Glimmers of Change (9 page)

The news was devastating. In spite of the fact that ships had increased in size and their passenger lists had doubled, they still did not provide quarantine. Medical and political considerations demanded the passengers be denied entrance to America. A hospital ship was hastily fitted out in the harbor. As soon as it was possible, all the passengers were transferred to it. She could only imagine the misery of the hundreds of people confined to what they surely knew was a death trap.

Dr. Anderson reported that new cases were occurring aboard the hospital ship, but the bitter cold had so far kept the disease from spreading to the mainland. New York was safe for the moment, but she stressed it was only a respite — for the rest of the nation, as well as for New York. History had made it clear that when the first cases of cholera spread to the mainland it would not be content until it spread far into the Midwest, searching out high population areas.

Janie’s mind spun as she thought about the results of the horrible disease. The last major outbreak in the United States had been in 1849. Fifty-two thousand people had died in England and Wales where it began. It moved onto Ireland and killed many of the Great Famine survivors already weakened by starvation and fever. Irish immigrants, fleeing the misery in their country, brought it to the United States.

Cholera took the life of former president James K. Polk. The disease killed thousands in New York, where it was first brought by the immigrant ships, but it wasn’t content to remain there. It spread throughout the Midwest, decimating one-tenth of the populations of St. Louis, Cincinnati, and New Orleans. The horror intensified when it was transmitted along the California, Mormon, and Oregon Trails. Close to twelve thousand people died in the wagon trains as they attempted to find a better life out west.

Before the cholera died out, it had killed more than 150 thousand Americans and also dipped south to claim 200 thousand victims in Mexico.

Janie shuddered as a cold blast of wind swept under her coat, but she was sure the shudder was equally due to the realization the dreaded disease was once more perched off the New York shoreline. Was there to be no end to the suffering America would endure during this decade?

“Watch out lady!”

Janie jerked her head up when a nearby man hollered, stepping back onto the sidewalk just in time to miss a collision with a wagon. The driver scowled at her and shook his head. She turned to thank the man who had yelled at her, but he was already hurrying down the sidewalk, his head bowed against the cold. Shaken, she scolded herself to pay more attention. Thoughts of cholera would have to wait until she got home. Forcing her eyes and her thoughts to focus, she walked faster.

The next voice she heard was more familiar. “Janie!”

Janie raised her head, realizing she was almost to the restaurant. A broad smile lit her face. “Sadie Lou!” Eddie’s seventeen-year-old daughter was becoming a beautiful young woman. When she became best friends with Moses’s sister Sadie their shared names caused quite a bit of confusion, so now everyone called her Sadie Lou. “It’s wonderful to see you!”

“You, too. Let’s go inside and get out of this cold,” Sadie Lou said quickly.

Janie frowned when she realized how thin Sadie Lou’s coat was. Her gloves and hat didn’t seem to be much better. “You should have more clothes on,” she admonished.

Sadie Lou only shrugged. “I’m younger than you are. I don’t get cold as easily,” she said impishly, though the glazed look in her eyes refuted her casual words.

“Right.” Janie took her arm and pulled her into the warmth of the restaurant, both of them gasping in relief when the heat from the woodstove reached out to them. Janie stood still, allowing the heat to thaw her face, aware of sensational aromas pouring into the room from the kitchen.

“Janie!”

“Opal! I understand there is a sweet potato casserole with my name on it,” Janie said, taking Opal’s hands and squeezing them tightly, using the opportunity to stare into her eyes. Alice was right. Opal’s round face had a warm smile on it, but her eyes were heavy and burdened.

“There always be a sweet potato casserole with your name on it, Miss Janie.” Opal responded. “You girls enjoy that apple pie last night?”

Janie rolled her eyes and patted her stomach. “It was like manna from heaven,” she murmured. “Opal, have you ever heard of mulligatawny soup? I had it for the first time last night.”

Opal sniffed. “I’ve heard of it.” Her eyes showed her disdain. “I’ve even had a bowl, but there’s just nothing like good ole southern cooking. I know people from all over the world got to eat, but they need to come south if they want to learn how to cook!”

Janie laughed and allowed Sadie Lou to lead her to a table in the back corner. Her eyes lit with pleasure when she recognized the two sitting at the table. “Susie! Zeke! It’s wonderful to see you both.” This was the first time she had gotten to see Eddie’s eldest daughter and her husband since she arrived.

Susie patted the chair next to her. “Sit yourself down, Janie. Amber and Carl will have your sweet potato casserole out in a few minutes.”

Sadie Lou pulled off her coat as she turned away. “I’m going back into the kitchen to help Opal. Enjoy your lunch, Janie.”

“Impossible not to,” Janie replied. “I’ll see you soon, Sadie Lou.” Pulling off her winter clothing, she sank onto the rustic chair with gratitude. She looked around and realized the restaurant was full of people talking, laughing, and eating. Most of them were black, but there were a few whites who came because the word was spreading about Opal’s cooking. “The restaurant is doing so well,” she murmured.

Susie nodded. “Daddy and Opal have worked hard.” She paused briefly, her eyes bright with memories. “Mama would be so proud.”

“That she would,” Janie assured her. She had not had a chance to meet Opal’s cousin Fannie before she was killed in an explosion at the Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond during the war on the very same day Eddie was arrested for espionage and sentenced to prison. Carrie had helped Opal return to the plantation with the couple’s four children, where she cared for them until after the war.

Susie’s eyes followed Opal as she bustled in the kitchen. “She’s good for my daddy. I’m glad they fell in love after the war. They both needed a new beginning.”

Janie nodded. “Carl and Amber seem happy as well.”

Susie grinned. “My brother and sister are amazing. Being in school has been wonderful for them, and they actually love working here at the restaurant. They say they are warmer than any of their friends.”

Janie frowned. “Your home?” Susie tried to shrug off the question, but Janie saw the truth in her eyes.

Zeke reached over to squeeze his wife’s hand. “We’ve been through worse,” he assured Janie. “It will take a couple years to get the restaurant really making good money, but Eddie is already making plans to build a better house. Being free to make our own decisions is worth whatever it takes,” he said firmly.

Janie nodded again. “You’re right,” she said immediately, but she couldn’t help feeling guilty that she lived in such splendor while they struggled to stay warm. If there had been room, she would have asked them all to move in.

“Get that look off your face,” Susie said sternly.

“Look?” Janie murmured in confusion.

“Yes. The look that says you should be able to change our situation. I know you would have us all move in with you if you could, but Daddy and Opal wouldn’t do it anyway. They are determined to make it on their own. Daddy may have technically been free while he was in Richmond, but he never had a chance to truly live that way. His years in prison made him even hungrier for freedom. Opal has dreamed of this since she was a young girl on the plantation.” Susie gazed around at the simple tables covered with red and white checkered cloths, at the glowing candles on every table, at the woodstove shooting out warmth. “This is their dream. They want to live close to it, and they want it to create a life they can be proud of. They know suffering. At least now they have control of their lives.”

Janie considered her words. She knew Susie was right. She also knew that as much as she tried to understand, her years of privilege as a white woman from a wealthy background made true understanding impossible. She would have to settle for compassion.

Susie covered her hand. “You just keep coming down to buy food. Keep sending your friends. That will give them the life you want them to have.”

Janie peered at her more closely, seeing something in her eyes. “And you and Zeke?”

Zeke sat up straighter in his chair. “When I was a slave down in Mississippi, I heard about people going west. I’ve been wantin’ to join them ever since.”

“West?” Janie echoed.

Zeke nodded firmly. “The Oregon Territory. Folks don’t care so much about color out there, and I hear it be real beautiful along the Pacific coast.”

Janie looked into his bright eyes full of excitement before she turned to Susie. “And you want to go?”

Susie nodded. “I do. I don’t think being black won’t matter at all, but everything I’ve heard says it won’t matter
as
much
. Zeke and I want to have kids now that the war is over.” She took a deep breath. “I don’t want them growing up in the South. Philadelphia is better, but I’m already sick of being so cold. Daddy and Opal don’t need me. Amber and Carl don’t need me. I’ll miss them like crazy, but Zeke and I want to start a new life.” She reached over to take Zeke’s hand, continuing as she interpreted the look in Janie’s eyes. “We already know it will be tough. It will be tough getting out there, and it will be tough getting started.”

“But it ain’t gonna be no tougher than what we already lived,” Zeke finished.

“Do Opal and Eddie know?” Janie asked, trying to absorb it and wondering how much to tell them about the cholera.

Susie nodded. “They know. They’re sad to see us go, but they understand we want to have a new start.” She smiled slightly. “I think Opal would go with us if she could. She loves the restaurant, but this cold seems to be eating right through her.”

“When are you planning on leaving?” Janie asked.

“This spring,” Zeke said promptly. “We’re saving up money for our wagon train fare.” He stopped when he saw the quick look of alarm on Janie’s face. “What’s wrong?” His eyes darkened with concern.

Janie searched for words. “Do either of you know anything about cholera?” she finally asked.

“It’s a disease,” Susie responded, confusion showing in her eyes. “Does this have something to do with us?”

“I’m afraid it could,” Janie said slowly. She explained what she had learned in school that morning. “Close to twelve thousand people died on the wagon trains back in 1849,” she finished somberly.

Zeke spoke into the silence. “I don’t know anything about cholera. What’s it like?”

Janie knew she couldn’t soften the news. They deserved to know the truth. “It’s horrible. The primary symptoms are profuse diarrhea and vomiting of clear fluid. People with cholera are known to produce three to five gallons of diarrhea a day. About half of them die,” she finished grimly.

Zeke grimaced as he exchanged a long look with Susie. “You said it’s still on that boat in the New York harbor. How’s it gonna get on our wagon train?”

“They’re still trying to understand exactly how it spreads,” Janie admitted. “There are a lot of different opinions.”

“But because no one is really sure, they don’t know how to stop it,” Susie added heavily.

“I’m afraid that’s true,” Janie agreed. “All they know for sure is that it spreads. It started in New York seventeen years ago and then spread all across the country.”

Zeke thought hard. “So that means we be as likely to get it here in Philadelphia?”

Susie eyed her husband and then turned back to Janie. “How many people died in Philadelphia back in 1849?”

“A little over a thousand,” Janie responded. “Philadelphia wasn’t as hard hit as New York and other cities.”

“Why?” Zeke asked keenly.

Janie hesitated. “I’m just learning all this. They’re not positive, but they think it has mostly to do with cleanliness. Philadelphia’s water system is better. Cholera always hits hardest in the areas that have a lot of filth.”

“Like the really poor areas in New York,” Susie said. She smiled at Janie’s look of surprise. “You don’t have to go somewhere to read about it in books.”

Janie flushed. “Sorry. You’re absolutely right. Yes. Although it spread into most of the areas of New York, the poor areas were the hardest hit.”

A long silence fell on the table as Susie and Zeke absorbed the news.

Zeke was the first to break it. “I reckon I had a better chance of getting killed during the war than I have of getting cholera. I didn’t let fear stop me then. It don’t seem right to let it stop me now.”

Janie understood his thought processes, even if she didn’t agree with the conclusion. “You were fighting for your freedom during the war. You didn’t have a choice of when the war happened or when you had to fight in the battles. You have a choice of when you go out west. I’m just suggesting it might be better to wait until next year.”

“They will have it under control by then?” Susie asked sharply. “Are you certain of that?”

“No one is certain of anything,” Janie admitted. “But it always seems to run its course and go away.”