“We must drive them more. You’re too easy, father; they understand that. By the way, what did that letter say about a ‘sister’?”
“Says he’s got a sister over at the nigger school whom perhaps we know. I suppose he thinks we dine there occasionally.” The old man chuckled. “That reminds me, Elspeth is sending her girl there.”
“What’s that?” An angry gleam shot into the younger man’s eye.
‚ÄúYes. She announced this morning, pert as you please, that she couldn‚Äôt tote clothes any more‚ÅÝ‚Äîshe had to study.‚Äù
‚ÄúDamn it! This thing is going too far. We can‚Äôt keep a maid or a ploughboy on the place because of this devilish school. It‚Äôs going to ruin the whole labor system. We‚Äôve been too mild and decent. I‚Äôm going to put my foot down right here. I‚Äôll make Elspeth take that girl out of school if I have to horsewhip her, and I‚Äôll warn the school against further interference with our tenants. Here, in less than a week, go two plough-hands‚ÅÝ‚Äîand now this girl.‚Äù
The old man smiled.
“You’ll hardly miss any work Zora does,” he said.
‚ÄúI‚Äôll make her work. She‚Äôs giving herself too many damned airs. I know who‚Äôs back of this‚ÅÝ‚Äîit‚Äôs that nigger we saw talking to the white woman in the field the other day.‚Äù
“Well, don’t work yourself up. The wench don’t amount to much anyhow. By the way, though, if you do go to the school it won’t hurt to see this Taylor’s sister and size the family up.”
“Pshaw! I’m going to give the Smith woman such a scare that she’ll keep her hands off our niggers.” And Harry Cresswell rode