Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-09-15
AFTER TIE WAR.
By JCcl Chandler Harris
Freedom o. tbe Abercrom-
bic PlaDiati0D.
Dy Jccl Chandler Harris


General sherman lad done the best
he could Tor the .Abercromh.c place.
He had waved his hand. and grim war
shr,luk away out Of sight; he had Civ
en- a signal. and all the mules and
horses and live stock that had been
taken away by the foragrrS were IT.
turned in Il jiffy; he had lifted his TN.
ger. ana Gordon Of soldiers was plac-
ed around the house and the outhui.d-
ingS. Everything WAS in its place. So
far as the eye could see war had torci-
bly, taken no tolls from the plantation.
Nevertheless when on mis- morn
ing in November the Federal com
mandcr lade the place Coodhy and
pushed his army southwark along the
Milledgrvillc road he left the planta-
ton in very had shape 50 far as Buster
John and Sweetest Susan were con
cprned. Something was wanting. The
place wasn't the SAINT" The silence
that fell upon everything when the
army Cluk clankcd out Of hearing was
something terrible. The horses ana
mules stood under the big Shed and
sL!vcred dumhly. The cattle hulilcd
together on the western side Of the
giUhousc, Tor the wind was from the
east and blowing with penetrating
moisture that was more than cold.
There was no gossip among these an
imulS that people think are dumb.
They had been badly frightened by the
hurry burly that bcsct them. They
might talk about II after awhile when
the sun Shuuc out or when the grass
came. but meantime the east wind was
blowing, and no matter how Intelligent
an animal may be, he can never tell
what that wind will bring after it has
begun TO blow. Now. the grass eating
animals know very well when storm
is coming. The flesh eaters merely
grow frisky and have frOlic, but the
grass caters make for shelter, and If
/ they have home to go to they 90
! there But the east wind-wcll, that is
/ their problem, as it was Aaron'S, only
/ the son Of Pen Ali never allowed ii to
/ blow on the back of his neck. so that
When other people were going about
| complaining Of rheumatism or neural
| gia or were in bed with pleuriSy or
pneumonia the son of Ben All was
usually on his feet and in fairly good
health.
Well, on this remarkable day the
animals in the horse lot and in the pas
turc, We're quiet and morOsc. They had
been shaken up in the first place with
their strange experiences, having been
driven heller SHELTER two or three miles
from home in the wind and mist and
hcltcr skcltcr hack again, with drums
heating and hugles blowing and nobody
to explain it all. Old June the milk
COW, thought she had lost her calf, but
after awhile she felt it running along
by her side, and 1t was standing under
her now, shivcring, shaky, shaggy
thing that looked more like bahia
black sheep than n respectable calf.
Anyhow, they all stood on the shell
tered side of the ginhOuse and were
very quiet, as the steam rose from
their backs and the fog issued from
their nostrlS. They We're not in Il play
full mood. There was nothing about
them to interest Buster John and
Sweetest Susan, when later in the day
these young advcnturcrs paid them a
visit Of inspection. Old June moanCd
at them in Il familiar way, but that
was all the welcome they received.
II do believe they've been fed" said
Sweetest Susan. with sigh,
"Why, of course not" exclaimed
Buster John. Aaron can't do every
, thing"
"Whcre's Simon and Johnny Bah
tcrT' the little girl asked.
Sure enough. where were they
Where were all the men and women
the negro quarters gay with laughter
Where was old Fountain? Yes, ant
where was Drusilla? This was the kline
of a day when there should be fire
blazing on the hearth Of every cabin
if only to keep out the dampneSs, bu
, smoke was coming out Of only one
, chimney, aud even that was not n free
and friendly smoke. 1t was n thin
, waverlng ribbon of blue, hardly visible
until the wind seized it and tore it t.
tatterS.
Il don't know what you are goins
to do" said Sweetest Susan, but an
S going to find Druslla. | haven't seer
D her since last night"
S Sweetest Susan went toward the ne
r gro quarters. followed by Buster John
q and as they went along they were ever
@ more and more impressed with the 81
a lcnce that had fallen over everything
: On all rainy days, except this particu
r lar day, so far as they could rcmem
Y her they couldn't go within a quartz
h of Il mile of the quarters without hear
- ing singing and loud laughing or tn
sound of negroes Scutlilng and wres
Ting. But now the whole place seem
ed to he deserted. Big SAILS cabin wa
S the first they came to. The door wa
I, open and they entered. For a nc
= ment the interior was so dark tina
they saw nothing, but presently the
l. could see Big Sal sitting on the foo
carding out her gray hair. Usually sh
wore 1t in wraps, but they were nov
UNFINISHED, and as she Cardcd them on
J they stood at right angles to her hea
and gave her very wild and ferociou
! appearance.
+ She neither turned nor paused in tn
J carding when the children steppe
somewhat timidly to the door. peopl
said she was sullen, but she was yer
sensitive and tender hearted and a
ways furnishing for some one to love
The negroes thought she was bot
cruel and suspicious, and Buster job
and Sweetest Susan were somewha
doubtful about her. For woman G
, 60 years who had known hard wor
and trouble with it she was we'll pre-
served. --....