I had for some time been wondering if there was a way I might put this situation to my use; and one day when I was in the market, who should I see but Violet, the mulatto woman from the East River that I used to go with. She looked a lot older now, but I recognized her, and she knew me. She had a little girl with her, of maybe nine years old, that was her granddaughter. “Would she be my granddaughter too?” I asked her quietly. And she laughed and said, “Maybe.” This little girl’s name was Rose.

Well, it seemed that this Rose was wonderfully quick with the needle, and Violet was looking for someone to give her regular work. And when I told her I belonged to the governor now, she was wondering if I couldn’t do something for her.

“Wait a while,” I said, “and I’ll see.”

I started my work the next day. Using a framework of thin sticks, like wickerwork, I began to make a rough model of the governor’s body. Fortunately, having always been good with my hands, the task was easy enough. Taking one of his shirts, I was able to adjust this to make it perfect. Then I bought lengths of silk and of lining. This cost me a good deal of my savings, but I was confident of getting a return. After this, I borrowed an old dress of Her Ladyship’s, which I knew she never used. Then I loaded all these items onto a cart and took them up to Violet’s.

“Her Ladyship wishes to give a dress to a friend out on Long Island,” I told her. “This is the shape of her body, but we are not sure of her height, so the dress must be left long, and we can hem it later.” Then I showed her the dress I’d borrowed, to use as a model for the design, and told her that if Rose could do it she’d be well paid. “She can do it,” said Violet. So I told them I’d be back in two weeks.

And sure enough, when I returned, it was done. And I returned to His Lordship, and told him I had a dress which I thought would fit him better. When he saw the dress, he stared at the material and ran his hand over the silk, and said I had chosen very well. The fit was perfect. I hemmed it then and there myself, and His Lordship was delighted.

“It cost a bit, My Lord,” I told him, and named a figure that was less than any of the dressmakers in the town would have charged. He gave me the money on the spot. The next day, I paid Rose for her work—a small amount, but enough to please her. And then I waited.