H. L. Sayler

“ There he could see Marsh, his old hat well down on his head, bent over his hoe, as the colored man rose at times among the rank weeds. Beyond the garden patch, in the low meadow, he could see, too, old Betty and Jim the mule. Amos was not in sight.
“Old Marsh is getting pretty careless,” said Morey to himself. “There’s a good many things he ought to do around here. Lazy niggers,” he mused.
It did not occur to Morey that he might do some of these things himself. Such had not been the lad’s training. With another sigh he made his way to Marsh Green’s cabin. ”

“ On the grey-green roof a few chimney [42] bricks lay where they had fallen. But, around the far corner where the gallery showed, the honeysuckle, crawling over the columns and roof, hung a deep green curtain of new fragrance. And, through the crookedly hanging shutters which were the color of dead grass, he saw fresh white curtains.
For the first time in his life the sight of the bricks on the roof annoyed Morey. With a sharp reprimand on his tongue he was about to call to the busy Marsh when a sound fell upon his ear. There was some one in the cabin. ”

“ In truth, Morey’s father was neither a successful farmer nor a frugal business man. He believed in the past, was a kind parent and husband, had his mint juleps regularly, lived up to his patrimony and left for Morey nothing more than the recollection of a chivalrous and proud father, a mortgaged plantation, old Marsh Green and fat Betty, his hunter. ”

“ Taking advantage of his start Morey held his forward or horizontal rudder skyward and allowed the obedient aeroplane to mount upward as it flew through the almost breezeless air. Up and up he soared until the grey marsh beneath was only a haze. A thousand feet above the tidewater [200] swamp the young aviator brought himself to a horizontal course. Before and beyond him he could make out the horizon-bounded sea. In a few moments the outlines of Staten Island became clear in the dusk and then the unmistakable grey target rose out of the water beyond. ”

“ What have we done?”
“What did you mean by ordering a four hundred dollar steam engine?”
“It isn’t a steam engine; its a Curtiss gasoline.”
The elder waved his hand in impatience.
“Who is going to pay for it?”
Morey’s surprise turned to indignation.
“Perhaps that is our affair, Major Carey.”
“Your affair!” snorted the old man breaking out at last. “Morey, it’s time for you to know the truth. It’s bad enough for your mother to fool herself. That’s her nature. But you are almost a man. Neither you nor your mother has the money to pay for this extravagance.” ”

“ Lee’s Court House streets were deserted. Hastening to the front of Barber’s Bank, where he had left Betty, Morey was about to mount when, to his surprise, Captain Barber and Major Carey suddenly appeared in the door of the bank. Morey was fighting mad.
“I’ve just left your friend, Judge Lomax,” exclaimed the boy impudently. “He’s on the floor of his office with a busted head. He delivered your message all right.”
“Morey,” said Major Carey sharply and sternly. “You’ve lost your senses. You’re going too far. You’re making the mistake of your life.” ”

“ I can’t grow tobacco. I don’t know how and I don’t want to. Young men don’t do those things nowadays. They get out and hustle.”
“Mortimer, your father was a planter from boyhood until he died. His father was one and his father’s father. Aspley Place has grown tobacco for one hundred and fifty years. In Virginia it is a gentleman’s life.”
“No, mater,” answered Morey in a low and kind voice. “It was. But it isn’t now. You love this place—so do I. But I’ve been out in the world, a little—you haven’t. Things have gone on all around us and we didn’t know it. I can’t be a tobacco planter. ”

“ We had not even dreamed of the aeroplane and the delicate, powerful engine it demands. His idea must have been a dream. If he had a practical plan for increasing the efficiency of the motor he thought ahead of his day.”
Morey tried to examine further into the technical manuscript. But it was wholly beyond him. In the midst of his examination he sprang to his feet.
“The trouble with aeroplanes,” he said to himself, “is that the power developed is not sufficient. My father’s dream may solve the problem. His hydrogen may make engines powerful enough to make the perfect airship.” ”

“ There were hardly signs even, of the farm implements that had rotted away for years. The yard seemed abandoned.
With a little lump in his throat the boy hurried forward, his long, ragged trousers gathering new dust and weight as he did do. As he climbed the broken-down fence and got a view [41] of the big, paintless, loose-boarded house beyond he almost sighed. But there at least were flowers and he could hear the hum of bees among the hollyhocks by the garden fence. ”

“ On the morning of July 13, Morey was summoned to headquarters. Lieutenant Purcell greeted him with a sober face.
“Morey,” he said at once, “I have a disagreeable duty to perform. You will remember that it was not on my advice that you joined the Corps. Yet, I have done all I could to teach you what we know. In my judgment you have been too apt a pupil. Major Squiers has just made a requisition on me for my best operator. You are not only my best, but you are practically the only one I can trust.” ”

“ Old Marsh Green was perhaps the poorest farmer in Rappahannock County. But when it came to facts in relation to the Marshall family or the land it had owned, his information was profuse and exact. When Morey knocked on his cabin door at six o’clock the next morning and ordered the white-haired darkey to turn out and saddle Betty and Jim, Marsh and Amos were more than amazed. They were confounded. No Marshall had ever risen at such an hour within the colored man’s recollection. ”

“ Naturally, those who are to assist us, should be under military direction and control; they should be soldiers. And they must begin in the ranks. But I know of no department in the service where promotion is so sure and certain. Nor do I know of any other opportunity for a young man to get a technical education at so little cost to himself. Instead of dissuading the boy, I think he should be encouraged.”
“There, you see,” exclaimed Morey turning jubilantly to Lieutenant Purcell, “isn’t that what I said? Will you enlist me?” he asked eagerly facing Major Squiers again. ”

“ Morey looked across the table at his father’s old friend.
“Maybe—a little.”
“You have everything figured out in cents that we owe you. Shouldn’t there have been another column to show what you and the bank owes us?”
“Do I understand, sir,” exclaimed Major Carey indignantly, “that you are making charges? You don’t reckon we have taken advantage of your mother? Young man, if it hadn’t been for our bank you’d be working at day labor—”
“And I expect to,” came the quick answer. “That’s neither here nor there. You needn’t send Mr. Bradner to talk to my mother—you needn’t say anything yourself. ”

“ Though I never heard of an aviary,” added Morey, partly to himself. “It is a bird. It’s a human bird. An ‘aviator’ is a man who drives an aeroplane.”
“And this—this airy—?”
“Mother, sit down,” answered Morey in despair, “and I’ll begin your aeronautical education.”
For the next quarter of an hour Mrs. Marshall [49] dodged and parried verbal volleys of airship talk. Beginning with hot air balloons Morey led his mother along through a history of aeronautics until he came to aeroplanes. ”

“ A few minutes later Morey and Amos were in the line of spectators making their way toward the reservation parade grounds. But Betty could go only within the limits of the fort, where Morey turned her over to Amos with orders to await his return. Then he hurried after the crowd. Undoubtedly it was a gala day. Hundreds of fashionably dressed women and [151] smartly costumed men were defying the dust of the paths leading to the wide parade grounds and officers with gold, red and yellow facings on their uniforms were hurrying by in mule-drawn military busses. ”

“ As he drew the case from its dusty bed he saw, beneath it, a flat packet of blue paper tied with red tape.
Holding the mahogany pistol box under one arm with his free hand he lowered the dripping candle to the drawers. On the packet, about eight inches long by four inches wide and an inch deep, he read with difficulty, for the inscription was in faded brown ink: “To whom it may concern. A dream of the future. Aspley Marshall, February 5th, 1889.” ”

“ About four o’clock, in a shady spot by a little unbridged stream, a halt was made and Betty was given water and oats. The two boys regaled themselves with bread, bologna and jelly. The afternoon was drowsily warm. Betty was tired and the cool shade was inviting. Both boys fell into a doze. In a half hour or so Morey was awakened by a violent torrent of exclamations. Amos was chasing and belaboring a gaunt roadside hog. Of their food the only article left by this rascally thief was the tin of preserves. The last of their bread, crackers and all their pork [127] had disappeared. ”

“ A real fisherman will always find a welcome there. I’ve got better pants at home,” laughed Morey.
The soldier shrugged his shoulders and laughed in turn. Then he lifted the lid of Morey’s broken creel and saw the two small trout. In turn he exposed his own catch—seven beautiful fish, one weighing at least a pound and a quarter. Before Morey could stop him the lieutenant had dumped his own string into the boy’s basket. ”

“ Aspley place is mortgaged—”
“You mean we are poor?” asked Morey, in a quavering voice. “I don’t mean that—I know we are poor. But that we owe people money we can’t pay?”
“I tell you the truth,” went on Major Carey, “only because you’ve got to get some sense into your head. Your mother is heavily involved. Your place is carrying a heavy debt. Your purchase of an engine is worse than foolish—it is shocking.” ”

“ You would have to enlist as a soldier. I merely thought of it because we are trying to find a few youngsters to train in this aeroplane service.”
“Well,” exclaimed Morey promptly—his [164] eyes glittering—“why couldn’t I enlist as a soldier?”
The lieutenant looked at him in surprise.
“In the first place,” he replied with a smile, “I imagine your mother would not consent or want you to do it. You are too young.”
“But what if I had her consent?”
“You couldn’t afford to do it. Soldiers don’t live as you live. You’d have to work.”
Morey was silent a few moments. ”

“ Cold water, however, is a great cooler of angry passions. Without knowing just how it happened, in a moment, the man and the two boys were standing in mid-stream, sputtering and gasping for breath. Morey still gripped his rod, the man was glancing dejectedly toward his own broken pole, now well down the creek and Amos was gripping a moss-covered rock dug up from the bed of the creek. ”

“ Then Morey extended his hand and made a brave effort to smile.
“We won’t tell her—not just yet—Major Carey. Because a kid has been a fool is no sign that he is going to keep it up. I’m game. I’m going to be a man, and I’m going to have business sense. I’m going to ‘get there’ and I’m not scared. Tomorrow morning at ten o’clock I’m coming to the bank and I want to know the whole story.” ”

“ Here a soldier on guard duty walked slowly back and forth.
“Is this Fort Meyer?” Morey asked anxiously as they passed.
“That’s what.”
“May we drive in?”
The soldier, dropping his gun to “parade rest,” shook his head but jerked his thumb down the road where people on foot and in carriages were entering.
[150]
“Come to see the airship?” he remarked.
“What airship?” asked Morey, eagerly.
“I reckon you’re in time,” said the soldier smiling. “Always in time for them boys. They fuss around all day and then tell you at dark that it’s too windy. ”

“ Marshall’s only comment.
“As for meat, Ca’line,” went on Morey gaily, “don’t bother. Amos and I are going for trout this morning. We’ll have a fish dinner today.”
“Your father was very fond of trout,” exclaimed Morey’s mother. “I’m so glad you’re going. By the way, Mortimer, the first day you find the time Major Carey wants you to call. He’s very fond of you.” Then, thoughtfully, “Have you any engagement this evening? We might drive over late today.”
“That’s a go,” exclaimed Morey, springing up, “unless the fishing makes me too late. Pleasure before business, you know.” ”

“ Morey was about to become a soldier. Amos following blindly in Morey’s footsteps, supposed with his own peculiar logic that the white boy’s enlistment included him. In the delusion that he, too, was about to become a soldier and don a cap and blue clothes he was happy.
Lieutenant Purcell had orders to return to Linden, or Green Springs, the real location of the encampment, at noon of the following day. And at his suggestion Morey was not formally enlisted until the next morning. All embarrassment as to Amos was soon relieved. Morey had money enough to send the black boy home by train. ”

“ To those who are striving to harness and apply the forces of nature to man’s uses, these [105] experiments are dedicated and bequeathed. In the knowledge that hydrogen gas in its free and pure state is the most powerful force known, I herein propound, theoretically, the practicability of using it as a motive power. The inefficiency of coal, as transformed into steam, and the known high efficiency of hydrogen as an explosive force being recognized, placing it first in the list of potentialities, I suggest the introduction of hydrogen gas into engine cylinders. ”

“ You make it hard yourself by not suspecting.”
“I’ll send word not to ship it,” said Morey, not even yet realizing the whole truth.
“Don’t you understand, Morey?” Major Carey exclaimed. “That isn’t the trouble. It’s every thing. You can’t go to school, you can’t take years to educate yourself. You’ve got to go to work—now.” ”