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Chapter X · G.T.T., or The Wonderful Adventures of a Pullman

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Chapter ten of Gone to Texas or The Wonderful Adventures of a Pullman by Edward
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Hale. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter ten. The
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mystery of the invitation is easily explained. The moment mister Brinkerhoff had found that
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he had begun at the wrong end with Missus Apgar, and that her New
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England sense of the proprieties was entirely shocked by the idea of appearing anywhere uninvited,
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he had walked to the clerk's office and had written this telegram to Missus
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le Cleric, Missus Apgar and party are on Boon, would you like to
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see them? He had given his Negro attendant the despatch had bidden him pull
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across the river like fury and deliver it at Chicote at the telegraph office.
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A silver half dollar in those days, an unusual sight had stimulated the boy.
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Fortunately for Hiram, he had written from Cincinnati a four letter to Missus
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le Clerk describing the picture gallery and the ladies they met there, and had
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gone into some little detail about them and their plans. Thus was it that
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she was well prepared to write her a courteous invitation when within two hours after
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his dispatch was written, she received it at Arcady. Of course, the
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kind letter involved a change of plan. The ladies had to pack their trunks
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Friday night instead of Saturday morning. Fred Haydock hesitated whether he would or would
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not accept Hiram's invitation to stay at Arcady as his friend, but at last
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the doubtful scale decided in favor of staying. He could not bear to bid
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Hiram goodbye that night, perhaps for fifteen years more if they had parted now,
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heaven only knew when they should meet again. So the friendly Captain was
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informed that all four would leave the boat at Arcady. The friendly Captain was
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not sure that he should know which plantation was Arcady, nor was the friendly
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pilot. As for missus le Clerk's name, there were three or four gentlemen
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of that name within twenty miles of each other on the coast. So now
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Effie and Hester began to be afraid that they should be left at midnight at
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a strange plantation where the lady did not even know Hiram Brinkerhoff when she saw
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him. The disgrace of such an accident overwhelmed Effie, whose imagination was brilliant
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enough to forecast every step of the mad adventure. The landing was on a
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muddy levee, the poking along in the dark, among howling curs and blind
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avenues, till they came to the back door of the wrong house, The
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knocking timidly and then wildly for entrance, the head poked out of a window.
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The cross question and the meek reply. Why had she ever committed herself
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to an adventure so crazy when she had at once said no? Why?
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Why had she not held to it? What a goose to give way only
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because a pretty note in a nice handwriting on a neat sheet of note paper
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had been thrown on board the boat? Why had she not held to the
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regular etiquettes to which she was born? But when some broken words of hers
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expressed such doubts, the wondering pilot turned his broadest face and kindliest smile on
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her. He bade her lose all fear. We shall find them somehow,
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he said, But how he was to find them? In the darkness of
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midnight, with the river mist hanging over land and water, the pilot did
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not explain the news of so large a departure was in its way, quite
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a shock to the little party in the ladies cabin. But by ten all
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the other passengers had told good bye, as the southern phrase has it,
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Only doctor Somerfield sat up a little longer. In half an hour more,
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however, that worthy man parted from them, and then hour after hour the
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vigils continued of the four the law of the natural selection, which another generation
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called the law of elective affinities. Left Hester talking with Frederick and Effie with
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Hiram twelve o'clock, and they talked one o'clock, and they talked quarter to
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two, and a lad came aft to say, the landing is in sight.
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Ladies, you need not hurry. You have fifteen minutes before we are
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there. Then, how in the world can the landing be in sight,
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asked the impetuous Hester, And they all walked forward to see, far far
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away as the boat rushed on was a speck of light. This, the
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ladies were told, was the signal on shore, which mister le Clerk had
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lighted to direct the pilot. How Like Robinson Crusoe, I can see him
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in the picture piling on the logs. Only no vessel came. There was
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a fascination for a minute or two in watching the speck. Then the girls
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went back to their traps, and with shawl straps, umbrellas and the rest
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stood waiting. The boat rushed towards his goal, faster than ever, it
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seemed a few minutes more, and they could see a white shed and dark
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figure moving to and fro, nearer and nearer. There is no place along
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that steep shore where a boat cannot run up and land her passengers nearer and
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nearer. A gentleman with a lad behind him is visible, and three or
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four larger negroes nearer and nearer. The great landing plant of the larboard side
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swung round and hovered above the shore, ting ting. The pilot stopped,
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the engines, flash from the depths appeared two great pine knot torches, which,
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with the pine fire on shore, make the whole as light as day
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all ready, Madam, good bye, good bye captain, and the ladies
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ran on shore, led by the gentlemen, fast followed by porters with trunks.
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An instant and all are landed. The porters are back again, ting
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ting, and the palace sweeps off, while the ladies and their friends are
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receiving the welcome of their new home. The boys will see to the trunks.
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It is so short a walk that I have no carriage. Here,
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will missus Apgar take my arm? Or which is missus Abgar so cordial,
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so thoughtful in every act worthy father and son, that Effie's terrors were gone
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in a moment, in a merry party. They walked through the gloom,
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which settled on them as they left the pine fire. It did seem mysterious
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enough. Great trees concealed the stars from them. And how and why mister
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le Clerk turned when he did, or bade her avoid this step or that,
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or found a gate to open, Effie did not know. But all
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wandering was short. A couple of minutes they were on the steps of an
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immense verandah, the open door of a hall, which was a hall cheerfully
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lighted, invited their entrance. A lady stood in the doorway and stepped cheerfully
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forward to say, welcome to arcady. I am ashamed to appear at such
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an hour, said Effie, and more ashamed now that you have been sitting
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up for us, my dear friend, it is nothing. Missus le Clerk
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was sorry not to do so, but I would not let her. She
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is not quite well, and you must be so tired. The welcome,
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the simplicity and ease, and the beauty and completeness of every arrangement, made
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the ladies feel more at home than they could have believed possible. Glad to
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go to bed, of course, at two o'clock in the morning, But
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as they pulled aside their mosquito nets, they could not but talk a little
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about the charm which seemed to have surrounded them from the moment the magic light
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had appeared in the distance. Palace after palace welcomes them on their travels.
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But in this palace one is so thoroughly at home. And how deliciously sleep
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comes on when one does not hear the distant thud thud of the engine,
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and when one's body, from head to foot does not vibrate with the jar
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of the gigantic wheels. The thoughtful Hiram had telegraphed to New Orleans for the
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letters which awaited the ladies there, and as they sat at a late breakfast,
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these letters were brought in. Perhaps this seems even more like magic to
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Effie and Hester than the roses and jasmines which were in fresh heaps around them.
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It did show how long was mister Brinkerhoff's arm and how thoughtful his kindness.
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And Effie looked her gratitude to him when she understood at last that the
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letters did not rain down by miracle. Perhaps the one and only thing in
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life that she had longed for as she dressed herself, was that she might
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know that all at home were well. While the northern ladies sat reading their
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letters. The southern ladies, one of whom was Northern. Two fell upon
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mister Brinkerhoff in talk, And how is dear missus Brinkerhoff? Thank you?
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She was very well when I left her. I am disappointed that there is
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no letter from her. Is she as young and as lovely as ever?
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I am sure? I think so, said Hiram, blushing scarlet. She
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is as busy as ever with her schools and her sewing and her what not.
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I tell her she tries to run half the world. And why did
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you not bring her with you? And so on? Both Hester Supfin and
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Effie Apgar afterwards acknowledged to each other guiltily that they drank in every word while
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they pretended to be reading letters, of which just then they did not see
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one line. But if they are ever to go to Texas, the story
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must not loiter even in Arcady. All the same they loitered there. The
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gentlemen had to tear themselves away after the second day. Uncle Sam's business and
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the business of Geoffrey, Petrie and Jeffrey admitted no more delay. Even mister
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le Clerk's ingenuity could not pretend that the United States Government needed mister Haydock at
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Arcady, or that mister Brinkerhoff would find large firms of retailers of drugs at
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the little village. At the post office, the ladies stayed longer. Why
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do you not spend the summer, said missus Leclerk, very sweetly and frankly.
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You say you ran away from that horrible snow and ice only to be
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in a pleasant home. Shall you find anything pleasanter than this in that murderous
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Texas? And indeed Hester wondered at her own firmness that she said no.
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For as to Effie, she had not been firm. She had confessed that
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the plan of the party was none of hers. Arcady seemed so lovely to
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her that she would have eaten lottos there as long as there was lottoes to
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eat, and all the plan making was thrown back upon poor Hester. Before
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the gentleman left. Poor Fred Haydock was nearly beside himself because he neither dared
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ask Hester's leave to stay forever where she stayed, and on the other hand,
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because he dared not go away without asking. So they came to that
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last afternoon, which was given to a party on the canal. The canal
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leads back from the river to a lake or bayou. How far back the
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explorers did not find, nor did they care to find. It was always
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afternoon to them, and whatever they saw was may In a great cart drawn
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by three mules. Abreast were many chairs in which the ladies sat and rode,
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escorted by the gentlemen on horseback. Then they arrived at a narrow canal,
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in which were a large and a small flat boat. Haydock and fredla
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Clerk, who had made paddles for the occasion, went in advance in the
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smaller boat. The oldsters, with the little girl and her nurse, went
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in the large boat, towed by a Negro man named Antoine. On shore,
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the canal was only wide enough for the boat on both sides, were
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the most interesting and wonderful trees and shrubs and vines perfectly green. Indeed,
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it looked, as Missus Adgar said, like the pictures of Paradise, where
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they always mix up pines and palms and land and water. They saw no
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bears, no deer, though there are plenty there, But they did see
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how so many beautiful birds. So they sailed for perhaps three miles more,
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with new wonders all the time. Then they came where a large cypress tree
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had been felled across the canal. What was it to them to sit still
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or to say it was all one? The pioneers rejoined them, and Effie
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made a nice characteristic sketch, And then the learned said that it would not
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be afternoon any longer, and that they must turn their faces home. But
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when they came back to the cart, low chance for an adventure, mister
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le Clerk's horse had broken his bridle and run away. Now the thoughtful Missus
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Leclerk had arranged that miss Sutfinn should ride him home, because she had guessed
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that before mister Haydock left, he and miss Hester would be well left together
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for an hour without listeners. Kind missus Leclerk, What perfect hospitality, and
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now why had this beast broken? Bridle Fred Haydock, who generally believed in
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his star and not without reason, could have groaned aloud, would have done
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so, but that the manners of civilized society forbid did Hester care kin sabbe
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wild horses would not have made her tell With perfect willingness she seemed to acquiesce
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Fred le Clerk and Hiram both offered their horses, but not even Missus le
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Clerk dared say that they could be trusted with an unskillful rider. And the
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flutter of that rider's dress. Hester stepped up into the cart by the ready
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chair, begged Missus Leclerk not to think of her, nor be worried,
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assured mister Leclerk that there was room for him on her seat, and so
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they took up their way. When as the twilight began to gloam a hurrah,
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a rapid movement, and the horse reappeared. He had run home,
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had been captured by a Negro boy, and had been brought back in triumph,
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so he had six miles extra that day for his pains. The whole
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party stopped again. The side saddle was exchanged for the Mexican saddle which missus
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Leclerk had ridden. Fred l Clerk and Hiram, after seeing that they were
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not needed, dashed forward to announce at home that there was no accident.
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Frederick Haydock and Hester Supfan followed more decorously, and the slow cart, with
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its tried juge team, as mister Leclerk called it, brought up the steady
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rear. Hester tried her stirrup, tried her beast on different paces, Try
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to canter over a deserted field, try a sober walk. She was indeed
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conscious that if she and mister Haydock rode quietly side by side, a crisis
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was not far away. And so it proved, Miss Hester, if that
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horse had not come back, I should have died. Then we are very
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glad the horse came back, said Hester. And why were you responsible?
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Oh? Not that I was not responsible, But all day long, oh
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miss Hester, do not laugh me. All day long. I have counted
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so on this half hour in which to tell you what you know so well?
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And he was silent, and she knew she did know, but she
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said nothing. If it seems madness to you, let it seem so.
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If it seems foolish. Let it seem so. But I cannot believe that
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I had never seen you before that day at Jersey City. And if you
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say I never must see you again, do not laugh now, miss Hester.
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If you say that I shall die, you have taught me a great
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deal in this fortnight, but you cannot teach me how to live without you.
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Then Hester knew she must speak. The man had behaved manfully, He
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had his rights too. And Hester tried one sentence, which would not come,
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and she tried another, And then she looked frankly up to him.
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Only he could not see her in the darkness, and she said, in
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just her freshest, sweet his way, and why should I try to?
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Then how he thanked her and blessed her. Then how he promised her to
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be good to her and true to her, and guard her as never woman
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was guarded. Then how he told her about his paradise at Saint Auguste,
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or if she liked it better, he could and would resign and go back
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to New Hampshire with her. Then how they fell back upon the palace life,
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and she asked him if he knew that they thought he was a girl,
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and called him Honora mac Pherson, And then the rattle of the mules
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behind was heard, and they had to whip up and keep out of the
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way with a pace too fast for talking. And then they came upon a
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good place to walk. Ah Me, all places were good to walk.
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Could they be all night in going home? It would be none too long,
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but the lights of the little homestead village would appear, and then the
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lights of Arcady. And when they came to the house, the whole family
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must rush to the piazza to meet them, and one would hold the horse,
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and another would take Hester's whip. And Fred could only press her hand
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hard as she sprang to her feet. He could not clasp her round her
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waist, as he would have done had this been in the pirate's companions or
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the smuggler's prize, and imprint a thousand kisses on her for alas the etiquette
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of modern society did not permit him. But fortune favors lovers, favors the
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brave, favors the good, and favors the young. And Hester and Fred
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were lovers, were brave, were good, and we're young. Fortune was
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so kind that after every bag was packed, after tea was finished, after
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all had been said which must be said, except good bye. The George
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Christie did not come. Now it was in the George Christie that the gentlemen
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were to go. And so they sat in the verandah or gallery under the
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great Colonnade, and waited for her hour after hour, and lovely Missus le
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Clerk, with all her skill in letting people alone, took care that neither
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Bob nor Fanchon should come near mister Haydock for stories, nor miss Sutfin for
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paper dolls. Two hours three of solid comfort before the Christie came. Did
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mister le Clerk know or did he not know? Did he guess or did
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he not guess? When he asked Fred to sing Moudi praton by way of
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illustrating something he was telling, Missus Apgar moude Ye said she that is hard
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on poor spring. Oh, replied he, laughing, that is only French
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fashion. It does not mean more than your mister Artemus Ward means by cussedness.
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Fred translated it bothersome when he sings it in English. So Fred sang
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moudi pratin je la voie de ma fenetre a lascienne tout settiver Neu nouzemion saw
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neu counetre no bezier, the Croissins d'harlais Nentresetrillieu, Saint Village, New Regat
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de comblail, nojou osare d n le'urent brages, Moudi praten reviendratiu tou jour
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hosabred grande le'r enbrage. Moudi pranton riviendratiu toujou bothersome spring. I saw her
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sitting by her door, half hidden yonder mid the trees, And though we
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never met before, our kisses crossed with every breeze through naked boughs the winter
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through from door to door. The sight was. But now the leaves shut
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off the view, Oh spring, Why need you come again? But now
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the leaves shut off the view, Oh spring, Why need you come again?
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But to fred Haydock, something else came as bothersome as spring. Even
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paradise cannot last forever. At last, a faint whistle up the river.
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The groups break up and watch and listen. A louder whistle, and a
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louder the plash of paddle wheels. We had better walk to the landing,
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they all walked together, and the Christie came good bye, good bye.
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End of chapter ten.