Short Stories for English Courses Part 37

tole me to have de hosses ready at twenty minits to twelve at de corner of de garden. An' jes' befo' dat he come out ez ef he wuz gwine to bed, but instid he come, an' we all struck out to'ds Cun'l Chahmb'lin's. When we got mos' to de gate, de hosses got sort o' skeered, an' I see dey wuz some'n or somebody standin'

jes' inside; an' Ma.r.s.e Chan he jumpt off de sorrel an' flung me de bridle an' he walked up.

"She spoke fust ('twuz Miss Anne had done come out dyar to meet Ma.r.s.e Chan), an' she sez, jes' ez cold ez a chill, 'Well, seh, I granted your favor. I wished to relieve myse'f of de obligations you placed me under a few months ago, when you made me a present of my father, whom you fust insulted an' then prevented from gittin' satisfaction.'

"Ma.r.s.e Chan he didn' speak fur a minit, an' den he said: 'Who is with you?' Dat wuz ev'y wud.

"'No one,' sez she; 'I came alone.'

"'My G.o.d!' sez he, 'you didn' come all through those woods by yourse'f at this time o' night?'

"'Yes, I'm not afraid,' sez she, (An' heah dis n.i.g.g.e.r! I don'

b'lieve she wuz.)

"De moon come out, an' I cotch sight o' her stan'in' dyar in her white dress, wid de cloak she had wrapped herse'f up in drapped off on de groun', an' she didn' look like she wuz 'feared o'

nuthin'. She wuz mons'us purty ez she stood dyar wid de green bushes behine her, an' she hed jes' a few flowers in her breas'-- right hyah--and some leaves in her sorrel hyar; an' de moon come out an' s.h.i.+ned down on her hyar an' her frock an' 'peared like de light wuz jes' stan'in' off it ez she stood dyar lookin' at Ma.r.s.e Chan wid her head tho'd back, jes' like dat mawnin' when she pahss Ma.r.s.e Chan in de road widout speakin' to 'im, an' sez to me, 'Good-mawnin', Sam.'

"Ma.r.s.e Chan, he den tole her he hed come to say good-bye to her, ez he wuz gwine 'way to de war nex' mawnin'. I wuz watchin' on her, an' I tho't, when Ma.r.s.e Chan tole her dat, she sort o'

started an' looked up at 'im like she wuz mighty sorry, an'

'peared like she didn' stan' quite so straight arfter dat. Den Ma.r.s.e Chan he went on talkin' right fars' to her; an' he tole her how he had loved her ever sence she wuz a little bit o' baby mos', an' how he nuver 'membered de time when he hedn't 'spected to marry her. He tole her it wuz his love for her dat hed made 'im stan' fust at school an' collige, an' hed kep' 'im good an' pure; an' now he wuz gwine 'way, wouldn't she let it be like 'twuz in ole times, an' ef he come back from de war wouldn' she try to think on him ez she use' to do when she wuz a little guirl?

"Ma.r.s.e Chan he had done been talkin' so serious, he hed done tuk Miss Anne's han', an' wuz lookin' down in her face like he wuz list'nin' wid his eyes.

"Arfter a minit Miss Anne she said somethin', an' Ma.r.s.e Chan he cotch her urr han' an' sez:

"'But if you love me, Anne?'

"When he said dat, she tu'ned her head 'way from 'im, an' wait' a minit, an' den she said--right clear:

"'But I don' love yo'.' (Jes' dem th'ee wuds!) De wuds fall right slow--like dirt falls out a spade on a coffin when yo's buryin'

anybody, an' seys, 'Uth to uth.' Ma.r.s.e Chan he jes' let her hand drap, an' he stiddy hisse'f 'g'inst de gate-pos', an' he didn'

speak torekly. When he did speak, all he sez wuz:

"'I mus' see you home safe.'

"I 'clar, marster, I didn' know 'twuz Ma.r.s.e Chan's voice tell I look at 'im right good. Well, she wouldn' let 'im go wid her. She jes' wrap' her cloak 'roun' her shoulders, an' wen' 'long back by herse'f, widout doin' more'n jes' look up once at Ma.r.s.e Chan leanin' dyah 'g'inst de gate-pos' in he sodger clo's, wid he eyes on de groun'. She said 'Good-bye' sort o' sorf, an' Ma.r.s.e Chan, widout lookin' up, shake han's wid her, an' she wuz done gone down de road. Soon ez she got 'mos' 'roun' de curve, Ma.r.s.e Chan he followed her, keepin' under de trees so ez not to be seen, an' I led de hosses on down de road behine 'im. He kep' 'long behine her tell she wuz safe in de house, an' den he come an' got on he hoss, an' we all come home.

"Nex' mawnin' we all come off to j'ine de army. An' dey wuz a- drillin' an' a-drillin' all 'bout for a while, an' dey went 'long wid all de res' o' de army, an' I went wid Ma.r.s.e Chan an' clean he boots, an' look arfter de tent, an' tek keer o' him an' de hosses.

An' Ma.r.s.e Chan, he wan' a bit like he use' to be. He wuz so solumn an' moanful all de time, at leas' 'cep' when dyah wuz gwine to be a fight. Den he'd peartin' up, an' he alwuz rode at de head o' de company, 'cause he wuz tall; an' hit wan' on'y in battles whar all his company wuz dat he went, but he use' to volunteer whenever de cun'l wanted anybody to fine out anythin', an' 'twuz so dangersome he didn' like to mek one man go no sooner'n anurr, yo' know, an'

ax'd who'd volunteer. He 'peared to like to go prowlin' aroun'

'mong dem Yankees, an' he use' to tek me wid 'im whenever he could. Yes, seh, he sut'n'y waz a good sodger! He didn' mine bullets no more'n he did so many draps o' rain. But I use' to be pow'ful skeered sometimes. It jes' use' to 'pear like fun to 'im.

In camp he use' to be so sorrerful he'd hardly open he mouf. You'd 'a' tho't he wuz seekin', he used to look so moanful; but jes' le'

'im git into danger, an' he use' to be like ole times--jolly an'

laughin' like when he wuz a boy.

"When Cap'n Gordon got he leg shot off, dey mek Ma.r.s.e Chan cap'n on de spot, 'cause one o' de lieutenants got kilt de same day, an'

turr one (named Mr. Ronny) wan' no 'count, an' de company said Ma.r.s.e Chan wuz de man.

"An' Ma.r.s.e Chan he wuz jes' de same. He didn' never mention Miss Anne's name, but I knowed he wuz thinkin' on her constant. One night he wuz settin' by de fire in camp, an' Mr. Ronny--he wuz de secon' lieutenant--got to talkin' 'bout ladies, an' he say all sorts o' things 'bout 'em, an' I see Ma.r.s.e Chan kinder lookin'

mad; an' de lieutenant mention Miss Anne's name. He had been courtin' Miss Anne 'bout de time Ma.r.s.e Chan fit de duil wid her pa, an' Miss Anne hed kicked 'im, dough he wuz mighty rich, 'cause he warn' nuthin' but a half-strainer, an' 'cause she like Ma.r.s.e Chan, I believe, dough she didn' speak to 'im; an' Mr. Ronny he got drunk, an' 'cause Cun'l Chahmb'lin tole 'im not to come dyah no more, he got mighty mad. An' dat evenin' I'se tellin' yo'

'bout, he wuz talkin', an' he mention' Miss Anne's name. I see Ma.r.s.e Chan tu'n he eye 'roun' on 'im an' keep it on he face, and pres'n'y Mr. Ronny said he wuz gwine hev some fun dyah yit. He didn' mention her name dat time; but he said dey wuz all on 'em a parecel of stuck-up 'risticrats, an' her pa wan' no gent'man anyway, an'--I don' know what he wuz gwine say (he nuver said it), fur ez he got dat far Ma.r.s.e Chan riz up an' hit 'im a crack, an'

he fall like he hed been hit wid a fence-rail. He challenged Ma.r.s.e Chan to fight a duil, an' Ma.r.s.e Chan he excepted de challenge, an'

dey wuz gwine fight; but some on 'em tole 'im Ma.r.s.e Chan wan'

gwine mek a present o' him to his fam'ly, an' he got somebody to bre'k up de duil; 'twan' nuthin' dough, but he wuz 'fred to fight Ma.r.s.e Chan. An' purty soon he lef' de comp'ny.

"Well, I got one o' de gent'mens to write Judy a letter for me, an' I tole her all 'bout de fight, an' how Ma.r.s.e Chan knock Mr.

Ronny over fur speakin' discontemptuous o' Cun'l Chahmb'lin, an' I tole her how Ma.r.s.e Chan' wuz a-dyin' fur love o' Miss Anne. An'

Judy she gits Miss Anne to read de letter fur her. Den Miss Anne she tells her pa, an'--you mind, Judy tells me all dis arfterwards, an' she say when Cun'l Chahmb'lin hear 'bout it, he wuz settin' on de poach, an' he set still a good while, an' den he sey to hisse'f:

"'Well, he earn' he'p bein' a Whig.'

"An' den he gits up an' walks up to Miss Anne an' looks at her right hard; an' Miss Anne she hed done tu'n away her haid an' wuz makin' out she wuz fixin' a rosebush 'g'inst de poach; an' when her pa kep' lookin' at her, her face got jes' de color o' de roses on de bush, and pres'n'y her pa sez:

"'Anne!'

"An' she tu'ned roun', an' he sez:

"'Do yo' want 'im?'

"An' she sez, 'Yes,' an' put her head on he shoulder an' begin to cry; an' he sez:

"'Well, I won' stan' between yo' no longer. Write to 'im an' say so.'

"We didn' know nuthin' 'bout dis den. We wuz a-fightin' an' a- fightin' all dat time; an' come one day a letter to Ma.r.s.e Chan, an' I see 'im start to read it in his tent, an' he face hit look so cu'ious, an' he han's trembled so I couldn' mek out what wuz de matter wid 'im. An' he fol' de letter up an' wen' out an' wen' way down 'hine de camp, an' stayed dyah 'bout nigh an hour. Well, seh, I wuz on de lookout for 'im when he come back, an', fo' Gord, ef he face didn' s.h.i.+ne like a angel's! I say to myse'f, 'Um'm! ef de glory o' Gord ain' done s.h.i.+ne on 'im!' An' what yo' 'spose 'twuz?

"He tuk me wid 'im dat evenin', an' he tell me he hed done git a letter from Miss Anne, an' Ma.r.s.e Chan he eyes look like gre't big stars, an' he face wuz jes' like 'twuz dat mawnin' when de sun riz up over de low groun', an' I see 'im stan'in' dyah wid de pistil in he han', lookin' at it, an' not knowin' but what it mout be de lars' time, an' he done mek up he mine not to shoot ole Cun'l Chahmb'lin fur Miss Anne's sake, what writ 'im de letter.

"He fol' de letter wha' was in his han' up, an' put it in he inside pocket--right dyar on de lef' side; an' den he tole me he tho't mebbe we wuz gwine hev some warm wuk in de nex' two or th'ee days, an' arfter dat ef Gord speared 'im he'd git a leave o'

absence fur a few days, an' we'd go home.

"Well, dat night de orders come, an' we all hed to git over to'ds Romney; an' we rid all night till 'bout light; an' we halted right on a little creek, an' we stayed dyah till mos' breakfas' time, an' I see Ma.r.s.e Chan set down on de groun' 'hine a bush an' read dat letter over an' over. I watch 'im, an' de battle wuz a-goin'

on, but we had orders to stay 'hine de hill, an' ev'y now an' den de bullets would cut de limbs o' de trees right over us, an' one o' dem big sh.e.l.ls what goes 'Awhar--awhar--awhar!' would fall right 'mong us; but Ma.r.s.e Chan he didn' mine it no mo'n nuthin'!

Den it 'peared to git closer an' thicker, and Ma.r.s.e Chan he calls me, an' I crep' up, an' he sez:

"'Sam, we'se goin' to win in dis battle, an' den we'll go home an'

git married; an' I'se goin' home wid a star on my collar.' An' den he sez, 'Ef I'm wounded, kyar me home, yo' hear?' An' I sez, 'Yes, Ma.r.s.e Chan.'

"Well, jes' den dey blowed boots an' saddles, an' we mounted; an'

de orders come to ride 'roun' de slope, an' Ma.r.s.e Chan's comp'ny wuz de secon', an' when we got 'roun' dyah, we wuz right in it.

Hit wuz de wust place ever dis n.i.g.g.e.r got in. An' dey said, 'Charge 'em!' an' my king! ef ever you see bullets fly, dey did dat day. Hit wuz jes' like hail; an' we wen' down de slope (I 'long wid de res') an' up de hill right to'ds de cannons, an' de fire wuz so strong dyar (dey hed a whole rigiment o' infintrys layin' down dyar onder de cannons) our lines sort o' broke an'

stop; de cun'l was kilt, an' I b'lieve dey wuz jes' 'bout to bre'k all to pieces, when Ma.r.s.e Chan rid up an' cotch hol' de fleg an'

hollers, 'Foller me!' an' rid strainin' up de hill 'mong de cannons. I seen 'im when he went, de sorrel four good length ahead o' ev'y urr hoss, jes' like he use' to be in a foxhunt, an' de whole rigiment right arfter 'im. Yo' ain' nuver hear thunder! Fust thing I knowed, de roan roll' head over heels an' flung me up 'g'inst de bank, like yo' chuck a nubbin over 'g'inst de foot o'

de corn pile. An' dat's what kep' me from bein' kilt, I 'spects.

Judy she say she think 'twuz Providence, but I think 'twuz de bank. 0' co'se, Providence put de bank dyah, but how come Providence nuver saved Ma.r.s.e Chan? When I look' 'roun', de roan wuz layin' dyah by me, stone dead, wid a cannon-ball gone 'mos'

th'oo him, an' our men hed done swep' dem on t'urr side from de top o' de hill. 'Twan' mo'n a minit, de sorrel come gallupin' back wid his mane flyin', an' de rein hangin' down on one side to his knee. 'Dyar!' says I, 'fo' Gord! I 'specks dey done kill Ma.r.s.e Chan, an' I promised to tek care on him.'

"I jumped up an' run over de bank, an' dyar, wid a whole lot o'

dead men, an' some not dead yit, onder one o' de guns wid de fleg still in he han', an' a bullet right th'oo he body, lay Ma.r.s.e Chan. I tu'n 'im over an' call 'im, 'Ma.r.s.e Chan!' but 'twan' no use, he wuz done gone home, sho' 'nuff. I pick' 'im up in my arms wid de fleg still in he han's, an' toted 'im back jes' like I did dat day when he wuz a baby, an' ole marster gin 'im to me in my arms, an' sez he could trus' me, an' tell me to tek keer on 'im long ez he lived. I kyar'd 'im 'way off de battlefiel' out de way o' de b.a.l.l.s, an' I laid 'im down onder a big tree till I could git somebody to ketch de sorrel for me. He wuz cotched arfter a while, an' I hed some money, so I got some pine plank an' made a coffin dat evenin', an' wrapt Ma.r.s.e Chan's body up in de fleg, an' put 'im in de coffin; but I didn' nail de top on strong, 'cause I knowed ole missis wan' see 'im; an' I got a' ambulance an' set out for home dat night. We reached dyar de nex' evein', arfter travellin' all dat night an' all nex' day.

"Hit 'peared like somethin' hed tole ole missis we wuz comin' so; for when we got home she wuz waitin' for us--done drest up in her best Sunday clo'es, an' stan'n' at de head o' de big steps, an'