Now Just Suppose an Elephant Could Fly

Cottonwood

It was the early 1830’s

George Mayler wasn’t a farmer by any means, he was in his mid fifties, an uncle had died and left him some money; it wasn’t a great amount, but most people would have been happy with it, knowing it would support them for a good while. George wasn’t the kind to be held down, he had heard the stories of the Mississippi steamboats and the gambling that went on and how fortunes were made and of course the drink and women that went along with it. He knew well enough how to play poker; he learnt the hard way in a pokey little town, winning a little here and there, just enough to keep his gambling on the go. Now with sufficient funds behind him, he had always wanted to play the big time. Three days later he found himself along the banks of the Mississippi river’ it wasn’t difficult to find card games. Lady luck was with him, he won much more than he lost, in fact his name got around to such a point that he was now finding it hard to get into small games for he always upped the stakes in a game which became to high for small time gamblers. Aboard the steamboat he found the games to be in a different league to what he had been used to, he wasn’t always that lucky at times, he lost big and won big; it was during a game he was losing real big, more than he had ever done before. He knew he was down to only a few more hands, and if he were to lose, it would be a finish to his gambling, but lady luck smiled on him again, the game went on long into the night. One by one his opponents dropped out of the game leaving only him and a gambler called Bart Reynolds, a well know gambler up and down the river. He had Bart down to his last few chips; from inside his coat Bart pulled out some papers and tossed them on the table. “Them’s deeds to some good land and property, worth enough to more than cover this hand, you willing?” George studied his hand, pursed his lips and nodded to Bart across the table. “I got you this time Mayler.” Burt blurted out as he laid his cards on the table one at a time. King of clubs, Queen of clubs, Jack of clubs, Ten of clubs and the Nine of Clubs. “Got you nailed down real good this time, eh Mayler. That’s what I call a damn good straight flush.” He leant forward to pull the pile of money on the table towards him. “Hold it Bart, you best let me play my cards first.” George placed his cards on the table one at a time also. King of hearts, Queen of hearts, Jack of hearts, Ten of hearts, he with held the last card momentarily. “And of course I have this to back them up.” He then placed the Ace of hearts on the table. “That’s what I call a damn good Royal flush.” There were groans from the people standing around the table, never before had they seen cards like that come out. George took his hat off and scooped his winnings into it and walked out of the saloon. Next morning found the paddle steamer moored up to a jetty; there were a few wood building a short walk away. George had decided that he best quit before his luck ran out on him altogether, he had a few thousand dollars in his pocket and the deeds to some property, with what he had he walked off the steamer and up to the buildings. 2

They consisted of a saloon, hotel, general dealers store, blacksmiths shop and a land registry office with a few smaller buildings scattered around. Coming off the steamer at the same time was a younger woman carrying a carpetbag. “You live here lady?” “Nope, but I aint stopping on that thing any longer, they treat you worse than dirt on there expecting you to work for next to nothing.” She made her way towards the hotel. George stopped off at the land registry office. He opened the door, which scrapped along the floor making the clerk behind the desk look up. “How can I help you mister?” “I want you to take a look at these deeds and have them changed into my name.” “How you come by these.” “Won them in a card game.” “This is the second time I’ve changed the name of ownership in the last couple of months.” His business finished he continued up onto the hotel to find the lady that came off the steamer loudly talking to the clerk behind the desk. “Can I help you lady.” George enquired. “I hope you can, he’s trying to overcharge me for a room for the night.” George threw a couple of dollars onto the desk. “That should be enough to cover two rooms.” The clerk then gave them both a key. “Top of the stairs, one left one right.” Next morning George made his way over to the blacksmiths shop, there again he found the same woman trying to get a horse, but she found herself without enough funds. “What can I do for you Mister?” The blacksmith called over the woman’s shoulder “I would like to hire a wagon and horses.” “None for hire, you buy or you get nothing mister, horses and wagons have a habit of not coming back here.” “Okay I’ll buy.” The blacksmith hooked a couple of half decent horses to a less than decent wagon. The woman was still standing outside the blacksmith shop. “Which way you heading mister?” “I’m heading west, you can tag along if you’re up to it.” “Sure why not, I can’t go anywhere else.” “What’s your name?” “People call me Lilith.” “I’m George Mayler.” “I knows who you are.” “Good enough for me, you cook?” “Sure I can.” “That’ll do for me.” The way was slow and bumpy at times, passed a couple of plantations, had to ask directions at one. He was looking for a plantation called Cottonwood. On the third day they arrive at a run down place, they pulled up outside the main house, it had seen better days, but nothing that a bit of work and a licking of paint wouldn’t put right. The front door of the house opened, an elderly coloured woman stepped out onto the porch.” “You’s lost mister?” 3

“Nope, we aint lost, I’m the new owner of this place, you the only one here?” “No masser, there’s four more lives just over yonder, three woman and old Amos, he’s been a runnin’ the place since the last owner left.” “You got food here?” “Yes masser.” “What’s your name then?” “Ah is called Rebecca, Masser, from the bible.” “This here is Lilith, she’ll help you get a meal ready for us.” “Yes masser.” “Then tell the others I want to see them first thing in the morning.” “Yes masser.” With that she disappeared back into the house. The meal was basic, but enough to cover the needs of a hungry stomach. The house had been a nice place in its early years, but had been a little neglected, but with two women in the house they should be able to put it to rights quite easy. Next morning after breakfast the old lady and the others were stood outside the house as if to be inspected and not knowing what to expect. The three women were of different ages, one in her twenties, one in her forties or so and one about the same age as the old lady who came out of the house yesterday and the man in his sixties. I’m your new master, I’m George Mayler, you all may call me Master George, I’m not a hard man, but I expect you all to work well for your keep.” Turning to Amos. “Amos you will bring me up to date with everything around here, right.” “Yes Masser George.” “Firstly tell me by what names you are called.” He said as he turned to the youngest of the women. “I’m Maisy Masser George.” He then turned to next woman. “I’m Hilda Masser George.” He then looked at the older woman. “Ah is Hilda too Masser George. “Right you can all go about your work, Amos you walk a while with me and show me around.” Yes Masser George.” Amos walked them down through the fields of cotton and through fields of tobacco. George stood nodding his head in satisfaction to what Amos had shown and told him. His winning hand had been a windfall, much better than he had ever expected, from being almost poor to a gambler, now he was a landowner of good standing. Mayler soon discovered he wasn’t all that far from a town, not big by any means, but it kept him in touch with his gambling habit, not big by any means for folks in them parts were not of the habit of throwing money away, his gambling and drinking were mainly on a weekend He would often come home on a Saturday night under the influence of drink and force himself upon Lilith, she had very little choice, for she had no money of her own that could get her anywhere. Although she was a woman who had needs, she objected to being treated in such a way, but could do nothing about it. There were times when Mayler wanted more, he would often take to visiting Maisy, she had no rights at all, and she had to obey the master. 4

It was a good while after Mayler came home sober one Saturday night, smiling to himself, he had been in a card game with one of the nearby plantation owners, He threw some paper down onto the table. “Rebecca you tell Amos to expect another worker tomorrow, he’ll be living with him.” Sunday just as the sun was high in the sky a wagon pulled up at the front of the house, it was the forman of the nearby plantation. Mayler was there to greet him. “Morning Mister Mayler I have a delivery for you.” The forman turned to the passenger he had inside the wagon. “Out boy, get your bloody self out here quick.” He was the blackest worker Mayler had ever seen, he stood all of six foot was well developed in muscle and was aged about thirty years. Mayler walked around him. “You understand English boy?” “Yes boss I do.” “Good, then you’ll learn the ways of this place real quick, you work well and you’ll be treated well. What do they call you boy?” “They call’s me Isaac’s boss.” Just then Amos arrived up at the house. “ Amos you take this boy and find him some work to do and a place for him to sleep tonight.” “Yes master George.” Mayler knew he had won well in the card game, for this new boy would be a big help in the fields. Over the passing months he was proved right for things were getting done much quicker now, and time meant money to Mayler. Summers were hot, Lilith asked if she could go into town for a new dress, she hadn’t had anything new since she arrived at the house; Mayler said he wasn’t up to going into town. “Get that young buck to take the cart and drive you into town, he can handle a couple of horses.” The trip was slow and dusty and it was getting hotter by the hour, they had to ford a river, Lilith told Isaacs to stop the wagon and let the horses have a cool drink. Lilith slip down from her seat and trailed her feet into the water, it was cool and refreshing, trying to get back up onto the cart she slipped and fell into the water, coughing and spluttering Isaacs came to her rescue; he carried her to the side of the shallow river and set her down on the bank. “We can’t go into town or home looking like this, we’ll have to dry off, she disappeared into the trees and soon had her clothes hanging on the bushes around. She called out to Isaacs. “ You better get those britches and shirt dried off as well.” She came from behind the bush an accidentally walked straight into Isaacs, she had never seen a man so well developed as Isaacs, he was well muscled and his skin shone with the wetness of the water on him. She stepped closer to him, something inside her welled up, a feeling she had never known before, she slowly ran her hands over his chest and then over his back, her hands ran down to his hips and across his firm buttocks and then around between his thighs; the man in him was starting to rise, she never wanted a man before as much as she felt at this moment. Trips into town came a little more frequent for Lilith, especially if Isaacs was handling the horses, not that she was buying new clothes, for Mayler wasn’t all that kindly towards spending his money that way, she made the excuse that she enjoyed the change of scenery for a short while. 5

The months past and Lilith found herself expecting, Mayler wasn’t all that pleased for he said it would be spoiling his way of life as he put it. But knew he had to put up with it having Lilith living in the house. So now Mayler made more use of Maisy to get his pleasures. But it turned out that Maisy had also been expecting for a short while, so Mayler took to having more trips into town and sometimes stopping the night. It was Maisy who gave birth first, her delivery went almost without a hitch, it was a boy with dark hair but had a white skin, it was plain to see who was the father. Two days later Lilith started giving birth, she wasn’t having an easy time of it, the older women on the plantation were there to give a hand. Mayler told them to get on with it and left and went into town to get away from all the hustle and bustle that was going on. It had gone midnight when Lilith finally delivered her baby, it was a boy with jet- black hair and a very dark skin, and there was no escaping from where he had been fathered. Lilith was crying for she knew that Mayler would throw her out of the house and it was plain to see what would happen to Isaacs, for he would be whipped until he was dead; for the black workers had no rights whatever and when the towns folk found out about this they would even hang Isaacs after he had been whipped for the blacks were looked upon as being less than animals only good for working in the fields. Lilith was exhausted and fell into a deep sleep, it was mid day when Mayler came back. Lilith could hear him climbing the stairs, she heard him enter into the room, she had kept her eyes closed all the time. “Well what have we got, let me have a look.” Lilith was expecting the worst, she made an attempt to get up to go to the crib where the baby was lying, but she was too weak from her ordeal. Mayler lifted the baby out of the crib and lifted him into the air. “By God.” There was a silence that fell about the room. “He’s a fine baby, he’ll be called George after me.” Lilith looked up to find Mayler holding a baby with the whitest skin she had ever seen.