Young Benjamin Davidson
Written By: Commander Cody CC-2224
CHAPTER 10
The next day, Mr. Merriman came by the Davidson residence. After briefly inquiring whether Ben was ready, Mrs. Davidson started calling Ben downstairs.
In a kind of calm Ben came downstairs, fairly well dressed in his plain white shirt, over-vest, and bright-red waistcoat. His dark blue breeches and plain white stockings were spiffy-looking, thanks to his mother's pretty thorough ironing, as well as his help. His black buckled shoes were tidy as ever.
"Ready to be off, then?" said Mr. Merriman in a friendly tone of voice.
"Aye," replied Ben.
"Well then. There's not a moment to lose. Don't dawdle too much."
"Aye, sir," said Ben. "Can I take a little time to say farewell?"
Mr. Merriman nodded and headed back outside to prep the wagon horses. When Ben was in the middle of the doorway he faced his mother closely for what would seem to be his last time.
"I won't…ever see you again," said Ben a little awkwardly. "Will I, Mother."
Mrs. Davidson gently put both her hands on her son's cheeks. "You feel…that 'twill be lonely without any of your relations to keep you company, is that it?" she asked understandingly.
Ben nodded. "That seems to be," he replied quietly. "It can get pretty lonely…you know…without you, or father, or Hannah…without a familiar face…"
Mrs. Davidson nodded understandingly. "It can," she replied. "But the unfamiliar faces you encounter in your lifetime will, in time, become familiar – if you learn to open up."
Ben gazed at his mother, nodding a little.
"'Twill not be the last time you see me," Mrs. Davidson assured her son to boost up his optimism a bit. "When your apprenticeship is over, you can come back to Yorktown to see me, if you so choose. But I only wanted what was best for you." She set her eyes on her son. "Oh, Benjamin," she said. "I…I can only promise you that despite your father and your dear sister gone from this world I can try my best to keep on living in this world just a little more, for your sake. But a time comes when you have to grow up and face the challenges of life with hopeful heart."
Ben nodded quite sadly. He probably knew he was going to be pretty lonely then, with no close friend or relation to confide his fears. Mrs. Davidson kissed her son on his right cheek.
"You be a good boy now," she said. "Work hard, don't get into too much trouble, and…" she broke off. "Remember that you always have a proud mother in whichever respectable path in life you choose."
"Aye, Mother," replied Ben. Slowly he turned away and climbed on Mr. Merriman's wagon, looking back. Mr. Merriman goaded the horses, and the two rode off to the end of Main Street.
Mr. Merriman and Ben had already reached the end of the outskirts of Yorktown and were now traveling the dirt path in the midst of King's Creek plantation.
"That's the plantation where my father-in-law runs," said Mr. Merriman. "Or rather my wife's father." He pointed at the plantation house, which was slowly emerging from the dense clump of trees. "King's Creek."
Ben nodded. "I…I was kind of itching to travel that road," he admitted. "When I was riding one of our neighbor's horses." He paused for a moment. "What's your wife's father's name?"
"William Fellows," replied Mr. Merriman. "His wife, Mercy, died six years ago."
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Ben a little stiffly quietly.
Passing by the dirt road, the two men now passed by the fairly elegant plantation house.
"That is…awfully grand," remarked Ben.
"Aye, 'tis so," replied Mr. Merriman.
The duo passed another series of roads until they came to near the outskirts of Virginia's current capital city, Williamsburg.
"We're coming up on Williamsburg now," said Mr. Merriman. Ben immediately woke up from his daydreaming.
They now entered the grand metropolis on the Duke of Gloucester Street. Ben had never been to a large city before, and Williamsburg was the largest city. The city was bustling. Strapping gentlemen and ladies in elegant and modest-looking gowns slid past the wagon.
Ben soaked all the sights he could. This was his first time he could see the mundane world at its most prominent, before he would be stuck up with his apprenticeship at Mr. Merriman's establishment. It was not long before Ben notices someone confined to the stocks, with the victim being teased about by passers-by.
"I…I hope I don't end up in a predicament like that," he said a little fearfully.
"Aye," replied Mr. Merriman. "But comparatively the stocks are far milder a punishment than the pillory. If you were to be locked up in the pillory, there's no way to dodge whatever garbage is being thrown at you; in addition to that you would have to endure the terrible and torturous prospect of being undesirably tickled or possibly whipped by the unscrupulous passers-by."
Ben was a little nervous. "Do you…do you sometimes do things like that, sir?" he asked, trying not to sound too rude.
Much to Ben's relief, Mr. Merriman was not feeling that offended by that question. "I make it a point not to do things like that. Besides, what if I were in that poor unfortunate man's place?"
Ben looked at Mr. Merriman and beamed. "You're a noble sort of person, sir," he said. His body relaxed a little. "I just hope that doesn't happen to me; or if it does I'd rather be in the stocks."
Mr. Merriman shook his head and chuckled to reassure the rather shy Ben. "You won't," he said. "As long as you're under my supervision, and you do your best not to get into all sorts of trouble, you'll turn out fine."
Ben continued mesmerizing the city and soaking up the sights. "They're just about right in saying that Williamsburg is the Virginia Colony's capital city," he declared with admiration.
"That they are, Mr. Davidson," said Mr. Merriman.
"You…you must be awfully lucky to start a business in a place like this," said Ben, almost astonished.
"Well, 'tis not just that," replied Mr. Merriman while scratching his head. "I knew this place ever since I was your age, when I was completing my business studies at the College."
"The College of William and Mary?" inquired Ben. He heard stories about the city from his mother and some of the neighbors back in his hometown."
"Aye," replied Mr. Merriman. "And I seemed to miss the place too much, and after I married nearly four years ago, around the time when our eldest daughter was born, my business was established six years ago, back in 1768, if I recall. You'll find the year of establishment when we arrive to the shop."
There was brief silence before Ben spoke up again out of curiosity. "Who's your eldest daughter?" he queried curiously.
"You'll find out soon enough," said Mr. Merriman, beaming his friendly smile. "She helps at the store on various occasions, so 'tis likely you'll see her."
The duo passed by a close-knit neighborhood of tidy clapboard houses before reaching a shop with a woodcut picture of a merchant ship, wherein under the image read "Edward Merriman" and the year 1769. This was the Merriman General Store, said to be the finest store in all of Williamsburg.
"I need to visit the store briefly to take care of unfinished business in the counting room," said Mr. Merriman. "You're welcome to look around the store and get your bearings on what you'll be doing tomorrow on your first day. Careful you don't break anything, though."
"I will, sir," replied Ben.
"And no thieving around."
"I don't steal, sir," said Ben. "You can count on that."
"Hmm. I hope I can. I think I can."
When the two entered the shop Mr. Merriman immediately headed off to the counting room and shut the door.
Ben mesmerized the store and was pretty awed about it. The shop was stacked with goods imported from various countries around the world which England mostly did business with, such as Holland, France, on occasion, and China. A fairly robust black man by the name of Marcus was stacking fat-bellied sacks of rice and other coarse grain at the other end of the store.
At the right hand end was a girl about nine years of age, on the ladder, stacking linen bolts. Her hair was of a very vibrant reddish-auburn color, which peeked and flowed out of her mobcap, and pinned up in a bun by a plain white ribbon lace. Her flowery autumn gown was appropriate for the season, and her black-buckled shoes added a touch-up of modesty about her in the middling sort.
Immediately alerted the girl abruptly turned her head to her left side and stared at Ben wide-eyed. Ben stared incessantly at her wavy red hair, and what was best, her sparkling emerald-green eyes. Ben had almost never seen such a lovely girl before, with an ideal combination of vibrant red hair and sparkling green eyes.
Ben recoiled a bit, as this was the first time in his life that he had seen a pretty redheaded girl with such ideal features. His astonishment had nearly got the better of him. Not paying attention, he ended up stepping over an empty bottle and stumbled completely to the ground.
The girl immediately burst into a fit of giggles because the sight of an awkward teenage boy was just somewhat laughable.
"You all right?" asked the girl.
"I think…" replied Ben a little shyly as he struggled to get up from the floor.
Seconds later, the door of the counting room opened and Mr. Merriman stepped out, alerted to Ben's situation. He shook his head and smiled rather dryly. "That's what happens when you don't pay attention," he said almost calmly.
Ben gulped a bit. "I…sorry…sir," he stammered. "I was just…" he kept looking at the redhead. "…you know…"
"Well, you can thank God that you didn't break anything, or this apprenticeship would be all over before it began," said Mr. Merriman. Then he turned to face the girl.
"Lissie?" he called.
The girl faced Mr. Merriman briskly. "Yes, Father?" she asked.
Ben was almost astounded at the spunk and sprite of that girl. "Lissie?" he muttered to himself in wonderment. The girl was pretty mature for her age.
"Our apprentice is here," said Mr. Merriman. "Should you not greet him as well?"
"Ap-apprentice?" stammered the girl. She heaved a rather downtrodden and exasperated sigh as she climbed down the ladder.
Mr. Merriman put his arm around the girl. "Ben," he began. "I'd like to introduce you…to my eldest daughter Miss Felicity Merriman. Miss Felicity, this is our new apprentice, Mr. Benjamin Davidson."
Felicity gave Ben a rather curt nod in rather wry attitude of "I really want nothing to do with him at the moment" sort of thing.
"Well, go on," goaded Mr. Merriman, smiling a little playfully while giving his daughter a little push. It was enough to make Felicity take a fairly dainty little step forward.
The girl bobbed a fairly courteous curtsy. "How do you do?" she murmured a little coyly, smiling a bit.
"Well, thank, you, Miss Felicity," replied Ben in a rather stiff manner. He felt too shy and awkward to say anything else after that greeting.
Mr. Merriman allowed the two children to get acquainted with each other by staring at each other for a brief moment before he decided to cut in. "Well," he said, after clearing his throat. "Unless there's anything further to say, then I think 'tis time to head back home." He did a gentlemanly stance. "After you…Miss Felicity," he said, as he ushered her out the door in a gentlemanly fashion. It seemed that the girl did enjoy being treated like a gentlewoman by her father and that's what he usually did from time to time. Felicity formed a sweet smile on her face at both her father and Ben and proceeded out of the store.
Both Ben and Mr. Merriman were taking a stroll on the way to the place of residence while Felicity gaily bounded like a deer, her vibrant red hair waving playfully as she jumped up and down.
"I'm just a mite curious," said Mr. Merriman. "What on earth made you stumble on the floor?"
"Your daughter," replied Ben.
Mr. Merriman chuckled at the thought of that. "Oh," he replied. "You somehow acted as though there was something…unusual…in her."
Ben gulped back a bit. "'Tis just that…well…I've just never seen many a girl like her that has a lot of…spunk," replied Ben rather awkwardly and hesitantly.
"That takes getting used to," said Mr. Merriman understandingly. "You'll grow to like her soon enough. She may be impatient, flighty, and headstrong, but she's very lively child, which, for the most part, we feel blessed to have."
"A quality which you find you find very…admirable," said Ben, a little nervously.
"Aye," replied Mr. Merriman. "You won't find any girl like that in the whole of Williamsburg who can very much be like our little Lissie."
"Swell," remarked Ben.
"Of course, her mother may disapprove a bit," said Mr. Merriman.
By the time the group reached the tidy two-story clapboard house a few blocks from the General Store, Ben noticed Felicity being the first to step inside the house. She held the door open for him and Mr. Merriman.
"Thank you, Lissie," said Mr. Merriman kindly.
When both he and Ben were now inside the foyer, Felicity nodded with a rather wry smile and shut the door. A fairly sturdy black housekeeper, Rose, arrived at the scene and helped take off Mr. Merriman's waistcoat and tricorn hat to put away. Right away Ben was ushered by Mr. Merriman into the parlor.
In the parlor was a dainty, ladylike woman well into her early thirties seated on the main sofa. Her reddish-marigold hair flowed smoothly from her creamy-white pinnercap, which she usually took a habit of wearing almost all the time and she wore a turquoise-blue gown which flowed freely downward.
Below her were two lively-looking little youngsters, a sister and brother. The little girl was around six years of age, and the boy was three years younger. Each of their hair was of the same reddish-color that Felicity had, but the boy's short hair was a tad brownish, like Mr. Merriman's. Both little mites were steeped in some kind of board game.
Mr. Merriman proceeded to introduce Ben to the rest of his family members when Mrs. Merriman rose up from her work. "Is that our new apprentice that you planned to hire?" she asked almost sweetly in a ladylike manner.
"'Tis, dear," quipped Mr. Merriman as he cleared his throat. "Everyone, meet Mr. Benjamin Davidson,…our new apprentice. Ben, this is…my darling wife, Mrs. Martha Merriman. She is, I have to say, quite an accomplished gentlewoman."
Mrs. Merriman bobbed a gracious, ladylike curtsy in a manner as if she was accomplished at it. "How do you do, Mr. Davidson," she said graciously.
Ben stiffly and shyly waved his right hand almost cursorily. "Hi," he greeted. The little girl bobbed a lively curtsy after her mother. Her brother, however, stared at him with intense curiosity with his puppy dog eyes.
"Our Lissie has been already introduced to our new apprentice," mentioned Mr. Merriman.
"So I see," said Mrs. Merriman kindly, as she gathered the youngsters under her wing. "Mr. Davidson, this is little Nan, and she is…six years old." Nan smiled a tad impishly while holding up six fingers in both hands; five on her right, and one on her left. Mrs. Merriman then turned to the boy. "And this…is little William, only three years younger. Say hi, William," she said to her son.
William waved back, just like Ben did.
"He's a little shy, almost like my younger daughter," said Mrs. Merriman. "You don't mind, do you? I mean…"
"No, not really," replied Ben reservedly. "I'm fine with that, thank you…Mrs. Merriman."
With a nod, Mrs. Merriman turned to her husband. "Shall I assist Rose in cooking dinner?"
"That would be grand dear," replied Mr. Merriman. "Please do."
Bobbing a curtsy, Mrs. Merriman, along with Rose, headed out of the parlor. Mr. Merriman, Ben and Felicity headed off to the study room.
"But Father," said Felicity. "I've always enjoyed working at the store. I don't understand…"
"Aside from someone to assist in stacking the goods I also need an extra hand in lifting the heavy merchandise and making deliveries to and fro the town. And Ben is…as he seems…quite up to it, if given his bearings."
"Ohhh," whined Felicity. She always loved working at the store, and the idea of someone taking away her place was not something she took rather kindly to.
"Besides, your mother will need help with the other household chores," said Mr. Merriman.
Felicity hung her head a little dejectedly and made a face. That new apprentice, she thought to herself disappointedly.
"He's not that much of an unfriendly lad. You'll grow to like him," Mr. Merriman assured his daughter.
Felicity heaved a sigh.
During the family dinner, Ben was feeling a tad shy and reserved. Ben's reserved mood was sort of broken by a tad when Mrs. Merriman made small talk through making queries about his hometown and his relations. Nan and William kept their childlike eyes on him. Felicity also studied him intently with fascination, as if it was her first time she had ever seen an older boy during her childhood.
"So how's your family back in Yorktown?" asked Mrs. Merriman curiously.
Or rather, what's left of it, Ben thought to himself as he didn't feel up to talking about his family. But he felt kind of obliged to answer some remnants of the question. "My family's…fine," answered Ben a little stiffly.
"His mother is the only one he has left in his family," informed Mr. Merriman. "From what she told me, both his father and his younger sister passed away."
Mrs. Merriman faced Ben. "Pray, how?" she asked considerately.
"I…don't feel up to talking about it," said Ben. His shyness, as well as the fact that talking about them was too painful for him, kind of prevented him from divulging information about his family members, as Ben was quick to point out.
"I see," said Mrs. Merriman understandingly.
Felicity kept studying Ben until she felt a sharp kick from under the table. Ouch! she thought rather painfully. Felicity shot a scowl at her sister sitting beside her. Nan didn't return the glare, but only looked composed as ever, in demure seriousness.
Shaking her head, Felicity decided to pipe up a question. "Will you tell us about your family sometime later tomorrow?" she asked.
"I might…" said Ben, his voice trailing off. Somehow he felt pretty lonely, despite the company.
"Did you get to see a bit of sightseeing around Williamsburg?" asked Mrs. Merriman.
"A bit," replied Ben. "We briefly passed by a plantation called King's Creek owned by a William Fellows, from what Mr. Merriman said. I could never get near that area when I was little. I got in trouble last time for trespassing on a plantation."
Felicity felt her spirits getting jittery. "That's Grandfather!" she exclaimed.
"Lissie, keep your voice down," chided Mrs. Merriman gently.
"Yes, Mother," said Felicity meekly. She turned to Ben, who muttered the word "Grandfather?" to himself. "Did you meet him?" she asked him.
"Nay," replied Ben. "We just…passed by." Ben cleared his throat a bit. "Mr. Merriman, um...mentioned that his wife, Mercy, had died six years ago, when little Nan was born." Her voice carried a tinge of sadness before she regained her composure.
"How did you get in trouble for trespassing on a plantation?" asked Felicity almost excitedly.
"Lissie!" exclaimed Mrs. Merriman.
"Um…" replied Ben, unable to talk any further about it.
"He'll tell you more tomorrow, when he can get acquainted with his new surroundings, Lissie dear," said Mr. Merriman. "Let's let the lad eat."
The conversation fluctuated back and forth as it continued throughout the entire dinner.
Evening came. After the family devotion, Mr. Merriman personally led his new apprentice to his new accommodations as they reached the stable while holding his lantern.
"The…the stable?" asked Ben rather curiously. He was used to sleeping on a bed in a house that to him the stable was somewhat unorthodox to his gentlemanly tastes.
"I'm sorry we have no other appropriate accommodations," said Mr. Merriman. "The stable is pretty much the only thing available for apprentices and the like."
Ben bit his lip and sighed.
"'Twill be warm…and fairly cozy in there," said Mr. Merriman. "You can trust me on that. You won't shiver. Besides, one of the advantages is that you can have a private area to yourself."
"That's a comfort," replied Ben wryly, as the two stepped inside the stable.
"The loft is up there," said Mr. Merriman, pointing at a second-story loft at the far end of the stable, which could only be reached by a ladder. "And there's a pillow and sheets, too. Believe me, Ben, you won't feel so deprived while you're under the household roof."
Ben instinctively sniffed a bit. The atmosphere of the stable had a rather horsey smell to it, which Ben was fairly used to, given that he had been with horses occasionally during his childhood.
"Sleep well," said Mr. Merriman. "Good night."
"Good night…Mr. Merriman," said Ben a little awkwardly.
When the stable doors were shut, Ben climbed up the ladder to the loft and lay back on the pillow over the sheets with his head resting on his hands, dreaming about what might be in store for him tomorrow, as well as for his future at hand. He also thought about the spunky, sprightly young redhead girl who had the gall to playfully laugh at him over his awkward stumbling. At this point he wondered whether he would grow to like her, even if he was fifteen and she was nine. Deep down inside him was a longing for a close friend, just like his deceased sister. Leaving the rest up to God, he closed his eyes and fell into deep, manly slumber.
A/N (1): Mr. Merriman married his wife around the 1760's, specifically 1764. That little factoid has something to do with the day when he first set up his shop. (Somewhat...)
A/N (2): The part where Nan kicks Felicity's leg from under the table was from "P.I.D"'s Anticipation and Disappointment. It is revealed in Anticipation and Disappointment that the reason why Nan did that was because Felicity was staring at Ben for an awfully long period of time, and according to Nan, it was most improper to stare.