believe that.)
Spicy had a Bible that had been her mama's. (9 words, where did her Mother even get such a thing as the Bible? I promise you they're not easy to buy even today and back then probably even less easy to get.)
"My mama could read and write," said Spicy. (8 words, wow, to us readers currently but it wouldn't be wow to actually history today.)
Then she told me her mama's story. (7 words)
It was like others I'd heard. (6 words, of course those stories would be the same or in the very least totally similar.) Spicy's mama tried to run away, but each time she got caught and beat bad. (15 words) Finally her mas'er say if she ran away she was gon' get sold. Spicy's mama learned how to write — took her a while. (23 words, writing is harder than the reading it will always take longer to learn.)
Spicy was borned and still she kept learning. (8 words, at least Clotee does it because she is mostly on her own for now it's less risky but when one knows others can learn they will want to teach those willing to learn too as well. But still risking it while you had a child you could lose that's a bit much risk even for me.)
Then one day, she wrote herself a pass and tried to run again. (13 words)
But a slave who worked in the Big House told the mistress and she got caught. (16 words, tattlers suck so much; if you want to make friends don't be a crueler tattler do it only when your friends cannot see the outrageous harmful consequences of their actions on yourself and other people, Skylights.)
Before they sent Spicy's mama to the Deep South, she slipped Spicy the Bible. (Deep South was and is worse than anything Virginia or states close to Virginia could come up with. Deep South States of the United States were responsible for creation and existence of the Jim Crow Laws horrible just horrible laws aka they originated in Louisiana that might help you explain the mill sellers harassment of Tiana even after all those years have long gone by. And their terrible legislation even bit them back in the end.)
"I done kept it all these years," Spicy said. "I cain't read a word that's in it, not yet. (18 words) One day I will. But even if I don't ever read, I'll keep this Bible forever. (16 words, both of our main characters have a common goal a wish to one day read the Bible.)
It is all I have that b'longed to my mama." (10 words, that is an heirloom worth keeping close still after all this time and worth protecting at all costs too.)

Spicy hugged the book to her chest. "Nobody in the world knows about this book 'cept'n you. (17 words) And I trust you won't tell, 'cause we're good friends." (10 words, you're more than good friends; you're absolute best friends.) Should I share my secret with Spicy? (7 words) Good sense tells me that I shouldn't. (7 words) But I want to so, so bad. (7 words)

98: 119th diary entry annotated.
Monday, October 10, 1859
Mr. Harms came storming into the kitchen, sputtering and making a grand fuss. (13 words, finally he behaves like an actual person for once instead of a statue.)
He made Eva Mae and me stop what we was doing and listen to him. (15 words)
"This has come to my attention," he said, holding up Spicy's Bible. "If it belongs to one of you, I want to know, now!" (24 words)
His eyes moved from face to face. "Speak," he shouted. (10 words, there wasn't really any need to shout, I'll say that, honestly.)
He could have saved his breath. Neither one of us owned it. (12 words, oh, Clotee, sometimes your writing statements can have the funniest layer of subtexts.) "I'm going to report this to Miz Lilly when she returns," he said. (13 words)
"Yes, Mas' Harms," said Eva Mae. (6 words, the only reason she agrees is to just get people and the pressure off her back, honestly. Eva doesn't intentionally try to mean it comes off condescending on accident.)
The tutor tucked Spicy's Bible under his arm. (8 words) "Come with me, Clotee," he said. (6 words) Outside the kitchen, he whispered matter-of-factly. (6 words) "The view from my room is interesting." What did he mean by that? (13 words, I think that means he was always able to see what you and Spicy were doing in the woods and yet still kept it a secret and he is still going to keep both your secrets. This man was a helpful sign from God. God put him in the right room to show him whom he needed to help. He was trying to subtlety tell you he already knew without giving anything away to Eva Mae to tattle on, and to send a helpful warning to be even more wary of others.)