The Little Slave Girl : A True Story, Told by Mammy Sara Herself, Who Is Still Alive ([1906])

Baby cooed and laughed and gurgled and caught at her dimpled hands and feet, and rolled over and over on the old quilt, her black eyes dancing with fun, and every silky black curl bobbing.

But all the baby's wiles and graces did not draw an answering smile or laugh from Rebecca, though manifestly her attention was fixed upon the little one.

Presently she turned to the baby's mother, who sat close by sewing, and said :—

4 ' Hatty, I'm going to choose her" (pointing to the quilt). "I'm going to have her for mine; I'll tell father so."

To this astounding* statement Hatty replied, calmly :—

" Dat so, Missy?" never slackening for an instant the speed of her busy fingers.

u Yes," said Missy. V She's cute and pretty, and I like her best of any of the babies; I'll tell father right now." And with that the girl swept out of the room.

And so, because baby's skin was two or three shades darker than Rebecca's, it gave her the right of choosing her for her own, as you would a kitten.

Who cares for kittens ? They are plentiful and cost nothing, and if they become too numerous or develop unde sirable habits there is always a convenient pond or a tub of water.

Hatty's laughing, crowing, dimpled baby you can place with the kittens. Babies in plenty there were down at the slaves' quarters, babies of every age and every shade ; but few, if any, were half as pretty as Hatty's.

Rebecca was exceedingly proud of her new possession. It was John Buckley's custom to allow each of his children to choose a slave baby as their very own, and for some time Rebecca had been on the look-out for one to suit her.