Anonymous - The memoirs of Dolly Morton

I made no answer, but arranged my somewhat disordered attire. Then we got back into the buggy and continued our interrupted drive, not returning home until it was time to dress for dinner.

The days passed and everything went smoothly. The women of Woodlands gave no one any great trouble. Their conduct was so good that not a single one of them since Randolph’s return had had her petticoats turned up.

I mean, of course, turned up for a whipping. I have no doubt that most of them, if not all, had their petticoats turned up for a poke in the evenings. Plenty of love-making went on, for a certain number of the women and girls, in turns, were allowed to be out every night till half-past ten o’clock. Anyone who was late in returning to the house was brought by Dinah the next morning before Randolph, who either whipped the offender himself or sent her to the overseer. And the culprit was further punished by not being allowed out of the house at night for a month. So it was very seldom that a woman stayed out beyond the hour fixed for return.

But the calm which had lasted for so many days was one afternoon ruffled by a breeze. I think that something had gone wrong on the plantation. I don’t know what it was, but, whatever the case, Randolph, who had been out for a couple of hours, came back to the house in a vile temper. He upbraided me because I happened to be wearing a pair of easy slippers without heels, asking me what the devil I meant by going about slipshod like an untidy nigger wench.

When he had quieted down a little, he informed me that he had a business appointment with a gentleman — one of the neighboring planters-and that they were to meet each other in an hour and a half’s time at a certain crossroad a few miles from Woodlands. He then reached for the bell to give orders for his horse to be saddled, when Dinah happened to come into the room to ask me a question about dinner.

I answered her question, and, as she was leaving the room, Randolph told her to order his horse to be brought round at once. He then went up to dress, returning in about half an hour’s time in riding costume.

The groom, however, had not made his appearance with the horse, so Randolph kept walking up and down the room, fuming with impatience, constantly glancing at his watch and every now and then looking out of the window, wondering why the horse had not been brought, saying that he would most likely miss his appointment, and vowing that, if he did, he would have the groom cowhided by the overseer.

At last he rang the bell furiously, telling the parlormaid who answered to send Dinah up.

When the girl had left the room, he turned to me saying: I think that confounded woman must have forgotten to send word to the stables,

Presently Dinah, looking calm and placid, came into the room.

Did you order my horse? shouted Randolph in an angry voice.

A frightened expression at once appeared on the woman’s face. No Sah, I didn’t; I quite forgot dat you tole me to order de hoss, she answered in a faint voice, glancing deprecatingly at her angry master.

He flew into a violent passion. The veins of his forehead swelled and his eyes gleamed with rage. Oh, you forgot, did you? he exclaimed. Ill teach you to forget my orders!

Rushing at Dinah, who stood cowering, he seized her, and, sitting down on the end of the sofa, threw the great big woman across his knees, just as if she had been a little girl. I could see by her astonished face that she was taken utterly aback, but she did not struggle.

Ejaculating once, Oh, Massa! she lay quietly over Randolph’s thighs with her hands resting on the floor at one side of him and her feet on the other.

With one sweep of his arm, Randolph threw her petticoats up over her head, completely hiding her face and laying her bare from her waist to her garters. Dinah, being a tall, strapping woman, had large posteriors; her bottom really was splendid-broad, deep and very plump-and, since she was lying in a much curved position, the great half-moons were raised high on Randolph’s lap. She had large, round, muscular thighs and the plump calves of her big legs seemed ready to burst through her tight, white cotton stockings. Her dusky olive skin was smooth and wholesome looking, and all her drapery was clean.

Holding her firmly in position with his left arm over her naked loins and with his right leg over the lower part of her thighs, de Massa now began to spank the woman, raising his hand as high as he could in the air and laying on the strokes with his full force. Each time his hand fell on her big bottom, a loud smack echoed through the room and the red prints of his fingers and thumb instantly showed on her skin.

Dinah winced under the stinging slaps, her plump flesh twitching and quivering. But she did not utter a sound, nor did she attempt to put her hands behind her. Randolph went on spanking her ruthlessly, and, after a moment, she shook her head clear of her petticoats and looked round with a pleading expression in her great, brown, ox-like eyes. Her cap had fallen off, her hair had come loose, her lips were quivering, the tears were rolling down her cheeks and she writhed and twisted her loins in pain, but still she was silent.

De Massa continued to rain down the shower of slaps, the red marks of his fingers spreading all over her bottom till not a part of it was left unmarked. Dinah’s fortitude at last gave way.

She began to utter little shrieks and to kick her legs about. She jerked her hips from side to side, and, putting her hands over her bottom, tried in vain to shield it from the tremendous spanking, at the same time gasping out entreaties to Randolph to stop. At last he stopped and pushed the woman off his knees onto the floor, where she lay crying with her petticoats still up to her waist so that her great, red bottom remained exposed.

After a moment or two Dinah got to her feet, wiping the tears from her hot, flushed face with her apron. Then she twisted up her hair and, picking up her cap, put it on her head, but not very straight. This done, she shook her petticoats into their places and stood sobbing before her master.

There, you careless hussy, he said. I think you’ll remember my orders in future. Go away.

Dinah, holding her apron to her eyes, walked rather stiffly out of the room. Randolph rubbed the palm of his hand, saying: Damn the thing, I have made my band quite sore on the woman’s bottom. Her flesh is very firm, and I felt as if I were spanking a board. I ought to have used the switch and saved my hand. But, he added, if my hand is so sore, what must her bottom be? I fancy she won’t forget that spanking in a hurry.

I think it was a shame that you spanked Dinah at all, I observed.

The laughing expression instantly left his face and he glared furiously at me, saying in a loud, angry tone: You had better keep what you think to yourself. It is no business of yours what I do to my slaves.

I’m sorry, I apologized.

Why damn it, he continued with increased anger; no one has ever dared to make such a remark to me before. I have? great mind to take you across my knees and give you a smart spanking too.

My blood ran cold, and a lump came into my throat. He was quite capable of doing what he said. Oh, I beg your pardon. I am very sorry I spoke, I said earnestly.

So you ought to be. I thought you knew by this time that I will stand no interference, he said scowling at me. Then, much to my relief, he left the room. Shortly afterwards I saw him canter down the avenue.

I was very sorry for poor Dinah. She always had been most attentive to me, and I liked her very much. I wondered how Randolph had the heart to expose and whip so severely the woman who had been his foster-sister, and who had lived all her life in the house with him and who also had been the toy of his passions. Feeling rather upset by the scene and also by my narrow escape from a spanking, I went to my room, and ringing for Rosa, told her to take down my hair and give it a good brushing, a thing which always has a soothing effect upon me.