The Mockingbird's Ballad

"Oh, he is just another one of that pompous courthouse gang. They think they know everything. General Brown got elected governor and now the 'Brigadiers' are top dogs with Parson Brownlow now gone to Washington. I know who this Morgan fellow is. He rode with that fire-eating Governor 'I-sham' Harris during the war, sitting back with the brass in the rear. Damn Harris and that crowd. They got us in that mess that got Daddy and Johnny killed. Grand was right when we left to go to General Joe's. Trash aristocracy ain't worth the sweat it'll take to horse whip 'em," Lou said without losing her breath.

Alex was keeping up but getting winded by the time they went by Carter's.

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"Forty cents! Forty cents for someone else's food. I'll never get used to paying for some stranger's made-up food. Grand John L. groused as he spoke his words with the zeal of his eating. Uncle Joe T. grunted his agreement to his grousing.

The Pope Hotel was a few blocks up the hill from Fayetteville's Nashville - Chattanooga Railroad depot. The family had been to the Pope twice before. A new hotel was being built out Mulberry, The Largen, but the Pope was now the place for travelers and "Town" food. It was nearly two o'clock by the time Alex and Lou had started crossing the square. Uncle Joe T. and Grand John L. were going to Moore's for ten pounds of coffee and 40 pounds of sugar and then meet the twins at the wagon. Lou and Alex had stopped by The Observer office on the way to pay for their subscription for the weekly. As they came around the northeast corner of the square to cross the courthouse yard Alex said, "Looks like something is going on over at the bandstand. Reckon what's happening? Election is over, so must be something else. Preacher, I'd bet."

"Probably right," Lou agreed, distracted by the fine dark green silk dress in Sir's Department Store window. She'd remember that dress and talk with Mr. Joe Sir about its' cost come spring. She'd heard some tacky comments on "the Jew" but it seemed that he treated everybody the same, rich, poor, or whatever. That made him all right in her eyes. Heck, Jesus was a Jew in her Bible. Right now they needed to start for home and she still wanted to go down to the mule barn to see what Mr. Rambo was allowing. She had heard at the Dellrose Post Office that Mr. Rambo had gotten in some fancy Spanish jacks recently. The dress shopping would have to wait. Money for stock came first.