louisa picquet, the octoroon: or inside views of - Negro Artist

Louisa Picquet, the Octoroon 12
24.03.2006
to me like a fortune. I thought he had got it that night playin' cards. I went on,
then, down stairs; and in the afternoon, when he got a little sober, he ask me
what I done with that money. First I ask him, what money? I thought he would
forget it, and didn't let on that I knew any thing about it. Then he said, that
money I let you have this mornin'. Then I knew he had not forgot.
"Then, you see, I had seen a flowered muslin dress in the store several times,
and I take a fancy to it; I thought it look beautiful. It was perfectly white, with a
little pink leaf all over it. So I went to the store, and ask the man what's the price
of it. Then he told me, but I could not reckon it, so I lay the money out, and told
him to give just as many yards as I had half-dollars. Then he told me that would
be too large a pattern for me; but I told him, no, I wanted a nice full dress. That
was the largest pattern I ever had afore, or since. Then I told Mr. Cook I put the
money away, and could not find it. I had sense enough to know he would not
dare tell any one that he gave me the money, and would hardly dare to whip me
for it. Then he say no more about it, only he told me to come up there that night.
He said he want to see some more about that money; he didn't believe I lost it.
Then I told Mrs. Bachelor
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that I guess I'd have to go up stairs that night; and ask her what I should do. She
was the best friend I had; but she could not interfere no more, because if she did
he'd know that I told her. Then she said she had no patience with him--he was
the meanest man she ever saw. She abused him then a great deal, before her
sister and before me. Then she said the best plan would be to keep out of his
way, and if he called me, not to answer. I was to keep in her room that evening
as much as possible.
"Well, about tea-time he wanted water. That was sent up. Then he wanted to
know where I was; he wanted a button sewed on his wristband. Then Mrs.
Bachelor sent him word that, if he could not find me, to send the shirt down, and
her sister, or one of the girls, would put a button on for him, if he was in a hurry.
The shirt came down, and the button was sewed on. I suppose he just took the
button off for an excuse. Then, when they went up with the shirt, he sent word
down that, when I came, I must come up and get his boots and black them. He
did not care about waitin' so long for them in the mornin'. He thought I'd give
out somewhere. Then, about bedtime, he call one of the boys to know if they
told me about the boots; and they said they hadn't seen me. I was all the time in
Mrs. Bachelor's room, but none of them knew it. I sewed the button on, but he