Читать книгу The Other Side of Lincoln - Welby Thomas Cox Jr. - Страница 8

“With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home. I have therefore resigned my commission in the Army, and save in defense of my native State; I hope I may never be called upon to draw my sword.” - General Robert E. Lee

Lenahan stayed with Ima, sitting by the fire...he and Rags comforted the dying woman as she passed. Before she passed, she held Lenahan’s hand tightly...against the pain and as a token of her gratitude.

“I can go now Leck...life’s duties are as neatly bound as those letters in the box. Strange, my own little girls, lost to the savages, may now be replaced by two orphaned nieces, whom I have never seen, and I must now entrust to you.

It will not be a burden to you Leck... it will be a blessing...you will see and I know you can sell this farm as well as those hides Gabe purchased... to help offset any cost. Remember Leck, these are not babies...they are near womanhood, twelve...thirteen years old I think.” She said.

“Ima, there is plenty of money here to take good care of those young girls, and you know with the large family I have there will be no shortage of women folk and love.”

Lenahan listened hoping that he could remember all she was telling him; so that he could properly relay this information to the girls...he would write it all down before he slept he thought.

Ima was still speaking...woman to the end he thought. Like an old spicket, hell to open, impossible to stop. Scarp that he thought...you bastard, man shouldn’t be thinking such thoughts at a time like this...probably sacrilegious...he’d stop at St. Joseph Proto Cathedral before he left Bardstown...say a novena, go to confession and pass along the news that these two wonderful Catholics had passed. He saw the vision of a headstone in the old cemetery...GABRIEL CALDWELL RUSSELL...BORN AUGUST 8, 1840...DIED APRIL 15, 1857. LOVING SON, HUSBAND, FRIEND AND HERO.

“Leck, today’s’ your birthday...isn’t it.” She asked “April 15...makes you seventeen and Gabe...well you know I robbed the cradle...he won’t be seventeen until August 8. Everybody says that I am a wicked woman for taking him...but after saving him from the river and the wound...it was as though he became mine...God’s own replacement for the consuming losses that I had experienced...and you know when you nurse a man back to health...there is a magnetic connection, regardless of the age difference. Nobody will know the feelings I had for him...I am ashamed to admit to you Leck that Gabe was like my father, my son and my husband...at once an enigma...who loved me and filled me.”

Nearly at the end, as the day began to sink on the other side of noon into the western horizon where two youngsters had gone to fight the injuns in an aura of the hunter’s mist...Ima reached up and touched Leck’s bearded face...a man now...with all the accoutrements...some God given, others picked up along the way by guns, knives, arrows...love and death, the discovery of emotions given only to experience. At fifteen they were invincible... at seventeen...one was dead and the other left to carry on the dream of the hunter’s mist, down in the valley were the grass is always green and the creek flows easily with trout big enough for young boys to catch and carry home proudly.

“Leck...” she whispered... “One more thing I want to give you today.” She took his hand and laid it on the head of Rags. “This is our spirit!”

Lenahan and Rags had sat there feeling the personal loss. After a time, he found a pick and shovel. He carefully wrapped Ima’s body in a sheet and he and Rags went out to the barn.

He went to the water trough, recovering Gabe’s body, he wrapped him in a sheet as well, and then, he brought the bodies into the barn. The fire in the hay had died away, but smoldered, beckoning to Leck as the most likely temporary grave for the Russell’s since the ground was frozen and too hard to dig.

Jess, Rags, a milk cow, two hogs, two other horses, seven chickens, a rooster, two barn cats, several spiders, mice and assorted wildlife comprised the funeral party, and looked on respectfully as Leck fixed a small cross on the site.

“Dear God...this is a moment I could never have imagined. I came here this morning to help my old friend, while I was on leave from my duties at the Fort. It was to be a joyful time...now this is the very worst moment in my life...I am so angry...so lost...Lord I’ve been absent from you for a while...but help me to understand why I should ever come back to a belief that you are all feeling...do you know what I’m feeling?”

Leck dropped his head for a moment, walked to his horse, leading him from the barn. Rags lay on the grave with his head toward the door. The other animals moved into the stalls... Lenahan began to close the big barn door from the night. He looked at the big dog.

Rags was Leck’s first ever inheritance. It felt somewhat strange...he did not know if he owned the dog or if an inheritance brought some privilege to the inherited source.

Rags was, one of those “last minute “ details that Ima just had to solve. It appeared to Leck that Rag’s future was essential for Ima to die in peace.

He wished now in retrospect that he could have had more time with Ima to discuss the dog. Specifically, how she had acquired the dog and if she knew who had breed the dog’s mother?

Rags was not an ordinary dog. It was obvious to Leck and the local veterinarian that Rags was the product of a carefully orchestrate and select breeding. Some things they knew. Rags was five years old. He was a mix breed mating of a Great Dane and, an Airedale. Rags got his size from the Great Dane but he got all other genetic dispositions form the Airedale.

Although the vet said he had never seen the offspring of such a mating, he had read during attendance at veterinarian school that a dog like Rags was quite common in the middle ages. At that time this crossbreed belonged principally to noblemen. They were guard dogs for the estate and the family, capable of great bravery and heavy endurance.

Rags stood forty-two inches at the nape of the neck and weighed one hundred twenty-seven pounds. He was solid muscle. He had the massive head of the Great Dane but the symmetrical face of the Airedale, and Rags always had a bad hair day, wiry and going in every direction.

But that was the only thing bad about Rag’s life. There existed no kinder, more intelligent, more faithful, more obedient, more loving dog that Leck, or anyone else in the family or village had ever known or seen. Rags, was so big and gentle, that all the grandchildren of all ages rode him like a pony whenever they came for a visit. Rags would totally wear the children and the other two family dogs to a frazzle by days end.

Rags was dark/dark gray in color, had large black eyes that seemed to penetrate your soul. He had a big, wet black nose and a huge red tongue, which hung at the side of his mouth. He had major paws and the pads on them were extremely hard but supple to the touch. Rags came with Ima to the marriage with Gabe. Gabe told Leck that Rags had tried courageously to save Mrs. Russell’s two girls from the kidnapping by the Cheyenne. After the girls had jumped from the burning wagon, Rags followed and savagely attacked a Cheyenne brave attempting to carry the girls to his horse. But another Cheyenne rode up and speared Rags with a lance in the shoulder.

The spear had stopped Rags from killing the Cheyenne and possibly saving the girls as well. Mrs. Russell had nursed Rags back to health within a matter of days the big dog was back to his job of protecting the family with what appeared to be a new vigor. Most especially, Rags was devoted to Mrs. Russell whom Rags loved more than his own life.

Historically, the vet had told Leck that these dogs were known to be totally loyal to the master, no matter how cruel, and he thought it highly unusual that Rags had transferred his loyalty to Leck, so willingly, on command from Ima. But the fact that it had happened gave credence to the intellect of the dog, Leck did not want, but came to love.

“Rags...let’s go home boy!”

Rags followed just behind Jess’s heels...Jess did not fart as they trotted down the lane and out the road toward Raywick and the Lenahan Farm.

It was late in the afternoon before the entourage rode into St. Mary’s. He stopped at the Sheriff’s office to make a statement on the deaths of the Russell’s and to post a complaint on the four men Ima had described including the strange looking sorrel with the black eye patch.

Antonio Norvellino, the town’s sheriff was contrite, he had known Russell since he was a child and had recently met his wife Ima when they had come up from the Oregon Trail a few months before.

“I promise you this Leck...we will get these bastards...I will send a dispatch immediately. They could not have gotten very far.” The Sheriff assured Leck.

“I got this death bed will from Ima authorizing me to sell the cattle Gabe purchased and are to be delivered today at Bardstown...thirty head. “Leck said.

“OK Leck, I’ll give you my official statement of your standing in our community. When you go over to Bardstown, you will have to go before the District Judge, have this will probated and you’ll get the court authorization for you to become the Executor as Ima has bequeathed.” The Sheriff said. “If you need any help Leck just let me know, or I know where to find you.”

“Antonio, there is one other thing I would ask you to do...please notify the Sheriff at Bardstown that two young girls, ages twelve and fourteen...blonde hair, green eyes...name of Mariana and Rebecca Russell...coming from Pittsburgh...due into Bardstown...maybe tomorrow. They are expecting their Aunt Ima to be there...ask him not to tell the girls about the death of Ima until I get there...put them up at the Old Talbot Tavern.” Leck asked.

“Count on it Leck...I’ll ask him to confirm via return telegram.” Antonio said.

“Obliged.” Replied Leck.

Leck continued on toward home relieved that a few pieces of the personal trauma were safely cared for. He had every hope that the next few hours in which he would share with his parents, brothers and sisters, the tragedy... which had unfolded for him on his seventeenth birthday, would be lifted from his youthful shoulders in fulfillment of his promise to Ima Russell.

Leck, Jess and Rags arrived at the Lenahan family farm in Raywick after dark. He knew that his parents who rose before dawn each day would be in bed. The light in the kitchen made it likely that his twin brothers Christian and Thomas, age twenty-four would still be up playing cards or reading. Sister Elaine, age twenty-six whose husband had died in 1851 during a skirmish with the Utes. He had been with the same Calvary unit in which Leck now served.

Catching the scent of Rags, the two family dogs of the Lenahan’s set up a serious defensive wall of howls and running jesters to let the big dog know this wasn’t his territory. Just as they were about to jump him, Leck hollered at the pair to let them know that it was ok. Then he called to Rags to keep him close.

“Rags...good boy, these guys are bullies, used to having everything their way...we’ll just take it easy here until things get a little more relaxed.” He said to the big dog.

By the time Leck had reached the barn, all three siblings had come out of the house and were at the barn door in a moment. Christian lit two lanterns as the other animals looked up at the commotion and saw the newest player in the barnyard.

Jess looked around and walked toward his stall, Tom took hold of his reigns.

“Hold on there big fellow...let’s get this tack off and get you rubbed down before you start to roll in the straw.” Tom said as he began to untack the big gray.

“No way you have been to Bardstown.” Elaine said while giving her kid brother a big hug.

“Happy Birthday Leck.” They all chimed in and began to pound on the baby of the family in celebration of his seventeenth birthday.

“After today I feel about as old as Pap.” Lenahan said as he began to unfold the story of the early morning murders he had discovered.

They bedded and fed Jess, blew out the lanterns and headed toward the house as Leck continued the litany of what had occurred since he had left home early that morning.

As he came into the Kitchen, Ma and Pap were both up setting at the table.

“What’s all this commotion birthday boy?” Pap said as Ma hugged and kissed Leck.

“Ain’t that Gabe Russell’s dog?” Pap said.

“He is my dog now Pap...if you’ll don’t mind it’s been a long day and I’m looking forward to the sleep that will bring me to the day of my eighteenth year...we have a lot to discuss in the morning.” He said.

Leck hugged and kissed each of the family...lingering at Ma...he patted her on the fanny.

“You still got the best figure in the west.” He said to his beloved mother.

“Yeah except the butt has gone south after fourteen of you youngins.” she said.

Leck went up to the attic room to his bed. He removed his greatcoat, boots, shirt and pants. He left his long underwear and climbed into bed. Rags had taken a spot near the bed. Leck rubbed the dog as he looked out the window at the moon. The emotions of the day ran through him as he remembered the face of his friend Gabe...he wept as he fell asleep.

The next morning, Leck was awakened, by the rattling of pots and pans and movement in the kitchen. He slipped into his clothes, petted the big dog and they headed downstairs. Ma was at the big iron stove...putting in the kindling to start the fire for the morning family breakfast.

Leck gave his mother a big hug and kiss and went to the door to let Rags out.

He went along to the outhouse, some 50 yards from the house. It was a small toilet with four holes. Leck didn’t bother to go into the outhouse but relieved himself at the edge of the house to keep an eye on Rags and his two other dogs...Wolf and Snake.

He wanted no confrontation between the dogs that he had loved since they were born. In fact Leck had been responsible for naming both the dogs. He did so because he was very much into nature when they came along.

“Snake...Wolf...come here guys.” He petted the two old friends as they vied for his touch and big hug for each. He held them as Rags approached...smelling their hind ends. The two began to yield territory. Leck was pleased because Rags could have eaten these guys for breakfast. He rubbed them all again and started to the house as they romped off toward the barn while doing the new dog dance.

In the kitchen, Leck washed his face and hands. He stood beside the large hearth. Pap came over and placed his hand on the boys shoulder. He looked up at Leck and his eyes spoke the sorrow he was feeling.

“I am so very sorry about Gabe and Ima. What a terrible thing. Must have been a great shock to you.” Pap said.

“You know Pap, I have seen a lot of death...been close to it myself over the past two years. But poor Gabe...he has been through so much and just when it seemed he had gotten over the anger of the loss of his leg...that he was truly happy with his life with Ima...boom, he is cut down.” He said.

“Sometimes life is that way.” Pap said “It sometimes doesn’t seem fair that some live out their lives with little or no pain while others can’t get out of their own way without some major difficulty...but its all in the plan of the good Lord. We have to accept that Leck.” He said.

By now Elaine had come down to help in the kitchen. Tom and Christian came in from milking the cows and feeding the stock. They washed up at the sink using the hand pump to crank water from the well just outside the back porch.

Elaine poured coffee for all...she stopped at Leck’s chair and gave him a big hug and kiss.

“What are we going to do about your two new children?” She laughed. “I’m too young to take a wife.” He laughed

Ma and Elaine began to serve up the hearty breakfast of fresh eggs, Job bacon, grits, biscuits, milk gravy and oatmeal, routine fair, all grown at the farm...except for the coffee.

“Well Leck, you have some legal issues.” Pap said. “You will need to get over to Bardstown today and see your big brother Matthew. Lawyerin is his thing... The good thing about fourteen children is that we can cover all the bases.” He said laughing at the comment.

“Pap, if it’s possible for you to spare Tom or Christian tomorrow, they could drive the buckboard if Elaine could go along to pick up the Russell girls.” He asked.

“No problem.” Ma said “You should think of shaving that growth before you go Leck...it’s enough to scare those poor girls out of their shoes.”

“Come on Ma, I didn’t plan to do that until June.” Leck said.

“Tom, you and Elaine better get a few things together, three or four days I would expect. I’ll fix you some eats...we’ll have a big family session when you get back with the girls, you know get the word out to the other children and their families.” Ma said.

Tom, Christian and Pap headed out to the barn to get the team together for the wagon and the trip to Bardstown.

“Leck.” Ma called to him as he headed for his room. “You know I’ve raised fourteen wonderful children, but today I am especially proud of

you...you have become such a good man...just like your Pap. Now don’t you fret one little bit about them young ladies...they will fit right in here...and before you know it, they will be just like those three dogs out there...glad to be a part of something this grand and loving.” She said giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Leck was exhausted but his active mind prevented him from sleep. It reminded him of the battlefield fatigue which all soldiers felt and dreaded. But sLeep did come as soon as the rooster bringing with him the morning.

Leck was out of bed and down the stairs to put on his boots before anyone else had risen. There was a heavy freeze and morning lay everywhere like an old quilt, working it’s magic. Leck left his footprints on the art. He entered the barn to the delight of all but Jess who farted at his sight.

“There now old fella, is that anyway to treat the only one in this life who loves and cares for you?” Leck rubbed the big grays ears and gave him a large carrot as he began the process of saddling and getting his gear together.

There were still no lights in the house as the two of them trotted out toward St. Mary’s and then on to Bardstown.