Thirty Years a Slave | Page 5

corners of both fences, extending for a mile, were planted peach trees,
which bore excellent fruit in great profusion.
* * * * *
HOUSE SERVANT AND ERRAND BOY.
My first work in the morning was to dust the parlor and hall and
arrange the dining room. It came awkward to me at first, but, after the
madam told me how, I soon learned to do it satisfactorily. Then I had to
wait on the table, sweep the large yard every morning with a brush
broom and go for the mail once a week. I used to get very tired, for I
was young and consequently not strong. Aside from these things which

came regularly, I had to help the madam in warping the cloth. I dreaded
this work, for I always got my ears boxed if I did not or could not do
the work to suit her. She always made the warp herself and put it in,
and I had to hand her the thread as she put it through the harness. I
would get very tired at this work and, like any child, wanted to be at
play, but I could not remember that the madam ever gave me that
privilege. Saddling the horse at first was troublesome to me, but Boss
was constant in his efforts to teach me, and, after many trials, I learned
the task satisfactorily to the master and to bring the horse to the door
when he wished to go out for business or pleasure. Riding horseback
was common for both ladies and gentlemen, and sometimes I would
have to saddle three or more horses when Boss, the madam, a friend or
friends desired a ride. Bird hunting parties were common and were
greatly enjoyed, by the young people especially. Boss always invited
some of the young people of the neighborhood to these parties and they
never failed to put in an appearance. Williams, Bradford and Freeman
were the sons of rich planters, and were always participants in this sport,
and their young lady friends joined in it as on-lookers. The young men
singing and whistling to the birds, I in the meantime setting the net. As
soon as I had got the net in order they would approach the birds slowly,
driving them into it. There was great laughter and excitement if they
were successful in catching a fine flock.
* * * * *
CRUEL TREATMENT.
I was but a lad, yet I can remember well the cruel treatment I received.
Some weeks it seemed I was whipped for nothing, just to please my
mistress' fancy. Once, when I was sent to town for the mail and had
started back, it was so dark and rainy my horse got away from me and I
had to stay all night in town. The next morning when I got back home I
had a severe whipping, because the master was expecting a letter
containing money and was disappointed in not receiving it that night, as
he was going to Panola to spend Christmas. However, the day came
and all the family went except me. During the time they were gone the
overseer whipped a man so terribly with the "bull whip" that I had to go

for the doctor, and when Dr. Heningford, the regular family physician,
came, he said it was awful--such cruel treatment, and he complained
about it. It was common for a slave to get an "over-threshing," that is,
to be whipped too much. The poor man was cut up so badly all over
that the doctor made a bran poultice and wrapped his entire body in it.
This was done to draw out the inflammation. It seems the slave had
been sick, and had killed a little pig when he became well enough to go
to work, as his appetite craved hearty food, and he needed it to give
him strength for his tasks. For this one act, comparatively trivial, he
was almost killed. The idea never seemed to occur to the slave holders
that these slaves were getting no wages for their work and, therefore,
had nothing with which to procure what, at times, was necessary for
their health and strength--palatable and nourishing food. When the
slaves took anything the masters called it stealing, yet they were
stealing the slaves' time year after year. When Boss came home he was
called on by the town officials, for the case had been reported to them.
Boss, however, got out of it by saying that he was not at home when
the trouble occurred. The poor slave was sick from his ill treatment
some four or five months, and when he recovered there was a running
sore left on his body, from the deep cuts of the whip, which never
healed.