按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
'fulfilling a sacred trust！' See？ Good idea； old man！ Ta…ta！〃
and he trotted quickly after his superior。
Courtland remained with the letter and photograph in his hand；
gazing abstractedly after him。 The smoke had rolled quite away
from the fields on the left； but still hung heavily down the south
on the heels of the flying cavalry。 A long bugle call swelled up
musically from below。 The freed sun caught the white flags of two
field hospitals in the woods and glanced tranquilly on the broad；
cypress…fringed； lazy…flowing； and cruel but beautiful Southern
river； which had all unseen crept so smilingly that morning through
the very heart of the battle。
CHAPTER I。
The two o'clock express from Redlands to Forestville； Georgia； had
been proceeding with the languid placidity of the river whose banks
it skirted for more than two hours。 But； unlike the river； it had
stopped frequently； sometimes at recognized stations and villages；
sometimes at the apparition of straw…hatted and linen…coated
natives in the solitude of pine woods； where； after a decent
interval of cheery conversation with the conductor and engineer； it
either took the stranger on board； or relieved him of his parcel；
letter； basket； or even the verbal message with which he was
charged。 Much of the way lay through pine…barren and swampy woods
which had never been cleared or cultivated； much through decayed
settlements and ruined villages that had remained unchanged since
the War of the Rebellion； now three years past。 There were
vestiges of the severity of a former military occupation； the
blackened timbers of railway bridges still unrepaired； and along
the line of a certain memorable march； sections of iron rails taken
from the torn…up track； roasted in bonfires and bent while red…hot
around the trunks of trees； were still to be seen。 These mementos
of defeat seemed to excite neither revenge nor the energy to remove
them； the dull apathy which had succeeded the days of hysterical
passion and convulsion still lingered； even the slow improvement
that could be detected was marked by the languor of convalescence。
The helplessness of a race； hitherto dependent upon certain
barbaric conditions or political place and power； unskilled in
invention； and suddenly confronted with the necessity of personal
labor； was visible everywhere。 Eyes that but three short years
before had turned vindictively to the North； now gazed wistfully to
that quarter for help and direction。 They scanned eagerly the
faces of their energetic and prosperous neighborsand quondam
foesupon the verandas of Southern hotels and the decks of
Southern steamboats； and were even now watching from a group in the
woods the windows of the halted train； where the faces appeared of
two men of manifestly different types； but still alien to the
country in dress； features； and accent。
Two negroes were slowly loading the engine tender from a woodpile。
The rich brown smoke of the turpentine knots was filling the train
with its stinging fragrance。 The elder of the two Northern
passengers； with sharp New England angles in his face； impatiently
glanced at his watch。
〃Of all created shiftlessness； this beats everything！ Why couldn't
we have taken in enough wood to last the ten miles farther to the
terminus when we last stopped？ And why in thunder； with all this
firing up； can't we go faster？〃
The younger passenger； whose quiet； well…bred face seemed to
indicate more discipline of character； smiled。
〃If you really wish to know and as we've only ten miles farther to
goI'll show you WHY。 Come with me。〃
He led the way through the car to the platform and leaped down。
Then he pointed significantly to the rails below them。 His
companion started。 The metal was scaling off in thin strips from
the rails； and in some places its thickness had been reduced a
quarter of an inch； while in others the projecting edges were torn
off； or hanging in iron shreds； so that the wheels actually ran on
the narrow central strip。 It seemed marvelous that the train could
keep the track。
〃NOW you know why we don't go more than five miles an hour； and
are thankful that we don't；〃 said the young traveler quietly。
〃But this is disgraceful！criminal！〃 ejaculated the other
nervously。
〃Not at their rate of speed；〃 returned the younger man。 〃The crime
would be in going faster。 And now you can understand why a good
deal of the other progress in this State is obliged to go as slowly
over their equally decaying and rotten foundations。 You can't rush
things here as we do in the North。〃
The other passenger shrugged his shoulders as they remounted the
platform； and the train moved on。 It was not the first time that
the two fellow…travelers had differed； although their mission was a
common one。 The elder； Mr。 Cyrus Drummond； was the vice…president
of a large Northern land and mill company； which had bought
extensive tracts of land in Georgia； and the younger； Colonel
Courtland； was the consulting surveyor and engineer for the
company。 Drummond's opinions were a good deal affected by
sectional prejudice； and a self…satisfied and righteous ignorance
of the actual conditions and limitations of the people with whom he
was to deal； while the younger man； who had served through the war
with distinction； retained a soldier's respect and esteem for his
late antagonists； with a conscientious and thoughtful observation
of their character。 Although he had resigned from the army； the
fact that he had previously graduated at West Point with high
honors had given him preferment in this technical appointment； and
his knowledge of the country and its people made him a valuable
counselor。 And it was a fact that the country people had preferred
this soldier with whom they had once personally grappled to the
capitalist they had never known during the struggle。
The train rolled slowly through the woods； so slowly that the
fragrant pine smoke from the engine still hung round the windows of
the cars。 Gradually the 〃clearings〃 became larger； they saw the
distant white wooden colonnades of some planter's house； looking
still opulent and pretentious； although the fence of its inclosure
had broken gaps； and the gate sagged on its single hinge。
Mr。 Drummond sniffed at this damning record of neglect and
indifference。 〃Even if they were ruined； they might still have
spent a few cents for nails and slats to enable them to look decent
before folks； and not parade their poverty before their neighbors；〃
he said。
〃But that's just where you misunderstand them； Drummond；〃 said
Courtland； smiling。 〃They have no reason to keep up an attitude
towards their neighbors； who still know them as 'Squire' so…and…so；
'Colonel' this and that； and the 'Judge；'owners of their vast but
crippled estates。 They are not ashamed of being poor； which is an
accident。〃
〃But they are of working； which is DELIBERATION；〃 interrupted
Drummond。 〃They are ashamed to mend their fences themselves； now
that they have no slaves to do it for them。〃
〃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 oppres