The memoirs of Dolly Morton

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

After dinner, when we were in the drawing room, Randolph told me that he was having great trouble with his business matters, owing to the unsettled state of affairs between the North and South. Randolph, like all Southerners at that period, hated the Northerners, speaking of them most contemptuously and calling them damned Yankees. He said also that he did not think that they would dare to push matters to extremes with the South.

Being a Yankee myself, I did not like to hear Yankees spoken of with such contempt, and I felt convinced in my own mind that they would be quite able to hold their own with the Southerners. However, I did not argue the point. I had long given up trying to argue with Randolph, for, whenever I attempted to hold an opinion different to his, he always told me that I did not know what I was talking about, and to shut up.

The evening passed, and, at eleven o’clock, we went to bed; but before going to sleep he made me lie on my side while he, also on his side, lay behind me with his arms round me and his bare belly pressed close against my naked bottom, so that his stiff member passed between my thighs and into my cleft. Then, grasping one of my breasts in each of his hands, he poked me. This was a favorite position of his. He used to call it spoon position.

Next morning after breakfast he went out to make an inspection of the plantation to see how things had been carried out during his absence. He found everything in good order, so he came back to lunch in a good humor and, when it was over, he ordered the two-horse buggy and we went for a drive.

It was a bright, hot afternoon, so he drove through the shadiest lanes and we happened to pass the little dell where he had made the assault on me. Pulling up the horses and pointing with his whip to the spot, he said with a laugh: Do you remember this place, Dolly?

I did remember it well! And I thought of the long and desperate struggle which I had waged to keep my maidenhead, which, after all, I had to surrender to him. Oh, I remember the place very well, I replied. Do you think I possibly could forget it?

He again laughed, saying: How you did kick and scream and fight! You quite astonished me.

I would not have believed that a little woman like you could have made such a strong resistance. It was an exciting struggle and the thought of it has given me an erection, so I intend to have a roll on the grass with you.

I said nothing, but I thought a great deal. I was going to be rogered on the very spot where I once had successfully resisted his assault. It surely was the very irony of ironies.

Randolph got out of the buggy and hitched the horses to a tree. Then, lifting me down, he carried me to the little hollow and laid me on the grass. After some amorous dalliance, he placed me in the position, turned up my petticoats and poked me strongly, making me bounce under him.

Ah, Dolly, he remarked when all was over, if you had let me get on the top of you that day, you would not have had your bottom whipped by the lynchers nor would you have ridden the rail.

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.

The news that Dinah had been spanked had already got about the house. She was not liked by her fellow slaves, because, as housekeeper, she kept them in order, reporting any woman or girl who misbehaved or who neglected her work.

Rosa brushed away at my hair for a few moments in silence, but I could see that she was bursting to say something, and at last she said: All de women is glad dat Dinah got a good spankin’ from de Massa. She tinks too much ob herself. An’ she always tells on a gal if she don’t do exactly right, an’ gets her a whippin’.

Dinah only does her duty, I remarked. If the girls and women always behaved as well as they have been doing lately, Dinah would not have to tell on any of them.

Rosa tossed her head, but made no further remarks, and, when she had brushed my hair well and re-arranged it, I sent her away, telling her to send Dinah up to me. I was rather curious to see how she was after her terrible spanking.

In a short time she came into the room, looking as smart and tidy as ever. Her hair was neatly arranged under a clean cap and she had put on a clean apron, collar and cuffs. Her face wore its usual placid look, but her eyelids were red and rather swollen.

I am sorry for you, Dinah, I said. Your master spanked you so very severely.

She seemed to be a little surprised at my expression of sympathy, but she was very grateful for it and she thanked me. Then she said, I’se had plenty of spank-ins’ an’ whippins’ in my life, but I never thought dat I’d come to be spanked again like a little gal. Why, Missis, I ain’t had such a ting done to me since I was thirteen years ole. But, oh my! Dis one was a spankin’! It hurt most drefful. De Massa laid on powerful heavy, an’ his hand is very hard.

I’se been paddled twice, but I tink de Massa’s hand hurt me today near as much as de paddle did. My bottom is very sore an’ bruised, an’ it’ll be black an’ blue all over tomorrow.

Dinah had spoken without emotion. She evidently did not think it strange that a woman of her age should have been whipped in such an ignominious way, and she did not appear to bear her master the least malice. She was his slave, her body belonged to him, therefore he could do what he liked with it. Such was the degrading effect of slavery on the minds of the slaves.

I sent her away and dressed for dinner, putting on a new frock which I lately had received from the dressmaker in Richmond. Then I went down to the dining room, where I found Randolph. Since dinner was ready we sat down to table.

He had missed his appointment, he said, and it was an important one. Consequently he was very cross and snappish. But, after he had eaten a good dinner, drunk a bottle of champagne and smoked a cigar, he got into a better humor.

When we went into the drawing room, he seated himself in an easy chair, saying to me waggishly: ’Come here, Dolly, and let me see if you have taken off those beastly slippers you were wearing this afternoon. I went to him and held my skirts above my knees, while he looked at my feet and legs. I had on a pretty pair of high-heeled boots and pale blue silk stockings fastened with silver-buckled, pink satin garters.

Ah, this is something I like, he observed, running his hand up and down my legs and ankles.

Then he put his hand higher up under my drapery, and, opening the slit of my drawers, felt my bottom.

You are looking very pretty tonight, Dolly, and that new frock becomes you, he went on, drawing me closer to him while his eyes began to sparkle.

I knew what he was going to do! Taking me up in his arms, he carried me to the sofa and laid me upon it. Then he turned up my garments one by one, looking at my fine white petticoats deeply flounced with lace, my prettily trimmed drawers and my filmy chemise. (He always made me wear the dantiest undergarments in the evening.) When everything had been turned up and my drawers had been taken down, he stretched my legs widely apart and gazed for a moment or two at the spot. Then, inserting his finger, he tickled the sensitive little point till it distilled a few drops of moisture, while I squirmed and kicked my legs.

He seemed to be very much excited, kissing me hotly on the lips, eyes and cheeks several times. Then, throwing himself upon me, he pressed his lips upon mine and thrust his tongue into my mouth Next, putting his hands under me and grasping the cheeks of my bottom, he fixed his weapon deeply in the sheath and sworded me vigorously.

When all was over and we had made ourselves tidy, he rang the bell and ordered the parlormaid to bring a bottle of champagne. When the girl had brought the wine, we soon disposed of it, as our exciting combat had made us both thirsty.

Randolph was pleased with himself and he was also pleased with me, so he was in very good humor. We had a long conversation on various subjects, and, since he did not snub me when I differed with him, I passed a more pleasant evening than usual. At half-past eleven o’clock we went to bed.