When I got back to Cherokee at 4 o'clock I found a funeral going on. David's eldest son was buried. I am so sorry; he was always a good boy and had learned the trade of carpenter and was doing good work. It is hard on his parents.
Elihu's little boy was also buried to-day. I am distressed for poor Elihu. He has lost his wife and three little boys since he left Cherokee. If I only had an empty house in repair I would insist on his coming back. They say it was his poor wife who persuaded him to accept the offer of my neighbor.
As I drove home to-day Ruth shied violently and, looking down, I saw a terrible looking black man in the broiling sun in the ditch asleep or ill, I couldn't tell which, but Dab stuttered out: "Drunk, ma'am; nothing but dat." I drove on a little way and then said:—
"Dab, that poor creature will die in that burning sun. Take my umbrella and go back and set it up over him. Don't speak to him, just put the umbrella so as to keep the sun off."
So Dab flew off, but Ruth would not wait, and I had to drive on. I met a nice looking black woman whose parents had belonged to us, and I said:—
"Chaney, I sent my umbrella to put over a man in the ditch there; do fix it right when you pass."
She dropped a deep curtsy and said: "Dat is my husband Jupiter, Miss Patience, en' he's drunk all de time, en' I t'ank yo' kindly for puttin' de hambrellar ober him. Miss Patience, he ain't gi'e me so much as a apurn fo' five years, but he is my lawful married husband an' I bleeged to ten' 'um."
September 29.
Vareen harvest begun, a perfect day, the sun in great glory, with little white clouds flitting hither and thither, doing continual homage to him, and making the sky a thing of beauty. I did not go down to the plantation early, but followed my plan of getting there just in time to turn back the hands who are leaving the field with too little done. Yet they got ahead of me, for they had all left the field and gone home at 11:30 o'clock, having only cut four acres in a field of eleven acres. Of course it was vain to attempt to get them back. I met faithful old Ancrum, whom I had put in charge, and he told me that they had all cut what was counted a task in slavery times, and left the field by 11 o'clock. I was greatly tried, because the risk of leaving the rice in the field all day Sunday is too great, and I wanted to get it into the barn-yard Saturday evening. I explained this to the old man and told him we would have to get a big day's work done to-morrow, as so little had been done to-day, or it would leave a very heavy day's work for Saturday, which they all dislike very much. My father always allowed a very light task for Saturday and required that washing, scouring, raking the yards and burning trash should be done in each household as a preparation for Sunday, when everything should be tidy and clean. They keep up the practice very generally now, and it is rare to find on the "street" a house where active preparations are not being made on Saturday evening, and I encourage it in every way in my power.