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Authors: Gilbert Morris
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that had built up during the sermon now caught in her throat, and she could only stare at him as the tears welled up in her eyes.
“Mary, this is the young lady from Richmond that Edwin was telling you about. I think it would be fitting if you had her in to one of your teas someday.”
Mary Lincoln was neurotically jealous of her husband, having been known to physically pull at least one woman away while screaming at her. But she apparently saw no threat in the young woman who stood beside the captain. She noted the quivering lips, the tears ready to spill over, and impulsivelystepped forward and touched Belle’s arm. “Why, I was talking with the captain’s daughter-in-law yesterday,” she said. “She’ll be bringing you to our home next Wednesday.”
“Now, that’s fine!” Lincoln nodded, breaking into a smile, making his homely face almost beautiful. “Be sure she feeds you well, Mrs. Wickham,” he said, moving down the aisle.
The drive home was somber. Not until they were halfway to their destination did Belle speak. “He’s not at all as they say—the newspapers.”
“No, he’s not,” Captain Winslow agreed. “He’s not like anybody else, Belle, and that’s God’s truth.”
He considered her quietly. “He’s the only thing that’s held the Union together, Belle. He’s been insulted by everyone, but if he goes down, so does the country. I went to a party once with Robert, and Lincoln was there. Somehow we got left alone, and I told the President how much I appreciated him. He grinned at me in the way he has, and he told me this story:
“ ‘There was a man I knew who kept a kennel full of hunting dogs—young and old. He’d sell the young ones every now and then, smart as they were and slick as they could be. But the one dog he’d never sell or lend was an old half-deaf foolish looking hound you wouldn’t think was worth five dollars. That old hound would just lie around and scratch fleas, and I used to plague the man, ask him why he kept such a dog. “Well,” the man said, “he ain’t much on looks or speed. A young dog can outrun him anytime. But, Abe, that dog’s hell-bent on a cold scent, and once he gets his teeth into what he’s after, he don’t let go until he knows it’s dead.” ’ ”
The captain thought for a moment before going on. “You know what he said then, Belle? ‘I’m that old dog, Winslow. There are lots of smarter and faster dogs, but I won’t quit!’
“I guess that’s why I love him, Belle.” The captain seemed sad, and they made the rest of the trip in silence.
Belle wished she’d never met the man she’d been taught to hate—for she knew she could never hate him again.
CHAPTER SIX
“SHE’S PAID TOO MUCH!”
Monday morning Belle received a letter from her mother, and the captain saw that it depressed her. He never asked about Richmond, but was always interested in the family. When Belle came in that evening dressed for the opera, she sat down beside him and began to talk. “The family is well, but the boys are all gone, and Mama worries about them a great deal—especially Dan.”
“He’s in the army, too? How old is he?”
“Eighteen.”
“So young—all of them seem so young!” the captain said softly. “But I was only eighteen the first time I saw action. Seems like a millennium ago! How about young Novak and your sister? They married yet?”
“Oh no. Pet wants to but Thad says they’ve got to wait. I’m glad.” A sudden spasm of grief swept over Belle’s face, and she whispered, “I wouldn’t want her to go through this!”
Whitfield looked at her searchingly. “Remember what the preacher said? ‘Thou God seest me.’ I reckon that’s what all of us have got to hang on to.”
Belle looked at him, her eyes filled with doubt, even fear. “You’re so sure of that, Captain—and so are my parents and Pet. All of you must have something I don’t.”
“Aren’t you a Christian, my dear?”
“Why, I’ve
“Mary, this is the young lady from Richmond that Edwin was telling you about. I think it would be fitting if you had her in to one of your teas someday.”
Mary Lincoln was neurotically jealous of her husband, having been known to physically pull at least one woman away while screaming at her. But she apparently saw no threat in the young woman who stood beside the captain. She noted the quivering lips, the tears ready to spill over, and impulsivelystepped forward and touched Belle’s arm. “Why, I was talking with the captain’s daughter-in-law yesterday,” she said. “She’ll be bringing you to our home next Wednesday.”
“Now, that’s fine!” Lincoln nodded, breaking into a smile, making his homely face almost beautiful. “Be sure she feeds you well, Mrs. Wickham,” he said, moving down the aisle.
The drive home was somber. Not until they were halfway to their destination did Belle speak. “He’s not at all as they say—the newspapers.”
“No, he’s not,” Captain Winslow agreed. “He’s not like anybody else, Belle, and that’s God’s truth.”
He considered her quietly. “He’s the only thing that’s held the Union together, Belle. He’s been insulted by everyone, but if he goes down, so does the country. I went to a party once with Robert, and Lincoln was there. Somehow we got left alone, and I told the President how much I appreciated him. He grinned at me in the way he has, and he told me this story:
“ ‘There was a man I knew who kept a kennel full of hunting dogs—young and old. He’d sell the young ones every now and then, smart as they were and slick as they could be. But the one dog he’d never sell or lend was an old half-deaf foolish looking hound you wouldn’t think was worth five dollars. That old hound would just lie around and scratch fleas, and I used to plague the man, ask him why he kept such a dog. “Well,” the man said, “he ain’t much on looks or speed. A young dog can outrun him anytime. But, Abe, that dog’s hell-bent on a cold scent, and once he gets his teeth into what he’s after, he don’t let go until he knows it’s dead.” ’ ”
The captain thought for a moment before going on. “You know what he said then, Belle? ‘I’m that old dog, Winslow. There are lots of smarter and faster dogs, but I won’t quit!’
“I guess that’s why I love him, Belle.” The captain seemed sad, and they made the rest of the trip in silence.
Belle wished she’d never met the man she’d been taught to hate—for she knew she could never hate him again.
CHAPTER SIX
“SHE’S PAID TOO MUCH!”
Monday morning Belle received a letter from her mother, and the captain saw that it depressed her. He never asked about Richmond, but was always interested in the family. When Belle came in that evening dressed for the opera, she sat down beside him and began to talk. “The family is well, but the boys are all gone, and Mama worries about them a great deal—especially Dan.”
“He’s in the army, too? How old is he?”
“Eighteen.”
“So young—all of them seem so young!” the captain said softly. “But I was only eighteen the first time I saw action. Seems like a millennium ago! How about young Novak and your sister? They married yet?”
“Oh no. Pet wants to but Thad says they’ve got to wait. I’m glad.” A sudden spasm of grief swept over Belle’s face, and she whispered, “I wouldn’t want her to go through this!”
Whitfield looked at her searchingly. “Remember what the preacher said? ‘Thou God seest me.’ I reckon that’s what all of us have got to hang on to.”
Belle looked at him, her eyes filled with doubt, even fear. “You’re so sure of that, Captain—and so are my parents and Pet. All of you must have something I don’t.”
“Aren’t you a Christian, my dear?”
“Why, I’ve
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