A Day To Pick Your Own Cotton Part 13

"All the slaves, Miss Katie," I said. "Everywhere. It's against the law for anyone to own slaves now." the slaves, Miss Katie," I said. "Everywhere. It's against the law for anyone to own slaves now."

It still seemed like the idea wasn't altogether getting through. Maybe it was, but it wasn't affecting her like it had me. How could it? She hadn't been a slave all her life, so maybe the news didn't seem so huge to her.

"But she was still there," said Katie, "the housekeeper, I mean. Wasn't she still your master's slave?"

"No, Miss Katie. She didn't have have to stay no more. She wasn't a slave anymore. She was free to go." to stay no more. She wasn't a slave anymore. She was free to go."

"Then why was she there?"

"She wanted to stay. She was getting paid paid now to be the master's housekeeper. And if I'd have stayed, I'd have gotten paid too. She tried to get me to stay and work for Master McSimmons for pay like she was doing. If a black person works for a white now, he's gotta get paid just like a white person would." now to be the master's housekeeper. And if I'd have stayed, I'd have gotten paid too. She tried to get me to stay and work for Master McSimmons for pay like she was doing. If a black person works for a white now, he's gotta get paid just like a white person would."

"So that must mean ... that means you're you're free too, Mayme." free too, Mayme."

"Yes, that's what I said was exciting," I said. "I'm not a runaway, Miss Katie. I'm free free!"

Katie took in my words with a puzzled expression that gradually changed to worry. At first I didn't understand it. I thought she'd be happy and excited too. She was starting to see a little more of what it meant, but in a different way than I was seeing it.

There was a long silence. When she next spoke, her voice was soft and I could tell she was nearly in tears.

"Do you want to leave Rosewood, Mayme?" she said.

Now I realized why she had reacted so strange.

"Oh ... no, Miss Katie. That's not why I was saying it. I just wanted you to know, that's all."

"But ... you're free. Don't you want to go somewhere else?"

"No, Miss Katie," I said. "Where else would I go?"

"You could go back there."

"This is my home now, with you. I want want to be here." to be here."

It was quiet a few seconds.

Then suddenly a new thought struck her and Katie's face brightened.

"Then we don't need to pretend you're my slave anymore," she said. "You can be just like me."

"Except that this is your plantation," I said. "I don't have anything but ..."

I remembered the handkerchief. I jumped out of bed and went and got it where I'd set it on the dresser, and brought it and showed it to her. Then I told her about the eleven cents and all about my ride into Oakwood.

"I bought this," I said. "It's the first time I've ever bought something in my life."

"It's pretty, Mayme," said Katie.

"I'm sorry I didn't come right back," I said.

"It's all right. I'm glad you could buy it. It makes me happy to know that you're free. I was just worried at first that you wanted to leave."

"No, I don't want to leave, Miss Katie."

"Maybe I should pay you too. I should have given you one of the gold coins.

"No, Miss Katie!" I laughed. "I don't work for you. We're just friends trying to make out the best we can together."

"Well, if we're equals now," Katie went on, "don't you think it's best if you called me just plain Katie instead of Miss Miss Katie." Katie."

"We're not equals, Miss Katie," I said. "The slaves have been set free, that's all. But you're still white and I'm black."

"What's being white or black got to do with it?" she said.

"I don't know, Miss Katie. But it'd seem funny just to call you by your name. I still gotta show you respect."

"Why should you show me any more respect than I show you?"

" 'Cause we ain't the same. And 'cause this is your house."

"No, we're not the same. But neither of us is any better than the other."

"It just sounds respectful to say Miss Katie, Miss Katie," I said.

"But we should show each other the same respect. You don't want me calling you Miss Mayme, Miss Mayme, do you?" do you?"

I couldn't help laughing as she said it.

"No," I said. "That would sound wrong."

"If you don't call me just Katie, Katie, then," said Katie, "I'm going to call you then," said Katie, "I'm going to call you Miss Mayme Miss Mayme ... or maybe even ... or maybe even Miss Mary Ann Miss Mary Ann or or Miss Jukes." Miss Jukes."

We laughed some more.

Neither of us had any idea that in the next room Aleta hadn't quite gone all the way to sleep after all and was lying awake listening to us.

I don't know what she thought about all Katie had just said. Katie couldn't see it as clearly as I could, but she had almost become like a mama to the poor little girl. Aleta hung on her every word and followed her around and did what she said, almost as if she was her mama.

And I think seeing that Katie and I loved each other was maybe starting to get inside her skin.

BEDTIME S STORIES.

23.

AS KATIE AND I LAY THERE IN MY BED, IT GOT quiet for a while. quiet for a while.

"I miss our reading and story times, Mayme," said Katie after a bit.

"Me too," I said.

"I'm glad we can help Aleta, because this is horrible for her," said Katie. "But we hardly get to talk anymore. And I know we've got to help her, until we find out about her daddy. But I don't like how she treats you."

Again it was quiet.

"Tell me a story, Mayme," said Katie after a minute.

"Now?" I said, looking over at her.

"Yes, please. We haven't done stories for more than a week. Tell me a story about Mr. Rabbit."

"All right ... let me try to remember a good one."

I thought a minute and then started a story as Katie snuggled down into the pillow and sighed contentedly.

When I finished it a few minutes later, I looked over and Katie was fast asleep.

I got up, turned down the kerosene lantern, and got back into bed next to her, happier than I had even been a few days ago after finding out that I was free.

The next evening after supper when we were starting to think about bedtime, Katie suddenly said, "Aleta, Emma ... as soon as you're both ready for bed, we're going to have a surprise."

I saw Aleta's face light up for an instant, which was just what Katie was hoping for.

"What about me?" I said laughing. "Don't I get a surprise too?"

"You are are the surprise!" said Katie. "So, Aleta-go out to the outhouse if you need to and then go upstairs and get your nightclothes on. Then come back and we'll sit in the parlor." the surprise!" said Katie. "So, Aleta-go out to the outhouse if you need to and then go upstairs and get your nightclothes on. Then come back and we'll sit in the parlor."

I still wasn't sure what Katie was up to, but she had a smile on her face, and Aleta seemed to be catching a little of her excitement and scurried off to do like she'd said.

Ten minutes later we were all seated together, Aleta cozied up to Katie, who had her arm around her, Emma in another chair with little William at her breast, and me in a wooden rocking chair.

"Aleta and Emma," said Katie, "how would you like a story before bed?"

"Oh, yes'm, Miz Katie," said Emma, "dat be right fine. I habn't herd a story in eber so long."

"What about you, Aleta-would you like a bedtime story?"

Yes," said Aleta softly.

"Tell us the story you were telling me last night, Mayme," she said, turning toward me. "I went to sleep before it was over."

Now I saw what Katie had been up to!

"All right," I said. "It's a story about Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox when Mr. Fox was going hunting for something to eat."

I looked at Aleta.

"Would you like me to tell it in a funny old black man's voice, Aleta?"

I think she was surprised that I'd spoken to her. At first she didn't say anything, but then slowly nodded.

"All right, then," I said, "it goes like this ... it seems Mr. Rabbit was out walkin' one day when he ran into ole Mr. Fox, who was going huntin'. Mr. Fox, he ax Mr. Rabbit fer ter go huntin' wid 'im, but Mr. Rabbit, he sorter feel lazy, en he tell Mr. Fox dat he got some udder fish to fry in da way er huntin'. Mr. Fox was mighty sorry et havin' t' go huntin' alone, but he say he b'leeve he try his han' at it enny how, en off he went.

"He wuz gone all day, en he had a monstus streak er luck at huntin', Mr. Fox did, en he bagged a big sight er game."

By now Aleta was snuggling down into the sofa beside Katie, and I thought I could see the faintest little smile on her lips as she listened. How much she understood I don't know.

"Bime-by, on to'rds evenin'," I was saying, "Mr. Rabbit sorter stretch hisse'f, he did, en think hit's mos' time fer Mr. Fox fer ter git 'long home. Den Mr. Rabbit, he went en mounted a stump fer ter see ef he could hear Mr. Fox comin'. He ain't bin dar long when sho' nuff, here come ole Mr. Fox thoo de woods, singin' like a black man at a frolic. Mr. Rabbit, he lipt down off 'n de stump, he did, en lay down in de road en make like he dead."

"Why he do dat?" asked Emma in a dreamy voice. William was already asleep, and I don't think Emma was far behind.

"Just wait and see, Emma," I said. "So Mr. Fox come 'long, he did," I went on, "en see Mr. Rabbit layin' dar. He look at 'im, en he think dat rabbit'd make a mighty fine supper. So he look closer, en he tu'n im over, he did, en 'zamine 'im, en say, sezee, 'Dish yer rabbit's dead. He look like he bin dead a long time layin' in de hot sun. He dead, but he mighty fat. He de fattes' rabbit what I ever see, but I reckon he bin dead too long ter eat. I feard ter take 'im home,' sezee.

"Mr. Rabbit ain't sayin' nuthin.' Mr. Fox sorter lick his chops, but he went on walkin' en lef ' Mr. Rabbit layin' in de road.

"But dreckly he wuz outer sight, Mr. Rabbit, he jump up, he did, en he run thoo de woods en git ahead er Mr. Fox agin. Mr. Fox, he come up on da road, en dar lay Mr. Rabbit, 'parently all col' en stiff jes' like befo'. En Mr. Fox, he look at Mr. Rabbit, en he sorter study da situation a mite more, en he thinks 'bout all deze dead rabbits all roun' all er sudden.

"After while, he onslung his game bag en say ter hisse'f, sezee, 'Deze yer rabbits gwine ter was'e. Dat don' seem right ter me. I'll jes' leave my game bag yer, en I'll go back'n git dat udder rabbit, en I'll come back yer en git this yer rabbit, en I'll make folks b'leeve dat I'm ole man Hunter from Huntsville baggin' all deze yer rabbits,' sezee.

"En wid dat he drapt his game en loped back up de road atter de udder rabbit. En when he got outer sight, ole Mr. Rabbit, he jump up en s.n.a.t.c.h up Mr. Fox game bag en head off fer home.

"Nex' time he see Mr. Fox, he holler out, 'What you kill de udder day, Mr. Fox?' sezee.

"Den Mr. Fox, he sorter comb his flank wid his tongue, en holler back, 'I kotch a han'ful er hard sense, Mr. Rabbit,' sezee.

"Den old Mr. Rabbit, he laff, he did, en up en answer 'im, sezee, 'Ef I'da know'd you wuz atter dat, Mr. Fox, I'da loant you some er mine.' "

I looked over at Katie. Aleta was asleep and Katie had a smile on her face. It almost felt like having a family again.

After that, we started having stories together almost every night. Either I would tell one myself, or Katie would read us all something out of one of her storybooks.

WASHDAY.

24.