Volmer Went Out Of The Room, But I Had An Uncomfortable Feeling That
Matters Were Not Settled.
In a short time I became conscious of loud
talking in the kitchen, and could distinctly hear Volmer using most
abusive language about Faye and me.
That was outrageous and not to be
tolerated a second, and without stopping to reason that it would be
better not to hear, and let the man talk his anger off, out to the
kitchen I went. I found Volmer perched upon one end of a large wood
box that stands close to a door that leads out to a shed. I said:
"Volmer, I heard what you have been saying, as you intended I should,
and now I tell you to go out of this house and stay out, until you can
speak respectfully of Lieutenant Rae and of me." But he sat still and
looked sullen and stubborn. I said again, "Go out, and out; of the
yard too." But he did not move one inch.
By that time I was furious, and going to the door that was so close to
the man he could have struck me, I opened it wide, and pointing out
with outstretched arm I said, "You go instantly!" and instantly he
went. Chinamen are awful cowards, and with the first word I said to
the soldier, Hang had shuffled to his own room, and there he had
remained until he heard Volmer go out of the house. Then he came back,
and looking at me with an expression of the most solemn pity, said,
"He vellee blad man - he killee man - he killee you, meb-bee!" The poor
little heathen was evidently greatly disturbed, and so was I, too. Not
because I was at all afraid of being killed, but because of the two
spirited young horses that still required most careful handling. And
Faye might be away several months! I knew that the commanding officer,
also the quartermaster, would look after them and do everything
possible to assist me, but at the same time I knew that there was not
a man in the post who could take Volmer's place with the horses. He is
a splendid whip and perfect groom. I could not send them to Mr.
Vaughn's to run, as they had been blanketed for a long time, and the
weather was cold.
Of course I cried a little, but I knew that I had done quite right,
that it was better for me to regulate my own affairs than to call upon
the company commander to do so for me. I returned to the dining room,
but soon there was a gentle knock on the door, and opening it, I saw
Volmer standing in front of me, cap in hand, looking very meek and
humble. Very respectfully he apologized, and expressed his regret at
having offended me. That was very pleasant, but knowing the man's
violent temper, and thinking of coming days, I proceeded to deliver a
lecture to the effect that there was not another enlisted man in the
regiment who would use such language in our house, or be so ungrateful
for kindness that we had shown him. Above all, to make it unpleasant
for me when I was alone.
I was so nervous, and talking to a soldier that way was so very
disagreeable, I might have broken down and cried again - an awful thing
to have done at that time - if I had not happened to have seen Hang's
head sticking out at one side of his door. He had run to his room
again, but could not resist keeping watch to see if Volmer was really
intending to "killee" me. He is afraid of the soldier, and
consequently hates him. Soon after he came, Volmer, who is a powerful
man, tied him down to his bed with a picket rope, and such yells of
fury and terror were never heard, and when I ran out to see what on
earth was the matter, the Chinaman's eyes were green, and he was
frothing at the mouth. For days after I was afraid that Hang would do
some mischief to the man.
It is the striker's duty always to attend to the fires throughout the
house, and this Volmer is doing very nicely. But when Faye went away
he told Hang to take good care of me - so he, also, fixes the fires,
and at the same time shows his dislike for Volmer, who will bring the
big wood in and make the fires as they should be. Just as soon as he
goes out, however, in marches Hang, with one or two small pieces of
wood on his silk sleeve, and then, with much noise, he turns the wood
in the stove upside down, and stirs things up generally, after which
he will put in the little sticks and let it all roar until I am quite
as stirred up as the fire. After he closes the dampers he will say to
me in his most amiable squeak, "Me flixee him - he vellee glood now."
This is all very nice as long as the house does not burn.
Night before last Mrs. Mills invited me to a family dinner. Colonel
Mills was away, but Mr. Hughes was there, also Lieutenant Harvey to
whom Miss Mills is engaged, and the three Mills boys, making a nice
little party. But I felt rather sad - Faye was still en route to
Washington, and going farther from home every hour, and it was
impossible to tell when he would return, Mrs. Mills seemed distraite,
too, when I first got to the house, but she soon brightened up and was
as animated as ever. The dinner was perfect. Colonel Mills is quite an
epicure, and he and Mrs. Mills have a reputation for serving choice
and dainty things on their table. We returned to the little parlor
after dinner, and were talking and laughing, when something went bang!
like the hard shutting of a door.
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