At last Maria’s effects were all bundled up, and she her mother appeared at the door. Flora was by this time quite composed, especially as she saw the overseer near, and ready to prevent blows. “Dere she come, a totin’ her rags. Leb her go. She done brought nuffin but rags when she come heah, an’ she got nuffin but rags to take away, ’cept what Jasper fool enough to gib her. But she pay me yet for dem tore dresses, or I eat her blood.” It was hinted by some of the peaceably disposed that the women might slip down the road, between the two plantations, and waylay Maria. Accordingly the overseer, followed rather sulkily by Jasper, accompanied them down to the “line ditch.”
“Well, dat’s breakin’ up mighty easy,” said one of the women. “Lo’d help me, I’d make more fuss ’fore my husband should leave me. I’d hold on to him tight, I would. I’d tear him coat all off ob him, any way, ’fore he git off.”
“Dat wouldn’t help you none. I’s smarter’n dat,” said another. “I’d my man afore white man up to Natchez; an’ I done got paper to hole him. Jus’ lef him leab me if he dar’; I take dat paper to de provo’, an’ he go to jail, or he come back an’ lib wid his wife, me.” She had procured a marriage certificate. The most laughed at her; said that wouldn’t keep a man, if he wanted to go, and that the best thing was to get somebody else.
“Tell Jasper come and see me,” said Maria to the overseer, as they parted. “If he don’t, I’ll go back an’ see him.”
“Dat won’t do her no good,” growled Jasper, when he heard it. “I’s glad to git rid ob her, an’ she never need come back to me. I won’t hab her no more.”
“Pshaw, they’ll be better friends than ever in a month. Jasper will get another wife now, and have Maria for his sweetheart.” Thus said the practical overseer.
And so ended the new proprietor’s first divorce case. It may serve to give an insight into some of “our domestic relations.”
CHAPTER LI.
Payments, Strikes, and other Illustrations of Plantation Negro Character.
On one of the “best-stocked” plantations that I visited in Louisiana, I witnessed, in March, a “strike” of the entire force. It was a curious illustration, at once of the suspicions and the docility of the blacks.
The negroes had been hired by a Southern agent, who had formerly acted as factor for the plantation. These gentlemen are never likely to fail in magnifying their offices; and in this particular case it happened that the agent left very distinctly upon the minds of the negroes the impression that he was hiring them on his own account. “When, therefore, a month or two later, the proprietor went out and assumed charge, they became suspicious that there was something wrong. If they had hired themselves to the old factor, they didn’t see why this new man was ordering them around, unless, indeed, he had bought them of the factor, which looked to them too much like the old order of things. Not one word of this, however, reached the ears of the proprietor. Before him all was respectful obedience and industry.”