“Grandma always says ‘yes,’” declared Roxy happily, and started off to tell Jacob just where to fix the tall willow saplings that he had cut as a frame for Roxy’s arch.
She selected a place half-way between the porch and the big butternut tree, and Jacob drove the saplings firmly into the ground, and drew their tops together in a graceful arch. He brought a step-ladder for Roxy to stand on and a ball of twine, and showed her how to fasten the branches of laurel and hazel leaves about the arched poles; and Roxy was busily at work when Polly, riding the little brown horse, trotted into the yard.
Polly was eager to help, and gathered an armful of the yellow lilies and helped Roxy put them in place at the top of the arch, where they glowed among the glossy laurel leaves, and, as Dulcie admiringly declared, “Look jes’ like stars.”
While the girls worked Roxy described her plan for her father’s pleasure, and Polly laughingly consented to sing whatever Roxy wanted her to sing, and thought Dulcie’s idea of having the negroes sing would be sure to please Captain Delfield, as indeed it did, when a few hours later he stepped out on the porch and saw the beautiful arch, and Roxy announced:
“Father! That’s your triumphal arch! And Polly’s going to sing,” and he saw a tall girl in a tan-colored linen dress with shining red hair standing near the flowery arch, who with a smiling greeting made him a low curtsy and sang:
“Hail to the Chief, who in triumph advances!
Honored and blessed be the ever-green pine!
Long may the tree, in his banner that glances,
Flourish, the shelter and grace of our line!”
And then with another curtsy, Polly came up to stand beside Roxy on the upper step, and before Captain Delfield could thank her for the song, Jacob, followed by the other negro servants, came around the corner of the house, and with smiling greetings to the Captain began singing:
“Nebber yo’ fear—
W’en de corn am growin’,
Nebber yo’ fear
W’en de flowers am’ blowin’.
Nebber yo’ fear de dreadful soun’
Risin’, risin’ out de groun’
Ob armies marchin’, marchin’ roun’.”
As the men sang they swayed back and forth in time to the tune, and finally disappeared behind the house in a solemn march as the song ended.
But Roxy ran after them and called them back and Captain Delfield thanked them heartily.