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　　For　the　message　had　e　to　Florence　that　had　e　to　Hezekiah：　Set　thine　house　in　order；for　thou　shalt　die　and　not　live。　Many　nights　ago；　as　she　turned　on　her　bed；　this　message　came　toher。　For　many　days　and　nights　the　message　was　repeated；　there　had　been　time；　then；　to　turn　to　God。
　　But　she　had　thought　to　evade　him；　seeking　among　the　women　she　knew　for　remedies；　and　then；because　the　pain　increased；　she　had　sought　doctors；　and　when　the　doctors　did　no　good　she　hadclimbed　stairs　all　over　town　to　rooms　where　incense　burned　and　where　men　or　women　in　trafficwith　the　devil　gave　her　white　powders；　or　herbs　to　make　tea；　and　cast　spells　upon　her　to　take　thesickness　away。　The　burning　in　her　bowels　did　not　cease—that　burning　which；　eating　inward；　tookthe　flesh　visibly　from　her　bones　and　caused　her　to　vomit　up　her　food。　Then　one　night　she　founddeath　standing　in　the　room。　Blacker　than　night；　and　gigantic；　he　filled　one　corner　of　her　narrowroom；　watching　her　with　eyes　like　the　eyes　of　a　serpent　when　his　head　is　lifted　to　strike。　Then　shescreamed　and　called　on　God；　turning　on　the　light。　And　death　departed；　but　she　knew　he　would　beback。　Every　night　would　bring　him　a　little　closer　to　her　bed。
　　And　after　death’s　first　silent　vigil　her　life　came　to　her　bedside　to　curse　her　with　manyvoices。　Her　mother；　in　rotting　rags　filling　the　room　with　the　stink　of　the　grave；　stood　over　her　tocurse　the　daughter　who　had　denied　her　on　her　deathbed。　Gabriel　came；　from　all　his　times　and　ages；to　curse　the　sister　who　had　held　him　to　scorn　and　mocked　his　ministry。　Deborah；　black；　her　body　asshapeless　and　hard　as　iron；　looked　on　with　veiled；　triumphant　eyes；　cursing　the　Florence　who　hadmocked　her　in　her　pain　and　barrenness。　Frank　came；　even　he；　with　that　same　smile；　the　same　tilt　ofhis　head。　Of　them　all　she　would　have　begged　forgiveness；　had　they　e　with　ears　to　hear。　Butthey　came　like　many　trumpets；　even　if　they　had　e　to　hear　and　not　to　testify　it　was　not　they　whocould　forgive　her；　but　only　God。
　　The　piano　had　stopped。　All　around　her　now　were　only　the　voices　of　the　saints。
　　‘Dear　Father’—it　was　her　mother　praying—‘we　e　before　You　on　our　knees　this　evening　to　askYou　to　watch　over　us　and　hold　back　the　hand　of　the　destroying　angel。　Lord；　sprinkle　the　doorpostof　this　house　with　the　blood　of　the　Lamb　to　keep　all　the　wicked　men　away；　Lord；　we　praying　forevery　mother’s　son　and　daughter　everywhere　in　the　world　but　we　want　You　to　take　special　care　of　this　girl　here　to…night；　Lord；　and　don’t　let　no　evil　e　nigh　her。　We　know　you’s　able　to　do　it；Lord；　in　Jesus’　name；　Amen。’
　　This　was　the　first　prayer　Florence　heard；　the　only　prayer　she　was　ever　to　hear　in　which　hermother　demanded　the　protection　of　God　more　passionately　for　her　daughter　than　she　demanded　itfor　her　son。　It　was　night；　the　windows　were　shut　tightly　with　the　shades　drawn；　and　the　great　tablewas　pushed　against　the　door。　The　kerosene　lamps　burned　low　and　made　great　shadows　on　thenewspaper…covered　wall。　Her　mother；　dressed　in　the　long；　shapeless；　colorless　dress　that　she　boreevery　day　but　Sunday；　when　she　wore　white；　and　with　her　head　tied　up　in　a　scarlet　cloth；　knelt　inthe　center　of　the　room；　her　hands　hanging　loosely　folded　before　her；　her　black　face　lifted；　her　eyesshut。　The　weak；　unsteady　light　placed　shadows　under　her　mouth　and　in　the　sockets　of　her　eyes；making　the　face　impersonal　with　majesty；　like　the　face　of　a　prophetess；　or　like　a　mask。　Silencefilled　the　room　after　her　‘Amen；’　and　in　the　silence　they　heard；　far　up　the　road；　the　sound　of　ahorse’s　hoofs。　No　one　moved。　Gabriel；　from　his　corner　near　the　stove；　looked　up　and　watched　hismother。
　　‘I　ain’t　afraid；’　said　Gabriel。
　　His　mother　turned；　one　hand　raised。　‘You　hush；　now！’
　　Trouble　had　taken　place　in　town　to…day。　Their　neighbor　Deborah；　who　was　sixteen；　threeyears　older　than　Florence；　had　been　taken　away　into　the　fields　the　night　before　by　many　white　men；where　they　did　things　to　her　to　make　her　cry　and　bleed。　To…day；　Deborah’s　father　had　gone　to　oneof　the　white　men’s　house；　and　said　that　he　would　kill　him　and　all　the　other　white　men　he　couldfind。　They　had　beaten　him　and　left　him　for　dead。　Now；　everyone　had　shut　their　doors；　praying　andwaiting；　for　it　was　said　that　the　white　folks　would　e　to…night　and　set　fire　to　all　the　houses；　asthey　had　done　before。
　　In　the　night　that　pressed　outside　they　heard　only　the　horse’s　hoofs；　which　did　not　stop；　therewas　not　the　laughter　they　would　have　heard　had　there　been　many　ing　on　this　road；　and　nocalling　out　of　curses；　and　no　one　crying　for　mercy　to　white　men；　or　to　God。　The　hoofbeats　came　tothe　door　and　passed；　and　rang；　while　they　listened；　ever　more　faintly　away。　Then　Florence　realizedhow　frightened　she　had　been。　She　watched　her　mother　rise　and　walk　to　the　window。　She　peered　outthrough　a　corner　of　the　blanket　that　covered　it。
　　‘They’s　gone；’　she　said；　‘whoever　they　was。’　Then：　‘Blessed　be　the　name　of　the　Lord；’　shesaid。
　　Thus　had　her　mother　lived　and　died；　and　she　had　often　been　brought　lo；　but　she　had　neverbeen　forsaken。　She　had　always　seemed　to　Florence　the　oldest　woman　in　the　world；　for　she　oftenspoke　of　Florence　and　Gabriel　as　the　children　of　her　old　age；　and　she　had　been　born；　innumerableyears　ago；　during　slavery；　on　a　plantation　in　another　state。　On　this　plantation　she　had　grown　up　asone　of　the　field…workers；　for　she　was　very　tall　and　strong；　and　by　and　by　she　had　married　andraised　children；　all　of　whom　had　been　taken　from　her；　one　by　sickness　and　two　by　auction；　andone；　whom　she　had　not　been　allowed　to　call　her　own；　had　been　raised　in　the　master’s　house。　Whenshe　was　a　woman　grown；　well　past　thirty　as　she　reckoned　it；　with　one　husband　buried—but　themaster　had　given　her　another—armies；　plundering　and　burning；　had　e　from　the　North　to　set　them　free。　This　was　in　answer　to　the　prayers　of　the　faithful；　who　had　never　ceased；　both　day　andnight；　to　cry　out　for　deliverance。
　　For　it　had　been　the　will　of　God　that　they　should　hear；　and　pass　thereafter；　one　to　another；the　story　of　the　Hebrew　children　who　had　been　held　in　bondage　in　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　how　theLord　had　heard　their　groaning；　and　how　His　heart　was　moved；　and　how　He　bid　them　wait　but　alittle　season　till　He　should　send　deliverance。　Florence’s　mother　had　known　this　story；　so　it　seemed；from　the　day　she　was　born。　And　while　she　lived—rising　in　the　morning　before　the　sun　came　up；standing　and　bending　in　the　fields　when　the　sun　was　high；　crossing　the　fields　homeward　when　thesun　went　down　at　the　gates　of　Heaven　far　away；　hearing　the　whistle　of　the　foreman　and　his　eeriecry　across　the　fields；　in　the　whiteness　of　winter　when　hogs　and　turkeys　and　geese　were　slaughtered；and　lights　burned　bright　in　the　big　house；　and　Bathsheba；　the　cook；　sent　over　in　a　napkin　bits　ofham　and　chicken　and　cakes　left　over　by　the　white　folks—in　all　that　befell：　in　her　joys；　her　pipe　inthe　evening；　her　man　at　night；　the　children　she　suckled；　and　guided　on　their　first　short　steps；　and　inher　tribulations；　death；　and　parting；　and　the　lash；　she　did　not　forget　that　deliverance　was　promisedand　would　surely　e。　She　had　only　to　endure　and　trust　in　God。　She　knew　that　the　big　house；　thehouse　of　pride　where　the　white　folks　lived；　would　e　down；　it　was　written　in　the　Word　of　God。
　　They；　who　walked　so　proudly　now；　had　nor　fashioned　for　themselves　or　their　children　so　sure　afoundation　as　was　hers。　They　walked　on　the　edge　of　a　steep　place　and　their　eyes　were　sightless—God　would　cause　them　to　rush　down；　as　the　herd　of　swine　had　once　rushed　down；　into　the　sea。　Forall　that　they　were　so　beautiful；　and　took　their　ease；　she　knew　them；　and　she　pitied　them；　who　wouldhave　no　covering　in　the　great　day　of　His　wrath。
　　Yet；　she　told　her　children；　God　was　just；　and　He　struck　no　people　without　first　giving　manywarnings。　God　gave　men　time；　but　all　the　times　were　in　His　hand；　and　one　day　the　time　to　forsakeevil　and　do　good　would　all　be　finished：　then　only　the　whirlwind；　death　riding　on　the　whirlwind；awaited　those　people　who　had　forgotten　God。　In　all　the　days　that　she　was　growing　up；　signs　failednot；　but　none　heeded。　‘Slaves　done　ris；’　was　whispered　in　the　cabin　and　at　the　master’s　gate：　slavesin　another　county　had　fired　the　masters’　houses　and　fields　and　dashed　their　children　to　deathagainst　the　stones。　‘Another　slave　in　hell；’　Bathsheba　might　say　one　morning；　shooing　thepickaninnies　away　from　the　great　porch：　a　slave　had　killed　his　master；　or　his　overseer；　and　hadgone　down　to　Hell　to　pay　for　it。　‘I　ain’t　got　long　to　stay　here；’　someone　crooned　beside　her　in　thefields；　someone　who　would　be　gone　by　morning　on　his　journey　north。　All　these　signs；　like　theplagues　with　which　the　Lord　had　afflicted　Egypt；　only　hardened　the　hearts　of　these　people　againstthe　Lord。　They　thought　the　lash　would　save　them；　and　they　used　the　lash；　or　the　knife；　or　thegallows；　or　the　auction　block；　they　thought　that　kindness　would　save　then；　and　the　master　andmistress　came　down；　smiling；　to　the　cabins；　making　much　of　the　pickaninnies　and　bearing　gifts。
　　These　were　great　days；　and　they　all；　black　and　white；　seemed　happy　together。　But　when　the　Wordhas　gone　forth　from　the　mouth　of　God　nothing　can　turn　it　back。
　　The　Word　was　fulfilled　one　morning；　before　she　was　awake。　Many　of　the　stories　her　othertold　meant　nothing　to　Florence；　she　knew　them　for　what　they　were；　tales　told　by　an　old　blackwoman　in　a　cabin　in　the　evening　to　distract　her　children　from　their　cold　and　hunger。　But　the　storyof　this　day　she　was　never　to　forget；　it　was　a　day　for　which　she　lived。　There　was　a　great　running　andshouting；　said　her　mother；　everywhere　outside；　and；　as　she　opened　her　eyes　to　the　light　of　that　day；　so　bright；　she　said；　and　cold；　she　was　certain　that　the　judgment　trumpet　had　sounded。　While　shestill　sat；　amazed；　and　wondering　what；　on　the　judgment　day；　would　be　the　best　behavior；　in　rushedBathsheba　and　behind　her　many　tumbling　children　and　field　hands　and　house　niggers；　all　together；and　Bathsheba　shouted：　‘Rise　up；　rise　up；　Sister　Rachel；　and　see　the　Lord’s　deliverance！　He　donebrought　us　out　of　Egypt；　just　like　He　promised；　and　we’s　free　at　last！’　Bathsheba　grabbed　her；　tearsrunning　down　her　face；　she；　dressed　in　the　clothes　in　which　she　had　slept；　walked　to　the　door　tolook　out　on　the　new　day　God　had　given　them。
　　On　that　day　she　saw　the　proud　house　humbled；　green　silk　and　velvet　blowing　out　ofwindows；　and　the　garden　trampled　by　many　horsemen；　and　the　big　gate　open。　The　master　andmistress；　and　their　kin；　and　one　child　she　had　borne　were　in　that　house—which　she　did　not　enter。
　　Soon　it　occurred　to　her　that　there　was　no　longer　any　reason　to　tarry　here。　She　tied　her　things　in　acloth　that　she　put　on　her　head；　and　walked　out　through　the　big　gate；　never　to　see　that　country　anymore。
　　And　this　became　Florence’s　deep　ambition：　to　walk　out　one　morning　through　the　cabindoor；　never　to　return。　Her　father；　whom　she　scarcely　remembered；　had　departed　that　way　onemorning　not　many　months　after　the　birth　of　Gabriel。　And　not　only　her　father；　every　day　she　heardthat　another　man　or　woman　had　said　farewell　to　this　iron　earth　and　sky；　and　started　on　the　journeynorth。　But　her　mother　had　no　wish　to　go　North　where；　she　said；　wickedness　dwelt　and　Death　rodemighty　through　the　streets。　She　was　content　to　stay　in　this　cabin　and　do　washing　for　the　whitefolks；　though　she　was　old　and　her　back　was　sore。　And　she　wanted　Florence；　also；　to　be　content—helping　with　the　washing；　and　fixing　meals　and　keeping　Gabriel　quiet。
　　Gabriel　was　the　apple　of　his　mother’s　eye。　If　he　had　never　been　born；　Florence　might　havelooked　forward　to　a　day　when　she　would　be　released　from　her　unrewarding　round　of　labor；　whenshe　might　think　of　her　own　future　and　go　out　to　make　it。　With　the　birth　of　Gabriel；　which　occurredwhen　she　was　five；　her　future　was　swallowed　up。　There　was　only　one　future　in　that　house；　and　itwas　Gabriel’s—to　which；　since　Gabriel　was　a　man…child；　all　else　must　be　sacrificed。　Her　motherdid　not；　indeed；　think　of　it　as　sacrifice；　but　as　logic：　Florence　was　a　girl；　and　would　by　and　by　bemarried；　and　have　children　of　her　own；　and　all　the　duties　of　a　woman；　and　this　being　so；　her　life　inthe　cabin　was　the　best　possible　preparation　for　her　future　life。　But　Gabriel　was　a　man；　he　would　goout　one　day　into　the　world　to　do　a　man’s　work；　and