Read Online Slave Girl by Patricia C. McKissack - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia C. McKissack
Ads: Link
walked through Uncle Heb’s flower beds all the way down to the river. The sunflowers were turned toward the evenin’ sun. I remembered Uncle Heb
called me his little Sunflower Girl. He said my face always looked like it was facin’ the sun – full of brightness. I squeezed Little Bit, my birthday doll, which I’ve come to
carryin’ ’round in my apron pocket. I like the feel of the smooth wood on my hand. That would please Uncle Heb. My thoughts made me smile. Spicy found a four-leafed clover. It’s
s’posed to bring good luck. We sure could use some ’round this place.
Saturday
Spicy and me took Miz Lilly’s bath water up to her room. She sent Spicy out, but she asked me to stay and fan her for awhile. Iobeyed.
“Clotee, things are goin’ to change ’round here. But, I’m takin’ care of you. Don’t you worry. Just promise me you won’t say a word ’bout your
talk with me ’bout William. I never dreamed that he would do somethin’ so stupid. STUPID!”
I think Miz Lilly is worried that if Mas’ Henley finds out I had warned her ’bout William’s plan to ride Dancer and she’d done nothin’ to stop him, he would be
really, really mad with her. Now she’s tryin’ to still my mouth with favours. What is gettin’ ready to change ’round here? And how is Miz Lilly gon’ help me? None of
this makes me feel very good in the stomeck.
Two weeks later
I saw the calendar in Mas’ Henley’s office. We in August already. August 10, 1859. So much has happened since last I wrote in my diary. I knew somethin’ was
comin’, but didn’t know what. Mas’ Henley done changed everythin’ – everythin’. Nothin’s the same.
First, he moved Aunt Tee out of the kitchen. Say he cain’t trust her to cook for him no more, ’cause of what happened to Uncle Heb. He put her down in the Quarters to look after the
babies. Then to make it worse, he done brung Eva Mae up to the kitchen to be his new cook.
There’s more. Missy is takin’ Spicy’s place, ’cause Spicy’s been sent to the fields. I get to stay in the kitchen, doin’ what I been doin’. I guess
that’s what Miz Lilly meant when she say she was gon’ take care of me. I’d just as soon go to the Quarters with Aunt Tee than to stay near Miz Lilly.
Spicy aine sorry to be goin’ to the fields. She say she’ll miss talkin’ to me all hours of the night. I will miss spendin’ hours talkin’ to her under the stars. I
will miss her stumblin’ and fallin’, then laughin’ ’bout it. Things will not be the same up here in the Big House without her.
Aunt Tee is who I worry ’bout. This is the thanks she gets after all those years of service. Mas’ers don’t care how long and hard we work for them. They own us, so they can do
whatever they want to us. That’s the worse part of bein’ a slave. Never havin’ a say in what happens to yourself.
Third Monday in August
Everybody knows that Eva Mae aine half the cook Aunt Tee is. But she likes to think that she is.
It hurt me when Miz Lilly wouldn’t let Aunt Tee take the old iron bed she and Uncle Heb had slept in for years. The bed had been a gift from Miz Lilly’s grandfather to Uncle Heb for
his years of service. Now Miz Lilly done gave it to Eva Mae and Missy to sleep in. It’s not right that Aunt Tee should have to sleep on a pallet at her age. When we abolitionists end slavery,
everybody will have a bed to sleep in. Wonder will I ever get to meet a real abolitionist?
Next day
A horse and buggy turned into the front gate, gallopin’ at full speed. Whenever I write the word S-T-R-A-N-G-E, I will remember seein’ Mr Ely Harms bouncin’
’round in that buggy, comin’ up the drive. The tutor is here and I can’t wait to find out ’bout him.
Monday again
The tutor’s been here a week. He’s a little freckled-faced man with a shock of red hair that sticks out of the side of his hat. He looks like he’s been pieced
together from parts took from other
called me his little Sunflower Girl. He said my face always looked like it was facin’ the sun – full of brightness. I squeezed Little Bit, my birthday doll, which I’ve come to
carryin’ ’round in my apron pocket. I like the feel of the smooth wood on my hand. That would please Uncle Heb. My thoughts made me smile. Spicy found a four-leafed clover. It’s
s’posed to bring good luck. We sure could use some ’round this place.
Saturday
Spicy and me took Miz Lilly’s bath water up to her room. She sent Spicy out, but she asked me to stay and fan her for awhile. Iobeyed.
“Clotee, things are goin’ to change ’round here. But, I’m takin’ care of you. Don’t you worry. Just promise me you won’t say a word ’bout your
talk with me ’bout William. I never dreamed that he would do somethin’ so stupid. STUPID!”
I think Miz Lilly is worried that if Mas’ Henley finds out I had warned her ’bout William’s plan to ride Dancer and she’d done nothin’ to stop him, he would be
really, really mad with her. Now she’s tryin’ to still my mouth with favours. What is gettin’ ready to change ’round here? And how is Miz Lilly gon’ help me? None of
this makes me feel very good in the stomeck.
Two weeks later
I saw the calendar in Mas’ Henley’s office. We in August already. August 10, 1859. So much has happened since last I wrote in my diary. I knew somethin’ was
comin’, but didn’t know what. Mas’ Henley done changed everythin’ – everythin’. Nothin’s the same.
First, he moved Aunt Tee out of the kitchen. Say he cain’t trust her to cook for him no more, ’cause of what happened to Uncle Heb. He put her down in the Quarters to look after the
babies. Then to make it worse, he done brung Eva Mae up to the kitchen to be his new cook.
There’s more. Missy is takin’ Spicy’s place, ’cause Spicy’s been sent to the fields. I get to stay in the kitchen, doin’ what I been doin’. I guess
that’s what Miz Lilly meant when she say she was gon’ take care of me. I’d just as soon go to the Quarters with Aunt Tee than to stay near Miz Lilly.
Spicy aine sorry to be goin’ to the fields. She say she’ll miss talkin’ to me all hours of the night. I will miss spendin’ hours talkin’ to her under the stars. I
will miss her stumblin’ and fallin’, then laughin’ ’bout it. Things will not be the same up here in the Big House without her.
Aunt Tee is who I worry ’bout. This is the thanks she gets after all those years of service. Mas’ers don’t care how long and hard we work for them. They own us, so they can do
whatever they want to us. That’s the worse part of bein’ a slave. Never havin’ a say in what happens to yourself.
Third Monday in August
Everybody knows that Eva Mae aine half the cook Aunt Tee is. But she likes to think that she is.
It hurt me when Miz Lilly wouldn’t let Aunt Tee take the old iron bed she and Uncle Heb had slept in for years. The bed had been a gift from Miz Lilly’s grandfather to Uncle Heb for
his years of service. Now Miz Lilly done gave it to Eva Mae and Missy to sleep in. It’s not right that Aunt Tee should have to sleep on a pallet at her age. When we abolitionists end slavery,
everybody will have a bed to sleep in. Wonder will I ever get to meet a real abolitionist?
Next day
A horse and buggy turned into the front gate, gallopin’ at full speed. Whenever I write the word S-T-R-A-N-G-E, I will remember seein’ Mr Ely Harms bouncin’
’round in that buggy, comin’ up the drive. The tutor is here and I can’t wait to find out ’bout him.
Monday again
The tutor’s been here a week. He’s a little freckled-faced man with a shock of red hair that sticks out of the side of his hat. He looks like he’s been pieced
together from parts took from other
Similar Books
