Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles Volume 3, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in 1831 and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. This is the third in a three-book trilogy. Volume 1 was Amelia Changes Her Tune, while Volume II was Isaac and Wolf Paw Find Their Home.
What was I thinking?
Autumn and her “shipment” were standing in a copse of trees just north of Olivesburg, looking at a fork in the road. They had walked most of five miles along the familiar road that Autumn and Chestnut knew well, stepping into the woods a few times when they thought another traveler might be about.
I’ve never been here.
They had passed around Olivesburgh, so as not to draw any attention, but now Autumn was not sure which was the road to Savannah. In fact, it suddenly occurred to her that she had never actually been to Savannah, just to the Gurney farm west of there, and the two times she had gone there, she was riding from the west, not the south.
Why didn’t I get word to Mr. Day? He might have had a plan.
Autumn had looked in on the family a few times during the day, after the strangers came “fishing.” She wanted to assure them they would be safe, and Autumn spoke confidently of this midnight walk.
I could have at least let Aunt Elizabeth help me.
On one trip to the barn, Elizabeth had seen Autumn taking food there in a basket and followed her, apparently to scold her for taking such a nice basket to feed Chestnut. She saw Autumn go into the loft and heard her talking, then demanded to know what was going on up there.
Autumn had been terrified when she realized how sloppy she had been, that her secret had gotten out, and that her family, at least Elizabeth, now knew that she had been deceiving them.
Elizabeth, who had climbed up into the loft, seemed no less terrified to come face to face with Jed and Mary and the children.
“Autumn, you can’t just keep people here like this. It’s dangerous,” Elizabeth said.
“You don’t need to be afraid of them.”
“I’m not afraid of them; I’m afraid for them. Those men this morning meant business and they already thought something was going on. If they think your father was lying to them, who knows what they might do?”
“There’s someone coming to take them further tonight,” Autumn said.
Why don’t I tell her the truth, that I will take them? It’s getting too easy to lie.
Elizabeth agreed that they wouldn’t tell Jacob until the family is gone, in case the strangers return. And even though she was obviously nervous all day, she still made a full, warm, wonderful dinner to be served in the loft, discreetly, but generously.
Now, standing at the fork in the road, Autumn wished she had been more honest about her plans.
“Not sure which to take?” Jed had said his first words of the night.
Autumn shook her head.
“There’s the Gourd.”
Autumn looked at Jed, who was looking up.
“The what?” she asked.
“The Drinking Gourd. Up there. We been following it since we left Mast’ Lee’s place in Knoxville.”
That’s Tennessee. That’s a long way! But what is this drinking gourd they are talking about? Oh wait…
“The Big Dipper.”
“Ma’am?”
“You’re talking about the Big Dipper, which points to the North Star.”
“S’pose I am, ma’am.”
“What does that tell you about where we should go?”
“Drinking Gourd says this way. We always let it show us.” Autumn sighed.
“That’s good enough for me,” she said, and they started walking again.
It was a surprisingly easy walk to Savannah, not only because the road was well defined and did not cross any difficult creeks, but also because no one seemed to be about.
They actually walked right into the settlement, because Autumn did not know any other way to find the road leading west to the Gurney farm.
The world was beginning to stir about the time they found the farm, and had Autumn thought about it, she would have realized how perilous their journey had been, to go so far, and to finish it as daylight threatened to expose them.
Mr. Gurney was shocked to see the five weary travelers as they headed up the lane. He ran up the meet them, and hurried them into the barn.
“Thee has come from where?”
“Mansfield, the Oakland Inn.”
“But that is so far, and thee walked tonight?”
Autumn nodded. “And thee brought them thyself?”
Another nod.
Mr. Gurney kept asking questions and Autumn kept nodding, until she didn’t remember any more questions. With the comfort of the hay she had nodded off to sleep.
It was much warmer when Autumn woke up and she heard giggling as she stirred. She realized she was in an unfamiliar place and sat up quickly, then saw young Isaac and Emily smiling at her. Jed was sleeping but Mary was sitting with them.
“Morning, angel,” Mary said.
“Morning. Have I been sleeping long?”
“Sun’s already on its way back down.”
My family! They don’t know where I am.
Autumn hadn’t figured about the return trip, which would take almost as long, and about the need for sleep. She had planned to be back at the Inn before anyone got up.
Mr. Gurney was below in the barn, cleaning stalls when Autumn climbed down.
“Thee has slept well, I see.”
“Yes, thank you Mr. Gurney, but I must get back home.”
“I wish I could take thee, but it is safer if we are not seen together. Safer for our cargo, too. Go inside and let the wife feed thee before thee starts back.”
Autumn went into the house and told Mrs. Gurney her stories in between bites of biscuit and gravy, strawberries and lettuce.
She then went back in the barn to say good-bye to the family, even though that was not the safest thing to so, if someone was watching.
“I hope you find your freedom,” Autumn said to them.
“We is free now,” Jed said.
“I hope you find a place you can keep your freedom.”
Jed and Mary nodded. Little Emily reached out to Autumn and handed her a doll with a corncob head and plain dress.
“So’s you can keep me with you,” Emily said, her first words to Autumn the whole trip.
Autumn smiled. “I will.”
I’ll keep all of you with me. Forever.
