Jared’s House
JARED’S HOUSE was about two miles or so down the road from his parent’s house and sat with its back to a large grove of ponderosa pine trees.
It, in fact, resembled the old slave cabins on Willow Tree but was much bigger and finer.
It was L-shaped, made of logs, not cut wood planks, and consisted of one level that was raised up slightly from ground by thick slabs of stone. It had a pitched a-line roof supported by winged wooden columns. There were two of these winged columns on the short side of the L and another four columns on the long side spaced about four feet apart.
The roof extended out over a wide plank porch that ran the entire length of the front of the house. Rocking chairs covered in pony hide were spaced here and there on the front porch and wide stone steps led up to the front door. Nothing about the house hinted at its owner’s Southern roots. It was not the house of a planter’s son.
There were only two wagons left by the time we reached Jared’s house. Nathan and Homer were in the back driving Jared’s wagon and Mingo was driving the one that had been the women’s wagon. With just me, Maybell, and Mingo in it, it rattled up to the front of Jared’s house.
Mingo saw the look on my face as the wagon pulled into the big circular front yard “What’s bothering you, Ruby?” “It’s so different from the other houses. Masa Henry’s house looks like his old house, only smaller. Same with the Andersons. This don’t look anything like Willow Tree.” “That’s cause he didn’t want it to. Said he didn’t want to lead that life anymore.”
“What kind of life? He turned and looked directly into my eyes, before answering. He didn’t want slaves on his property.”
Maybell was looking at us from within the wagon. “Then why Ruby, me, Nathan, and Homer here if he don’t want no slaves on his property,” she asked.
“Sharecropping.?” He looked at me with a twinkle of amusement in his before continuing on. “Jared Andersen got big plans. But big plans need big money. He says the South is going to lose the war and that Yankee General Sherman will burn down what’s left. Henry Wilkes say the railroad coming this way. He and Jared Anderson wants to sell beef and lumber to the South. He needs you all to care for the place while he’s ranching.” “Ranching?, I asked.” “Raising cows and horses instead of vegetables.”
“Ruby, before you step one foot on this man’s soil I want to know if you wanna be free? Cause you don’t have to stay here if’ you don’t to.”
I looked over at him and I could tell that he was sincere. We stared into each other’s eyes. But before I could answer there was cry from the front porch of the house. “Hola, Senor Mingo.” I looked past Mingo and standing on the porch was a little man in strange clothes and a woman smaller in statue than the man. “That’s Jose´ and his wife Maria. Jose takes care of the house and Maria does the cooking.” “Are they slaves, too?” “No. They’re not slaves. They work here for wages.” Mingo jumped down from the wagon and greeted the man who’d called his name. They talked for a few minutes and Mingo came back to the wagon and helped me down.
Maria beckoned me and Maybell into the house. Senora, senorita please come around to the back of the house. We have food waiting for you.”
“Maria! They are to go through the front door, just like any other person,” yelled Jared. He had trailed behind having lingered at his parent’s home.
Mingo watched as Ruby entered Jared Anderson’s house. It was now or nevery, he thought. If he let Ruby stay here, there was no doubt in his mind that sooner or later Jared Anderson would take advantage.
He strode over to where Jared was wrapping Cloud Dancer’s reins around a hitching post that was directly in line with the front door. There was no grace in it, he just let the words tumble out. “I want to marry Ruby.” The young man looked at him as if he’d slapped him. “I want to marry Ruby. Did you hear me.” “Yeah I heard you, Jared said. You know I can’t allow that.” “You can’t allow? You and I both know you don’t own her anymore. Not since Lincoln emancipated the slaves.” Those northern laws don’t apply here. “I’ll ask Fort Latham’s commanding officer about that.” Jared closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye and grabbed Mingo by his shirt collar. “Are you threatening me?” “You damn right I am. And I’ll carry it out, too. If you don’t Ruby come with me.” Jared was close to losing his temper. “Ruby stays here, he practically spat. “How do you think your parents will get along without you. Do you think they can find their way back to Georgia on their own? And when I’ve finished with you, I’ll tell the rest of your slaves, they’re free to go where ever they want.”
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