went on as usual after this. The madam grew more
irritable and exacting, always finding fault with the servants, whipping
them, or threatening to do so, upon the slightest provocation, or none
at all. There was something in my wife's manner, however, which kept the
madam from whipping her--an open or implied threat perhaps that such
treatment would not be endured without resistance or protest of some
kind. This the madam regarded as a great indignity, and she hated my
wife for it, and, at times, was ready to crush her, so great was her
anger. In a year there were born to us twin babies; and the madam now
thought she had my wife tied, as the babies would be a barrier to
anything like resistance on her part, and there would be no danger of
her running away. She, therefore, thought that she could enjoy, without
hindrance, the privilege of beating the woman of whose womanhood she had
theretofore stood somewhat in fear.

* * * * *

MADAM'S CRUELTY TO MY WIFE AND CHILDREN.

Boss said from the first that I should give my wife assistance, as she
needed time to care for the babies. Really he was not as bad as the
madam at heart, for she tried to see how hard she could be on us. She
gave me all the extra work to do that she could think of, apparently to
keep me from helping my wife in the kitchen. She had all the cooking to
do for three heavy meals each day, all the washing and ironing of the
finest clothes, besides caring for the babies between times. In the
morning she would nurse the babies, then hurry off to the kitchen to get
breakfast while they were left in charge of a little girl. Again at noon
she repeated her visit to the babies, after cooking the dinner, then in
the evening, after supper, she would go to nurse them again. After
supper was over, dishes all washed and kitchen in order, she would then
go to the little ones for the night. One can see that she had very
little time with the children. My heart was sore and heavy, for my wife
was almost run to death with work. The children grew puny and sickly for
want of proper care. The doctor said it was because the milk the mother
nursed to them was so heated by her constant and excessive labors as to
be unwholesome, and she never had time to cool before ministering to
them. So the little things, instead of thriving and developing, as was
their right, dwindled toward the inevitable end. Oh! we were
wretched--our hearts ached for a day whic