Miss Annie And The Chief by Joany Kane

 
    MAY 1864
    Annie Landon
raises an ax over her shoulder.   She swings it down, splitting a piece of wood in two.   She is pretty handy with an ax.   She has to be in order to survive,
living alone in the Pennsylvania countryside while her husband Caleb is off
fighting in the war between the states.
    She picks up the
pieces and placed them in a woodpile next to a red barn.   She stops for a moment to smile at her
beautiful black horse grazing in the pasture, her one and only companion.   It is a glorious spring day; Annie
catches the scent of lilacs on the wave of a breeze.
    Four Union
Soldiers on horseback approach her homestead.   The men look weary from years of Civil War fighting.   Captain Harmon Taylor, aged beyond his
thirty-something years, the battle experiences covering up his farm boy
sweetness, leads the soldiers.   He
dismounts.
    Annie stops her
chores and approaches the soldiers.  
    “Good afternoon,
Mrs. Landon.   I'm Captain Harmon
Taylor,”   he says, an unwanted and
ill-timed blush flushing his cheeks.   He hadn’t expected to find her so comely.
    “Good afternoon,
Captain Taylor.   My husband has
written often of you.   He holds you
in high regard.” Annie replies.
    “As I him.” Captain
Taylor smiles warmly before taking a heavy breath. “It is with deep regret that
I am here today, Mrs. Landon.”
    Annie's face
goes pale.   She has feared this
day.
    “Your husband,
Caleb, fought admirably. He continued to fight, even after he was shot. He was
not alone when he died. I was with him.   His last words spoke of you.”
    “Thank you.   That's a comfort to hear, Captain.”
Annie quietly responds.   Burying
her pain she turns her attention to the soldiers, noting their tired, ragged
condition.   “You and your men look
exhausted.   Why don't you camp here
for the evening and I will fix you supper.”
    “That's a kind
offer, Mrs. Landon.   Thank
you.”   Captain Taylor motions for
his men to dismount. “Finish chopping the wood and make camp.” He orders.
    Later in the
evening after dinner, the three soldiers sit by a fire near their tents.   One plays a fiddle while Annie sits
with Captain Taylor near the front of the Colonial house.
    “You have a fine
home here, Mrs. Landon,” the captain comments.
    “It's just a
house.   A home is for a family.”
    “It broke your
husband's heart that he couldn't be here with you when your son passed.”  
    Annie looks
away, the words bringing back more painful memories. “They're now together in
God's care,” she whispers.
    “You've suffered
more losses than any woman should have to endure,” the captain says with
empathetic anguish.   He would give
anything to comfort her.
    “Do you have
family, Captain?”   Annie inquires,
wanting to change the subject.
    “The Army has
been my family.”  
    “Seems awfully
lonely.”
    “Not much time
to feel alone these past three years,” the captain shrugs.   Maybe not for the captain, but
certainly for Annie as shown in her eyes.
    “I beg your
pardon, Mrs. Landon, that wasn't the most thoughtful of responses,” the captain
stumbles his reply. “I know it's been nearly three years since you've seen
Caleb.”
    “Long years,”
she quietly sighs.
    “Too long,” he
adds.
    Inside the
house, after the soldiers have called it a night, Annie busies herself with
baking.   She focuses on her task
trying to keep her mind from dwelling on her loses, though tears are escaping
her eyes and rolling down her cheeks.
    When daybreak
arrives, the soldiers are ready to leave.   The three soldiers have already mounted their horses while Captain
Taylor stands with Annie.   She
hands the captain a basket.   “Some
muffins and bread for your travels.”  
    “Thank you, Mrs.
Landon,” the captain says kindly, as the three soldiers give their thanks to
Annie for the food and shelter.
    “You're most
welcome. I appreciated the company,” she manages a smile.
    Captain Taylor
mounts his