Thomas Wright's Diary

Payback

13, October 1858

I didn't think or listen ta Tully. Didn't run at him or shout, just walked towards him slow. Hate was buildin up. Hands clinched in a fist. Patten was still sittin on the ground, laughin at me. Say what ya goin ta do? Kicked him right square in the face. When he fell back, I put my foot on his throat, pushed down. Ya will get up off that dang ground! Go ta work! That is how I put it. He say this ain't over. Told him it is over, sent Jacob ta get Mister Bowman tell him that this Patten has ta be removed. Tells Patten ta leave head back ta the Plantation.

Patten refuses ta leave, him restin his hand on that Griswold he carries me shotgun pointed at him. Only about ten minute ride ta the Main House.
Figure ten minutes ta get Bowman movin ten back.
Twenty minutes short side, thirty longside.

Took less time, Bowman and Poppy was on the way, ta check on progress. They showed up, Patten relaxed tried ta talk a story. Jacob stood up for me, Bowman sent him walkin handed him some money told him ta get. Bowman asked Poppy if I was up ta the job or not. Poppy smiled, say he would of shot Patten if tried anything. He can handle the job.

14, October 1858

Wednesday, early good start taday. Warmed up some, tell they movin better. Betsy has some puff under her right eye. No scar so least the skin didn't open. Be a might sore a week maybe more. Patten rode out, didn't come back last night. Figure if he looks for payback, be tanight or next one. Least ways that is the way I would do it. Poppy said ta keep an ear and a eye open, don't trust the man.
Poppy never did trust nor like him. Best get out see how thins are movin. Took my mind off a work.

Cleared around 5 acres taday, plus got the fire wood cut and stacked. They found they pace, now ifin they can keep it. Got good overseers here now, Poppy seen ta that. One's that know how ta take trees down clear a field. Had ham an beans cornbread fried tatters for supper. My I am filled.
Moon is full, stars dot the sky. Hear the talk from the barn. Just like a whisper from here. Overseers are in the small barn. Four of them theys ain't married so they stayin on ta start early.

The night got quiet, my peaceful like long day all is sleepin. Betsy asked ifin I was comin in, told here in a bit. Rather liked the quiet and night chill.

She sat next ta me on the steps, Masser Katherine say ya stayin here, full time soon. Mister Thom why is that? She asked me that, told her just wanted ta be here. Keep the place up, want ta raise a family here. Good ground nice home. Told her she would probably come with me. She just acted like she didn't hear me, looked up at the sky. We both gazed up, I was thinkin my so many how damn many. I smiled, talked ta myself don't even try Thom. Betsy asked what Mister Thom. Told her nothin.

15, October 1858

Friday, my what a day, split the force up one workin stump removal the other fellin trees. Mister Bowman is real happy with the progress.
Poppy told him, Ya keep good overseers on this be done maybe first week a November. Mister Bowman agreed ta keep the same group workin this. Poppy left some deer meat, can't wait ta have some. That was about noon, Betsy put it in the Dutch oven with some carrots and taters. Been by the house several times smells like heaven. Best get back ta it.

Done good taday. Some of the stumps still burnin.
Have Tully and couple others watchin, don't need an out control fire. Not late still early abouts 7 figure fires should be out around 9 or so. Called an early day. Work crew had grits an ham, coffee ifin they wanted. They starts at sun up, no later work till dark Saturday. Sun been settin earlier, know it's gettin late fall.

That deer is about ready, Betsy fixin my plate now.
Told her she best fix herself some. Overseers got some already. Poppy always says the crew eats first. Had two helpins my she can cook. Love ta here them nigras at night, they sing a little talk some, then it turns ta almost quiet, voices sound like whispers. Then it's a few snores maybe a cough or two. Then quiets like during church.

Betsy told me she missed her Ma, hated it here in Kentucky. Told her she was a slave go where the owner goes. Also that it wasn't that bad, hell we treats her good. Leastways I try ta, know Ma does too. She told me still misses her Ma. Then the shocker she said Mister Thom, I don't know but ya sure interest me. Ya still have that lust or love.
That was stopped by shouts, bear! Bear near the barn! Jacob shot the damn thin while it was tryin ta get at the grits left over from supper. Told Jacob the hide was his, just give me a tooth and a claw. He could have the meat. Don't care much for bear meat. Betsy cuddled up ta me, said Mister Thom ya treat me real good, so does your Ma.

16, October 1858

Saturday, another fine day acre and a half cleared.
Stumps burned and pulled. Lot a board feet coming out of here. Wish Poppy would told me thinks maybe Mister Bowman made more than I was thinkin even. Well that was settled long ago. Deal with it I reckon. Just before sunset they moved them back ta the Plantation. Told Betsy I needed ta walk the grounds figure how much more time, before it's done. Looks ta be three weeks minimum. If all goes well, no heavy rain or snow.

Betsy had supper ready, eggs cured ham and biscuits. Love that for supper, thing is I am hungry hour later. Well, few leftover biscuits always haves them later. Asked ifin she wanted ta go over ta the Bowman's place ta spend some time with friends there. She shook her head told me, that old woman
may come at her again. Told her was just askin is all. 

Pulled her outside with me, said sit be right back. Got me a coffee an poured some corn drippins in it. Sat next ta her. Betsy I say, thinks I find you a might interesting myself. We best think on this some, ya know might gets us both killed. Ma was talkin about freeing ya. Even free, folks in Ohio wouldn't tolerate us bein together don't thinks.
Hell I know here we'd get strung up! Betsy looked at me with those eyes, about made me melt like pile a snow. Told me guess ya best own me or your Ma then. I told her long as we feel this way, one of us would. Ifin it ever changed, work hard a settin her free.

We talked might longer, told me her Pa Mister Collier Mikes Pa spent more time with her Momma than his wife. How he was supposed ta free thum both when he died. Mike didn't do it, said he started taken on Momma before he met Ems. After her and Momma were left be. They were pretty much free, they only had ta work doin laundry.

Masser Mike wanted her, even her bein his blood.
She told me he couldn't get it ta work. She say think bein blood did bother him. Poor Ems I was thinkin maybe he doin another slave now. We talked till about midnight, lan sakes didn't even know it was that late. Ma and Poppy won't be stopping in tomorrow. Might just try that procreatin thin out.

                           17, October 1858

Well, Ma and Poppy stopped in real early about six. Just finished up my coffee. Poppy brought by couple bottles of that lager stuff, from Cincinnati.
Forgots ta mention I ordered a Griswold 36, he had that also. Poppy said they was on the way ta Augusta, Ma wanted ta see her brother. Uncle John has a small house in town, Blacksmith he is. Only stayed about twenty minutes, they wanted ta get back plenty early. Poppy tossed some 36 caliber ball on the table. He said ten for it, don't waste thum. Betsy woke little after they left guess was about seven.

Told I wasn't hungry no needs for breakfast. Coffee a do fer me. She asked why I was always writtin before bed. Told her just writes down what happened during the day. Diary is all. She say guessin I am in it. I nods say yep. Rest of the day was good, till about night. Drunk and mean Patten showed up.

Shoutin somethin, about me takin his job away. He was goin ta whip me like the nigra lover I was. Told him, he was drunk best leave. Fired my shotgun in the air. He found better sense ta leave. Sat outside spell make sure his drunk ass left fer good. Betsy say Thom he won't be comin back, come in it's little cool out. Then she looked at me, it is alright ta call ya Thom ifin we alone. Told her yessum, be fine.