Chapter 111
- Irene gives birth to their second daughter, who they name Ellen. Tom is so busy repairing supplies for the Confederate Army that he hardly has time to celebrate, however.
- In the spring of 1862, Tom sees a familiar-looking Confederate soldier ride up to the farm. It's that no-good Mr. Cates.
- Massa Murray and the now Major Cates make a deal: Tom will alternate between working weeks at the farm and Major Cate's "cavalry" unit (111.13).
- The soldiers are holed up near a railroad station. It's non-stop chaos, and Tom works every hour of the day mending horseshoes.
- During his second week, Tom hears a noise in the garbage tent. When he checks it out, he sees a skinny "white youth" rummaging through the scraps of food (111.29). The kid runs away immediately.
- Unfortunately, this commotion attracts the guards, who accuse Tom of stealing food. Tom denies it, but they refuse to believe him.
- The guards notify Major Cates, who takes sadistic pleasure in having the opportunity to exert his authority over Tom. He whips him repeatedly.
- As soon as they let him go, Tom grabs his tools and heads straight to the Murray farm. He tells Massa Murray that he won't go back, and Massa Murray doesn't argue the point.
- On a side note, all signs currently point to the Confederacy routing the Union and winning the war. Ha. Definitely going to happen, guys.
- While Irene and Tom are discussing the war, they hear a noise at the door. It's the same white kid that got Tom in trouble, and he's begging for food. He runs away as soon as he sees Tom.
- After talking to the rest of the family, they learn that the kid has been begging all around the farm recently. They decide to sneak off and notify Massa Murray next time he drops by.
- So they do. The kid introduces himself as sixteen-year-old George Johnson and explains that he's desperately poor and looking for work.
- To the shock and horror of the family, Massa Murray decides to hire him as an overseer. So that's how our fam's kindness is repaid?
- Luckily, Ol' George (as they refer to him) is a total sweetheart. He seems to utterly lack racial prejudice, and chooses to work alongside the family rather than exploit his position over them as an overseer.
- In fact, he pretty much becomes a part of the family, and they teach him how to pretend to be a harsh disciplinarian in front of Massa Murray so he'll keep his job.
Chapter 112
- One day, Ol' George mysteriously leaves the farm. When he returns a month later, he has something very surprising with him: a "painfully shy" young woman (112.12).
- This is Martha, George's wife. And she's pregnant. He had left her back home to find work, but didn't know at the time that she had a bun cooking away.
- Sadly, the baby dies during childbirth, though Martha survives.
Chapter 113
- On New Year's Day of 1863, Matilda learns that President Lincoln has signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the nation's slaves.
- This is exciting, but it's not going to make a difference unless the North wins the war. Luckily, they're making progress.
- The Union wins the war in 1865. Sadly, the celebrations are cut short when Lincoln is assassinated just days later.
- And then, just like that, the Murrays give the family their freedom. After some heavy debate, they decide to work on their own plots on the Murray's land until saving up enough cash.
- A few weeks later, Chicken George shows up. Dude knows how to make an appearance. He tells the family that he's found a killer "western Tennessee settlement" where they can move (113.18).
- As word spreads of George's promised land, a bunch of other newly freed families decide to join the exodus. Even Ol' George and Martha come along, even though some in the group oppose it.
Chapter 114
- Well, the promised land isn't much to look at—not yet at least. There are only about a hundred people living there at this point, after all.
- The families start clearing out their new plots of land the next day. While they're working, three white men show up asking to see the blacksmith.
- They tell him that he won't be able to set up a shop unless a white man owns it. Tom quietly pushes back, but they're making it clear that this is a threat.
- Tom considers just leaving, but decides against it. Instead, he brilliantly builds a mobile blacksmith shop in a wagon, bypassing the white guys' restriction and creating next-level branding for his business.
- By 1874, most of the families have built homes and settled in. Together, they pitch in and build the crown jewel of their new community: "the New Hope Colored Methodist Episcopal Church" (114.36).
Chapter 115
- Here's a rundown of Tom and Irene's latest kids: Maria Jane and Ellen (who we already know), Viney, Li'l Matilda, Elizabeth, Young Tom, and Cynthia.
- When she gets older, Elizabeth tells her father about a new suitor, but Tom gets upset because he's too light-skinned. This makes Matilda so mad she up and dies. Really.
- Chicken George is never the same after that day. In 1890, he dies after falling into the fireplace in Maria Jane's house. Again—really.