All the fragments of their worn-out clothes the careful mother saved, and pieced them into bed-quilts. She managed to get help to quilt these, by inviting in the other women on Sat.u.r.day nights.

They were not allowed to leave their cabins after the blowing of the horn for them to go to bed; but they were welcome to sit up and work till morning, if they could furnish themselves with lights.

Thus, in exhausting and continual toil, had pa.s.sed the years of Vina's motherhood. Her husband had been unable to share her cares, except on Sundays, when he had done all he could to aid her in her labors. No wonder she was glad when every night his smile brightened her cabin, and his pleasant voice beguiled her hour of toil; and yet, in her unselfish heart, she wished his lot had fallen elsewhere.

Peter, as we have seen, had been long accustomed to plantation life; and, during the ten years that had elapsed since his master's death, he had seen many hardships. But still, the kindness of his mistress had never failed him; and even when she no longer possessed the power to ameliorate his condition, the knowledge that she pitied him, and exerted all her influence in his behalf, endued him with new strength to bear his troubles. But on this plantation a phase of slave-life was presented for his observance, new, and more revolting than any he had elsewhere witnessed; for here the women suffered most, and oftenest by their mistress'

hand, or in obedience to her orders.

The main house-servant, at this time, was Ann Eliza, whom with her husband, Edward, Mr. McKiernan had bought several years before in Mississippi. She knew how to read well, understood all the branches of good housewifery, and was withal possessed of excellent sense and real piety. Yet, although her services in the house were invaluable, and her conduct was above reproach, her mistress hated her. She was too handsome, and had "such a tongue!"

Ann Eliza was not impudent or bold; but when her mistress violently upbraided her, and accused her falsely, she threw back her head, and fixed her large, clear eyes upon her face, while with a steady voice she declared her innocence. This dignified defence the pa.s.sionate lady could only answer with the cowhide, and she frequently exhausted her own strength in fruitless efforts to subdue the spirit of her slave.

Once, during the year that Peter spent there, the mistress, as a punishment for some offence, sent Ann Eliza to the gin-house, to a.s.sist in moving a quant.i.ty of cotton. After she had gone, a messenger was despatched for a man named Anderson, who was in the habit of attending to any necessary business on the place during the master's absence.

"Look here, Mr. Anderson," said the lady, when that personage presented himself before her, "I want you to go to the gin-house, and get Ann Eliza, and give her one good whipping. I have whipped her myself till I am tired, but it does no good. She needs bringing down, for she is the torment of my life. Lay it on well; you needn't be afraid. It is a good time now, as Mr. McKiernan is away from home. He is mighty careful of the pretty girl, himself, and that is what makes her so impudent."

"Yes, ma'am," replied Anderson, "I'll give her a lesson she'll remember;" and he departed to the gin-house.

Ann Eliza saw him coming, and she knew her doom. She cast one imploring look at her husband, who was working at her side.

Edward returned it with a glance so full of terror, pity, and an intense longing to avenge her wrongs, that all her powers were roused, and she felt strong to endure the worst.

She stood calmly by her husband's side, while, with his rope, the ruffian bound her hands; and then, at his command, she followed him towards the house, leaving poor Edward gazing after her in silent terror. One moment a flash of vengeance gleamed from his dark eyes; and then he realized his utter helplessness, and his head drooped low, while great tears fell upon the heap of cotton.

Peter stood in the shelter of one of the out-buildings, and watched Anderson as he led his victim to the orchard. There he "staked her out" upon the ground, and, with a zest unknown to uncultivated natures, he applied the cowhide to her naked back and limbs. Her screams of agony only excited his demoniac mirth. "That's right,"

he cried, "I like to hear you shout; that's the way ye all shout at the camp-ground. Shout away! you're gittin' happy now."

He beat her there, mockin' the while her cries of pain, till she became too much exhausted to utter another sound; and then, untying her, he delivered her to her mistress. "Thar, ma'am," said he, "she ain't got use for no more this time. She's got the devil in her, but I reckon he'll keep still till she gits over this ere."

Much religious excitement existed at this time among the slaves in the neighborhood, and particularly upon the plantation of Mr.

McKiernan. An old Baptist preacher, named Archie Eggleston, had been hired here the preceding year; and he had zealously preached to his brethren in bonds the love and compa.s.sion of Jesus; and had sought, in his simple way, to encourage them to hope for a home among "the spirits bright." His language, it is true, was full of the quaint idioms of his race; but it spoke to the hearts of his unlearned auditory; for the little which he could tell them of the blessed Saviour was just what they loved to hear. They "received the word with gladness," and, with its warm and cheering rays, it illumined their darkness, and strewed the th.o.r.n.y path they trod, not with the roses of content, but with the trembling violets of hope.

Sweet, when their daily toil was done, was the hour which, borrowed from their needed rest, they spent alone in prayer; and, as the breath of their humble souls ascended on the soft air of evening, their trusting hearts were filled with heavenly consolations.

But even these few precious moments were not undisturbed, if the overseer or young Master Charles discovered their retreat. "Ye all needn't pretend to be praying, when you're just hiding around to get a chance to steal; take that--and learn to stay at home of nights!"

CHAPTER XXIV.

BURTON'S REIGN.

THE overseer on Mr. McKiernan's place was usually a representative of the lowest order of his profession. The master could tolerate no other, and those of the better cla.s.s would not remain in his employ. If, by chance, he hired one of a higher grade than the brutish fellows to whom his business was wont to be intrusted, his stay was short.

"Why don't you put on some decent clothes?" said such a one to a half-naked negro, soon after he entered upon his duties in the field.

"Ain't got none but dese yer, sir."

"Where's the clothes your master gave you this fall?"

"He ain't never give us no clothes, sir, in more'n a year."

"Humph! I'll not have anything to do with his lousy n.i.g.g.e.rs; I shall get lousy myself."

"Mr. McKiernan, I can't do business for you; your n.i.g.g.e.rs are too filthy and ragged; I can't oversee such a gang."

"Well, I'm going to get them new clothes soon; I've been intending to get some this long time, but it has been neglected."

Nothing more was heard of them, however, and the scrupulous overseer found another situation, leaving his place to be filled by one whose tastes accorded better with those of the old master.

One of this latter cla.s.s was employed upon the place a few years after Peter's sojourn there, who had so keen a relish for the varieties of his profession that a few instances of his reign should be related here.

His name was Burton. He was a tall, dark man with grey hair, and s.h.a.ggy eye-brows, as fierce and disagreeable in countenance as he was cruel and hard of heart.

He came on Sat.u.r.day, and commenced business on Sunday morning by summoning all the hands to listen to his rules.

"D'ye all hear? Every man of you must get your axe and saw, and go to the woods, and chop and saw logs for boards. And you girls, get your mattocks and handspikes, and go on the new ground and grub; and, d'ye hear? mend every log-heap, and every brush heap there. And mind; the same's to be the law for every Sunday morning. Ye all are to work till noon, and after that you may go the devil."

The sable company gazed at each other in blank amazement. They had been "pushed" when they had been allowed to wash and mend, and work their patches on the holy day, but now--

The silence was interrupted by one of their number, named Lewis, a very black man with a round face and heavy figure, who stepped forward, and said, as he looked the new overseer firmly in the face,--"Well, Sir, de res' cun do as dey likes, but dis chile aint gwine to do it."

"You tell me," cried Burton, "that you're not going to do it?"

"Yes, Sir, I tell you I wont do it. I aint gwine to work a Sunday for no man."

"Very well--v-e-r-y w-e-l-l." The enraged over-seer turned his fiery eyes upon the other slaves, and saw that they obeyed his orders.

With rolling eyes and pouting lips they all went in their dirty clothes to work.

Till noon they labored; none dared a moment to lag, for the monster with his heavy whip was near. At twelve they returned tired and angry to the quarter. They were unwashed, their cabins were untidy, but they had no heart to move; and there they sat in sullen silence.

Presently, the overseer summoned five or six of the strongest men to go and help him "take that gentleman that would'nt work on Sunday."

They dared not disobey. Burton took a rope, and, attended by these unwilling aids, entered the cabin of Lewis. He did not look up as they went in, but sat with his head inclined, and with a look of fierce decision on his face. They approached to bind him. Instantly he sprang to his feet, and fought like a tiger.

For half an hour the uproar in the house continued; and then they brought poor Lewis out, wound up in ropes.

The cabins were built in a hollow square, one side of which was formed by the overseer's house and garden. Into the centre of this square Burton led his victim, and there in sight of all the slaves, he stripped him entirely naked, and then whipped him till the blood streamed from his back. Then commanding, as before, other negroes to his aid, he led him to the smoke-house, and put him in the stocks.

Those consisted of two heavy timbers, with mortice hole cut in each, through which they thrust the hands, and feet of the offender, securing them by heavy iron bolts at each end of the timbers.

Thus the pitying slaves confined their mangled brother. Alas! they had no power to aid him, and they dared not refuse to obey the orders of the overseer, though every appealing look of their suffering companion was a dagger to their hearts.

After supper that night, a light was seen gleaming through the small apertures in the smoke-house wall; and some of the slaves peeped in. Burton sat composedly in a chair which was kept there for the convenience of overseers on like occasions, and as his cowhide, with a sharp tw.a.n.g fell on his prostrate victim, they heard his muttered curses mingle with the sufferer's groans.

"Well," whispered one of these curious listeners, "I gives it up. Der aint no use talkin' 'bout de Lord's orderin' all things; kase its plain to my comperhendin' dat n.o.body sent dat dar ole feller yer but the devil himself. De Lord knowed we done seen hard times enough on dis yer place; we didn't need no more o' dat sort."

The next day at noon, Burton let the offender out, and ordered him to go to work.

"I aint able to work," growled Lewis.

"But you shall work," rejoined the overseer," or I'll give you more of the same sort."