ything from a stick to a brush broom to punish his slaves.

Benjamin heard from his elders that some masters constructed stocks like
those of old, and sometimes slaves were whipped while fastened in the
stocks. One slave owner named Gay kept wristbands of iron, and also a
gag made to fit into the mouth and fasten around the neck, which
prevented rolling while being whipped. Besides being punished for
disobedience, a slave was often punished because he failed to complete
the required amount of work. There were certain amounts of work
specified for each slave: 150 rails had to be split a day by the rail
splitters; cotton pickers were supposed to pick 150 pounds of cotton a
day. Should anyone fail to complete his daily task, a sound whipping was
given. Slaves were punished by "patter rollers" or the government
patrol, if caught off of their plantations without a pass. Often slaves
outran the "patter rollers" and escaped the 75 lashes which were in
store for them if they were caught. "Patter rollers" carried a
crooked-handle stick which they would try to fasten around the slaves'
necks or arms. However, the slaves soon learned that the
"patter-rollers" stick would slide off their bare arms and backs, so
they left their shirts if planning to make a visit without a pass.

The second Sunday of each month the slaves attended religious services.
Since there were no separate churches provided, they were allowed to use
the white churches with the white minister in charge. Benjamin Henderson
remarked: "It was my job to ride behind the mistress to church and while
the services were going on I took care of her riding skirt and tended
the horse."

A slave desiring marriage with a slave on another plantation must get
his master's consent after which he went to see the master of his
prospective mate. If both agreed, the marriage was set for the following
Saturday night. All marriages usually took place on Saturday nights. The
master of the bridegroom would then pick a straw broom or a pole and
give two slaves the job of holding the ends of it. To be devilish they
often held the stick too high and would not lower it until the master
asked them to. After the bridegroom made the jump over the stick, the
knot of matrimony was considered tied. Without any more ceremony the
bride became his legal wife. If it so happened that the bride and groom
lived on different plantations the groom would be given two passes a
week, one to visit her on We