Worthy Brown's Daughter by Phillip Margolin Read Free Book Online Page A

brim was taking a beating.
    “Mr. Brown, where children are concerned, I have an infinite amount of patience. Take all the time you want.”
    A look of gratitude suffused Worthy’s features.
    “Thank you, suh, thank you.” Worthy took a deep breath and gathered himself. “My wife, Polly, she’s dead,” he said sadly. “But when she was alive, we was slaves to Major Whitman in Georgia. Then Major Whitman fell on hard times and sold us to Mr. Barbour for his debts.
    “I was a field hand on Mr. Barbour’s plantation, and Polly worked up to the house waiting on Mrs. Barbour. When Polly took sick and died of fever, Roxanne went up to the house to look after Mrs. Barbour. Roxanne be about ten then.
    “Mr. Barbour was hard on Mrs. Barbour. She took to drink then she died. Soon after Mrs. Barbour passed, Mr. Barbour fell on hard times and sold off most of the slaves. One evening, Mr. Barbour fetched me and Roxanne and said we was going. Why he had to leave I don’t know, but I know he was a dear friend of the cards, and I ’spect it was something like what happened to Major Whitman.
    “We went off in the middle of the night so no one would see, me driving the wagon with Mr. Barbour’s trunk and such in the back, Roxanne huddled in among his belongings and Mr. Barbour seated beside me, casting fearful looks every way until we was clear of Georgia. I didn’t say nothing, of course. I just do like Mr. Barbour say. Soon, we was in Oregon, and I was working for Mr. Barbour like I done in Georgia.”
    Worthy looked embarrassed. “Mr. Penny, I can’t read. Never could.” Then he smiled proudly. “But Roxanne is very smart. While she was working up to the house in Georgia, she sneaked looks at Mrs. Barbour’s books and she figgered out some reading by herself. I ’spect Mrs. Barbour helped, too, even though it was against the law for a slave to read. But Mrs. Barbour was a kind woman, and she took to Roxanne.
    “After Roxanne got some reading in her, there was no stopping her. She was all the time trying to read and learn. Well, suh, one day Mr. Barbour left the newspaper in the house and Roxanne saw where there was a new constitution with no slavery. I pretended I learnt that in town, and I asked Mr. Barbour about it. All that did was make him mad. He said we was his slaves and that was that, but I kept at him and I wore him down. Finally, he said if I worked for him for one more year he would free us. I helped clear his acreage and plant his crops. Roxanne done his washing and cooking. After he promised I never said no more about it. Finally, the week before court in Phoenix come the day to be free. Only Mr. Barbour said he never made no such promise.”
    Worthy’s fist clenched, and his jaw stiffened with anger. “I didn’t know what to do, but I thought on it all week. The day we returned from Phoenix I faced him again. I told him what you said ’bout the constitution saying no slaves. I said he’d given his word. Mr. Barbour been mad ever since you made him look foolish, and he was drinking more than usual. He fetched his rifle and ordered me off the property, only he wouldn’t let me take Roxanne. He wasn’t thinking right from the drink, and I was scared he would shoot me if I stayed, so I left, figgering to come back for Roxanne when he was sober and calmed down. I been back there twice since, and each time he told me he got investments in Roxanne and is gonna keep her till the debt is paid off.”
    “What kind of investment does he claim to have made in your daughter?”
    “For clothes and feeding her and giving her a roof over her head.”
    “How old is Roxanne?”
    “Almost fifteen.” Worthy’s voice cracked. “She is a very good child, Mr. Penny, very mindful. If you can see your way to helping me . . .”
    Matthew saw how hard it was for Worthy Brown to ask for help, and he raised his hand to stop the man’s plea and allow him to keep his dignity.
    “No need to go further, Mr. Brown. You