Дванадцять років рабства

           ItiswellunderstoodthatallhandsmustlaborontheSabbath,anditisequallywellunderstoodthatthoseespeciallywhoarehired,asIwastoJudgeTurner,andothersinsucceedingyears,shallreceiveremunerationforit. Itisusual,also,inthemosthurryingtimeofcotton-picking,torequirethesameextraservice. Fromthissource,slavesgenerallyareaffordedanopportunityofearningsufficienttopurchaseaknife,akettle,tobaccoandsoforth. Thefemales,discardingthelatterluxury,areapttoexpendtheirlittlerevenueinthepurchaseofgaudyribbons,wherewithaltodecktheirhairinthemerryseasonoftheholidays. 

           IremainedinSt.Mary’suntilthefirstofJanuary,duringwhichtimemySundaymoneyamountedtotendollars. Imetwithothergoodfortune,forwhichIwasindebtedtomyviolin,myconstantcompanion,thesourceofprofit,andsootherofmysorrowsduringyearsofservitude. TherewasagrandpartyofwhitesassembledatMr.Yarney’s,inCentreville,ahamletinthevicinityofTurner’splantation. Iwasemployedtoplayforthem,andsowellpleasedwerethemerry-makerswithmyperformance,thatacontributionwastakenformybenefit,whichamountedtoseventeendollars. 

           Withthissuminpossession,Iwaslookeduponbymyfellowsasamillionaire. Itaffordedmegreatpleasuretolookatit—tocountitoverandoveragain,dayafterday.