MERRY CHRISTMAS

Comfort Driggers pulled her shawl a little tighter as the wind blew inland clear off the cold Atlantic  She clamped her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering though her shivers were causing the eggs to rattle in her basket.  

"I hope they don't crack none before I get to Ivy's store," she murmured to herself.  

As she was about to shove the door open, it was swung wide from inside making her stumble over the threshold.  Someone caught her arm before she fell but caused her to drop the whole basket of eggs.

"Oh, no!" she cried.

"I am so sorry, miss.  Let me help you," a deep voice answered.

"Nah, suh.  It be my mess to clean up," she managed to say without crying.  Her ma was counting on the pennies these would pay.  

But the stranger had whipped out a rag tucked in his belt and was already down on his knees wiping up the slippery mess alongside a hound dog which slurped it up faster than he could. "Just watch the door so no one else comes through and slips on the goop.  How many eggs were there anyway?  I'll need to pay you for them.  It's only fair since I'm the one who broke them."

"I can't take nothing fer them, mister.  You can't sell them now."

"But I pay for what I break."  The man was standing tall now grinning at her.  "I'm William Ivy, by the way.  What did you say your name was?"

As she gaped, the man had it cleaned up in no time.  "I'm Miss Driggers," she stammered.

"My uncle owns this store and hired me on after I came south to visit."

"Where you from, if you don't mind me asking?  You talk funny, I mean, you have a different sound to yer words than us folks around these parts."

The man's low laughter had a rich sound.  "No, I'm from further north in Isle of Wight area of Virginia."

He smiled, she smiled before she caught herself.  Well, it is nice to meet you, suh."

"Here, let me get you your egg money.  I'm sure your man would want you to have it."

"My man?" she asked confused.  "Oh, you mean my ma.  They are her chickens.  I'm not hitched."

His smile grew even bigger.  "That's good to know.  Are you coming to the Christmas dance this Saturday?"

"I'm not sure, suh.  Depends if my brothers are going and will bring me."

"Well, I hope to see you there, Miss Driggers."

She put the pennies in her pocket, smiled shyly and left.  She got to the end of the boardwalk when she realized she'd forgotten her ma's need for cornmeal.    "Ugh.  How embarrassing to go back and face that man like a mindless ninny," she muttered under her breath.

The bell on the door rang again and the young Mr. Ivy looked up from where he was helping another customer.  He immediately smiled saying, "I'll be right with you, Miss Driggers."

Mr. Smith, his customer, scowled as he looked at Comfort, then he walked past her when he left as if she wasn't there.  

"I noticed the last customer was rude to you.  I'm sorry," the young Mr. Ivy said.

"Oh well, that's just how it is for folks like us," she admitted as a blush of embarrassment flushed her cheeks.

"What do you mean, 'folks like you'?"

She ignored his question and put a sack of cornmeal on the counter.  "I forgot my ma needed this."  Comfort refused to look him in the eyes keeping her gaze no higher than the buttons on his vest.

"I'm glad you came back, then."  

She could hear the smile in his voice so she ventured a quick glance up before scurrying out the door taking the egg money and cornmeal home to her ma.

"Here, Ma,"  Comfort said putting the things down on the table.  "Did you know Mr. Ivy's nephew has moved here and is helping out at the store?  You may not like this, but he bumped into me at the door and I dropped the egg basket breaking every last one of them.  But he insisted it was his fault and paid me for them just the same.  I didn't know what else to do.  I tried to refuse the money, but he forced me to let him pay us anyway.  Should I have argued with him more?"

Ma's mouth dropped open.  "No, I suppose you did the right thing, Comfort.  I doubt old Mr. Ivy would have done the same though."

"He also wanted to know if I was coming to the Christmas barn dance."

"What did you say?" her ma asked.

"I told him it depended upon my brothers, whether they would bring me or not."

"I'm sure your brothers will be going," she replied before adding, "But be careful.  The Ivy's aren't our kind."

"Ah, ma.  I thought the last census listed us all as white, well except for Uncle Johnson who is the darkest of the bunch and claimed his Portuguese heritage."

"You know that most folks round here still don't accept us as such.  You know that I named you Comfort because of your pretty white skin.  I was hoping it meant that you would escape the sorrow of prejudice from our past.  Our Mourning Driggers married a James Ivy.  The Ivy family were early rich settlers in Virginia.  They were so respected that our forefather tried to make it law so that intermarriage would become legal.  They say he hoped his son could legally marry a descendent of the slave Driggers.  In those early days, even Emmanuel Driggers married a white woman.  But when it didn't pass, that's when our people came south trying to escape the laws against mixed marriage.  I say all that to warn you to be careful if Mr. Ivy becomes extra friendly."

"I know, ma. But since our families were intermarried in the past, shouldn't it be okay to be friendly now?" Comfort  asked hopefully.

"Just be careful.  Old Mr. Ivy would never countenance our past history mingling with his." Her mother sighed deeply.  "The problem, Comfort, is that even if you did marry someone like Mr. Ivy, one of your offspring could be still dark.  A man can deny such a child as his and cause a terrible stir.  It's happened to a cousin of mine.  Her husband put her out, but arranged for  her weeks old baby to be indentured.  She had to go home to her family in awful grief and shame."

"Oh, no!  That's terrible!" Comfort cried horrified.  "Could that really happen to me?"

Her mother took her arm and gently pushed her sleeve up.  She put her arm next to Comfort's.  "See, darling.  Even our skin color is different.  I'm darker than you by far.  Think of your brothers and how they vary in their color.  Even though they were accepted as white in the census, does not guarantee they will be treated fairly next time.  There is no guarantee that a child of yours would pass as white."

"But that's not right!"

Her ma went on saying, "Remember too how one of my kin who was a free black had her children stolen right out of her house while they were sleeping.  Those poor babies were sold by slavers.  Fortunately, one daughter escaped.  Last I heard, the others were never found."

"Ma, you're just scaring me now!" Comfort protested.  

"Just be careful, baby girl," her ma warned.  "If you ever were to marry a white man, you best be upfront with him about the possibility of birthing a darker offspring."

Comfort could only nod.  "Maybe I shouldn't go to the dance."

"No, you should go and hold your head up high.  The Bible says, 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.'"

"It truly says that?" Comfort wondered.

"Truly, but not all folks live by the Bible.  I jest said those words so you know in your heart that you are jest as accepted by God as anybody else, no matter what they say 'bout you."

"Thank you, mama.  I won't forget."

The next time she took eggs to the store, Comfort was extra careful when she opened the door in order to prevent a collision like last time.

"Well, aren't you a breath of fresh air, Miss Driggers.  I see you brought in more eggs.  Don't worry, I'll try my best not to break them this time," he chuckled warmly.

"Yes, suh.  I think the eggs are safe now," she said smiling as she put them on the counter.   How could she not smile back at the captivating man, though her mother's warning buzzed in an annoying fashion in the back of her mind.

"It's okay to call my uncle, sir, but I'm just William.  Do you have a first name," he asked knowing good and well she did.

"It be Comfort," she answered shyly.

"Comfort.  Now that's right nice.  I like it.  It suits you," he said with a soft look in his eyes.

"But here, Comfort, is your egg money for your ma.  Is there anything else I can offer you, besides a little conversation, at least until another customer comes in?"

"She does need a small sack of salt.  That be all."

He turned and quickly got the salt.  "There, I'll put it on your bill."

"Oh no, Mr. Ivy, I mean your uncle doesn't allow us to charge anything," she protested.  "He accepts only cash from our kind."

"Oh, I see," he said taking her coin.  "Comfort I been thinking over what you said the first time you came in here.  You said something about 'that's just how it is with us folks.'  What did you mean by that?"

Comfort took a deep breath, but straightened her shoulders and put her chin up.  "It's jest that my people are pretty varied.  I mean most of us count as white, but some have to register on the census as mulattoes.  Some are considered to be of Portuguese heritage.  You see, the first Driggers was a slave in Northampton.  His mother was from Africa while his father was a ship captain from an important family in Portugal.  Emmanuel Drigger's first wife was another slave, but his second wife was a white woman.  The blood has been mixed ever since."

"Well, that was a long time ago," he stated before grinning.  "I do believe my kinfolk are probably as mixed as yours back in those days.  Does it really matter now?  You are as white as they come and twice as comely."

Comfort blushed.  She blurted out, "You should know, suh, I mean William, that even now a  girl like me could birth a dark baby." She clapped her hands on her burning cheeks and hung her head in shame knowing that such a thing as birthing was not mentioned in polite company. 

Comfort was sure the man would turn from her now.  Instead he chuckled.  "Aren't you Miss Worry Pot?  If such a gal was married to me, who would know if the babe took after my side or hers?"  

She was flabbergasted.  But she still held her head high and responded, "My ma tells me the Bible says 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free man, neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.'"

"I believe it truly," he said grinning.  "I can't tell you how happy I am that you are a Christian, Comfort."  But the bell over the door rang signaling another customer had come in.  Before she could turn and leave, he grabbed her hand and asked, "Will you be at the Christmas dance?"

"Yes," she beamed. 

"Save me most of your dances then," he said softly, then asked in a louder voice, "Can I help you, Mrs. Gray?"

At least Mrs. Gray nodded and smiled at her.  Comfort looked back at him to find their eyes meeting.  She couldn't help that her mouth curved into a smile before opening the door, but was stopped in her tracks when he called to her.

"Oh, Miss Driggers, you forgot your sack of salt," William came striding up to her with a smirk.  "Were you distracted, miss?"

She blushed prettily and took the proffered salt sputtering, "Thank you, suh."

Comfort crunched through the light covering of hoarfrost that had not melted yet.  She pulled her shawl more tightly around her with a shiver.  "Brr."

When she came in placing the egg money and salt on the table, her mother assessed her before saying, "Hmm, you never came home from the store looking so happy when old Mr. Ivy helped you."

Comfort put her hands over her blushing cheeks.  "He is so nice, ma.  You'd really like him.  You won't believe what he said when I told him why some folks didn't accept us.  He said the Ivy line has mixed heritage as well.  I didn't remind him that the Driggers married into the Ivy kin almost from the beginning in Virginia though."

Her mother patted her hand before going back to peeling potatoes.  "I believe the oven has heated just fine.  Would you put the cornbread in, Comfort?'

"Yes, ma'am."  Just like that, life became ordinary again.  Comfort knew she would not see William until the dance, but it was only days away.

That night around the table her brothers did their loud boasting about who they would dance with as they quickly consumed their beans and cornbread.  Comfort observed them more carefully.  It was just as her mother said, they were all different shades, some lighter, some darker.

"You going with us?" Thomas asked.

"Yes, of course," Comfort asserted.  "I'm counting on y'all to take me."

Her ma warned them, "You boys will make sure all your chores are done early tomorrow and whatever you do, escort your sister back home.  Don't leave her stranded like you nearly did last time just because some little gal spun your head around."

"Ahh, ma.  Maybe it's time some fella escorted her home instead of us," her brother Isaac protested before winking and adding, "She's of age to attract some poor unwitting soul."

"I hear that Wash Berry has been talking about you," John stated.

"Washington? Ugg.  Spare me.  He gives me the shivers, but not in a good way," she responded.

"Come to think of it, most of our buddies are looking forward to getting a dance with you, sis.  I hope your dancing shoes are comfortable," Ben said with a grin.

"Listen sons, whatever you do, do not embarrass her no matter who she dances with, understand?"  Ma looked them over sternly.

"Yes, ma'am," they chorused and went back to shoveling their beans in only glancing up now and then as if seeing her in a new light, not just as their little sister any more.

Finally Richard pushed away his empty bowl and said, "As the oldest man of the house, I want to warn you away from Henry Mason, Comfort.  He's trouble."

"I wouldn't dance with him if he was the last man in the holler," Comfort declared.

"Maybe one dance, just so he won't git too angry at you shunning him," he suggested.  "Just don't go off with him.  You can't trust him."

"We'll all be there to protect you if he's doesn't act proper like towards you," Thomas assured her noticing how she had paled.

"Your brothers will watch out for you, Comfort.  You just enjoy yourself," her ma said before she rose to collect the empty bowls.

Once in the barn, the many lanterns blinded Comfort for a moment.  The floor had been swept clean with bales of hay set around so people could sit when they chose.  Garlands of evergreen were hung from the rafters.  The aroma of hay and pine mingled in the air.  As she looked around, her eyes found those of  William Ivy.  His smile spread across his face as he strode towards her.  

Suddenly, Henry Mason stepped forward and blocked her sight of William.

"Hello, Comfort.  Care to dance with me?" Henry said with a leer as he looked her up and down.

"No thank you, Henry.  I promised this dance to Mr. Ivy," she replied peering around him just as William approached.

"There you are, Miss Driggers.  I believe you promised me this dance."

"Yes, suh.  I remember," she happily said as she put her hand in his.  Out of the corner of her eye she saw her brothers huddled and scowling though she didn't know if it was because of Henry Mason or William Ivy.  But Comfort was sure of one thing, William was dancing his way into her heart.

Just as he had asked, Comfort danced the entire night just with him.  Her brothers did not look happy, but she could care less.  Finally, Richard grabbed her arm jerking her away from William.  "Time to go home, sis.  Come on."  He left her no time to even say goodbye.

All the way home, her brothers harangued her for showing favor to an Ivy.  

"You should stick to your own kind, Comfort!" Richard said trying to shame her.

"Did you see how everyone was watching you being all uppity, sis?"  Thomas said frowning.

"Ivy's and Driggers don't mix!" Johnson scoffed.

"That's not true," Comfort protested.  "One time a Mourning Driggers married a James Ivy, so we have blood from both families."

"You think people will ever accept that, even if their children were mulattoes just like us," Henry said fiercely.

"We are white!  It's how we are listed on the census," Comfort protested again.

"Some of us are, but not all.  Don't ever forget that.  By the time the next census comes around, it might all change," Richard warned.

Comfort huffed.  "I don't care what y'all say.  If William wants to pay his attentions on me, I won't refuse him."

By the time they arrived home, they all were in a snarl.  Some of her brothers had imbibed so much brew, she was surprised they could climb the ladder to the loft where they crashed and were soon snoring.

"Ma, they're all upset that I spent most of my time with Mr. Ivy.  It's alright though, isn't it?"

Her ma sighed.  "Someone will always be upset no matter what you do, sweet girl.  It's not just a matter of following your heart, but listening to God's small voice.  Let Him guide you."

The next time Comfort took the eggs to the store, William met her at the door with a huge grin.  He took her basket in one hand and her hand in the other.  Warmth immediately spread through her.

"Comfort, I want you to come spend Christmas Eve with us."

"Oh, I, uhh.  I doubt your uncle will permit it."

"I've already told him in no uncertain terms that I will invite you.  He hemmed and hawed a little, but was finally persuaded that my persistence would prevail."

The doorbell jingled as another customer entered the store.  William dropped her hand but whispered, "Wait.  Don't leave yet.  I'll give you your ma's egg money after I helped this person."

After he was free, William took both her hands in his.  "Please say you will come, Comfort."

I will pick you up in my buggy mid afternoon.  We will all go to church at midnight, then I'll return you home."

Comfort looked up drinking in his pleading.  "Yes, I will come.  Thank you, William.  I will be ready whenever you are able to pick me up."

William sighed, squeezed her hands before letting them drop just as his uncle stepped out from the back.  William quickly counted out her ma's pennies.

"Hello, Mr. Ivy," Comfort said politely.

"Miss Driggers," he recognized her with a scowl and a unwelcoming nod.

Comfort danced all the way home with a warmed heart in spite of being blown along by the frigid breeze.  

"Ma, William, I mean Mr. Ivy has asked me to join his family for their Christmas Eve!  He said he will pick me up and bring me home in his buggy."

Her ma assessed her for a long minute.  "He must be truly smitten with you, Comfort."

She blushed prettily as she answered, "And I with him."

Her ma sighed and said, "Yes, you have my permission.  Just don't be lingering too long on the way home."

"Thank you, Ma!" Comfort gushed as she hugged her mother.

"This won't make your brothers happy, but it is your decision," her ma promised.  "If we both hurry, we can sew a new skirt out of the material in that trunk over there."

Comfort rushed over to open the trunk.  She lifted out a light plaid wool."

"I was going to make a shawl for both of us for Christmas, but I think it will make a full 'nough skirt.  We could tie a green ribbon on the collar of your white Sunday blouse.  Your old shawl will have to make do."

"It's lovely, Ma.  Thank you!"  Comfort laid the fabric out on the table after her ma wiped it clean.

"Go find my scissors and let's get started," her ma ordered.

Her ma sewed all afternoon while Comfort did the cooking.  Then after supper dishes were washed, Comfort did the sewing when the light was too dim for her ma's eyes.  Neither said a word to her brothers about Mr. Ivy.

Christmas Eve, her ma sent her brothers out to get greenery from the woods, then shooed Comfort into her room to change into her new skirt.  Her ma's eyes blurred with tears as she looked at her lovely daughter.  "Oh, Comfort.  I named you jest right because you warm my heart and always have.  You look right pretty."

When her brothers returned, they watched with gaping mouths as William drove away with their sister.

Comfort was so nervous until William put a warm hand over her cold ones wringing in her lap.

"Hey, everything will be alright.  You look as pretty as a pansy, by the way," William said looking warmly at her.

"Thank you, William.  I am nervous about being with your aunt and uncle and cousins, but I am glad I get to be with you."

Their greeting was cool, but William made her feel welcome.  Comfort had gone to school with his cousins, but those girls had never included her in their circle.  

"Hello, Miss Ivy," his uncle greeted her stiffly.

"How is your ma, Comfort?" his aunt asked her with a sniff.

"She is fine, thank you," she answered with a quaking in her voice, but settled once feeling Williams hand at her back.  "She sent this dried apple pie for you."

Elizabeth said with a sneer, "You can't imagine how surprised we were when William told us that he had asked you to join us today."

Patience pointedly said, "We saw how much you allowed William to dance with you at the Christmas dance.  You were quite the talk!"

William broke in to say, "Yes, I was pleased that she agreed to be my partner for most of the dances as well as to join us today."

An elderly lady sitting in a rocker by the fire wearing a black lace covering over her white hair, queried, "Who is here with William?  Come closer, dear."

Comfort complied and stood before the woman who looked her over with her rheumy eyes.  "I see that you are one of the lucky ones.  You don't look like a mulatto at all."

Comfort could hear the gasps behind her.  "We were acccepted as white on the census, ma'am,"

she replied in a wavering voice while blinking back her tears.

The old woman reached out to take her hand.  "Oh, don't be 'shamed, gal.  The Ivy's can't claim an unstained bloodline themselves."

Behind her, there were rebuffs and protests, but the old woman went on.  "I've lived through a few generations and have a sharp memory still.  Don't doubt me.  My kin may be the Brunsons and Peoples, but I grew up around the Ivy clan until they married my cousins.  So, I know 'bout mixed marriages and the hooligans as well as the saints.  

Now that Winslow Driggers was a bad un bringing terror with his gang of white and mixed-race men all along the North and South Carolina border along the Pee Dee River  He even escaped an arrest in Savannah, Georgia.  I remember his lighter skin, his long black hair and his six foot stature, a handsome man indeed.  His father had made the mistake of messing with a Winslow woman, of all things, and paid for it with twenty lashes, thus his name.  His own kin were part of the ex-Regulators who hung him."

"Yes, ma'am," Comfort sputtered.

"But I know you come from a different branch, Miss Ivy.  Way back when, a James Ivy, son of planters up Virginia way, married Mourning Driggers.  Their son was known as Joseph, the Mulatto.  But with every generation and intermarriage, many of y'all are whiter and whiter with just a braun one now and then."

There were grumbles behind her, but the family didn't know how to politely hush the woman."

The Ivy girls were harshly whispering, begging their father to stop what they considered ugly slurs.

Comfort just kept a forced smile on her face saying, "Yes, ma'am," while William kept his hand on her back for support.  Her legs were locked so that she felt she would never be able to move away from the awkward moment.

"What kind of pie did you say your ma sent, girl?" the old woman finally broke from her musings.  "I remember her making the finest apple pie around with the flakiest crust."

"Yes, ma'am.  That's what she sent today," Comfort finally was proud to answer.

"Y'all make sure that I get a piece, ye hear?"

"Yes, ma'am."  Finally, William led her away to a bench along a wall.  "Who is she?" Comfort asked.

"Nobody knows quite how we are related, or even if we are so, but Miss Long has been part of my uncle and aunt's holiday gatherings as long as anyone can remember.  My uncle says he remembers her always being here since he was a little boy."

When the pastor and wife arrived, the Ivy girls helped their ma bring out all the food from a separate room to the dining room.  Since the table could not seat as many, William and Ivy sat on the bench and held their plates in their laps.

"Delicious food," the minister said.  "Is this one of those feral hogs that terrorize the hills?"

"Yes, William went hunting with my son-in-law and one of them brought him down," Mr. Ivy said.

"Good shot, boys," the man responded.  "And may I complement you, Mrs. Ivy on your apple butter and yeast rolls.  It's not often we get to savor bread made from purely white flour," the man continued before going back to his meal.

"Did your shot bring down the hog?" Comfort asked William smiling.

"I don't want to brag, but my cousin's husband is so near-sighted he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn."

"It's hardly safe to walk the woods with so many running wild.  I hope their carcusses are on all the dinner tables all over the holler."

William laughed almost choking on his bite of ham.  "There might be a few turkeys mixed in, but they are a little harder to shoot."

"I believe my brothers shot a couple for our Christmas supper," she said before savoring the rolls. 

Comfort felt the cold shoulders now more than ever since Miss Long's recitations of their common relatives.  She kept her chin up, but asked William to see her home as soon as dessert had been served.  Fortunately, they refused her offer to help wash up.

It was so frigid outside, she could see her breath.  William tucked a blanket around her before climbing up and taking the reigns.

Comfort cleared her throat and bravely said, "I'll understand if you don't want to see me after today, William, now that you know why our kind doesn't mix well with your kind.  It's what I tried to tell you."

"Nonsense!  Ever since the basket of eggs cracked over the floor, I've been drawn to you.  Besides, I think Miss Long dispelled the myth that the Ivy's have a pristine bloodline."

She chuckled, "Yes, that was quite the meeting."

"Have I told you that I'm taking over the management of my uncle's store since his pain in his bones has begun to cripple him?  I am living above the store for now, but will eventually have my own house built.  You should know that before I came south, I was nearly engaged to an uppity girl who was not all that she appeared to be at first.  It caused a lot of discord in our families, so I came south.  I'm glad I did, or I wouldn't have met you.  You have not tried to hide anything about yourself, which I admire.  I want to court you, Comfort.  Should I ask your mother?"

"Yes, I would like that, William," she responded as a chill went down her back in a good way.  "You'll have to ignore my brothers though who might give you a hard time.  Maybe if you went hunting with them, it might help them accept you."

"Or give them a chance to shoot me," William said only half joking.

"If they so much as hurt a hair on your head, they wouldn't be able to escape my ma's wrath, or mine.  Believe you me, they won't," Comfort said laying her head on his shoulder.

William pulled the wagon under a low hanging branch over their heads.  

"Why are you stopping?" Comfort asked looking up at the mischievous gleam in his eyes.

He pointed up and winked.  "Mistletoe.  Mistletoe with a lot of berries for a lot of kisses!"

Comfort gasped then giggled.  "You can find mistletoe all over these hills!"

"Well then, we'd better start our kissing now until I strip all the berries off this bow before searching for the next low hanging branch."  And he did.  Comfort found that she was no longer cold because her heart was strangely and pleasantly warmed.

After giving as many kisses, probably more than were the berries hanging overhead, she laughed until gasping for breath while holding the reigns as he stood on the wagon seat to strip the mistletoe of all its berries.  

Finally, he sat taking the reigns again chuckling.  "Now keep your eyes peeled for more mistletoe, my darling Comfort."  They both laughed sending puffy clouds of air into the cold, still night under a bright heaven.

"Merry Christmas!" they chimed at the same time causing more gleeful laughter dispelling the cold.  In spite of everything, including disapproving kinfolk, it was good to be united in love.  It was just like her ma said, there was neither slave nor free, but one in Christ.  They sang Christmas carols all the way home joining in harmony.

This is a fictional story.  Though it includes common names of my ancestors, it is based

 purely on my imagination.  How important or determining those early census records were.

Though mostly free, many were considered black or mulattoes for generations.  At least one went to court to prove he was Portuguese because of his straight hair.  How easily they could have been kidnapped and sold back into slavery prior to the Civil War, such as the newspaper ad Johnson Driggers took out about his stolen children.  Several had fought in the 

Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 while others were outlaws like Winslow Driggers, 

who was hung as told above.  Sadly, some of the kinfolk babies were indentured at a few weeks old or at one or two years old because they were considered illegitimate or their mothers were indentured or were used to pay a debt.