Dick Owens In 'The Wife Of His Youth'

In the story, The Wife of His Youth, Grandison, a slave who is thought to be loyal, accompanies Dick Owens on a journey to the North. Dick is the son of the Colonel who owns many slaves. He only wants to go in hopes to gain the love of Charity Lomax by aiding a slave in escaping to the North. Dick thinks that Charity told him that if he brings a slave to the North, then he will be a hero and she will marry him. The only problem is the slave, Grandison, is well trusted by the Colonel and assures him he has no intention of escaping. Dick insists that he needs a body-servant, so the Colonel says there’s nothing wrong with Grandison because “He’s too fond of good eating, to risk losing his regular meals” (Chesnutt 4). Grandison convinces the Colonel that he is a loyal slave in the beginning of the story, by agreeing with the Colonel when he tells Grandison how well he is treated before he leaves on the journey with Dick. After saying this, the Colonel reminds Grandison of all the good things he has done for him, and why he has it good being a slave to him rather than being free.

The Colonel says “You may take Grandison, I allow he’s abolitionist-proof” (Chesnutt ). Grandison believed the Colonel when he told him how miserable Canada was and how the abolitionists would try as hard as they could to take him there if he did not stay near Dick. Every time Grandison would find himself alone, the abolitionists would talk to him and he would do his best job at ignoring anything they would tell him. The last thing on Grandison’s mind was escaping. He served Dick in the hotel room just like the Colonel ordered him to do before they left. When Dick realizes that Grandison is not going to go out and explore on his own, he takes matters into his own hands by sending Grandison on pointless errands around the town in order to help him come in contact with other