to idle grief. Jes’ run along and saddle Jinnie. Massa Murphy wants you to lead the way.”

Elisha obeyed willingly, and after a tearful parting and promises to write often, they were off. No one seemed inclined to talk. Nothing but the rolling Missouri broke the stillness. Their way led along its banks and in sight of Lake Crevecœur, and the mocking-bird’s23 voice was heard imitating first one bird and then another. Just as they were leaving the lake behind them, Mr. De Vere turned for a last look and said, “Farewell to Crevecœur! No more does that word to me mean ‘broken heart,’ but ‘grateful heart.’”

23

A little after noon they reached St. Louis where they were met by Doctor Hoff, and after again and again thanking him for all his kindness, the De Veres said good-bye to Missouri and soon were speeding northward.

Mr. De Vere’s brother-in-law, Peter Brown, met them at a hamlet west of the Shawangunks which they had crossed by stage from Middleburgh, bundled them into his great wagon, cracked his whip over his horses’ heads and in a little over an hour set them down at his home in Greenmeadow. Oh, that welcome home! Can words describe it? Dear old mother, with her silver hair, forgot all differences and the welcome accorded her ‘baby’s’ wife made Bessie feel that she was one of them in very truth.

Peter Brown was a generous provider,24 but to-day his table groaned under its weight of good things. Such deliciously sweet white bread and butter, steaming roast chickens, cranberries; and with appetites whetted by their ride over the hills, the hungry wayfarers did ample justice to everything.

24

Bessie’s sweet ways won the love of all, and when John told that, but for her, his heart many times would have failed, how she had lost everything and used all her influence to prevent his being forced into the Confederate service, their glowing eyes expressed the welcome addition she was.

The children were duly admired and all points of resemblance settled. John De Vere’s mother positively detested negroes, regarding them as all alike, and as a race of filthy, lying, lazy thieves. This condition, of course, was due to the system of slavery, but Reuben and Margaret’s devotion was regarded by her as a special dispensation of Providence and her heart went out to them.

Anxious to be up and doing, John De Vere made arrangements to 

 Prev. P 11/135 next