Chapter 7
Gen. Davis wasn't sure if he'd gone unconscious or not. If anyone
had ever asked him to describe the feelings he had gone through it
would be very difficult. But he would have been able to say they
were quite unpleasant!
When he began to regain his wits he realized he was in a luxurious
garden. Beautiful flowers were everywhere. Someone cleared
his throat and Jeff turned to see a stately looking gentleman staring
at him. Jeff looked down at himself. His clothes hung on
him loosely. His shoes were too big. His hat slid down over his
eyes. The stately looking gentleman cleared his throat again.
"That was quite an entry, young man!" he remarked. "Would you
mind telling me what you're doing in my garden?"
"Certainly President Davis," Jeff answered, "I'm your grandson.
I've just come from the future, and there's a lot of trouble. I
need your help, sir!"
The older man looked startled. "Nobody's called me President
Davis in years, son!" he remarked. "You'd better come into
the house. I certainly don't like the sound of what you're saying, I
definitely don't like it at all! Sarah!" he called.
"Come here, girl! W e have a visitor. Fetch some Kentucky
sunshine, dear."
"Grandfather," came a girl's voice, "you know the doctor has told you
you should forego any sunshine."
"Doctors!" the elderly gentleman moaned. "Why can't they just let
a man die in peace, and enjoy the rest of his life?"
When they got in the house Jeff was ushered to a chair. "Now,"
the older man remarked, "who are you, young man? You say you come
from the future? THAT'S a new one! Well, a good future, I
hope."
"I only wish!" Jeff answered. Jeff poured out his story and
the older man listened without interruption, then muttered 'Good God,
son! You expect me to go back into the past and destroy what our
forebears fought so hard to create? Do you have any idea what
you're asking?"
"I understand perfectly what I'm asking!" Jeff answered, "Because
I understand what will happen if we fail. Everything we dreamed
of will be a complete waste!"
"What is this proof you've brought," the elderly gentleman asked,
"that you think will so convince me that you are real?" Jeff
looked to the gentleman's granddaughter who was standing nearby and
seemed very interested in the conversation. "Will you excuse us,
dear child?" the man remarked. The girl looked irritated but
nodded and hurried off. "An old man's joy," the elder remarked,
"a devoted grandchild that spends so many hours seeing to his
comfort. Now, your proof, young man."
"Annabelle Dinsmore," Jeff remarked. "She was never part of any
history. Only members of our family know of her relationship, and
treat her with special interest. I think some others suspect but
none have ever dared speak of it."
The older man starred at his companion for some time, then
nodded.
"Indeed! Something ONLY known to my family. God! How
could you expect a man to make such a decision? The Confederacy
cannot be saved? We must watch it die? This weapon you
speak of would save it but we can't use it?"
"We have to put things back the way they were!" Jeffrey
answered. "You have to go back and visit yourself before The
Battle Of Hampton Roads and see to it that this weapon is never
used. If you do not everything will be gone, every man, woman and
child, every flower, every tree, every bird. There will be
nothing left. Could you live with that? Could you live
knowing you saved The Confederacy only to destroy your
grandchildren? Because if you do not help us that is what will
happen."
"What happened in the other history?" the General asked.
"I don't know," Jeff answered, "we've lost. That's all I can tell
you. You were a prisoner for some time I was told, then
released. You died in 1889, not when our history said you did."
"And when was that?" the General asked.
"I really don't think it's a good idea I tell you that," Jeff
answered. "Let's just say your granddaughter wouldn't have to
care for you much longer."
"Damn!" the older man cursed. "I hate it when those idiot
doctors are right! It just ruins my whole day, just totally ruins
it! You come from 1995, huh?"
"Yes sir!" Jeff answered.
The older man shook his head. "Still don't seem possible!"
he remarked, "Just don't seem possible! But you're surely not
from around here, that's unquestioned. You say I'll disappear in
48 hours?"
"Yes," Jeff answered.
The man slapped his side, then screamed "Daniel!"
A colored man appeared and snapped 'Yessuh, Mr. Davis?"
"Get my car," the older man snapped. "I wish to show this gentleman
around, give him a tour of the city."
"Yessuh!" the colored man snapped. "Hopefully that
confounded thing will run today!"
The elder man smiled as his servant hurried off. "I hate it," the
older man remarked, "when the northerners say we abuse our colored
folk! No servant of mine was ever mistreated! God help the
man that did, and no matter what you've been told, sir, I've never
taken any woman of color by force and I never would. Abominable
lies, sir, abominable lies!"
Jeff nodded. The older man looked at him and grinned. For
the next few hours they drove around the beautiful city. When
they stopped people greeted the old gentleman cordially. Finally,
very late in the evening they went back to the house.