Matilda had been there three years when I married her. The Boss had
always promised that he would give me a nice wedding, and he kept his
word. He was very proud, and liked praise. The wedding that he gave us
was indeed a pleasant one. All the slaves from their neighbor
acquaintances were invited. One thing Boss did was a credit to him, but
it was rare among slave-holders--he had me married by their parish
minister. It was a beautiful evening, the 30th of November, 1858, when
Matilda and I stood in the parlor of the McGee house and were solemnly
made man and wife. Old Master Jack came up from Panola at that time, and
was there when the ceremony was performed. As he looked through his
fingers at us, he was overheard saying: "It will ruin them, givin
wedins-wedins." Things went on as usual after this. The madam grew more
irritable and exacting, always finding fault with the servants, whipping
them, or threatening to do so, upon the slightest provocation, or none
at all. There was something in my wife's manner, however, which kept the
madam from whipping her--an open or implied threat perhaps that such
treatment would not be endured without resistance or protest of some
kind. This the madam regarded as a great indignity, and she hated my
wife for it, and, at times, was ready to crush her, so great was her
anger. In a year there were born to us twin babies; and the madam now
thought she had my wife tied, as the babies would be a barrier to
anything like resistance on her part, and there would be no danger of
her running away. She, therefore, thought that she could enjoy, without
hindrance, the privilege of beating the woman of whose womanhood she had
theretofore stood somewhat in fear.

* * * * *

MADAM'S CRUELTY TO MY WIFE AND CHILDREN.