William Wells Brown

“ Religion is a good thing to live by, and we all want it when we die. Yes, sir, when the great trumpet blows, we ought to be ready. And a man in your business of buying and selling slaves needs religion more than any body else, for it makes you treat your people as you should. Now, there is Mr. Haskins,—he is a slave-trader, like yourself. Well, I converted him. Before he got religion, he was one of the worst men to his niggers I ever saw ”

“ Gaines, I am astonished and surprised that you should think of such a thing. You know what trouble I’ve had in training up Hannah for a house servant, and now that I’ve got her so that she knows my ways, you want to sell her. Haven’t you niggers enough on the plantation to sell, without selling the servants from under my very nose?
Dr. G. Oh, yes, my dear; but I can spare Sam, and I don’t like to separate him from his wife; and I thought if you could let Hannah go, I’d sell them both. I don’t like to separate husbands from their wives. ”

“ Exit Glen, L.
Melinda. It is often said that the darkest hour of the night precedes the dawn. It is ever thus with the vicissitudes of human suffering. After the soul has reached the lowest depths of despair, and can no deeper plunge amid its rolling, fœtid shades, then the reactionary forces of man’s nature begin to operate, resolution takes the place of despondency, energy succeeds instead of apathy, and an upward tendency is felt and exhibited. ”

“ Mrs. G. Were you ever in Arkansas, brother Pinchen? I’ve been told that the people out there are very ungodly.
Mr. P. Oh, yes, sister Gaines. I once spent a year at Little Rock, and preached in all the towns round about there; and I found some hard cases out there, I can tell you. I was once spending a week in a district where there were a great many horse thieves, and one night, somebody stole my pony. Well, I knowed it was no use to make a fuss, so I told brother Tarbox to say nothing about it, and I’d get my horse by preaching God’s everlasting gospel ”

“ Pinchen? What in the name of Jehu brings you down here to Muddy Creek? Any camp-meetins, revival meetins, death-bed scenes, or any thing else in your line going on down here? How is religion prosperin’ now, Mr. Pinchen? I always like to hear about religion.
Mr. Pin. Well, Mr. Walker, the Lord’s work is in good condition every where now. I tell you, Mr. Walker, I’ve been in the gospel ministry these thirteen years, and I am satisfied that the heart of man is full of sin and desperately wicked. This is a wicked world, Mr. Walker, a wicked world, and we ought all of us to have religion. ”

“ I forgot to tell you that neighbor Wyman engaged me yesterday as his family physician; and I hope that the fever and ague, which is now taking hold of the people, will give me more patients. I see by the New Orleans papers that the yellow fever is raging there to a fearful extent. Men of my profession are reaping a harvest in that section this year. I would that we could have a touch of the yellow fever here, for I think I could invent a medicine that would cure it. But the yellow fever is a luxury that we medical men in this climate can’t expect to enjoy; yet we may hope for the cholera. ”

“ Gaines, R.
Scene 3.—Forest at Night—Large Tree. Enter Melinda, L.
Melinda. This is indeed a dark night to be out and alone on this road. But I must find my husband, I must. Poor Glen! if he only knew that I was here, and could get to me, he would. What a curse slavery is! It separates husbands from their wives, and tears mothers from their helpless offspring, and blights all our hopes for this world. I must try to reach Muddy Creek before daylight, and seek out my husband. ”

“ Gaines. You need not tell me, Hannah, that you don’t want another husband, I know better. Your master has sold Sam, and he’s gone down the river, and you’ll never see him again. So, go and put on your calico dress, and meet me in the kitchen. I intend for you to jump the broomstick with Cato. You need not tell me that you don’t want another man. I know that there’s no woman living that can be happy and satisfied without a husband.
Hannah. Oh, missis, I don’t want to jump de broomstick wid Cato. I don’t love Cato; I can’t love him. ”

“ Gaines, L.
Walk. Why, doctor, your wife’s a screamer, ain’t she? Ha, ha, ha. Why, doctor, she’s got a tongue of her own, ain’t she? Why, doctor, it was only last week that I thought of getting a wife myself; but your wife has skeered the idea out of my head. Now, doctor, if you wants to sell the gal, I’ll buy her. Husband and wife ought to be on good terms, and your wife won’t feel well till the gal is gone. Now, I’ll pay you all she’s worth, if you wants to sell.
Dr. G. No, Mr. Walker; the girl my wife spoke of is not for sale. My wife does not mean what she says; she’s only a little jealous. ”

“ We give our niggers plenty of good wholesome food. They have a full run to the meal tub, meat once a fortnight, and all the sour milk about the place, and I’m sure that’s enough for any one. I do think that our niggers are the most ungrateful creatures in the world, that I do. They aggravate my life out of me.
Hannah. I know, missis, dat I steal de goose, and massa whip me for it, and I confess it, and I is sorry for it. But, missis, I is gwine to de Lord’s supper, next Sunday, kase I ain’t a-gwine to turn my back on my bressed Lord an’ Massa for no old tough goose, dat I ain’t. ”

“ I’ll teach you a lesson, that I will.
[The doctor goes at them with his cane.
Cato. Oh, massa! he’s to blame, sir. He’s to blame. He struck me fuss.
Bill. No, sir; he’s to blame; he pull de wrong toof. Oh, my toof! oh, my toof!
Dr. G. Let me see your tooth. Open your mouth. As I live, you’ve taken out the wrong tooth. I am amazed. I’ll whip you for this; I’ll whip you well. You’re a pretty doctor. Now lie down, Bill, and let him take out the right tooth; and if he makes a mistake this time, I’ll cowhide him well. Lie down, Bill. [Bill lies down, and Cato pulls the tooth.] ”

“ Why should I call another man master? And my poor Melinda, she is taken away from me, and I dare not ask the tyrant where she is. It is childish to stand here weeping. Why should my eyes be filled with tears, when my brain is on fire? I will find my wife—I will; and wo to him who shall try to keep me from her!
Scene 5.—Room in a small Cottage on the Poplar Farm.
(Ten miles from Muddy Creek, and owned by Dr. Gaines.)
Enter Melinda, R.
Melinda. Here I am, watched, and kept a prisoner in this place. Oh, I would that I could escape, and once more get [33] with Glen. Poor Glen! ”

“ But dem niggers in de Vine Street Church las’ night shout an’ make sich a fuss, dey give me de headache. But, tank de Lord, I is got religion, an’ now I’ll be a preacher, and den dey’ll call me de Rev. Alexander Washinton Napoleon Pompey Cæsar. Now I’ll preach and pull teef, bofe at de same time. Oh, how I wish I had Hannah wid me! Cuss ole massa, fer ef it warn’t for him, I could have my wife wid me. Ef I hadn’t religion, I’d say “Damn ole massa!” but as I is a religious man, an’ belongs to de church, I won’t say no sich a thing. But who is dat I see comin’? Oh, it’s a whole heap of people. ”

“ Hannah needn’t try to get me to tell a lie; I ain’t a-gwine to do it, kase I dose want her, an’ I is bin wantin’ her dis long time, an’ soon as massa sold Sam, I knowed I would get her. By golly, I is gwine to be a married man. Won’t I be happy! Now, ef I could only jess run away from ole massa, an’ get to Canada wid Hannah, den I’d show ’em who I was. Ah! dat reminds me of my song ’bout ole massa and Canada, an’ I’ll sing it fer yer. ”

“ He thinks more about the welfare and comfort of his slaves, than he does of himself or his family. I am sure you need not feel so bad at the thought of separating Sam from Hannah. They’ve only been married eight [21] months, and their attachment can’t be very strong in that short time. Indeed, I shall be glad if you do sell Sam, for then I’ll make Hannah jump the broomstick with Cato, and I’ll have them both here under my eye. I never will again let one of my house servants marry a field hand—never! ”

“ Cato. No, Dolly, I ain’t a-gwine to do no such a thing, kase ef I tell missis dat I don’t want Hannah, den missis will whip me; an’ I ain’t a-gwine to be whipped fer you, ner Hannah, ner nobody else. No, I’ll jump de broomstick wid every woman on de place, ef missis wants me to, before I’ll be whipped.
Dolly. Cato, ef I was in Hannah’s place, I’d see you in de bottomless pit before I’d live wid you, you great big wall-eyed, empty-headed, knock-kneed fool. You’re as mean as your devilish old missis. ”

“ He didn’t mean that this was a free country for niggers. He meant that it’s free for white people. And another thing, ef you get to talking ’bout freedom for niggers, you’ll catch what you won’t like, mister. It’s right for niggers to be slaves. ”

“ Cato. Ef any body tries to take me back to ole massa, I’ll pull ebry toof out of dar heads, dat I will! As soon as I get to Canada, I’ll set up a doctor shop, an’ won’t I be poplar? Den I rec’on I will. I’ll pull teef fer all de people in Canada. Oh, how I wish I had Hannah wid me! It makes me feel bad when I tink I ain’t a-gwine to see my wife no more. ”

“ Mr. P. Well, sister Gaines, I suppose I must go over and see sister Daniels; she’ll be waiting for me.
[Exit Mr. Pinchen, M. D.
[17]
Mrs. G. Now, Hannah, brother Pinchen is gone, do you get the cowhide and follow me to the cellar, and I’ll whip you well for aggravating me as you have to-day. It seems as if I can never sit down to take a little comfort with the Lord, without you crossing me. The devil always puts it into your head to disturb me, just when I am trying to serve the Lord. I’ve no doubt but that I’ll miss going to heaven on your account. ”

“ You ought to be ashamed of yourself. See what promises you made me before we were married; and this is the way you keep your word. When I married you, every body said that it was a pity that a woman of my sweet temper should be linked to such a man as you. ”

“ But I saw some white slaves.
1st Loun. Well, they’re white niggers.
White. Well, sir, I am from a free State, and I thank God for it; for the worst act that a man can commit upon his fellow-man, is to make him a slave. ”

“ Cato. Why don’t you bring in massa’s saddle-bags? What de debil you standin’ dar for? You common country niggers don’t know nuffin’, no how. Go an’ get massa’s saddle-bags, and bring ’em in.
[Exit Servant, R.
By golly! ebry body’s gone, an’ de bar-keeper too. I’ll tend de bar myself now; an’ de fuss gemman I waits on will be dis gemman of color. [Goes behind the counter, and drinks.] Ah, dis is de stuff fer me; it makes my head swim; it makes me happy right off. ”

“ Mr. Brown exhibits a dramatic talent possessed by few who have, under the best instructions, made themselves famous on the stage. He evinces a talent for tragic and comic representation rarely combined. ”

“ They fight; Melinda sweeps off Mrs. Gaines,—cap, combs and curls. Curtain falls.
ACT IV. Scene 1.—Interior of a Dungeon—Glen in chains.
Glen. When I think of my unmerited sufferings, it almost drives me mad. I struck the doctor, and for that, I must remain here loaded with chains. But why did he strike me? He takes my wife from me, sends her off, and then comes and beats me over the head with his cane. I did right to strike him back again. I would I had killed him. Oh! there is a volcano pent up in the hearts of the slaves of these Southern States that will burst forth ere long. ”

“ G. There, my dear, what do you think of that? Five hundred dollars more added to our income. That’s patronage worth having! And I am glad to get all the negroes I can to doctor, for Cato is becoming very useful to me in the shop. He can bleed, pull teeth, and do almost [7] any thing that the blacks require. He can put up medicine as well as any one. A valuable boy, Cato!
Mrs. G. But why did you ask Mr. Campbell to visit you, and to bring his wife? ”

“ But it seems as ef the Lord knowed that I wanted to see you, and directed your steps over here. Now, Squire, ef you’ve got any niggers you wants to sell, I em your man. I am payin’ the highest cash price of any body in the market. Now’s your time, Squire.
Wild. No, I don’t think I want to sell any of my slaves now. I sold a very valuable gal to Mr. Haskins last week. I tell you, she was a smart one. I got eighteen hundred dollars for her.
Walk. Why, Squire, how you do talk! Eighteen hundred dollars for one gal? She must have been a screamer to bring that price. ”

“ Stock is more than par.
Chorus.—No one hears the whistle, &c.
Jones. Well done! That’s a good song. I’d like to have a copy of them verses.
[Knock at the door. Charlotte goes to the door, and returns.
Enter Cato, L., still in disguise.
Mr. Neal. Who is this we have? Another of the outcasts, I presume?
Cato. Yes, seer; I is gwine to Canada, an’ I met a man, an’ he tole me dat you would give me some wittuls an’ help me on de way. By golly! ef dar ain’t Glen an’ Melinda. Dey don’t know me in dese fine clothes. [Goes up to them.] Ah, chillen! I is one wid you. I golly, I is here too! ”

“ Wild. Oh, yes; she was raised on my place, and if I could have kept her three or four years longer, and taken her to the market myself, I am sure I could have sold her for three thousand dollars. But you see, Mr. Walker, my [19] wife got a little jealous, and you know jealousy sets the women’s heads a teetering, and so I had to sell the gal. She’s got straight hair, blue eyes, prominent features, and is almost white. Haskins will make a spec, and no mistake. ”

“ I’ll call missis, sir; massa is gone away.
[Exit Hannah, R.
[31]
Maj. Moore. So I am here at last, and the Colonel is not at home. I hope his wife is a good-looking woman. I rather like fine-looking women, especially when their husbands are from home. Well, I’ve studied human nature to some purpose. If you wish to get the good will of a man, don’t praise his wife, and if you wish to gain the favor of a woman, praise her children, and swear that they are the picture of their father, whether they are or not. Ah! here comes the lady.
Enter Mrs. Gaines, R.
Mrs. ”