Kate Mulhall A romance of the Oregon Trail
She was of the brunette type, with dark hair and lustrous eyes that
fairly sparkled with the delight of being interested in the fields
and flowers, grand old woods full of wild life, birds, animals and
everything about the home or farm. Of more than the average height,
her movement was lithe and free; her form an excellent subject for an
artist's brush. Outdoor life appealed to her nature, and she took a
joyful satisfaction in all of its activities.
Kate was an expert horsewoman and a crack shot {10} with the rifle,
often picking a wild turkey off the lower limb of a forest tree at
one or two hundred yards. In addition to that splendid game bird,
timorous water-fowl were abundant on the rivers and in ponds; deer,
grouse and pheasants in the wood and brakes; rabbits and squirrels
almost everywhere; and the "razor-back" hog, wild and ferocious,
roamed the forests and dense thickets of Missouri in those pioneer
days. Many a litter of pigs, sprung from domesticated ancestors,
lived by digging out edible roots under the surface, or hunted
beneath the heavy fall of autumnal leaves for the more nutritious
acorns, beechnuts and walnuts.
The constant search for food developed an independent life which soon
relapsed into the state of nature; so wild hogs became, like the deer
and turkey, common property for the hunter's rifle. From these
various kinds of game Kate kept the Mulhall family table well
supplied with substantial and seasonable food. Missouri also
harbored among its inhabitants not a few wild men, contact with whom
sometimes involved taking desperate chances.
David Mulhall, Kate's father, was a typical non-slaveholding farmer
of that period in Missouri--honest but not "progressive" in the
present general understanding of that word. He was intensely
prejudiced against the negroes, but bitterly opposed to the
institution of slavery. Because of these well-known views, he was
regarded with suspicion by a majority of his slaveholding neighbors;
and, in fact, {11} looked down upon as belonging to the "poor white
trash" of the South who worked with their hands.
Many others like him migrated from Missouri because of their hatred
of slavery, though usually carrying with them a prejudice against the
black man. Others left that region for "free territory" because of
the bitter class prejudice existing between those who owned negroes
and those who did not; and the latter particularly to save their
children from the necessity of competing with slave labor.
Mulhall was by nature and training an easy-going person, who believed
in "letting well enough alone"; and was, therefore, averse to going
out upon a world of uncertainties, or taking unnecessary chances for
bettering his condition. He was born before the advent of railroads
in the United States, when oxen supplied the principal means of
transportation, and "hog and hominy" comprised the basic food supply
for a majority of the people.
The sickle cut his grain, which was thrashed by the flail; and the
wind separated it from the chaff. Boiled wheat frequently took the
place of white bread, as it was a long distance to a mill and usually
a tiresome wait for the "turn" to have the grist ground; hominy was
often substituted for johnny-cake or corn pone when the meal was all
gone. It is difficult for a generation accustomed to an abundance of
every kind of food, including luxuries, to realize how the American
farmer lived in the early part of the nineteenth century.
{12}
A rather large one-room cabin was the home of the Mulhalls--with a
loft overhead, the fireplace in one end and the bedroom, curtained
off for the parents, in the other. Kate's room was in the loft with
the younger children--all girls--reached only by a ladder fastened to
the wall; the patter of rain on the roof often lulled the youngsters
to sleep, whether they willed it or not.
Kate was not one of those who constantly chafe for things they cannot
have and lament over their fate. She was too healthy in mind and
body to give way to discontent--was satisfied with her lot, and proud
of the class to which she belonged. Nor would she willingly exchange
places with anyone who lived in idleness and comparative affluence
upon the involuntary labor of fellow mortals of a different color.
Fine qualities of head and heart combined with an exceptionally
attractive personality to make her very popular with the young men of
marriageable age and inclinations in all the country around. Nor
were all of her admirers of her own circle; at least one belonged to
those prone to consider themselves superior to white families who
owned no servants. But at the time this story begins, Kate had no
serious intention of taking any step that would abridge her personal
freedom; there was plenty of time for that.
But whenever there were any "doings" in the neighborhood--dances,
spelling bees, sociables or camp-meetings--she was sure to be on
hand, and {13} never lacked for an escort home. Sometimes it would
be Ben Hardy, at other times James Price or one of the Shaeffer boys.
She had never gone anywhere with Isaac Pelton, although she always
treated him in a friendly way at such places, and actually admired
him more than any of the other young men of her acquaintance.
He was a fine looking young man, sensible and well-behaved; but when
the thought that he belonged to the slave-holding class--most of whom
either sneered at her kind of people, or acted patronizingly towards
them--came vividly into her mind she said to herself, in effect,
"Banish the thought! Never will I come to terms of intimacy with one
of those would-be aristocrats, however nice he may be personally."
Isaac was really a victim of circumstances. Born of a slaveholding
family, he had a good education and bore himself like a gentleman,
never assuming any airs of superiority over his neighbors, whatever
their station in life. As a matter of fact, he deplored the
conditions that separated him from those with whom he felt he had
more in common than with his own people. There were many like him in
those days.
Standing six feet in his stockings, he was erect in bearing and
rather slender in frame, though no weakling when it came to physical
prowess; "of stature tall and slender frame, but firmly knit" would
apply to Isaac Pelton. His hair was brown and his {14} eyes grey,
indicating mental alertness; a slightly prominent chin and firm-set
lips stamped him as one not easily swayed from his course.
At a neighborhood gathering just prior to the beginning of this
story, Isaac noticed that Kate had no escort; so, availing himself of
a favorable opportunity, he approached her and in a very gentlemanly
way offered to see her home. It was the first time Pelton had ever
done anything of the kind; Kate seemed embarrassed for a moment, and
blushed perceptibly.
If only her feelings were to guide her actions, she would have
cheerfully accepted the offer, for she really liked Isaac and admired
his many good qualities; but again that class barrier arose in her
mind, and she courteously declined. He knew it would be useless to
try to press his suit further just then; so retired, defeated for the
moment but not discouraged.
Pelton had been studying Kate for quite a while, and as time went on,
the more interested he became; her sterling qualities appeared to
greater advantage every time he had an opportunity to observe her.
He felt that she was the one woman he could love and cherish
throughout his life; and no matter how great the obstacles in his
path, he would win her.
Notwithstanding the rebuff, he felt sure that she had no personal
objection to him, but was actuated by what she deemed a principle.
Were he not the owner of human chattels, he believed his advances
would have been more favorably received; that {15} barrier must
somehow or other be removed before he could hope to be successful.
He was right, but that was a wakeful night for Kate. The more she
thought about it the worse she felt; she regretted wounding Pelton's
feelings, but it would have strained her principles to have accepted
his offer.
As she lay awake pondering over recent events, Kate began to realize
that Pelton was more to her than she had imagined; and remembered the
many small courtesies extended by him when they met at the frequent
neighborhood gatherings. Both were fond of flowers, and she now
recalled the many new bouquets slipped into her hand with a list of
their names and classifications. She remembered, too, that unlike so
many of the neighborhood boys Isaac always had something sensible to
say, and was an attentive listener; that at times he seemed reserved,
almost timid, in her presence.
An almost forgotten incident of two or three years before now came
vividly to her mind; how when the matter came to his attention,
Pelton hunted up and soundly thrashed a ruffian who had used
insulting language to her. These and other incidents helped to
banish sleep. As her mind was absorbed with thoughts relating to
Isaac, in a dreamy sort of way Kate began to realize for the first
time in her life that a strange feeling of more than friendship,
admiration or simply respect possessed her. She loved Pelton in
spite of herself.
Then the hateful words "slave" and "slaveholder" {16} stole into her
mind to break the reverie, causing her to again exclaim half aloud to
herself, "Banish the thought!" The present generation can scarcely
realize the virulence and intensity of the feeling generally held by
the slaveholding class against anyone who condemned that system.
Kate was well aware of this, and naturally inferred that Pelton was
imbued with the same sentiments.
Her attitude was due to some definite facts within her personal
observation or knowledge, of which a single instance will suffice
here. One James Smith, of Pike County, had recently published in a
local paper the following advertisement: "For Sale: six yoke of oxen;
two nigger wenches; four buck niggers; three nigger boys, one barrel
pickled cabbage and various other articles of merchandise," stating
as his reason for selling, "I'm g'wine to Californy." This gave
assurance that the sale was genuine and conveyed the intimation that
bargains in slaves might be picked up there.
After Kate had recovered somewhat from the excitement incident to
refusing Pelton's offer to accompany her home, the mother reminded
her that Isaac did work with his own hands and was shunned by many of
his class because of it. "But, mother," she replied, "you know I
have no thought of marrying anyway!" Nevertheless she could not help
being vexed for allowing herself to be influenced by such a prejudice.
Kate had known Pelton, or rather of him, almost {17} her whole life,
having often seen him at the meeting-house and upon other public
occasions. She was conscious of some admiration for him; but had no
thought of betraying her secret by act or manner, although she may
unconsciously have done so. One thing Kate was sure of--she never
would place herself in a position for others to look patronizingly
upon her; nor would she ever become the wife of a man who held
slaves. Perhaps Kate had never thought about this as a rule of life;
it was an expression of her nature.
According to common gossip in the neighborhood, she had two or three
suitors, but there was nothing to warrant such an assumption. James
Price had been known to spend a Sunday evening or two at the Mulhall
cabin, and Ben Hardy had twice gone home with Kate from singing
school. Coming to Kate's ears, this gossip annoyed her. "Couldn't a
body be civil without being talked about?" she asked herself. Then
her mother would say, "Well, what's the difference? Some people do
get married, you know, and there's no harm in talking about it.