As the months passed on, my boy improved in health.  When he was a year old, they called him beautiful.  The little vine was taking deep root in my existence, though its clinging fondness excited a mixture of love and pain.  When I was most sorely oppressed I found a solace in his smiles.  I loved to watch his infant slumbers; but always there was a dark cloud over my enjoyment.  I could never forget that he was a slave.  Sometimes I wished that he might die in infancy.  God tried me.  My darling became very ill.  The bright eyes grew dull, and the little feet and hands were so icy cold that I thought death had already touched them.  I had prayed for his death, but never so earnestly as I now prayed for his life; and my prayer was heard.  Alas, what mockery it is for a slave mother to try to pray back her dying child to life!  Death is better than slavery.  It was a sad thought that I had no name to give my child.  His father caressed him and treated him kindly, whenever he had a chance to see him.  He was not unwilling that he should bear his name; but he had no legal claim to it; and if I had bestowed it upon him, my master would have regarded it as a new crime, a new piece of insolence, and would, perhaps, revenge it on the boy.  O, the serpent of Slavery has many and poisonous fangs!

XII.  Fear Of Insurrection.

Not far from this time Nat Turner’s insurrection broke out; and the news threw our town into great commotion.  Strange that they should be alarmed, when their slaves were so “contented and happy”!  But so it was.

It was always the custom to have a muster every year.  On that occasion every white man shouldered his musket.  The citizens and the so-called country gentlemen wore military uniforms.  The poor whites took their places in the ranks in every-day dress, some without shoes, some without hats.  This grand occasion had already passed; and when the slaves were told there was to be another muster, they were surprised and rejoiced.  Poor creatures!  They thought it was going to be a holiday.  I was informed of the true state of affairs, and imparted it to the few I could trust.  Most gladly would I have proclaimed it to every slave; but I dared not.  All could not be relied on.  Mighty is the power of the torturing lash.

By sunrise, people were pouring in from every quarter within twenty miles of the town.  I knew the houses were to be searched; and I expected it would be done by country bullies and the poor whites.  I knew nothing annoyed them so much as to see colored people living in comfort and respectability; so I made arrangements for them with especial care.  I arranged every thing in my grandmother’s house as neatly as possible.  I put white quilts on the beds, and decorated some of the rooms with flowers.  When all was arranged, I sat down at the window to watch.  Far as my eye could reach, it rested on a motley crowd of soldiers.  Drums and fifes were discoursing martial music.  The men were divided into companies of sixteen, each headed by a captain.  Orders were given, and the wild scouts rushed in every direction, wherever a colored face was to be found.