CHAPTER XIX
HIRAM STILL COLLECTS HIS DEBTS
The old Doctor had become the general adviser of his neighbors. Therewas that in his calm face and quiet manner which somehow soothed andsent them away with a feeling of being sympathized with, even when nopractical aid was rendered. “I believe more people consults the oldDoctor than does Mr. Bagby and General Legaie together,” said AndyStamper; “and he don’t know any more about the way to do business thesedays than my baby. To be sure, they all seem to be helped somehow bygoin’.”
It was soon a problem whether the Doctor could keep his own place fromfalling into the hands of the Commission. He had often wondered why ithad not been listed, for he had not been able to keep the taxes down.Though he did not know, however, Hiram Still did.
All this while Blair had some secret on her mind. She was alwaysworking. She would be up before sunrise, looking after her chickens;and in the afternoons, when she came from school, and all day in thesummer, she would be busy about the kitchen or in some shaded spot,back among the fruit trees, where kettles were hung over fires, andMrs. Cary at times gave advice, and Mammy Krenda moved about with herarms full of dry wood, in a mist of blue smoke. Sometimes Steve Allenlounged in the shade, at the edge of the cloud, giving Blair what hetermed his legal advice, and teasing Mammy Krenda into threats ofsetting him on fire “before his time.” “Making preserves and pickles,”was all the answer the Doctor got to his inquiries. Yet for all MissBlair’s work there did not seem to be any increase in the preservesthat came to the table, and when her father inquired once if all herpreserves and pickles were spoilt, though she went with a laugh anda blush and brought him some, he saw no increase in them afterward.She appeared suddenly to have a great many dealings with Mr. and Mrs.Stamper, and several times Andy Stamper’s wagon came in the Doctor’sabsence and took away loads of jars which were transported to therailroad, and when the Doctor accidentally met Andy and inquired ofhim as to his load and its destination, Andy gave a very shuffling andcloudy reply about some preserves his wife and some of her friends weresending to town. Indeed, when the Doctor reached home on that occasion,he spoke of it, declaring that Mrs. Stamper was a very remarkable youngwoman; she actually sent off wagon-loads of preserves. He asked Blairteasingly how it was that Mrs. Stamper could do this while they couldhardly get enough for the table. Blair only laughed and made a warningsign to Mammy Krenda, who was sniffing ominously and had to leave theroom.
At length the secret came out. One day the Doctor came home worn out.The taxes were due again. Blair left the room, and returning, placeda roll of money in his hands. It was her salary which she had saved,together with the proceeds of the kettle in the orchard.
“That will help you, papa,” she said, as she threw her arms round hisneck. “These are my preserves.”
The old gentleman was too moved to speak before she had run out of theroom. After a little he went to find his wife. That was the sanctuaryhe always sought, in joy and sorrow.
“I reckon now he know de Stampers ain’ de on’ies’ ones kin meekpreserves,” said Mammy Krenda, with a sniff.
That very evening old Mrs. Bellows came to see the Doctor. Mrs. Bellowswas the aunt of Delia Dove. Her husband had been a blacksmith, and haddied the year after the war. They owned a little place near the forkin the road, just on the edge of the Birdwood plantation, where herhusband had in old times made a good living. The house was a littlecottage set back amid apple and peach trees some hundreds of yards fromthe shop. Since her husband’s death, Andy Stamper and Delia Dove hadhelped her; but now, since Andy had been turned out of his old home andwas paying for another, the times had grown so hard that it was not agreat deal they could do. Andy thought they’d better let this placego and that she should come and live with them, but the old woman hadrefused, and now her place among many others had been forfeited and wason the list of those advertised for sale. And Mrs. Bellows came to Dr.Cary. Still had his eye on her home, and intended to buy it for theCommission. Andy had heard that Nicholas Ash wanted it, and that Stillhad promised it to him—“just out of spite to Andy and Delia,” the oldwoman said. She was in a great state of excitement.
“I been tellin’ Andy ’twant no use to be fightin’ Still,” she wailed;“he’s too smart for him. If he could git hold o’ Red Rock, Andy might’a’ known he could beat _him_.”
Dr. Cary sat in deep reflection for a moment. He had a pang as hethought of the money he had made Andy pay. The sum saved by Blair wasonly a small part of the taxes due on Birdwood, but was enough to payall the back taxes and redemption fees on Mrs. Bellows’s place. Itlooked like Providence. The Doctor sent her away comforted. Still’splans with regard to the Bellows place soon became an assured fact. Heboasted of what he would do. He would show Andy Stamper who he was.The fact that it would be Delia Dove’s was enough for him, and itbecame known throughout the county that the Commission would take it.When the day of sale came, little Andy was on hand at the county seat.Still was there too, and so was Nicholas Ash. Still tried to find outwhy Andy came. He knew he did not have the money to redeem the place.He thought it was to pick a quarrel with him; but Andy’s face wasinscrutable.
Under the formality of the law, a party interested could redeem theland at any time before it was sold, paying the amount due to theclerk, with interest and fees. Still examined the list just before thecrying began. The Bellows place was still on it. So the auction began.Andy was closeted with old Mr. Dockett, whose duty it was, as clerk, toreceive the redemption money; but when the sale started, he came outand sauntered up into the crowd. Several places belonging to personswhose names began with A, were put up and knocked down to “Hiram Still,Commissioner,” and as each one went to him there were groans and hoots,and counterbalancing cheers from the negroes. At length the Bellowsplace was reached. The amount of taxes for the several years for whichit was delinquent was stated, and the sheriff, a creature of Leech’s,offered the place. There was a dead silence throughout the crowd, forit was known that it was between Still and Stamper. Still was the onlybidder. The crowd looked at Stamper, but he never stirred. He lookedthe most indifferent man on the ground. Still, on the other side ofthe crowd, whispered with Ash and made a sign to the sheriff, and thelatter, having made his preliminary notice, announced:
“And there being no other bid than that of the Commissioner, I knockthis place also down to——”
There was a movement, and a voice interrupted him.
“No, you don’t. That place has been redeemed.” Andy spoke quietly, butwith a sudden blaze in his eyes. He held up the certificate of payment,gripped in his hand, and looked across at Hiram Still.
There was a moment’s pause, and then cheer after cheer broke out fromthe crowd of whites; and the long, pent-up feeling against Still burstforth so vehemently that he turned and pushed deep into the middle ofthe throng of blacks about him, and soon left the ground.
The excitement and anxiety, however, proved too much for old Mrs.Bellows, and she died suddenly a few nights later.
“One more notch on the score against Hiram and Major Leech,” said AndyStamper, grimly, as he turned the key in the door of the empty house,and, taking it out, put it in his pocket.
Andy’s wife, as the old woman’s heir, was the owner of the place; but afew days after Mrs. Bellows’s death Andy rode up to Dr. Cary’s door.
Delia had sent him over, he said (he always laid the credit of suchthings on Delia, he was simply clay in the potter’s hands).—Delia hadsent him to say that the place belonged to Miss Blair. “She had foundout where the money came from which bought it back, and she wan’t goin’to take it. She couldn’t take care of the place anyhow—’twas all shecould do to keep the place they had now; and she would not have thisone if she was to pay taxes on it. All she wanted, was to beat Hiram.So if Miss Blair wouldn’t take it, she s’posed Nicholas Ash would gitit next year, after all.”
Andy pulled out a deed, made in due form to Miss Blair Cary, anddelivered it to the Doctor, m
eeting every objection which the Doctorraised, with a reason so cogent that it really looked as if he weresimply trying to shield Delia Dove from some overwhelming calamity. Sothe Doctor finally agreed to hold the place for his daughter, thoughonly as security for the sum advanced, and with the stipulation thatAndy should at any time have the privilege of redeeming it. It was wellfor Dr. Cary that he had placed his money as he did.
A few days after this sale at the county seat, Dr. Cary received aletter from Mr. Ledger, telling him that the condition of affairs hadbecome so gloomy that his correspondents in the North were notifyinghim that they could not continue their advances to him at present,and as the notes given him by Dr. Cary and General Legaie, which hadalready been renewed several times, were about to fall due again, hefound himself under the disagreeable necessity of asking that theywould arrange to pay them at their next maturity. General Legaie, whohad received a similar letter, rode up to see Dr. Cary next morning,and the following day they went to the city together. They rode onhorseback, as they had no money to pay even the small sum necessary forthe railway fares.
When the Doctor and General Legaie called on Mr. Ledger he was at themoment talking to a youngish, vigorous-looking man, whose new clothesand alert speech gave him almost a foreign air beside the statelymanner of the two old gentlemen. Mr. Clough, the stranger, rose to go,but both Dr. Cary and General Legaie begged him to remain, declaringthat they had “no secrets to discuss,” and that they should themselvesleave if he did so, as he had been there first.
They had exhausted every resource in their power to raise the meansto pay Mr. Ledger, they said. And now they had come to him with aproposition. They looked at each other for support. It manifestly costan effort to make it. They proposed that he should take, at a propervaluation, so much of their lands as would meet his debt. A sighfollowed the proposal. It was evidently a relief to have got it out.
“It is good land, and not an acre has ever been sold from the originalgrant,” said Dr. Cary. It manifestly added to the value of the termsoffered.
“My dear sirs, what would I do with your lands?” said Mr. Ledger. “Ialready have the security of the lands in addition to your personalobligation. My advice to you is to try and sell them—or, at least,so much of them as will enable you to discharge your debts. There areone or two men up in your section who have plenty of money.—This manLeech—and that man Still—they are land-buyers. Why don’t you sell tothem?”
“What!” exclaimed both Dr. Cary and General Legaie, in one breath.“Sell our old family places to that man Leech?”
“My dear sirs, it will come to this, I fear—or worse. Mycorrespondents are all calling in their loans. I know that Mr. Stillwould not be averse to buying a part of your place or, indeed, all ofit, Doctor; and I think Leech would like to have yours, General.”
The two old gentlemen stiffened.
“Why, that man Leech is a thief!” said the little General, with the airof one making a revelation. “He could not pay me a dollar that had notbeen stolen, and that fellow Still, he’s a harpy, sir.”
“Yes, I know, but I tell you frankly, gentlemen, it is your onlychance. They mean to tax your land until you will find it impossible tohold on to it.”
“In that case we should not wish to put it off even on those men,” saidthe Doctor with dignity, rising. “I shall see if I cannot raise themoney elsewhere to relieve you. Meantime I shall hold on to the oldplace as long as I can. I must make one more effort.” And the two oldgentlemen bowed themselves out!
“A very striking-looking pair,” said the stranger, “but they don’t seemto have much business in them.”
“No,” said Mr. Ledger, “they haven’t. They are about as able to copewith the present as two babies.” He sat in deep abstraction for aminute and then broke out suddenly: “But I’ll tell you what: if you upyonder would just hold off they could clean up that pen on the hill infifteen minutes. And I believe it would be the best thing for you tohave them do it.” His eyes blazed with a light that gave his visitor anew idea of him.
In consequence of this talk, Mr. Clough, when he had concluded hisbusiness, went for amusement to observe the proceedings of the StateLegislature which was in session. It was undoubtedly strange to seelaws being enacted by a body composed of blacks who but a few yearsbefore had been slaves, and he went away with a curious sense of theincongruity of the thing. But it was only amusing to him. They appearedgood-natured and rather like big children playing at something whichgrown people do. His only trouble was the two old gentlemen.
“Of course it is all nonsense, those slaves being legislators,”he admitted to Major Welch, on his arrival at home, and to hisfather-in-law, Senator Rockfield. “But they are led by white men whoknow their business. The fact is, they appear to know it so well that Iadvise calling in all the debts at once.”
What simply amused this casual visitor, however, was a stab in theheart of the two old gentlemen he had met.
Dr. Cary and General Legaie returned home without being able to raiseanywhere the money that was due.
In reply to the letter announcing this, Dr. Cary received a letterfrom Mr. Ledger, informing him that he had just had an offer fromsomeone to take up the Doctor’s notes, and he had felt it his duty tonotify him before he assigned them. The person who had made the offerhad insisted that his name should not be known at present, but he hadintimated that it was with friendly intentions toward Dr. Cary, thoughMr. Ledger stated, he would not like the Doctor to rely too much onthis intimation. He would much prefer that Dr. Cary should take up thenotes himself, and he would not for a moment urge him if it were notthat he himself was absolutely obliged to have the money to meet hisobligations.
To this letter the Doctor replied promptly. Mr. Ledger must acceptthe offer from his unnamed correspondent if it were a mere businesstransaction, and the Doctor only asked that he would do so without inany way laying him under any obligation to the person referred to, fora pretended kindness.
“The old Doctor evidently knows his man,” was Mr. Ledger’s reflection.
The next day Hiram Still held Dr. Cary’s notes secured by deed of truston the whole Birdwood estate.
Still was sitting in the big hall at Red Rock on his return home, andhe took out the notes and laid them on the table before his son.
“Ah! Dr. Wash,” he said, with a gleam in his eyes; “things is comin’roun’. Now you’ve got it all your own way. With them cards in yourhand if you can’t win the game, you ain’t as good a player as yerpappy. I don’t want nothin’ for myself, I just want ’em to know who Iam—that’s all. And with you over yonder at the old Doctor’s, and Virgyin Congress or maybe even in the Governor’s house down yonder, I reckonthey’ll begin to find out who Hiram Still is.”
The son was evidently pleased at the prospect spread out before him,and his countenance relaxed.
“‘Twon’t do to let Leech get too far ahead—I’m always telling you so.”Young Still was beginning to show some jealousy of Leech of late.
“Ahead? He ain’t ahead. He just thinks he is.” The speaker’s voicechanged. “What’s the matter with Virgy these days? I’ve done set her upin the biggest house in the county, and brought the man who’s goin’ tobe one of the biggest men in the State to want her to marry him, andshe won’t have nothin’ to do with him. It clean beats my time. I don’tknow what’s got into her. She ain’t never been the same since I broughther here. Looks like these pictures round here sort o’ freezes her up.”
As he glanced around Hiram Still looked as if he were freezing up alittle himself.
“She’s a fool,” said the brother, amiably.
“I thought maybe she’s been kind o’ ailin’ an’ I’d git the old Doctorto come and see her. Say what you please, he have a kind o’ way withhim women folks seems to like. But she won’t hear of it.”
“She’s just a fool. Let her alone for awhile, anyhow.”
His father looked at him keenly.
“Well, you go ahead—and as s
oon as you’ve got your filly safe, we’lltake up t’other horse—time enough. Thar’s the bridle.” He touched thenotes on the table and winked at his son.
Dr. Still, armed with the assurance which the possession of Dr.Cary’s notes gave, drove over to Birdwood the very next evening in adouble buggy. He was met by Dr. Cary, who treated him with his usualgraciousness, and who so promptly assumed that the visit was merelya professional one that the caller never found the opportunity toundeceive him.
When Washington Still arrived at home that night his father waswatching for him with eagerness. He met him as the buggy drove up intothe yard; but Wash’s face was sphinx-like. It was not until nearlybedtime, when the father had reinforced his courage with several drinksof whiskey, that he got courage to open the subject directly.
“Well, what news?” he asked, with an attempt at joviality.
“None,” said Wash, shortly.
“How’d you come out?”
“Same way I went in.” This was not encouraging, but another glass addedto Mr. Still’s spirit.
“How was she lookin’?”
“Didn’t see her.—Didn’t see anybody but the old Doctor; never do seeanybody but him—and the old nigger that opens the door. He thought I’dcome over to consult him about that sick nigger down at the mill, so Ilet him think so. I wish the d—d nigger would die!”
“And you didn’t even ask for her?”
The young man shifted in his chair.
“What’s the use! That old fool’s got a way with him. You know how itis. If he wa’n’t so d—d polite!”
“Ah! Washy, you’re skeered,” said the father, fondly. “You can’t bridlea filly if you’re afeard to go in, boy. If you don’t git up the gritI’ll go over thar myself, first thing you know. Why don’t you write hera letter?”
“What’s the good! I know’m. She wouldn’t look at me. She’s for _Lord_Jacquelin or Captain Steve Allen.”
“She wouldn’t!” Still rose from his chair in the intensity of hisfeeling. “By——she shall! I’ll make her.”
“Make her! You think she’s Virgy? She ain’t.”
A day or two later a letter from Dr. Still was brought to Birdwoodby a messenger. Dr. Cary received it. It was on tinted paper and wasfor Blair. That afternoon another messenger bore back the same letterunopened, together with one from Dr. Cary, to the effect that hisdaughter was not accustomed to receive letters from young men, and thatsuch a correspondence would not be agreeable to him.
Dr. Still was waiting with impatience for a reply to his missive. Hewas not especially sanguine. Even his father’s hope could not reassurehim. When he looked at the letter his countenance fell. He had notexpected this. It was a complete overthrow. It not only was a totaldestruction of his hopes respecting Miss Cary, but it appeared toexpose a great gulf fixed between him and all his social hopes. He hadnot known till then how much he had built on them. In an instant hisfeeling changed. He was enraged with Blair, enraged with Dr. Cary,enraged with Jacquelin Gray and Captain Allen, and enraged with hisfather who had counselled him to take the step. He took the letter tohis father, and threw it on the table before him.
“Read that.”
Hiram Still took up the letter and, putting on his glasses, read itlaboriously. His face turned as red as his son’s had turned white. Heslammed the letter on the table and hammered his clenched fist down onit.
“You ain’t good enough for ’em! Well, I’ll show ’em. I’ll turn ’em outin the road and make their place a nigger settlement. I’ll show ’em whothey’re turnin’ their noses up at. I’ll show ’em who Hiram Still is.I’ll make Leech Governor, and turn him loose on ’em, if it takes everycent I’ve got in the world.” He filled his glass. “We’ll show ’em yetwho we are. When I’m settin’ up here and you’re settin’ up thar they’llbegin to think maybe after all they’ve made a little mistake.”
Still was as good as his word. Within a day or two, Dr. Cary receiveda letter from him asking the payment of his obligations which he held.He assigned the necessity he was under to raise a large sum of moneyhimself.
The Doctor wrote in reply that it was quite impossible for him to raisethe money to pay the debts, and begged that Still would without delaytake the necessary steps to close the matter up, assuring him that heshould not only not throw any obstacle in his way, but would furtherhis object as far as lay in his power.
Steve urged the Doctor to make a fight, declaring that he could deferthe sale for at least two years, maybe more, and times might change;but Dr. Cary declined.
“What can I do? I owe a debt and I cannot pay it. I might as well savethe man the mortification of telling a multitude of unnecessary lies.”
So in a little while Still, through Leech, his counsel, had subjectedthe Doctor’s property to his debts and was in possession of Birdwood aswell as Red Rock.
Mrs. Cary and Blair left their roses and jonquils and with the Doctormoved to the old Bellows place, where they were as happy as they hadever been in the days of their greatest prosperity. Old Tarquin, whoaccompanied them, observed his master closely and followed his example,carrying his head as high as if he still walked the big halls andpolished floors of Birdwood. Mammy Krenda alone was unhappy. She couldnot reconcile herself to the change. The idea of “dat nigger-trader an’overseer ownin’ her old marster’s place, an’ o’ her young mistis havin’to live in de blacksmiff’ house,” was more than the old woman couldbear.
Red Rock: A Chronicle of Reconstruction Page 22
