William Keener - Pearl and the Nigger

“Andy, I’ll go with you anywhere. Here or wherever,” she whispered.

“I would be happy anywhere with you, Molly,” he said, as he put an arm around her. “We’ll have to move our plans up, so let us go to bed, and I’ll meet you in the morning.”

The next morning at sunrise, Andy saddled Black Demon and one of the army’s mounts for him, and they rode to the Fayette Courthouse. It was August 30; they obtained a marriage license and were married by a local preacher, disregarding the advice given by General Lee.

When they returned and informed General Lee, he offered best wishes. Nanny and Rubin cried—their tears were both from joy and sadness.

That night they lay in bed, both very silent until Molly turned over facing Andy and whispered, “Andy, I do want us to come back, but I am afraid you would tire of the mountains. You have lived a fuller life, and that isn’t possible in these mountains. You will seek better opportunities than the mountains can afford. Wherever you go, I’m going with you, dear.”

“Molly, put that foolishness out of your pretty head. I can be happy with you anywhere,” he replied.

She laughed, smoothed his hair, and kissed him as their arms circled in a deep embrace.

The next morning at breakfast, Molly informed General Lee that they would be going with him and then continue to Richmond, where they would stay with her aunt.

After breakfast she asked Nanny to have Rubin go to the house, where she informed them of their plans.

“Nanny,” she said, “you are like a mother to me. In fact, you have done for me everything a mother could do except giving me life. I now have a new life before me. I have promised to take you and Rubin with me, but now, and until this war is over, you and Rubin will have to remain here at the Pines. Andy and I are going to my aunt’s in Richmond.”

Before Molly could explain that they expected to return and make their home at the Pines, Nanny began to cry and blabber hysterically. “I’d know’d it—I’d know’d it. That damn Yankee was goin’ take y’u ’way from me.”

Molly embraced Nanny, and in a calm, soothing voice, she quieted her and began her explanation once more. “Nanny, we will be back as soon as the South wins.”

“Till somebody wins,” interrupted Andy.

“What? You are not turning Rebel?” asked Molly, with fire in her eyes.

“My convictions have not changed,” he assured her. “My sympathies are wholly with the North, but since I have married a Rebel, I realize that I must respect your convictions, and—”

“You expect me to turn into a Yankee,” shouted Molly.

“No! Not unless your conscience dictates it, Molly,” he replied.

“General Lee warned me not to expect you to change, but I wouldn’t listen, and—”

“What did General Lee say about it?” asked Andy.

“He told me not to expect you to change sides. I am not sure that he—”

“Good for General Lee,” interrupted Andy. “From what I know of him, I would expect him to say that. He is a gentleman and a soldier fighting for what he believes is right just as I have enlisted with the side I think is right. Surely I may be wrong, but I do not believe the Southern states have any right to withdraw from the Union just because they cannot accept the policies of the government, and I am not in favor of the extension of slavery into other states and territories. I think slavery is an institution that ought to be abolished entirely.”

“Andy, you are not fair in all of that,” she snorted. “The South does not expect to dictate the policies of the government. The truth is—and you know it—we’re the minority in Washington, and we cannot get an even break. We’ve been kicked around like dogs. The North takes advantage of us. We’re at their mercy. If our best interests cannot be promoted within the Union, can you blame us for wanting to find a new nation? We’ve asked nothing from the North, and they have no right to keep us from withdrawing if we choose. That’s all we—”

“Molly, Molly! Hold up,” Andy shouted. “I’m not convinced that it’s either to your interest or to ours for the Southern states to form a separate nation. I’m very strongly of the opinion that it’s not. Can you visualize two weak republics fussing and quarreling with each other? We should be one strong, invincible country presenting a united people of one solid body. You and I could settle this whole thing tomorrow if we had the chance, and if there had been a little more levelheadedness among the leaders of both the North and South, this war would have never started.”

Andy didn’t finish his lecture because General Lee entered the room and remarked, “One day being man and wife and you have a disagreement.”

“No, just a discussion, General Lee,” answered Molly, and she laughed. “If Andy and I had our way, we would settle this war now. But since we do not, he will wear the blue and I will wear the gray, but we will never fight!”

“Fine!” replied the general. “One of my troopers has a wagon, so load it with what you will be taking with you, for tomorrow we will pull back to Big Sewell Mountain.”

General Lee’s plans changed before the three days were up, and he remained at the Pines for nearly a week. He was disturbed that General Wise would not heed orders to withdraw on September 10. He met with Wise and Chapman at Chapman’s camp overlooking Gauley Bridge. He confided in him his thoughts of how easy it would be to crush Cox, but he also pointed out the dangers. He definitely made it known that they were to pull back and defend the Valley of Virginia.

The news that Lee was remaining a few days longer was welcomed by Molly and Andy. This allowed them more time to assure Nanny and Rubin that they would be back. Rarely has greater happiness been experienced by anyone as they enjoyed during the brief week that Molly and Andy spent at the Pines.

They discussed briefly imminent dangers. They just refused to be disturbed by these, and unbounded happiness was theirs, despite threatening, thickening storm clouds that loomed on their horizon. Each fully knew the clouds meant sorrow and more sorrow but refused to be disturbed by them and vowed not to cross those bridges until they were before them.

General Lee approved the plan for them to stay with Molly’s aunt in Richmond. He agreed to give Andy a letter that he was a prisoner of war with somewhat of a neutral attitude between the North and the South.

This plan was approved by Molly, and her happiness radiated outward, showing that she believed the storm clouds would go away, maybe completely. Andy accepted the idea, but he knew that they would not have any use for a Yankee in Richmond. Molly, somehow, knew the feelings and tried to assure him that she would be there, but he still knew there still would be problems.

He tried to assure Molly that everything would be happy as long as he was with her, and Molly played upon the excuse that he would not be safe to return to the North.

Molly, clasping her hands behind Andy’s neck, kissed him lightly and sat down on his knee, saying, “Poor Andy! You are almost a man without a country, but the South will adopt you and love you as I do.”

“I am not!” he replied, angrily. “I could reenlist somewhere under another name. The North will list me as a prisoner of the South and would never know but that I died in prison. I am a captive here and will be treated as one in Richmond.”

“It’s all my fault! I guess I’m to blame,” she declared.

“Molly, listen, please—”

“Yes, it’s my fault. I’ll take the blame.” Her words were soft. “I love you, and you are a man without a country.”

“You are just about right, my dear, and I respect every bit of your feelings. It is our love that will keep us together,” he replied. He continued, “I know you mean to provide for me and protect me while under Southern supervision—”