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Updated: June 14, 2025
Uncle Ben had come in from the kitchen; Jackson was there, and the women were a wailing bunch in the corner by the sideboard. Old Ephum, impassive, and Ned stood together. Virginia's eye rested upon them, and the light of love and affection was in it. She went to the window. Yes, carriages were indeed rattling outside, though a sharp shower was falling.
"How mean of Pa!" she exclaimed, "when I took all this trouble to surprise him, not to be here! Where are they all? Where's Ephum? Where's Mr. Hood?" The eyes lighted on Eliphalet. His blood was sluggish, but it could be made to beat faster. The ladies he had met at Miss Crane's were not of this description.
"Marse Comyn, you know what I done promise young MISS long time ago, befo' befo' she done left us?" "Yes, Ephum." He saw the faithful old negro but dimly. Faintly he heard the pleading voice. "Marse Comyn, won' you give Ephum a pass down, river, ter fotch Cap'n Lige?" "Ephum," said the Colonel, sadly, "I had a letter from the Captain yesterday. He is at Cairo.
And it seemed to him that he had heard a rumor, amongst the clerks in the store; that she was to marry him one day. "Where is Uncle Comyn?" demanded Mr. Colfax, swinging his cane with impatience. Virgina looked hard at Mr. Hopper. "I don't know," she said. "Ephum!" shouted Mr. Colfax. "Ephum! Easters where the deuce is that good-for-nothing husband of yours?" "I dunno, Marse Clarence.
They entered the store, paused at the entrance to the Colonel's private office, and surveyed it with dismay. "Clar t' goodness, Miss Jinny, yo' pa ain't heah! An' whah's Ephum, dat black good-fo'-nuthin'!" Miracle number one, Mr. Hopper stopped work and stared. The vision was searching the store with her eyes, and pouting.
"I 'lowed you'd want it, Marse Comyn, when I seed de Cap'n comin'," said he, with the privilege of an old servant. Indeed, the bottle was beneath his arm. The Colonel smiled. "Hope you'se well, Cap'n," said Ephum, as he drew the cork. "Tolluble, Ephum," replied the Captain. "But, Ephum say, Ephum!" "Yes, sah." "How's my little sweetheart, Ephum?"
Ephum turned the corner of the street, the perspiration running on his black face. "Miss Jinny, dey ain't no carridges to be had in this town. No'm, not for fifty dollars." This was the occasion for another groan from the negroes, and they began once more to beseech her not to leave them.
No not from my own brother, who is in a Pennsylvania regiments." Ephum shuffled out, and his heart was lead as he closed the store that night. Mr. Hopper has boarded a Fifth Street car, which jangles on with many halts until it comes to Bremen, a German settlement in the north of the city. At Bremen great droves of mules fill the street, and crowd the entrances of the sale stables there.
Oh Miss Jinny, you an' Miss Lill an' Mammy Easter an' Susan's gwine with Jackson, an' de othah niggahs can walk. Ephum an' me'll jes' put up de shutters an' load de Colonel's gun." By this time the room was filled with excited negroes, some crying, and some laughing hysterically.
"I guess you'll like to hear what I've got to say." "Ephum," said Mr. Carvel in his natural voice, "show this man out." Mr. Ford slunk out without Ephum's assistance. But he half turned at the door, and shot back a look that frightened Virginia. "Oh, Pa," she cried, in alarm, "what did he mean?" "I couldn't tell you, Jinny," he answered.
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