The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-14
WOMEN AND POTATOES.
a farm WifeB Slavery IN New
England.

From the Nlnhted PreGs.
Even in tho most trivial malterS,t tho will
and reason Of these women are held in
mastery by their overseer husbands. A
case in point; our markets in the village
being bare OF the commodity Of old poIa-
toes, set out tO.day upon trip OF dis.
covory among our surrounding farmers.
In our destitution at home, | sought even
the small quantity Of a peck, II | could
got no more. My experience was rs par.
TALLY narrated below. The male farmers,
the muscular, old domestic slaye.driVers
OF New England, were mostly away from
home in the hay fields, and | made my er.
rand known to such female slaves a.
found at the several white.painted (ssp.
ulchral shaded) tenements, which the
"lords OF the fields" occupy with their
slaves and call "homesp and in every case
mo less than ten) found the vile un.
willing TO sell even 4 peck Of potatoes
without the husbands consent!
II told husband last night that l
thought we had more old potatoes than
we will need.tl new ones are dug, and
should like to let you have bushel; but
wouldn't like 10 till | find what Mir
says about it," said No. l Of the slay es |
called on, and couldn't induce her to
part with even peck. Mr.. was far of
over an impossible hill, cutting grass, and
twas impracticable to get at him and learn
his royal will. No. 2 was almost in the
same condition IA No. but she screwed up
her resolution enough to say, "she guess.
cd Mr.. . wouldn't mind letting her sell
peck" and started TO get them, but re.
turned speedily, saying; II don't quite
dare to, although we've got more than
we'll use" No. 3 thought that 1--WE could
spare them, but | wouldn't like to let 'em
60, NJ Mr.. 3 might not think it best" No.
4, ditto. No. D was young wife, but the
daughter Of u farmer herself, and had
probably learned ut her fathers house in
another town what the slave duty OF the
farmers wife demands OF her, and, al
though she said "that Mr.. 8 mot we
even) had several bushels on hand, she
wouldn't like to sell even peck without
his consent" Thoroughly Disguised with
my experience. l jOcularly told this
lady Il forget, this young farmer wife.
slave) Of them, and spoke Of the sorrow.
fnl subjectivity Of women, who, robust
and strong and contributing to the success
OF the farm al much as their husbands
themselves, dare not sell even u peck OF
potatoes without their consent! The
young slave (though well advanced in
maidenhOOd before her marriage) had
sense enough to see the point, but, 80 upas-
like is Custom" upon all the finer Gle.
ments Of womanhood, that she manifested
no disposition 10 rebel against, but seemed
to accept its bonds as a matter Of course.
No. had plenty in the cellar, "lnore
than We can Use; would dearly like 10 40.
commodate your folks, but Mr.. Ghas gone
oil to = -four miles away to help hay
it, and | shouldn't dare let you have 'em.
He would in mint il he was here, |
know. 'Tain't because don't want TO be
'commodating, you mustn't think, cos
we've got 'nOugh-but he says he don't
want me to sell nothing of the farm"
Seven and Eight were likewise slaves,
both said about the Same things. Nine
had none TO sell. Her husband had In
deed been obliged to buy two or three
bushels to "Get through with" but II "he"
was here and "he" had 'em to spare she
was suro he'd let me have 'em (). The
devil Of subjectivity would "ouh in spite
Of the absence Of occasionl No. 10 had
some, guessed we could have 'em, would
call Mr.. 10; sent child for him. lie
came speedily, and got bag full Of po-
tAtoes.
l told Mrs. No. 10 OF my experiences,
and that meant to depict this outrageous,
damnable, domestic helI.breeding, dull.
DOING" Christless, Buddhaless, Mabomel.
less, even Brigham YoungIess, deatll.on.
thO'pale.horSe, legal prostitution or sub
ieCtivity OF women 10 male auimls hero
in thib wages.slave, woman.drudging,
patriotic, humanitarian o New England,
10 the rest OF tho world through the pub.
lie journals. She said (somewhat sub
duedly in mNnner) that "women don't
have all the rights they ought to have =
but in what you may write, pray don't
mention me by name, land i will not.
Her husband seemed to be very benevo.
lent man, and its very possible that he's
little less overseer.like than the aver
| aye