Free Promises to the Dead by Mary Downing Hahn Page A

shut about that."
    Before I could think of a comeback, Nate spoke up. "I'm done my work for today. I'll take Jesse down to Mr. Slattery's place. Might be good for him to see it."
    Athena didn't look happy about this turn of events. "You be careful, Nate. A strong young man like you—somebody's likely to snatch you up and sell you south, too."
    "Don't you worry none, Athena," Nate answered. "I'll take good care of the boy and myself, too. Besides we got Union soldiers all over the city now. Things are changing."
    "Not fast enough," Athena muttered, but she went to the door with us. "Go down the alley to Centre Street," she told Nate. "You don't want the neighbors seeing you out and about like you ain't got nothing to do."
    "I told you, I can take care of myself, Athena."
    Nate led me outside and down a narrow alley to Centre Street. After all that time in the cellar, the bright sunlight made me squint. The city seemed bigger and noisier than I remembered. More crowded, too. I kept close to Nate, glad to be with someone his size.
    On Charles Street, we stopped to watch a unit of Maryland soldiers march past. They looked right smart in their brand-new blue uniforms. A band led them, playing stirring songs. I spied a drummer boy no older than me, looking mighty pleased with himself.
    Even though they were Yankees, the music made me want to run along behind them, following wherever they went, earning glory in battle like them. I reckon I'd have felt the same way if they'd been Confederates. It was the music that got to me more than anything else.
    Most of the people on the street didn't give a fig for the music or the soldiers either. They jeered as the troops passed and called them traitors to the state of Maryland.
    Among the crowd were three young ladies dressed in red and white gowns, sporting the Confederate stars and bars. "Look at that fellow carrying a ham," one girl laughed. "Why, it's bigger than he is!"
    The little soldier just grinned and waved, but some of his companions hooted at the girls. It didn't seem to bother them none. They just drew closer together and giggled, swishing their silky skirts.
    "Big brave Lincoln's lambs," the girls called.
    The crowd guffawed and took up the name, chanting it till the soldiers turned down Pratt Street at the bottom of the hill.
    Slowly the music faded away and the people went back to doing whatever they'd been doing before the soldiers came along. Still whispering and giggling, the three girls passed right by us and disappeared into a house on the corner.
    Nate scowled. "Miss Polly's friends," he muttered. "Baltimore Belles, they call themselves. They're for the South, like their mamas and papas."
    No matter what Nate thought, those girls were mighty pretty. Especially the one who'd cried out about the ham. Their dresses were fetching, too. I kept my opinion to myself, for I didn't want Nate to think I was for the South, too. Truth to tell, I hadn't made up my mind which army I'd join when I was old enough. But I couldn't help wondering a little about Miss Polly. If she agreed with her friends, how was she going to feel about Perry? It hurt my head to think about it, so I pushed the question away and hurried along with Nate, trying to match my step to his.
    On we went, making our way downhill toward the harbor. By the time we got in sight of the slave jail's tall wooden gate, we were in the worst part of Baltimore I'd seen yet. Tumbledown old houses propped each other up, roofs sagging, paint peeling, windows busted. Mazes of muddy alleys and narrow rutted streets led off in all directions. Rats as big as cats sniffed the garbage. People in rags, their faces grimy, eyed Nate and me like they were wondering how much money we had. Luckily they decided we didn't have enough coins in our pockets to bother with.
    Nate stopped on the corner about a block away from Slattery's. "I'd best wait here, Jesse. Like Athena said, some of them slave catchers will grab any Negro, slave or