Iola Leroy Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (classic literature list txt) š
- Author: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
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āBut, Aunt Katie, you have had your trials,ā said Robert, now that Daniel had finished his story; ādonāt you feel bitter towards these people who are fighting to keep you in slavery?ā
Aunt Katie turned her face towards the speaker. It was a thoughtful, intelligent face, saintly and calm. A face which expressed the idea of a soul which had been fearfully tempest tossed, but had passed through suffering into peace. Very touching was the look of resignation and hope which overspread her features as she replied, with the simple childlike faith which she had learned in the darkest hour, āThe Lord says, we must forgive.ā And with her that thought, as coming from the lips of Divine Love, was enough to settle the whole question of forgiveness of injuries and love to enemies.
āWell,ā said Thomas Anderson, turning to Uncle Daniel, āwe canāt count on yer to go wid us?ā
āBoys,ā said Uncle Daniel, and there was grief in his voice, āIāse mighty glad you hab a chance for your freedom; but, ez I tole yer, I promised Marse Robert I would stay, anā I musā be as good as my word. Donāt you youngsters stay for an ole stager like me. Iām ole anā mosā worn out. Freedom wouldnāt do much for me, but I want you all to be as free as the birds; so, you chillen, take your freedom when you kin get it.ā
āBut, Uncle Danāel, you wonāt say nothinā ābout our going, will you?ā said the youngest of the company.
Uncle Daniel slowly arose. There was a mournful flash in his eye, a tremor of emotion in his voice, as he said, āLook yere, boys, de boy dat axed dat question war a newcomer on dis plantation, but some ob youās bin here all ob your lives; did you eber know ob Uncle Danāel gittinā any ob you inter trouble?ā
āNo, no,ā exclaimed a chorus of voices, ābut manyās de time youāve held off de blows wen de oberseer got too mean, anā cruelized us too much, wen Marse Robert war away. Anā wen he got back, you made him settle de oberseerās hash.ā
āWell, boys,ā said Uncle Daniel, with an air of mournful dignity, āIāse de same Uncle Danāel I eber war. Ef any ob you wants to go, I habbenāt a word to say agin it. I specs dem Yankees be all right, but I knows Marse Robert, anā I donāt know dem, anā I aināt a gwine ter throw away dirty water ātil I gits clean.ā
āWell, Uncle Ben,ā said Robert, addressing a stalwart man whose towering form and darkly flashing eye told that slavery had failed to put the crouch in his shoulders or general abjectness into his demeanor, āyou will go with us, for sure, wonāt you?ā
āYes,ā spoke up Tom Anderson, āāācause de traderās done took your wife, anā got her for hisān now.ā
As Ben Tunnel looked at the speaker, a spasm of agony and anger darkened his face and distorted his features, as if the blood of some strong race were stirring with sudden vigor through his veins. He clutched his hands together, as if he were struggling with an invisible foe, and for a moment he remained silent. Then suddenly raising his head, he exclaimed, āBoys, thereās not one of you loves freedom more than I do, butā āā
āBut what?ā said Tom. āDo you think white folks is your besā friends?ā
āIāll think so when I lose my senses.ā
āWell, now, I donāt belieb youāre āfraid, not de way I yeard you talkinā to de oberseer wen he war threatninā to hit your mudder. He saw you meant business, anā he let her alone. But, whatās to hinder you from gwine wid us?ā
āMy mother,ā he replied, in a low, firm voice. āThat is the only thing that keeps me from going. If it had not been for her, I would have gone long ago. Sheās all Iāve got, anā Iām all sheās got.ā
It was touching to see the sorrow on the strong face, to detect the pathos and indignation in his voice, as he said, āI used to love Mirandy as I love my life. I thought the sun rose and set in her. I never saw a handsomer woman than she was. But she fooled me all over the face and eyes, and took up with that hellhound of a trader, Lukens; anā he gave her a chance to live easy, to wear fine clothes, anā be waited on like a lady. I thought at first I would go crazy, but my poor mammy did all she could to comfort me. She would tell me there were as good fish in the sea as were ever caught out of it. Many a time Iāve laid my poor head on her lap, when it seemed as if my brain was on fire and my heart was almost ready to burst. But in course of time I got over the worst of it; anā Mirandy is the first anā last woman that ever fooled me. But that dear old mammy of mine, I mean to stick by her as long as there is a piece of her. I canāt go over to the army anā leave her behind, for if I did, anā anything should happen, I would never forgive myself.ā
āBut couldnāt you take her with you,ā said Robert, āthe soldiers said we could bring our women.ā
āIt isnāt that. The Union army is several miles from here, anā my poor mammy is so skeery that, if I were trying to get her away and any of them Secesh would overtake us, anā begin to question us, she would get skeered almost to death, anā break down
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