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Faithful to his word, the day before Christmas, just at night-fall, Bass came riding into
the yard. "How are you," said Epps, shaking him by the
hand, "glad to see you." He would not have been very glad had he known
the object of his errand. "Quite well, quite well," answered Bass. "Had
some business out on the bayou, and concluded to call and see you, and stay over night."
Epps ordered one of the slaves to take charge of his horse, and with much talk and laughter
they passed into the house together; not, however, until Bass had looked at me significantly,
as much as to say, "Keep dark, we understand each other." It was ten o'clock at night before
the labors of the day were performed, when I entered the cabin. At that time Uncle Abram
and Bob occupied it with me. I laid down upon my board and feigned I was asleep. When my
companions had fallen into a profound slumber, I moved stealthily out of the door, and watched,
and listened attentively for some sign or sound from Bass. There I stood until long
after midnight, but nothing could be seen or heard. As I suspected, he dared not leave
the house, through fear of exciting the suspicion of some of the family. I judged, correctly,
he would rise earlier than was his custom, and take the opportunity of seeing me before
Epps was up. Accordingly I aroused Uncle Abram an hour sooner than usual, and sent him into
the house to build a fire, which, at that season of the year, is a part of Uncle Abram's
duties. I also gave Bob a violent shake, and asked
him if he intended to sleep till noon, saying master would be up before the mules were fed.
He knew right well the consequence that would follow such an event, and, jumping to his
feet, was at the horse-pasture in a twinkling. Presently, when both were gone, Bass slipped
into the cabin. "No letter yet, Platt," said he. The announcement
fell upon my heart like lead. "Oh, do write again, Master Bass," I cried;
"I will give you the names of a great many I know. Surely they are not all dead. Surely
some one will pity me." "No use," Bass replied, "no use. I have made
up my mind to that. I fear the Marksville post-master will mistrust something, I have
inquired so often at his office. Too uncertain—too dangerous."
"Then it is all over," I exclaimed. "Oh, my God, how can I end my days here!"
"You're not going to end them here," he said, "unless you die very soon. I've thought this
matter all have come to a determination. There are more ways than one to manage this business,
and a better and surer way than writing letters. I have a job or two on hand which can be completed
by March or April. By that time I shall have a considerable sum of money, and then, Platt,
I am going to Saratoga myself." I could scarcely credit my own senses as the
words fell from his lips. But he assured me, in a manner that left no doubt of the sincerity
of his intention, that if his life was spared until spring, he should certainly undertake
the journey. "I have lived in this region long enough,"
he considered; "I may as well be in one place as another. For a long time I have been thinking
of going back more to the place where I was born. I'm tired of Slavery as well as you.
If I can succeed in getting you away from here, it will be a good act that I shall like
to think of all my life. And I shall succeed, Platt; I'm bound to do it. Now let me tell
you what I want. Epps will be up soon, and it won't do to be caught here. Think of a
great many men at Saratoga and Sandy Hill, and in that neighborhood, who once knew you.
I shall make excuse to come here again in the course of the winter, when I will write
down their names. I will then know who to call on when I go north. Think of all you
can. Cheer up! Don't be discouraged. I'm with you, life or death. Good-bye. God bless you,"
and saying this he left the cabin quickly, and entered the great house.
It was Christmas morning—the happiest day in the whole year for the slave. That morning
he need not hurry to the field, with his gourd and cotton-bag. Happiness sparkled in the
eyes and overspread the countenances of all. The time of feasting and dancing had come.
The cane and cotton fields were deserted. That day the clean dress was to. be donned—the
red ribbon displayed; there were to be re-unions, and joy and laughter, and hurrying to and
fro. It was to be a day of liberty among the children of Slavery. Wherefore they were happy,
and rejoiced. After breakfast Epps and Bass sauntered about
the yard, conversing upon the price of cotton, and various other topics.
"Where do your *** hold Christmas?" Bass inquired.
"Platt is going to Tanners to-day. His fiddle is in great demand. They want him at Marshall's
Monday, and Miss Mary McCoy, on the old Norwood plantation, writes me a note that she wants
him to play for her *** Tuesday." "He is rather a smart boy, ain't he?" said
Bass. "Come here, Platt," he added, looking at me as I walked up to them, as if he had
never thought before to take any special notice of me.
"Yes," replied Epps, taking hold of my arm and feeling it, "there isn't a bad joint in
him. There ain't a boy on the bayou worth more than he is—perfectly sound, and no
bad tricks. D--n him, he isn't like other ***; doesn't look like 'em—don't act
like 'em. I was offered seventeen hundred dollars for him last week."
"And didn't take it?" Bass inquired, with an air of surprise.
"Take it—no; devilish clear of it. Why, he's a reg'lar genius; can make a plough beam,
wagon tongue—anything, as well as you can. Marshall wanted to put up one of his ***
agin him and raffle for them, but I told him I would see the devil have him first."
"I don't see anything remarkable about him," Bass observed.
"Why, just feel of him, no," Epps rejoined. "You don't see a boy very often put together
any closer than he is. He's a thin-skin'd cuss, and won't bear as much whipping as some;
but he's got the muscle in him, and no mistake. Bass felt of me, turned me round, and made
a thorough examination, Epps all the while dwelling on my good points. But his visitor
seemed to take but little interest finally in the subject, and consequently it was dropped.
Bass soon departed, giving me another sly look of recognition and significance, as he
trotted out of the yard. When he was gone I obtained a pass, and started
for Tanner's—not Peter Tanner's, of whom mention has previously been made, but a relative
of his. I played during the day and most of the night, spending the next day, Sunday,
in my cabin. Monday I crossed the bayou to Douglas Marshall's, all Epps' slaves accompanying
me, and on Tuesday went to the old Norwood place, which is the third plantation above
Marshall's, on the same side of the water. This estate is now owned by Miss Mary McCoy,
a lovely girl, some twenty years of age. She is the beauty and the glory of Bayou Bouef.
She owns about a hundred working hands, besides a great many house servants, yard boys, and
young children. Her brother-in-law, who resides on the adjoining estate, is her general agent.
She is beloved by all her slaves, and good reason indeed have they to be thankful that
they have fallen into such gentle hands. Nowhere on the bayou are there such feasts, such merrymaking,
as at young Madam McCoy's. Thither, more than to any other place, do the old and the young
for miles around love to repair in the time of the Christmas holiday; for nowhere else
can they find such delicious repasts; nowhere else can they hear a voice speaking to them
so pleasantly. No one is so well beloved—no one fills so large a space in the hearts of
a thousand slaves, as young Madam McCoy, the orphan mistress of the old Norwood estate.
On my arrival at her place, I found two or three hundred had assembled. The table was
prepared in a long building, which she had erected expressly for her slaves to dance
in. It was covered with every variety of food the country afforded, and was pronounced by
general acclamation to be the rarest of dinners. Roast turkey, pig, chicken, duck, and all
kinds of meat, baked, boiled, and broiled, formed a line the whole length of the extended
table, while the vacant spaces were filled with tarts, jellies, and frosted cake, and
pastry of many kinds. The young mistress walked around the table, smiling and saying a kind
word to each one, and seemed to enjoy the scene exceedingly.
When the dinner was over the tables were removed to make room for the dancers. I tuned my violin
and struck up a lively air; while some joined in a nimble reel, others patted and sang their
simple but melodious songs, filling the great room with music mingled with the sound of
human voices and the clatter of many feet. In the evening the mistress returned, and
stood in the door a long time, looking at us. She was magnificently arrayed. Her dark
hair and eyes contrasted strongly with her clear and delicate complexion. Her form was
slender but commanding, and her movement was a combination of unaffected dignity and grace.
As she stood there, clad in her rich apparel, her face animated with pleasure, I thought
I had never looked upon a human being half so beautiful. I dwell with delight upon the
description of this fair and gentle lady, not only because she inspired me with emotions
of gratitude and admiration, but because I would have the reader understand that all
slave-owners on Bayou Boeuf are not like Epps, or Tibeats, or Jim Burns. Occasionally can
be found, rarely it may be, indeed, a good man like William Ford, or an angel of kindness
like young Mistress McCoy. Tuesday concluded the three holidays Epps
yearly allowed us. On my way home, Wednesday morning, while passing the plantation of William
Pierce, that gentleman hailed me, saying he had received a line from Epps, brought down
by William Varnell, permitting him to detain me for the purpose of playing for his slaves
that night. It was the last time I was destined to witness a slave dance on the shores of
Bayou Boeuf. The party at Pierce's continued their jollification until broad daylight,
when I returned to my master's house, somewhat wearied with the loss of rest, but rejoicing
in the possession of numerous bits and picayunes, which the whites, who were pleased with my
musical performances, had contributed. On Saturday morning, for the first time in
years, I overslept myself. I was frightened on coming out of the cabin to find the slaves
were already in the field. They had preceded me some fifteen minutes. Leaving my dinner
and water-gourd, I hurried after them as fast as I could move. It was not yet sunrise, but
Epps was on the piazza as I left the hut, and cried out to me that it was a pretty time
of day to be getting up. By extra exertion my row was up when he came out after breakfast.
This, however, was no excuse for the offence of oversleeping. Bidding me strip and lie
down, he gave me ten or fifteen lashes, at the conclusion of which he inquired if I thought,
after that, I could get up sometime in the morning. I expressed myself quite positively
that I could, and, with back stinging with pain, went about my work.
The following day, Sunday, my thoughts were upon Bass, and the probabilities and hopes
which hung upon his action and determination. I considered the uncertainty of life; that
if it should be the will of God that he should die, my prospect of deliverance, and all expectation
of happiness in this world, would be wholly ended and destroyed. My sore back, perhaps,
did not have a tendency to render me unusually cheerful. I felt down-hearted and unhappy
all day long, and when I laid down upon the hard board at night, my heart was oppressed
with such a load of grief; it seemed that it must break.
Monday morning, the third of January, 1853, we were in the field betimes. It was a raw,
cold morning, such as is unusual in that region. I was in advance, Uncle Abram next to me,
behind him Bob, Patsey and Wiley, with our cotton-bags about our necks. Epps happened
(a rare thing, indeed,) to come out that morning without his whip. He swore, in a manner that
would shame a pirate, that we were doing nothing. Bob ventured to say that his fingers were
so numb with cold he couldn't pick fast. Epps cursed himself for not having brought his
rawhide, and declared that when he came out again he would warm us well; yes, he would
make us all hotter than that fiery realm in which I am sometimes compelled to believe
he will himself eventually reside. With these fervent expressions, he left us.
When out of hearing, we commenced talking to each other, saying how hard it was to be
compelled to keep up our tasks with numb fingers; how unreasonable master was, and speaking
of him generally in no flattering terms. Our conversation was interrupted by a carriage
passing rapidly towards the house. Looking up, we saw two men approaching us through
the cotton-field. Having now brought down this narrative to
the last hour I was to spend on Bayou Boeuf—having gotten through my last cotton picking, and
about to bid Master Epps farewell—I must beg the reader to go back with me to the month
of August; to follow Bass' letter on its long journey to Saratoga; to learn the effect it
produced—and that, while I was repining and despairing in the slave hut of Edwin Epps,
through the friendship of Bass and the goodness of Providence, all things were working together
for my deliverance. End of Chapter 20