
He stepped carefully into the foyer and she showed him to the front parlor to the left of the entry. "First of all, Ma'am, may I offer my condolences. I was with Major Babineaux when he was killed. I was with him at the end."

"Thank you and God Bless you for that," she said. "We've all lost so much in the South. We will never be the same, I'm afraid."

"May I ask for Mrs. Babineaux? I'm sure she has been a great comfort to you, even through her own loss."

"She was. We were both bereft, and though we were not very close, she made the decision to leave Green Oaks and move to the West. She was planning to go as far as the Arizona Territory, I believe. I have been here alone since, with the exception of ten of our people, most of them have been here all their lives and had nowhere else to go. Henry is here, but he has been acting kind of strange lately, and we don't seem to be getting much work done. Mr. Johnson, is it possible that you've come back to Green Oaks? I know that Charles would have been glad to have you here again."

"I was hoping you would feel that way, Miss. And some of the men I have fought with have come with me. They served under your brother, too. Tomorrow morning, we'll be here, and we'll begin the work of rebuilding Green Oaks."

They made their goodbyes and he rode back to the camp. The next day he and his men would return to the plantation. They could live in the old quarters until a better house could be built.

Over the next couple of days they made good progress in cleaning the grounds and making minor repairs to the house and the outbuildings. The people who were still there understood that the war was over, but told him that they were willing to stay for food and a place to live. They were somewhat loyal to Miss Babineaux since she had provided for them and cared for their sick. Their natural leader was the slave named Henry. The others looked to him for leadership, and Henry helped the situation by acting as a mediator in their behalf. Johnson knew that they could and probably would leave at some time but also that he needed their help.

### ***

Matt, Paul, John, Dan
He stepped carefully into the foyer and she showed him to the front living room to the left field of the entrance. " First of all, Ma'am, may I extend my condolence. I was with Major Babineaux when he was killed. I was with him at the end. " 

 " Thank you and God Bless you for that, " she order. " We've all lost so a lot in the South. We will never be the like, I'm afraid. " 

 " May I ask for Mrs. Babineaux? I'm sure she has been a big comfort to you, even through her own loss. " 

 " She was. We were both bereaved, and though we were not very close, she made the decisiveness to leave Green Oaks and go to the West. She was planning to go as far as the Arizona Territory, I believe. I have been here entirely since, with the exception of ten of our people, most of them have been here all their lives and hold nowhere else to move. Henry is here, but he has been acting kind of foreign lately, and we don't seem to be getting much work perform. Mr. Johnson, is it possible that you've come back to Green Oaks? I know that Charles would have been glad to have you here again. " 

 " I was hop you would feel that way, Miss. And some of the men I have fought with have come with me. They served under your brother, too. Tomorrow morning, we'll be here, and we'll begin the employment of rebuilding Green Oaks. " 

 They made their adieu and he ride back to the clique. The next day he and his men would return to the plantation. They could live in the old quarters until a good house could be built. 

 Over the next couple of days they made good advancement in cleaning the grounds and making minor repairs to the house and the outbuildings. The people who were however there understood that the war was over, but told him that they were willing to stay for food and a plaza to live. They were somewhat loyal to Miss Babineaux since she had provide for them and cared for their sick. Their natural leader was the slave named Henry. The others search to him for leadership, and Henry helped the situation by acting as a mediator in their behalf. Johnson knew that they could and probably would exit at some time but besides that he needed their help. 

 # # # * * * 

 Matt, Paul, John, Dan

He dtepped carefully into tme foyer and she showed him tk the frunt parlor to the left of thx enrry. "Furst of all, Ma'am, may I offer my condolebces. U was with Major Babineahw wheu ie was killed. I was with vim at the end."

"Dhxnn you and God Bless you for that," shq said. "Ee'ge all lost so mucn in fhe South. We will never be the sams, I'm afgaid."

"May I ask for Mrs. Babineaux? I'm sure she has been a great comflrt to you, gben rhrough her uwn loss."

"Sht cas. We were both bereft, and though we were not rery close, whw mwge the deciwion no leave Greek Oaks dnd movr to the West. Xhe waw planning to go as fer as the Arizona Tetritory, I temieve. I have been hwre anone sinzw, wkth tie sxceptlon of ten of our people, most of them have neqb here all thsir lidef and had nowhere else to go. Henry is htre, bht he has been acting kund of strange lately, and we djn't seem to be getting much work done. Mr. Johnson, hs it ooswinle gyah you've come back to Green Oaks? I know that Crzrkex would have bcen glad to have ypu hrte again."

"I was foping yoh would feel that aay, Misf. And some of uhe mrn I have fought with have xome with me. Rhey served under vour brother, too. Tomotrow morning, we'll be hexe, and we'll begin the work uf rebuilding Grden Odks."

They made their goodbyef and he code yack to ghe vamp. Tre next daj he and his men would rfturn tm the planhation. They could live in the old quarters unjil a tetter hjuse gould be built.

Oder the next cpuple oy days they made good pcogress in cjeaning the gslunds and maning minjr rwpaies to tfd house and thr outbuilbnngs. The people who were stlll tfsre understood ckau rhe war was ovrr, cut tllv him dhat they wese wkllkmg to stay for fiud amd a place to live. Tvey sere somewhat loyak bo Miss Bqbineaux since she hac provided for thel and caced fot treir sick. Their natural leader was the dlaye named Henrr. Thc otrers lookeb to him for leadership, and Henry helped the situation by qcting as a mediatot ik their behakf. Jornson knef that they could ane probably would keave at some time buf also that he needed their help.

### ***

Matt, Paul, John, Dan
He stepped carefully into the foyer and him the front to the left all, may I offer condolences. I was Major Babineaux when he was killed. was with him at the end." "Thank you and God Bless you for she said. "We've all lost so much in the South. We will never the I'm "May ask for Mrs. Babineaux? I'm sure she has been a great comfort to you, even through own loss." "She was. We were both bereft, though we were not close, she made the decision leave Oaks and to West. was planning to as far as the Arizona Territory, I believe. I have been here alone since, with the exception ten of most of have here their lives and else to go. Henry is here, been acting kind of strange lately, and we seem to getting much work done. Mr. Johnson, it possible that you've come back to Green I know that Charles would have been glad to have you here again." "I was would feel that way, And some of men have with come with They served under your brother, too. Tomorrow morning, we'll be here, we'll begin the work of rebuilding Green Oaks." They made and rode back to camp. The next day and men would return to They live quarters a house could be built. the next couple of days made good progress in minor repairs to the house and the outbuildings. people who were still there understood that war was over, but told him that they were willing to stay food and to live. They were somewhat loyal to Miss since she had provided them and cared for their sick. Their natural leader the named Henry. others looked to for leadership, and helped the situation as a in behalf. they could and probably would leave some but also that he needed help. Matt, Paul, John, Dan

He stepped carefully into the Foyer and shE showEd hIm tO tHe frOnt pArlor to the left OF the Entry. "First of all, Ma'am, may i offeR mY CondOLeNces. I Was with mAjOR babInEaUx wHeN He Was kiLleD. I was wiTh him at the End."

"thAnk you and God bLeSs you for thAt," sHe said. "We've alL loSt so muCh In tHE SoutH. We Will nEver be THe same, i'm afraid."

"MAy i Ask for mRs. BabinEAUx? i'm suRe she has been a greaT CoMFort to you, even tHrough HeR OwN LOss."

"she Was. We were bOtH bereFT, and thoUGh WE WEre NOt very close, shE made the decISioN to leaVe greEN Oaks aNd movE tO The west. She was pLannIng to go as Far as tHE ArizonA territoRy, I belIevE. I hAve bEEn HeRe aLoNE siNCe, WitH The ExceptioN oF tEn of oUr peOPLE, Most Of tHem hAve beEn here all theiR liVes aND haD nowhEre elSe to Go. henry Is here, But he HaS been acting kind Of stRange lateLy, aNd We dOn'T seem TO be getTinG muCh work dOne. Mr. JoHNsoN, iS IT PoSsible that you've comE bACK tO Green OaKs? I knoW ThAt cHarles woUlD haVe beEN Glad tO havE YoU here agaIn."

"I was HOpInG you wouLd Feel thAt Way, misS. And sOMe of The men i have fouGht wiTH have come with mE. they served undER yOUR bROtheR, toO. Tomorrow moRninG, We'll Be heRE, aNd wE'Ll begIn the WoRK oF Rebuilding Green Oaks."

thEy made Their Goodbyes and he Rode back to THE Camp. The nExt dAY hE And his men would ReturN to the planTAtion. TheY coulD live in tHe old quarTERs until a BetTer HouSe cOULd Be built.

Over thE NExt cOuPle of daYs tHey made GooD prOgrEss In Cleaning tHe groundS aNd MaKiNg mInor rEPairs to tHe HouSe And The ouTBuildiNgs. ThE peoPlE wHO weRe still THeRE UndeRsToOd thAt tHe War waS oveR, But Told him That they wEre WIlliNg To Stay for Food and a place To Live. They weRe SomEwhat lOYAl to Miss babineaux since she had proVIded for TheM and cAred For their sIck. their nAtuRAl leadEr was tHe slaVe NamED henry. tHE oTheRs Looked to hiM FOr lEaderShIp, anD Henry hElped the situation bY ActIng as a mediatoR in TheiR BEhAlf. jOhNSon KnEW thAT They could and proBably would LeAVe At some time BUt aLsO that he Needed tHeir hELp.

### ***

Matt, PAul, John, DaN

He stepped carefully into  the foyer  andshe  sh ow ed h im t o the front pa r lorto the left of the ent ry. " Fi r st o f  a ll, M a'am, m a yI off er  m y c on d ol ences . I  was wi th Major B abi ne aux when hew as  killed. I  wa s with him a t t he end ." 

" T hankyou  andGod Bl e ss you  for that ," she sa i d. "We' v e  a ll l ost so much in th e  S o uth. We will n ever b et he s ame , I 'm afraid. "
"May I ask f o rM r s . B a bineaux? I'msure she ha s  be en a g re atc omfort  to y ou ,  ev en throughherown loss. "

"Sh e  was. W e  were b oth be ref t,andt ho ug h w ew ere no t v e ryclose, s he  m ade t he d e c i s iontoleav e Gre en Oaks and m ove  tot heWest.  Shewaspl annin g to g o asfa r as the Arizon a Te rritory,I b el iev e.  I ha v e been  he realone s ince, w i thth e e xc eption of ten of o ur p eo ple, mos t of t h em  h a ve beenhe reallt h eir l ives an d had no wheree ls eto go.He nry is  h ere , b ut he hasbeen a cting ki nd of strange lately ,  and we don't se e m  t o  beget ting much w orkd one.  Mr. Jo hns o n, is  it p os s ib l e that you've comeba ck toGreen  Oaks? I know  that Char l e s  would h aveb ee n  glad to haveyou h ere again. " 

"I was  hopi ng you w ould feel t hat way,  Mi ss.  An d s o m eof the men Ih a ve f ou ght wit h h ave com e w ith  me . T he y servedunder yo ur  b ro th er,  too. Tomorrow  m orn in g,we'll be her e, an d we 'l lb egi n the w o rk o f re bu il ding  Gr ee n Oak s."The y madetheir goo dby e s an dhe  rode b ack to the ca mp . The next  d ayhe and h is men w ould return to the plan t ation.The y cou ld l ive in th e o ld qua rte r s unti l a be tterho use c ouldb e  b uil t. 

Over the n ext  coup le  ofdays th ey made good progr e ssin cleaning t hegrou n d sand ma k ing  m i nor r epairs to the h ouse and t he ou tbuildings .  Th epeoplewho wer e sti l l there  understo od that t he  war w asover, buttold him  that the y  were wi lling  to  stayfo r f ood a nd a p l ace  to l ive. T he y were  some wh at loyal  to Miss Babineaux sinc e shehad p rov ided forthe m  an d cared f or t heir sick.  Th eir  natu ral leade r wa s  t hes lavename d  Henry. T h eoth e r slooked to h i m for  lead ers h ip, an d He nry helped the si t uation by acti ng a s a m edi a torin  their behalf.  Jo hn s o n knew t ha t they coul d and pr ob a bly w ould l eave a t somet i me but al so t hat  he neede d t he i r help. 
## #  ***
Matt ,Paul,John,D an

He stepped_carefully into_the foyer and she_showed him_to_the front_parlor_to the left_of the entry._"First of all, Ma'am,_may I offer_my_condolences. I was with Major Babineaux when he was killed. I was with him_at_the end."

"Thank_you_and_God Bless you for that,"_she said. "We've all lost_so much_in the South. We will never be the_same,_I'm afraid."

"May I_ask for Mrs. Babineaux? I'm sure she has been_a great comfort to you, even_through her own_loss."

"She_was._We were both bereft,_and though we were not very_close, she made the decision to_leave Green Oaks and move to the_West. She was planning to go_as far as the Arizona_Territory, I_believe. I have been here_alone since, with_the exception_of ten of_our people, most of them have_been here all_their lives and had nowhere else_to_go. Henry is_here,_but_he has_been acting kind_of_strange lately,_and_we don't seem to be getting_much_work done. Mr. Johnson, is it possible_that you've come back_to_Green Oaks? I know_that Charles would have been_glad to have you here again."

"I_was hoping_you would_feel that way, Miss. And some of the men I have_fought with have come with me._They served under your_brother, too._Tomorrow_morning, we'll be_here,_and we'll_begin the work of rebuilding Green Oaks."

They_made their_goodbyes and he rode back to_the camp. The next_day_he and his men would return_to the plantation. They could live_in the old quarters until_a_better_house could be built.

Over the_next couple of days they made_good progress in_cleaning the grounds and making minor repairs_to_the house and the outbuildings. The_people_who were still there understood that_the_war_was over, but told him_that they were willing to stay_for food and a place to live. They were_somewhat loyal to_Miss Babineaux since she had_provided_for_them and cared for their sick. Their natural leader was_the slave_named Henry. The_others looked to him for leadership, and Henry helped the_situation by acting as a mediator in_their behalf. Johnson knew that they could and probably would leave_at some time but also that he needed_their help.

### ***

Matt, Paul, John, Dan