Читать книгу Leroy - K.G. Griffin - Страница 5

Leroy (pronounced LaRoy) swung his fishing pole over his shoulder and headed toward the main road and knew that he could cross it and head down the embankment to Waterfalls Creek in no time. He hoped he could catch a whole mess of trout they could fry up for supper, but as he neared the road, he distinctly heard yelling and the beat of horse hoofs coming at a fast pace.

“The Yanks are comin’!” Leroy’s eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open as he recognized old Mister Miller who was frantically pushing his roan horse as fast as he could. Just as he saw Leroy, he reined her in and spoke breathlessly, “Boy, the Yanks are acomin’. Go tell yore folks to head fur the woods. Kid, you gotta git the women folk to safety. You never know what them thievin’ Yanks might do. You hear me?”

Leroy nodded and finally found his tongue, “How far away are they?”

“I reckon they’re 8 to 10 mile back yonder, and they’re headin’ this way. Now I gotta warn the neighbors. I gotta git movin’!”

Mister Miller dug his heels into his horse’s sides and headed on down the road and continued yelling, “The Yanks are comin’!”

Leroy turned around and ran back up the dirt road up to his house and up the front steps yelling, “Samuel, Mary Jane, come quick!”

Before he even stepped inside, both his older brother Samuel and older sister Mary Jane threw open the front door. Then Samuel grabbed him by the shoulders and spat out, “What the dickens!”

Breathing hard, Leroy managed to catch his breath but could only speak in a whisper, “The Yankees are comin’.”

Mary Jane looked horrified and asked, “How do you know?”

Leroy pointed back to the main road and blurted out, “I jest seen Mister Miller, and he was yellin’, ‘The Yanks are comin’. He says, ‘They’re ‘bout 8 mile back.’ Samuel, he said, ‘We need to head fur the woods.’”

“Lord, help us! We gotta figure out somethin’ fast.”

“Samuel, I know where thar’s a cave ‘bout three miles into the woods headin’ up a rise where we could hide out.”

“Good idee. We’ll gather some stuff, but whatever we do, we gotta git goin’.”

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Mary Jane asked, “What about Maw?”

“Right. We gotta be real careful how we go about this. She’s apt to panic and slow us down. Let’s tell her we’re goin’ on a picnic. That way she won’t panic. Mary Jane, git as much foodstuff as you can. Leroy, you saddle up Molly, and I’ll git Smiley. Mary Jane, put everthang you can in a poke. Then wake Maw and real friendly like tell her ‘bout the picnic. I’ll grab some beddin’. Who knows! We may have to spend the night, maybe several nights. Git a movin’, you two!”

Leroy nodded and took off running for the barn. Molly brayed loudly when she saw him. Leroy grabbed her saddle and began getting her ready to go all the while speaking in a hushed tone, “Molly girl, we gotta git outta here. The northerners are comin’. Now you gotta keep quiet, ya hear?” Molly seemed to sense the danger and turned her large head to stare at Leroy as he cinched the saddle. “That’s right, girl. We’re gonna be okay, but we gotta be mighty careful.”

He led Molly from the barn and around back and tied her to a nearby fencepost then ran inside to help Mary Jane. She was in the kitchen stuffing day-old bread, salted venison and hard-boiled eggs into a burlap poke. She also opened the drawer where the silverware was kept and grabbed what she could. When she saw Leroy, she ordered, “Leroy, go out to the shed and see if you can find Paw’s old canteen. We jest might need that.”

Leroy responded with a nod and headed out back and ran to the shed where he pushed open the heavy wooden door. It smelled dusty and dank from water seepage, but there was enough light from the morning sun that he could make out some old rusted tools and hanging on a nail, his paw’s canteen. He grabbed it, closed the door and ran over to the outdoor pump and filled the canteen, then hooked the strap around Molly’s saddle horn and ran back inside to see what else he could do. He grabbed his paw’s rifled musket that was mounted above the fireplace and pocketed several Minie’ balls along with paper cartridges with the thought, Jest in case. Then he went back outside to tie the burlap poke to Molly’s saddle.

Samuel had already gotten their milk cow Smiley roped, and he got a bucket for milking. The next thing was to get their maw convinced that the idea of a picnic was going to be full of fun. He went in the house and began collecting quilts and blankets. Samuel winked at Mary Jane as she stepped into their maw’s bedroom where she was sleeping. “Maw, Maw, wake up. We got a great idee. Me, Samuel and Leroy are takin’ you on a picnic. Come on, now, grab yore shawl and put on yore shoes and let’s go. Time’s awastin’.” Mary Jane smiled really big trying to sell the idea.

Their maw looked bewildered but managed a smile. “A picnic! That does sound like fun. I’ll fry some chicken and bake a pie.”

“That’s okay, Maw. This is a surprise. I done got the food. All you have to do is git dressed. Now come on. This is our treat.”

“Well, okay then. You are such sweet kids. Is it my birthday?”

“Naw, we jest wanta to do somethin’ nice fur you.”

In less than half an hour, the three kids, Molly, Smiley and their maw struck out for the nearby hills. Leroy led the way with confidence. He had spent many hours in the small cave digging and exploring. One time he found some rocks there that he pretended were gold. Then he lay on his back and dreamed about being rich. He thought if he had real gold he would help out his maw and buy more stock, maybe a gelding, more cattle and pretty things for Maw and Mary Jane. Now all that pretend stuff seemed babyish, and he felt older leading the way while the rest of the family tagged behind.

As they trekked into the woods, the going got more difficult. Leroy had ahold of Molly’s reins, Mary Jane was tugging at Smiley’s rope and Samuel was helping Maw to navigate around trees and large stones. Even though walking became increasingly troublesome, still Maw kept smiling thinking the kids had gone to a lot of trouble to surprise her with a picnic. However after a while, she started to wonder a bit, and she asked, “How come we’re bringin’ Smiley on this outin’?”

Samuel cleared his throat and looked down for a minute trying to think of a good reason. “Well, we thought you might like to have some fresh milk when we finally git to our picnic spot.”

“Oh, so is that picnic spot somewheres close? I’m gittin’ mighty tired.”

“Almost there. Leroy knows a special place where he wants to take us.”

Just then multiple shots rang out, and the sound stopped them in their tracks.

Their maw swung around and blurted, “What’s goin’ on back there?”

Samuel hesitated but then decided to tell her the truth. “Maw, we didn’t want to trouble you none, but the Yanks are comin’, and we thought it best to head fur the hills.”

“Are they the ones doin’ that shootin’?

Leroy stood on a prominent rock where he could see clearly. “Yep that’s right; they’re shootin’ our cattle and probably the hogs too. I guess they’ll have a big feast tonight and leave us with nothin’. Samuel, I got Paw’s rifle. Y’all stay put. I’m goin’ back there and pick off a few of ‘em. The very idee they thank they can kill and steal our property!”

“No, you ain’t neither!” Samuel spoke emphatically. “You will stay with us.”

Maw spoke with disdain, “So this whole picnic idee was jest a lie?”

Mary Jane spoke up, “Well, not exactly, Maw. We’re goin’ to find a place to hide out, and we brung food. It will be like a picnic or more like a campout maybe.”

Samuel pointed at Leroy and gave an order, “Now, Leroy, git movin’ and git us to that cave.”

Shots continued to ring out as Leroy reluctantly turned and they followed. The cave was just a few hundred yards ahead, and they tied up Molly and Smiley and went inside. It was cool and inviting and tall enough that they could stand without stooping. Mary Jane spread a quilt and they all plopped down.

Maw put her head in her hands and began to sob uncontrollably. Mary Jane tried to comfort her. “Maw, this is like Mary and Joseph in a cave on the blessed night when the baby Jesus was born.” But nothing she said seemed to help.

While Samuel did some exploring, Leroy took the bucket and went to fetch water from a nearby spring. Samuel discovered the cave ran back 50 feet and tapered off near the end. There was evidence that some large animal had been there, maybe a mountain lion or a bear. He decided not to mention that, but he was glad Leroy had brought the rifle. Then he turned and noticed Leroy was gone. The thought raced through his mind, Where’s that kid?

Samuel nonchalantly walked out of the cave to look for him. Then he saw Leroy lugging the bucket half-filled with water. “Leroy, next time you leave the cave, you check with me. I need to know where you are at all times.”

Leroy smarted off, “What? You thank I’m gonna run down the hill and start shootin’ them Yanks?”

“I wouldn’t put it past you. And if you did, you’d git yourself killed and endanger the whole family. I spect you to use common sense even if you are only nine.”

“I’m goin’ on 10, and I ain’t scared of no Yankees!”

“Well, I am, so don’t do nothin’ stupid!”

They returned to the cave, and Samuel looked at his maw with compassion. Then he spoke with reassurance, “Come on now. Let’s all calm down and eat a bite. Mary Jane, what did you pack us?”

They sat in silence and ate the venison and some of the biscuits and passed the canteen around.

The day wore on, and the gunshots finally stopped. Mary Jane found some wild plums growing nearby, so she picked several and brought them back for everyone. They were a bit sour, but they ate them anyway.

Smiley began to low loudly, so Samuel found a large rock to sit on while he milked her, and she quieted down.

As darkness fell, they arranged the bedding and tried to get comfortable. Leroy asked, “Cain’t we build a fire?”

Samuel said, “Nope, we cain’t take the chance of bein’ spotted.” When he was certain the women were asleep, he turned to Leroy who was still awake, and whispered, “I saw evidence of some large animal that’s been holed up in this cave, so I’m gonna load the rifle and sleep with it nearby.”

“What do you thank it was?”

“I don’t know – maybe a mountain lion or a bear. It’s probly nothin’ to worry ‘bout, but we need to be prepared jest in case.”

“Good idee.”

Eventually, they both fell asleep, but Leroy woke several times during the night, sat up to make sure all was well and then tried to get back to sleep.

The next morning Samuel was up early and milking Smiley again, so they had warm milk to drink and more of the day-old biscuits along with a few hard-boiled eggs.

Later in the morning, Leroy and Samuel crept down to the prominent rock where they could look below and see the Yankees. They were spread out around their pasture with tents set up and fires blazing. “I imagine that’s General Sherman. Thank God they didn’t burn down the house. Maybe they’ll move along in a day or two,” Samuel hoped out loud.

The camping out was especially trying for their maw. She cried continually and after a while refused to eat. It was all they could do to get her to drink some milk. Mary Jane urged her, “Maw, please eat somethin’. We’re worried about you.” But she just shook her head.

She finally looked up and spoke in a strained voice, “It’s the end of the world as we know it. Our lives will never be the same.”

Maw was right. Their lives were never the same. Even though the Yankees only camped on their property for two days, the devastation was immense. As Leroy had seen, all their cattle and hogs had been slaughtered. The Yankees ate well, and the officers slept in their beds and ransacked their house. Anything of value was taken, including Maw’s heirloom brooch that had belonged to her mother. She was heartsick over the state of the house and all the destruction. Over time she became more listless and gradually lost her zest for life.

A year later the news filtered down that General Lee had surrendered at Appomattox, and the Stockard family, especially Leroy, took the news very hard.