Breakdown:
- Introduction to Gabe Hines
- Gabe Hines, an elderly Black man from Eufaula, Alabama, reflects on his long life and one incident that stands out even above the physical toll of old age.
- Gabe was born in Cusseta, Georgia, to slave parents Hetty and Gabe Hines, and belonged to William Shipp and Mary Shipp.
- Life During and After Slavery
- As a young boy during the Civil War, Gabe worked as a water-carrier on the plantation. He recalls those days fondly, despite the hardships of slavery.
- After gaining his freedom, Gabe moved to Silver Run and married Anna. They built a life together in their new freedom.
- The Carpetbagger’s Offer
- One night, a man from the North approached Gabe and Anna, promising high wages and a fine house if they followed him.
- After two nights of contemplation, Gabe and Anna decided to go with him, leaving everything behind except for what they could carry in a small bundle.
- Unbeknownst to them, they were being taken to Columbus, Georgia, where they were exploited—paid only fifty cents a month and given poor living conditions.
- The Ku Klux Klan Encounter
- One night, a terrifying storm came, and Gabe and Anna witnessed a group of Ku Klux Klan members outside their house. The Klan, draped in white sheets, arrived on horseback, led by a man holding a burning cross.
- The Klan took the “man from the North” who had brought Gabe and Anna to Columbus, and he was never seen again. Gabe later learned that this man was not the gentleman he claimed to be but a notorious carpetbagger who exploited others for personal gain.
- Gabe and Anna’s Escape
- After the Klan’s visit and the disappearance of the carpetbagger, Gabe and Anna left Columbus and walked to Eufaula, Alabama, where they found safety.
- They worked hard to build a life in Eufaula—Gabe worked for the city, and Anna took in laundry.
- Gabe’s Loneliness in Old Age
- After forty years of living and working together in Eufaula, Anna passed away, leaving Gabe alone.
- Gabe reflects on his loneliness and the loss of his wife, expressing that life no longer feels like home without her. Though he is aging and nearing the end of his life, Gabe longs for a reunion with Anna and the return of “old times” once more.
Themes:
- Exploitation of Freed Slaves: The story highlights how freed slaves were often misled and exploited during the Reconstruction era by opportunists like carpetbaggers.
- Racial Terror and the Ku Klux Klan: Gabe’s encounter with the KKK demonstrates the terror that African Americans faced even after the end of slavery.
- Resilience and Endurance: Despite being deceived and facing difficult conditions, Gabe and Anna endured and rebuilt their lives in Eufaula, showing strength and resilience.
- Loss and Memory: Gabe’s reflection on his long life, particularly his deep loss after Anna’s death, illustrates the heavy emotional toll of outliving loved ones and the yearning for reunion and comfort in the afterlife.