Reunion by Mary Daheim

Author:Mary Daheim
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: maine, civil war, journalist, womens rights, yankee, sea captain
Publisher: Camel Press
Published: 2013-03-19T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

IT WAS UNCOMMONLY WARM for the middle of November. Serena had begun to perspire under her rust-colored bombazine dress as she watched Herman Pigott try to set type. He was a cheerful if not overly bright farm boy; his parents had owned land at Rattle Hill a few miles outside of New Bern, but their acreage had been ravaged by Union soldiers. With no trade and little concern for politics, Herman had let his sister, Emaline, talk him into trying for a job on the Carolina Leader. Neither Serena nor Kirk had been impressed, but when Emaline volunteered to run errands and clean for free if they’d hire her brother, Herman got the job. Kirk insisted on backing the gawky youth up with someone else, an experienced printer named Caldwell Smith from the First Rhode Island Light Artillery, who was anxious to exchange his life as a soldier for the more peaceable atmosphere of a newspaper office.

“Herman, are you left-handed?” Serena looked up from her list of things to do for the day.

“Yes, ma’am. Right-handed, too.” He had a habit of smiling widely without ever opening his mouth.

“Are you sure?” But of course she’d seen him write; he’d had to prove he was literate to be a printer—and she wasn’t certain, which hand had held the pen.

“Yes, ma’am.” He held up both hands, moving his fingers as if he were about to attempt a sonata on the pianoforte.

Serena sighed. “All right.” She turned back to her list, wishing that it included a publication date. The calendar above the filing cabinet read November 16; was it possible that Brant had not eluded the Confederate ships, which roamed off the Virginia and Carolina coasts? She shivered and shoved a stray lock of hair into the black net snood, trying to concentrate on the items she had yet to accomplish.

She’d given up on advertising, though. Few businessmen who were not ardent Confederate supporters wished to be branded as pro-Yankee by contributing money to a Northern cause. Not that it mattered; their financial situation was secure as long as the Union army paid for the cost of their operation. As for the office itself, Kirk could have commandeered it as occupied territory. Instead, he had offered the owner a fair rental price—and been refused. But after several glasses of Irish whiskey, the reluctant landlord had finally agreed that perhaps all was fair in love and war.

Serena put a checkmark next to the “paper supply.” Kirk had brought an adequate amount from Raleigh earlier in the month. Next was Emaline; her duties had to be outlined more carefully. But Serena puzzled over Emaline. Both brother and sister had been taught to read and write in their Rattle Hill farm. Though Herman seemed somewhat slow, Emaline was very quick. Serena found it strange that Emaline, who might have found a better position for herself, seemed so determined to sacrifice herself for Herman.

The Southern mentality, Serena decided, always permitting the male to come first. Not that

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