How quickly is the carriage door flung open, and the steps let down! and how lightly the beautiful mistress is set down in the midst of her delighted servants, every one of whom pushes forward to offer a warm welcome home. The fair hand she presents is reverently shaken or tenderly kissed, and "How d'y' Missus?" "Oh!

you's pertier 'an ever!" "How glad I is you's come home once mo'!"

greet her on every side, as she pa.s.ses into the house.

Nurse tenderly lifts the little Mary from the carriage. She is fast asleep, and as she lays her in her late deserted cradle, the dark faces steal along, one by one, to get a peep at her sweet baby-face.

"Bless my life! if dar aint Ma.s.s'r! Hi! we all's so glad see Missus, we done forget Ma.s.s'r gwine come too!" The hearty welcomes are repeated, the extended hand is duly shaken, and by the time Missus, with the aid of a dozen eager hands can be prepared to sit down at the table, supper is brought in.

"Well Peter, so you've stolen a march on us since we've been gone--been getting married, hey?"

"Yes, Sir, I's been gettin' married."

"Ha! ha! you thought the folks at Lexington had all forgotten you.

Well, since you have been so smart, I must try and buy your wife for you. You'll not be worth much if you have to be running off every week to see your family. Besides, Mr. McKiernan intends to move to Bainbridge about Christmas, and then you'll have a long road to travel.

But Vina's master had no intention of selling her. She was one of the best servants he had. He would, however, be glad to buy her husband--very glad.

That was out of the question. Neither Mr. Gist nor his wife would consent to sell him, and if they had been willing to part with him, Peter himself would have remonstrated. He knew too well the difference between the two masters to wish for an exchange.

Thus matters stood till Christmas. Peter went frequently to see his wife, as it was so near, and neither his master nor his mistress endeavored to dissuade him from doing so. They had tested their influence with Levin, and they had no desire to repeat the strife.

The brick house that had been built at Bainbridge was now occupied by Mr. McKiernan. He had bought a large plantation there,--much of it new land, and to clear it, and fit it for corn and cotton, required the utmost diligence.

There was no time to build cabins, though there were not half enough for the numerous families of slaves that he carried with him. Every family, therefore, that wished a house to themselves, were obliged to spend their Sundays in building it.

Peter immediately commenced preparations for building a cabin for his wife. Every Sat.u.r.day he walked to Bainbridge--a distance of seven miles; and early on Sunday morning, he was at his work.

All the holy day he toiled, and often when the moon shone, his work ceased not till late at night. Then by the first peep of Monday's dawn, he was up and away, to commence his weekly labors for his master.

Peter was obliged to cut the timber for his house, himself, and then to haul it across the creek. When that was all prepared, he hired men to help him raise it; and though he did his best, it was April when he had the little building finished.

The roof was made of boards, and the chimney of sticks and clay.

Puncheons (slabs) formed the floor, and the ground itself made an excellent hearth. Peter was more extravagant than many architects of kindred edifices, in that he had a floor at all. The bare earth is generally deemed sufficient, and it becomes at length by constant treading, almost as hard as brick.

The house completed, it was empty. Peter had worked nights and holidays, and had earned all he could, but, alas! that was very little; and now he was forced to sell more of his clothes to buy the most necessary articles of furniture. Two or three cooking utensils, two chairs, and a trunk, he procured at first. Then he cut a walnut tree, and "hauled" it to the mill. for a bedstead, and when that was done, a straw bed was prepared and laid upon it.

Every Sunday morning at Mr. McKiernan's, the weekly allowance was weighed out. This was generally practised by the Kentucky planters. Their servants all ate together, and usually a plentiful supply was cooked for them. But here, a peck of unsifted meal, and three and a half pounds of bacon, was the weekly allowance.

The piece might be more than half bone, yet no additional weight was allowed on that account. No vegetables were provided for them, if they wished any they might raise them for themselves; and then, if they had any desire for decent or comfortable clothes, or any little articles of furniture, they could sell the few vegetables which their patches produced, in order to procure them.

Mr. Gist had bought a shoemaker, not long before, and he had cheerfully imparted instruction in his art to his friend Peter. The slight skill he acquired in this branch of industry was now of great use to him, as he was able to make his own shoes, and those of his wife; thus saving many a dollar that must otherwise have been expended. He also earned many comforts for his cabin by making shoes at night for his fellow slaves.

After a while, as the wealth of the young couple increased, they bought a cupboard, and afterwards a chest. This latter article was very necessary, that Vina might lock up her week's provisions, and any little comforts which Peter brought her; as, if they were exposed, some of the half-clad hungry slaves were sure to steal them.

A flour barrel, too, the provident young husband bought, thinking it would be useful in their humble housekeeping; but before he had a chance to take it home, Mr. Gist's overseer took the liberty to appropriate it to his own use.

"That's my bar'l, sir," said Peter, as he saw him removing it, "and I want to use it myself."

"D--n you! hush your mouth, you n.i.g.g.e.r! I'll let you know you're not to forbid me to use a bar'l when I want it."

"But it's mine," persisted Peter; "I bought it, and I's gwine carry it to my wife."

The overseer was enraged; but he dared take no vengeance except the weak one of showering upon the offender his most terrible curses. When he had exhausted his stock of these, he was forced to wait till the master returned from town.

He then complained to Mr. Gist that one of his +0.

n.i.g.g.e.rs had been impudent to him, and swore he would have revenge. "And if" added he, "I don't whip him now, I'll give him something that will hurt him a heap worse."

The master hesitated, but finally, judging from the fellow's temper, that such a course would be safest for his slave, he gave, him permission to whip him very slightly. Accordingly, Peter was taken to the stable, where twenty-five lashes were inflicted on his naked back.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE YOUNG MOTHER.

ON the twelfth of September, 1826, the wailing of a tiny voice was heard in Vina's cabin. A new fount of love gushed up in her mother-heart, to bless the little trembler; and her frame thrilled with a delicious joy, as she proudly placed in her husband's arms his first-born boy.

Oh! how happily to his mother pa.s.sed the first four weeks of the existence of this little one. Quietly Vina sat in her cabin; and, as she gazed upon the innocent face of her child, and saw his little eyes learning to seek hers in loving trustfulness, her cup was not all bitter. She knew her babe was born to slavery--and sorrow; but oh! so dearly did she love it! And, perhaps, after all, it might fall into kind hands, and be far happier than its parents.

Now, with her joy, her care was doubled. As soon as she was able to sit up, she toiled to the extent of her strength to put everything in order in her cabin, before her month was up.

Peter had managed to provide materials for a comfortable wardrobe for the little stranger; and she now took great pleasure in making up the tiny garments. They were certainly not very fine, nor traced with elegant embroidery; but when she had them all finished, and laid, neatly folded, in the trunk, she could not help lifting the lid now and then, to see how nice they looked.

Then she washed and mended all her own and Peter's clothes; for she knew she should have but little time after she went to the field again.

When she did go out, poor little Peter (for the baby bore his father's name), was left all alone upon her bed. Four times in the day, while yet he was very young, she was permitted to go in and minister to his little wants. But she had then only a few minutes to stay; and, though in her heart she longed to lull him to sleep upon her breast, and though he cried so hard when she laid him down, yet she must go.

How tenderly, when she was employed as nurse in Courtland, had she cared for the little ones entrusted to her care! How anxiously had she watched every indication of uneasiness, lest they should be sick! And when the moan of pain fell on her ear, how well she knew the simple remedies for all their little ailments! Now that her own babe needed her constant care, she could not be spared. The cotton must be picked.

How her heart ached when she heard him crying, as she often did, when she was at work in the field near the quarter. And if the overseer chanced to be at a distance, so that she thought he would not observe her, how suddenly she darted between the trees that sheltered the cabins, and entered the house! How she pressed her baby to her breast, while her tears fell on his little face! And when she dared not stay a minute longer, how gently she laid him down again, and imprinted one fond kiss upon his cheek.

When she came in at night, she built a bright fire on the clay hearth, and cooked her supper. Then she brought water from the spring and having undressed her boy, she washed him thoroughly.

How he enjoyed the nice cool bath! and how he kicked and laughed in token of his grat.i.tude! But his mother had no time to play with him, for it grew late. So when she had arrayed him in clean clothes, she tied him in a chair, and hastened to her work.

There he sat and watched her till his eyelids drooped, and he sank quietly to sleep, while she washed all the garments he had worn that day, and hung them up to dry. Then, after making her cabin as neat as possible, and preparing her food for the next day, she throw off her clothes, and with her baby on her bosom, laid her down to rest.

Many times when she had some extra work to do, her own and her husband's washing, for instance, or an old coat to mend, the morning of another day dawned in the east before her task was done. But the overseer's horn blew not a minute the later, because she had not slept. With aching eyes, and weary limbs, she went forth to the field; and through all the long day, her feet lagged not, though sometimes "'pears like," to use her own expression, she could not keep awake. "But I wouldn't see my child go dirty and raggety," added she, "if I didn't never git a wink o' sleep."

How welcome to poor Vina was the approach of the Sabbath day!

How her eyes brightened, and her heart grew light, as its morning beams filled her little cabin, and revealed her husband playing with his boy.

Sometimes they dressed in their best clothes, and, taking little Peter in their arms, walked to meeting on that day; But oftener they were busy through all its precious hours, working in the patch, or performing morningsome necessary labor about the house.

A large field was divided into as many little patches as there were field hands on the plantation; and every slave could here work nights and Sundays to cultivate his crop. Some raised cotton, others corn; and many planted their patches entirely to water-melons. If the overseer chanced to be "far'ard" with his work, and there was not much ma.s.s among the corn and cotton, they could sometimes have a half holiday on Sat.u.r.day to work for themselves. But chiefly they depended on their Sundays. Early in the morning they were out with mules and ploughs, and till late at night they toiled to raise their little crops. When the moon shone brightly, if they were getting "in the gra.s.s," they often remained at work all night.

The corn and cotton that they "made," they were obliged to sell to their master--at his price, which was seldom more than half the market value. But the water-melons they were allowed to carry to town. This was the most profitable crop they raised, if they could get the fruit into market at the right time; but, as Sat.u.r.day was the only day on which they could go, and as all that had fruit to sell could not have wagons at the same time, they frequently lost portions of their crops.

They also raised chickens; and for these there was always a ready market in the neighborhood. Mrs. McKiernan, herself, frequently bought them of her servants, and she never failed to pay them a fair price.

When little Peter was about a year old, his mother had a severe illness. The disease was inflammation of the brain, and the cause thereof we give in her own words.

"I never got a heap o' whippin' no how, but when Bill Simms was oversee' he give me one mons's hard beatin', bekase I wouldn't s'mit to him 'bout everything he wanted.

"He pestered me a heap, but I told him I wouldn't never do no such a thing; I told him I'd got a husban' o' my own; and I was n't gwine have nothin' to do with n.o.body else. He tried to starve me to it-- many a Sunday, when he weighed out the 'lowance, he never give me half my sheer, and I couldn't git no more for a week; but I did n't mind that.