A Day To Pick Your Own Cotton Part 7

"Come along, then, I'll show you the room."

He came out from behind the counter and walked through the hotel. I followed him. We walked through a long hallway and pretty soon came out at the back of the building and outside. I kept following until we came to a little building out at the back. We went through a door into another dark hallway, walked almost all the way to the other end, turned a corner, went up a narrow stairway, and then stopped. He opened a door and walked in.

"This is where you'll stay," he said. "You got any things with you, put them in here. Then come to the front desk and I'll put you to work."

I glanced around. The room was so tiny, there was only room for the bed against the small wall and a tiny table and chair. It didn't look too clean, and from where I was standing I thought the mattress on the bed was stuffed with straw, like my old one had been at the McSimmons colored town. The place didn't particularly strike me as where I wanted to live for the next few years, even for ten cents a day.

"I don't know if I want to take the job yet, sir," I said.

"What! An uppity one, are you? I should've seen it in that ugly face of yours. What are you wasting my time for!"

"I'm sorry, sir. I just wanted to know about it."

"Get out of here, and don't show your face around this hotel again unless you're ready to go to work."

He huffed out of the room and down the stairs, leaving me to find my own way back out to the street in front.

DECISION.

13.

IWALKED OUT OF THE HOTEL, FEELING THE SCOWL of the manager's eyes on my back from the counter, where I knew he was watching me. of the manager's eyes on my back from the counter, where I knew he was watching me.

I came out onto the boardwalk and started back the way I had come. As I retraced my steps from earlier, all kinds of new things to think about were swirling in my brain.

A job!

A real job, a room of my very own ... and real money! It wasn't much of a room, and maybe the ten cents a day wasn't even half what the white person's job got. But it would be mine ... my own room, my own money.

I could buy things, clothes for myself, a pair of shoes ...

I looked down at the white handkerchief I still had clutched in one hand. If I took that job I could buy all the lace handkerchiefs I could ever want. I could buy a dozen of them if I wanted to! With every kind of colored ribbon I could think of!

All at once my future was full of so many possibilities and opportunities. Not only wasn't I a runaway slave ... why, I could be and do anything I wanted to!

I was walking slow, thinking about so many things.

Did I ... did I really want to take that job? Even with the gruff hotel manager and lumpy straw mattress and d.i.n.ky little room.

What a change it would be!

Once I started getting paid, maybe I'd even have to open an account in that bank, just for me, in my own name-a bank account that said Mary Ann Jukes Mary Ann Jukes on it. on it.

But then the question came to my mind-did they let black folks have bank accounts? I didn't know the answer to that. And I was still just a girl, I wasn't even a grown-up black yet.

Well, if they didn't ... then I'd keep my ten cents a day someplace else. If I worked long enough at that hotel, I could get rich!

My steps slowed, then came to a stop. I had come to the corner again by the bank where the saloon was across the street.

I stopped right at the corner. Down the street past the baker's and offices and linen store, there was the horse still standing in front of the general store waiting for me.

Still thinking about the money, I looked inside the bank. Just thinking about having a bank account with my own money in it was so exciting a thought!

Then I glanced back down the street behind me at the hotel.

I just stood there for a whole minute or two. I knew I had to decide. It was n.o.body's decision but mine. I was free. I could do whatever I wanted. I could take that job if I wanted. Or- A sound disturbed me out of my daze as I stood there on the corner of the boardwalk next to the Oakwood bank. I don't know why I noticed, 'cause there were people about and horses and a few buggies clomping and rattling along the street. But in the midst of all the noise and movement and activity, I heard the sound of a man's voice calling out to a team of horses from the middle of the street coming behind me from the direction of the general store.

I knew instantly that it was a black man's voice, 'cause there's a difference and you can always tell. And instinctively I turned around to look.

There was a wagon loaded with hay and some other supplies being pulled by two horses rumbling along the street toward where I was standing. And sitting up on the buckboard las.h.i.+ng the reins and calling out to the horses was Katie's friend Henry from Greens Crossing!

I don't know why I didn't want him to see me. Seeing a familiar face suddenly filled me with the feeling that I shouldn't be there.

I started to turn away and duck behind the corner wall of the bank building.

But it was too late. He had seen me too.

Our eyes met briefly as he came even with me in the street. I had the feeling he might be about to rein in or say something.

But before he had the chance, I looked away and started walking. I hurried along the boardwalk past the door of the bank and on toward the general store.

I got to where I'd tied the horse. I stopped and looked back. Henry was gone. I could see the roof of the hotel beyond the bank.

I thought again about the job and realized I still hadn't made my decision.

Money ... a room of my own ... a bank account with my name on it ... and maybe even ten dollars in it someday ...

But what did any of that matter?

I had a friend waiting for me. And a friend was worth even more than a hundred dollars!

What had I been thinking? My home was with Katie now! She didn't care if I was black or white or ugly or smelly. She needed me and looked up to me. So maybe that's what I was worth-I was somebody's friend.

I smiled, gave the street one last look, then untied the horse, got up into the saddle, and rode out of town without wasting any more time.

I still didn't want Henry to see me again, and I didn't slow down until the houses and buildings had completely disappeared behind me.

SURPRISE AT R ROSEWOOD.

14.

IRODE FOR A WHILE BUT SUDDENLY REALIZED I was really tired. I suppose emotions tire you out as much as hard work or anything else, and I'd sure been through a lot of them today. First being nervous about sneaking back to the McSimmons plantation, then seeing Josepha and what she'd told me, then encountering the master, and then everything that had happened in Oakwood. was really tired. I suppose emotions tire you out as much as hard work or anything else, and I'd sure been through a lot of them today. First being nervous about sneaking back to the McSimmons plantation, then seeing Josepha and what she'd told me, then encountering the master, and then everything that had happened in Oakwood.

All at once I was plumb wore out. And hungry and thirsty too. I thought I could do with a rest.

I didn't want to wait till I came to the river, which was about halfway back. I had seen a stream following the road on and off, so I started looking for it and it wasn't long till I came to it again. I led the horse off the road and down toward it where there was a little clump of trees and some gra.s.s for the horse to eat.

I found a nice spot. Both the horse and I had a long drink from the stream. Then while he was munching away at the gra.s.s, I got out Josepha's little cloth with the bread and cheese in it. I sat down and had as pleasant a meal as anyone could imagine.

When I was through I glanced about. It was pretty late in the afternoon by now. Katie was probably fixing her supper by now and the sun was on its way down. I figured I had another good two or three hours of daylight left, plenty of time if I cantered part of the way and didn't waste any time.

But stopping and sitting down and eating had made me so sleepy I couldn't imagine getting back up on that horse's back again. Maybe I'd just take a short little nap to get my energy back before going the rest of the way.

I lay down in the soft gra.s.s, feeling about as happy and content as I had felt since my family had been killed. I got drowsy and then slowly closed my eyes.

I must have been more tired than I realized, because when I woke up it was the middle of the night sometime. I sat up suddenly, remembering that I needed to get back home. But I knew instantly that there was no use of that. It was pitch black. There was no moon anywhere in the sky, and I didn't want to risk trying to find my way in the dark.

I didn't know the way well enough and who knew where I'd wind up.

There was nothing to do but go back to sleep, which I did easily enough, even though I was hungry again and a mite cold.

The next thing I knew, a snorty, fleshy nose was sniffing around at my face. It woke me up with a start. The sun was back up and Katie's horse was letting me know that it was time to get started back toward home where his trough of oats was waiting for him.

I got myself up and stretched out the kinks. By now I was really really hungry, but there wouldn't be anything to eat till I walked into the kitchen back at Rosewood. So there wasn't any sense wasting any more time. I took a big drink of water, and then we got back on the road. hungry, but there wouldn't be anything to eat till I walked into the kitchen back at Rosewood. So there wasn't any sense wasting any more time. I took a big drink of water, and then we got back on the road.

I pushed the poor horse a mite harder than maybe I should have, but I knew we were both anxious to get back. I was mighty relieved when I finally saw the buildings of Rosewood up ahead.

"Miss Katie!" I called as we galloped in and stopped at the back of the house. "Miss Katie ... I'm back!"

I ran into the kitchen, expecting to find her there. But it was empty.

"Miss Katie!" I hollered up the stairs. "Miss Katie, you up there?"

There was no answer. The whole house was quiet, so I knew she wasn't inside. But from the fire and the look of things, it hadn't been long since she'd been there. Then all of a sudden I realized something else-I didn't hear Emma and William anywhere either!

Then I really started to get worried. What could have happened to them?

They must have all gone someplace ... but where?

I walked back outside. Maybe she was out in the barn, I thought, and hadn't heard me ride in, although I didn't know how that could be.

I led the tired horse across the entryway and to the stables, looking all around as I went.

"Miss Katie!" I called into the barn. "You in there ... Emma!"

But there was no sign of them. The cows weren't there either, so she must have milked them and gotten them out to pasture all right.

I unsaddled the horse, got him some fresh oats, and left him to look around some more. I'd brush him down later.

Where could they be?

I stood in the middle of the yard between the house and barn and looked all around. It was completely quiet. Now for the first time I noticed that the dogs weren't around either. That's what made it so quiet. Then it struck me that they were probably down at the slave cabins! That must be it. She was probably setting another fire to get it ready. And maybe showing Emma what to do, or maybe fixing a place for her to hide with William if any men came looking for her.

I turned and ran down the road, then turned off to the right toward the colored town, and was there in about three minutes.

"Miss Katie!" I called. "Miss Katie ... you in there? I'm home, Miss Katie."

But if anything it was even quieter here than back at the house. And she sure wasn't there.

I walked back up the hill to the road, then back toward the house, hoping against hope that this time when I got there I'd see Katie waiting for me. But I didn't.

Now I was downright worried.

I frantically ran everywhere all about the place, into every building, all through the house and barn. But she just wasn't anywhere.

What could have happened to her?

Suddenly I remembered Katie's secret place in the woods. That had to be where she was!

I tore off running and didn't stop till I was standing there in the little wood with the stream running past my feet.

But it was completely quiet. There wasn't any sign of Katie or the dogs.

"G.o.d," I prayed, and I was more than nervous now, I was really scared, "please help me find them."

I ran back to the house, again hoping that somehow she would have appeared while I was gone to the woods.

But Katie was still gone. There was no sign of her anywhere.

Again I walked back through the house. I stopped in the middle of the parlor and sort of half cried out, half said to myself, "Oh, Miss Katie ... where'd you go?"

All of a sudden I heard a noise like a stick rapping against something. Then I heard a m.u.f.fled voice.

It was coming from the cellar right below me!

I stepped away, pulled back the carpet, and opened the trapdoor in the floor. A flicker of light came from below. Then I heard the sound of a baby and a familiar voice.

"Dat be you, Miz Mayme? Please, G.o.d, I hope dat's you!"

"It's me, Emma ... it's me!" I called down the hole. "But what's going on? Where's Katie?"

Emma's face now appeared in the thin, flickering light, looking up at me from down in the cellar.