The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-21

meanwhile the fire in the oven had been built, as
soon as the tub was filed II was empted into the
pot, and things were now fully under way. IL
was discovered, ere long. however, TO be much
better TO wait until sufficient quantity OF juice
was obtained TO ill the pot before setting u 70
boil, as in that case the whole was equally done
and the flavor superior. One or two persons had
iron mills which were, OF course, vastly superior,
and these individuals made handsomely by grind
ing the cane of their neghbors on shares.
% If any OF us had been afflicted with weak
nerves we should have been seriously incommoded
by the squesking and squealng of our mill, but
indeed ali the mills squeaked and squealed, so
there was no use complaining, for as worthy
farmer who on riding by beard the noise OF ours,
and came in, sans cerertOnie, for dish O. chat,
said ] beers EN- squealin Wherever co.
"This matter of boiling molasses, however, was
troublesome business, for it was necessary that
some one of intelligence should superintend mat
iers. Negroes, however well intentioned, could
not be relied upon where continued watchfuness
was requisite, and this being the case Lucy and
nv mother shared the work between them. The
presence and supervision of the overseer was nec'
essary in the fields, and the syrup my mother I'M
dertook TO manage with the aid Of the house serv-
ants and those about the yard. In my abilities no
confidence was placed, and was therefore ex'
cluded ANONYMOUSLY from all responsibility. DC:
casionally the syrup would not come; itcould
not be left, and in that case | have known my
mother or Lucy to remain watching till one or two
O'Clock at night. By ten, the MILL which was
throughout the Qay the center OF dllfACtlOug Wdo
completely deserted, save by one of them, Lewis
OF Ben also remaining, for 1t required mans
strength to lift and thrust in the long, heavy logs
| of wood. As the night waned, whichever one II
might be would be apt to stretch himself full
| length upon the ground and sleep as Africans only
| can: now and then as the FIRE would need replen.
| ishng Lucy or my mother. as the case might be,
| would awaken the dusky slumberer, and when all
| was done, the strong, brawny arms would empty
the boiling contents and convey them safely TO the
| store-room.
| my mother had cared for her servants with
| care which was maternal in its character. She
| had tended them in sickness and prayed beside
their deathbeds. In the exercise of discipline,
| sometimes even Of severity, she looked down
| uponI them with afiectionae socitude they In
| turn looked up to her, sometimes, perhaps IN a
| moment of rebellion, with passing sentiment 10
| which there was miDging of hate. But these,
| however, were temporary and occasional, and
found no abiding blaze their accustomed state
| of mi3d towards her was one OF respect and deep
| affection. The truth of this was fully tested no
| great length Of time after, when we were, so TO
| speak, wholly in their power. when, during tne
widespread commissions attendent upon the death
| throes of our cause, when old things had suddenly
become new, when tauntings and bitter words
could with impunity have been spoken, when the
| bands of all authority were suddenly, and, az
| they knew, completely broken, not one among
them, even for o moment, caused US TO feel the
change.
II do not exaggerate when say that there wai
| in the demeanor OF these ignorant ana uneducateC
| creatures an exquisite delicacy which In deed anc
truth brought us nearer than before. Without ar
exception they came as before to receive thet
orders and directions; orders which they knew
themselves to be at full liberty to disobey. Ant
this without the slightest expectation of reward
OF for hire, for wages they neither received mol
asked. They knew that we had no money to pa
them upon the other hand, they had no home Il
go to, nor bread to eat And thus for the laps
of some months all went on as usual. We wer
served 10 the usual way, and they received then
allotted portions.
During this time one of the negro womel
wished to marry, and hitherto the consent of thu
respective owners had been preliminary step i
the adjustment of these matters. Martha cam
as she would have done six months before, an
asked permission TO marry, and this was no
hypocrisy on her part, delicacy of perception
| which was beautiful and touching, prompted he
| so 20 do. And still more strongly was this man
tested upon the occasion Of my sister Lucy
wedding, for she was married IN troubou
| times.h