FOR many years the South has been noted for its beautiful Quadroon
women. Bottles of ink, and reams of paper, have been used to portray the
“finely-cut and well-moulded features,” the “silken curls,” the “dark
and brilliant eyes,” the “splendid forms,” the “fascinating smiles,” and
“accomplished manners” of these impassioned and voluptuous daughters of
the two races,--the unlawful product of the crime of human bondage. When
we take into consideration the fact that no safeguard was ever thrown
around virtue, and no inducement held out to slave-women to be pure and
chaste, we will not be surprised when told that immorality pervades
the domestic circle in the cities and towns of the South to an extent
unknown in the Northern States. Many a planter's wife has dragged out
a miserable existence, with an aching heart, at seeing her place in the
husband's affections usurped by the unadorned beauty and captivating
smiles of her waiting-maid. Indeed, the greater portion of the colored
women, in the days of slavery, had no greater aspiration than that of
becoming the finely-dressed mistress of some white man. At the negro
balls and parties, that used to be so frequently given, this class of
women generally made the most splendid appearance.
A few years ago, among the many slave-women of Richmond, Va., who hired
their time of their masters, was Agnes, a mulatto owned by John Graves,
Esq., and who might be heard boasting that she was the daughter of an
American Senator. Although nearly forty years of age at the time of
which we write, Agnes was still exceedingly handsome. More than half
white, with long black hair and deep blue eyes, no one felt like
disputing with her when she urged her claim to her relationship with
the Anglo-Saxon. In her younger days, Agnes had been a housekeeper for
a young slave-holder, and in sustaining this relation had become the
mother of two daughters. After being cast aside by this young man,
the slave-woman betook herself to the business of a laundress, and was
considered to be the most tasteful woman in Richmond at her vocation.
Isabella and Marion, the two daughters of Agnes, resided with their
mother, and gave her what aid they could in her business. The mother,
however, was very choice of her daughters, and would allow them to
perform no labor that would militate against their lady-like appearance.
Agnes early resolved to bring up her daughters as ladies, as she termed
it.
As the girls grew older, the mother had to pay a stipulated price for
them per month. Her notoriety as a laundress of the first class enabled
her to put an extra charge upon the linen that passed through her hands;
and although she imposed little or no work upon her daughters, she was
enabled to live in comparative luxury and have her daughters dressed to
attract attention, especially at the negro balls and parties.
Although the term “negro ball” is applied to these gatherings, yet a
large portion of the men who attend them are whites. Negro balls and
parties in the Southern States, especially in the cities and towns, are
usually made up of quadroon women, a few negro men, and any number of
white gentlemen. These are gatherings of the most democratic character.
Bankers, merchants, lawyers, doctors, and their clerks and students, all
take part in these social assemblies upon terms of perfect equality. The
father and son not unfrequently meet and dance _vis a vis_ at a negro
ball.
It was at one of these parties that Henry Linwood, the son of a wealthy
and retired gentleman of Richmond, was first introduced to Isabella, the
oldest daughter of Agnes. The young man had just returned from Harvard
College, where he had spent the previous five years. Isabella was in
her eighteenth year, and was admitted by all who knew her to be the
handsomest girl, colored or white, in the city. On this occasion, she
was attired in a sky-blue silk dress, with deep black lace flounces,
and bertha of the same. On her well-moulded arms she wore massive gold
bracelets, while her rich black hair was arranged at the back in broad
basket plaits, ornamented with pearls, and the front in the French style
(_a la Imperatrice_), which suited her classic face to perfection.
Marion was scarcely less richly dressed than her sister.
Henry Linwood paid great attention to Isabella, which was looked
upon with gratification by her mother, and became a matter of general
conversation with all present. Of course, the young man escorted the
beautiful quadroon home that evening, and became the favorite visitor at
the house of Agnes.
It was on a beautiful moonlight night in the month of August, when all
who reside in tropical climates are eagerly gasping for a breath of
fresh air, that Henry Linwood was in the garden which surrounded Agnes'
cottage, with the young quadroon at his side. He drew from his pocket a
newspaper wet from the press, and read the following advertisement:--
NOTICE.--Seventy-nine negroes will be offered for sale
on Monday, September 10, at 12 o'clock, being the entire
stock of the late John Graves. The negroes are in excellent
condition, and all warranted against the common vices.
Among them are several mechanics, able-bodied field-hands,
plough-boys, and women with children, some of them very prolific,
affording a rare opportunity for any one who wishes to raise
a strong and healthy lot of servants for their own use.
Also several mulatto girls of rare personal qualities,--
two of these very superior.
Among the above slaves advertised for sale were Agnes and her two
daughters. Ere young Linwood left the quadroon that evening, he promised
her that he would become her purchaser, and make her free and her own
mistress.
Mr. Graves had long been considered not only an excellent and upright
citizen of the first standing among the whites, but even the slaves
regarded him as one of the kindest of masters. Having inherited his
slaves with the rest of his property, he became possessed of them
without any consultation or wish of his own. He would neither buy nor
sell slaves, and was exceedingly careful, in letting them out, that they
did not find oppressive and tyrannical masters. No slave speculator ever
dared to cross the threshold of this planter of the Old Dominion. He
was a constant attendant upon religious worship, and was noted for his
general benevolence. The American Bible Society, the American Tract
Society, and the cause of the Foreign Missions, found in him a liberal
friend. He was always anxious that his slaves should appear well on the
Sabbath, and have an opportunity of hearing the word of God.