The Homesteader: A Novel

by Oscar Micheaux

  CHAPTER VI

  THE STORY

  Junius Grey inquired at length concerning the land whence he had come,of the prospects, of the climate, and at last relieved Baptiste byinquiring as to whether the drought had swept over that section as wellas other westerly parts.

  "I have had the same result with twenty-two hundred acres I own in thewestern part of the State. But such will come--have come every once in awhile since I have been here," he assured him. "If you have been caughtwith considerable debt to annoy you, and succeed in pulling through, itwill be a lesson to you as it has been to others."

  "It _has_ been a lesson, I admit," said Baptiste a little awkwardly.Irene, who seemed to be her father's favorite, sat near, and regardedhim kindly while he related how the drought had swept over the land, andthe disaster that followed. He did not tell them _all_; that he had beenforeclosed, but that, he felt, was not necessary.

  Withal, he had met those in his race whom he had longed to meet. Ofbusiness they could discourse with intelligence, and that was notcommon. Grey's holdings were much, and Baptiste was cheered to see thathe was possessed with the sagacity and understanding to manage the samewith profit to himself. Besides, the family about him, while not asconventional as he had found among the more intelligent classes of hisrace, had grown into the business ways and assisted him.

  "Would you like to attend services at the church this evening," saidIrene after a time, and when they were again alone.

  "Why, I suppose I might as well."

  "Then I'll get ready." She disappeared then, to return shortly, dressedin a striking black dress covered with fine lace; while on her head shewore a wide, drooping hat that set off her appearance with much artisticeffect.

  "What is your denomination," she asked when they went down the walkwayto the road. The church was not far distant, and, in fact was at thecorner of his property, and was largely kept up by her father he hadbeen told.

  "The _big_ church, I guess," he said amusedly.

  "Indeed!" she exclaimed, feigning surprise.

  "And yours?"

  "Oh, Baptist, of course," she replied easily.

  When she held his arm like she now did, it made him feel peculiar.Never, three years before, would he have thought that he would becompany again for another woman--at least, under such circumstances.

  "What do you think of protestantism?"

  "Well," he replied thoughtfully, "it has not been until lately that Ihave considered it seriously."

  "So?"

  "And sometimes I am not inclined to think it has been for the best."

  "How so?"

  "Well, it appears to me that organization is lacking in so many of theprotestant churches."

  "But is that the fault of protestantism?"

  "I hardly know how to reply to you. It seems, however, that inasmuch ascatholicism requires more effort, more concentration of will force onthe part of their members to come up and live up to their standard ofreligion; and that since it is obviously easier to be some kind of aprotestant, then protestantism has afforded a less organizedappreciation of the Christ."

  "You make it very plain. And especially is it so in the church to whichI belong. But I am sure, however, if the standard of requirement wasraised within the Negro Baptists, it would be better for all."

  "You mean--"

  "If it was compulsory for the ministers to possess a college educationand attendance for at least three years at a theological seminary, thestandard would be raised in the churches conducted by Negroes."

  "I agree with you; and do you know, that since I have been in the bookbusiness only these few short months, it has been my experience thatours is a race of notoriously poor readers."

  "Isn't it so! Oh, it is dreadful when we come to consider how much needyknowledge we lose thereby."

  "It is staggering."

  "Why is it so?"

  "Well, to begin with. There is little encouragement to become a readeramong Negroes themselves. Take, for instance, the preacher. By allcircumstances a minister--at least should be a reader. Is it not so?"

  "Certainly."

  "Well, are they as a whole?"

  "Lord, no!"

  "Then, how can you expect their followers to be?"

  "We cannot."

  "Another disadvantage, is separate schools."

  "I don't quite understand?"

  "Well, mix the Negro children daily with the whites, and they are sureto become enamored of their ways."

  "I gather your trend."

  "The most helpful thing on earth. Negro children thereby are able, in ameasure, to eradicate the little evils that come from poor homes; homeswherein the parents, ignorant often, are compelled to be away at work."

  "Evil environment, bad influence!"

  "That is it. There is no encouragement to read, therefore no opportunityto develop thought, and the habit of observation."

  "How plain you make everything."

  "And now we have come unto the church, and must end our conversation."

  "I'm sorry."

  He was, too, but they filed into the little church.

  In and around where they now sat, there was quite a settlement ofNegroes, mostly small farmers. Perhaps it was due to the inspiration ofthe successful Grey. She had, earlier in the evening, pointed out hereand there where a Negro family owned five acres; where somewhere elsethey lived on and farmed ten acres and fifteen acres and so on. Afterslavery there had been a tendency on the part of the Negro to continuein the industrious ways he had been left in by his former master. Thecultivation was strong; but strangely there had come a desire to go intotown to see, and to loaf. Perhaps it was because he had not been givensuch a privilege during the days of bondage. But here in this littlevalley of the Kaw, he was cheered to see his race on a practical andsensible basis. Only in the pursuit of agriculture can the black man notcomplain that he is discriminated against on account of his color.

  When the service was over, they walked leisurely homeward, and theirconversation became more intimate. The feeling of a woman by his sidethrilled Jean Baptiste. In his life on the prairies, this had neverbeen afforded, so to him it was something new, and something gloriouslysweet. Or was it her presence? At least he was moved. He decided that hewould go his way soon, because it was dangerous for him to linger in herradiating presence without regretting what fate had willed.

  "Isn't it warm tonight?" she said, when they reached the porch.

  "Dreadfully so down here in your valley."

  "Perhaps you will not care to retire, and would rather sit out where theair is best," she suggested.

  "I would be glad to."

  "Very well, then," and she found a seat where they were hidden by vinesand the shade of the big house. "I'll return presently, when I have putmy hat away."

  When she returned, her curiosity to know why he had not visited her was,he could see again, her chief anxiety. She tried to have him divulge whyin subtle ways. Late into the night they lingered on the veranda, and hefound himself on the verge of confessing all to her.

  He succeeded in keeping it from her that night, but she was resourceful.Moreover, her curiosity had reached a point bordering on desperation.Accordingly, she had the boys to hitch a team to a buggy and took himdriving over the great estate. For hours during the cool of the morning,she drove him through orchards, and over wheat-fields where the wheatnow reposed in shocks. She chatted freely, discoursed on almost everytopic, and during it all he saw what a wonderfully courageous woman shewas.

  He loved the study of human nature, and wit. Here, he could see, was arare woman, but withal there was about her something that disturbed him.What was it? He kept trying to understand. He never quite succeededuntil that night.

  A heavy rain had fallen in the afternoon, and he lingered in her companyat her invitation and encouragement. That night the sky was overcast,the air was sultry, and the night was very dark. She took him to theirfavorite seat within the vines, and where nothing but the darkness wasthei
r company. And there she resumed her artful efforts to have him tellher all.

  Never in his life had Jean Baptiste the opportunity to be perfectlyfree. He had once loved dearly, and he had sought to forget the one hehad so loved because of the _Custom of the Country_ and its law. Out ofhis life she had apparently gone, and we know the fate of the other.There is nothing in the world so sweet as to love a woman. But, on theother hand, mayhap all that is considered love is not so; it may bemerely passion, and it was passion he discovered that was guiding IreneGrey. He saw when this occurred to him, that in such a respect she wasunusual. Well, his life had been an unhappy life; love free and openlyhe had never tasted but once, but a law higher than the law of the landhad willed against that love, and he had subserved to custom. So hedecided to tell her all, and leave on the morrow.

  "Please, Jean," she begged, calling him by his first name. "Won't youtell it to _me_?"

  He regarded her in the darkness beside him. She was very close, and hecould feel the warmth of her body against his. He reached him out then,and boldly placed his arm about her. She yielded to the embrace withoutobjection. He could feel the soft down of her hair against his face, andit served to intoxicate him; aroused the passion and desire in hishungry soul.

  "_Yes_, Irene," he said then. "I will tell _you_ the story, and tomorrowI will go away."

  "No," she said, and drew closer to him. On the impulse he embraced her,and in the darkness found her lips, and the kiss was like a soul touch.He sighed when he turned away, but she caught his face and drew his lipswhere she could hear him closely.

  "Tell me," she repeated. "For so long I have wanted to hear."

  "Well, it was like this. You know--rather, perhaps you recall thecircumstances under which we met."

  "I remember _everything_, Jean."

  "I was in love with no one, I can say, but I _had_ loved outside of ourrace."

  "Our race?"

  "Yes."

  "You mean," she said, straightening curiously, "that you loved an Indianup there? That, I recall is the home of the Sioux?"

  "No, I have _never_ loved an Indian."

  "Then _what_?"

  "A white girl."

  "_Oh, Jean_," she said, and drew slightly away. He drew her back to him,and she yielded and settled closely in the curve of his arm, and he toldher the story.

  "Honestly, that was too bad. You sacrificed much. And to think that you_loved_ a white girl!"

  "It was so."

  "So it came that you sacrificed the real love to be loyal to the race webelong to?"

  "I guess you may call it that."

  "It was manly, though. I admire your strength."

  "It was then I wrote you."

  "Yes. And--"

  "Others."

  "I understand. You loved none of us, perhaps, and it was because you hadnot had the opportunity, maybe?"

  "Perhaps it was so."

  "And now I will hear how it happened."

  "I must first confess something that pains me."

  "Oh, that confession! But maybe I am entitled to hear it?"

  "Well, yes, I think so. There were three."

  "Oh...."

  "And you were the first choice."

  "_Me?_"

  "But I waited for your letter. There was a _time_ limit."

  "And I was away."

  "Therefore never received it in time."

  "And you?"

  "At Omaha I hesitated, and then decided that you did not favor it."

  "O-oh!"

  "So I went to Chicago, to meet the second choice."

  "Such an unusual proceeding, but interesting, oh, _so_ much so. Pleasego on."

  "_She_ lived in New York."

  "In New York?"

  "Was a maid on the Twentieth Century Limited."

  "O-oh!"

  "But sickness overtook her. She didn't get into Chicago when she wasdue."

  "Such fate."

  "I wonder at it."

  "And then you got the _last_ choice."

  "That is it."

  Not knowing what else to do, she was so carried away with the story, shestared before her into the darkness.

  "And when _did_ you receive my letter? I understand about the claimbusiness."

  "When I returned with her to Gregory."

  She was silent. He was too. Both were in deep thought and what was inthe mind of both was:

  _What might have been._