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.
88: 110th diary entry annotated.
Monday, September 19, 1859
Apple harvest time is almost over. (6 words)
The tall men been knocking apples and then we gathered them. (11 words) I got to sort with the grown women this year — putting the big, the middle, and the little apples in barrels. (21 words, at least you're old enough to do this job instead of being Stuck In Between the Age groups anymore.)
It aine the work I like — but I love to hear the women telling stories, remembering. (16 words, you really do learn a lot when you really really do open your ears to everything around and you learn equally as much when you open the eyes of your own hearts too, Skylights.)
I really like it when they tell a story 'bout my mama. (12 words, hearing and really being able to be a good listener is an achievement few dare to accomplish. Listening is harder than being a Preacher and it will always be that way until the world is renewed.)
89. 111th diary entry annotated.
Tuesday, 20, 1859
I've found a good hiding place for my diary in the hollow of a tree, just beyond the orchard. (19 words, surprised animals don't live that hollow after all this time, another gift from God Clotee has yet to recognize.) I feel safer coming here. (5 words) My hiding place behind the kitchen was getting too dangerous. (10 words, I agree totally Clotee.) I sure miss the way things used to be when Uncle Heb was alive and Aunt Tee ran the kitchen. (20 words, you will always miss the way things were, they were better times to you, but even the best things never last forever in our current crazy world.)
They were far less troublesome times than these are now. (10 words, absolutely true, once again.)
Later the same day
After the last meal, Missy said to me all syrupy sweet, "We been friends for a long, long time, but I don't know you." (24 words, the fact that she keeps pressing on things means she is bully only wanting gossip to spill.) What was that supposed to mean? (6 words, the usual bully digging and sarcasm.) She knew me, sure. (4 words) "I know your name," she say, "and that you favor cornbread over biscuits. (13 words, biscuits are the worst bread snack in Southern United States they're practically as hard as iron itself in your mouth. My own personally experience my eldest freaks out over Bojangles' Biscuits for Breakfast when honestly I have had one of their menu and Cracker Barrel and they just taste bland dull outright terrible. And it is a scientifically proven fact that the ladies of the world have better taste buds, Skylights.)
You'll take red color over green color, and you like being off by yourself. (14 words, here's a color choice that differs from my opinion I don't like red or pink because they are way too often over associated with romance especially on Valentine's Day why can other people in love send their messages with their own favorite colors instead of the on brand ones, Skylights? It is just is a really intolerant decision.) But I don't know you, Clotee. (6 words) Like what makes you happy or what makes you cry? (10 words, I am not sure anything more can make Clotee cry than what just happened a few days ago, that is such a stupid question to ask, and such an unnatural question during the setting of this current moment. Missy really doesn't know how to behave how to hold a proper conversation and when she tries to she either feels like she's been insulted or she is harassing and insulting somebody else. This is such fake character development but the reason behind is obviously Missy is quite a selfish character as it has suddenly been revealed which means because of that wall of pride is an inability to think clearly and choose the right moments to act so of course her conversations are going to feel fake and lackluster because she is a lackluster character in her thought processing.)
You're not like the others. (5 words)
You're different. (2 words)
What makes you different?" (4 words, these were not her words at all, and Clotee has heard them from someone else before straight to her face.)
I'd heard those words before. (5 words, you absolutely have heard them before.)
Miz Lilly had told me I was different, and she'd sent Missy digging for a bone. (16 words)
"Friends share secrets," she say all friendly and nice. (10 words, But you've never been friends with her Missy, a friend also hears out and listens to a friend's warnings and advice which you have never done.) Do you have one you want to share with me?" (10 words, she'd never share anything with you. Never ever!)
"No," I said and got away from her as fast as I could. (13 words, yes move yourself away from her purely bad influence make a healthy boundary, good girl Clotee."
Missy is a tattler, sent straight from Miz Lilly. I know it. (12 words)
90: 112th diary entry annotated
Wednesday, September 21, 1859
Just a minute ago, I saw Mr. Harms standing at the edge of the orchard, looking toward the woods and beyond the river. (23 words)
Just looking. Made me nervous — my diary being just a few feet from where he was standing. (17 words, wow.)
Maybe I need to move it again. (7 words, or maybe you may be getting ahead of yourself right now.)
Aunt Tee and I have not spoke about my learning since I told her. (14 words, not surprised she needs to get over her self guilt before handling another secret iscpossible.)
Spicy put in that she'd seen Mr. Harms watching them working in the fields. (14 words)
Just looking, saying nothing, just watching them work. (8 words, the silence is probably the most eerie thing that gives off ominous misleading feeling about William's tutor, nut there is purpose behind everything any one person does.)
91: 113th diary entry annotated.
Monday, September 26, 1859
I brought my pallet to sleep outside. (7 words)
The stars are so bright, I can almost hear them tinkling. (11 words, does that mean she could actually heard the crisp burning of the gases within the stars up in the skies? If so, what a gift to be able to hear that from so far down below on Earth! Now that is literal Superhearing.)
But tonight I heard Rufus singing — his beautiful voice riding on the night wind. (14 words)
Steal away
Steal away
Steal away home . . .
Was that Mr. Harms I just seen heading for the Quarters? (11 words) I wonder who he be visiting this hour of the night? (11 words) Oh well, white men sometimes visit the Quarters in the dark of night, when their wives and mothers aine watching. (20 words, true unfortunately this is the ewwest thing about the slave plantation occupation, Thomas Jefferson got away with doing stuff like that which is why he is not my favorite president of the United States and yes he was a slave master and one of the few colonists who opposed slavery from the beginning, but I think he opposed not because he didn't want it to happen but because the temptation for him was too real and he really wanted to remove that temptation from his path but by the time he came to this conclusion it was too late, but I will give him credit for bothering trying to solve the slave occupation earlier than it was. He deserves that much praise aside from writing the Declaration of Independence that was also his idea.) I'm surprised. (2 words)
Mr. Harms don't 'pear to be that kind of man. (10 words, I'm pretty sure he is not he is a professional teacher he has keep up his modesty.)
92: 114th diary entry to be annotated.
Tuesday, September 27, 1859
Miz Lilly left this morning to visit her daughter Clarissa in Richmond. (12 words)
She goes every September. (4 words, oh? Then you get about a Month's break from her abusive behavior. That's awesome!)
93: 115th diary entry annotated.
Friday, September 30,1859
Miz Lilly's gon'. (3 words) Mas'er went sporting — will be gone until Monday. (8 words, you can get a sense how many of these occurred during September)
William is home, but he's in his room sleeping. (9 words) Mr. Harms is asleep, too. (5 words, even if they were awake I don't think either one would say anything to reveal this much craziness that is about to happen. And in William's case few grownups would believe him because he's a child.)
Belmont is a big play house when everybody's gone. (9 words, lol time to play dress up I guess.) Spicy and me slipped up to Miz Lilly's bedroom. (9 words) We put on her jewelry and scarves and hats. (9 words, totally are kind of playing dress up in a way.)
We sat at her desk where there is all kinds of pretty paper, and pens and ink a-plenty. (18 words) I took enough to last me a good while. (9 words, smart idea to get a supply while you are able too without getting caught anyways.)
We heard a noise outside in the yard. (8 words)
At first I thought it might be one of the dogs or a raccoon. (14 words, logical assumptions)
We quick-like jumped out of the bed and ran to the window. (12 words)
We seen Rufus come slipping from tree to tree then turn toward the Quarters. (14 words)
We figured he'd been out possum hunting. (7 words)
But, a little later, I seen Mr. Harms creeping out from the other side of the woods. (17 words) We watched as he stole from shadow to shadow until he reached the house and stepped inside. (17 words) We held our breath until we heard his footsteps pass the door and go down the hall to his room. (20 words) We quietly cleaned up, put everything in its place, and left Miz Lilly's bedroom just the way we found it. (20 words, the best way to not let someone know you have been there without permission is to leave it as you found but given that Miz Lilly promises things to kitchen slave tattlers she is not a hoarder of materialistic things and so a thing as simple as ink pots missing would never bother her period.)
What were Mr. Harms and Rufus doing out in the woods together so late at night? (16 words, good question.)
94: 116th diary entry annotated
Monday, October 3, 1859
I've been staying with Aunt Tee down in the Quarters. (10 words, betcha you sleep better amongst friends all the time every time.)
She takes care of Baby Noah and the other children that cain't work yet. (14 words, that is still a pretty significant job.)
When Wook came to get the baby, we got a chance to visit. (13 words) She aine seen her husband but twice since they got married. (11 words, that's horrid.) Seems he loved another girl from his own plantation and wanted to marry her. (14 words, eugh, I don't understand if there was reason to let the girls pick their husbands why couldn't a male pick out his own girlfriend. This is such a complicated system rule and one that's unfair.) Wook has changed a lot. (5 words) She looks so sad all the time. (7 words, I don't blame her for being so sad.)
I told her how Missy was acting, and she said she wasn't surprised. (13 words, she's been about and around Missy longer than you, Clotee, she knows how much meaner Missy is willing to be to anyone field worker or house slave it did not matter.)
Later, it was like old times in Aunt Tee's cabin. (10 words) We sang, told stories, and Spicy and me even got to work on our quilt. (15 words, you love to work on making that quilt together a thing loads of white girls back then hating doing that kind of task.)
95: 117th diary entry annotated.
Tuesday October 4, 1859
Mr. Harms fussed at William about saying 'cause instead of because. (11 words, people use 'cause and cuz in songs because it flows smoother but it is not actually proper English it is the same truth for the combination of the word some & days and the other combination every & day.) I learned it, too. (4 words)
Later I took Hince his meal down at the stables. (10 words) We talked for a good while. (6 words) Him and me talking is fun. (6 words, I betcha when you don't have someone glaring and watching your every move behind your back currently.)
The words just pop right out of my head without me thinking on them long. (15 words)
"You ever think of running away?" (6 words)
He studied on that for a spell. "Sometimes." (8 words)
"What would you do if you was free?" (8 words, Hince answer is not answer that would be bad or ugly he's not that kind of boy.)
"I figures, if I be a free man, I could hire myself out as a jockey. I'd bet on myself and win and win and win, 'til I had 'nuf money to buy all of y'als freedom — Spicy, Aunt Tee, you, Clotee. (42 words, Hince is a total sweetheart for now.) That's what I would do." (5 words)
When nobody was looking I wrote F-R-E-E-D-O-M in flour. It still don't show me no picture. (16 words)
Later the same day
True to her word, Eva Mae told Mas' Henley that I'd been staying in the Quarters with Aunt Tee instead of in the kitchen. (24 words, it is less likely to be suspected if one's honest and that's the case with Eva Mae she is honest when it is convenient for both sides of the story.) He spoke to me about it when we served him the last meal. (13 words, I really wonder what that kind of scene setting felt like to listen, I feel like this is one of the placid honest conversations between a slave and one of their masters.)
"Aunt Tee is like my mama," I said. "I'd like to stay with her." (14 words)
"You want to stay down in the Quarters with Aunt Tee? (11 words, this is one of the most natural things to come out of Master Henley's mouth honestly.) Well, what does your mistress say about this?" (8 words, this gentle conversation with Clotee proves he is not as bad as he seems to her.)
"I haven't asked her." (4 words)
"When she comes home, ask her. See what she says. (10 words, he actually ironically encourages Clotee to do something rather uncomfortable for her to do usually and something that is and has always been uncomfortable for him as well.) I'll go along with what she says.
You're one of her favorites." (12 words, he says it is fine with him but to consult his wife before making the switch final and then he does something slave masters don't usually say to their slaves he compliments her. This isn't just a master he's not the ugly monster painted in our slave civil war history books bur a very much more humanized antagonist with bad and good flaws all through him. He's a fleshed out character. Several of his characters changes are either negative or positive arcs.
Me? I never thought of myself as being favored by Miz Lilly, unless she wanted something from me. (18 words, I really do think Master Henley meant that comment he didn't say it just to say it. He knows a lot of secrets about his wife and he knows most importantly how to read her well despite all their frustrating argument. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt in this case once again.)
96: 117th diary entry annotated.
Wednesday, October 5, 1859
Mas' Henley pitched a red-in-the-face fit 'bout Eva Mae's fried chicken. (11 words) He called it tasteless slop! (5 words) Serves him right. (3 words)
97: 118th diary entry annotated.
Thursday, October 6, 1859
Tonight Spicy took me by the hand and led me to a hollowed out tree. (15 words)
My heart sank when I realized that it was the tree where my diary was hid. (16 words)
Had she found my diary? (5 words, I donMt think so.)
All of a sudden, Spicy blurted out that she had a book. (12 words) To prove it, she reached in and pulled out a Bible. (11 words) My diary was just inches away. (6 words, lol now you know, God's trying to really say something when so many things like Rufus having been taught by a preacher as a slave, and now come to find out Spicy, Clotee's 2nd best friend has owned a Bible all this time, Skylights.)
"I've wanted to tell you this forever, but I been scared," she said. (13 words, I
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