n her rounds to the different buildings of the
establishment, to carry the key basket. So many were the keys that they
were kept in a basket especially provided for them, and the child was
its regular bearer. The madam, with this little attendant, was
everywhere--in the barn, in the hennery, in the smokehouse--and she
always made trouble with the servants wherever she went. Indeed, she
rarely returned to the house from these rounds without having whipped
two or three servants, whether there was really any cause for the
punishment or not. She seldom let a day pass without beating some poor
woman unmercifully. The number and severity of these whippings depended
more upon the humor of the madam than upon the conduct of the slaves. Of
course, I always came in for a share in this brutal treatment. She
continued her old habit of boxing my jaws, pinching my ears: no day ever
passing without her indulging in this exercise of her physical powers.
So long had I endured this, I came to expect it, no matter how well I
did my duties; and it had its natural effect upon me, making me a
coward, even though I was now growing into manhood. I remember once, in
particular, when I had tried to please her by arranging the parlor, I
overheard her say: "They soon get spirit--it don't do to praise
servants." My heart sank within me. What good was it for me to try to
please? She would find fault anyway. Her usual morning greeting was:
"Well, Lou, have you dusted the parlors?" "Oh, yes," I would answer.
"Have the flowers been arranged?" "Yes, all is in readiness," I would
say. Once I had stoned the steps as usual, but the madam grew angry as
soon as she saw them. I had labored hard, and thought she would be
pleased. The result, however, was very far from that. She took me out,
stripped me of my shirt and began thrashing me, saying I was spoiled. I
was no longer a child, but old enough to be treated differently. I began
to cry, for it seemed to me my heart would break. But, after the first
burst of tears, the feeling came over me that I was a man, and it was an
outrage to treat me so--to keep me under the lash day after day.

* * * * *

A SHOCKING ACCIDENT.

Not long after Mrs. Farrington had made her first visit to our house,
she came there to live. Celia had been acting as her maid. When Mrs.
Farrington had been up some months, it was decided that all the family
should go down to old Master Jack's for a visit. Ce