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Show 32 TilE LJD.f:UTY ll.ELf,, mnssa made him promise that bo would free me, just as soon as ever it was. And so he would, for he was a man of his word, but tho very day after we got back to the county, be was caught in a saw· mill, and drawn out like a plank. I saw him myself a-lying on tho grass, and you could n't tell he'd ever been a man. Them was awful times for us. 'rhcrc was an auction, and we were poor ignorant things, and did not know how much of oursels we owned.'' ''Was there any other so sadly off as yoursclf?n I asked. " Oh, yes, there was a-many that ought to have gone free, only the son bad no conscience. There was my husband, Josh Gowins. If Col. IIook had a-lived, he wouldn't a-had but thrco year to work, but he was sold at tho block, jis like tho cattle, and stript half naked that they might see he was strong. But the Lord was merciful. Gin'ral Sam Ringold, of Washington County, bought us both, and our five children, so that we A lJUE.Ez.t: FROM LAKE ONTAIUO. 33 needn't bo separate. I dare say you knowd Gin'ral Sam ?, "Yes, I knew General Ringgold; his son was killed in tho .Mexican war ! " " The very same ; (l terrible stroke that. All our hcart..s ached for old missis. But I w!s away long before that. Hero I spun and sewed and quilted and Jived comfortable, for they treated me well, they did. I had two children, but they died. It was no matter for that, they went free to llcavcn. The Gin'ral died, and there was another auction, and they sold one of my girls away from me. My husband was dead, and they sent rue away to ole Virginny, with four children. Two on 'em went, I don't know where, and two on 'em went with me to Tokay County, to ole Sam Hit. It's a cussed place, that ole Virginny, and there I was worked to tho death. I married Harry Thomas, who was ole Missis Carter's boy. I had three children, but I only raised one. The beast.<! in the field couldn't a-raised their young, worked |
