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Theratesofferriagewerefixedattwenty-fivecentsforateam,fifteencentsforamanonhorseback,tencentsforasingleanimal,andfivecentsforafoot-passenger.
Twocards,withtheseratesneatlyprintedonthembyRuthinlargeletters,weretackedupontheanchorageposts,sothatpassengersmightnothaveanychancetodisputewiththeferryman,or“superintendentofferries,”ashelikedtobecalled.
Leavinghiminchargeoftheboat—forhewasnotyetstrongenoughformoreactivework—andleavingMr.Marchatworkuponthehouse,Mr.Elmer,Mark,Jan,andfourcoloredmen,takingthemuleswiththem,setoutbrightandearlyonTuesdaymorningforthemill,tobeginworkonthedam.
Theyfoundthepondempty,andexposingalargesurfaceofblackmudstuddedwiththestumpsofoldtrees,andthestreamfromthesulphurspringripplingalongmerrilyinachannelithadcutforitselfthroughthebrokenportionofthedam.
Whiletwomenweresettodigginganewchannelforthisstream,soastoleaditthroughthesluice-way,andleavetheplacewheretheworkwastobedonefreefromwater,theothersbegantocutdownhalfadozentallpines,andhewthemintosquaredtimbers.
Adeeptrenchwasdugalongthewholelengthofthebrokenpartofthedamforafoundation,andintothiswasloweredoneofthegreatsquaredtimbers,fortyfeetlong,thathadsixmortice-holescutinitsupperside.
Intotheseholesweresetsixuprights,eachtenfeetlong,andontopofthesewasplacedasastringer,anotherforty-foottimber.
Tothisframeworkwasspiked,ontheinside,aclosesheathingofplank.
Heavytimberbraces,theouterendsofwhichwereletintomud-sillssetintrenchesdugthirtyfeetoutsidethedam,weresunkintothestringer,andtheworkoffillinginwithearthontheinsidewasbegun.
Intwoweekstheworkwasfinished;thewholedamhadbeenraisedandstrengthened,thefloodgateswereclosed,andthepondbeganslowlytofillup.
Inthemeantimethesaw-millmachineryhadbeenbought,theframeforthesaw-millhadbeencutandraised,andMr.March,havingfinishedtherepairsonthehouse,wasbusysettingupthemachineryandputtingitinorder.
BythemiddleofFebruary,orsixweeksaftertheElmershadlandedinWakulla,theirinfluencehadbecomeverydecidedlyfeltinthecommunity.
Withtheirbuilding,fencing,ploughing,andclearing,theyhadgivenemploymenttomostoftheworkingpopulationoftheplace,andhadputmoremoneyintocirculationthanhadbeenseenthereatanyonetimeforyears.
Theirhousewasnowasneatandprettyasanyinthecounty.
Theten-acrefieldinfrontwasploughed,fenced,andplanted,halfincornandhalf—no,notwithorange-trees,buthalfwassetoutwithyoungcabbage-plants;ahomelycrop,butonewhichMr.Elmerhadbeenadvisedwouldbringingoodreturns.
Theferrywasrunningregularlyandwasalreadymuchusedbytravelersfromconsiderabledistancesonbothsidesoftheriver.
Themillwasfinishedandreadyforbusiness,andthemillpond,insteadofamudflat,wasaprettysheetofwater,fringedwithpalmsandotherbeautifultrees.
Aboveall,Mr.Elmer’shealthhadsoimprovedthathesaidhefeltlikeayoungmanagain,andabletodoanyamountofoutdoorwork.
OneSundaymorningafterallthishadbeenaccomplished,Mr.ElmerannouncedtotheSunday-schoolthatonthefollowingWednesdayagrandpicnicwouldbegiveninapinegrovemidwaybetweentheElmerMillandthebigsulphurspring,thattheferrywouldberunfreeallthatday,andthatallwerecordiallyinvitedtocomeandenjoythemselves.
HealsosaidthattheElmerMillwouldbeopenedforbusinessonthatday,andwouldgrind,freeofcharge,onebushelofcornforeveryfamilyinWakullawhoshouldbringitwiththem.
Thisannouncementcreatedsuchabuzzofexcitementthatitwaswellithadnotbeenmadeuntilaftertheexercisesofthemorningwereover,fortherecouldcertainlyhavebeennomoreSunday-schoolthatday.
Forthenexttwodaysthepicnicwastheall-absorbingtopicofconversation,andwonderfulstoriesweretoldandcirculatedofthequantitiesofgoodiesthatwerebeingmadeinthe“GoBang”kitchen.
AuntChloewasfrequentlyinterviewed,andbeggedtotellexactlyhowmuchofthesestoriesmightbebelieved;buttheoldwomanonlyshookhergaylyturbanedhead,andanswered,
“You’sgwinesee,chillun!you’sgwinesee;onlyjes’habpashuns,an’you’sgwinebe‘wardedbysichasightobfixin’sasmakeyo’tinkoletimesbackcome,shonuff.”
Atlasttheeagerlyexpectedmorningdawned,andthoughathickfoghidonebankoftheriverfromtheother,soundsofactivestirandbustleannouncedtoeachcommunitythattheotherwasmakingreadyforthegreatevent.
Bynineo’clockthefoghadlifted,andthesunshoneoutbrightandwarm.
BeforethisJanandthemuleshadmadeseveraltripsbetweenthehouseandthemill,eachtimewithaheavywagonloadof—something.
Mr.Elmer,Mr.March,andMarkhadgonetothemillassoonasbreakfastwasover,andhadnotbeenseensince.
AuntChloehadbeenbustlingaboutherkitchen“sencederisin’obdemo’nin’star,”andwas,inherownestimation,themostimportantpersonontheplacethatday.
AsforBrucehewaswildwithexcitement,anddashedatfullspeedfromthehousetothemill,andbackagain,barkingfuriously,andtryingtotellvolumesof,whatseemedtohim,importantnews.
Assoonasthefoglifted,thehornontheoppositesideoftheriverbegantoblowimpatientsummonsesforthe“superintendentofferries,”andbusytimesimmediatelybeganforFrank.
Whatfunnyloadsofblackpeoplehebroughtover!
Oldgray-headeduncles,leaningoncanes,whotoldstoriesof“degoodoletimeslongbefo’dewah”;middle-agedmenandwomenwhorejoicedinthepresentgoodtimesoffreedom,andcomicallittlepickaninnies,wholookedforwardwitheagernesstothegoodtimestocometothemwithinanhourorso.
Andthentheteams,thequeerhome-madecarts,mostofthemdrawnbyasinglesteerorcowhitchedintoshafts,inwhichthebushelsofcornwerebrought;foreverybodywhocouldobtainabushelofcornhadtakenMr.Elmerathisword,andbroughtitalongtobegroundfreeofcharge.
Oneofthemen,afterseeinghiswifeandnumerousfamilyofchildrensafelyonboardtheboat,wentuptoFrankwithabeamingface,andsaid,
“MistoFrank,I’seboughtaok.Darheishitchedintodatarkyart,an’oh!hedoploughsplendid!”
The“ok,”whichpoorJoethoughtwasthepropersingularof“oxes,”ashewouldhavecalledapairofthem,wasameek-lookinglittlecreature,harnessedtoanoldtwo-wheeledcartbyaperfecttangleofropesandchains.
HewassosmallthatevenFrank,accustomedashewastothewaysofthecountry,almostsmiledattheideaofits“ploughingsplendid.”
Hedidn’t,though;forhonestJoewaswaitingtohearhispurchasepraised,andFrankpraiseditbysayingitwasoneofthehandsomestoxenofitssizehehadeverseen.
Joewasfullysatisfiedwiththis,andwhentheboatreachedtheotherside,hurriedofftofindnewadmirersforthisfirstpieceofactualpropertyhehadeverowned,andtotellthemthat“MistoFrankMarch,whoknowallaboutoxes,saydisyereokdehan’somes’heebberseed.”
OfcoursetheBevilsandCarterscameovertothepicnic.
GraceBevil,ofwhomRuthhadalreadymadeagreatfriend,waitedwithheratthehouseuntilthelastboat-loadofpeoplehadbeenferriedacross.
ThenFrankcalledthem,andafterhelpingthemintothecanoeandtellingthemtositquietas‘possums,paddleditupthewild,beautifulrivertothemill.
ThiswasanovelexperiencetothelittleWakullagirl,whohadneverinherlifebeforetraveledsoeasilyandswiftly.
Sheafterwardstoldhermotherthat,asshelookedfardownintothecleardepthsofthewaterabovewhichtheyglided,shethoughtsheknewhowangelsfeltflyingthroughtheair.
Bythetimetheyreachedthemillmorethanahundredpersonswereassemblednearit,andMr.Elmerwastalkingtothemfromthesteps.Theywereintimetohearhimsay,
“TheElmerMillisnowabouttobeopenedforbusinessandsettowork.
AbushelofcornbelongingtoUncleSilasBrim,theoldestmanpresent,hasbeenplacedinthehopper,andwillbethefirstground.”
ThenMark,who,aspresidentoftheElmerMillandFerryCompany,wasallowedthehonorofsodoing,pressedaleverthatopenedthefloodgates.
Astreamofwaterdashedthroughtherace,thegreatwheelbegantoturn,and,astheyheardthewhirofthemachinery,thecrowdcheeredagainandagain.
InalittlewhileUncleSilasBrim’scornwasreturnedtohimintheformofasackoffineyellowmeal.
Afterthatthebushelsofcornpouredinthickandfast,andfortherestofthedaytheElmerMillcontinueditspleasantworkofcharity.
Asthenoveltyofwatchingthemillatworkworeoff,thepeoplebegantostrolltowardsthegrovenearthesulphurspring,inwhichanodd-lookingstructurehadbeenerectedthedaybefore,andnowattractedmuchattention.
Itwasalong,lowshed,orbooth,builtofpolesthatchedwithpalm-leaveswovensoclosethatitsinteriorwascompletelyhidden.
Mrs.Elmer,Mrs.Bevil,Mrs.Carter,Ruth,Grace,andAuntChloewereknowntobeinside,butwhattheyweredoingwasamysterythatnoonecouldsolve.
“Reckondey’sa-fixin’upsandwiches,”saidone.
“Yo’g’way,chile!Whoebberheerdobsichnonsens?‘Tain’tnowitchesobnokine;hitssomefin’toeat,Itellyo’.Ikinsmellhit,”saidanoldaunty,whosniffedtheairvigorouslyasshespoke.
ThisopinionwasstrengthenedwhenAuntChloeappearedattheentranceofthebooth,beforewhichhungacurtainofwhitemuslin,andinaloudvoicecommandedallpresenttoprovidethemselves“wifpalmetterleafsfo’plateses,an’magnoleleafsfo’cupses.”
Whenallhadsoprovidedthemselves,theywereformed,twobytwo,intoalongprocessionbyseveralyoungcoloredmenwhomMr.Elmerhadappointedtoactasmarshals,thewhitecurtainwasdrawnaside,andtheywereinvitedtomarchintothebooth.
Astheydidso,asightgreetedtheireyesthatcausedthemtogiveasortofsuppressedcheerofdelight.
Theinteriorwashungandtrimmedwithgreatbunchesofsweet-scentedswampazalea,yellowjasmine,andotherwildspringflowers,ofwhichthewoodswerefull.
Butitwasnottowardstheflowersthatalleyeswereturned,northeythatdrewforththeexclamationsofdelight;itwasthetable,andwhatitbore.
Itreachedfromoneendoftheboothtotheother,andwasloadedwithsuchavarietyandquantityofgoodthingsasnoneofthemhadeverseenbefore.
Onfreshly-cutpalmleaveswereheapedhugepilesofbrowncrullers,andthesewereflankedbypansofbakedbeans.
BoiledhamsappearedinsuchquantitiesthatUncleSilasBrimwasheardtosay,“Hitdomyoleheartgoodtoseesichasightobhogmeat.”
Everybitofspacenototherwiseoccupiedwasfilledwithpiesandcakes.
Knivesandforkshadbeenprovidedforeverybody,andtherewereafewtincupswhichwerereservedforcoffee.
Asplateswereveryscarce,palmettoleaveshadtobeusedinstead;andforthosewhowishedtodrinkwater,themagnolialeaves,bentsothattheendslapped,madeexcellentcups.
Howtheydidenjoythatdinner!Howsavagelythehamswereattacked!
Howthebeansandcrullerswereappreciated,andhowrapidlythepiesandcakesdisappeared!
Howthecoffee,withplentyof“sweet’nin’”init,wasrelished.
Inotherwords,whatagrandfeastitwastothem.
HowmuchandhowquicklytheyateonthatoccasioncanstillbelearnedfromanyresidentofWakulla;fortheytalkof“defeedatdeopenin’obdatarElmerMill”tothisday.
Marksaysitwastheopeningofaboutahundredmills,allprovidedwithexcellentmachineryforgrinding.
Afterdinnertheysang,andlistenedtothemusicofRuth’sorgan,whichhadbeenbroughtfromthehousefortheoccasion,andplacedatoneendofthebooth.
Thensomeoneproducedafiddle,andtheydanced.
Notonlyafewdanced,butalldanced—oldandyoung;andthosewhostoppedtorestpattedtimeontheirkneestoencouragetheothers.
Aboutfouro’clockintheafternoon,orabout“twohourbysunintheevening,”astheWakullapeoplesay,thelastbushelofcornwasground.
Whatremaineduneatenofthedinnerwasdistributedamongthosewhoneededitmost,andthepicnicwasended.
Withmanybowsandcourtesiestotheirhosts,thehappycompanybegantotroop,orsqueakalongintheirlittleungreasedcarts,towardstheferry,whereFrankwasalreadyonhandwaitingtosetthemacrosstheriver.
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