The old man’s eyes narrowed and he came closer. “Who you? What name ya go by?”
“Name’s Paul Logan,” I said, feeling a sudden familiarity with the old man, as if he were a part of home. “I come out of Georgia.”
“And here ya is way over here? Ya don’t know it, boy, this here’s Mississippi!”
“Yes, sir. I know that.”
The old man eyed me again, then sat down on the log. I took my seat beside him. “Whatcha doin’ way over here in Mississippi?” he asked me.
“Heading toward Vicksburg.”
“T’ do what?”
I smiled at the old man’s curiosity. “Maybe get a job.”
“Umph” was all the old man had to voice to that.
“It’s right pretty country here,” I said.
“That sho’ the truth.”
“You know who owns it?”
“Oughtta. Man done bought it from my Old Master Morris Granger. Old Master done had t’ sell a bunch of his land for taxes, or so that’s what folks say. After that war he ain’t had no money. Now, I been on this here place from time I was a youngun. Old Master tole me that done been way more’n three score and ten, and I ain’t never figured nobody else be puttin’ they name t’ this land outside Old Master’s people. Young Master Filmore, he in charge now. Old Master gone on t’ the Maker, but I still here.”
I nodded in appreciation of that fact. “Well, who owns this land now?”
“That there’d be Mister J. T. Hollenbeck. Come down from somewheres north and done bought it after the war. Bought near t’ all the land round in here.”
“You think he’d be willing to sell some of it?”
The old man turned and stared at me through milky-looking eyes. “Now how’s I s’pose t’ know somethin’ like that? Ya wants t’ know that, then ya needs t’ be askin’ him.”
I rose. “Then I expect I will. Where can I find him, this J. T. Hollenbeck?”
“Jus’ follow that there trail back t’ that meadow, then ya head yo’self straight north. Turn t’ the east ya come t’ a creek, and a forked road. Follow that right fork, and ya find him.”
“Well, I thank you.”
The old man nodded.
I started away, then stopped to look back at him. “May I ask your name?”
“Elijah,” he said. “That’s what he called me, Old Master did. Elijah. That’s all.”
I thanked him again, then left him there, sitting by the pond. I went back to the slope, got my gear, and headed out. I followed old man Elijah’s directions as far as the creek and stopped there to wash up. I had myself one spare shirt and a spare pair of pants, and after I’d cleaned myself, I put them on. I brushed my teeth with a sweet gum stick and combed my hair back straight. Then I continued on my way to see J. T. Hollenbeck. I wasn’t dressed Sunday-go-to-meeting, but I was clean.
When I presented myself to J. T. Hollenbeck, I let him know right off I was a man of color. I figured it was best I not misrepresent myself concerning this land. If I did business with him, he’d eventually find out anyway, since I wasn’t trying to hide the fact, and I didn’t want any chance I might have of buying this land to backfire in my face. Thing was, as it turned out, J. T. Hollenbeck wasn’t interested in selling, no matter what color I was.
“If you really want land,” he told me, “the man to see is Filmore Granger. I know he’s made a few small land deals in the last few years, but I can tell you from experience, dealing with him won’t be easy. Now, you say you’re a man of color, so I can’t guarantee you that Filmore Granger will even do business with you. But if you’re interested in buying some land in these parts, you need to at least talk to him. Tell him I sent you, though I don’t know how much of a recommendation that would be.” He smiled. “I don’t know whom Filmore Granger despises more, white Yankees or free Negroes.”
“Well, I thank you for your advice,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment about the land. “I’d be much obliged, though, if you ever do decide to sell any of your land, you’d keep me in mind.”
J. T. Hollenbeck looked me over, scrutinizing my worth, I suppose. “I ever do think on selling, I’ll probably be asking cash money. You’d be able to do that?”
“Well, that’d be depending on your price.”
“It’d be fair, but it wouldn’t be cheap. Most men of color couldn’t afford it. Where would you get it?”
“Well, that wouldn’t be your worry, Mister Hollenbeck,” I said, speaking direct, “long as I meet your price.”