Authors: Al Lacy
He explained what happened at the Milburn plantation with Zanu and the cotton bale contest, and asked Dan if he would advance him the 750 dollars needed to purchase Dorena.
“Now, Dan,” Benjamin concluded, “I don’t want the 750 dollars as a gift … just an advance on money I will earn as your partner.”
“I understand,” said Dan. “The advance is yours. I’ll go into town right now and get the cash from the bank.”
“Thank you, Dan. I appreciate it so very much.”
“Hey, pal, we’re partners. I’m just thrilled to know that after all that hassle you can finally go back and ransom that sweet girl.”
“Me too,” said Tracie, patting Mutt’s head as he sat beside her chair.
“Bless you both,” said Benjamin. “Now, I have one problem to solve. I would like to have the wedding at our church. I want you to be my best man, Dan. And I know Dorena will want Miss Tracie to be her matron of honor. But since Dorena and I will be traveling together alone from Louisiana, to be proper we will have to get married in Bogalusa before we leave.”
“No you won’t,” Dan said quickly. “I want that wedding to take place in our church. I’ll go with you so I can be the chaperone on the return trip. Then when we get back, you and Dorena can go to Pastor Custer and make arrangements for the wedding.”
Benjamin frowned. “But you have your hands full here on the ranch. It would cause problems for you to be gone that long.”
Dan shook his head. “The ranch hands can take care of things while I’m gone. I’ll get one of the ladies from the church to come and stay with Tracie at night.”
“That’s fine with me,” Tracie said. “You take Dan up on his offer, Benjamin. Let’s get that girl here to her new home. It’s only right that you get married in the church where you’re a member, and she soon will be.”
Dan rose from his chair. “You get some rest, my friend, and I’ll dash into town and get the cash.”
At the Milburn plantation, Dorena worked long hours doing the laundry and working in the fields. She was glad to stay busy, which helped the time to pass more quickly.
Her nights were filled with dreams of Benjamin, and she awakened
in the mornings telling herself she was one day closer to his return. She kept her carpetbag under the bed and partially packed, so when he came it would take only minutes to be ready to go.
Eight days after Benjamin left the Milburn plantation, he and Dan turned off the road and headed down the lane toward the mansion. Benjamin was at the reins.
As they neared the mansion, an overseer moved in front of them, holding up his hands for them to stop. His face was not familiar to Benjamin.
The overseer stepped up on Dan’s side and said, “What can I do for you, gentlemen?”
“I am Benjamin Johnson,” said the man who held the reins. “Do you remember me? I was here several days ago.”
“You’re not familiar to me,” said the overseer, “but I’ve only been working here a week. Name’s Cameron Derks.”
Benjamin explained to Derks that he was a free Negro. He introduced Dan, saying they were partners on a cattle ranch near San Antonio. “I have come, Mr. Derks, to close a deal I have with Mr. Milburn. I am purchasing a slave girl named Dorena from him.”
Derks’s face blanched. “Mr. Johnson,” he said, “I’m afraid I have bad news for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, just two days before I came to work here, a slave girl named Dorena was killed back there between the barns.”
Benjamin’s eyes bulged and the veins in his neck stood out. “Wh-what happened?”
“A team of horses had just been hitched up to a wagon. Nobody was in the seat yet when something spooked them. They bolted, and this Dorena was in front of them, crossing from one barn to another. From what I was told, she tried to get out of the way, but both the team and the wagon struck her. She was killed instantly.”
Benjamin’s heart pounded wildly as if it were trying to tear itself
out of his body.
How can this be? Dorena dead? No! No! It can’t be!
A numb Dan Johnson laid a firm hand on Benjamin’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” said Derks. “The day I started to work here, they buried her in the slave cemetery.”
“May I see Mr. Milburn?” Benjamin said, his voice breaking.
“I’m afraid not. Mr. and Mrs. Milburn are on an emergency business trip to New Orleans and won’t be back for several days.”
Benjamin thumbed away the tears that filled his eyes. “Could I see Mack Ottwell then? He knows I was here to purchase Dorena. I … I would like to have what possessions were hers.”
“Mr. Ottwell isn’t here anymore, Mr. Johnson. I am his replacement. He quit his job quite suddenly, I understand, and went elsewhere.”
A devastated Benjamin said, “I would like to see her grave, Mr. Derks. Where will I find it?”
“It’s at the extreme northeastern corner of the estate. I was out there near it a couple of days ago. There’s a small wooden marker at each grave. Dorena’s grave will be the freshest one, and the marker will bear her name.”
Benjamin released a tremulous sigh and handed Dan the reins, saying he didn’t feel like driving.
Dan headed the buggy across the fields in a northeast direction, trying to think of something to say to his best friend. Slaves by the dozens were working in the fields. Some paused in their labor to look at the buggy. Benjamin saw some of them pointing at him.
Soon they were at the cemetery, which was surrounded by oak and cypress trees. As Dan brought the buggy to a halt, Benjamin pointed to the fresh grave with its swollen mound of dirt. It was several yards from the cemetery’s edge.
They climbed out of the buggy and Dan laid a hand once more on Benjamin’s shoulder.
“I don’t know what to say, my friend. This is such a shock. Do you want me to come along, or would you rather be alone?”
“You’re my best friend on earth, Dan. I would like you by my side.”
As they started into the cemetery together, Benjamin said, “I just don’t understand. Why would the Lord take her from me?”
“I can’t answer that, but God doesn’t make mistakes.”
Benjamin could hardly see for the tears that flooded his eyes.
Dan read the markers as they threaded their way toward the new grave. He noted that all the markers bore single names and only gave the age of the person at the time of death.
When they reached the grave, Benjamin wept uncontrollably. While he sobbed, Dan lowered his eyes to the marker. He frowned and said, “Wait a minute, Benjamin. Something’s wrong here.”
“What do you mean?”
“This girl’s name was not Dorena! It’s Lorena! And she was fourteen years old!”
Benjamin looked at the marker for a second, then said, “Let’s go!”
The two men dashed to the buggy and Benjamin took the reins, putting the horses to a gallop. They raced to the mansion, found Cameron Derks, and told him about the name on the marker. Derks apologized and immediately took them to the head overseer, Wiley Chance, who recognized Benjamin on sight.
Benjamin introduced Dan to the head overseer, then Chance said, “Benjamin, that little gal of yours has been so excited. Just this morning I heard her tell some of the other women that you would be here in another day or two, she was sure.”
Benjamin smiled. “She couldn’t be any more excited than I am, sir.”
“Mr. Milburn left me with instructions. You are to pay me 750 dollars to finish the deal on Dorena. He said to tell you he’s sorry he had to be gone when you came back.”
“I am too,” said Benjamin, taking a small leather pouch from his pocket. “I have the money right here.”
“Fine. I’ll send one of the slaves to get Dorena. She’s working in a field on the west side of the estate.”
With the financial transaction done and Dorena’s emancipation papers in his pocket, Benjamin stood at the rear of the mansion, gazing westward. As they waited, Wiley Chance gave Dan a detailed description of Benjamin’s victory over Zanu in the lifting contest.
Suddenly Benjamin saw his bride-to-be running toward him as fast as she could. Dan and Wiley smiled at each other as they watched Benjamin bolt toward her.
When Dorena ran into his open arms, he picked her up, laughing heartily, and swung her around several times, then planted her feet on the ground and told her the money had been paid. She was his! Dorena swayed, a bit dizzy from being swung in circles, and both of them were giddy with happiness.
“Well,” he said, holding her in his arms, “let’s go home.”
Dorena looked deeply into his eyes. “Darling, is something wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“Call it woman’s intuition, but I see something in your eyes. What is it?”
“Nothing is wrong now, sweetheart. But something happened when we first got here. I’ll tell you about it on the way home. Now that you’re mine, everything is perfect. Come on. Dan is eager to see you.”
Tracie Johnson had been keyed up for the last two days awaiting the imminent arrival of her husband and the happy couple. She had fixed up the cabin where the newlyweds would live and had it ready for them to move in.
She was in the kitchen, baking bread, when she heard the front door of the ranch house open, followed by the sound of Dan’s voice. Darting to the front of the house, she set eyes on Dorena and said to Dan, “I’ll hug you in a minute.” Then she pulled Dorena close and kissed her cheek. “Welcome home, honey.”
Dorena was overwhelmed with Tracie’s display of kindness and
affection. She kissed her cheek in return, saying, “Thank you, Miss Tracie. It really feels like home.”
Tracie held her for a long moment, telling her they were going to be good friends, then she went to Dan and embraced him.
Turning back toward Dorena, Tracie said, “I feel like I’ve known you all of my life. You’re not only my sister in the Lord, but we will soon be related in another way. After all, my last name is Johnson, and yours will be shortly!”
Everybody laughed, then Tracie went to the kitchen to take her bread out of the oven. When that was done, Dan and Tracie took Benjamin and Dorena to the cabin so Dorena could see her new home. She was thrilled with it and thanked Dan and Tracie for how good they were to Benjamin and her.
When they returned to the ranch house, Tracie took Dorena to her room to help her get settled.
Dorena stopped at the open door and ran her gaze over the room. “This is really nice, Miss Tracie; just like you have decorated our new house. Thank you for allowing me to stay here till Benjamin and I get married.”
“We’re happy to have you, honey. And … would you do me a favor?”
“Of course.”
“Since we’re practically sisters, how about you drop the ‘miss’ and just call me Tracie?”
Dorena thought of the time Priscilla had told her she could drop the ‘miss’ when they were alone. Smiling at Dan’s wife, she said, “Thank you. From now on, it will be Tracie. This is just all so new and different for me. I was born a slave, and until Benjamin set me free a few days ago, it is all I have ever known.”
Tracie looked into Dorena’s dark brown eyes and said, “I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, but from now on, you’re a free woman. I’m here for you, and as you adjust to your new life, please know that I will help in any way I can.”
When Dorena had unpacked her carpetbag and put her things away, Tracie took her back to the parlor, where the men sat talking.
They jumped to their feet when the ladies entered, then sat down with them.
Dorena held Benjamin’s hand and said, “Darling, you should tell M—ah … Tracie about what happened when you and Dan arrived at the Milburn plantation. You know … Lorena.”
Tracie’s eyes were wide as Benjamin told her of the horrible scare when overseer Cameron Derks told him Dorena had been killed.
Tracie shook her head. “I feel bad for that little fourteen-year-old girl, but I’m so glad it wasn’t you, Dorena.”
After more conversation about their trip, Tracie told the group she needed to get back to her kitchen and start supper. She had a nice meal planned.
During supper that evening, Benjamin and Dorena tried valiantly to stay in the conversation with Dan and Tracie, but from time to time they found they couldn’t take their eyes off each other.
Finally, Dan said, “Benjamin, I assume you’ll be taking Dorena into town tomorrow to meet Pastor and Mrs. Custer, and to talk to him about setting up the wedding?”
“You assume correctly,” said Benjamin, flashing a smile. “Now that my sweetheart is a free woman, I want to marry her in a hurry so she won’t be free any more!”
Dorena laughed. “I won’t mind at all being enslaved to you, my darling.”
Benjamin smiled at her. “There is something I need to tell you.”
“Yes?”
“You know, of course, that I was very concerned when your letters stopped coming.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Well, not knowing as yet that you had been sold by Lewis Moore, I kept writing to you. In one letter, I told you that you would be my mail order bride, like Miss Tracie is Dan’s.”
Dorena laughed. “I think that’s wonderful!”
The next day, after meeting with Pastor and Mrs. Custer, and setting the wedding date for Saturday, November 14, Benjamin and Dorena went to a jewelry store where they picked out Dorena’s wedding ring. After looking at several rings, Dorena picked a plain gold band.
As they walked out of the jewelry store, Dorena said, “All my life I have seen white women wearing wedding rings. But as a slave, I knew I would never have one, even when I got married. Oh, Benjamin, the Lord is so good!”
“That He is,” said Benjamin, taking her by the arm to escort her around the end of the hitching rail to board the buggy.
Suddenly, Dorena felt his body stiffen. She looked up to find him staring at two white men who glared at him with naked hatred in their eyes.
“Who are they?” she whispered.
“Jules Crain and his son, Wyatt. They don’t like black folk.”
People on the street paused to look on as they saw Jules and Wyatt draw up and heard Jules say, “Well, if it isn’t Dan Johnson’s full-fledged partner! I told him what I thought of that stupid move. It was bad enough, hirin’ you as a cowhand, but makin’ you his partner! That was more than I could stomach!”