Steadfast Legacy: A Tale of the American Civil War

Chapter 8: Maryland

Daniel, Rebecca, and Tim crossed the border into Maryland the day after their meeting at Jeremiah's church. When night fell, they had still not reached Martinsburg, though the map indicated they were very close. As they made camp, Daniel felt a great sense of relief; Maryland was Union territory, and thus there was no cause to fear being found out as a Unionist.

Rebecca, by contrast, felt a great deal less relief. Union or not, Maryland was still a Slave State, and at any rate she wasn't sure she and Tim would be truly safe anywhere south of Canada. The Fugitive Slave Act would see to that.

As Daniel set about preparing a camp fire, Rebecca continued soothing Tim's head with a damp cloth. He was doing better, but still was in no state to walk on his own, and the wagon ride had not been especially comfortable for him. When the fire was ready, Rebecca put down the cloth and prepared to boil some hot water. She still had some ginger left to make a tea.

As the water came to a boil and Rebecca began preparing the treatment, she saw Daniel preparing the shelter and bedding they would use that night. He wore an expression indicating that he was not looking forward to using it.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

"It's just..." Daniel began. "I ain't got used to a-sleeping on the ground yet. I miss my bed."

"Oh," she replied pointedly. "You had a bed."

"'Course I did," he said. "Where do you think I slept back on my farm?"

"Apparently in a bed," said Rebecca. "Must've been nice."

After a brief pause, Daniel, who had clearly noticed her tone, asked, "Did I say something to displease you, girl?"

"'Girl'... not 'ma'am' or 'miss' or even my name. 'Girl'," whispered Rebecca. Raising her voice back to a speaking tone, she answered, "You complaining about not getting to sleep in your bed when Tim and I ain't never even had no bed to sleep in till recently."

Daniel was a little surprised at this. "What do you mean?" he asked. "What about your beds on the plantation?"

Rebecca scoffed again. "You think Master Johnson cared about such things? Why would he spend money acquiring us beds when he can economize with some hay and blankets?"

"You slept on hay and blankets?"

"Sometimes not even that," said Rebecca. "Until we reached our first Station on this journey north, I ain't never slept on a bed; not once. I had a blanket and a pile of hay, or I slept on the cabin floor, and in Master Johnson's mind that was a generous provision. I always dreamed of having even just a mattress, as did every other slave in Hunter's Grove, but we knew better than to ask. Master Johnston would've taken it as a sign of idleness if we even hinted at the thought, and our work load would've increased each day to 'teach' us the value of industry. So we made do with our lot and made no fuss. Lying on that hay, wondering what a mattress would feel like, longing for the sensation of sheets and a pillow, knowing I was unlikely ever to experience what everyone else considered normal sleeping conditions. And now you complain because you have to start sleeping on the ground after a whole life of luxuriating every night - "

"Alright," said Daniel throwing up his hands. "Alright. I apologize; I didn't know." He lowered his hands and said in a neutral tone, "But if I may be so bold, I think it unfair for you to chastise me for a-missing something when the reason I miss it is the same reason you wish you had it."

Rebecca gave no answer to this but finished Tim's tea. She fed it to him and then began singing him a song. It was a song she'd heard her mother sing years ago, before they were separated:

I am a poor, wayfaring stranger,

A-traveling through this world of woe.

But there's no sickness, toil, nor danger,