"When we left the church, my father's old mistress invited me to go home with her. She clasped a gold chain round my baby's neck. I thanked her for this kindness; but I did not like the emblem. I wanted no chain to be fastened on my daughter, not even if its links were of gold. How earnestly I prayed that she might never feel the weight of slavery's chain, whose iron entereth into the soul!" (p.79 Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl)
Linda appreciates the fact that her father's mistress offered Linda's daughter a gold chain but she is also frustrated and mad. Linda doesn't want her daughter to be wearing these big chains because it will remind her of the idea of slavery. For Linda, seeing the chains worn by her daughter would definitely remind Linda of her child enslavement. I can completely understand her point here.
The only thing that I believe Linda did wrong here was that she should've simple accepted the gift and stayed polite. This was somewhat rude on her part and in plus this gift was most likely expensive and she could've made good use of it. Linda is just trying very hard to keep slavery out of her family.
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