That child was not worth a farthing to him, because it was no longer his _chattel_; and while the law gives him power to rob the mother, it has no compulsion to make him support the child.
3.

The complaints are generally of the most trivial and frivolous nature.

They are mostly against mothers for neglect of duty, and vague charges of insolence.

There is no provision in the law to prevent the master from using abusive language to the apprentice; any insult short of a blow, he is free to commit; but the slightest word of incivility, a look, smile, or grin, is punished in the apprentice, even though it were provoked.
4.

There is still much flogging by the overseers.