Michael asked, “What do you propose?”
“I’d like to free my slaves and pay them for their labor, but if I do, my neighbors would be angry and that would bring about resentment and conflict. Slavery has been a way of life for five generations in the South. I agree slavery is wrong. I have thought about it a lot, and I can find no simple solution. Do you have any other suggestions?” Grandfather asked.
Puma watched as his father sat with his head down, engaged in deep thought before he replied. “I do not feel qualified to advise you on how to live your life. All I can do is to tell you what I would do. First, I’d tell the slaves of my intention to free them as soon as they are qualified to provide for themselves as free men. Then I would begin educating them. I would arrange for them to be tutored in the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
“We do this for our workers. That makes them more valuable to us as employees. I would offer employment to all who would want to continue working for me. For those who don’t want to stay on as paid workers, I would arrange for them to be transported to a place of their choice where they would be able to live their lives as free men. It would be difficult, but I would have done what I believe is right. Doing what I think is right, is important to me. I would at least know that I had done everything I could to help them to be free.”
Grandfather replied, “Son, your words are well thought out, and I can tell they are from your heart. I’ll think about what you have said, but I think I would lose every friend I have, and probably lose this plantation, if I followed your plan. I had hoped to leave the plantation to you and my great-grandchildren. I’m afraid that, in the long run, I would be leaving you only troubles and heartaches. Your mother would be proud of you. I am proud of you.” Then he put his arm over Sage’s shoulder and said, “Now, let’s go see if dinner is ready.”
* * *
After the meal, Grandfather O’Hannon said, “Michael, I notice both you and your son carry side arms. The man who delivered the message that you were coming told us of pirates trying to take over your ship, and he told us of your remarkable skills with your weapons. Would you give us a demonstration?”
“Yes, we’ll show you.” Michael turned to Puma and said, “Bring our bows and arrows. I think your great-grandfather would like to see a demonstration of our skills with that weapon, also.”
“Yes, I would,” Grandfather said. “Bows and arrows haven’t been used here for a very long time. I’m surprised that they’re still used in the West.”
While Puma was gone, Michael explained, “In the village where Puma spent the first twelve years of his life, the Arapaho still lived in the Stone Age. They didn’t even have metal cooking utensils. Most of them had never seen a gun, but that didn’t mean they were defenseless. My father was killed by an arrow. A bow and arrow is a deadly weapon in the hands of a man skilled in its use.”
Puma returned and handed a bow and a quiver of arrows to his father and said, “Perhaps we should walk down by the river. We need room to show the use of these weapons.”
“Yes, let’s do that,” Grandfather agreed.
The whole family followed to see the demonstration. In the meadow by the river, they stopped.
Michael said, “This will do.”
Puma, using his ax, cut two saplings to a length of about eight feet and stood each pole against a tree. He remembered the story his mother, Evening Star, had told of the display his father had shown to her villagers. Michael was aware of the significance of the setting and smiled at his son.
Puma said, “You first, Dad.”
Michael, using movements so smooth and so fast that the actions were hardly perceptible, fired an arrow into the narrow, green pole, pinning it to the tree. He then dropped the bow, drew his knife, and pinned the bottom of the stick to the tree. Then Michael threw his ax, cutting the stick in half, drew his gun and fired two bullets, penetrating the stick in the middle of each half. It was all done so fast that the ones watching could hardly perceive what had occurred until they examined the results of the action. The grandparents were astonished.
Michael, with a gesture to Puma said, “You next.”
In less time than would be required to take a breath, Puma repeated the actions of his father with the same results.
After a moment, Grandfather said, “I’ve never before seen a display of skill with weapons to match that. I thought the messenger was exaggerating. He was not.”
Chapter 20
The People and the Party
“Father, I have seen the plantation. Now, I would like to see he countryside. Would you ride with me?” Puma asked.”
“Yes, son, I would. It will give us a chance to talk.”
Grandfather said, “I’ll leave you two alone. I can see you don’t need a chaperon.”
Carmen added, “I’d like to ride along, but Grandmother has said she wants to take Mother and me shopping.”
At first, Puma and Michael rode on the land owned by the plantation. It was rich river-bottom land with black men and women working in the fields. The crops were flourishing, and the yields were bountiful. Then they passed through a large, white gate with a sign over the gate which read: “O’Hannon Plantation.” After they passed through the gate, the road continued into low, rolling hills. The soil changed from rich, black soil to red clay. It was no longer rich river-bottom land, and the crops were sparse. The land yielded only scanty returns for the labor put into it. They passed broken-down shanties, with white children wearing ragged clothes, playing in the yards. White men were working in the fields. Their clothes were no better than clothes worn by the slaves. The houses were, for the most part, not as good as the quarters provided for the slaves.
Puma was confused. He stopped the palomino in the shade of a tree and said, "Father, I’m confused. Are these workers slaves, also?”
“No, these men are not slaves. They are free men. They are referred to by the plantation owners and their slaves as “poor white trash” and are looked down on by them.”
“Why do these white men not own slaves?”
“These men are poor. There are only a few white men who can afford to own slaves. Slaves are expensive to buy and expensive to care for. Slave owners have to provide food, shelter, clothing, and medical care for their slaves, just like we have to care for the animals we own. These white men work just as hard as the slaves, and they do the same kind of work, but there is one major difference: No one owns them. They are free men. They decide when and how they work.”
“Do the plantation owners mistreat their slaves?”
“Yes, I’m sure some of them do. Sometimes they beat them to get them to work harder. If they try to run away, or if they misbehave, they are beaten. You’ve seen men in Santa Fe use long spurs on their horses to get them to run faster. That is punishment for the horse. You would not harm Lightning, but she does what you want her to do because you treat her nicely, and she wants to please you. I’m sure the same technique is used by some of the owners here.”
“Do the slaves who are treated nicely still want to run away, even though they are well-fed and cared for?”
“Oh, yes. It’s a part of every man’s nature to want to be free. Every man wants to do what he wants to do and when he wants to do it. The denial of that right is his greatest sorrow. I think the right to be free should not be denied to any man. The slaves must be freed. If you ever own this plantation, and you might own it some day, please remember that.”
“Yes, Father, I’ll remember, and I’ll try to remember that not all of the white men who live here own slaves. It seems that most of them do not. What I do not understand is why even the poor white men seem to think they are superior to the slaves.”
“That’s a question a man wiser than I would have to explain. But it seems, that when a man is unsure of himself, he will degrade others. Degrading others seems to somehow help him feel better about himself. I think it’s a matter of the men doubting themselves that make them want to believe they
are superior. If you find the answer to that question, would you tell me? The only thing I’m sure of is that the more you know, the stronger you are. And the more you learn, the more you realize how much more there is to learn. Knowledge is like a snowball—the bigger it gets, the bigger it is capable of getting. That is why you must go to school. There is much to learn, and when you have learned, you must go into the world and use that knowledge to make life better for yourself and for those who you are responsible for.”
“Yes, Father, I’ll remember our ride today, and I’m glad we had a chance to talk. I understand now. Shall we return to the plantation?”
Michael said, “I’m sure Evening Star would be proud of her son. Should you ever go back to her tribe, you will become a great chief.”
The shadows were creeping in among the great oak-tree-lined entryway as they rode in. Juanita and Carmen waited on the porch for them to put their horses away, and then they went for a walk in the gardens. Night birds were calling, and fireflies twinkled among the shrubs along the paths. Michael remembered walking in these gardens with his mother when he was a boy. For Puma, the walk brought back memories of the Arapaho village.
* * *
The evening of the big party came. Juanita and Carmen were dressed in gorgeous gowns. Juanita was a stunning beauty. She had the attention of everyone attending the party. Carmen, at age fifteen, was like a beautiful rose just opening to full bloom. Everything about her was fresh, bright, and beautiful. No man could witness the magic of a young girl blossoming into radiant womanhood, without being made aware of his own manhood and be almost irresistibly drawn to her. This was her first time to wear a full gown, and she looked more mature than she was. The young men were trying to attract her attention. She pretended not to notice, buts she noticed, and she was having a wonderful time.
Puma and Michael left their weapons in their rooms and dressed for the evening in the local attire. Puma felt ill at ease. Everyone told him he looked great, but he felt overdressed.
There were many pretty girls attending the party; one was named Julie. She was about Carmen’s age and was trying to attract Puma’s attention, but he was shy. She asked him to get her a glass of punch. He went to get the punch, but when he returned, she was gone. He looked for her and saw her being detained by a group of young men. They were teasing and laughing at her. She was trying to get away from them, but they wouldn’t let her go.
Puma walked to the center of the group. “Julie,” he said, “Here’s the punch you asked for.”
Julie smiled, pleased that Puma had returned and hoped she would be able to escape from her tormentors. The leader of the group, who was larger than Puma and the older of the ones doing the tormenting, said to Puma, “Would you like to have a punch, also? I have one for you.”
Puma ignored him and took Julie by the hand and said, “Let’s you and I go for a walk in the garden.”
That was what Julie was hoping for. The boldness of the tormentor had freed Puma of his shyness, but he hoped to avoid a confrontation with the bully. He was a guest in his great-grandfather’s home, and he didn’t want to be involved in anything that might spoil the party.
Unknown to Puma, Great-grandfather O'Hannon was watching , but he was not interfering because he was sure Puma could handle the situation without assistance, and everyone would be better off if Puma solved it in his own way.
Julie took Puma’s hand and they walked along the dimly lit path. The evening and the gardens were beautiful. The stroll developed into a pleasant experience for them both. As they turned a corner, the path was obscured by vegetation and three of the tormentors blocked their way.
The leader took a swing at Puma, saying, “Here’s that punch I promised you.”
Puma, using a technique his father had taught him, deftly side-stepped the punch, grabbed the swinging arm, placed his leg in back of his assailant and threw him to the ground. Puma pinned the arm behind the bully’s back as he placed his right foot on his neck and asked, “Now, are you sure you want to continue this discussion?”
When the bully didn’t respond, Puma placed a stronger twisting force on the arm. The pest, while lying on his face, screamed in pain. Puma quietly said, “It’s your choice. Quit disturbing us, agree to walk away and leave us alone, or I’ll break your arm.” After making that statement, Puma applied a greater twisting force on the arm, causing more pain to his adversary.
“Okay, okay. I agree. I didn’t know you were going to be such a sorehead. We were just having some fun,” the bully lied.
“Then go have your fun at somebody else’s expense.” With that statement, Puma released the bully and allowed him to rise. Puma stood quietly looking at him until he and his comrades walked away. He then turned to Julie and said, “I’m sorry for the disturbance. I think they’ll leave us alone now.”
Julie smiled and said, “Thank you, Puma, and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and then they continued their stroll. Great-grandfather saw the gang return from the garden. He could tell by the looks on their faces what had happened, and he was pleased that he had not interfered. When he looked up, he saw Michael standing nearby and said, “You don’t miss much, either, do you? That’s quite a boy you have there.”
“I never doubted that he would handle the situation without difficulty,” Michael said as he and the grandfather walked to where Juanita was waiting. The evening ended with Puma gaining a lot of respect from the men and a lot of admiration from Julie. The tormentors would never challenge him again, and Julie would be dreaming of the next time she could be alone with Puma.
When the last of the guests were gone, Carmen was still beaming. She had loved the party, and she had been the belle of the ball. She said to Juanita, “Mother, I’m going to be sorry to give all of this up.”
“Yes, Carmen, I’m glad you enjoyed the party. It will be a night to remember,". Juanita said as she hugged Carmen.
Everyone went to bed, but Puma couldn’t sleep. He went for a walk. He had much to consider. The big house was quiet, but he could hear subdued voices coming from the slaves’ quarters. This life that Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother lived was beautiful, yet there was an undercurrent of sadness. Sorrow and hostilities pervaded everything. He thought, If this land is ever left to me, I will make a lot of changes. Life in the Indian village was hard, but it was better than this.
The day for departing came. Great-grandmother and Carmen cried.
Juanita was her stunning, regal self. She was a part of it all, yet somehow aloof from any personal display of emotion. How Puma admired her. She was a wonderful mother, and he understood why his father loved her.
Chapter 21
Virginia
When Puma and his family returned to Savannah, the ship was ready, and they departed with the tide. The ship remained in sight of land as they sailed up the coast and in only a few days they saw their destination—the McBain shipyards of Virginia.
Puma and Carmen stood with their father on the bow of the ship as it entered the harbor. Michael pointed to a hillside and told them that he used to sit on that hill and watch his father returning from his shakedown cruises.
“It’s strange,” Michael said, “to be standing here where my father once stood and be remembering him. It’s times like this that I realize how much I lost when he was killed by that arrow.”
They watched as the sailors docked and secured the ship. Then they saw a tall, silver-haired man come striding down the dock to greet them. Puma knew, without being told, that the man was his great-grandfather on his father’s side. He watched this man embrace his father and then turn his attention to Juanita and Carmen. Michael introduced him as Grandfather McBain. Grandfather greeted them warmly and then turned to Puma, giving him a careful, examining look. He then extended a large, work-hardened hand to Puma. The handshake was firm and sincere. Puma liked this man instantly, and he could tell by the look he received that this man liked what he saw also.
The tall man put his right arm around Mi
chael’s shoulder and his left arm around Juanita as they walked down the dock. “Let’s get something to eat;” he said, “I’m starved.”
Puma thought as he looked at this mountain of a man, He sure doesn’t look starved.
A horse-drawn carriage met them at the end of the docks. They rode through the shipbuilding facilities and passed what looked like fishing boats. The boats were tied up to the docks, row after row. Soon their carriage passed old, but well-maintained houses on low-lying hills. At last, they arrived at one of the largest of the homes, sitting on a point, overlooking the harbor.
Michael said to his family, “This is the home I left so long ago. Much has changed, but it’s wonderful to be back.”
A slightly plump, matronly lady came running to greet them, her arms extended, with tears in her eyes. She sobbed as she held Michael close for a long time. Puma noticed Michael fighting back his tears, too.
Michael lovingly said, “Grandmother McBain, please meet my wife Juanita, my son Puma, and my daughter Carmelita; we call her Carmen.”
Grandmother turned her attention to the family. Puma saw the admiration in her eyes as she looked at Juanita and Carmen. Then she looked intently at him, took him into her arms and said, “How wonderful it is to at long last get to see my grandson again and to meet his family.” And then smiling, she said, “I have lunch ready; you must all be hungry.”
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