CHAPTER 1 AT AGE SIX SHE ALREADY HAD A JOB AS A WEAVER'S HELPER NO DO IT LIKE THIS NO NO NO IT'S SIMPLE LIKE THIS ARAMINTA WAS A SLAVE LIKE THIS MISSUS CHOO VGH YOU ARE NO HELP AT ALL WORSE THAN VSELESS SHE'S SLOW AND DOESN'T DO IT RIGHT HOW IS SHE DOING WE SHOULD SEND HER BACK MINTY YOU COME HELP ME OUTSIDE THIS IS A MUSKRAT TRAP CHECK FOR MUSKRATS YES SIR I HAVE THEM SET UP ALL OVER THIS SWAMP I WANT YOU TO WADE IN AND CHECK THEM THAT'S RIGHT IN YOU GO
EVERY DAY ARAMINTA WOULD WADE INTO THE SWAMP WHAT WERE THE MUSKRATS FOR MUSKRAT PELTS ARE FULLEST WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD THE COOK FAMILY MADE MONEY SELLING PELTS THE COLDER IT WAS THE MORE TIME ARAMINTA SPENT IN THE SWAMP ANY FULL TRAPS MINTY YOU'RE TRAPPED JUST LIKE ME AIN'T YOU NO SIR YOU DIDN'T LOOK CLOSE ENOUGH GO CHECK EM AGAIN SHE'S ABOUT AS HELPFUL AS A DROWNED RAT A DOLLAR A MONTH YES SIR HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYIN FOR HER THAT'S TOO MUCH
AT NIGHT ARAMINTA SLEPT ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR IT WAS SO COLD SHE WOULD PUT HER FEET UNDER THE ASHES IN THE FIREPLACE TO KEEP THEM WARM WAKE UP MINTY TIME TO CHECK THE TRAPS A DOLLAR A MONTH TO WATCH HER STUMBLE AROUND WE'RE BEING OVERCHARGED MEASLES OR NO WE'LL GET OUR MONEY'S WORTH YES SIR JUDGING FROM THOSE SPOTS SHE'S GOT THE MEASLES GET OUT THERE AND CHECK THOSE TRAPS YES SIR I DON'T FEEL SO GOOOOOOOD
MINTY MINTY YOU IN THERE THIS TIME YOU STAY INSIDE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO LEARN WEAVIN MR COOK WORKED YOU TOO HARD DO I HAVE TO GO BACK MOMMA IS THAT YOU AM I HOME THE WOOL MAKES ME SNEEZE YES YOU DO YOU ARE YOU NEARLY DROPPED DEAD AWAY MEASLES BRONCHITIS AND SKINNY AS A SKELETON BUT SNEEZIN IN A HOUSE IS MUCH EASIER THAN WORKIN OUT IN THE FIELDS ALL DAY YOU SHOULD BE PAYIN ME TO LEARN THIS I GET BETTER HELP FROM THE CAT CHOO YES MISSUS MINTY IS STUPID USELESS AND NO GOOD TO US I COULDN'T DO IT MOMMA I COULDN'T LEARN WEAVIN I WISHED I WAS HOME AND NOW I AM YOU'LL WISH YOU HAD ONE DAY
