Reckless Lives: A Tale of the Old South

Josiah Tells Lizzie No

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“No good doin’ thet, Lizzie. Let me help yuh with thet.” Josiah took the reins from her, which she had been trying to tie to the old, half rotted fence near the cabin where Josiah lived with his brothers and sisters.

The small cabin seemed lonely today; There were no children around. It felt eery to Lizzie, being here without the little ones coming up to her to ask for her to read to them.

“You look sad Josiah, and where is everyone?” Lizzie asked.

“Pappy died, Lizzie. He fin’lly died. They’re puttin’ him in the ground today. The rel’tives came and took the little uns.”

“What about you, Josiah?” Lizzie asked anxiously. As hard as Josiah’s father had made his life, it was strange that he was not at the funeral.

“I stayed behin’, Lizzie. I haf’ ta work… It ain’t that I don’t keer; I miss him, Lizzie.”

He was leaning against the rickety fence, after tying Silver to a tree.

“You should, I suppose. He was your father. But aren’t you relieved as well?”

“No, not really. Not yet. Maybe when the funerals over an he’s in the ground. Maybe when the kids come back. But now, I’m the only man, Lizzie. I got to take keer of ev’rything.”

“But Josiah, you already are! You have been all along! What has your father ever done, but drink your whole family into ruin?” Lizzie shouted indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I don’t know. But it seems like he did something. He helped with the planting every year, Lizzie. An’ when he wasn’t drunk, sometimes I kid ask him things.” Josiah looked longingly out at the blue sky, thinking of his father.

“But now we can be married, Josiah!” Lizzie exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.

“We ken?” He sounded confused.

“Well, of course we can! Now that your father is dead, it’s safe for me to be here and teach the children! What more do we need?” She looked up at him, grinning triumphantly.

“But Lizzie, Michael never said he would come.” He said struggling from her grasp.

“What do you mean, Josiah? I told you Michael had someone else on the plantation. Her name is Scarlett, and they’re practically married.” Lizzie said screwing her face into a scowl. “ She’s having his baby soon, Josiah.” She added longingly.

Josiah turned away from her and fiddled with some thread from his trousers.

“It couldn’t work, Lizzie. There isn’t anyone to take keer of you. I’ve got the fields and the house, and the kids. I cain’t take keer of you on my own.”

“You can’t? But Josiah, I can help you! I can dig and plant if you show me! And I can teach the kids to read!”

“Maybe in a few years, Lizzie. But I cain’t do it now. I don’t know how I’m gonna manage all my ‘sponsibilities anyway. I cain’t have a wife, too, ‘specially not a lady.”

He said, looking away from her. He looked forlorn, and discouraged.

“Not a lady? What’s wrong with being a lady, Josiah? I thought that’s what everyone wanted from me! I’ve done my best, and now you don’t want me?!” Her voice caught in her throat, and she could tell she was about to start crying.