Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in the 1860s and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. The books are available from Lintern for $25 a set, tax and shipping included. Each book is about 120 pages written for intermediate readers (4th grade) with local illustrations. Volume I is Amelia Changes Her Tune. Volume II is Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home. Volume III is Autumn Keeps Her Secret. Volume IV is Mr. Gamble Starts a School. Volume V is Jacob Blows his Horn. Volume VI is Cassie Fights the War.
“Mama, I hear the train!”
Cassie was running to the station, ahead of Maggie and the carriage and the rest of the family. She had hopped off to get to the platform before anyone else.
The train was bringing some very special cargo — two soldiers returning from the war. Levi and Phillip Zimmerman had been released of their duties and were finally coming back as civilians.
Mama and Papa were in the carriage, along with Nate and Jacob. And Emilene.
I’ll just keep my distance. This is their reunion, not mine. I only saw them that one time. They won’t even remember me.
The train whistle seemed like a celebration to Emilene, like a drum major ready to direct a whole brass band in a great fanfare. Soon the puffs of smoke appeared in the distance, and the train appeared as a little dot near Third Street, then Fourth, then it came into full view as the steam of the brakes shot out from the wheels and the chugging of the locomotive began to slow.
Cassie was at the edge of the platform, trying to look in each window to see the boys’ faces, men’s faces now, until she recognized them in the third car. She ran beside it until it came to a stop and stood at the end of the car waiting for them to appear. If the boys had not seen Cassie since they left for the service, they would not have recognized her, because she was about Emilene’s age when they left for a three-month tour that became more than three years.
The boys did see her a year ago, however, because they came home for Grandpappy’s funeral, so her grown-up appearance was not so shocking. Cassie waited and waited for them to come down the steps. She kept hopping ever so slightly and clasping her hands in anticipation.
It seemed like forever before she suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her. “Hello, Beautiful.” She turned around and there were Levi and Phillip, smiling at her, not two feet away.
She squealed and jumped into Phillip’s arms, then grabbed Levi around the neck as well. Emilene smiled as she watched the scene, proud that she had not spilled the beans when she saw the brothers sneak off the opposite end of the car and walk around behind her. Soon the whole family was surrounding them, hugging them, shaking hands, kissing.
Now, that’s a family, Emilene thought as she watched.
Suddenly, Phillip looked over his shoulder. “Hey, what is that little squirt doing just standing there? Get over here, soldier.”
Emilene shyly walked toward the group. Maybe a little hug. Suddenly, whoosh, she was on the shoulders of two giant soldiers, being paraded around on the platform.
“Huzzah for the little drummer girl,” Phillip said. “Or should I say, little fiddler girl!”
“Mama’s been keeping us updated. So you are ol’ Orrin’s protege!” Levi said.
Uh, I guess, whatever that is.
“You boys be nice to Emilene. Treat her like a lady,” Cassie charged.
“We’ll treat you like a lady,” Phillip said and suddenly Emilene was back on the platform and Cassie was in the air. “Let’s see those bloomers,” Levi said.
“Mama,” Cassie screamed, smacking Phillip on the shoulders.
Emilene could see she wasn’t hitting very hard.
“Boys, she is not 8 years old any more,” Mama said.
“She’s not?” Levi said.
“10?”
“No.”
“12?”
Mama shook her head.
“She is 14 and you know it.”
Levi grabbed her from Phillip and set her down.
“Fourteen? My stars, Girl, ‘bout time for you to get married!”
Cassie giggled while trying to look horrified, and the whole family headed toward the freight table, then for the carriage. Nate had been watching the whole thing, smiling, and staying one step distant, Emilene noticed. The brothers, after the wildness of greeting Cassie, quickly calmed themselves and grabbed Nate by the hand, then the three embraced, and held on to each other for quite awhile.
They have been through a lot. They have been through what Father went through. Only…
The trip home was at a gentle pace, partly because everyone wanted to just sit together, and partly because Maggie was pulling, well, everyone — four men, a woman, three children and luggage for two.
“Why did it take so long for you to get home?” Cassie asked them.
“The war has been over for three months. You even missed the Fourth of July.”
“We didn’t miss it, Sissy. We just had it elsewhere,” Phillip said.
“Yes, just because Bobby Lee surrendered in Virginia doesn’t mean everyone just gave up. Their teeth was gone but they were still trying to bite. Shoot, the Texas slaves didn’t even know they were free until the middle of last month,” Levi said.
“There was a lot of guarding and organizing and protecting and upholding. The South is a mess and now that they are Americans again, we don’t want them suffering,” he added.
“Let them suffer,” Jacob said.
“Brother, you are talking about people like Uncle Samuel and Aunt Anna and your cousins in Arkansas. They were for the Union, but living in a state where secession was accomplished. A lot of people all over did not want a war and even wanted slavery gone, just as there were people in Ohio who sided with the Rebels.
“It’s always more complicated than it seems.”
Or needs to be.
