The Land(120)

“Well, I sure believe that,” said Sam Perry. “One thing I want, though, is for ya not t’ be worrin’ on teachin’ Nathan yo’ craft right now while ya tryin’ t’ cut these here trees. Ya hafta keep yo’ mind on one thing, and that there’s on clearin’ this land. Ya wait on teachin’ Nathan. There ain’t gonna be time right now.”

“No, sir, Mister Perry,” I said. “That’s mighty generous of you, but we made ourselves a bargain. Nathan’s been a great help in getting the trees cleared. I don’t know how Mitchell and I could’ve managed without him. I intend to keep my end of the bargain.”

“And ya will! Only thing is, we needs t’ wait ’til after all these trees ya done promised t’ this man are down and ya got yo’ land papers. Ya don’t get them papers, then my Caroline got nothin’ for herself and her baby. Now, Nathan and I done talked it over. He ain’t wantin’ t’ leave from here. He wantin’ t’ stay on and help ya get this land and he wantin’ t’ put all his time int’ that. He already done told me he ain’t gonna do no woodworking even if you do. He gonna spend his time choppin’ them trees, choppin’ branches, doin’ whatsoever need t’ be done t’ help clear this forty. ’Sides all that, in a way ya kinda like family now. We gots t’ pull t’gether.”

My eyes met Sam Perry’s and I knew he had faith in me. I figured to live up to it. I decided not to fight him; he was right.

I looked out at the woods still thick beyond the fields, and my mind set on the deal I had made with J. T. Hollenbeck. I could keep the forty, but without Mitchell, and without the palomino to sell, I didn’t know how I was going to keep the land.





I had been wrong about the Perrys being able to persuade Caroline to return home with them. Sam Perry talked to Caroline, Callie talked to Caroline, and so did Hugh. The only one who didn’t talk to Caroline, at least not in my hearing, was Rachel Perry. The others, however, seemed to make up for any silence on her part. But the more they talked, the more stubborn Caroline became. Finally she said to them outright: “Papa, you and Mama, y’all talked me into waitin’ near a year ’fore marryin’ Mitchell. But this time nobody talkin’ me into nothin’, not even you, Papa. I loves you, Papa, and I respects you and what you say, but my mind’s made up ’bout this thing. Now, y’all take Nathan on home if you got a mind to, but that won’t change my mind none ’bout stayin’ here. Callie, Hugh, I’m tired of hearin’ ’bout leavin’ from the two of you. I know y’all loves me and wants what’s best, but this here what was Mitchell’s land is mine now, and I’m stayin’ on it.” After that there were few words said about Caroline leaving.

The Perrys stayed on for several more days. Sam Perry and Hugh put in the long hours with Tom Bee, Nathan, and me, and we made up for the days missed when I was off looking for Digger and Tom Bee had had to come searching for me. But hard work wasn’t all the Perrys gave. They brought some normalcy back to our lives and even a bit of laughter. Having the Perrys on the place lifted all our spirits. As the family consoled Caroline, and Nathan too, I took note of Callie’s child. She wasn’t quite a year old, but she made her presence felt in everything she did. I watched her and thought of Mitchell’s child and how much life he could bring to the forty. Still, I didn’t see how that could be. Caroline had to leave.

The night before the Perrys were to head home, I went directly to Rachel Perry with my worry about Caroline. “It’d be best she go,” I said.

Rachel Perry studied me in silence, then asked, “Why?”

I was taken aback. All she’d been hearing were reasons why for the past several days. She waited, staring at me.

“The baby, for one,” I said. “With Caroline being pregnant, there’s no telling what kind of problems she might have.”

“Caroline done told me there’s a woman two or three miles ’way can help her.”

“I just thought she’d want to be with her mother.”

“Well, ’cordin’ t’ Caroline, this here Ma Jones could take care of anythin’ I could. What other reasons you got for her t’ leave?”

I was silenced. It was obvious.

“Well?”

“We’d be two unmarried people on this place, Miz Perry. Even with Nathan here, there could be talk.”

Rachel Perry nodded and sighed. “No matter what ya do, folks talk. Seem some folks got nothin’ better t’ do. Now, I’m gonna tell you somethin’, Paul Logan. I gots my worries ’bout Caroline stayin’ on here, but I ain’t been tryin’ t’ get her t’ leave. That’s my husband’s doin’. I ain’t tried t’ get her t’ leave ’cause I agrees wit’ her. This here’s her place now. She needs t’ keep it. She needs t’ work it. She needs t’ be on it. I wants her t’ have somethin’ of her own.”