Mary was given a clean homespun frock to wear around the house, with a crisp white apron over it. She was also given a kerchief to wear. It was a pretty indigo blue and Mary wore it with pride. She came at dawn to the kitchen where she was fed flapjacks and eggs. Mary had inherited Big John’s height; she was a tall lanky girl, her delicate bones showing through.
Cookie was the kitchen matriarch; she ran her domain with brutal efficiency. She had many minions under her hand and guided each one. Cookie was a tall elegant woman, with a long slender neck. Her slender form belied her talent with food. She’d lived nearly all her life on the Anderson’s large farm, she’d been brought over from Africa when her mother had been captured by a rival village. Her mother and several other women had been caught by the hostile neighbors and taken to the coast, where they were sold to European slave traders. Her mother had died on the long voyage and she’d been cared for by a stranger. Her memories were vague, only that she had always been hungry and thirsty. She also remembered the stench of packed and shackled humanity.
Cookie didn’t remember her native tongue nor her mother’s face. Now in her early fifties, Cookie knew no other way of life. She had no children of her own. She did however care for those small ones in her charge. Cookie had seen a few children that had Big John’s mark on them, though none as pretty as Mary. Mary’s appetite matched her tall stature and Cookie let her eat her fill.
Once Mary finished her breakfast, Mary helped Cookie and the other kitchen slaves with duties around the large kitchen. Cookie thought that she might extend Mary’s tutelage in the kitchen. The child was very bright. It was something to think about.
Mary swept the floor and took scraps out to the chickens and passed a pail to the pig boy, so he could slop the hogs. Then Mary went back into the kitchen and wiped down every surface with a damp rag. When she was finished, she went to Cookie for further instructions.
“I’ll teach you how to knead this dough for the bread. Once we do that, you can peel some apples and pears for tarts and pies.” Cookie grinned down at Mary. Mary smiled back and nodded. Climbing up onto a stool, Mary took her place beside Cookie.
“Now, you have to be a tough gal to move this here dough. Don’t you take no nonsense from it.” Cookie instructed as she showed Mary how to move the sticky dough on the counter. From time to time, Cookie sprinkled flour onto the mass and moved the bread dough. Mary watched intently and her arms struggled to bend and fold the heavy mass. It was hard work for the eight-year-old.
The bread was set aside, a towel draped over and left to rise. Mary went to a cleared area of the large work table. The table ran nearly the whole length of the kitchen. Various slaves were working on different project. Mary picked up a knife and began to peel the fruit that had been set aside for the pies and tarts. Cookie was off doing something at the stove, her soft humming was comforting to Mary. Mary hummed along with Cookie, her head nodding side to side and her legs swinging back and forth.
Mary was good with the knife and peeled long curls of apple peel. She was quick and soon the fruit was ready for another slave.
“Alright, you did a good job Mary. Take this corn and go shuck it out on the back porch. I’ll bring some snap beans for you to snap once you’re finished.” Cookie said, smiling down at her.
“Yes’um.” Mary grinned up.
Mary sat with a stack of corn cobs beside her. She looked out over the back yard of the kitchen. There were chickens scratching around. The air was crisp around her but not cold. There were blue jays squabbling in the oak tree just off to the side of the house. As she pulled the outer layers off the corn, she watched as the jays jumped from branch to branch. It was peaceful out back. She hummed softly to herself.
She heard children and looked up, seeing several children running after each other. They were younger and didn’t have as many chores. She smiled at them and their laughter. It was contagious. The children disappeared into the trees. She wondered how her mother was doing. It was a constant worry in her small heart. Winter would be there soon enough. She just hoped her mother would be well. The door opened behind her and she looked up.
Missy came out to take the shucked corn cobs and handed Mary a large bowl. Mary took the bowl filled with snap beans and began to work. Her nimble fingers were fast and Mary like the sound of the crisp snapping beans. In no time she was finished and got up to take the bowl of beans into the kitchen.
“Go and take care of the chamber pots now. Be careful not to spill any.” Cookie warned.
Mary started on the first floor, going to each bedroom to check the chamber pots. Though no one slept in the first-floor bedrooms, that didn’t mean someone didn’t use the chamber pots. She went to the second floor, when she discovered that
