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.
“He’s just a mean boy. A mean, rude little monster,” Emilene heard herself tell Cassie.
“He didn’t used to be. I remember him with his older sister and he was always laughing and entertaining us. He was cute,” Cassie said.
Emilene told her what he had said in class about President Lincoln dying, and then how he made rude comments about Lilly and Ivy.
“He’s not the same since his daddy died,” Cassie said.
Who is?
“You just need to avoid him, and especially Grace and David, you need to avoid him,” Cassie said.“Do you understand me?”
They nodded their heads.
“It won’t be a problem,” David said. “Everybody likes me.”
Cassie and Emilene smiled. Grace frowned.
“Not everybody,” she said.
The older girls stopped.
“Not everybody,” she repeated. “Some folks just mean.”
“Grace, David, we won’t be mean, and we will try to keep you from those who are,” Cassie said.
“Yes’m, Miss Cassie.”
“I wonder who else will be like that?” Emilene asked.
“I don’t know, but I am afraid we are going to find out, and it won’t just be people our age,” Cassie said.
The four arrived back home to the sound of banjo on the front porch. Jacob was just enjoying himself with some dance tunes.
I’ll join him.
Emilene ran past him and up the stairs to her bedroom to grab her violin. By the time she was back, Cassie was at the piano, playing along, the sound springing through the window next to Jacob. Suddenly it was a trio, playing “Old Dan Tucker,” and David was dancing on the porch, each step providing a drumbeat stomp that was in perfect time.
Jacob’s smile got bigger by the moment as he watched. Cassie couldn’t see from where she was, but Emilene turned to watch while she played.
Suddenly a voice came from behind them. A clear voice, singing the words as though it had always been part of the act.
Grace!
“I come to town de udder night, I hear de noise an saw de fight, De watchman was a runnin roun, Cryin Old Dan Tucker’s come to town. So, git outa de way for old Dan Tucker, He’s come too late to git his supper. Supper’s over and breakfast cookin’, Old Dan Tucker standin’ lookin’.”
It was as though they all were at a barn dance, and Grace was the band leader. Verse after verse she sang and everyone jumped in to sing the chorus. By about the fourth verse, Mama was on the porch watching, and Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin next door were on their porch, listening.
Nate, working with Maggie, came around from the back a bit later and a couple of men hauling a wagonload of barrels stopped in the middle of Third Street. When finally the song was over, everyone laughed and clapped and the musicians collapsed at their spots, tired and satisfied by the concert they had just given.
Everyone just looked at Grace and shook their head in wonder. She doesn’t talk, but my can she sing, Emilene thought.
Even Grace seemed to smile a bit. The Zimmerman family band was born.
“Let’s play for someone,” Cassie said at dinner that night.
“Now, don’t get all full of stars in your head. You’re not a real band,” Papa said.
“You didn’t hear them, Levi. They are good.”
“Thanks, Mama,” Cassie said.
“Mamas are supposed to say that,” Papa chided.
“No, Pa, they really are good. I stopped what I was doing to see where that good music was coming from,” Nate added.
“Sure you weren’t just looking for an excuse to stop?”
“No, Pa, you know better. You should hear them.”
“I’d like to, in my parlor, first, before at the opera house.
“Fair enough. Let’s play after supper,” she said.
“And chores,” Papa added.
“And chores.”
“Where did you learn to sing like that, Grace?” Mama asked.
“Mammy gave me the voice, Pappy gave me the words,” she said. “We sang a lot.”
“And I danced a lot,” David piped in.
“And those legs never stop,” Cassie said.
“Neither does his mouth,” Jacob laughed.
“Can you play any instruments, Grace?” Papa asked.
She shook her head.
“Well, it’s time for lessons there, too, probably on the piano.”
Grace looked up with eyes bright.
“Here’s a deal,” Cassie said. “For every book you read out loud, I will give you a piano lesson.”
Grace nodded her head.
“And any day you don’t read a book, I’ll make Jacob give you a piano lesson.”
“You know I’m not very good at the piano,” Jacob said. “Oh, I get it, Very funny.”
“Will you teach me to play the banjo?” David asked.
“Maybe someday,” Jacob said.
“Is tomorrow someday?”
Jacob smiled.
He won’t be able to put it off long.
