![]() Den I see a canoe, en I says dey ain't no use to drown myself tell I got to so I went on a spinnin' down de river paddled mo'n two days and when I got here I went straight to whah you used to wuz, en den I come to dis house, en dey say you's away but 'spected back every day so I didn't dast to go down de river to Dawson's, 'ca'se I might miss you. So I 'lowed to drown myself en git out o' my troubles. Soon as he got well he would start in en work me to death if marster let him en if dey didn't do dat, they'd sell me furder down de river, en dat's de same thing. Dey gathered roun' him to he'p him, en I jumped on his hoss en took out for de river as tight as I could go. ![]() He laid dah moanin' en cussin', en all out of his head, you know, en de niggahs 'uz plumb sk'yred to death. All de hellfire dat 'uz ever in my heart flame' up, en I snatch de stick outen his han' en laid him flat. Robbin' herself, you see, 'ca'se she knowed de overseer didn't give me enough to eat en he ketched her at it, en give her a lick acrost de back wid his stick, which 'uz as thick as a broom handle, en she drop' screamin' on de groun', en squirmin' en wallerin' aroun' in de dust like a spider dat's got crippled. Well, dey was a little sickly niggah girl 'bout ten year ole dat 'uz good to me, en hadn't no mammy, po' thing, en I loved her en she loved me en she come out whah I uz' workin' en she had a roasted tater, en tried to slip it to me. Nuther life warn't wuth noth'n' to me, if I got to go on like dat. 'Bout ten days ago I 'uz sayin' to myself dat I couldn't las' many mo' weeks I 'uz so wore out wid de awful work en de lashin's en so downhearted en misable. 'Long at fust my marster say de good word for me to de overseer, but dat 'uz bad for me, for de mistis she fine it out, en arter dat I jist ketched it at every turn. DEY knows how to work a niggah to death, en dey knows how to whale 'em toowhale 'em till dey backs is welted like a washboard. Dat overseer wuz a Yank too, outen New Englan', en anybody down South kin tell you what dat mean. So de overseer had me out befo' day in de mawnin's en worked me de whole long day as long as dey 'uz any light to see by, en many's de lashin's I got 'ca'se I couldn't come up to de work o' de stronges'. But dat woman warn't satisfied even wid dat. So den dey sent me out to de quarter 'mongst de common fiel' han's. But his wife she was a Yank, en not right down good lookin', en she riz up agin me straight off. En if he could 'a' had his way I'd 'a' be'n a house servant in his fambly en be'n comfortable. I's gwine to tell you de tale, en cut it jes as short as I kin. A pusson dat’s hunted don't like de light. I’s suffered so much dat mournin’ seem to come mo’ handy to me now den stormin’. I reckon it ain’t in me to storm aroun’ no mo’, like I used to when I ‘uz trompled on en ‘bused. ROXY: Sell a pusson down de river … down de riverfor de bes’?! I wouldn’t treat a dog like you’s treated yo’ po’ mother! I’s all broke down en wore out, now. It was a mistake, of course, and I wouldn’t do it again, but I thought it was for the best, I truly did. It was the only way outthe only way I could see to right things. TOM: I know, I know! I’m a worthless scoundrel! But I swear I meant it for the best. ROXY: It ain’t no fault o’ yo’n dat dey ain’t grey. ![]() I meant it for the best, I did … I swear. ![]() TOM: It … it was mean of me, and baseI know it. who are you?! How did you get in here?! What do you want?!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |