sally dows-第3章

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〃I　doubt　very　much　if　some　of　them　know　how　to　drive　a　nail；　for
the　matter　of　that；〃　said　Courtland；　still　good…humoredly；　〃but
that's　the　fault　of　a　system　older　than　themselves；　which　the
founders　of　the　Republic　retained。　　We　cannot　give　them　experience
in　their　new　condition　in　one　day；　and　in　fact；　Drummond；　I　am　very
much　afraid　that　for　our　purposesand　I　honestly　believe　for　THEIR
goodwe　must　help　to　keep　them　for　the　present　as　they　are。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Drummond　sarcastically；　〃you　would　like　to
reinstate　slavery？〃

〃No。　　But　I　should　like　to　reinstate　the　MASTER。　　And　not　for　HIS
sake　alone；　but　for　freedom's　sake　and　OURS。　　To　be　plain：　since　I
have　taken　up　this　matter　for　the　company；　I　have　satisfied　myself
from　personal　observation　that　the　negroeven　more　than　his
mastercannot　handle　his　new　condition。　　He　is　accustomed　to　his
old　traditional　task…master；　and　I　doubt　if　he　will　work　fairly　for
any　otherparticularly　for　those　who　don't　understand　him。　　Don't
mistake　me：　I　don't　propose　to　go　back　to　the　whip；　to　that　brutal
institution；　the　irresponsible　overseer；　to　the　buying　and　selling；
and　separation　of　the　family；　nor　any　of　the　old　wrongs；　but　I
propose　to　make　the　old　master　OUR　OVERSEER；　and　responsible　to　US。
He　is　not　a　fool；　and　has　already　learned　that　it　is　more　profitable
to　pay　wages　to　his　old　slaves　and　have　the　power　of　dismissal；　like
any　other　employer；　than　be　obliged；　under　the　old　system　of
enforced　labor　and　life　servitude；　to　undergo　the　cost　of　maintaining
incompetence　and　idleness。　　The　old　sentiment　of　slave…owning　has
disappeared　before　natural　common…sense　and　selfishness。　　I　am
satisfied　that　by　some　such　process　as　this　utilizing　of　the　old
master　and　the　new　freedom　we　will　be　better　able　to　cultivate　our
lands　than　by　buying　up　their　estates；　and　setting　the　old　owners
adrift；　with　a　little　money　in　their　pockets；　as　an　idle；
discontented　class　to　revive　old　political　dogmas；　and　foment　new
issues；　or　perhaps　set　up　a　dangerous　opposition　to　us。

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　those　infernal　niggers　would　give　the
preference　to　their　old　oppressors？〃

〃Dollar　for　dollar　in　wagesyes！　　And　why　shouldn't　they？　　Their
old　masters　understand　them　betterand　treat　them　generally
better。　　They　know　our　interest　in　them　is　only　an　abstract
sentiment；　not　a　real　liking。　　We　show　it　at　every　turn。　　But　we
are　nearing　Redlands；　and　Major　Reed　will；　I　have　no　doubt；
corroborate　my　impressions。　　He　insists　upon　our　staying　at　his
house；　although　the　poor　old　fellow；　I　imagine；　can　ill　afford　to
entertain　company。　　But　he　will　be　offended　if　we　refuse。〃

〃He　is　a　friend　of　yours；　then？〃　asked　Drummond。

〃I　fought　against　his　division　at　Stony　Creek；〃　said　Courtland
grimly。　　〃He　never　tires　of　talking　of　it　to　meso　I　suppose　I
am。〃

A　few　moments　later　the　train　glided　beside　the　Redlands　platform。
As　the　two　travelers　descended　a　hand　was　laid　on　Courtland's
shoulder；　and　a　stout　figure　in　the　blackest　and　shiniest　of　alpaca
jackets；　and　the　whitest　and　broadest　of　Panama　hats；　welcomed　him。
〃Glad　to　see　yo'；　cun'nel。　　I　reckoned　I'd　waltz　over　and　bring
along　the　boy；〃　pointing　to　a　grizzled　negro　servant　of　sixty　who
was　bowing　before　them；　〃to　tote　yo'r　things　over　instead　of　using
a　hack。　　I　haven't　run　much　on　horseflesh　since　the　wahha！　ha！
What　I　didn't　use　up　for　remounts　I　reckon　yo'r　commissary　gobbled
up　with　the　other　live　stock；　eh？〃　　He　laughed　heartily；　as　if　the
recollections　were　purely　humorous；　and　again　clapped　Courtland　on
the　back。

〃Let　me　introduce　my　friend；　Mr。　Drummond；　Major　Reed；〃　said
Courtland；　smiling。

〃Yo'　were　in　the　wah；　sir？〃

〃NoI〃returned　Drummond；　hesitating；　he　knew　not　why；　and　angry
at　his　own　embarrassment。

〃Mr。　Drummond；　the　vice…president　of　the　company；〃　interposed
Courtland　cheerfully；　〃was　engaged　in　furnishing　to　us　the　sinews
of　war。〃

Major　Reed　bowed　a　little　more　formally。　　〃Most　of　us　heah；　sir；
were　in　the　wah　some　time　or　other；　and　if　you　gentlemen　will　honah
me　by　joining　in　a　social　glass　at　the　hotel　across　the　way；　I'll
introduce　you　to　Captain　Prendergast；　who　left　a　leg　at　Fair　Oaks。〃
Drummond　would　have　declined；　but　a　significant　pressure　on　his　arm
from　Courtland　changed　his　determination。　　He　followed　them　to　the
hotel　and　into　the　presence　of　the　one…legged　warrior　（who　turned
out　to　be　the　landlord　and　barkeeper）；　to　whom　Courtland　was
hilariously　introduced　by　Major　Reed　as　〃the　man；　sir；　who　had
pounded　my　division　for　three　hours　at　Stony　Creek！〃

Major　Reed's　house　was　but　a　few　minutes'　walk　down　the　dusty　lane；
and　was　presently　heralded　by　the　baying　of　three　or　four　foxhounds
and　foreshadowed　by　a　dilapidated　condition　of　picket…fence　and
stuccoed　gate　front。　　Beyond　it　stretched　the　wooden　Doric　columns
of　the　usual　Southern　mansion；　dimly　seen　through　the　broad　leaves
of　the　horse…chestnut…trees　that　shaded　it。　　There　were　the　usual
listless　black　shadows　haunting　the　veranda　and　outer　offices
former　slaves　and　still　attached　house…servants；　arrested　like
lizards　in　breathless　attitudes　at　the　approach　of　strange
footsteps；　and　still　holding　the　brush；　broom；　duster；　or　home
implement　they　had　been　lazily　using；　in　their　fixed　hands。　　From
the　doorway　of　the　detached　kitchen；　connected　by　a　gallery　to　the
wing　of　the　mansion；　〃Aunt　Martha；〃　the　cook；　gazed　also；　with　a
saucepan　clasped　to　her　bosom；　and　her　revolving　hand　with　the
scrubbing　cloth　in　it　apparently　stopped　on　a　dead　centre。

Drummond；　whose　gorge　had　risen　at　these　evidences　of　hopeless
incapacity　and　utter　shiftlessness；　was　not　relieved　by　the
presence　of　Mrs。　Reeda　soured；　disappointed　woman　of　forty；　who
still　carried　in　her　small　dark　eyes　and　thin　handsome　lips
something　of　the　bitterness　and　antagonism　of　the　typical　〃Southern
rights〃　woman；　nor　of　her　two　daughters；　Octavia　and　Augusta；　whose
languid　atrabiliousness　seemed　a　part　of　the　mourning　they　still
wore。　　The　optimistic　gallantry　and　good　fellowship　of　the　major
appeared　the　more　remarkable　by　contrast　with　his　cypress…shadowed
family　and　their　venomous　possibilities。　　Perhaps　there　might　have
been　a　light　vein　of　Southern　insincerity　in　his　good　humor。
〃Paw；〃　said　Miss　Octavia；　with　gloomy　confidence　to　Courtland；　but
with　a　pretty　curl　of　the　hereditary　lip；　〃is　about　the　only
'reconstructed'　one　of　the　entire　family。　　We　don't　make　'em　much
about　yer。　　But　I'd　advise　yo'　friend；　Mr。　Drummond；　if　he's　coming
here　carpet…bagging；　not　to　trust　too　much　to　paw's　'reconstruction。'
It　won't　wash。〃　　But　when　Courtland　hastened　to　assure　her　that
Drummond　was　not　a　〃carpet…bagger；〃　was　not　only　free　from　any　of
the　political　intrigue　implied　under　that　baleful　title；　but　was　a
wealthy　Northern　capitalist　simply　seeking　investment；　the　young
lady　was　scarcely　more　hopeful。　　〃I　suppose　he　reckons　to　pay　paw
for　those　niggers　yo'　stole？〃　she　suggested　with　gloomy　sarcasm。

〃No；〃　said　Courtland；　smiling；　〃but　what　if　he　reckoned　to　pay
those　niggers　for　working　for　your　father　and　him？〃

〃If　paw　is　going　into　trading　business　with　him；　if　Major　Reeda
So'th'n　gentlemanis　going　to　keep　shop；　he　ain't　such　a　fool　as
to　believe　niggers　will　work　when　they　ain't　obliged　to。　　THAT'S
been　tried　over　at　Mirandy　Dows's；　not　five　miles　from　here；　and
the　niggers　are　half　the　time　hangin'　round　here　takin'　holiday。
She　put　up　new　quarters　for　'em；　and　tried　to　make　'em　eat　together
at　a　long　table　like　those　low…down　folks　up　North；　and　did　away
with　their　cabins　and　their　melon　patches；　and　allowed　it　would　get
'em　out　of　lying　round　too　much；　and　wanted　'em　to　work　over…time
and　get　mo'　pay。　　And　the　result　was　that　she　and　her　niece；　and　a
lot　of　poor　whites；　Irish　and　Scotch；　that　she　had　to　pick　up
''long　the　river；'　do　all　the　work。　　And　her　niece　Sally　was　mo'
than　half　Union　woman　during　the　wah；　and　up　to　all　No'th'n　tricks
and　dodges；　and　swearin'　by　them；　and　yet；　for　all　thatthe　thing
won't　work。〃

〃But　isn't　that　partly　the　reason？　　Isn't　her　failure　a　great　deal
due　to　this　lack　of　sympathy　from　her　neighbors？　　Discontent　is
easily　sown；　and　the　negro