Alford Tales -- Murder! Part 2

Later that day, Pa and Joseph went to over to William Hinds for a meeting about the war.  Mama and I worried that Pa would leave to fight.

But he never did.  We were far away from the war out on the frontier.  Rockingham County was far away from the British. In fact, we were surprised when President Washington rode through.  Although later, I learned that Joseph had told me that when in fact it was George Washington. He had made that up.  He was an ornery cuss.

Mr. Alford and I went into daughter Sarah's last Sunday for a meal and readings.  As I was sitting there, I looked at her and she reminded me much of my Mama.  In fact, she smiled the way my Mama smiled.  Mama would smile whenever my Pa would return from a hunting trip, or brought home a nice fish, or even when he traded for some fine silk.  Enough for a new bonnet or cap.  But Pa also made her cry.

She cried for many days after Pa was laid to rest.  We thought for sure we would never see him again.  It was chilly that day.  Many of the neighbors came round to pay respects.  Even Mr. Alford from Ireland came.  I didn't like him that much.  He told Mama only a few days after Pa had left us that he would marry her if she wanted.  In her grief, she accepted, thinking more of us.  Poor Robert and Henry.  Barely knowing their Pa would now have a new pa.  An Irishman no doubt.

Mr. Alford's proposal came too soon for me.  I never liked him. Never gave Mama a chance to mourn that loss of Pa.  She never smiled the same.  She never smiled much after.  Mr. Alford sold Pa's 46 acres and we moved near Cross Keys and not far from the North River.  I remember one day while walking through the woods coming the island in the river.  The one where the witch lived.  

It was there later that Henry and Robert would find Pa's flintlock musket.  The one that he took with him that last day.  The one that he had his name engraved on the patch box.  The day that they brought that home, Mr. Alford was over to Mr. Shoulderman's, delivery their blankets and shirting.  Henry showed it to Mama.

"Where did you find it?"  She took it from Henry.  Turned it over and over.  Reading his name aloud.  "Henry Alford.  It was lost they said.  Lost in the woods.  North of our farm."  

Robert was only eight and was very excitable.  He stumbled his words.  Robert spoke.  "We found it by the island in the North River."  

Henry nodded.  "I saw it.  The sun was shining on it.  Did Pa lose it there?"  Mama looked like she was thinking hard about it.  She said "We must hide it and we will not talk about it."  It was me, Robert, Henry, and Mama.  Everyone else was gone.  Mama made us swear on the Bible.  "Swear that you will not say anything about it.  Mr. Alford need not know about it."  I had never sworn on the Bible, but Mama was serious.

She wrapped the musket into an old piece of cloth.  And we went out to an old hollow tree out in the woods.  She put the wrapped bundle into the hollow log.  "Not a word.  Not a word to anyone."  We looked at her.  And that was the last of the musket for sometime.  Until Henry went out one day many years later and dug up what was left.  This was after Mr. Alford had died and Mama asked about it.  The log had almost rotted away.  But he found the pieces.  The patch box with "Henry Alford" engraved on it.

At the time when they found Pa's musket, Henry had been six years old.  He was named after Pa, but he never said he was a junior.  But now, just a few years ago when were married and older, Henry told me his secret. And it was with that Henry and I knew what had happened to our Pa. It was murder.  Plain and simple.

Pa had been down south by North River, not far from Mr. Alford's land.  Not north of the farm.  Not near the 46 acres.  But it wasn't until Mama also said something that made me think. One day she was lost in her mind.  Thinking about that day Pa left with his musket.  She said "I saw him go towards Mr. Hoover's land.  Not north."  I did not ask, but it was a moment that I did not forget.