At noon Mike came into the kitchen. Sadie glanced up, saw his grin, and commented, “Thee hast been up to something.”
“I have a job. Henry Peterson needs a pilot for a tug. We’ll be floating barges down the Ohio. Barrels of oil, steel, and some coal.”
“Seems a comedown after helping people to freedom.”
“I know. But I can’t sit around all spring waiting for Alex and Olivia to return.” Just as Beth came into the kitchen he added, “I’ll clear out my room. No sense cluttering up the place with my junk when I’ll be gone most of the time.”
Beth walked around the table to face him. “Where are you going?”
Mike shoved his hands into his pockets, teetering on his heels. Looking down at Beth, he said, “I’ll be escorting barges down the Ohio to Cairo.”
She went to take the plates from Sadie. “We’ll miss you; it could get lonesome around here. Too bad they don’t hire women.” She slanted a glance at him and brushed past with the dishes. “With the fussing in the South,” Beth continued, “it’s hard to decide what to do. Maybe I’ll consider going into Philadelphia to look for a position.”
“Hadn’t ought to do that,” he said slowly. “With the unrest and the state militia forming, doesn’t seem right for a single lady to be there without a—brother or some such to look out for her.”
Beth’s eyes flared. “I can take care of myself.”
“Missus Thatcher told me they’re looking for a girl to work in the hardware store in the village,” Sadie interjected. “Won’t pay as much as the city, but thee won’t have the expense of renting a room. Terribly lonesome it would be if all of thee be gone.”
Mike’s grin widened. “Sadie can shoo off all the fellas she doesn’t approve of.” He continued to smile down at Beth. When Sadie saw the blush starting on Beth’s cheeks, she pursed her mouth and bustled to the stove.
“Mike, thee could tell Amos dinner is ready. Beth, will thee carry the cornbread to the table?” Sadie added, “Beth, child, thou art more than welcome here. I hope it will not be too lonely with Mike gone.”
Sadie paused. “The tide of feeling is rising. There is talk of war growing stronger each day. I do not know how Lincoln will respond, but my heart aches for the young. They will be the ones to suffer.”
Beth’s eyes were troubled. “But will I be welcome here in the North? Everyone knows I’m from the South.”
“Thy mouth will make or break thy welcome.” Beth looked puzzled, and Sadie explained. “If thee takes sides and speaks badly against all the North holds dear, thou wilt gain enemies.”
Amos and Mike came into the kitchen. Amos looked from Beth to Sadie. “Had to carry some wood into the village. There’s news. Jefferson Davis has made his decision. He ordered General Beauregard to fire upon Fort Sumter. ’Twas over thirty hours of shelling, with the fort nearly destroyed before Major Anderson surrendered. Sadie, my dear, I fear war has begun.”
“Did Lincoln say this?”
“No, but I did.”
“And everyone else in the North is saying it, too,” Mike added as he pulled out the chair for Beth.
They bowed their heads to pray for the meal. For once, Sadie noticed Beth was quiet and thoughtful when Amos said, “Amen.”
“That newspaper said President Lincoln has called for seventy-five thousand militiamen,” Sadie said. “But he wants them for only ninety days. Does he expect the war to be over then?”
Mike looked up. “It sounds like it.”
“According to the newspapers,” Sadie said slowly, “feeling in the South has been harsh. I cannot believe even Lincoln will make the people change their mind in just three months. Too bad, he said such nice things about not being enemies with the South when he was inaugurated.”
“I don’t think changing their mind has much to do with it,” Mike said thoughtfully. “Most people hang on to their feelings longer than that.” He looked at Beth. “If he doesn’t convince the South that war is a bad idea, then he’ll need to convince the whole world that the North is stronger than the South.”
“Do you believe that is so?” Amos asked.
“No!” Mike and Beth spoke together.
Beth said, “Southerners are proud people. They will fight rather than yield.”
Mike nodded. “I’ve spent enough time in the South to know that Southerners are fighting men. They settle their quarrels with fists and pistols.”
“Many of our young men attend military academies,” Beth said, “even when they’ve no intention of having a career in the military.”
****
The following week Mike left on his first trip as the pilot of a smart little tug escorting a line of barges down the Ohio.
Beth took the job at the hardware store. Each evening she returned home full of the sights and sounds of the village.
Mike had been gone for nearly a month when Sadie started to see a change in Beth, an independent spirit growing in her. Amos noticed too; he said, “Beth, you are better than a newspaper. So the young ones are beginning to seriously consider the war talk?”
Beth nodded as she carried the bowl of green beans to the table. “At first,” she said, “they were treating the whole thing like a lark. But lately there’s more serious talk.
“Pennsylvania’s filled their quota for militia,” she reported, “such is the enthusiasm for war. The Quakers are against war—” She threw a glance at Sadie. “So are some of the coal miners. Young men from the whole county have taken up soldiering in Mr. Cassaway’s meadow.”
Sadie listened to her chatter and noted the excitement in her eyes. “Where do all these young men stay?”
“Those who live close by return home at night, but those from the far end of the state have set up a regular city of tents around the meadow. They cook their dinners there and string their washing all over the meadow.”
Amos lifted his face from reading the newspaper. “No doubt they’ll be put to the test. Says here that Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky won’t send their men to fight for the Union. Sounds like they’ll be seceding. This article also lists more states seceding—Virginia, North Carolina, and Arkansas.”
“A fellow from Virginia claims the dividing line between Union and Confederacy must be slavery, not North and South,” Sadie commented. “I thought all in the South were for slavery; now I understand there’s some talk of even Delaware being soft on slavery.”
Beth shook her head. “Some people in the South own slaves and live in big houses, but not very many. It is only—” she slanted a look at Sadie, hesitated, and slowly said, “the people who are refined.”
“Refined?” Sadie said blankly.
“Cultured; those who want the finer things in life and come from good families. Those with money.”
“Oh.” Sadie went to the stove after the hot rhubarb pie.
Amos watched her and then turned to Beth. “What do you call the other people?”
Beth shrugged, bit her lip, and finally said, “They are farmers. Poor people, I suppose.”
“What about the factory workers, those who live in towns?”
“Factory workers?” Beth echoed. “Why, I’ve never met any of them. I would suppose they are poor too.”
“Are they in favor of slavery? Do they believe in it so badly that they’ll fight for it?”
“Sir,” Beth said slowly, “I honestly don’t know. I don’t know any except my own kind of people.”
Amos returned to the newspaper. “Seems someone ought to be considering how the others feel about slavery and war. These others just might be the ones who have to do the fighting when they really get into it.”
Sadie watched the frown lift from Beth’s face. “Amos, that could be so. Maybe the war won’t last long with poor people fighting. They have other matters to tend to, like planting.”
****
When Mike came home for the first time, he carried news. Sitting at the table with Sadie and Amos he sipped coffee. “Your coffee is reason enough for a body to not leave home.” Then sobering he added, “Looks like we’ll all be leaving home, badly as we want to stay.”
He faced the questions in Sadie’s eyes. “I’ve been down to Cairo this last trip and seen the changes. Wouldn’t surprise me if some strong fighting takes place down the Mississippi pretty soon. Guess I did right to come on home with the Awl when I did.”
The back door opened and Beth came into the kitchen. As she pulled the scarf from her head, she saw Mike. “You’re back,” she said softly, pushing her long hair away from her face. Sadie saw Mike’s face and turned to watch the girl, wondering how she could fail to see the expression in Mike’s eyes.
When Mike didn’t answer, Beth looked up, blushed, and brushed at her hair. “I’ve been riding the little filly into town to my job. I took the clerking job at the hardware store. I’ll be back in a minute.” She dashed toward the stairs.
Sadie bit her tongue, but the words came anyway. “Mike, don’t go to setting thine heart on such as her. She’s flighty; I know the kind. She’ll break thy heart and then look for another to break.”
“I know,” he muttered, moving his cup around in circles. “I know the kind, too. Besides, I could never afford to keep one such as she is—a lady.” Sadie listened to his words, thinking that the expression in his eyes seemed to speak differently.
Beth whirled into the kitchen. She had changed her dress. With a swish of her full skirts, she went to help Sadie. “There’s frolicking in town tonight,” she informed Sadie. “A fair with games and music and food to eat. It’s meant to show a good time to the fellows.”
“What fellows?”
“The lads who’ve been learning how to be soldiers. The townspeople got this up. A thank you and a sendoff. They’re raising money, too, selling pies and such. Even handiwork to raise money for uniforms and arms for the men.” She paused, examining Sadie’s expression. “I know you believe it’s wrong to fight. Do you believe in helping them?”
Sadie shuddered. “Buy bullets and guns? No, my child. I couldn’t live with myself. I’ll be ready when the lads need cookies and new socks.”
“Beth, do you want to go?” Mike got to his feet. “I’ll take you into town. After all, a young lady can’t go alone.” He grinned down at her.
Sadie saw the frown start on Beth’s face, but abruptly she smiled. “That would be nice. I know a girl who is very anxious to meet you.”
After dinner, Mike harnessed Amos’s old mare to the light buggy and brought it around to the door. Beth dashed out the door and was in the buggy before Mike could get out. She was breathless as she said, “Thanks so much, Mike. I wanted to go badly, but without you asking, I couldn’t have gone. It’s terrible to have these people frown at me all the time.”
“All the time?”
“Oh, Mike. They just don’t understand young people having a good time. All of us girls are earnest about giving these fellows a good sendoff. Might be some of them won’t come back if there’s a real battle—” She caught her breath.
“Beth,” he said carefully, “it isn’t that Amos and Sadie don’t want you to have a good time, it’s just that—” He paused, suddenly realizing the gap that existed between Beth and himself. “We believe these kinds of frolics are not—healthy.”
“Mike!” she turned to stare at him, “I didn’t think you believed like they do.”
“We think that the Christians should not participate in some of what will pass as entertainment tonight. It might be that Amos and Sadie are wiser than you give them credit for being. Anyway,” he grinned at her, “I’m here to keep you safe, so we might as well enjoy it.”
By the time Mike had found a place to leave the horse and buggy, Beth had blended into the crowd. He found her at the horseshoe pitching booth. He also saw the young man beside her. Mike noticed the uniform first, and he saw Beth’s flaming hair and pale face nearly touching the shoulder of the smiling soldier.
Mike hesitated, shrugged and walked toward the couple. Beth turned with a smile. “Oh, Mike, I want you to meet Lieutenant Roald Fairmont.” She nodded at the lieutenant. “This is Michael Clancy. He’s the fellow who’s been piloting cargo downriver.” Linking her arms through theirs she smiled, saying, “We’re going to have a wonderful time! There’s dancing and games. Mike, did you see all the booths? I should think they’ll raise money galore.”
Mike acknowledged Fairmont’s stiff greeting and asked, “How long is this fair to be going on?”
“Until the end of the week.” She turned to Roald. “Do you want to go down to the square? There’s dancing.”
He nodded and they were about to excuse themselves when they were interrupted. “Mike—oh, Mike Clancy!” Mike turned toward the voice. It was the butcher’s daughter, calling and waving as she came toward him.
She was still gasping for breath as he said, “Tessie Coiles, is the market on fire?”
“No, but I need your help desperately,” she pleaded as Mike blinked in surprise. “Please don’t turn me down. Several of the fellows were to help set up tables and cook sausages, and they haven’t come. Will you—”
“Certainly I’ll help.” He followed as she turned to dash back the way she had come.
Mike set up tables while Tessie covered them with checked oilcloth and set pots of mustard in the middle. Later he went to the makeshift firepit and turned sausages while she stuffed buns with the savory, sizzling meat.
The crowd had thinned and the embers were turning to ash when Tessie turned to him. “Mike, you’ll have to eat this last one.”
Following him to the table, she put down the tankard of lemonade and sat down on the other side of the table. She shoved the mustard pot toward him. “’Twas nervy of me to take advantage of your kindness, especially since I scarcely know you. Have seen you around town, and at church sometimes.”
“I enjoyed myself,” Mike admitted. “I was starting to feel like a third wheel when you rescued me.”
She nodded. “I know Beth’s wanting to snatch as much time as she can with Roald. She’s smitten, and it’s no wonder. Wouldn’t any girl go for such as he?”
Uneasily Mike studied the sausage. “Has she been seeing him for some time?”
“Oh, yes. Since he first came to help around here they’ve been stepping out together. He hasn’t had any competition. Everyone knows Beth is his girl.” She paused, studied him curiously, and added, “I thought you knew, since you’ve both been living at the Coopers. Hope I’m not causing any problems.”
Mike took another bite of the sausage, drank some lemonade, and answered, “No, I haven’t kept in touch with Beth since I’ve been off hauling barges.”
“It’s starting to look like we can’t keep out of war with the South,” she said slowly. “Are you going to join up to fight?”
“I don’t know. I’m still struggling with it. I guess I have a Quaker conscience. Right now I see myself contributing by piloting the tug. Maybe that’s all I’ll get around to doing if the war’s a ninety-day affair.”
“Do you really think it will be?”
“No.” He gave her a quick glance. “I’ve been pretty far south in the past year, and I don’t like what I’ve been seeing and hearing.”
“Such as?”
“The rumblings of discontent against the North, and there’s no bones made about the feelings. They’re making the most of it.” He glanced at her, realized she didn’t understand, and tried to explain. “The feeling’s been drummed up by the nice-looking fellows standing on soapboxes and giving it out to all who’ll listen. Speeches heard over and over begin to have an effect. It isn’t a message of brotherly love and kindness that many people in the South are hearing.”
He drank the last of the lemonade and stood up. “I see Beth heading this way. The moon’s settled just beyond the trees; it’s time to collect my passenger and head homeward. Thank you, Miss Tessie, for an enjoyable evening.”
“Oh, there you are,” Beth said coolly. “I hope you two had a good evening. I’m exhausted; Roald and I danced until our feet nearly fell off.”
“Oh,” Tessie said, “I haven’t heard the music for nearly an hour.” She gathered up Mike’s dishes and ducked her head shyly. “Thank you, and good evening to you both.”