The Difficulty of Crossing Field

by Ambrose Bierce

One morning in July, 1854, planter named Williamson, living six miles from Selma, Alabama, was sitting wife and child veranda dwelling Immediately in front house was lawn, perhaps fifty yards in extent house and public road, or, as called, the "pike " Beyond this road lay close-cropped pasture of some ten acres, level and without tree, rock, or any natural or artificial object on its surface not even domestic animal field In another field, beyond the pasture, dozen slaves were at work under an overseer

Throwing away the stump of cigar, the planter rose, saying: "I forgot Andrew horses " Andrew overseer

Williamson strolled leisurely down the gravel walk, plucking flower as he went, passed across the road and pasture, pausing moment as he closed the gate leading , to greet passing neighbor, Armour Wren, who lived on an adjoining plantation Mr Wren was in an open carriage son James, lad of thirteen When he had driven some two hundred yards point of meeting, Mr Wren said son: "I forgot Mr Williamson horses "

Mr Wren had sold to Mr Williamson some horses, which were sent day, but for some reason not now remembered it inconvenient to deliver them until the morrow The coachman was directed to drive back, and vehicle turned Williamson was seen by all three, walking leisurely across the pasture moment coach horses stumbled and came near falling It had no more than fairly recovered itself when James Wren cried: "Why, father, what has become of Mr Williamson ? "

the purpose narrative to answer that question

Mr Wren's strange account matter, given under oath course of legal proceedings relating Williamson estate, here follows:

"My son's exclamation caused me to look toward the spot where I had seen the deceased [sic] an instant before, but not there, nor was he anywhere visible I that moment greatly startled, or realized the gravity occurrence, though it singular My son, however, was greatly astonished and kept repeating his question in different forms until we arrived gate My black boy Sam was similarly affected, even in greater degree, but I reckon more by my son's manner than by anything he had himself observed [This sentence testimony was stricken out ] got carriage gate field, and while Sam was hanging [sic] the team fence, Mrs Williamson, with her child in her arms and followed by several servants, came running down the walk in great excitement, crying: ' gone, gone ! O God ! what an awful thing ! ' and such exclamations, which distinctly recollect I got the impression related to something more-- mere disappearance of her husband, even had occurred before her eyes Her manner was wild, but not more so, , than was natural under the circumstances no reason she had lost her mind never since seen nor heard of Mr Williamson "

This testimony, as expected, was corroborated in almost every particular only other eye-witness ( is proper term)--the lad James Mrs Williamson had lost her reason servants were, , not competent to testify The boy James Wren had declared at first that the disappearance, but nothing testimony given in court field hands working field Williamson was going had seen him at all, most rigorous search entire plantation and adjoining country failed to supply clew The most monstrous and grotesque fictions, originating blacks, were current part State for many years, and probably are day; but here related is all certainly known matter The courts decided that Williamson was dead, estate was distributed according to law