The Slave Life of Bella

I was born on April 1stin Mississippi. I grew up on a small home built on a plantation with my sister and brother, Joe and Sally. My sister was a house slave and my brother was captured by the 2 white men. My master, Mr. Saw, is not an ordinary slave holder. He beats on me and the other slaves if the grass isn't green enough, the bushes were uneven, or if his food wasnt cooked the way he likes it to be cooked. Living on this plantation is an emotional wreck.

At night time, I try my best to see my boy, Jim. He is 10 years old now. Every time I go see him he is terrified for his life. I talk to him every chance I get. He stays five minutes away. I leave to come back to my masters property during the morning time. Mr. Saw doesnt mind his slaves being out but, we must be back before 10 oclock.

One morning I was working in the front yard when one of the slaves cut the grass too short, and Master Saw whipped him and he bleed from his back. My eyes being as young as I think they are were seeing things I have never seen something so cruel in my life.

My mother was a free woman and my father was a child slave. My mother was mixed with black and white. My father was a Native American, but has a race of black in his ancestry. My father worked for a white man named Mr. Paul. Mr. Paul was very strict. He wasnt the best slaveholder there was. I went to deliver a package to Mr. Paul and he told me, You better not step foot on my grass or else. Right then I was terrified and never delivered anything back at him. The food we get from our master is corn meal, small amount of rice, and mashed potatoes. The corn meal was made of thin wheat bread mixed with grits. When I ask for a pinch more he always yells. Asking for more food is a sign of a whipping.

The clothes we receive are 2 thin cloth shirts, 3 pairs of socks, and one pair of underwear. We werent allowed to wear pants because most slaves steal food. I wish I had pants for the winter but its never possible to have a pair. The slaves were my father works wear pants. One summer I had made long socks out of cotton I picked and long pieces of grass.Every night I hear gunshots, and a slave screaming HELP HELP, NO MASTER, and PLEASE LORD. Every escape I try to make wasnt a pleasant surprise. Mr. Saw always catches me in the midst of it all. His wife, Susana tries to help me out by giving me tips on how to escape this plantation. My legs are always shaking in my boots when I get scared that I was going to get shot at.

My life flashed before my eyes when I seen Mr. Saw shoot the garden slave worker. I chose to stay in my place and not move a muscle. The next morning I took my daily run to wash the clothes and cook for the white family I was taking care of. I soon packed my clothes while they were at the table eating.

When Mr. Saw went off to go to work, I told the wife I was headed north to be a free black slave. She told me she wouldnt tell a soul where I was headed off to. I escaped the plantation and Mr. Saws vicious ways. I soon became a free slave and lived my whole life learning and working in New York City. Learning was very difficult for me at the time, but I managed my ways to overcome the fears. I became the first rich lady in the United States of America.

-JPConway