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When she was little, we visited the mills in Lowell, and other MA mill towns. We have discussed the 'moral superiority' of the North, yet how brutal the mill life was, and how the mills virtually owned their workers. She has studied history from many perspectives. She heard the racist jokes in MA. Her best friend in NC was black, and they were two little peas in a pod. She is very self possessed, in such a gentle way. She wont fight, but she wont back down. If someone gets ugly, she walks away. She doesnt look for trouble, but sticks up for the underdog. Quite a good mix, and I think she'll make good decisions in her life. I am very grateful.

This was what I tried to post the first time: Imagine my surprise..an article by my own Belle. Thanks for all the nice comments. She is really beaming. She's a very kind and self possessed kid, and I am proud of her. She is neither strident n or overbearing, so wins people over by her common sense and friendly manner. And I am a writer/editor by trade, and my mother was a career public school teacher, so by Gosh her English and spelling had *better* be good >;-> Shes tall and blonde, very pretty, and hip, so the other kids really cant blackball her like they might. All her friends are little soccer mommettes and she just laughs at them gently and gives them things to read. She has been a lurker on FR for a while now. I am a lurker of many years. We are looking forward to a SoCal freepathon. Thanks again for all the kind words. Belles Mom

We have discussed the 'moral superiority' of the North, yet how brutal the mill life was, and how the mills virtually owned their workers.

The price of a slave was far greater than a year's wages for many factory and mill workers. Further, a slave owner had to feed and care for his slaves well enough that they could work effectively. If a slave were injured or got sick, and was unable to work for a year, the owner would have to treat him or lose what in today's currency would be a many-thousand-dollar investment. By contrast, if a factory or mill worker in the North was injured or got sick, he could simply be sent on his way and a new immigrant taken for free off the boat to take his place.

This is hardly to suggest that slavery was not evil, but rather that its evils were limitted by the necessity of getting useful work done.