Iola Leroy Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (classic literature list txt) đ
- Author: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
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A few evenings after this interview, the Union soldiers entered the town of Câ âžș, and established their headquarters near the home of Thomas Anderson.
Out of the little company, almost everyone deserted to the Union army, leaving Uncle Daniel faithful to his trust, and Ben Tunnel hushing his heartâs deep aspirations for freedom in a passionate devotion to his timid and affectionate mother.
IV Arrival of the Union ArmyA few evenings before the stampede of Robert and his friends to the army, and as he sat alone in his room reading the latest news from the paper he had secreted, he heard a cautious tread and a low tap at his window. He opened the door quietly and whispered:â â
âAnything new, Tom?â
âYes.â
âWhat is it? Come in.â
âWell, Iâse done bin seen dem Yankees, anâ dere ainât a bit of troof in dem stories Iâse bin yerin âbout âem.â
âWhere did you see âem?â
âDown in de woods whar Marster tole us to hide. Yesterday ole Marse sent for me to come in de settinâ-room. Anâ what do you think? Instead ob makinâ me stanâ wid my hat in my hanâ while he went froo a whole rigamarole, he axed me to sit down, anâ he tole me he âspected de Yankees would want us to go inter de army, anâ dey would put us in front whar weâd all git killed; anâ I tole him I didnât want to go, I didnât want to git all momached up. Anâ den he said weâd better go down in de woods anâ hide. Massa Tom and Frank said weâd better go as quick as eber we could. Dey said dem Yankees would put us in dere wagons and make us haul like we war mules. Marse Tom ainât libinâ at de great house jisâ now. Heâs keepinâ bachellarâs hall.â
âDidnât he go to the battle?â
âNo; he founâ a pore white man who war hard up for money, anâ he got him to go.â
âBut, Tom, you didnât believe these stories about the Yankees. Tom and Frank can lie as fast as horses can trot. They wanted to scare you, and keep you from going to the Union army.â
âI knows dat now, but I didnât âspect so den.â
âWell, when did you see the soldiers? Where are they? And what did they say to you?â
âDeyâs right down in Gundoverâs woods. Anâ de Gineralâs got his headquarters almosâ next door to our house.â
âThat near? Oh, you donât say so!â
âYes, I do. Anâ, oh, golly, ainât I so glad! I jisâ stole yere to told you all âbout it. Yesterday morninâ I war splittinâ some wood to git my breakfasâ, anâ I met one ob dem Yankee sogers. Well, I war so skeered, my heart flew right up in my mouf, but I made my manners to him and said, âGood morninâ, Massa.â He said, âGood morninâ; but donât call me âmassa.âââ Dat war de fust white man I eber seed dat didnât want ter be called âmassa,â eben ef he war as pore as Jobâs turkey. Den I begin to feel right sheepish, anâ he axed me ef my marster war at home, anâ ef he war a Reb. I tole him he hadnât gone to de war, but he war Secesh all froo, inside and outside. He war too ole to go to de war, but dat he war all de time gruntinâ anâ groaninâ, anâ I âspected heâd grunt hisself to death.â
âWhat did he say?â
âHe said he specs heâll grunt worser dan dat fore dey get froo wid him. Den he axed me ef I would hab some breakfas,â anâ I said, âNo, tâank you, sir.â Anâ I war jisâ as hungry as a dorg, but I war âfeared to eat. I war âfeared he war gwine to pizen me.â
âPoison you! donât you know the Yankees are our best friends?â
âWell, ef datâs so, Iâse mighty glad, cause de woods is full ob dem.â
âNow, Tom, I thought you had cut your eyeteeth long enough not to let them Anderson boys fool you. Tom, you must not think because a white man says a thing, it must be so, and that a colored manâs word is no account âlongside of his. Tom, if ever we get our freedom, weâve got to learn to trust each other and stick together if we would be a people. Somebody else can read the papers as well as Marse Tom and Frank. My ole Miss knows I can read the papers, anâ she never tries to scare me with big whoppers âbout the Yankees. She knows she canât catch ole birds with chaff, so she is just as sweet as a peach to her Bobby. But as soon as I get a chance I will play her a trick the devil never did.â
âWhatâs that?â
âIâll leave her. I ainât forgot how she sold my mother from me. Many a night I have cried myself to sleep, thinking about her, and when I get free I mean to hunt her up.â
âWell, I ainât tole you all. De gemman said he war âcruiting for de army; dat Massa Linkum hab set us all free, anâ dat he wanted some more sogers to put down dem Secesh; dat we should all hab our freedom, our wages, anâ some kind ob money. I couldnât call it like
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