Spake As a Dragon Read online

  Robert’s lifeline to the outside world is now severed completely. He truly is now alone...

  Chapter Forty-Six

  HOMECOMING

  Luke, Catherine, Sam, Nate, Kentucky Lead and the hounds spend the past week resting and relaxing at the old fort at Fort Payne, Alabama. News had arrived that the War is almost over. Over! It is hard to visualize, no more kill or be killed. Now Luke thinks they can get back home and get on with their lives.

  “Everyone get aboard, it’s just thirty more miles and we will be home. We’ll get up on Sand Mountain at Rainsville, head south and two days later we will be eating supper with Mother and the rest of the family. Who knows, Father and Matthew may be there already.”

  Luke propped his shiny black boots adorned with their silver spurs upon the dashboard of the wagon and yells, “Let’s go, Albertville or Bust!” The rest of the day they work their way up the steep mountain road from Fort Payne to Rainsville. As the sun set on the western side of Sand Mountain, Robert and Catherine stood holding hands watching the ever-changing rainbow of lights fade as night approaches. Turning to Catherine, “That’s one good thing about living on top of a mountain my dear wife.”

  “And what’s that my dear husband?”

  “You get to actually see the sunset every day!”

  “I know, and isn’t IT beautiful.”

  Sitting around the campfire Robert begins to describe the farm – the rolling hills of grass, the pines, Hog Creek, the canyon and the caves. He tells Sam how the mountainsides are covered with raccoons and laughs when he makes a joke about how Kentuck will think he is in raccoon heaven. He tells Sam the area abounds with ‘coon hunters and when Sam has his pack of Walker coonhounds ready for sale he’ll be rolling in the money. Those ‘coon hunters will pay for his Walker hounds.

  Morning comes early on top of a mountain, it is the first place the early rays of sunshine strike, but this morning the first light of day hits the two wagons already up and moving south toward home. “Just one more day and we’ll be there,” says Luke.

  It is nearing mid-afternoon when Luke halts his wagon. Turns and announces to everyone that the farm is just around the next curve. The gate will be on the left and the farmhouse should be seen a little way up the road from the gate.

  Luke is anxious; he snaps the reins and the horses jump. “Gitta up guys, we’re almost home.”

  They round the curve, arrive at the gate, but the gate is locked tight with an enormous log chain wrapped around the gate and gatepost, a lock big enough to secure a boat to its mooring holds it together. A weathered piece of paper flops in the breeze. Luke snatches the paper down and sees it is an eviction notice dated back to the summer of last year. “What is this? It says Eviction for Non-payment of Taxes!”

  “Nate hand me the Spencer!”

  Luke loads one cartridge, aims directly at the huge lock and fires.

  The large .56 caliber lead bullet tears through that old lock like a hot knife through butter. Luke jerks the chain loose, jumps back upon his wagon seat and moves through the gate.

  Reaching the front porch Luke stops. He cannot imagine what he sees - the place is empty! Not just empty it appears deserted. Leaves have blown upon the porch, grass and weeds are growing through the front steps, and one pane of glass is broken out of one of the porch windows.

  Before anyone can speak, Nate sees the little cemetery under the red oak tree. Luke, Catherine and Sam see him moving toward the tree and follow. Inside the picket fence, they see three graves. One stone is marked ‘Margaret Scarburg,’ another ‘Jed Scarburg’ and the third ‘Jefferson Scarburg.’ Nate does not speak, but a tear is beginning to form in the corner of his eye. “That is Pa and brother Jefferson. What could have happened? Luke, Pa and Jefferson are dead!”

  “Yes, it appears so. I am sorry Nate, but your mother must still be alive. Notice there is no grave with Sary’s name on it. The other is sister Margaret; she got killed on the trip from South Carolina. Your Pa and Father went back to north Georgia and brought her here to her final home.”

  “You are rite Luke, but where is Ma, and where’s yer family?”

  Getting back on the wagons Luke suggests a visit to Doc Crawford’s place. Doc is just down the road and if anyone knows what has happened, it will be the doctor.

  ANSWERS FOUND

  Knocking on Doc Crawford’s door Luke is anxious to find out what has happened to his mother, brothers and sisters. Nate needs an explanation to the death of his father and brother.

  Doc Crawford is surprised to see the group standing on his front porch – he thinks he recognizes Luke, but Nate, the woman and the young lad are not familiar. After introductions, he invites them to have seats on the porch, and before he can ask them to sit and get comfortable Luke and Nate are barraging him with questions about their families.

  “Slow down gentlemen, one at a time. I understand you both are quite upset over the events on the Scarburg place. First off, for you Luke, your family left sometime ago and went back to Scarlettsville. Some tragedy had befallen your uncle Isaac at Scarlett and the overseer had requested they come and give him some assistance. The request was fortuitous since the Scarburg farm had fallen into delinquency with the county over its taxes. Malinda could not pay what was due.” Walking back inside to his desk, he withdrew the Quit Claim Deed for the farm and back on the porch handed it to Luke, “as you see Luke she signed the farm over to me if I could pay the back taxes. I’m sorry Luke, I did not have the money to buy your farm. If I had, I would let you have it back.”

  “What happened to the farm Doc?”

  “The farm was purchased by Judge Slade. The worst sort of carpetbagger the South has ever had to endure – he has bought up most all the land up and down Hog Creek, except mine. So far I have been able to stay barely ahead of him and the tax collector. Slade has a strong-arm by the name of Simeon LaPree, who does all his dirty work. He is a scoundrel from New Orleans, I believe. Judge Slade has his Yankee tentacles in the county courthouse also. When Slade finds land he wants, he gets that other carpetbagger county judge to foreclose on ’em. Then Slade picks the land up for pennies on the dollar.

  “Nate, even tho’ we have never officially met I have known about you all the years I have been acquainted with your Ma and Pa, and I hate to be the one to inform you of the death of your father and brother – it was at the hand of that dastardly Simeon LaPree. Shot’em down in the yard, they never had a chance. During the War, LaPree was Captain of the Home Guard and had come to Malinda’s place to conscript William and Isaac into the Army – Uncle Jed and Jefferson stood up to him and he killed them both. Shot your Mama too, but she survived. Uncle Jed and Jefferson are buried right there under that red oak tree in the edge of the yard. One good word though Nate, your Ma’ma is fine, she went with Malinda back to Carolina.”

  “Yessir, thanks, Doc, we’d done seen theirs graves. Thank ya, for the story ‘bout how they done got kilt tho’, I appreciate it. I sure do appreciate knowing about Ma.”

  “Mrs Scarburg...”

  “Please Doc, call me Catherine.”

  “Uh, Catherine, Sam, you all are welcome to stay here with me until you can decide what your next plans are – I have plenty of room for all of you.”

  “Thanks, Doc, but I already know what our plans are – we heading to Scarlettsville.”

  “I don’t blame you son, but I know your horses and mules are done worn out. Before you leave go out to my barn, get you a couple of strong mules and some fresh horses. Turn yours loose in my pasture – they deserve a good rest. They’ll be right here if you ever get to come back.”

  “Nate, to show Doc our appreciation how about going out to your wagon and let’s get Doc one of them things we keep wrapped up in the back.”

  “Yous means one of the hounds, does you?”

  “Well, now that you mention it yes, if it’s all right with Sam, I’d like Doc Crawford to have one of those beautiful Kentucky coon hounds. Doc has always been a big c
oon hunter, he’ll really appreciate a dog like that.”

  “Darn right, Luke I’d love for Doc to have one of the hounds.”

  “But, Nate in addition to the hound, bring Doc one of the rifles.”

  “Well, I be,” said Doc standing on the porch looking at the Kentucky coon dog. “That’s one of the finest dogs I’ve ever laid my eyes on, what’s his breed you say?”

  “Doc, just call him a ‘Walker’.”

  Nate handed Doc the Henry rifle. Doc jerked his hand back like the gun was hot, “What is that? That ain’t a Henry is it? I’ve heard boys comin’ home from the War talkin’ about them. Never knew they really existed until now. My, oh my, a Henry! They say it holds sixteen shells at one time.”

  “That’s ‘bout right Doc,” Luke handed him one of the outlaws pistol belts with every loop loaded with an extra Henry cartridge. Luke just left the Colt .44 in the holster, besides they still had a wagon full of them.

  “You givin’ me this Colt six-shooter too. Why, that’s way too much Luke. You keep ’em you might need ‘em on the trail to Carolina.”

  “Nah, Doc we got plenty more where that one came from. Take care of yourself; hope to see you some day. Oh, has any word ever be received about Father or Matthew?”

  “I’m sorry Luke, not a single word about them, the only word lately is about the War finally ending.”

  “The War is over!” Asked Nate? “When Doc?”

  “I heard is was sometime around the first week in April.”

  “Over, it’s finally over!” Said Luke, astonished.

  “Luke you surely must have not received any news lately?”

  “Naw Doc, We have been on the trail for weeks and didn’t hear about the War ending. We laid over at Fort Payne and news there was the War was about over.”

  “You didn’t hear about the President either, I gather?”

  “The President? You talkin’ about President Davis?”

  “No, President Abraham Lincoln. He was assassinated on the 14th of April and died the next morning. A man by the name of Booth killed him.”

  “Booth? John Wilkes Booth?”

  “Yes that was his name. You look surprised? Did you know him Luke?”

  “Kind of, I suppose,” Luke replied thinking of his friend Jamie Morefield, and the night they spent in the wagon in front of Surratt’s Tavern. “Yeah, I knew him.”

  Nate walked upon the porch, “Doc, I want you to do me a favor.”

  “Anything Nate, if it’s within my power.”

  “I want you to tell that Simeon LaPree feller to sleep with one eye open from now on, ‘cause one day, he won’t know when, he won’t know where and fer sure he won’t know how, you tells him I’m gonna kill him – stone cold dead! I swear it before you, Luke and God...on my Pappy and Jefferson’s graves...tell him this ain’t no warnin’, it’s fer sure a promise!”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  CANDY GROWS ON TREES

  “I’m sorry,” Luke pats Catherine on the leg, “I thought we would be home, but I guess home is somewhere else.” He said as he pulls the wagon up to the hitching rail in front of Lang’s Mercantile store in Albertville. “Let’s load up with supplies – we need beans, bacon, salt, flour, coffee, sugar if they have it and whatever else you think we need to get to Carolina.”

  Nate and Sam walk up to Luke as he steps upon the board sidewalk in front of the store, “Luke, you know we ain’t got no hard money to buy supplies with,” said Nate.

  “Nope, you’re right,” said Luke walking around to the rear of Nate’s wagon and removing a Henry rifle. They all walk into the store, Nate and Sam begin picking up the needed supplies and piling them on the counter by the store clerk. They are both worried that Luke is going to rob the store for their supplies.

  Catherine has migrated over to the women’s apparel and stands in front of a full-length mirror trying on frilly hats. First she tries on one, ties the ribbon under her chin, turns her head one way then the other. Tries others doing the same with each. Luke sees her standing in front of the mirror and walks up behind her, puts his arms around her waist, places his face next to hers and says, “That one is sure pretty – pretty hat for a pretty lady.”

  “Oh shush, I was just looking. Now go own about your business.”

  As Luke walks away grinning, he looks back over his shoulder toward Catherine and quietly says to her, “I thought I was going about my business.”

  Nate and Sam pass the counter with the glass bowls full of hard candies. “My oh my Sam, its been a month of Sundays since I done had me one of these here sweets.”

  “Well Nate, you’ve done better’n me, I ain’t never tasted one of ’em.”

  “Oh, now Sam, I jest wish you could get a taste of that yeller one there,” Nate said pointing with his finger. “Them candies come from somethin’ called a limmen tree – feller sez to me once they grow on trees sommers in a place called Flarriday. They must harden up once you pick ’em.”

  Luke walks by and hears them talking – he hears Nate trying to explain the lemon drop candy and the look of awe on Sam’s face as Nate tells him about them. Luke grins and walks on.

  All the goods are piled on the counter and the clerk removes the pencil from behind his ear and starts scribbling on a scrap of paper, “Well sir,” he says, “the bill comes to $12.50 even.”

  “All right, but I believe I’ll have me a poke full of them lemon drop candies and the Missus will take that blue bonnet she last tried on.”

  “Why Luke, that cost a dollar and a half!” Exclaimed Malinda.

  “Let’s see now, $12.50 plus the bonnet, that’ll make $14.00, then add in ten cents for the bag of candy – I believe your total will be, let’s see now, yeah that’s right fourteen dollars and ten cents.”

  “Sounds about right,” said Luke placing the Henry down on the counter. Nate and Sam cringe, here it comes they think. Sam turns away he can’t watch. Nate hopes Luke won’t kill the young kid behind the counter.

  “Fourteen dollars and ten cents huh? That seems fair,” Luke picks up the Henry. He cocks the lever, chambering a cartridge into the rifle. Sam shuts his eyes, he can’t stand the sight of the blood he knows is about to start flowing.

  “How about a trade, my gun for these goods?”

  “But...but...mister that there is a ‘Henry’ repeating rifle! I’ll have to go in back and get Mr. Lang, the owner.”

  Coming from the back is a portly man, wearing a white shirt with black sleeve garters holding up his long sleeves. He has a green visor on his baldhead and a vest that’s a tad too small for his bulging stomach. His short cigar is now nothing but chewing material, it has long since burned out. He appears to be a man with an unpleasant disposition. “What the galldurn’s goin’ on up here Fred, can’t you handle something simple as checking these folks out?”

  “Yes sir, Mr. Lang, but they want to trade for the goods.”

  “Trade, we don’t trade! It’s cash on the barrelhead. Cash I tell you. You know the policy Fred, good old U.S. greenbacks, none of that Confederate stuff. What you folks think, my fine establishment is a Swap and Shop?” Mr. Lang said in an un-friendly manner.

  Luke picks up the rifle, “We’d like to trade you this here rifle for our supplies.”

  “Hen...Hen...Henry! That’s a sixteen shot Henry rifle mister. Ain’t never been one in these parts. Ain’t that the rifle they say you can load on Sunday and shoot all week?”

  “Well,” says Luke, “There it is, and you can be its new owner, and I’ll throw in ten, no make that fifteen extra cartridges to go with it, but as far as shooting it all week, I’ve found I usually have to load her again around Thursday!”

  “Well Fred, what you waiting for, get these fine folk’s supplies loaded up in their wagon,” Mr. Lang said admiringly rubbing the rifle as he walked back to his office.

  Nate and Sam grin as they suck on the lemon drops and watch the wagon ahead as Catherine ties the blue ribbon on her new hat. They know Scarlettsvil
le can’t be but a couple of weeks away. “Giddy up, horses, we got some more travelin’ to do.”

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  “MORNIN’ MAJOR”

  Riding into Albertville a few days earlier Luke had worn a jacket over his blue Union shirt. He was not sure how the folks in and around Albertville would take to a Union dressed soldier coming into their town.

  Riding out of town, he removed the jacket and worn the old blue Yankee shirt and yellow suspenders he had been wearing for months now. They seemed a part of him and he felt comfortable wearing them.

  Luke and his convoy dropped off the top of Sand Mountain into the valley but passed the fort at Fort Payne. They were anxious to get to South Carolina and were not wasting any time on this trip, besides, the horses and mules were fresh and the load was easy for them to pull.

  In a couple of days, they were in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia. At night, Luke would not post a guard and during the day he wasn’t concerned about running into soldiers. After all, the War was over.

  It must have been the second or third day traveling down a winding trail through the mountains when from the woods to their left five men approach. They were dressed in Confederate gray, but their uniforms are worn, dirty and ragged. The leader’s collar indicates he has held the rank of Major.

  “Mornin’ Major,” said Luke as the men approach. “You fellers trying to make your way home?”

  “What’s it to you Yank! Mind yer own business, what you got in them wagons?”

  “Hold on there Major, I was Confed just like you boys.”

  “Nah, I see yer still wearin’ that stinkin’ Yankee blue. I should shoot you down here and now!”

  “Wait a minute Major, the War is over – I know we lost, but you fellers should get on back to your homes and get on with your lives. Y’all probably got a missus and young ’uns that are waiting on y’all to come home.”