Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles Volume 5, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in the 1860s and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. This is the fifth in a series. Volume I was Amelia Changes Her Tune. Volume II was Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home. Volume III was Autumn Keeps Her Secret. Volume IV was Mr. Gamble Starts a School.
“Yeah, school’s just school. Miss Porter always picks the girls for the easy answers and the boys for the hard ones,” Jacob said, responding to Nathaniel’s question while they were throwing the base ball back and forth.
“She was that way when I had her, too,” he said. “Of course, one day I realized that it wasn’t that the girls got the easy ones, it was that they knew more of the answers.”
Not possible. That can’t be it, can it?
“Well, I wish she would call on me just when I know something and not wait until I don’t.”
“Here’s what you do. Always look like you know the answer and are eager to answer it, not waving the hand and making chimp sounds eager, but a confident eager. She’ll skip right over you and call on the boys who are hiding their eyes,” Nathaniel said.
“Did it work for you?” Jacob asked.
“More often than not. Of course, it always helps just to know the answers.”
“‘Spose so.”
Soon, Levi came to the campsite and started alternating with Nathaniel to catch the ball with Jacob. When Philip arrived, he stood next to Nathaniel, so all three could throw with their little brother.
I like this. Maybe they think I’m growing up.
“Hey Zaccheus, how are you doing with Maggie? You’re not letting her hair mat up, are you?” Philip asked.
And maybe not.
“No, Maggie’s fine. We’re going to take her tomorrow out Leesville Road,” Jacob said.
“Who’s out there?”
Wait, maybe I shouldn’t tell them too much, even if they are my brothers.
“Just returning a wallet to someone who lost it in town,” he said.
“Isn’t that nice. Is the wallet as full of money now as when you found it?” Levi asked.
“Yes it is. Thank you very much.”
“Well maybe he will give you a reward.”
I hadn’t thought of that. Of course I’d have to split it with Cassie. I wonder if Mama would want some.
“We’ll see.”
The throwing continued until Papa arrived and supper was served.
Jacob did not hear much of the conversation; he was thinking about the wallet and the watermelon, and Mama leading runaways, and Mr. Day and Mr. Gilkinson. And the stranger.
As they walked home, Mama was talking about how grown up each of the brothers seemed, after such a short time in camp.
“I see them and it seems like only yesterday that they were in Miss Porter’s class, trying not to get called on. Miss Porter used to comment on how hard they tried not to be noticed so they wouldn’t have to answer. I think Nathaniel was the worst.”
“Mama, did you tell Papa about what is going on with Mr. Finney?”
“I did fill him in on details, yes. I wanted him to be aware of things. I suggested he let Mr. Brinkerhoff or another officer know about that man you saw.
“We’ll start out about nine in the morning. Jacob, make sure Maggie is ready. Cassie, you should help.”
Mama did not have to wake anyone up or remind them of chores. Maggie was combed, fed and hitched well before nine and the twins were on the buckboard next to Mama as soon as she was ready to go.
The ride started on Fourth Street, but after a short distance the road turned and became Leesville Road, on account of them being out of the town limits and because they were headed toward Leesville, on the other side of Crestline.
They wouldn’t go nearly that far, however. Rains in the night had swelled West Brook and Touby’s Run, so the rides downhill to each were a little unnerving, because the wooden bridges did not look very secure; water was flowing right up to the undersides.
Maggie did not seem too concerned and as Mama liked to say, “If it don’t bother Maggie, doubt it will bother us.”
They passed the lane of the old Barr Farm, a pioneer family in Richland County, and at the next crossing, turned north to go to the Finney farm.
“Where does this lead?” Cassie asked.
“If we continue north, we’ll reach Spring Mill. A lot of farmers around here still use it for grinding flour and corn into meal.
“If we had turned south, we would end up in Lexington, on the Clear Fork.”
Jacob remembered Mama talking about playing in the Black Fork when she was little, and how that joined the Clear Fork to make the Mohican River.
“I wish we lived near a river,” Jacob thought out loud.
“Well, we just went over Touby’s Run. That empties into the Black Fork and then the Mohican and on and on to the Ohio. You could start there,” she smiled, then added, sternly, “But don’t!”
Both twins chuckled. Soon they were in sight of Mr. Finney’s farm, as Mama pointed it out. When they pulled up, Jacob hopped off and held Maggie, while Mama and Cassie stepped down, then took the horse and wagon to a post near the barn.
It’s how Papa does it. I need to step in and be the man of the house now.
John Finney greeted the entourage at the door and, following a comment about a nice surprise, invited them in.
Mrs. Finney came to the entranceway, too, wiping her hands on her apron.
“So good to see you; I am just getting ready to put food on the table. I am expecting the children and grandchildren later and so I was putting a lot together. Please join us.”
“I don’t want to put you out,” Mama said.
Oh, I do. That smells good.
“Not at all, Autumn. It is good to see you. What brings you?”
Cassie stepped forward.
“We thought you might be missing this,” and she handed him the wallet.
“Lord have mercy. I had no idea what happened to it. And you found it? Where? No, let me guess. At the square, in a puddle of watermelon juice.”
They all laughed, but then Mr. Finney became very serious.
“We, uh, still have our package stowed away in the barn, Autumn. Have not been able to ship it out yet.”
Mama looked concerned, but before she could answer, horse hooves came pounding to the front of the house. Angry horses, loud determined steps.
Jacob and Cassie instinctively stepped away from the door and backed toward the kitchen. The hair on the back of his neck stood up when he heard someone say, “You, Finney?”
He didn’t have to see him this time to know. The stranger was outside.
