Escape

Chapter 1: Daddy's Little Girl

A/N: I only own the characters. The plot belongs to Robert Penn Warren. I'm just mixing it up.

The sun set high in the sky as geese flew overhead. The morning dew sat on the freshly cut grass. While the smell of a freshly baked raspberry pie sat in the window seal. The sound of children black and white played in the big wide open pastor together. Keeping a close eye out for the plantation sat the big brick, two stories, fifteen rooms, big kitchen and of course a rather big sitting room with white pillars to complete the look, the plantation home was named Stardust.

Anthony Lawrence Taylor had been its master for more than fifteen years. Anthony was in his mid forties. His dark black hair with a touch of grey blew in the warm summer wind. While his handsome face wore the look of a twenty year old. Through the years he hadn't changed all that much expect, for his age and of course the size of his plantation. His tall torso wore a dark blue suit with a black trim to it. While a dark blue cowboy hat protected his head from the warm summer sun. Even though he was getting older he still had the youth in his eyes of a young man.

Mooresville, Indiana had never seen such a better owner. His slaves were always taken care of and were never whipped or beaten in anyway. Anthony had always thought that everyone deserved to be treated the same way. Naturally, everyone wanted to know him one way or another.

Even though, the plantation was close to his heart Anthony's daughter Samantha Ann Taylor was the light of his life. The little girl of ten had long brown wavy hair, dark brown eyes with mystery and wonder in them, light colored creamy skin; it was almost as fair as china, a lovely smile that could make people turn from a distance, came to her lips, with little dimples in the crease of her mouth. Later on in life this smile would make any man turn as well. The lovely little girl wore a red dress with white lace around every edge. A lovely red bow held her hair together it the back, while her small feet showed off a pair of little black shoes with little white stockings.

Oh how cute she looked, just as a little girl of the 1800's should look. Very well kept and of course very proper. Samantha was taught only the very best and of course had the best of everything. The best cloths, horses, toys, slaves and of course friends, Samantha was friends to the nearby plantations and a few children on her father's plantation.

"Father, why is mother over here for?" Samantha asked as she pointed at the grave of her mother. She could never really understand why she was there. Her mother had died before Samantha's first birthday. She really didn't know much about her mother. All she really knew was that she helped around the house just like a mother did every once in a while.

"Sam, you know the story why she's over here." Anthony pointed out as he looked down at his daughter. She always liked to hear this story. She couldn't have forgotten it. He practically told her the story every change he got. Along with that many other stories of her mother, however, there was one secret he would never tell his little Sam.

Samantha shook her head. Yes she knew the story but, she wanted to hear it again. Just like she heard all the other stories as well. "No, father," she says.

"She's buried over here so she can be closer to you and to me." Anthony answered as he put his hand through his daughter's lovely hair, "If your mother could see you now. You're such a pretty little girl." He loved his daughter so, just like a father should love his child. "You're what girls are made of. Sugar and spice and everything nice."

At this Samantha smiled, she knew her father spoke the truth. Oh, how she loved her father so. She didn't know what she would do if anything ever happened to him. She gave him a hug and told him how much she loved him.

Returning the hug Anthony looked up to see his overseer John Wilson standing there with a whip in hand, while a slaves stood next to him. "What is it?" Anthony asked as he broke the hug.

"This here slave tried running away." John declared as he pushed the slave forward. The slave fell to his knees as his head stayed bowed.

"Where were you trying to go?" Anthony asked as he looked down at the slave. Why would he try to run away? Anthony never beat a slave as long as he owned this place.

"Well, ya see Master Anthony, I is try in to get my back to the white river. I hear it goes very far. Then I is going up North to be free." The slave by the name of Clem answered as truthful as he could get.

"Why you should be whipped!" John yelled as he began to bring the heavy whip down.

"Don't, this here slave is new. He doesn't know any better." Anthony spoke as he held up his right hand. None of his slaves were going to be whipped. "Have him go get the hay there in the yonder field."

"Yes, sir," John said as he pulled the slave to his feet. "Let's get going." He tells the slave as he pulls him along.

While this went on a rather tall slave by the name of Roger walked up with the fresh corn and beans.

"Father, what will happen to Clem?" Samantha asked as she stood with her hands behind her back as she began to wonder about the new slave.

"Why don't you go with Roger and see what Mammy is making for dinner." Anthony told his daughter as he lifted her chine so her eyes met his. "Maybe she's making your favorite, Chicken and Dumplings. You would like that wouldn't you?"

Nodding her head yes Samantha followed Roger in the house. Getting a hand full strawberry's Samantha put one in her mouth. "Don't ya go be taking these barriers. There for a pie for the neighbor the Smith's down that street here." Mammy scolded the little girl as she pointed her index finger.

Not really listening Samantha began to ask what was for dinner. "Mammy, what's for dinner?" as she put another strawberry in her mouth. "Is it chicken and Dumplings?"

"It's always been hard to surprise you child." Mammy said as a smile crept across her face.

Samantha smiled as well. She always knew when her favorite meal was being made. "What's with that there new slave, Anthony had?" Roger asked as he began shucking the corn.

"Master Anthony bought him last week." Mammy answered as she began putting spices into the pot of dumplings.

"ya, no, I ant ever seen Master Anthony whip a slave nor sell one either." Roger knew as he kept shucking the corn. He found this rather odd because, everyone man has sold at least a slave once in their lives. Then again he was grateful that he had never done so.

"That because he a good soul." Mammy answered as she pointed the spoon at Roger. "Just look at Samantha. Growing into a lovely little girl, before ya know it she will own this here plantation."

Samantha smiled at this remark. That was rather sweet of Mammy to say such a thing. Why it would be a long while before she got Stardust.

"Why? Samantha, why she?" Roger asked as he looked up from his shucking. "Why, she ant any different than the rest of us."

"Now Roger, you shut that there mouth of yours." Mammy commanded as she glared at him. She knew what he was getting at, as long as she was around a word wasn't to be spoke of that matter.

"No, Mammy, I want to know." Samantha stated as she looked back at the man sitting in the chair. "Roger?"

"Master Anthony, ant fitten for-"

Mammy brought a rolling pin over to Roger. "GET OUT OF MY THERE KITCHEN!" she yelled as she chased him out of the kitchen and out the back door.

"What did he mean?" Samantha asked as she took a seat where Roger sat. None of what he was saying made any since.

"Oh, he just carrying on that all." Mammy lied as she covered up.

"I will ask father!" Samantha yelled as she ran from the kitchen with her hair flopping in the process. Her little feet could be heard down the hall.

"Sam, Sam!" Mammy yelled after the little girl. Little that did the little girl never came back.

"How could you do such a thing?" Samantha cried as she lay in bed that night. She couldn't believe what her father was telling her.

"Sam, I had to, it just had to be done." Anthony told his little princess. "I couldn't take what he was saying."

"But, why father? You had to tell him to that man in Indianapolis." Samantha cried as tears fell from her young eyes and down her young face.

"One day you will understand my dear daughter." Anthony corrected his daughter as he kissed her forehead. "I've also arranged for you to go to school in Lexington Kentucky."

"What? First you get rid of a slave and now you're getting rid of me." Samantha yelled as she was panic stricken.

"You're governess has taught you everything she is allowed to teach you. It's time that you start going to a nice proper school, a school for girls."

Samantha's face said it all. How could her father do this to her? If he loved her as much as he said he always did, then why was he forcing her to go to a school and not just any school but one in Lexington!

"My sweet little girl, what are sweet girls made of?"

"I don't know, I don't know father" Samantha cried as she buried her face into her pillow. None of this made since and of course none of it ever wood.

A/N: What do you think? Leaving for college in the morning so wont get to update for a few days. Review!