Interracial Affairs

How It Began

1

It all began in the summer of 1837. It was mid July in Georgia and my father had just come home from the market with new slaves. Our plantation was growing and we needed more workers on the fields. I was sitting in the parlor practicing my French when my father came waltzing in with a smile on his face.

"Sarah Lee, come see your new maid and our new slaves!" he bellowed with his strong booming voice.

"Okay, Papa!" I said rising to my feet. I followed him into the kitchen and standing there with their heads hung low and bounded in chains were five slaves. Two were women and the rest were strong looking men.

"Raise your heads!" Papa commanded and they obeyed. He walked up to the two lighter skinned females first. "This is Mary and Margret; they will be working in the house. Mary will be your personal maid, Sarah darlin'. And these men are Eli, Jonathan, and Samuel."

My eyes went directly to Samuel. He had light hazel eyes and medium colored skin. He had pouty full lips and stubble on his chiseled face. He was the most built out of the three men and the tallest. Defiance burned deep in those gorgeous eyes of his. That defiance drew me in like a moth to a flame.

"Samuel tried to run away from his owner who was going to kill him, but I said that would be a waste of perfectly good worker. I believe I could turn him from a defiant savage to a well behaved slave." Papa proclaimed proudly.

Samuel scowled at him and balled his manly hands into fists.

"Now you all listen to me," my father said to them, "You are to refer to my daughter as Miss Sarah and you are to do whatever it is she asks of you, is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir," they said in unison, all but Samuel.

My father narrowed his eyes and lifted Samuel's face with his walking stick. "I said, is that understood, Samuel?"

Samuel sneered at him viciously.

"Boy!"

"Papa, please, let me!" I insisted. I walked over to Samuel, who seemed like a tall tower compared to me. I looked up at him. "Samuel, we wish you no harm. Answer my father," I said in the softest voice.

He looked at me confused and baffled at my tone. "Yes, I understand," he said automatically. His voice was just as enchanting as he was. It was a mixture of strong and soft and it was amazingly deep.

"Good!" my father said as he cleared his throat. "Has your mother and sisters come home yet from your Aunt's?"

"No, Papa, they should be here this evening."

"Alright, do me a favor and show these slaves their quarters, Sarah Lee. Your old man is going to take a nap. I had a long day and I need my rest," He said placing the key for the chains on the counter.

"Okay, Papa," I said as he left. I looked at the slaves and cleared my throat. "Now, I don't know what my father has told you about us, but we aren't as bad as we seem. Just listen to us and everything should be fine. I am not one for unnecessary punishment and I would hope my father and mother would be the same. As for my sisters, well, they like to complain a lot. Margret, you will be tending to them and my mother as well. I am sure that Betsy, my mother's maid will help both you and Mary. I will show you two where you will be staying. First, let's get these awful chains off you."

"Miss Sarah, if ya don't min' me sayin' so. You's nothin' like any white folk I have eva seen." Mary said softly.

"Well, is that good or bad?"

"Both! You need to be harsh with ones like this here defiant one!" she exclaimed pointing to Samuel.

"When will you learn to hush your mouth, Mary?" Eli scorned. "Learn your place!"