Custody of children -- Fiction; United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction; Women -- Fiction
"Honey, the Lord seemed a long way off then. Seem lak He was where there
was light and music and frien's too, and didn't know my heart was
breakin'. How could He know?... Jes' then some words come into my mind
jes' lak somebody had spoke 'em to me. I had heared 'em down in old
Figinny. 'For God so loved the world that He gave His only son to die--'
I couldn't remember the rest, but I jes' hung on to that much, and said
it over and over. 'God so loved the world--that He give His only
son--His _only_ son--to die! God loved us so ... His only son!' Why, He
_did_ know!
"I shet the do' and went and layed down on the flo' by Cass. I didn't
pray. There wa'n't nothin' to pray for. I knowed it couldn' be helped. I
jes' said, 'Oh, Lord! Lord! _Lord!_ Lord!' Miss Margaret, ef ever you've
talked to the Lord without usin' any words you'll know what I mean. Ef
you haven't, I couldn't make you onderstand. 'Twas jes' lak Cass comin'
and puttin' her head down in my lap and sayin', 'Mammy! Mammy!' and then
I'd put my hand on her head and say, 'Mammy knows!' and that was all.
"Well, after a while I got up and waked Cass, and the child looked at me
with her big starin' eyes like she was 'feared of me. But I set down in
the chimly corner and tuk her on my lap and then she was wide awake. I
told her about how she had been sold and how it wa'n't likely she would
ever see Mammy any mo'. But I says, 'Honey, ef you try to be good, and
never steal or tell lies, or do anything that you know is
wrong--_anything_, honey, no matter what it is--there 's a place we'll
git to after a while where there can't nobody part us.' And, Miss
Margaret, the child stop her cryin' and look up at me, and she say,
'Where is it, Mammy? Le' 's go now.' And I says, 'It's heaven, child!'
and then she begun to cry, 'cause heaven seems a long way off, you know.
"Well, after a while I put her to bed, and then I got her clo'es ready
and made 'em in a little bun'le and then I got to stud'in' 'bout who
would wash her clo'es and mend 'em, and it jes' 'peared lak I couldn't
stand it noway. While I was gittin' the things together I come across
her big rag doll where she had jes' put it to bed--(Cass was always a
mighty hand for dolls),--and I put it in the bun'le. I thought it would
help her maybe to git through the first few nights. Then I laid out her
clo'es, and darned her stockin's, and blacked her shoes, and when there
wa'n't another thing I could do I laid down by her and tuk her in my
arms like I useter when she was a baby, and laid there the blessed
night, never once closin' my eyes ... Miss Margaret, don't cry, child! I
haven't shed a tear sence that night.
"Well, in the mornin' I got her ready, and when I seed 'em comin' I tuk
her in my arms and looked in her face fur the las' time, and laid her
little head on this old breas' where it had laid so many times, and give
her one las' kiss, and then I opened the do'.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account