r. Covey, trickery was natural. Everything in the shape of
learning or religion, which he possessed, was made to conform to this
semi-lying propensity. He did not seem conscious that the practice had
anything unmanly, base or contemptible about it. It was a part of an
important system, with him, essential to the relation of master
and slave. I thought I saw, in his very religious devotions, this
controlling element of his character. A long prayer at night made up for
the short prayer in the morning; and few men could seem more devotional
than he, when he had nothing else to do.

Mr. Covey was not content with the cold style of family worship, adopted
in these cold latitudes, which begin and end with a simple prayer. No!
the voice of praise, as well as of prayer, must be heard in his house,
night and morning. At first, I was called upon to bear some part in
these exercises; but the repeated flogging given me by Covey, turned the
whole thing into mockery. He was a poor singer, and mainly relied on me
for raising the hymn for the family, and when I failed to do so, he was
thrown into much confusion. I do not think that he ever abused me on
account of these vexations. His religion was a thing altogether apart
from his worldly concerns. He knew nothing of it as a holy principle,
directing and controlling his daily life,{169} making the latter conform
to the requirements of the gospel. One or two facts will illustrate his
character better than a volume of generalties(sic).

I have already said, or implied, that Mr. Edward Covey was a poor man.
He was, in fact, just commencing to lay the foundation of his fortune,
as fortune is regarded in a slave state. The first condition of wealth
and respectability there, being the ownership of human property, every
nerve is strained, by the poor man, to obtain it, and very little regard
is had to the manner of obtaining it. In pursuit of this object, pious
as Mr. Covey was, he proved himself to be as unscrupulous and base as
the worst of his neighbors. In the beginning, he was only able--as he
said--"to buy one slave;" and, scandalous and shocking as is the fact,
he boasted that he bought her simply "_as a breeder_." But the worst
is not told in this naked statement. This young woman (Caroline was her
name) was virtually compelled by Mr. Covey to abandon herself to the
object for which he had purchased her; and the result was, the birth of
twins at the end of the year. At this addition to