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 really dark stuff coming has already started 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.

This will not be an easy chapter for non Senior high school kids to get through, because the bottom two entries are extremely graphic and definitely not for the faint of heart. I would not warn children unless I cared about children and their sanity for dignity's sake. So please walk through this chapter with your child, if you do have any, sweet readers.

The Book will get more serious from here on out.

55: 77th diary entry annotated.
Early Thursday mornin'
We polished silver all day. (5 words)
Miz Lilly went over every tray, pitcher, bowl, and candlestick. (10 words)
She found one little spot on a silver tray that I had cleaned and she slapped me so hard I saw stars. (23 words) I don't get hit often, but when I do, I try to be like Spicy and not let her see me cry. (23 words)
"Spicy is bein' a bad inflewance on you," she said, and slapped Spicy, too. (14 words)
Miz Lilly is awful 'cause she know we cain't hit her back. (12 words)
If one of us whacked her back across her face, I bet she wouldn't be so quick to hit. (19 words, probably true, but you are already doing what you can do is the right way in another Biblical sense aka turn the other cheek and be quick to forget about it.)
I got to be careful not to put ideas like hittin' the Missus in my head. (16 words)
Aunt Tee say if you think 'bout hittin' back, you'll soon strike-out, hit back. (14 words, "If you think about hitting back, you will hit back too soon. Pyrix_Fairy someone needs to say that to Electra in early seasons when she is passive aggressive it is quote worth quoting and it is the truth.)
And to fight a missus or a mas'er means death for sure. (12 words)

56: 78th diary entry annotated.
Next evenin'
Durin' dinner, Spicy and I served hot bread and poured water for the Henleys. (14 words)
We came in on Mas' Henley and Miz Lilly fussin' 'bout William gettin' somethin' called a tooter. (17 words, it does sound the same as the train thing that is tooted.)
When Mas' Henley said no, Miz Lilly would not let it be. (12 words)
As the word-fight 'tween them heated up, Spicy took off the soup bowls, and I served the fried chicken. (19 words)
Miz Lilly won that battle. (5 words, how she won we'll never know that.)
Later, the three of us — Spicy, Aunt Tee, and me had our supper together. (14 words, a calm good supper always is when you have it in the company of your friends even the food becomes more satisfying in your stomach.)
Whenever Aunt Tee fries chicken for the Henleys, she fries the chicken neck, gizzard, liver, and the-last-part that goes over the fence, and makes a thick brown gravy for us. (30 words) Eat that with some biscuits and honey — good eatin'. (9 words, I believe you, especially since Aunt Tee is such a good home cook.) Spicy and me had Aunt Tee bent over laughin, pokin' fun at Miz Lilly's faked faintin' spells. (17 words) Spicy did a perfect Miz Lilly swoon. (7 words)
"Ohhhh, he'll be the first Monroe not to get into Overton School!" (12 words, it can be funny to intimate even the worst people especially when it comes to silly arguments)
I played the Mas'er. "My mind is made up — William will not have a tooter." (15 words with past sentences.)
Then I belched, and raised up a hip and pretended to pass gas. (13 words) (The master and mistress arguments are house slaves only entertainment they have all day long to witness, Skylights.)
"You girls is a mess," Aunt Tee say, hangin' up the dish towel and blowin' out the kitchen candles. (19 words)
I stretched out on my straw-filled pallet next to Spicy. (10 words)
"Anybody know what a tooter is?" (6 words)
I had been waitin' for the right moment to ask. (10 words)
Nobody knew. (2 words)
I'll add it to my list of words.
Wonder will it mean I cain't get no more learnin'?

57: 79th diary entry annotated.
Day later
Spicy and I spent the evenin' workin' in the house garden with Uncle Heb. (13 words, best job in all jobs hanging out with nature.)
We helped him tie strips of old rags on a measure of line to shoo the critters away. (18 words, oh, wow, so much safer than neck or leg catching mesh wire used by some farmers today. Chicken wire is excellent though at protecting a live tree's bark from a dog who likes to rip the bark off with their mouth.)
He told us stories 'bout a spider-man that could talk. (11 words.)

Uncle Heb say his mama told him these old spider stories. (11 words, reference to Spider man books.)
He say his mama come from Africa. (7 words, rare to meet the real natives who were slaves from the start of their journey across the ocean, Skylights.)
Say white men fell upon them one day and threw nets over her and some other girls. (17 words, treated them as if they were already a sea of fish, Skylights.)
Then they put them on a boat and brought them 'cross the big water. (14 words.)
Say that's how all our peoples got here. (8 words, so true.)
We come here from Africa on white men's boats. (9 words)
I once heared Aunt Tee talk 'bout the African woman named Cora Belle who taught her 'bout root doctorin' and birthin'. (21 words, she was taught by a wise old woman, Skylights.)
I aine never seen nobody that was natural-born African. (9 words)
I'd like to though. (4 words, everyone who has nothing likes to meet new people from new places.)

58: 80th diary entry annotated.
Monday, July 1859
I found out what a tooter is. (7 words)
It is a tutor. (4 words)
Miz Lilly wrote it for William. (6 words)
He's a teacher. (3 words, our first ever synonym in this book included.)
Heared Miz Lilly tellin' William durin' lesson that his name is Ely Harms. (13 words, his last name I promise you is quite the red herring, Skylights.)
And he's comin' here in August. (6 words)
He's comin' from a place called Washington, D.C. I know from lessons that's where the President of the land lives in a big white house. (25 words, also true.)
Reckon does this Mr. Harms know the President? (8 words, probably not yet, yet.)
Miz Lilly say the tutor will stay here on the place and his only job will be to teach William. (20 words, the lessons of a real teacher are better than the ones taught by an abusive scary Mom, Skylights.)
I hope I'll get to fan them durin' their lessons, so I can go on learnin'. (16 words)

59: 81st diary entry annotated.
Wednesday
The Missus has had Spicy and me busy for the past few days cleanin' her own personal room. (18 words)
We stayed busy for hours, scrubbin' the floors, beatin' rugs, airin' mattresses, and restuffin' pillows. (15 words, probably huffing and puffing by the end of it.)
At the end of the day, Missus called me to her side. (12 words)
"You know that your mama and I were the best of friends?" she said. "You're smart, just like her." (19 words in the past two sentences itself. Really?! I'm not so sure you'd be telling her the whole truth.)
"Why'd you let her go?" (5 words, awkward slipping.)
I don't know what come over me. (6 words)
Aunt Tee is right. (4 words)
If you think on a thing, you'll end up doin' it. (11 words, especially when it is thinking about negative actions that are going to bring you a bad result, Skylights.)
How many times had I thought about askin' her that question? (11 words)
Now I'd dared to ask it. (6 words)
The words just popped right out of my mouth. (9 words)
It's a wonder she didn't slap me. (7 words, indeed true.)
Instead she just gave me a warnin'. (7 words)

"Must not be sassy, Clotee." (5 words, you can call it sassy but it is actually reasonable.)
Then she studied my face. (5 words.)
I was sure my eyes had turned into windows and she could see all the letters and words tumblin' round in my brain. (23 words, again excellent vivid description of something that could happen, Skylights.)
So I closed my eyes, too scared to move. (9 words.)
"Yes. You're different from the others. (6 words in the past sentences.) I never know quite what's goin' on inside that little head of yours. But it makes me wonder." (18 words in the past two sentences, of course, you don't know what rolls around in brain cause you're not skilled at being insightful, but your husband is and that's why he's scarier emotionally.) Miz Lilly is scary like a bad dream. (8 words)

Later

Come to find out, Miz Lilly promised to give Spicy the same white handkerchief with purple and yellow pansies on each corner if she brought her things 'bout me. (29 words, awkward, but glad Spicy told you, Clotee, all the truth about the deal upholding her promise of what she said earlier.)
"I'm not a tattler," she said. "Besides that's the ugliest handkerchief I ever seen!" (14 wordsin the past last two sentences, never doing something wrong for something ugly to be given to you, Skylights, it is no fair trade I do say on anyone's part ever.)
So Miz Lilly is lookin' for somethin' on me, now. I trust Spicy not to tell. (16 words in the past last two sentences)
But who else has she tempted? (6 words)
I got to be so careful. (6 words)
I just wrote D-A-N-G-E-R. (4 words, good idea, good instincts too.)
I see Miz Lilly's face. (5 words. I'd definitely believe that.)

60: 82nd diary entry annotated.
Thursday
At least I'm learnin' from Miz Lilly. (7 words)
I learned today that there's no such word as knowed. (10 words)
It's knew. (2 words)
I never knew that. (4 words, isn't this basic of a good old joke in a way, guys and girls, I am right, am I?)
I do now. (3 words, wow, such a quick entry for a diary today.)

61: 83rd diary entry annotated.
Fourth Saturday in July
Somethin' awful done happened. (5 words)
I knew it. Knew it. (2 word sentences)
William has left here, ridin' Dancer over to Richmond - showin' off. (11 words, don't teach against showing off people especially kids will continue to show off!)
It started when Hince and Mas' Henley were gone 'way to a race. (13 words, and of course he'd do it when no one is around to tell him no.)
William went to Uncle Heb, sayin' his daddy had said he could ride Dancer. (14 words, an old man as old as Heb shouldn't be as ignorant as he happens to be he knew that kid was spoiled and could lie.)
I told Miz Lilly he'd do it, but she didn't b'lieve me. (12 words, sometimes it is a good idea to acknowledge advice from even just a hired help not just from slaves.)
So, Uncle Heb saddled up Dancer. (6 words)
Last we seen of the boy, he shot out of the stables and down the drive. (16 words)
I got a real bad feelin' aine nothin' good comin' out of this for nobody. (15 words, you're going to be so right.)

62: 84th diary entry annotated.
Early next mornin'
Miz Lilly sent Rufus and other riders out to follow William, but couldn't no horse in the county catch Dancer. (20 words)
All we could do was wait. (6 words, waiting through something terrifying especially when something more terrifying can follow it because consequences will follow every bad action, Skylights, is the hardest job we have to embrace here in this totally insane world.)
Not long, the horse came trottin' back up the drive, draggin' William's body like a sack of rags. (18 words, his clothing probably got caught on the peacock of the saddle stirrup so he'd be dangling off the side of the stirrup. Now I know you'll be asking what is a peacock on a stirrup? Look at the picture below.)

These are the stirrups I use that rubber band is a safety strip design to come off so you aren't hanging by your feet to your saddle if the horse moves too fast, but the silver bugles at the bottom are a huge inconvenience especially when it comes to having to dismount if you don't put your left stirrup up on your saddle, or in front of your leg your clothes will indeed catch to that peacock, my current instructor had this happen to her once and she is very eager to warm others, Skylights. Thankfully in media like fantasy horse shows like Unicorn Academy or Historical Fiction show of Horseland they use the stirrups that don't have a peacock bulge in them at all.)

It was clear the boy had fallen off, but his foot had gotten caught. (14 words)
Everythin' that happened next is a blur. (7 words, I imagine it would be because of the sudden shocks for everyone including Miz Lilly.)

Somebody went to fetch Dr. Lamb — but it took over two hours for him to get to Belmont. (18 words)
Meanwhile, Aunt Tee did everything she could to help. (9 words, Miz Lilly probably grateful Aunt Tee knows a little medicine in this rough time William threw onto himself and her.)
Spicy and I stood in the shadows of William's room, ready to fetch and hold whatever the doctor needed. (19 words)
I heard Miz Lilly ask, "Will he live?" (8 words, despite all the abuse; she still wanted her child to live even though she hate him so much, Skylights.)
I prayed that William would live. (6 words, love that you are sympathetic for the child, yet-)
I hope God will forgive my selfish reason. (willing to confess the reason why is pretty selfish and immediately confess it to God.)
I prayed William would live 'cause I knew Mas' Henley would make our lives miserable if his son died. (19 words, that would be a likely outcome; there is nothing other than loss that will drive just mean people insane, Skylights.)
"Oh, yes," the doctor said, pattin' Miz Lilly on her arm. (11 words, he's braver than I wouldn't to even lean on her shoulders.)
"He'll live. William's a tough little character." I felt better. (9 words in the last three sentences.) Miz Lilly's shoulders relaxed, too.
She looked at me and for a second I looked straight into her eyes. (19 words)
I dropped my eyes quickly, 'cause we aine s'posed to look Mas'er and Missus in the eye. (17 words, oh really?! That is not what white kids are taught anymore today.)
But for that quick second I seen somethin'. (8 words) I seen that she knew that I knew that I had warned her 'bout this, and she had not listened. (20 words) And I knew she was thinkin' 'bout it, too. (9 words)
"But," added Dr. Lamb. (4 words) We all listened to what was comin' next. (8 words)
Sadness clouded the doctor's face. (5 words, doctors aren't usually allowed to show empathy much less sadness guys., those is unusual even today.) "I'm not so sure William will ever walk again." (9 words)
Miz Lilly really did faint. (5 words, the fainting is reasonable this time.)
All I can think 'bout is that it's gon' be awful when Mas' Henley gets home. (16 words)

63: 85th diary entry annotated.
Day later — Monday, July 25, 1859
When Mas' Henley heared 'bout William, he went straight way to the barn and shot Dancer, a single bullet in the horse's head — like that was gon' make William well again. (31 words, the reason he shot the horse as I said before is so that when William heard about the death he'd never be tempted to go off riding alone again without an escort. Master Henley removed temptation from his son's path and unironically in the same moment dethroned his spoiled son. We know he never hated the horse and he did the right thing it had nothing to do with him even trying to cure his son's lameness and cheat death.)
We could hear Hince cryin' over that horse most of the night. (12 words, he would be crying he spent so much time with that horse.)
Then Mas'er come lookin' for Uncle Heb — got it in his head that Uncle Heb was to blame for what happened to William, so he came to kill him — just like the horse. (33 words, here is our first clue, Clotee is a bias character the only bias character the Author every develops, Skylights, it is not just Master Henley's fault this occurred it is also Uncle Heb's ignorances. There are always two things that lead to bad things and terrible consequences bad careless planning ahead of one and ignorance of another, Skylights.)
Me and Spicy done learned that in times like these it is best to stay out of the way. (19 words, smart girls.)
We watched everythin' from the room over the kitchen — holdin' one another, tremblin', tryin' not to cry out. (18 words)
Pơ Uncle Heb tried to say what happened, but Mas' Henley went to beatin' him with the barrel of the gun — beatin' him all in the head. (27 words, a whip would have been a safer better tool in this case type of correction; I don't blame Master Henley for this reaction at all his son could have died on that ride out in front popular city crowd something that wouldn't be good for Master Henley's morale as it was. Ignorance can be a killer just as carelessness can also be a killer.)
I heard the licks — hard licks over Aunt Tee's screamin'. (9 words)
Uncle Heb fell down, and Mas' Henley kicked him and pointed the gun at the ol' man's head. (18 words, the kick was unnecessary honestly.)
"Don't kill him, please," Aunt Tee begged for her husband's life. (11 words)
For some reason he didn't pull the trigger. (8 words, God stayed his hand 100% I believe that with all of my heart. The shock had done enough.)
He might as well have though, 'cause Uncle Heb died in Aunt Tee's arms a hour or so later. (19 words, God pulled him home while in the embrace of his love's arms, he went on and passed peacefully.)
His big heart just stopped. (5 words)

Later
Mas' Henley come to the kitchen to see Aunt Tee when they told him 'bout Uncle Heb dyin' and all. (20 words)
He come sayin', "I lost my temper a bit.
I wasn't really goin' to kill the old man. (18 words, he acknowledge his mistake and he does try to go and apologize for it to the person he hurt the most; you don't see a master like that in most books.) You've got to believe that." (5 words, I do actually believe him.)
When Aunt Tee didn't say nothin', he raised his voice in an angry way. (14 words)
"My boy is up there, unable to walk 'cause that old man let him ride Dancer. (16 works) He's to blame. He should have known better." (8 words, he's not wrong Uncle Heb should've known better but he could have said that without yelling for no reason. He wasn't yelling during his apology therefore the apology was genuine. This just shows you the only reason he's angry is because he's hurting deep down on inside.)
Blame? (You're bias, Clotee right now.) Mas' Henley don't care nothin' 'bout the real truth. (9 words) (He does see half the truth and half the truth he sees is the right one too.)
He just make the truth what he wants it to be. (11 words, No he doesn't.)
The truth is, Mas' was the one who brung Dancer to Belmont and gave him to