Chiefs Read Free Page B

Will Henry’d do about as little damage as anybody. Aye.”
    “The council unanimously approves the application of William Henry Lee as chief of police,” said Holmes. There was a stir and a scraping of chairs. “There’s one more thing. This is the first time the city has ever hired a man to do what might be a dangerous job. We’re asking this man to carry a gun and protect us, and there’s always the possibility that he could get killed doing it. I think we ought to do something about some insurance for his family if he should be killed or disabled in the line of duty.”
    Idus Bray spoke up. “I don’t think the city ought to go buying insurance policies for its employees. Sets a bad precedent.”
    “Why don’t we give him another ten dollars a month, with the provision that he spend it on insurance?” replied Ben Birdsong.
    “So moved,” said Frank Mudter.
    Seconded,” said Lamar Maddox.
    “All in Favor?”
    “Aye,” said four men.
    “All opposed?”
    “Nay,” said Idus Bray. “It’s a bad precedent.”
    “The motion is passed,” said Holmes. “Any further business?”
    “Move we adjourn.”
    “Seconded.”
    “All in favor?”
    “Aye!”
    “Happy New Year, Gentlemen.”

    Chapter 3.
    WILL HENRY LEE stepped from his front porch with the fear and resolve of a man who has finally decided to jump from a great height into unknown waters. His historical perspective was sufficient for him to know that his descent of the five steps to the front yard was changing not just his own life, but the future of his line. Somewhere in one of the boxes stacked on the flatbed wagon was a Bible that recorded his forebears back to the year 1798, and now, at noon on this last day of 1919, he was to be the first man of that succession to leave the land, except to go to war.
    He joined the small group of people who stood shivering near the idling car. Two of the black people made a farewell and separated themselves from the group, trudging over the frozen ground to one of the small, unpainted houses a few yards away. The other two remained to say a few parting words. The black woman dabbed at her eyes as he approached.
    “Now, Flossie, don’t you do that,” Will Henry said. “You know you’re going to be back with us real soon.”
    “That’s right, Flossie,” said Will Henry’s wife, Carrie, dabbing at her own eyes. “You know we can’t get along without you and Robert.”
    “Yes’m,” Flossie replied. She turned to the children in an effort to distract herself. The little girl, the smaller of the two, was carefully holding a box tied with string. “You children make that lemon cheese cake last you awhile, now. It’s gon’ be a little while ‘til I can make you another one. And Eloise, don’t you let Billy eat it all up, hear?”
    “Don’t you worry about that, Flossie,” replied the child firmly.
    Will Henry called Flossie’s husband, Robert, aside. “Don’t say anything to Flossie yet, but I think I might be able to get things fixed up in a week or ten days. I’ve got to talk to Mr. Holmes at the bank one more time, and we’ll have to find you a house in town. Mr. Holmes wants Jesse and Nellie to stay on at the farm and keep it up until the bank can find a buyer.” Jesse and Nellie Cole were the only other remaining employees on the farm. Nellie was Flossie’s sister.
    “Tha’s jes’ fine, Mr. Will Henry, jes’ fine. An’ I’ll git the rest of yo’ things into town jes’ as fast as that mule will move.”
    The two men shook hands, the first time they had ever done so. Robert held on to Will Henry’s hand for a moment. “Mist’ Will Henry, you a good farmer, a good farmer.”
    Will Henry smiled gratefully, though he knew this was not true.
    “Couldn’t nobody do no better/’ Robert said. “Couldn’t nobody beat the weevil ‘cept a rich man, a mighty rich man.”
    As they climbed into the Ford, Will Henry took in the yard and the house with a final glance. Everything