Finally they resolved that “Dey was mighty mean niggers on dis plantation, an’ we’s gwine to leave it.” Accordingly next morning neither they nor their husbands appeared in the field. The drivers promptly reported the facts, and the overseer sent down to their cabins to see what was the matter. Word was brought back that they couldn’t get along wid de niggers, an’ they was gwine to leab. They were at once ordered to come up and explain themselves; and, in a few moments, all four made their appearance. They had no complaints to make; they were well-fed and lodged, promptly-paid, kindly treated.
“We likes you fus-rate, Missah, and we’s be glad to stay wid you, but dese niggers is all de time a quarrelin’ an’ a fightin’ wid us; dey aint like folks at all; dey’s mean, low-down niggers. We’s nebber been used to ’sociate wid such; we wasn’ raised to it, an’ we can’t stand it no longer. We’s mighty sorry to leab you; but we’s a gwine ’way.” Thus said the women. The boys wanted to stay; but if their wives went they would have to go with them. “Don’t you know that we entered into a contract at the first of the year?”
They said they did.
“Suppose I should refuse to keep my part of it? I owe you now one-half your wages for the last three months. Suppose I should tell you that some of the white folks around here were very mean, and so I wouldn’t pay you?”
They thought he’d nebber do nuffin o’ dat sort.
“Well, then; if I have to keep my side of the contract you’ll have to keep yours. You bargained to work here for a year. If you can prove that I have ill-treated you, you can get off. If you can’t prove that, you’ve got to go to work and keep at it through the year, or go to jail.”
“Well, we’s go to jail, den. Dat aint nuffin bad. I ’spec eberbody goes to jail sometimes. I ’spec you been dere you’self, lots o’ times, Missah ——.”
A house servant was called, furnished a revolver, and told to take the four at once to the agent of the Freedman’s Bureau. They repeated to him the same story. They had no complaints to make; but “dey was mighty mean niggers on dat plantation, an’ dey wouldn’t wuck dere.” The agent talked to them a few moments; then sent the two women off to jail. They went singing camp-meeting tunes, bidding good-by to their friends with great ostentation, and putting the bravest possible face on it. But when they found that their husbands were to occupy a separate cell, their courage forsook them. Meantime their husbands were begging permission to go back to work. After a good lecture to them, the agent finally consented. Thereupon they began begging to have their wives let out.
“We’s make ’em wuck. If dey don’t, we’s whip ’em good. You juss try us. Please, Missah Cap’en, please do. We’s whip ’em mighty hard, an’ make ’em wuck.”
Finally, on these conditions, the women were released and turned over to their husbands. Whether they have been whipped much or not has not appeared; but it is certain that they have given the planter no further trouble.