy answered, “no, enjoying relaxing too much.”
Charles said, “when I get settled, I will meet with you and the accountant.”
The manager said, “I am the accountant.”
Confused, Charles asked, “who’s the manager?” He looked at Billy.
Billy said, “it’s how Harry set it up, I was the manager and accountant.” Billy nodded towards the new manager and said, “Harry made him the same.”
“Okay,” Charles began asking several questions, with the manager answering as best he could.
“That will change,” Charles commented.
As Charles was thinking and pacing, Billy and the new manager looked sideways at each other, then hunched their shoulders, as if to say, “don’t know.”
&nbs
p; Charles asked, “you’re the manager of all the different departments?
“Yes, Sir.” The man answered.
“How many supervisors do you have?”
“I’m the manager.”
Charles asked, “You’re both? How many shop foremen do you have?”
“Shop what, Sir?”
“How about office staff?”
“I’m it, Sir.”
“How much steel do you process yearly?”
Billy answered the question, “when Mr. Henry Brown was alive, we sold a little under a half ton per year.
When Harry returned from England, he had learned how to manufacture over two tons per year. Eventually, we got up to seven tons a year. When Harry ordered the steel rods and plates that jumped us up to over twenty tons. Then Harry and I broke up, I moved and stopped generating business through sales.” He looked at the new manager and asked, “do you do sales.”
The man answered, “no.”
Billy said, I come down occasionally to check the books, I believe you’re doing maybe two to three hundred pounds per year.”
Charles bellowed, “that’s not acceptable, no wonder pops want to shut this down.” He looked at Billy and said, “I refuse to shut down.” He looked at the manager and continued, “give me a week, then we will meet.”
Outside Charles asked Billy, “how many departments are there?”
Billy looked at Charles and said, “one I guess, we all work together.”
“How many different jobs are there?”
“About twenty.”
Charles said, “we’ll meet first, come to my hotel room tomorrow?”
Billy looked at Charles confused. Charles asked, “where are you staying? I will pay for your room?”
Billy said, “we can stay at my house.”
When they got to Billy’s Bostonian home, Charles was amazed, he looked up at the house and said, “wow, how much did pops pay you?”
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