Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-06-30


this bed and pillows were thought on the whole
the most profitable investment
now thought had discovered the philosos
piers stone, and when n new carpet or mat.
lrass was needed, or when at the close of the
year il begen 10 be evident that my family ac-
counts, like Doras, ''wouldn't add up,v then
used 10 say to my faithful friend and iactotum,
Anna, who shared all my Joys and sorrows.
Now, If yor u keep the babies quiet, and at
tend to all the things in the house for one day.
III write piece, and then wo shall be out OF
the scrape. And so ! became an authofess -
Very modest at first, do assure you. and re-
nonsiraiing very seriously with the friends who
had Thought II bes, TO pot my name TO my pro
ducsions, by way OF geIIIng rgpurnuun.
During my life at tho West, lived two
miles from the city Of Cincinnati in the country:
and domestic service, not always TO be found In
the city, is next to impossible to be obtained in
the country, even by those who are willing 10
give the highest wages. So what was 10 be
expected for poor me, who had very lille Of
the worlds goods 10 offer Had il mot been for
my inseparahlc friend AHna, noble-heafted
English gitl. who landed on our American
shores In destiiuton and scrrUw, and who cIave
uHh d8 NUN uUtO lNdoful, j ud0 never
lived through all the toll which this uncertain-
ty and absolute want Of domestic service i'm
posed upon me. You may imagine, therefore.
how glad ] was when about dozen families
of liberal negroes came and settled 10 our vi
ciniiy. They became my favorite reeorts in
cases Of emergency.
| II anybody wants to have a black face LOOK
handsome, left them be left az have been---in
feeble health, in oppressive hot weather, with
a sick baby in her arms, and two or three 9th
er little ones in the nursery, aud not single
servan, in the whole house 10 do single turn.
And then, il they should see my good Aun,
frankie coming in, with her honest, bluff, black
4 face, her long, strong arms, her chest as big
and stout as barrel. and her hilavous hearty
] laneh-peIiec,ly delighted to take ones wash
/ ing and do II at fair prce-they 'coadd aPPre-
ciafe tie Jeauiy Of jlaek people.
/ Ny cook, poor Eliza was a regular epitcme
of slave life in herself; fat, easy, gentle, low
ing and loveable always calling my modest
house "The place" as il ii had been plania-
iion with seven hundred hands on it. Her way
Of arranging her kitchen was at first like Di-
nah's though she imbibed our ideas more rapid
iy. and seemed more ready 10 listen to my sue-
gesiions than did tina, dignitary. She had lived
through the whole sad story Of Virginia
raisd slaves life. She must have been in her
youth very handsome mulaiio girl. Her.
voice was sweet, her manners refined and agree
able. She was raised good family az a nurse
and seamstress.
When the family became embarrassed, she
was suddenly sold TO be sent 80 plantation in
Louisiana. She has often told how, without
any warning, she was forced into carriage,
and saw her little mistress screaming and
! stretching her arms from the window towards
her as she was driven away. She has told me
Of scenes on the Lousiana plantation, and how
she has oiien been out in the night by stealth,
minis:ering to poor slaves who have bvru
: gled or lacerated by the whip. From Louis
! lana she was sold into Kentucky, and her last
; master was the father of all her children. On
this point she always maintained delicacy and
reserve, which, though it is not at all nnconmon
among slave women, appears to me remarkable.
She always called her master her husband
and spoke Of him with the same apparent feel
ing with which any woman regards her hus-
band, and il was not till after she had lived
with me some years that discovered accidental
f " the real nature of the relation | shall new
! or forget how sorry I felt for her, nor my feel
ings at her humble apology. "You know,
! Mrs. Stowe, slave women can't help them
selves" She had two very pretty quadroon
daughters, with beautiful hair and eyes-inier-
esiing children, whom | had instructed in the
; family school with my children.
Time would fail 10 tell you all have
learned incidentally of the slave system, in the
/ history Of various slaves who came into my
4 family, and OF Tho workings Of the under
: ground railroad, which may say ran through
= my barn.