Sarah's Roses, Book I: Roses of Blue

Chapter III

"It's all I have," I replied, reaching out to open the carpet bag. I pulled out my little nightgown and Em tucked it under my pillow.

Next came out Mama's old dress. It was an ugly, grey, threadbare piece of clothing, but it was life's greatest treasure to me. Em didn't seem quite sure what to do with it and at last she hung it in the closet. Besides that I had only a handful of papers and my mother's locket that had a lock of her hair pressed inside. Em began arranging all this in the bedside cabinet.

"Who's this?" She asked, picking up a drawing that had fallen to the floor.

"Oh, that." I had to smile. "That's Mrs. Maguire her son Robert. Robert drew this picture for me himself, so I wouldn't ever forget them. Onlt he's no good at art and they came out real funny."

"Are they related to you?"

"Goodness no! They were the wife and son of our landlord."

"Ah, I see." Em let out a chuckle at the irregular drawings of two humans and placed it with all my other papers.

"Em, what is a slave exactly? Is it kind of like a servant? Mama would sometimes say they treated them like slaves at the factory."

Em hesitated, wondering how much she could tell the niece of her master. "A slave is someone who is owned by another person." She quietly explained at last. "Like you own that dress of yers, yous Uncle owns me."

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "Can people really be owned?"

There was another pause before she mumbled, "They can be if you own a plantation."

"What is a plantation, Em?"

"Well, Honey child, it's sort of like a really big farm. Massa Greensten grows cotton on it, which is later sent to the mills to be turned into thread and then woven into cloth."

"How come my uncle needs slaves?"

"To work the fields."

"But can't he just have workers do that?"

"Ah, but you have to pay workers, while slaves will work for free."

We were both silent for a few seconds. I don't know what Em was pondering, but my young mind was trying to make sense of what she had just told me. Mama had been paid by the factory, but Em was telling me that Uncle Andrew didn't pay her. Rather he owned her and made her work because of that.

"But Em," I spoke out at last. "Is it right?"

Em shifted her position, obviously uncomfortable with the question. Turmoil shown in her eyes.

"This whole slave owning thing, is it right, Em?" I persisted, taking a step closer to her. "Is it really right?"

A soft sigh escaped from her lips. "Ah Honey Child, Honey Child," she whispered, reaching over to stroke my hair in an almost desperate fashion. "It is not for me to say."

"Then who can?"

"Sarah, there are some questions in this life that will never have an answer so long as evil men rule this world. Remember that, my dear."

I was about to question this logic when a knock sounded on the door.

Em went over to open it. There were a few hushed voices then the door was shut and Em turned to me.

"Supper will be on the table in a few minutes, but Massa Greensten asked me to bring you to his study before you go to eat."

I took a step back, my eyes growing wide and my breathing irregular.