A difficulty arose on account of certain promises that had been made to the negroes by the owner of the plantation, long before our arrival.  Mrs. B. had told them (according to their version) that the proceeds of the cotton on the plantation should be distributed in the form of presents, whenever a sale was effected.  She did not inform us of any such promise when we secured the lease of the plantation.  If she made any agreement to that effect, it was probably forgotten.  Those who claimed that this arrangement had been made desired liberal presents in addition to payment for their labor.  Our non-compliance with this demand was acknowledged to be just, but it created considerable disappointment.

One who had been her mistress’s favorite argued the question with an earnestness that attracted my attention.  Though past sixty years of age, she was straight as an arrow, and her walk resembled that of a tragedy queen.  In her whole features she was unlike those around her, except in her complexion, which was black as ink.  There was a clear, silvery tone to her voice, such as I have rarely observed in persons of her race.  In pressing her claim, she grew wonderfully eloquent, and would have elicited the admiration of an educated audience.  Had there been a school in that vicinity for the development of histrionic talent in the negro race, I would have given that woman a recommendation to its halls.

During my absence, Mr. Colburn employed an overseer on our smaller plantation, and placed him in full charge of the work.  This overseer was a mulatto, who had been fifteen years the manager of a large plantation about seven miles distant from ours.  In voice and manner he was a white man, but his complexion and hair were those of the subject race.  There was nothing about the plantation which he could not master in every point.  Without being severe, he was able to accomplish all that had been done under the old system.  He imitated the customs of the white man as much as possible, and it was his particular ambition to rank above those of his own color.  As an overseer he was fully competent to take charge of any plantation in that locality.  During all my stay in the South, I did not meet a white overseer whom I considered the professional equal of this negro.

“Richmond” was the name to which our new assistant answered.  His master had prevented his learning to read, but allowed him to acquire sufficient knowledge of figures to record the weight of cotton in the field.  Richmond could mark upon the slate all round numbers between one hundred and four hundred; beyond this he was never able to go.  He could neither add nor subtract, nor could he write a single letter of the alphabet.  He was able, however, to write his own name very badly, having copied it from a pass written by his master.  He had possessed himself of a book, and, with the help of one of our negroes who knew the alphabet, he was learning to read.  His house was a model of neatness.  I regret to say that he was somewhat tyrannical when superintending the affairs of his domicile.