Spake As a Dragon
Page 32
CHAPTER THIRTY
Spring 1864
It is the middle of March. Spring seems to be arriving early on the Scarburg farm in North Alabama. The past winter had not been too bad. A few hard freezes followed by a couple of deep snowfalls, but all in all it wasn’t too terrible. It was time to get the garden plowed and early vegetables such as cabbage, onions and broccoli planted. Sary’s bullet wound to the shoulder has completely healed. Now she is up, stirring about feeling pretty good and helping as she can.
“Sary,” asks Malinda, “what about corn? Is it too early to plant corn?”
“Why Mizz Malinda, you knows you can’t plant tender things ‘til after Easter and I believes Easter Sunday comes about the last of March this year.”
“Sary! How many times have I told you we do not use the name Easter we prefer the name Resurrection Sunday? You should not use the name Easter it is a sinful name.”
“Yes ’em, but I jest wish sometimes y’alls would tells me why I shouldn’t use them words. You knows I don’t have no education and would like any sliver of things in the Bible youse could teach me.”
“Sary, as far the word ‘Easter’ all I can tell you Robert’s father forbid the use of the word.” Malinda went on to say using the word ‘Easter’ had been forbidden by her father-in-law Thomas Scarburg, but she believes it began with Thomas’ grandfather, John. Since John’s time, the use of the word Resurrection Sunday has been used instead of Easter.
“Now before you ask Sary, I’m not sure why, it may have something to do with old John Scarburg being a Quaker, I’m not up on all their rules. I know the Bible does not mention the word ‘Easter.’ I’ve been told Easter was the name of some pagan Roman or Greek goddess, maybe that was it, I really just don’t know.”
“Mizz Malinda you means to tell me not to use Easter on account of that John Scarburg’s religion? Well, I never!”
“That’s an interesting thing Sary. From what I have been told John wasn’t very religious and neither was Robert’s father Thomas. Mrs. Scarburg told me Thomas would sometimes get up at all hours during the night and go to the House of the Lord. She never knew why; however, another strange thing: she said he never attended the regular weekly meeting of the Quakers. Robert said they were Baptists and not Quakers, I know it does seem strange.”
“He musta been real sinful if he prayed that much,” Sary said grinning.
“John’s large family Bible was passed down to Thomas, and Thomas gave it to Robert. It’s lying on the table in the sitting room. Many a time before this awful War I have seen Robert pouring over its pages. Robert is a good, righteous man, but I would not call him overly religious. He would flip through that big Bible as though he was looking for something, what I do not know?”
“Maybe he was looking for Easter in them Bible pages.”
“No Sary, like I said before, the word Easter, used to indicate the day Christ arose from his grave, is not in that big Bible Sary.”
The following morning Sary and Malinda walk across the porch heading for the vegetable garden. “I think we might finish up with our planting today, what do you think?” Asks Malinda.
“I doesn’t think so, look over yonder at our front gate. We got company a comin’ I believe theys gonna slow down our gardening some.”
Without looking, Malinda knew who were coming – Captain Louie Labeau and his band of legal plunderers. The last time, Malinda and Labeau met was the day he killed Uncle Jed and Jefferson and severely wounded Sary. Thankfully William and Isaac have taken the horse to Doc Crawford’s. For a couple of days, Blaze had been limping and they went to check with the Doc to see if something was wrong.
Malinda and Sary stand in the garden watching the two men on horseback. One moves over to the large post that supports the main gate. From the distance, Malinda cannot see what he is doing. “Lands sake, Mizz Malinda it looks as if that there man is nailing something to yer gate post.”
Malinda looks again, Sary is correct. It does appear he is hammering a piece of paper to the post. He puts the hammer back into his saddlebag, and the two men ride back in the direction of the town.
Sary drops the hoe she is using and starts for the front gate, “Come on Mizz Malinda let’s done go see what them fellers wuz up to.”
Nearing the gate Malinda can see the man has nailed a poster to the post. Walking closer she can see the words ‘Eviction Notice’ printed in bold letters at the top. She tears the placard from the post and reads it to Sary. “It says here that I have to come up with fifty-two dollars and twenty-six cents in ninety days, or the sheriff is going to throw us off this place. A month ago is was only twenty-five dollars.”
Back at the house Malinda and Sary sit on the front porch steps. Malinda is worried, she doesn’t have the money and there is no way to get it. “Sary go find Stephen for me, would you, please.”
“Stephen I want you to go down to Doc Crawford’s house. William and Isaac are down there now, tell William to see how much money the doctor is willing to pay for Blaze – he has wanted her for a while.”
“But Mama, you’re talking about Blaze!”
“I know son, but I’m trying to find a way we can continue to live on this place.” She explains to Stephen the Eviction Notice on the fence post stated they need fifty-two dollars and twenty-six cents to pay the taxes.
DOC CRAWFORD
“Boys, your mare has a good case of stable canker. Leaving her in a wet stable too long causes it. Has that been the case?”
“Yes sir,” answers William to Doc Crawford’s question. “We have kept her in the barn since them Home Guards ride by so often. We’ve been afraid they would see her in the pasture and take her for the Army.”
“I fully understand boys, but you must do a couple of things about her hooves. First clean out her stable of all wet hay and manure and replace it with some dry hay, and keep it dry. Next go out in the fields find and dig up some Poke roots. You boys know how to identify Poke don’t you? Yeah, I thought so, take the roots and place them in a pot and boil those roots until the water is tainted a yellowest-orange color. Put this liquid into a bucket and fill the bucket with cool water. Dip Blaze’s hooves into the liquid every few hours for a couple of days. She’ll be fine after that, just remember to keep her stable dry!”
As William and Isaac leave and begin walking back up the road toward home, they hear Stephen yelling as he comes running down the road towards them. “Wait William, wait!”
Breathless Stephen tells William he must see how much Doc Crawford will pay for Blaze. Both William and Isaac argue with Stephen about selling – he tells them the whole story that their mother had told him. They must have fifty-two dollars and twenty-six cents in ninety days, or they are going to lose the farm.
The three boys gloomily walk back to Doc Crawford’s barn. Doc is sitting on a keg of nails making an entry in his journal. “Back so soon boys? See you got Stephen with you, what else can I do for you boys?”
“Mama sent Stephen to ask you if you are still interested in buying Blaze? Our land taxes are overdue, and unless we pay within ninety days the sheriff is going to throw us out,” Matthew said.
“Of course Matthew, I would like to buy Blaze, but these War times have been hard on everyone. I know in normal times she would be worth much more, but all I can afford to pay is twenty dollars in U.S. greenbacks. I wish it were more, but I have no more ready cash. Most times I get paid with a chicken, some eggs or a few vegetables. Hard U.S. money is not very plentiful. Most everyone has those worthless Confederate shinplasters.”
“Much obliged Doc; I’ll have to go back and give Mama your offer.”
“No hurry boys, just keep Blaze in a dry stable and soak her hooves in the Poke water two or three times a day and she will be fit as a fiddle in a few days.”