The Land

by Mildred D. Taylor

  I tried not to study on the fact he’d called me a boy, even though I was a man grown. “That’ll be fine,” I said, my voice even, “but if you don’t mind, Mister Granger, I’d like to make the terms of our agreement dated to take effect in thirty days, at the end of September. I’ve got work to finish up in Vicksburg, but once I come back, I can start right away.”

  “You sure are demanding for a white nigger,” objected Filmore Granger at what he no doubt thought was my arrogance. “All right, thirty days. I’ll draw up your paper too stating ‘our’ terms, as you say.” He turned to leave.

  I kept my anger to myself and called out to him. “Mister Granger, if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend the night here seeing we’ll be walking the land in the morning. It’ll give me a chance to see more of the place.”

  “Suit yourself,” he said. I thanked him, but Filmore Granger had no more words for me as he and Harlan headed back up the trail.

  So I stayed that night on the first piece of land I figured to own. I walked it, studied it, and checked out the density of the trees and the underbrush. The next morning at dawn I met again with Filmore Granger, and he and I, along with the boy Harlan and the colored workman, walked off the land and marked the tree line for cutting. When that was done, Filmore Granger handed me a paper with all the terms we’d stated. It was already signed. “You keep it,” he said snidely, “so you can remember the terms and your mind don’t get ‘muddled.’ As for me, I keep the terms and every specific about them right here.” He thumped the side of his head with his forefinger, gave me a hard look, and left with his son and the workman.

  When they were gone, I again walked the forty acres. This was to be my start, but this piece of land gave me no real pleasure. One day I figured to own the land I really wanted, land like J. T. Hollenbeck’s meadow. But for now I’d go back to Luke Sawyer’s store, finish up my work there, and buy what I needed to work this place. When I returned, I was counting on Mitchell being with me.

  Once I was back in Vicksburg, I let Luke Sawyer know I had struck a deal with Filmore Granger and that I would be leaving at the end of the month. “Well, you know I’m sure sorry to lose you, Paul,” he said, “but I’m figuring you to still do what orders you can for me.”

  “I was figuring on that too,” I said. “I can always use the cash money, especially since I’ll be looking to buy a couple of mule teams, supplies, and such.”

  “Well, you want yourself some good animals, you best go see Sam Perry. He’s the best man I know for getting you what you want and at a good price.”

  “I’ll do that,” I said, and when I had just about finished all the orders for Luke Sawyer, I headed out for the Perry place. I told Mister Sam Perry what I was planning, and he took me straightaway to a white farmer who had mules he figured the farmer would be willing to sell. The two of them haggled over the cost for some while, longer than I wanted to take, but Sam Perry won out in the end. It seemed he’d helped the farmer in the birthing of his mares, and he made the farmer feel so guilty about the price he wanted to charge that the farmer finally relented. When we left, we had the mules. Same thing happened when we went looking to buy another pair of mules and a wagon—the same long haggling with the same results.

  “I thank you, Mister Perry, for all your help,” I said when we were back on his place. “I’ll pay you for your services.”

  “No need for pay. Was glad t’ help ya. But I am gonna ask somethin’ of ya I been thinkin’ on. Now, you ain’t gotta agree t’ this, ’cause I woulda helped you out in any case. That’s jus’ what one man’ll do for another.”

  “Well, I appreciate that . . . but just what are you thinking on?”

  “Ya gonna need help workin’ that land of yours?”

  “I figure I will. But I don’t figure to hire on anybody.”

  “Can understand that. What I’m askin’ ’bout is if you’d be willin’ t’ take on my boy Nathan t’ help ya. Nathan’s only twelve, but he’s big for his age, strong too, and he could be of some mighty real help t’ ya in exchange for you teachin’ him yo’ craft.”

  “Woodworking?” I said.

  “That’s right. The boy taken quite a shine t’ both you and yo’ work, and I figure it t’ be a good craft for him t’ learn. He get t’ be good as you, he could make hisself a good livin’.”

  I studied on the prospect and on this man Sam Perry. More and more I was seeing my daddy in him. “Well, to tell you the truth, Mister Perry, I hadn’t thought to be responsible for anybody, let alone a twelve-year-old boy.”

  Sam Perry whittled at a stick and said, “Let me tell ya somethin’, Mister Logan. ’Fore I learned ya was gonna have yo’ own place, I done give a lotta thought t’ yo’ takin’ on Nathan and teachin’ him. I don’t know much ’bout ya, and you ain’t been in these parts but for ’bout a year, but I got me a good feel for knowin’ folks, and one thing I got me a feelin’ ’bout is who you is. Now, I done talked t’ Mister Luke Sawyer and some other folks who been seein’ ya regular, and I know ya t’ be a hard-workin’ man who mostly keeps t’ hisself. Heard ya live quiet like and ya keeps ya word. Now, that ain’t all t’ a man, and I ain’t fool enough t’ think it is. All my children, each and every one of them eleven, they precious t’ me and I takes what happens t’ each one serious. You take my boy with ya, I be entrustin’ him t’ ya care and I be expectin’ ya t’ treat him right and not be leadin’ him into no ungodly ways. I done prayed on this long and hard ’bout askin’ you t’ teach my boy your craft and the good Lord, He done put in my mind this here’s the right thing for Nathan, you willin’ t’ do it. Comin’ t’ this woulda been a whole lot easier on me if you was gonna be stayin’ in Vicksburg, not way off past Strawberry, but I still feel it’s the right thing for my boy, you willin’ t’ take him on.”

  I was silent, mulling over what Sam Perry had said before I spoke again. I thought on the work that Nathan could do. I hadn’t figured on a third hand, just on Mitchell and me, but Sam Perry was right. Nathan was big for his age and strong. Another hand would make things a whole lot easier. “All right,” I finally agreed. “I think that if the boy’s willing, it’ll work out well.”

  Mister Sam Perry smiled. “Oh, he’ll be willin’, all right. Two things, though, ’fore we shake on this. First be, boy won’t be able t’ start wit’ you ’fore another few weeks. I need him here t’ help me get my crops in.”

  “That’s fine,” I said.

  “’Sides that, my girl Callie gonna be gettin’ married in another couple weeks or so, and his mama wants him home for that. Weddin’ gonna be at the church, but we gonna celebrate afterward right here. You sho’ welcome to come join us.”

  “Well, I thank you, Mister Perry, but I won’t be back this way until I’ve got a roadway cleared, and that could take me more than a month. Congratulations, though.”

  “Thank ya. My Callie, she’s marryin’ herself a fine boy. Now, one other thing ’bout Nathan goin’ with ya,” he said, getting back to the business at hand. “I wants you to keep in mind I’m still his daddy, and I be holdin’ ya responsible for him bein’ treated same way I’d treat him in my own house.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that,” I said. “I’ll treat him right.”

  “Then we’s in agreement,” said Sam Perry with a wide grin as he put out his mighty hand to me. I took it. I figured this to be a good deal for both of us.

  When I left Sam Perry, I didn’t go directly back to Vicksburg. Instead I headed for the lumber camp at Mud Creek. I wanted to tell Mitchell my news. When I got to the camp, though, I learned that Mitchell had taken off for a few weeks. Evidently he had told the boss man that his daddy was sick and needed him. But I knew that was a lie. Probably the boss man did too, for he added that he was only letting Mitchell come back because he was the best worker he had. I didn’t know where Mitchell had gone, but I wasn’t worried about him. I figured he’d just gotten it in his mind to go off with some lady friend. I knew he’d be back. I wa
s just disappointed that I couldn’t count on him to return with me to the forty acres at the end of the month.

  In the next days I finished the furniture Luke Sawyer had on order. Then I said good-bye to Luke Sawyer, leaving word with him to let Mitchell know that I’d be back in Vicksburg in about five or six weeks if he came looking for me, and I set out on my wagon filled with supplies and drawn by my team of mules, headed for the Granger plantation. I had left the palomino in Luke Sawyer’s care. I figured that was better than my taking him to the forty. I didn’t figure to work Thunder like a mule, and there would be no time for racing. Also, I didn’t figure it the best thing for me to show up on a fine horse, not right now, when I had to deal with folks the likes of Filmore Granger and his boy.

  I reached the forty before dark, put up a shelter of tarp and poles at the head of the trail, then got myself a good night’s sleep. The following morning I got started clearing the trees along the trail to make a road. I also made a cartlike carrier using large wheels I had bought in Vicksburg, to hitch to the mules so that one end of the logs could be placed on the cart and the mules could more easily drag the logs to the creek. It was slow going with me working alone, but I figured the hardest part was yet to come—I still had to get the stumps up, or at least level them to the ground so that animals and wagons could pass, but I decided not to worry about the stumps for a while. I had two months before Filmore Granger brought his work crews in and the stumps would have to be gone. I just prayed that Mitchell would be here by then to help me out.

  Soon after I arrived on the forty, I took the time to barter myself a couple of laying hens and a rooster, and I got myself a dog too. I had brought tinned goods, bags of flour, cornmeal, sugar, and chicory, that sort of thing, with me from Vicksburg. I had brought coffee too. After all the years I’d spent in the lumber camps with only chicory and water to drink, I wanted coffee. It didn’t matter to me that coffee was more expensive than chicory. I wanted the real thing and I figured that on occasion I’d have it. I brought seed from Vicksburg as well, for planting a garden in the spring. For right now I made do with the rice I had brought with me, and for vegetables whatever was growing wild. I loved mustard greens and had already discovered that there were plenty of them and other greens too throughout the forest. As for meat, there were plenty of deer for venison, possum, raccoon, rabbit, and squirrel. On top of that, the creek was filled with fish. I didn’t figure I’d go hungry.

  During those weeks I spent alone, I thought often on Caroline Perry. I liked the way she thought, I liked the way she looked, and I liked the way she stood up for herself. She had touched me deeply, and by the time I returned to Vicksburg to get Nathan, I had made up my mind. I figured to ask Sam Perry if I could court his daughter. But before I headed out to the Perry farm, I went to see Luke Sawyer. I took him two small tables I had finished during the evening hours on the forty, and he was pleased. “Now, I know you got it in your mind to farm, Paul,” he said, “but I tell you the truth. You got a gift with wood, and if you settled down to just doing that, I could have more orders for you than you could take.”

  “I thank you,” I returned. “But you know my thinking on this. Long as I can do some pieces I can work on at the place, I can sure use the cash money. Thing is, though, I’ve got to put this land first.”

  Luke Sawyer nodded to that. He’d heard it before. “Just want you to know, it don’t work out, then you always got a place here.”

  I thanked Luke Sawyer again, took my payment for the tables, and took on two more orders. I got the wood for the orders, then bought some of Luke Sawyer’s tools I would need to do the work. Luke Sawyer said I could just take his tools; he trusted me to bring them back. But I preferred to buy the tools. I felt the same way I had when I had rented Thunder from him. I couldn’t be beholden to Luke Sawyer.

  I left Luke Sawyer after that and set off for the Perry farm. When I arrived, I learned that Nathan wasn’t there, and neither was Caroline.

  “Sorry, but Nathan’s out with Caroline and their mama deliverin’ pies,” explained Sam Perry. “They be back ’fore time to fix supper.” I didn’t say anything, and he went on. “Ain’t knowed the ’xact day you was comin’, else I’d a done had Nathan here and ready t’ go.”

  “It’s no problem,” I assured him, though I was disappointed about Caroline. “We can get started when he comes in.”

  “Naw. Be too late by then. Best y’all spend the night here, start out early mornin’.”

  I agreed to that.

  “ ’Sides, I know for a fact, Nathan’s mama gonna wanna keep him close long’s she can.” Sam Perry smiled at that.

  “Well, that’ll work out fine,” I said. “I’ve got a friend I want to see who works in a lumber camp south of here.”

  Mr. Perry looked around at me. “Camp over by Mud Creek?”

  “Yes, that’s the one.”

  “Say you got a friend there?”

  “That’s right. Want him to help me work this forty acres I’ve taken on, but I haven’t heard from him in a while. Figured maybe I could swing by there before heading back toward Strawberry.”

  “Ya do, maybe ya see my family on the way. They deliverin’ some of their pies down along that way.”

  “That a fact?”

  Sam Perry laughed. “Them men at that camp, they get one taste of my wife’s pies and cakes and they can’t seem t’ get enough. Every pie and cake my womenfolks make, they buys.”

  “Well, I can’t say that I blame them. Your wife’s an excellent cook.”

  “My girls too!” proclaimed Sam Perry, then laughed loudly at his bragging. “Even if I do say so myself!”

  I smiled. “Well, it is the truth.”

  “Yeah . . . these young men love my daughters’ cookin’! S’pose that’s one reason why they get spoke for so quick!” He laughed again. “Callie’s and Risten’s husbands, they already enjoyin’ good cookin’ and pretty soon now, Caroline gonna have a husband enjoyin’ hers too.”

  The smile left my face. “What’s that?”

  Sam Perry nodded proudly. “Said they all gonna be married ladies soon. My Caroline, she jus’ done give her heart to a fella she met not too long ago. Fact to business, he work at that same camp as yo’ friend. I don’t know that much ’bout him. Seem nice ’nough, but he got no family round here. Told Caroline she wanna marry this man, she gonna hafta pray on it ’til next summer. After that, the boy still round and he done proved hisself t’ be a good worker, then I figure him t’ be serious ’bout this thing. For young folks, near a year’s a long time, and it’s hard on ’em and they got t’ keep theyselves in check, but for a lifetime of livin’, it’s worth it to pair right. My Caroline’s a strong-willed girl, and I know she gonna keep that boy in check. She agreed t’ what her mama and me said, and he done too, so she official spoke for.”

  I was numbed by the news. Yet something nagged at the back of my mind. “I think I’ll go see my friend,” I said abruptly, needing suddenly to be off alone. “I’ll most likely spend the night and come back for Nathan in the morning first thing.”

  “Suit yo’self, but ya know ya welcome t’ spend the night here.”

  “I know,” I said, “and I thank you for that. You don’t mind, though, I’ll just take one of the mules and leave the wagon and the others here with you, along with my dog.”

  “Nothin’ t’ mind. You jus’ be sure and be here time for breakfast come mornin’. My wife, I know she gonna have a few words for you.”

  I left with nothing more to say, and went about unhitching the mules. I put three of the mules out to graze, and mounted the fourth. With directions from Sam Perry on how to reach the lumber camp, I set out to find Mitchell. As I rode, I pondered on the fact that Caroline was now spoken for, and I kept thinking on Mitchell’s words about the pretty girls who’d come to the camp. I hadn’t figured on Mitchell to settle and marry, and Mitchell surely hadn’t either, but Caroline Perry was the kind of girl who could change a man’s mind abou
t a thing like that, even a man as set against settling as Mitchell. I thought on them both all the way to the camp, and before I reached it, I had no more doubts. I knew it within my bones. I suppose I had known as soon as Sam Perry had told me the news; maybe that’s why I hadn’t even asked the name of the fellow who had spoken for Caroline. I didn’t really want to know. But I did. It was Mitchell who was going to marry Caroline Perry.

  “’Ey, Paul!” exclaimed Mitchell when he saw me. “Man, whatcha doin’ here?”

  “Come to see about you,” I said. “It’s been a while.”

  “That’s sure the truth.”

  We slapped each other on the shoulders, then Mitchell led me over to a space where we could talk, away from the other loggers.

  “Where’d you go off to?” I asked when we were alone.

  “How’d ya know I was gone?”

  “Came by. Didn’t anybody tell you?”

  “Ya know they ain’t, else I’d’ve been up t’ Vicksburg by now! What ya want when ya come by?”

  I noted Mitchell hadn’t answered my first question yet about where he’d been, but I answered his. “Same as now,” I said. “I’ve got some news for you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ve got myself some land.”

  Mitchell laughed in congratulations. “Ya don’t say! That land you was talkin’ ’bout?”

  “No, I’m still waiting on that.”

  “Well, what land you got?”

  “Forty acres near to the land I want. I made a deal didn’t call for any money.”

  “How’d you pull that off?”

  “I clear forty acres of trees sixteen inches across or more in two years for the man who owns the place, and the forty acres are deeded over to me.”

  Mitchell looked skeptical. “I s’pose the trees on the place is Mississippi thick?”