Please do not copy the diary entries. They belong to the author, I would not be sharing any of them if I did not purposefully comment and respond to almost every other sentence. And FYI STARTING Way After P10-11 of the annotation the book is not for the age group below high-school as there are really dark stuff coming up. Unless you use it as a model to write your own example of annotation or a challenging writing prompt to follow NEVER COPY IT EVER. I will never put this book in stores or on another website either. This is a solo Wattpad story only and only exists for the convenience of those who wish to catch onto several writing skills and practiced them, Skylights, when they have no resources to use and accessibly provide themselves off line. I don't want any money for it and I don't want popularity for it. It is just a simple gift to less fortunate than me and to me them being able to read this is satisfying enough. It is enough for me that readers will want to read it.
You, however, may quote whatever annotations I have stated that you find make a very good lesson and point I will allow that. I quote people all the time. And I will be listing several quotes from the story in these chapters to come up later because they are really good to quote, my friends.
23: 46th diary entry annotated.
Saturday
All week we been busy cleanin' the Big House. (9 words) Winter dirt been scrubbed away to make room for summer dust. (20 words) We've all worked until our hands be raw and our backs ache. (12 words) Aunt Tee made a salve to help the soreness. (9 words, such a good loving caring woman.) She makes me watch when she's makin' up stuff. (9 words)
I know the recipes to all kinds of salves and potions, but she done forbidden me to tell anyone her secrets. (21 words)
It makes me feel bad sometimes that Aunt Tee tells me her secrets, 'cause I'm scared to tell her mine. (20 words, I feel you girl.)
24: 47th diary entry annotated.
Later on
An old gamblin' friend of Mas' Henley's, Stanley Graves, been here for a day or so. (16 words) Miz Lilly been takin' her meals with William. (8 words) Not that she wanted to, but to spite Mas' Henley. (10 words) She don't 'prove of his gamblin'. (6 words, finally some positive conscience about the white lady of this Big House.)
While Spicy and me was a-servin' dessert, we overheard Graves and Mas' talkin' about abolistines. (16 words.) I listened to as much as I dared. (8 words) Graves say they think the abolistines might run a man for president of the United States. (16 words) I know 'bout the president from study time. (8 words) He's the mas'er of all the other mas'ers. (8 words
If the president is a abolistine, then he can do way with slavery and the mas'ers can't stop him. (35 words) I heared a new word. Cecession. (6 words made up the last two sentences) I'm gon' add it to my list of words to know. (11 words)
25: 48th diary entry annotated.
Third Sunday in May
I read the calendar on Mas' Henley's desk. (8 words)
It is Sunday, May 22, 1859. (6 words)
Rufus talked 'bout the Garden of Eden this mornin'. (9 words) God's garden, filled with peace, love, no hurt, no sufferin' and no slavery. (13 words)
There aine no such place 'round here and that's for sure. (11 words)
All through service we could hear Mas' Henley and Miz Lilly fightin' again — shoutin' mean words, flyin' every which way. (20 words)(so rude to be arguing during a service; it's embarrassing.)
That means it's gon' be hard on Spicy and me when we have to 'tend her. (16 words)
She just as soon slap us for bein' in the room as to not. (14 words)
After Sunday late meal
I came here to write in my special spot. (9 words) I just wrote B-O-A-T, and I sees a boat full of people sailin' past Belmont on their way somewhere. (19 words) I wave at them. (4 words) They wave back. (3 words, at least they were polite enough to wave back that's more than can be said for some people.) Wonder are they thinkin' 'bout me the way I'm thinkin' 'bout them? (12 words) Wonder are there any abolistines on that boat? (8 words)
26: 49th diary entry annotated.
Days later
Rained all yesterday and today — no scary thunder and lightnin' — just a steady drip, drip, drop. (16 words)
Been so damp, mold is creepin' up the side of the kitchen walls. (13 words)
We spent the mornin' scrubbin' the walls down with vinegar water. (10 words, house mold in damp corners can kill someone in their sleep or make their brain go crazy best to clean it up when you find it as soon as you find usually it's gray and it can be found in wooden floor boards.)
After last meal, Aunt Tee sent Spicy down to the stables with Hince's dinner. (14 words) She come back just a-smilin'. (5 words)
"Well, I do declare," say Aunt Tee, lookin' real surprised. (10 words) "I b'lieve Spicy is sweet on Hince." (7 words) Aunt Tee is 'bout the last one to catch on. (10 words)
Everybody's talkin' 'bout how the two of them been lookin' at each other in that special way. (17 words) I knew it since the party. (6 words) Spicy and Hince. (3 words)
Spicy is a different person from when she come here. (10 words, it is so good to be different.) Different in a good way. (5 words, true Different in a real good way she has become.) Spicy and Hince. (3 words) That Missy is 'bout to have a cat fit. (9 words, her envy was asking for the karma honestly, Skylights.) Good. (1 word.)
27: 50th diary entry annotated.
Next afternoon
It's Thursday. (3 words) I shall never forget this day. (6 words)
William almost caught me readin'. (5 words) Lordy, I got to be more careful. (7 words) I was dustin' Mas' Henley's study where there are all manner of books.
I found one called an Atlas. (19 words, I have an Atlas here in my bedroom, myself two one is a book and one's a stress-ball.)
I was so excited to find out it was a book filled with maps. (14 words)
I was lookin' for Virginia, when, all at once, the door flew open, and William walked in. (17 words, completely awkwardly totally but he's just a child.)
William laughed real wicked-like. (4 words)
"I know what you were doin'," he said. (8 words) "You was readin' that book!" (5 words)
I thought I would die when he called his mama. (10 words) My tongue got thick and my throat felt dry when I thought 'bout what was goin' to happen to me. (20
words) Miz Lilly came runnin' from the large parlor, answerin' William's call. (11 words)
"Mother, Clotee was readin'," William said. (6 words) "She was in here with the door shut. (8 words) I caught her readin'," and he laughed and laughed. (9 words)
I stood there with my head down, lookin' as blank-faced as I could. (13 words)
Miz Lilly made William stop tormentin me. (7 words, boys make such a such a habit of telling truth just to make fun of someone that no one can recognize it as truth even back then most of what children say went completely unheard, Skylights. It is the case here, and because Lilly doesn't favor William she doesn't believe what he's saying is true anyways even though he's still her child she actually did birth.) I thought you called me about somethin' serious. (8 words)
Where would Clotee learn how to read?" she said. (9 words) Her petticoats swished as she walked away. (7 words)
"Keep the door open, Clotee," say Miz Lilly, turnin' to look back at me, real curious-like. (16 words)
William had been just funnin'. (5 words)
He went on laughin', but my knees was still shakin'. (10 words)
28: 51st diary entry annotated.
Saturday
Aunt Tee said her elbow hurt all night, so it was goin' to rain 'fore nightfall. (16 words) I don't know why it should surprise me. (8 words) Aunt Tee's elbow is good at callin' the weather. (9 words)
But, the almanack I seen in Mas' Henley's study said the May of 1859 was goin' to be wet. (19 words)
I found out 'bout an almanack the same way I found out 'bout the Atlas, just by dustin' the bookshelves in Mas' Henley's study. (24 words)
At first, I couldn't believe that somebody could know ahead when the moon was goin' to be full. (18 words, I would be just as shocked if I had never known that myself too.)
But, sure enough, the moon was full on the very day the almanack say it would be. (17 words) Now, I've got to be very careful lookin' through Mas' Henley's books, gettin' answers to my questions. (17 words) After almost gettin' caught, I'm real nervous-like. (7 words, those first time jitters don't go away soon enough after getting caught even just once, Clotee.)
29: 52nd diary entry annotated.
Monday
The sun is still up, even though the time of day is late. (13 words)
Miz Lilly has changed the study time to early in the mornin' when it's cool. (15 words) I'm still s'posed to fan. (5 words)
Hince and William went for a mornin' ride, makin' William late. (11 words)
Miz Lilly pitched a fit. (5 words)
Sooner or later all of us gets on the bad side of Miz Lilly, but Hince can't do nothin' to please her. (22 words) Good thing Hince comes under Mas' Henley's say so. (9 words)
Hince would have it hard if he had to work with Miz Lilly. (13 words)
He knows it and stays way from her most of the time, too. (13 words, good instinct.)
Word tell, Miz Lilly hates Hince on account of his mama Ola and the talk that goes on 'bout Mas' Henley bein' the boy's father. (25 words, I can see where she'd becoming from, Skylights.)
Aunt Tee is real closed-mouthed 'bout it all. (8 words)
But from what I can pick up here and there from the women in the Quarters, Miz Lilly wouldn't rest 'till Hince's mama was sold. (25 words)
Say Ola was just too pretty. (6 words) (Miz Lilly is one of the worst Mothers and Woman to exist in this world.)
Miz Lilly woulda sold Hince, too, but Mas' Henley put his foot down on that. (15 words) Say a male slave would bring more money when he got older and been trained. (15 words)
Mas' Henley promised Miz Lilly he would keep Hince 'til he was at least sixteen. (15 words)
At first frost, Hince will come into his sixteenth year. (10 words)
Wonder will Miz Lilly 'member the promise? (7 words) I hope not. (3 words
I wouldn't want nothin' bad to happen to my brother-friend Hince. (11 words, I feel your dreadful worry through the thin pages, sweet girl.)
30: 53rd diary entry annotated.
Tuesday
Thinkin' 'bout Hince's mama always puts me to thinkin' 'bout my own, 'cause they was sold one shortly after the other. (21 words) Longer days allow me more chances to write. (8 words) I just wrote M-A-M-A. Mama.(5 words in the last past two sentences) I see her the way I seen her last — a dark-faced woman with joyedly eyes. (15 words)
Then the bad lonesome feelin' comes into my heart — memories that sour in my heart. (15 words, thinking of sadness and sad things will always pour the sadness out tenfold, guys.) No more writin' this night. (5 words) (Not all that surprised sadness will drive the energy out of writing every once in a while.)
31: 54th diary entry annotated.
Wednesday
I didn't know I was walkin' round lookin' so sad, 'til Spicy said somethin'. (14 words, your best friends will always notice if you're down when you act and look downtrodden.)
While pluckin' chickens for the dinner meal, I told her 'bout Mama. (12 words)
I told her 'bout how my mama got caught in the never-endin' fight that goes on in the Big House 'tween Mas' Henley and Miz Lilly. (26 words)
Soon after Ola was sold, Mas' Henley gave Mama way to his sister and brother-in-law, Amelia and Wallace Morgan, as a weddenin' present. (23 words)
Since Mama was a good dressmaker, she could bring good money into their house. (14 words) I was a baby and not part of the deal. (10 words)
Aunt Tee say Miz Lilly was so mad, when she found out Mama had been gave 'way. (17 words) Say she turned purple — no doubt worried 'bout who was gon' make her dresses. (14 words) The madder Miz Lilly got, the more set in his way Mas' Henley got. (14 words)
"You made me get rid of Ola, now you've got to let Rissa go." (14 words, fair enough on the Master's part; he has the most irritable annoying wife ever anyways.)
That brought 'bout a faintin' spell, the kind Miz Lilly gets when she's tryin' to win a point. (18 words)
All her fallin' out couldn't save Mama. (7 words) She had to go to Richmond. (6 words)
32: 55th diary entry annotated.
Later
The night before Mama was taken away, she gave me to Aunt Tee and Uncle Heb. (16 words) When Uncle Heb retells it, he say it was right after the Big Times — the first of the year. (19 words)
"Clotee is yours now. (4 words) Take care of her, love her if you can," she tol' them. 12 words) (Now you know why Clotee calls them Aunt & Uncle.)
I only got to see Mama, a few times after that — once when Wallace and Amelia come to Belmont and brought her 'long to take care of their baby. (28 words)
Then durin' the Christmas holiday she got a pass to come visit. (12 words)
Each time she came, we laughed and talked, cried and held each other. (13 words) She always waited 'til I fell asleep, then she'd leave. (10 words) When I woke up, Mama would be gone . . . just gone. (10 words)
Five winters ago, a rider come to Belmont. (8 words) Wasn't long 'fore Mas' Henley come to the kitchen with the news. (12 words) "Rissa is dead," he said, his voice soundin' fat like unleavened bread. (12 words) Didn't take long for the words to take hold. (9 words, it never takes too long for dark unhappy words to smuggle snuggle into your brain and ail your heart too.) Mama was gone on to glory — just gone. (8 words)
I remember hearin' the people in the Quarters singin' all through the night — (13 words(
Crossin' over, crossin' over,
Crossin' over into Zion.
Crossin' over, crossin' over,
The beautiful city of God.
When I finished my story, Spicy said, "Your story is my story." (11 words, awwwh) Then we both cried. (4 words)
After talkin' to Spicy I felt lots better. (8 words, always best to get the hurt lifted off your chest by talking to someone, Skylights.) Spicy and I have laughed together, cried together, and shared each other's hurts. (13 words) We're becomin' good friends. (4 words) I like that. (3 words)