The Marsh Bird, page 12
They sat quietly before the fire, Ben thinking he’d never told anyone he loved them. He’d find a way to tell or show Henny how much he loved him.
Early afternoon, Henny was looking out toward the river when he saw Tilly running like a filly up the hill. He walked outside on the porch and called to her. “Now you’re the last person I expected to see today, young lady.” She ran into his open arms, then looked around and pointed to the inside of the house.
“No,” said Henny with a twinkle in his eyes. “You’ll find him behind the house. He’s been out there with the sling shot you an Aunt Letty gave him for at least an hour.” Before he could ask how she happened to be there, she had skipped down the steps and headed toward the back of the house. Henny shook his head, amused, and watched Tilly’s long legs flying around the corner. He smiled and walked back to the warmth of the house.
Ben had made a paper target and tacked it to a square board, which he nailed on a pine tree. There was only the bullseye on the paper because he didn’t consider hitting anywhere else. He reached into a bucket of small rocks beside him, fit it inside the leather sling, leveled his aim at the black circle, and let go. “Bullseye,” he yelled, flinging up his arms and dancing in a circle. It was then he saw Tilly, grinning wider than usual. His face lit up.
“Tilly, how come you’re here? Henny said you’d be gone all day.”
She spread her arms and twirled around.
“Tilly,” he said, holding out the sling shot, “I never had nothing that was so much fun in my life. And Bones made it,” he yelled.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her until they were inside the house. “Henny, look who’s here!”
Henny walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dish cloth. “I’m ahead of you on that one, boy. I saw her first.” He ruffled the top of Ben’s unruly hair and winked at Tilly.
She grinned and held out her hand to show the ring Aunt Letty had given her.
“Gee, that’s really pretty. I like that red stone on it.”
Henny moved closer and held Tilly’s hand. “Tilly, I think this is somethin very special, an that means Aunt Letty thinks you are mighty special.
Tilly put her hand against her chest and smiled.
“Tilly, I’m glad you’re here.” He looked at Henny. “I haven’t been back to the tabby house since Tilly and I were there and Junie showed up. You said ya hadn’t never been there, Henny. Let’s go now.”
Tilly’s grin faded.
“Aw, Tilly, Junie won’t be there.”
“He’s probably right, Tilly. I don’t see why he was there to begin with. If it suits you, Tilly, I’m all for going.”
Tilly reluctantly nodded.
“Well,” Ben said impatiently, “let’s go.”
They walked through the woods and down the drive, glancing somewhat warily around them, knowing it was unlikely, and particularly on Christmas, for anyone to be around, but still the thought lingered.
Henny looked at the house and all around the grounds and down to the marsh. “Someone did a nice job on this place. I guess we’ll never know who it was.”
Ben showed him the walled garden, with Tilly tagging along unenthusiastically. They sat on the bench while Ben told them how he wanted to work in the garden, bring it back to life. “I’ve been thinking about that for a long time.”
“I hope you can do that, Ben. As for me, my old bones are aching to get back home and get put on my bed for a nap. But this has been a nice treat, seeing this pretty place.”
Tilly picked up something by the gate and took it to Henny.
“This yours, Ben?”
“I’ve never seen that, Henny. What is it?”
“It’s a surveying tape measure. Pop had one when we were staking out our property line before building our house.” He pointed to the small round metal tape in a circular roll attached to a wood handle. A small metal handle was adhered to the mechanism. “You turn this and it cranks the tape. If it’s not yours, Ben, someone walking through dropped it. Maybe someone was here surveying this property.”
“Henny, you know who was here. Junie. Why’s he doing this surveying?” He was so upset he choked on his words.
“Calm down, son. I can’t imagine what Junie would want with this property. He owns the biggest tract of land on this edge of the coast.”
“He asked about it, Henny. To Mr. Moody. I know it’s him that left that tape measure.”
Henny looked off at the marsh and then around the property again. “Mebbe so, Ben. But it don’t make sense.”
They arrivcd home to find Aunt Letty sitting on the porch. “It be about time ya’ll got back here.”
They stared at her as if she were a spirit, then ran to hug her, except Henny, who beamed when he saw the basket of pastries, cakes, cookies and, of course, ham biscuits.
“You know, Henny, what the prayer house means to me. But somethin happened today when I let Tilly leave. A loneliness settled in dat wouldn’t let go and I thought, God ain’t just heah. He’s where my Tilly is, too, an my friends. So here I am.” She squeezed Tilly to her and slyly lifted a slip of her red turban just enough to reveal the little comb.
Sometime after midnight, Ben and Henny walked Aunt Letty and Tilly home, all sleepy and ready for bed. They agreed it was the most wonderful Christmas they ever had and one they would always remember.
CHAPTER 21
On New Year’s Eve afternoon, everyone gathered in the market square for the burning of the Christmas tree. Later they would all gather in the prayer house for the Watch Night Service and be on their knees before midnight, bringing in the New Year in prayer. After midnight, they read the Emancipation Proclamation. This was a sacred tradition to the Gullah and one they always observed. However, the earlier tree burning had become a tradition as well.
“That tree sure looks naked,” Ben said, looking at the spruce shorn of its red bows and candy canes. “The burning means more than getting rid of it, don’t it?”
“Yep, it’s symbolic of a way to clear away past regrets or sorrows,” Henny interrupted. “It’s a way of saying the past is past, let’s get on with what’s going on now. Sorta like painting—wash a board with turpentine and it’s ready for a new paint job. Or, you might say, to clear away the old and open the doors to new journeys. Kinda like you setting out in your boat on water you don’t know. Never can tell what’s around the bend.”
“Henny,” Ben said sarcastically, “I know every bend in every creek, stream, river, fork, tributary, or saltwater marsh in this county.”
Henny put his arm around Ben’s shoulder, laughing. “Just having some fun with you.”
Ben nudged Henny to look at Long Robby dancing a jig to Ragbone Harvey’s music. “Yep, better tie up your boot strings and tighten your belt. There’s gonna be fiddling and stomping today,” Ragbone called out.
Ben rolled his eyes. “Not me, Henny. Watching the tree burn’ll be about as close as I come to any stomping.”
Henny looked toward the river. He wished he could explain to himself the uneasy feeling he’d been having lately. He forced the thought out of his mind and listened to the strains of Ragbone playing “The Maple Leaf Rag.”
Long Robby called to everyone to gather in a circle around the square. “I ain’t goin to explain to you why we do this. If you don’t know by now, you better go home.” Laughter filled the air. “No wind today but keep your distance and watch for sparks.”
Tilly, Aunt Letty, Henny, and Ben stood together, everyone in a jovial mood, counting down the numbers to zero at the top of their lungs as Long Robby handed a torch to Rufus, who set the tree ablaze, flames leaping to the top. With all the attention on the fire, no one noticed that Tilly wasn’t standing with them until Aunt Letty reached for her hand and saw her lying at her feet unconscience. Aunt Letty screamed, hysterically, and Henny quickly swooped the girl up in his arms.
He headed for Letty’s house, Letty trying to keep up and Ben beside her. By the time Henny lay Tilly on the bed, she was coming around. She sat up and threw herself at a terrified Letty.
“Oh, my baby,” Letty said over and over while she rocked her against her chest. “What scared you, Tilly? What frightened you so bad?”
It seemed pretty clear to Henny, and he said so.
“The fire, Letty. Somethin about the fire. She was standing along with us until Rufus torched the tree. Had to be the fire. That’s a lot of fire for someone who never saw anything like it. Musta scared her.”
He looked at Aunt Letty’s distraught face. “You know something else it could be, Letty?”
Letty wrapped Tilly up in the quilt, holding her as close as she could. “No, Henny, I don’t, but oh Lord, I wish I did.” Tears streamed down her face.
Ben stood motionless, not knowing what to say or do.
Henny reached over and stroked Tilly’s head, straightened up, and put his arm around Ben. “We’re going, Letty. If you need us, you know where we are. I expect Orie’ll be here soon as she hears what happened.” He looked at the fireplace, the wood ready to light.
“Letty, does she mind a fire in the grate?”
“No, she don’t.”
She was so upset Henny almost decided to stay until Orie got there. He looked at Letty and said, “I think you are better alone with her now.”
With his arm still around Ben’s shoulder, they walked home. “She gonna be all right, Henny?”
“Don’t know, Ben,” he answered honestly.
Letty lay, staring at the ceiling long after Orie had left and Tilly was asleep. She heard the familiar sound she had been waiting for. She knew he was coming. She carefully removed herself from Tilly’s arms, got up, and walked into the only other room in the small house. Tears began to flow when she saw him.
“Bones, what’s goin on with my girl? Why is she so afraid of de fire?” She shook her head in consternation. “Even if I ask, she couldn’t tell me.”
She sat down on the daybed she used as a couch, her arms lying limp in her lap. “I know there are times when she be upset and tries to hide it.” She put her hands on his arms. “What’s goin on, Bones?”
“Letty, what you be doin is all dat lil girl needs now. I think there’s times she’s beginnin to remember somethin. You just have to wait for her, Letty.”
She looked piercingly into Bones’ deep-set eyes. “I think you knows, Bones. I think you knows. Will she ever talk? Will she ever remember all dat happened? Her uncle said her parents died. Dat is all I know. I think he was tryin to tell me about how they died, but he never got it out of his mouth.”
“Letty.” He sat down beside her. “If I know dat, I be tellin you. Some things don’t come to me. But my feelin says she’s goin to know all there be to know someday.”
“Is this de trouble you were talkin about in de deep woods? What you see comin?”
“No. Dat be somethin else.”
“Can’t you stop it? When dat trouble goin to happen, Bones?”
“No, Letty. I can’t stop dat. It’d make things worse for us if I did. Bad for everyone here. I think it be comin soon.”
Letty looked away, frightened.
“Letty. I won’t be around for a while.” He stared into the fireless grate and back at Letty. “You goin to be fine.” He walked over to the fireplace. “I’m goin to light this for you. It be gettin colder.”
Her eyes were as round and white as a full moon. “Bones, you’re scarin me.”
“I don’t mean to scare you, Letty. Just tellin you what I know like I always do.”
“What’s goin to happen?”
Bones eyes glazed over. “Can’t say, Letty.”
Letty jerked around and squinted at him. “You expect me to stay cooped up in here with this girl like chickens?”
“No need to stay in de house, Letty. Or stop what you do every day.”
“Where’re you goin, Bones?”
He looked at her tenderly. “You know I’m always with you, Letty.”
In the woods she had watched him leave for days at a time, sometimes more. She had always known he was different from the rest of the Gullah. She knew most of the story about the gift of the mantle from King Oosafella, and she knew how special that was. He was far removed from the root doctors she knew about. Often, he didn’t seem to be a part of this world, and it got more like that as time went by.
She repeated, “When you comin back, Bones?”
He looked at her, his eyes black as a bat cave.
“Can’t say.”
He got up and walked out the door. He was closer to her than anyone alive, and at times she missed him so much it hurt. But, at least, he came when he came.
Letty got back in the bed and held Tilly close, her mind a jungle of twisted thoughts. An who’s not goin to be fine? She turned that over and over in her head until she feared she would go crazy.
In the morning, Letty lay in bed without moving a finger, waiting for Tilly to wake up. She didn’t know what to expect. She was afraid that she would be agitated from the memory of the tree burning. She also harbored a shred of hope that the incident might have opened a door to Tilly’s memory. But when Tilly opened her eyes, she smiled at Letty without a sign of anything disturbing having happened the night before. Letty leaned over her and swept her dark hair away from her face. “You all right, baby?”
Tilly smiled again and leaned against Aunt Letty.
Letty held Tilly’s face in her hands. “Tilly, did you have a good time yesterday?”
Tilly frowned and looked quizzically into Letty’s face. She nodded but blinked, staring off with a blank expression, and got out of bed.
Letty sank back against the wall and closed her eyes. She don’t remember. Dat chile don’t remember nothin.
CHAPTER 22
Ben walked in the house, the door banging behind him. He went back and closed it. “Sorry, Henny.” He walked over to the fire and warmed his hands. “That wind is so fierce I couldn’t throw a line. Ain’t no way I can stay out in that without being blown out to sea.”
“Yeah, glad it wasn’t like this a couple of nights ago. Oh, I got news for you. I saw Orie and Aunt Letty is gonna keep Tilly home for another day.”
Ben sighed. “Did she say what got into Tilly?”
“No, she didn’t.” Henny glanced at Ben’s downcast expression. “Ben, how about some checkers?”
“Ah, thanks, Henny, but I was thinking of going into town. Got some things I wanna do there if that’s okay? Anything I can get you?”
He looked at his tobacco tin. “Yep, you can get me some pipe tobacco. Big can. Oh, and get about three pounds of dried lima beans while you’re at it. Mack’s out of em.”
Ben knew exactly what he wanted to do. He’d been thinking for a couple of weeks what he could get for Henny that he would really like. That old cushion in his chair was falling apart, and he was going to get him the one he’d seen in the window of a nice store downtown. It was covered all over with pictures of pines and cones. Henny’ll like that. If it took all the money in his pocket, he didn’t care.
He passed the bank on the far end of the three-block business part of town where most of the shops and stores were, taking notice of flyers, flapping in the wind, put anywhere they could be put. He grabbed one and ran across the street to the grocery to get Henny’s tobacco and beans. He’d go back for the pillow. The wind was gusting and pushed him across the street. He looked around. Not many people gonna be out in this wind.
“Hi, Mr. Moody.”
“Well, hello, Ben. I’m glad to see you. My first customer in an hour.” He chuckled. “The ladies don’t want their hair mussed up with this wind.”
“Sorry about that, Mr. Moody. All I need is a can of tobacco for Henny’s pipe and dried lima beans.”
“I’ll have the tobacco up here by the register, Ben. You’ll find the beans in the back with the other barrels.”
Ben started to walk to the back but stopped and held up the flyer. “Mr. Moody, I seen these in windows and nailed to trees all over town. A circus is coming here?”
Mr. Moody’s face brightened. “Yes, indeed! The circus is coming to town, Ben.”
Ben’s eyes lit up. “Gosh, Mr. Moody, that’s great.”
“It just happened a few days ago. Surprised all of us. The owner of the circus came to see the mayor who then called in the town council, of which I am a member.” He smiled proudly. “Mr. Barnes, the owner, bills the show as The Greatest Small Circus in the World. There will be a fine band, as well. Mr. Barnes, having just lost his conductor to a bigger circus, has hired a renowned New York City conductor who was seeking employment in the South.”
“When are they coming, Mr. Moody?”
“Next week. We had to move fast to meet their needs, but now the whole deal is signed and sealed.”
Ben was delirious with joy. “Golly, Mr. Moody. I can’t wait to tell Henny an . . . ” He hesitated, thinking of Tilly. “And everybody.”
Mr. Moody slapped him on the back, chuckling. “Well, go get your beans.”
What neither Mr. Moody nor the town council knew was how deeply concerned and disappointed Mr. Barnes felt upon meeting his new conductor for the first time. He found him pompous, and far from appearing distinguished, he was on the far side of shabby. As for his companion, he looked as scurrilous as any thug found in a dark alley. Nevertheless, Mr. Barnes prayed he was wrong. After all, appearances weren’t always important.
It had been decided, not without laborious arguments, that the large open field behind the square would serve the needs of the circus. It was fronted by the Bay and banked by a deep forest on the other side. The small dirt road that led from the Gullah’s property to town came out where the woods met this vacant land. This was a fairly quick walk from the Gullah community, but as far as the road being used frequently, it was more a convenience for the Gullah employees of the town residents. The populace of Belleview didn’t expect any Gullah would come to the parade or circus. As a matter of fact, they had given it little consideration, but they would have no objections as long as they knew their place.
