Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 77
"Well, old fellow," the man said; "you had better hire yourself out to me. Don't
you want to cut some cord wood?"
"What sort of pay will you give me?" said I.
"Half a dollar a-day," he answered.
"What will you pay me in?" I asked.
"Well, wouldn't you like to have a gun?"
"What sort of a gun?"
"This one," he said, patting the one he held.
"That gun's of no account," I said; and here I staggered again.
"It's very good to shoot ducks with," he made answer.
"Oh," I said; "the land's so wet that you can't travel by it, let alone going into the
water after ducks. But I think I'll take your offer, for the weather is so bad, I
don't suppose I shall be able to get along very well."
"Well," he answered, "you go up to the house yonder, and I'll go to Vandalia
road to get some eggs."
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So saying, he jumped down from the fence and went on.
The house was half a mile from this place. I made straight for it, but the mistress
of the house, who was in the horse-yard, would not let me in when I knocked at
the door. I suppose she was afraid, for I know she saw me as I was going by. I
turned from the door, and observing that the men in the field had stopped their
horses, and were leaning against the handles of their ploughs, watching me, I
thought it best to go up boldly to them, so as to avert suspicion. I pretended to
want work, and in answer to their questions, told them I was a carpenter and
joiner. They said they did not want any mechanical workman, but that if I went
on the Springfield road, down under the Bluff, there was a man there would
employ me. As I saw woods in the direction they pointed out, their advice suited
me very well; so I went on till I got into the woods on the Springfield road. Here
I found a chunk of a blown-down tree. I got behind it, and as it was crooked, I
could, by lying down, very conveniently peep out from under the crook. I
24.03.2006