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Contract for Hire
[THIS FORM TO BE USED WHERE THE COMPENSATION IS A CERTAIN PORTION OF THE CROP]
This Agreement between Evan Cook, of Hinds County, and Freedman, Dick Howard & Mary his wife witnesseth: That said Evan Cook hereby hires said Dick Howard & Mary as field hands, from this date until December 31st 1866; and for faithful services to be rendered in his said employment, by said Dick Howard & Mary during all that time, the said E. Cook hereby agrees to allow and pay them as follows: one fourth of all the crop produced on any place during the year 1866 also to furnish sufficient rations they to furnish their clothes and pay their Doctor bills. And the said Dick Howard & Mary his wife, in consideration thereof, hereby agrees to render to said E. Cook, for and during all of said term, due obedience and faithful service, and promptly to perform all such work and duty as said E Cook may reasonably require of them and to bestow due care and attention in all things, upon all property and interests committed to their charge and keeping, and will faithfully account, or pay for the same to be deducted out of their wages, or share of the crop, so far as the same will pay ; and will discharge, in all things, the duties of a faithful servant. And it is hereby understood, and mutually agreed, that for such time as siad Dick & Mary may be absent without leave, he shall forfeit his compensation at the rate of one dollar per day, each absence not to count less than one day ; and the said E. Cook may at any time discharge them for such absence.  Also, that for time lost by sickness, a deduction shall be made in the next succeeding settlement at the rate of one dollar per day, where they loses more than two days at any one time; and the said Dick & Mary shall also be charged with the actual cost of medical attendance, medicines, and other supplies furnished them during such period of sickness. It is agreed that this contract shall be complied with in accordance with the provisions of "An act to confer civil rights upon freedmen, and for other purposes," approved November 25th, 1865.
Given under our hands, in duplicate, this 8th day of January, A.D. 1866.
Evan Cook [[seal stamp]]
Dick he's x Mark Howard [[seal stamp]]
Witness:
J M Shay
John S. Cook
NOTE.-"All contracts for labor with freedmen, free negroes and mulattoes, for a longer period than one month, shall be in writing and in duplicate, attested and read to said freedman, free negro or mulatto, by a beat, city or county officer, or two disinterested white persons of the county in which the labor is to be performed, of which each party shall have one; and said contracts shall be taken and held as entire contracts; and if the laborer shall quit the service of the employer before the expiration of his term of service, without good cause, he shall forfeit his wages for that year, up to the time of quitting."
Printed and for sale at The Mississippi Standard office. Jackson-$2.50 per quire.