The Land(82)

I nodded. “It’s all right,” I said, and turned away, feeling a lump rising in my throat. I climbed onto the wagon.

Sam Perry took note and came over. “Now, get on down from there, Mister Logan, and stay for supper!”

“I thank you,” I said, “but I’ve got a lot of work still, and Luke Sawyer’ll be looking for his wagon and mules back soon.”

“Well, you know you’re welcome.”

“I believe that,” I said, then put my hand to the brim of my hat in good-bye and quickly backed up the mules and headed out. I didn’t want to stay longer. I was an outsider in a family time, and I didn’t want to spoil that. I didn’t belong there among the Perrys in all their warmth and love. I was alone, and as I thought of Caroline’s words to me, I felt something I hadn’t felt since my mama had died. Throughout the time I had been making the rocker for Miz Rachel Perry, I had thought about my mama and her rocking chair. I had thought about my daddy too, because he had given it to her. Now, after Caroline’s words, I thought on them again and I realized just how alone I was and, among all this family, how much I missed my family. I missed Cassie. I missed my daddy. I missed Hammond and George, and even Robert. But I could never return to them. My life was here now, and as I rode back to Vicksburg, I decided it was time for me to settle. It was time for me to buy land. It was time for me to buy land, settle down, and have a family of my own.





The Bargain

I asked Luke Sawyer about land. I figured what with his being a businessman and knowing just about everyone there was to know in and around Vicksburg, he’d know what land was for sale, or at least who was willing to sell, and at what terms. I told him too about my interest in J. T. Hollenbeck’s land. Luke Sawyer stroked at his neatly trimmed beard as I broached the subject with him. “You planning to quit on me already?” he said.

“I told you I’d stay a year, and it’s past that now. I figure it’s time for me to go looking for land.”

“And you want me to help you?” He laughed. “Want me to shoot my own self in the foot?”

I shook my head, giving him no smile in return. “Just want to know where maybe I can look.”

Luke Sawyer sighed and turned away from trying to cajole me into furthering our bargain. I had kept my agreements with him, about making the furniture and about the horses. Luke Sawyer had sold five of the horses and received offers on the black stallion, though he still talked of keeping the stallion for himself. He had received offers on Thunder too, but he had been true to his word. He said Thunder was spoken for. All the sales had been at the price Luke Sawyer had set and now the palomino was mine. Luke Sawyer had signed papers saying so. “You’ve done some mighty good work,” he said, “and you’ve been a good man to work with, but you set on having land, Paul Logan, I’ll think on it and check around. You realize, though, not just everybody would sell to you, once they know you’re a man of color.”

“I know,” I said.

“Long’s you do,” Luke Sawyer finished, and no more words about land were said between him and me for several weeks. Then came one day in late August when he brought a man and his young son back to the toolshed. The man’s name was Charles Jamison, and his boy was called Wade. “Fella I was telling you about, Mister Jamison,” said Luke Sawyer.

“Yes. I’ve seen him ride. That’s one fine horse you have, Paul Logan.”

“Thank you,” was all I said.

“You interested in selling him? Luke Sawyer tells me he’s signed his interest in that palomino over to you.”

I glanced over at Luke Sawyer, then back to Charles Jamison. “Not at this time.”

Charles Jamison nodded to that in acceptance and walked around the shed, looking at the finished pieces and the ones on which I was still working. His son, ten or so, followed him, touching the wood in quiet wonder much as Nathan had done. “I can indeed see,” said Charles Jamison when he’d made his way around the room, “that you weren’t exaggerating about his work, Mister Sawyer.” He looked directly at me. “It’s fine work.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“But I understand you’re interested in something besides horses and woodworking. Understand you’re interested in buying some land.”

I nodded. “That’s right.”

“Understand too you’ve seen some of J. T. Hollenbeck’s land that you’d like to buy. Well, that’s good land. My family lives here in Vicksburg, but we also have a small place near Mister Hollenbeck, so I know the area quite well. In fact, I’ve got an interest in that land myself.”