Road to Freedom

Chapter 1

It wasn’t unusual to find Daniel Marshall sitting on the steps of the school house during recess. A book lying open across his lap was a signal to the other kids that he had no intention of playing sports that day. Anyone who knew Daniel knew of his love for knowledge. They also knew of a dream that lay deep inside of him. He wanted to be a teacher.

He realized his dream one day many years ago when his teacher had to leave the school room to take care of the discipline of a rowdy boy. She told Daniel that he was in charge until she came back. As it does for most children, the power quickly went to Daniel’s head. As soon as Miss Wilson had left the room, Daniel got up behind her desk and pretended to teach. However, during a question and answers period with the class, he realized that he wasn’t pretending, but he was actually teaching. He wasn’t the only one surprised by this revelation. As he was answering a girl’s question about the Boston Massacre, Miss Wilson came back into the room. As soon as he had realized she was there, he stopped. He was sure he was going to be in trouble for not staying in his seat. To his surprise, though, she was smiling at him. He returned the smile. Obviously both knew what he was destined to be.

Since that day, Miss Wilson had helped him along. She counseled him, and helped him with his studies for the teacher’s exam. Several times in the past two years, she had allowed Daniel to work as a substitute teacher in order to gain experience. It was always under her supervision though. Daniel appreciated all of her help, but he secretly wished that she would catch a cold and not be able to come in for a couple of days. This would leave the classroom completely in his charge, and then he could see for himself what he could do. With graduation in two weeks, though, he doubted it would ever happen.

Daniel was taken off guard when the book he was reading was ripped from his hands, and tossed on the steps beside him. He was angry that someone had interrupted his studies, but the anger left when he saw his best friends, Sam Collins and Will Stewart, hovering over him. Both were sweaty, and Sam had a long smear of dirt from his chin to his knees. Obviously he had slid into home plate again.

“Is there something I can do for you, gentlemen?” Daniel asked in a haughty tone.

“Excuse us, sir,” Sam replied with a slight bow, “I’m Sam Collins, and this is Will Stewart. We’re your friends, but since you’ve been neglecting us lately, I thought you might have forgotten.”

Daniel smiled at his friends as he retrieved his book.

“I’m sorry, guys. I don’t mean to neglect you, but my exam is in a month.”

“You’re probably more than ready for it now.” Will said as he dusted off a step and sat down, “You know what they say about studying too much.”

“I know!” Daniel answered, “This is really important to me. I want to be a teacher.”

“I want to be a doctor.” Will said, “You don’t see me pouring over medical books during recess, do you?”

“Yeah, maybe you wouldn’t be so scrawny if you’d get some exercise once in a while.” Sam said, smiling a conniving smile.

Daniel stood to his full height, his head just barely reaching Sam’s shoulders. Though Daniel had a slight, muscular build, it was still dwarfed by Sam’s bulk.

“I can out play you at baseball if I wanted to.” Daniel defensively replied. It was a futile boast, since everyone knew Sam was the best athlete in the area.

“Can you out play both of us?” Will asked as he stood. He also toward over Daniel, but unlike Sam, Will was a bean pole.

Daniel knew he wasn’t as good at sports, and out playing these two was impossible. Still his pride had gotten him into this, and his pride wouldn’t let him out.  Much to his relief, Miss Wilson rang the school bell. Recess was over.

“I would show you boys up,” Daniel smiled as he picked up his books, “Unfortunately recess is over.”

Sam lightly slapped Daniel on the back of the head as he hurried up the steps. Will laughed, and followed him, shouting over his shoulder, “Come on, Danny boy!”

Daniel rolled his eyes, though a smile was still evident on his face. Being only 5’7”, out-fighting his friends was difficult; but out-smarting them was fun.

Miss Wilson met Daniel half way down the steps. She carried a letter in her hand, and had an anxious look on her face.

“I have a surprise for you.” she said, “Two weeks ago I received a letter from Bedford. There is a small community outside of this city that is in desperate need of a teacher. They wanted to know if I would be able to go during school break. I almost accepted, but I thought that you should go instead.”

“A teaching job?!” Daniel exclaimed as he took the letter from her hands and read.

“I sent an inquiry, asking them if you could go in my place. I gave the highest recommendations for you. They said they would be pleased to have you.”

“Do you really think I’m ready?” Daniel asked, a mixture of doubt and hope showing in his eyes.

“Daniel, I’m sure of it!” Miss Wilson confidently said.

Daniel smiled and looked back at the letter. Bedford was some distance from Culpeper: three days by horseback. He worried his father would object to such a long trip. Daniel knew that though his father accepted his decision to be a teacher, he was still disappointed that Daniel would not be the farmer that he was.

Daniel instantly tried to keep his hopes from getting high, but it was too late. He needed this teaching job to prove to his father that he would be good at it. He needed to make his father proud of his decision.

“Miss Wilson, may I go tell my Pa?!”

“Go on!” Miss Wilson chuckled, “I don’t think you’d be able to keep your mind on your lessons anyhow.”

~~~~~


Daniel ran all the way home with the letter clutched in his hand. He could see Timothy, his older brother, chopping wood by the barn. Unlike Daniel, his older brother’s Timothy and John were tall and well built. They were satisfied being farmers like their father. They often teased “the runt,” as they called him, for wanting to be a teacher. They claimed it was woman’s work. He should want to be more like them. For this reason, Daniel did not want to tell his brothers about his exciting news. He would find his father instead, and let him be the first to know.

“Timothy!” Daniel shouted as he ran up to his brother, “Where’s Pa?”

“Home already?” Timothy asked, “I hope you didn’t get kicked out of school for correcting the teacher.”

Daniel decided to ignore his brother’s teasing, and instead asked again, “Where’s Pa?”

“Him and John are out in the field.” Timothy said as he went back to chopping wood.

Daniel smugly smiled at his brother, and quietly said, “He and John.”

Timothy raised the axe as if he would hit Daniel with it, but Daniel grinned at him and ran off toward the field. It took only a few minutes for him to find his father. He and John were looking over the half grown cornstalks, no doubt estimating how much money this crop would bring in.

“Pa!” Daniel shouted. His father and brother both looked up with concern showing on their faces, but seemed to settle when they saw the smile on the boy’s face. When Daniel reached them, he stopped and tried to catch his breath.

“Why are you home from school so early?” James, his father, asked.

“Pa, I’ve got something to ask you.” Daniel said, though he was looking at his brother instead.

James also looked at John, and the older boy got the message.

“I’ll go check the other side of the field.” he said, smiling as he walked away.

“Now what’s so urgent that you had to leave school three hours early?” James asked.

“Miss Wilson said I could leave.” Daniel said, “Pa, she got me a job: a teaching job!”

“Teaching?!” James asked, “But it’s almost time for school break, isn’t it?”

“Well this place needs a teacher pretty badly. They wanted her to come during break, but she suggested me for the job. They want me to come and teach.” Daniel smiled excitedly, but noticed his father’s enthusiasm didn’t match his.

“I see!” James said, “Well where is this place?”

“It’s only temporary: a couple of months.” Daniel said.

James right brow rose in a scolding look that all three boys knew well. In a firmer tone, he asked again, “Where is this place?”

“Just…just outside of Bedford.” Daniel hesitantly replied.

“So far away?” James asked. “They’d ask a boy to go so far away from his family?”

Daniel felt resentment toward the fact that just because he was the youngest and smallest in the family, that he wasn’t given the same consideration as the older boys. He tried to hide this resentment in his tone.

“I’m not exactly a little boy anymore, Pa.” he said, “I graduate in two weeks, and I turn eighteen just a week later.”

“Still, Bedford is a long ways.” James said, looking deep in thought.

“Miss Wilson gave me the letter. It explains everything inside.” Daniel said as he handed the letter to his father, “The train ride is paid for, and I’ll be staying with a doctor.”

James looked over the letter, and then stuck it in his shirt pocket.

“I’ll have to think it over.” he said.

“I’d like to tell her tomorrow, Pa.” Daniel said, “She needs to send a reply.”

“I’ll let you know in the morning.” James said. When Daniel opened his mouth again, James put his hand up, “Now I don’t want you pestering me about it all day. Since you’re home, you can go start your chores.”

“Yes, sir!”

Daniel sighed as he walked away. Though it seemed childish, tomorrow morning felt as if it were an eternity away.