Spake As a Dragon

by Larry Hunt

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

  The Gold Map

  The trip from Gettysburg back to Scarlett consumed the better part of two weeks but was accomplished without incident; however, they made one detour to check on the Anthony family. Mister and Mrs. Antony were doing fine, and Susan had returned to work with Lucy Stone on the women’s suffrage initiative.

  After returning home, Malinda and Luke told of finding Matthew, his marriage to Kimberly Holmes and the good work he and his father-in-law Mark were doing making the substitute legs for crippled and disfigured soldiers. She explained that Matthew had lost one of his legs and was using one of their manufactured ones to walk. Malinda said she was overjoyed at finding Matthew, but she reserved another piece of information for Catherine.

  Taking Catherine’s hand in hers, “Matthew told us the day Robert was wounded Robert was bleeding to death. At the last minute, a hospital orderly arrived on the scene, stopped the bleeding and effectively saved Robert’s life. My darling Catherine, that orderly’s name was...was... Charles Babb, your brother Charles.”

  “I wish Father had known this, I believe, instead of being ashamed, he would have been very proud of him.” As Catherine wiped the tears from her eyes, she replied, “I know I am.”

  Once the crying and hugs subsides, Sary says she has saved a few dollars and if it will help Malinda can send it to Matthew. With tears in her eyes, Malinda thanks her old friend for her generosity, but explains to continue the work Matt is going to need quite a bit of money. More money than all of them have together, and besides they have to begin work on Scarlett.

  Luke inquiries about the situation at the Mill? Sam answers by saying at the current time the Mill isn’t making money, but he thinks by summer they will have it running at full capacity then maybe they should begin to make a profit.

  “Well,” said Malinda, “At least we got back in time for Christmas. For a while, I thought Luke and I were going to be on the road the day of our Savior’s birth, but we made it. I just wish Matthew and his wife Kim and of course, Robert could be here to celebrate this season with us. I suppose I must accept the facts; the War has been over for seven months now, Robert is not ever coming home!”

  “Don’t despair Mother, you said the same about Matthew, remember?”

  “Malinda,” said Ora Lee trying to change the subject and lighten the mood, “Ever since you and Luke left to go to Gettysburg, Sary has been fattening a big old turkey gobbler. It is just a couple of days until Christmas, and I believe he is about ready for the roasting pan.”

  “Hmm, I can almost taste that bird already. It’s been a long time since we’ve had turkey for Christmas. It fact, it’s been a long time since I’ve had anything good to eat at Christmas.”

  “Now, you hold on there Luke! You have done forgot ‘bout last Christmas in that cave up in Kentuck, ain’t you? Wouldn’t that a fine Christmas with that mail rider Kay Mann?” Interjects Nate.

  Catherine jumps in, “What! Who the blazes is Kay Mann? You all spent Christmas in a cave in Kentucky with a woman, and this within spitting distance of my house? Well, I never Luke Scarburg!”

  “Well, if you call fifty miles spitting distance – yeah, but Kay wasn’t a woman, Kay was a man, a mail-rider; however, I must admit Nate, that was some Christmas. Wait Nate, you have just given me an idea. Remember Old Bill?”

  “Shore Luke, never would not recomember him. Done got hisself kilt throwing that stick of dynamite on them robber’s fire.”

  “Hold on Nate, backup, I believe the whole family needs to hear about this Kay Mann, Old Bill, and the dynamite. We haven’t heard that story. Especially Catherine, I think she is interested in the Kay Mann part,” Malinda said smiling as she looks at Catherine.

  For the next hour or so the family sits around the fireplace and Luke and Nate tell of their exploits in the mountains of the Cumberland. Luke ends up with them on the farm with Catherine’s father, Samuel Babb. He doesn’t go in to all the details about the death of Catherine and Sam’s mother, he skips over that part, but he does tell of the time he and Sam went into the mountains deer hunting. He told about the cabin, the outlaws, and the bear. All of the children, especially Mattie Ann and Lizzie were sitting on the edge of their chairs. Luke described being trapped in the cabin with nothing between the door and safety for him and Sam but this monster of a bear. Of course, he told how brave Sam was, and how Sam looked that beast right in the eye and said, “You’ll never gonna eat us Mr. Bear, and Sam thrust that old musket right in its mouth and blew a hole in the bear’s head killing it stone cold dead at our feet.” Luke embellished the story a little for effect!

  Everyone was laughing and slapping Sam on the back congratulating him for killing the bear when Luke said to Sam, “Sam you remember why you went into the cabin in the first place?”

  “Yeah Luke, you know I do – that Bert Black feller was beating that other man to death, you know, old Rufus, the one tied to the chair.”

  “Sam, I sure do, but what was the outlaw after? You remember?”

  “Sure, the treasure map.”

  “Treasure map?” asked Malinda, “no one has said anything about a map. What kind of a treasure map was it Sam?”

  “It was a map to a creek filled with gold on our land up in the mountains.”

  “Right you are Sam, the ‘Gold Map’...old Bill gave the map to me, and I gave it to you. Here’s my thought, after Christmas lets you, me and Nate head back up to your farm in Kentuck and search for that creek of gold. A few days of digging up those gold nuggets should be enough to come back to begin working on Scarlett, what do you say?”

  “Hold on there Luke Scarburg, you’re not going anywhere without me,” said Catherine.

  “Oh, all right! You can come, but we must find enough gold and get back to Scarlett to buy seed and planting supplies before spring planting in March or April.”

  “Luke,” said Sam. “I’ve studied old Bill’s map and I believe I know exactly where that creek bottom is.”

  “Just a minute,” said Malinda, “how do you know this map is real?”

  Sam reaches into his pocket and pulls out the gold nugget and holds it up for all to see. The firelight throws a glint on it giving the piece a dazzling display as though it is on fire. The family cannot believe its enormous size.

  “If that creek has more nuggets this big, and you all can find them, you should be able to pan up a sizeable amount of gold in a few days. Then you can get back home in time to buy everything needed to begin planting. I know you are ready to go right now! The quicker you get that gold the fastest we can start making plans to rebuild Scarlett.” Comments Malinda.

  “Hot diggity, I’m ready to go right now just as Mizz Malinda said.”

  “Hold your horses Sam, tomorrow is Christmas Eve, Thursday will be Christmas. I don’t see why we couldn’t be on our way by Monday – is that fine with everyone?”

  ANOTHER CHRISTMAS TREE

  William you know what today is, don’t you?” Asked Malinda to her son, “You remember what you and Thomas Henry did this time last year.”

  “Ah, Mother, Christmas Eve, I thought you would have forgotten about us using Blaze to drag in the Christmas tree last year,” William said moaning and shaking his head.

  “Well, mothers seldom forget what their errant sons do, young man, but it’s time once again to get the tree; however, this year since you taught Thomas Henry the wrong way to get the tree last year, I thought you and he could take Blaze and go find us another one that we can put up tonight. You think you and Thomas Henry can do that?”

  “Oh yes Mother, me and Tom Henry...”

  “Thomas Henry and I...” Corrected Malinda.

  “Ah Mother, I thought you said me and Tom Henry could go, why do you want to go get the tree now?”

  “Son, do you have a rock for a brain, I was merely correcting your grammar. Certainly you and Tom Henry can go. I am not going.”

  “Oh, now I see...right, Tom Henry and I have already spied the m
ost wonderful tree. We know exactly where it is, and Tom Henry and I (emphasizing the ‘I’) will have it back here in no time. Come on Tom Henry, I and you need to go get the ax, rope, and Blaze, it’s Christmas Eve and tree cutting time!”

  Shaking her head, Malinda said, “I suppose grammar is not going to be one of his better qualities!”

  CHRISTMAS EVE 1865

  “The tree is beautiful boys, you were correct it is the perfect tree. Now everyone join in and let’s get it decorated.”

  Standing back to admire the finished Christmas tree Malinda said, almost as though she were speaking a thought out loud, “I was hoping last Christmas that this year we would all be together as a family once again, but alas, it is not going to happen. At least the War is finally over, and, hopefully, thousands of other families have gotten their loved ones home.” Turning to all those assembled she added, “Children, I am sorry this will be another Christmas without presents. It makes me as sad as I know it does you. You used to look forward to this season with all the gifts.”

  Mattie Ann, standing in the back says, “Mother, play the Christmas carols once again – that is present enough for us.”

  Malinda began to play on the piano:

  ‘Hark

  the herald angels sing,


  Glory to the newborn King!


  Peace on earth and mercy mild


  God and sinners reconciled.


  Joyful, all ye nations rise


  Join the triumph of the skies


  With the angelic host proclaim:


  Christ is born in Bethlehem.


  Hark! The herald angels sing


  Glory to the newborn King!’

  Facing her family, Malinda says, “Children I hope and pray times will get better.”

  “Mother,” says Mattie Ann, “We know times are hard and we do not need Christmas presents, but the whole family worked hard to get you a present.” Saying this, she handed the gift to her mother.

  “What! You children had no money, what in the world have you all done!” Opening the wrappings she sees a hand embroidered sampler that she reads aloud:

  “She is a wise woman who does not grieve for the things, which she has not, but rejoices for those, which she has had:

  THE SCARBURG FAMILY

  Robert Steven, Little Paul, Cecelia and Lester, Luke and Catherine, Matthew and Kim, Margaret, William, Isaac, Stephen Ingram, Thomas Henry, Mattie Ann, Elizabeth,

  Sary, Jed and Jefferson, Nate, Elsa and Nate, Jr., David and Ora Lee

  Christmas

  In the year of our Lord One Thousand Eighteen Sixty-Five”

  The tears were flowing from Malinda’s eyes she did not even attempt to suppress them. These were tears of joy. Joy that she had such a wonderful family. Finally, she says, “ How? How did... you... all do this – it is beautiful.”

  “Well,” said Mattie Ann, “me and Lizzie did a lot of the needlework and the boys made the frame. Of course, Ora Lee found the thread and Sary came up with the needles, everyone worked on it when you were not around.”

  “I do believe this is the best Christmas present I have ever received.”

  “Hey,” said Lizzie, “Look outside, it is beginning to snow!”

  The rest of the evening they sang carols, ate popcorn balls made with sorghum syrup, and drank hot, sassafras tea. If only Robert had been there to join in the celebration with them.

  THE KNOCK

  During the night, the snow continues to fall, by morning the ground is covered with at least ten inches, the wind is howling around the eves of the house. Sary is already up putting the basting on the Christmas turkey before sticking it back into the oven. She peeks out the kitchen window and watches the wind whipping the snow around, piling the cold, white fluff in to huge, deep snowdrifts. ‘My,’ she thinks, ‘glad I’s not out in this here blizzard.’ She can hear the door flapping on the hayloft at the barn. Someone had forgotten to latch it. ‘Got’s to git them boys to go fetch them pups and brang’em up here to this warm fire.’ She has already chunked up the fire in the sitting room, and old Kentucky Lead has found himself a nice, toasty spot lying nearby.

  It is approaching daylight on Christmas day everyone except Sary is still asleep, snuggled up warmly in his or her bed.

  Thump! Thump! Thump! Someone is pounding on the front door. Sleep still in his eyes; Sam, who has been sleeping on a pallet by the fire, goes to see who could be making this confounded noise so early in the morning. Standing on the porch is Jethro, the foreman at Scarburg Mill.

  “Sorry to wake you so early Mr. Sam, but this here feller comes ridin’ through this morning all white and ghost-like, covered in snow from head to foot. He says to me, sez he, ‘you know any folks hereabouts named Scarburg?’ I sez to him, sez I, ‘I shore do,’ and he gives me this here.” Jethro sticks out his hand, which contains a paper that appears to be a letter. “Then sez he, ‘get this to them right away’; then he rides off, and disappears into the blizzard.”

  Sam takes the letter, invites Jethro in to get warm, but Jethro says he must return home to his family, it is after all Christmas day he says.

  Sam shuts the door walks over close to the fireplace throws another log on and looks at the letter. It is addressed to:

  The Scarburg Family

  Scarlettsville, South Carolina

  Running up the stairs, he burst into Malinda’s bedroom, without knocking yelling, “Mizz Malinda! Mizz Malinda! Here’s a letter that has just come for you.”

  Still half asleep she answers, “What Sam? A letter you say, well bring it over here and turn up the light in the lamp.”

  Malinda tears the seal from the letter and begins to read; she places her hand to her mouth as she continues, “Oh no! This cannot be true, surely it cannot be!”

  By now the rest of the household is awake and standing in the bedroom as Malinda reads the letter. William is the first to speak, “What is it Mother, bad news? Who could be writing you a letter? Tell us, please, what does it say?”

  “Listen everyone, this letter is from your father. Well, it is from a gentleman named Dr. William Mayo about your father; Dr. Mayo lives in Rochester, Minnesota. He states in this letter that Robert was alive in March of this year and was in a prisoner of war camp at a place called Point Lookout, Maryland.

  “Mr. Mayo says he was a Captain in the Union army and knew Robert, and they had become friends. The Captain left Point Lookout in late March and believed Robert was going to be exchanged fairly soon thereafter.

  “He goes ahead and says if Robert got released he would have been taken by steamer down Chesapeake Bay then up the Rappahannock River to Port Royal, Virginia. He said Port Royal was a large Union supply depot during the War, and they maintained a big hospital there. The hospital cared for both Union and Confederates. He says Robert was in pretty bad shape in March, and this doctor is just hoping your father would make it to Port Royal’s hospital. He thinks it will take the Union a while to move the supplies from the docks and warehouses at Port Royal, and many of the wounded would not be able to be moved very soon either.

  “If Robert has not returned home, he thinks there is a chance that Robert could still be alive and possibly be in that hospital! He ends with a sad note saying not to get my hopes up too much. It could be in all likelihood that Robert never made it to Port Royal, and if he did they might not have been able to save him.

  “Doctor Mayo said the last time he spoke to Robert before leaving Point Lookout, Robert had asked him to promise that he would write me and tell us where he was. He says he remembered Robert talking of Scarlettsville and the Scarburg Mill and thought maybe some of Robert’s family still lived nearby, so he posted this letter to Scarlettsville in the hope we would receive it.

  “The doctor just wanted me to know he had kept his promise, and he knew we would want to know what had happened to Robert.”

  Turning the letter over to its front Malinda said, “This is splendid information, isn’t it? But the
re is some bad news -”

  Interrupting, “Bad news! How can there be any bad news? He said Father is alive.”

  “Yes, but this letter was posted nearly four months ago!”

  For a moment, complete silence envelops the room – it is as if no one dared to breathe. Finally, little Lizzie speaks, “Mama does this mean my Papa is coming home?”

  “Baby,” said Malinda, “I don’t know for sure, but we all hope so!”

  “Mama, when I say my prayers at night I ask God to let Papa come home. Sary says God answers our prayers if we pray hard enough, and I pray real hard even on my knees and all.”

  Malinda looked at her baby girl and thought, ‘the mind of a child is full of bliss, and the reality of this old world is foreign. She will never give up hope, and I can’t bear to tell her the truth that her father is probably never coming home.’