JASPER BATTLE AGE 80 GEORGIA, NO.40 SCUSE ME, MISSY, FOR NOT GITTIN UP, CAUSE I JUS CAN'T USE DIS OLD FOOT MUCH, BUT YOU JUS HAVE A SEAT HERE IN DE SHADE AND REST YOURSELF. LULA, SHE HAD TO WORK ALL DE TIME, AND SHE DON'T NEVER HAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME TALK. I'M POWERFUL GLAD SOMEBODY IS WILLIN TO STOP LONG ENOUGH TO PAY SOME HEED WHILST I TALKS ABOUT SOMETHING. DEM DAYS FORE DE WAR WAS GOOD OLD DAYS, SPECIALLY FOR DE COLORED FOLKS. I KNOW, CAUSE MY MAMMY DONE TOLD-ME sO. yOU SEE I WAS MIGHTY LITtLE jnD yOunG fHnNDE WAR WAS OVER, BUT I HEARD DE OLD FOLKS DO LOTS OF TALKIN BOUT DEM TIMES WHILST I WAS A GROWIN UP, AND DEN, TOO, I STAYED RIGHT DAR ON DAT SAME PLACE TIL I WAS BOUT GROWN. IT WAS MARSE HENRY JONES' PLANTATION WAY OFF DOWN IN TALIAFERRO COUNTY, NIGH CRAWFORDVILLE, GEORGIA. MAMMY BELONGED TO MARSE HENRY. SHE WAS HARRIET JONES. DA DDY WAS SIMON BATTLE AND HIS OWNER WAS MARSE BILLIE BATTLE. BE BATTLE'S PLANTATI ON WAS OFF DOWN DER NIGH DE JONES' PLACE. WHEN MY MAMMY AND DADDY GOT MARRIED MARSE HENRY WOULDN'T SELL MAMMY, AND MARSE BILLIE WOULDN'T SELL DADDY, SO DEY DIDN'T GIT TO SEE ONE ANOTHER BUT TWICE A WEEK -- DAT WAS ON WEDNESDAY AND SATUR DAY NIGHTS -- TIL ATTER DE WAR WAS DONE OVER. I CAN STILL REMEMBER DADDY COMING OVER TO MARSE HENRY'S PLANTATION TO SEE US. R TO MARSE HENRY'S PLANTATION TO SEE US. MARSE HENRY KEPT A LOT OF SLAVES TO WORK HIS BIG OLD PLANTATION WHAR HE GRO WED JUS EVERYTHING US NEEDED TO EAT AND WEAR EXCEPT SUGAR AND COFFEE AND DE BRASS TOES FOR OUR HOME MADE BROGAN SHOES. DERE ALLUS WAS A PLENTY TO EAT AND WE AR ON DAT PLACE. SLAVE QUARTERS WAS LOG CABINS BUILT IN LONG ROWS. OME8HAD .Hr N(\S N E MIDDLE, TWIXT TWO ROOMS, BUT MOST OF EM WAS JUS ONE ROOM CABINS WID A STICK AND MUD CHIMNEY AT DE END. DEM CHIMNETS WAS AWFUL BAD OUT CAT.HrNOON6 rR(. DI )'T HAVE NO GLASS WINDOWS. DEY JUS HAD PLAIN PLANK SHUTTERS FOR BLINDS AND DE DOORS WAS MADE DE SAME WAY, OUT OF ROUGH PLANKS. ALL DE BEDS WAS HOME MADE AND DE BEST OF EM WAS CORDED. DEY MADE HOLES IN DE SIDES AND FOOTS AND HEADPIECES, AND RUN HEAVY HOME MADE CORDS IN DEM HOLES. DEY WOVE EM CROSSWAYS IN AND OUT OF DEM8HOLES FROM ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER TIL D(Y8HAD nMRREAHAT2\(E nE LL E3Tr ;JU S WOVE CLOTH. SOME OF DE OTHERS CARDED DE BATS AND SPUN THREAD, BUT MAMMY, SHE J US WOVE ON SO REGULAR DAT SHE MADE ENOUGH CLOTH FOR ALL DEM SLAVES ON DE PLANTAT ON AND, IT'S A FACT, US DID HAVE PLENTY OF CLOTHES. ALL DE NIGGER BABIES WORE DR ESSES MADE JUS ALIKE FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. I WAS SURELY GLAD WHEN DEY ALLOWED ME T O GIT RID OF DEM DRESSES AND WEAR SHIRTS. I WAS ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD DEN, BUT DAT BOYS' SHIRT MADE ME FEEL POWERFUL MANNISH. SLAVE GALS WORE HOMESPUN COTTON D RESSES, AND DEY HAD PLENTY OF DEM DRESSES, SO DEY COULD KEEP NICE AND CLEAN ALL DE TIME. DEY KNITTED ALL DE SOCKS AND STOCKINGS FOR WINTER. DEM GALS WORE SHAwL S, AND DERE POKE BONNETS HAD RUFFLES ROUND EM. ALL DE SHOES WAS HOME MADE TOO. MARSTER KEPT ONE MAN ON DE PLANTATION WHAT DIDN'T DO NOTHIN BUT MAKE SHOES.-LOR DY, MISSY] WHAT WOULD GALS SAY NOW IF DEY HAD TO WEAR DEM KIND OF CLOTHES? DEY WOULD RAISE DE ROOF PLUMB OFFEN DE HOUSE. BUT JUS LET ME TELL YOU, A-PuRTY YOUNG GAL IN DEM SORT OF CLOTHES WOULD LOOK MIGHTY SWEET TO ME RIGHT NOW. US NEVER COULD EAT ALL DE MEAT IN MARSTER'S BIG OLD SMOKEHOUSE. sOMETrmES&H E TOOK HAMS TO DE STORE AND TRADED EM FOR SUGAR AND COFFEE. PLENTY OF TOBACCO WA S RAISED ON DAT PLANTATION FOR ALL DE WHITE FOLKS AND DE GROWED UP NIGGERS. SLAVE CHILLUN WARN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE NONE, SO US HAD TO SWIPE WHAT TOBACCO US G OT. IF OUR MAMMIES FOUND OUT ABOUT US GITTIN TOBACCO, DEY STROPPED US TIL DE SKIN WAS MOST OFF OUR BACKS, BUT SOMETIMES US GOT AWAY WID A LITTLE. IF US SEED ANY OF DE OLD FOLKS WAS WATCHIN US, US SLIPPED DE TOBACCO FROM ONE TO ANOTHER OF US WHILST DEY SEARCHED US, AND IT WENT MIGHTY BAD-ON US IF DEY oOuND IT. SLAVES WENT TO DE WHITE FOLKS' CHURCH AND LISTENED TO DE WHITE-PREACHnS. DERE WARN'T NO COLORED PREACHER ALLOWED TO PREACH IN DEM CHURCHES DEN. DEY PREACHED TO DE WHITE FOLKS FIRST AND DEN DEY LET DE COLORED FOLKS COME INSIDE AN D HEAR SOME PREACHIN ATTER DEY WAS THROUGH WID DE WHITE FOLKS. BUT ON DE BIG REVIVAL MEETINS DAYS DEY ALLOWED DE NIGGERS TO COME IN AND SET IN DE GALLERY AND LISTEN AT DE SAME TIME DEY PREACHED TO DE WHITE FOLKS. WHEN DE SERMON WAS OVER DEY HAD A BIG DINNER SPREAD OUT ON DE GROUNDS AND DEY HAD JUS EVERYTHING GOOD T O EAT LIKE CHICKENS, BARBECUED HOGS AND LAMBS, PIES, AND LOTS OF WATERMELONS. US KEPT DE WATERMELONS IN DE CRICK TILL DEY WAS READY TO CUT EM. A WHITE GENTLEMAN , WHAT DEY CALLED MISTER KILPATRICK, DONE MOST OF DE PREACHING. HE WAS FROM DE WHITE PLAINS NEIGHBORHOOD. HE SURE DID TRY MIGHTY HARD TO7GIT EVEY OHITE6FO KS jND D r R SLAVES. ON EVERY PLANTATION DERE WAS A PIECE OF GROUND FENCED IN FOR A GRAVEYAR D WHERE DEY BURIED WHITE FOLKS AND SLAVES TOO. MY OLD DADDY IS BURIED DOWN YONDE R ON MARSE HENRY'S PLANTATION RIGHT NOW. WHEN A SLAVE WANTED TO GIT MARRIED UP WID A7GA$,8HE Im)'T sK EGAL, BUT HE WENT AND TOLD MARSTER ABOUT IT. MARSTER WOULD TALK TO DE GAL AND IF SHE WAS WILLIN, DEN MARSTER WOULD TELL ALL DE OTHER NIGGERS US WAS A GOIN TO HAVE A WED DIN. DEY WOULD ALL COME UP TP DE BIG HOUSE AND MARSTER WOULD TELL DE COUPLE TO J OIN HANDS AND JUMP BACKWARDS OVER A BROOMSTICK, AND DEN DE PRONOUNCED EM MAN AND WIFE. DEY DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE NO LICENSES ON NOTHIN LIKE DEY DOES NOW. IF A MAN MARRIED UP WID SOMEBODY ON ANOTHER PLACE HE HAD TO GIT A PASS FROM HIS MARSTER, SO AS HE COULD GO TO SEE HIS WIFE EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. WHEN THE PATTEROLLERS CAUGHT SLAVES OUT WITHOUT PASSES, THEY ALWAYS BEAT EM UP. LEASTWAYS DAT IS WHAT MAMMY TOLD ME. DURIN DE BIG WAR ALL DE WHITE FOLKS WAS OFF A FIGHTIN EXCEPT DEM WHAT WAS T OO OLD TO FIGHT OR WHAT WAS TOO BAD CRIPPLED AND AFFLICTED. DEY STAYED HOME AND LOOKED AFTER DE WOMANS AND CHILLUN. SOMEBODY SENT MISTRESS WORD DAT DEM YANKEES WAS ON DE WAY TO OUR PLANTATION AND SHE HID EVnRYcHrnG2bHE&lOulD,&DnNHAD DE HO GS AND HOSSES DRIVEN OFF TO DE SWAMPS AND HID. MAMMY WAS CRAZY ABOUT A PET PIG W HAT MARSTER HAD DONE GIVE HER, SO MISTRESS TOLD HER TO GO ON DOWN TO DAT SWAMP QUICK, AND HIDE DAT LITTLE PIG. JUS AS SHE WAS A RUNNIN BACK IN DE YARD, DEM YAN KEES RID IN AND SHE SEED EM A LAUGHIN FIT TO KILL. SHE LOOKED ROUND TO SEE WHAT DEY WAS TICKLED ABOUT AND DERE FOLLOWING HER LIKE A BABY WAS DAT PIG. DEM YANKE ES WAS POLITE LIKE, AND DEY NEVER BOTHERED NOTHIN ON OUR PLACE, BUT DEY JUS PLUM B RUINED EVERYTHING ON SOME OF DE PLANTATIONS RIGHT CLOSE TO OURS. DEY TOOK NIGH EVERYTHING SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAD TO EAT, MOST ALL DEIR GOOD HOSSES, AND ANYTHING ELSE DEY WANTED. US NEVER DID KNOW WHY DEY NEVER BOTHERED OUR WHITE F OLKS THINGS. WHEN DEY GIVE US OUR FREEDOM US WENT RIGHT ON OVER TO MARSE BILLIE BATTLE'S PLACE AND STAYED DER WID DADDY ABOUT A YEAR, DEN DADDY COME WID US BACK TO MARSE HENRY'S, AND DER US STAYED TILL OLD MARSTER DIED. LONG AS HE LIVED AFT ER DE WAR, HE WORKED MOST OF HIS HELP ON SHARES, AND SEED DAT US WAS TOOK CARE O F JUS LIKE HE HAD WHEN US ALL BELONGED TO HIM. US NEVER WENT TO SCHOOL MUCH CAUS E MAMMY SAID WHITE FOLKS DIDN'T LIKE FOR NIGGERS TO HAVE NO LEARNING, BUT AFTER DE WAR WAS DONE OVER OUR OLD MISTRESS LET COLORED CHILLUN8HAVE2 OMELESSONS IN A LITTLE CABIN WHAT WAS BUILT IN DE BACK YARD FOR DE WHITE CHILLUN TO GO TO SCHOOL IN. AFTER DEY BURIED OUR OLD MARSTER, US MOVED DOWN TO8HAN O K O N,Y ND FARMED DER, CAUSE DAT WAS ALL US KNOWED HOW TO DO. US GOT TOGETHER AND RAISED MO NEY TO BUY SOME GROUND ENOUGH FOR A CHURHCYARD AND A GRAVEYARD FOR COLORED FOLKS . DAT GRAVEYARD FILLED UP SO FAST DAT DEY HAD TO BUY MORE LAND SEVERAL TIMES. U S HELPED EM BUILD DE FIRST COLORED CHURCH IN HANCOCK COUNTY. SCHOOL FOR COLORED CHILLUN WAS HELD DEN IN OUR CHURCH HOUSE. OUR TEACHER WA S A WHITE MAN, MISTER TOM ANDREWS, AND HE WAS A MIGHTY GOOD TEACHER, BUT LORDY, HOW STRICT HE WAS. DESE HERE CHILLUN DON'T KNOW NOTHIN ABOUT SCHOOL. US WENT EAR LY IN DE MORNING, TOOK OUR DINNER IN A BUCKET, AND NEVER LEFT TILL FOUR O'CLOCK, AND SOMETIMES DAT WAS MOST NIGH SUNDOWN. ALL DAY US STUDIED DAT BLUE BACK SPELL ER, AND DAT WHITE TEACHER OF OURS SURE TOOK DE SKIN OFF OUR BACKS IF US DIDN'T MIND HIM. DERE WARN'T NO FUSSIN AND FIGHTIN AND FOOLIN ROUND ON DE WAY HOME, CAUSE DAT WHITE TEACHER ALLOWED HE HAD CONTROL OF US TILL US GOT TO OUR MAMMIES' DOORS AND IF US DIDN'T GIT FOR HOME IN A HURRY, IT WAS JUS OO BAD6oOR US WHE N HE TOOK IT OUT ON US NEXT DAY WID DAT LONG HICKORY SWITCH. THINGS IS SURE DIFFERENT NOW. FOLKS AIN'T GOOD NOW AS DEY WAS DE), BUT R E IS GOING TO BE A CHANGE. I MAY NOT BE HERE TO SEE IT, BUT IT IS A COMIN CAUSE DE GOOD LORD IS DONE PROPHESIED IT, AND IT'S GOT TO BE. GOD'S SAYING IS COMIN TO PASS JUS AS SURE AS US IS LIVIN AND SETTIN IN DE SHADE OF DIS HERE TREE. LORDY, MISS] HOW COME YOU ASKS ABOUT COLORED FOLKS WEDDINGS. I WAS COuRTrN A LITTLE FOURTEEN YEAR OLD GAL NAMED LOVIE WILLIAMS, BUT HER MAMMY RUNNED-ME OFF AND SAID SHE WARN'T GOING TO LET LOVIE GIT MARRIED UP WID NOBODY TILL SHE GO T BIG ENOUGH. I JUS BOUGHT DEM LICENSES AND WATCHED FOR MY CHANCE AND DEN I STOLE DAT GAL RIGHT FROM UNDER HER MAMMY'S EYES. MY MAMMY KNOWED ALL ABOUT IT AND HELPED US GIT AWAY. US DIDN'T HAVE NO TIME FOR NO WEDDIN. DE BEST US COULD D O WAS JUS TO GIT OURSELVES MARRIED UP. LOVIE'S MAMMY RAISED DE OLD NED, BUT US D IDN'T CARE DEN, CAUSE IT WAS TOO LATE FOR HER TO DO NOTHIN TO PART US. LOVIE WAS ONE OF THE BESTEST GALS WHAT EVER LIVED. US RAISED TWELVE CHILLUN AND I NEVER H AD ONE SPECK OF TROUBLE WID HER. LOVIE'S DONE BEEN DEAD FIFTEEN YEARS NOW. YES MISSY, ALL OUR CHILLUN IS DONE DEAD NOW EXCEPT FOUR AND DEY IS AWAY OFF UP NORTH. AIN'T NOBODY LEFT HERE EXCEPT ME AND LULA. LULA IS POWERFUL GOOD TO ME. I DONE GOT TOO OLD TO WORK, AND CAN'T DO NOTHIN NO HOW WID DIS OLD FOOT SO BAD OFF. I AM READY AND EVEN ANXIOUS TO GO WHEN DE GOOD LORD CALLS FOR OLD JASPER TO COME UP TO DE HEAVENLY HOME. I AIN'T HEARD NOTHIN FROM MY ONLY BROTHER IN OVER SEVEN YEARS. I SUPPOSE HE STILL LIVES IN CRAWFORDVILLE. MISSY, I WISHES I COULD pO2BA K OwN O lR foORDV ILLE ONE MORE TIME. I CAN JUS SEE OUR OLD HOMEPLACE ON DE PLANTATION DOWN DERE N OW. LULA WASHING HERE MAKES ME STUDY ABOUT DE OLD WASHPLACE ON MARSE HENRY'S PLA NTATION. DERE WAS A LONG BENCH FULL OF OLD WOOD TUBS, AND A GREAT BIG IRON POT FOR BOILING DE CLOTHES, AND DE BATTEN BLOCK AND STICK. CHILLUN BEAT DE CLOTHES W ID DE BATTEN STICK AND KEPT UP DE FIRE ROUND DE POT WHILST DE WOMANS LEANED OVER DE TUBS WASHING AND SINGING DEM OLD SONGS. YOU COULD HEAR EM MOST A MILE AWAY. NOW AND DEN ONE OF DE WOMANS WOULD STOP SINGING LONG ENOUGH TO YELL AT DE CHILLUN TO GIT MORE WOOD ON DAT FIRE BEFORE I LASH DE SKIN OFFEN YOUR BAlK. OH MISSY, DEM WAS GOOD OLD DAYS. US WOULD BE LUCKY TO HAVE EN BACK GAr), ESPECIALLY WHEN HARVEST TIME COMES ROUND. YOU COULD HEAR NIGGERS SINGING IN DE FIELDS CAUSE DEY DIDN'T HAVE NO WORRIES LIKE DEY DO NOW. WHEN US GOT DE CORN UP FROM DE FIELDS, NIGGERS COME FROM FAR AND NIGH TO MARSTE'S N2\H . DAT CORN SHUCKIN WORK WAS EASY WID EVERYBODY SINGIN AND HAVIN A GOOD TIME TOGETH ER WHILST DEY MADE DEM SHUCKS FLY. DE CORN SHUCKIN CAPTAIN LED ALL DE SINGIN AND HE SET RIGHT UP ON TOP OF DE HIGHEST PILE OF CORN. DE CHILLUN WAS KEPT BUSY PASSIN DE LIQUOR JUG ROUND. AFTER IT STARTED GITTIN DAR], MARSTER8HAD2BG BONFIRES BUILT UP AND PLENTY OF TORCHES SET ROUND SO AS DERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF LIGHT. AFTER THEY ATE ALL THEY WANTED OF THEM GOOD THINGS WHAT HAD BEEN COOKE D UP FOR DE BIG SUPPER, DEN DE WRASLIN MATCHES STARTED AND MARSTER ALLUS GIVE PRIZES TO DE BEST WRASTLERS. DERE WARN'T NO FUSSIN AND FIGHTIN ALLOWED ON OUR PL ACE, AND DEM WRASTLIN MATCHES WAS ALL IN GOOD HUMOR AND WAS KEPT ORDERLY. MARSTER WANTED EVERYBODY TO BE FRIENDS ON OUR PLANTATATION AND TO STAY DAT WAY, FOR HE SAYS:"DE BLESSED SAVIOUR DONE SAID FOR US TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES AND TO GIVE AND WHAT US GIVES IS GOING TO COME BACK TO US." MISSY, GOOD LORD'S WORD IS ALWAYS RIGHT. BROTHER PAUL, I WISHT YOU HAD COME SOONER CAUSE MISSY, HERE, AND ME IS DONE HAD DE BEST TIME GOIN BACK OVER DEM-OLD TrM S fHnNFoO KSLOVED ONE ANOTHER D AN DEY DOES NOW. GOOD BYE MISSY, YOU DONE BEEN MIGHTY KIND AND PATIENT WID OLD JASPER. COME BACK AGAIN SOME TIME. SCUSE ME, MISSY, FOR NOT GITTIN UP, CAUSE I JUS CAN'T USE DIS OLD FOOT MUCH, BUT YOU JUS HAVE A SEAT HERE IN DE SHADE AND REST YOURSELF. LUL , \HE HAD TO WORK ALL DE TIME, AND \HE O)'T NEVER8HAVE IME O LISTEN TO ME TALK. I'M POWERFUL GLAD SOMEBODY IS WILLIN TO STOP LONG ENOUGH TO PAY SOME HEED WHILST I TALKS ABOUT SOMETHING. DEM DAYS FORE DE WAR WAS GOOD OLD DAYS, SPECIALLY FOR DE COLORED FOLKS. I KNOW, CAUSE MY MAMMY DONE TOLD ME SO. YOU SEE I WAS MIGHTY LITTLE AND YOUNG WHEN DE WAR WAS6OVE, BUT I HEARD DE OLD FOLKS DO LOTS OF TALKIN BOUT DEM TIMES WHILST I WAS A GROWIN UP, AND DEN. TOO, I STAYED RIGHT DAR ON DAT SAME PLACE TIL I WAS BOUT GROWN. IT WAS MARSE8HENRY JONES' PLANTATION WAY OFF DOWN IN TALI F O O N,Y,5 !H CRAWFORDVILLE, GEORGIA. MAMMY BELONGED TO MARSE HENRY. SHE WAS HARRIET JONES. DA DDY WAS SIMON BATTLE AND HIS OWNER WAS MARSE BILLIE BATTLE. BE BATTLE'S PLANTATI ON WAS OFF DOWN DER NIGH DE JONES' PLACE. WHEN MY MAMMY AND DADDY GOT MARRIED MARSE HENRY WOULDN'T SELL MAMMY, AND MARSE BILLIE WOULDN'T SELL DADDY, SO DEY DIDN'T GIT TO SEE ONE ANOTHER BUT TWICE A WEEK -- DAT WAS ON WEDNESDAY AND SATUR DAY NIGHTS -- TIL ATTER DE WAR WAS DONE OVER. I CAN STILL REMEMBER DADDY COMING OVER TO MARSE HENRY'S PLANTATION TO SEE US. R TO MARSE HENRY'S PLANTATION TO SEE US. -MjSE HENRY KEPT A LOT OF LAVES O6wOK8HS2BGOLD PLANTATION WHAR HE GRO WED JUS EVERYTHING US NEEDED TO EAT AND WEAR EXCEPT SUGAR AND COFFEE AND DE BRASS TOES FOR OUR HOME MADE BROGAN SHOES. DERE ALLUS WAS A PLENTY TO EAT AND WE AR ON DAT PLACE. SLAVE QUARTERS WAS LOG CABINS BUILT IN LONG ROWS. SOME HAD CHIMNEYS IN DE MIDDLE, TWIXT TWO ROOMS, BUT MOST OF EM WAS JUS ONE ROOM CABINS WID A STICK AND MUD CHIMNEY AT DE END. DEM CHIMNETS WAS AWFUL BAD BOUT CATCHIN ON FIRE. DImN'T HAVE NO GLASS WINDOWS. DEY JUS HAD PLAIN PLANK SHUTTERS FOR BLINDS AND DE DOORS WAS MADE DE SAME WAY, OUT OF ROUGH PLANKS. ALL DE BEDS WAS HOME MADE AND DE BEST OF EM WAS CORDED. DEY MADE HOLES IN DE SIDES AND FOOTS AND HEADPIECES, AND RUN HEAVY HOME MADE CORDS IN DEM HOLES. DEY WOVE EM CROSSWAYS IN AND OUT OF DEM HOLES FROM ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER TIL DEY HAD EM READY TO LAY DE MATTRESS -MAT ON. I'VE HELPED TO PULL DEM CORDS TIGHT MANY A TIME. OUR MATTRESS TICKS WAS MAD E OF HOMESPUN CLOTH AND WAS STUFFED WID WHEAT STRAW. FORE DE MATTRESS TICK WAS PUT ON DE BED A STIFF MAT WOVE OUT OF WHITE OAK SPLITS WAS LAID ON TOP OF DE COR DS TO PERTECT DE MATTRESS AND MAKE IT LAY SMOOTH. US WAS ALLOWED TO PICK UP ALL DE OLD DIRTY COTTON ROUND DE PLACE TO MAKE OUR PILLOWS OUT OF. JUS A FEW OF DE SLAVE FAMLIES WAS ALLOWED TO DO DEIR OWN COOKIN CAUSE MARSTER KEPT COOKS UP AT DE BIG HOUSE WHAT NEVER HAD NOTHIN ELSE TO DO BUT COOK FOR DE WHITE FOLKS AND SLAVES. DE BIG OLD FIREPLACE IN DAT KITCHEN AT DE BIG HOUSE WAS MORE DEN EIGHT FEET WIDE AND YOU COULD PILE WHOLE STICKS OF CORDWOOD O N IT. IT HAD RACKS ACROSS IT TO HANG DE POTS ON AND BIG OVENS AND LITTLE OVENS AND BIG, THICK, IRON FRYIN PANS WID LONG HANDLES AND HEFTY IRON LIDS. DEY COULD OOK6R A8HUNDRED7PE PLE AT6ONE IME9IN D Y G6OLD IT.(EN5E \Y. TONE TIME DERE WAS TABLES ACROSS ONE END OF DE KITCHEN FOR DE SLAVES TO EAT AT, AND DE SLAVE CHILLUN ET DAR TOO. MARSTER WAS MIGHTY GOOD TO SLAVE CHILLUN. HE NEVER SENT US6OUT O6RK9IN D E FIELDS TIL US WAS MOST GROWED UP, SAY TWELVE OR FOURTEEN YEARS OLD. A NIGGER T WELVE OR FOURTEEN YEARS OLD DEM DAYS WAS BIG AS A WHITE CHILD SEVENTEEN OR EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD. WHY MISS, NIGGERS GROWED SO FAST, DAT MOST OF DE NIGGER NURS ES WEREN'T NO OLDER DEN DE WHITE CHILLUN DEY TOOK CARE OF. MARSTER SAID HE WASN' T GWINE TO SEND NO BABIES TO DE FIELDS. WHEN SLAVE CHILLUN GOT TO BE ABOUT NINE R TEN8YEARS OLD DEY STARTED EM TO FET.HIN IN6WOOD AND6WAT , CLEA G EYAR DS , AND DRIVIN UP DE COWS AT NIGHT. DE BIGGEST BOYS WAS ALLOWED TO MEASURE OUT AND FIX DE STOCK FEED, BUT DE MOST OF US CHILLUN JUS PLAYED IN DE CRICKS AND WOODS ALL DE TIME. SOMETIMES US PLAYED INJUNS AND MADE SO MUCH FUSS DAT6OLD AUNT NANC Y WOULD COME OUT TO DE WOODS TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG, AND DEN WHEN SHE FOUND US WA S JUS HAVIN FUN, SHE STROPPED US GOOD FER SCARIN HER. MAM*_'S OB6WAS O MAKE ALL E C O,H. DATWAS WHAT SHE DONE ALL DE TIME; JU S WOVE CLOTH. SOME OF DE OTHERS CARDED DE BATS AND SPUN THREAD, BUT MAMMY, SHE J US WOVE ON SO REGULAR DAT SHE MADE ENOUGH CLOTH FOR ALL DEM SLAVES ON DE PLANTAT ON AND, IT'S A FACT, US DID HAVE PLENTY OF CLOTHES. ALL DE NIGGER BABIES WORE DR ESSES MADE JUS ALIKE FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. I WAS SURELY GLAD WHEN DEY ALLOWED ME T O GIT RID OF DEM DRESSES AND WEAR SHIRTS. I WAS ABOUT FIVE YEARS OLD DEN, BUT DAT BOYS' SHIRT MADE ME FEEL POWERFUL MANNISH. SLAVE GALS WORE HOMESPUN COTTON D RESSES, AND DEY HAD PLENTY OF DEM DRESSES, SO DEY COULD KEEP NICE AND CLEAN ALL DE TIME. DEY KNITTED ALL DE SOCKS AND STOCKINGS FOR WINTER. DEM GALS WORE SHAWL S, AND DERE POKE BONNETS HAD RUFFLES ROUND EM. ALL DE SHOES WAS HOME MADE TOO. MRST R K PT ONE MAN6ON DE7PLANTATION >HAT DID)'T O5 O, N2BUT M ESHOES. LOR DY, MISSY] WHAT WOULD GALS SAY NOW IF DEY HAD TO WEAR DEM KIND OF CLOTHES? DEY WOULD RAISE DE ROOF PLUMB OFFEN DE HOUSE. BUT JUS LET ME TELL8>O%, A7P R,Y YOUNG GAL IN DEM SORT OF CLOTHES WOULD LOOK MIGHTY SWEET TO ME RIGHT NOW. US NEVER COULD EAT ALL DE MEAT IN MARSTER'S BIG OLD SMOKEHOUS(. OMETIMES8H E TOOK HAMS TO DE STORE AND TRADED EM FOR SUGAR AND COFFEE. PLENTY OF TOBACCO WA S RAISED ON DAT PLANTATION FOR ALL DE WHITE FOLKS AND DE GROWED UP NIGGERS. SLAVE CHILLUN WARN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE NONE, SO US HAD TO SWIPE WHAT TOBACCO US G OT. IF OUR MAMMIES FOUND OUT ABOUT US GITTIN TOBACCO, DEY STROPPED US TIL DE SKIN WAS MOST OFF OUR BACKS, BUT SOMETIMES US GOT AWAY WID A LITTLE. IF US SEED ANY OF DE OLD FOLKS WAS WATCHIN US, US SLIPPED DE TOBACCO FROM ONE TO ANOTHER OF US WHILST DEY SEARCHED US, AND IT WENT MIGHTY BAD ON US IF DEY FOUND IT. SLAVES6WENT O DE6> ITEFOLKS' CHURCH AND LISTENED TO DE WHITE PREACHERS. D RE6WR)'T NO COLORED PREACHER ALLOWED TO7PREA.H IN DEM .HUR.HES DE). (Y PREACHED TO DE WHITE FOLKS FIRST AND DEN DEY LET DE COLORED FOLKS COME INSIDE AN D HEAR SOME PREACHIN ATTER DEY WAS THROUGH WID DE WHITE FOLKS. BUT ON DE BIG REVIVAL MEETINS DAYS DEY ALLOWED DE NIGGERS TO COME IN AND SET IN DE GALLERY AND LISTEN AT DE SAME TIME DEY PREACHED TO DE WHITE6FOLK\.6>HEN E2 R NWAS OVER DEY HAD A BIG DINNER SPREAD OUT ON DE GROUNDS AND DEY HAD JUS EVEY, I GGOOD T O EAT LIKE CHICKENS, BARBECUED HOGS AND LAMBS, PIES, AND LOTS OF WATERMELONS. US KEPT DE WATERMELONS IN DE CRICK TILL DEY WAS READY TO CUT EM. A WHITE GENTLEMAN , WHAT DEY CALLED MISTER KILPATRICK, DONE MOST OF DE PREACHING. HE WAS FROM DE WHITE PLAINS NEIGHBORHOOD. HE SURE DID tY-M!H,YHARD TO GIT EVERYBODY TO OBEY DE GOOD LORD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. MSTER KI PATRICK PREACHED ALL DE6FuNnRj S O;.9T P E SLIKE A HEAP MORE FOLKS IS A DYING OUT DESE DAYS DEN DIED DEN, AND FOLKS WAS A HEAP BETTER DEN O FOLKS IN TROUBLE. DEY WOULD GO MILES AND MILES DEN WHEN DEY DIDN'T8H VEN O A O MOBILES, TO HELP FOLKS WHAT WAS IN TROUBLE. NOW, DEY WON'T GO NEXT DOOR WHEN DER E'S DEATH IN DE HOUSE. DEN, WHEN ANYBODY DIED DE FIRST THING DEY DONE WAS TO SHR OUD EN AND LAY EM OUT ON DE COOLIN BOARD TILL OLD MARSTER'S CARPENTER COULD GIT DE COFFIN MADE UP. DERE WARN'T NO EMBALMERS DEM DAYS AND US HAD TO BURY DE FOLKS DE NEXT DAY ATTER DEY DIED. DE COFFINS WAS JUS DE SAME FOR WHITE6oO KS jND ErR SLAVES. ON EVERY PLANTATION DERE WAS A PIECE OF GROUND FENCED IN FOR A pRAV(YjR D WHERE DEY BURIED WHITE FOLKS AND SLAVES TOO. MY OLD DADDY IS BURIED DOWN YONDE R ON MARSE HENRY'S PLANTATION RIGHT NOW. WHEN A SLAVE WANTED TO GIT MARRIED UP WID A GAL, HE DIDN'T ASK DE7GA$,2BUT HE WENT AND TOLD MARSTER ABOUT IT. MARSTER WOULD TALK TO DE GAL AND F2\HE6W S WILLIN, DEN MARSTER WOULD TELL ALL DE OTHER NIGGERS US WAS A GOIN TO HAVE A WED DIN. DEY WOULD ALL COME UP TP DE BIG HOUSE AND MARSTER WOULD TELL DE COUPLE TO J OIN HANDS AND JUMP BACKWARDS OVER A BROOMSTICK, AND DEN DE PRONOUNCED EM MAN AND WIFE. DEY DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE NO LICENSES ON NOTHIN LIKE DEY DOES NOW. IF A MAN MARRIED UP WID SOMEBODY ON ANOTHER PLACE HE HAD TO7GIT A7PASS6OM8 IS MARSTER, SO AS HE COULD GO TO SEE HIS WIFE EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS. WHEN THE PATTEROLLERS CAUGHT SLAVES OUT WITHOUT PASSES, THEY ALWAYS BEAT 5EM ^. EAS W YS DATIS WHAT MAMMY TOLD ME. DURIN DE BIG WAR ALL DE WHITE FOLKS WAS OFF A FIGHTIN EXCEPT DEM >HAT6WAS T OO OLD TO FIGHT OR WHAT WAS TOO BAD CRIPPLED AND AFFLICTED. DET STAYED HOME AND LOOKED AFTER DE WOMANS AND CHILLUN. SOMEBODY SENT MISTRESS WORD DAT DEM YANKEES WAS ON DE WAY TO OUR PLANTATION AND SHE HID EVERYTHING \HE COUL<, DEN8HAD DE8+O GS AND HOSSES DRIVEN OFF TO DE SWAMPS AND HID. MAMMY WAS CRAZY ABOUT A PET PIG W HAT MARSTER HAD DONE GIVE HER, SO MISTRESS TOLD HER TO GO ON DOWN TO DAT SWAMP QUICK, AND HIDE DAT LITTLE PIG. JUS AS SHE WAS A RUNNIN BACK IN DE YARD, DEM YAN KEES RID IN AND SHE SEED EM A LAUGHIN FIT TO KILL. SHE LOOKED ROUND TO SEE WHAT DEY WAS TICKLED ABOUT AND DERE FOLLOWING HER LIKE A BABY WAS DAT7P!. DEM8YANKE ES WAS POLITE LIKE, AND DEY NEVER BOTHERED NOTHIN ON OUR PLACE, BUT DEY JUS PLUM B RUINED EVERYTHING ON SOME OF DE PLANTATIONS RIGHT CLOSE TO OURS. DEY TOOK NIGH EVERYTHING SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAD TO EAT, MOST ALL DEIR GOOD HOSSES, AND A)Y, I G ELSE D(Y WANTED. US NEVER DID K OW6>HY D(Y NEV R O,H EDOUR WH ITE F OLKS THINGS. WHEN DEY GIVE US OUR FREEDOM US WENT RIGHT ON OVER TO MARSE BILLIE BATTLE'S PLACE AND STAYED DER WID DADDY ABOUT A YEAR, DEN DADDY COME WID US BACK O MRSEHENRY'S, AND DER US STAYED TILL OLD MARSTER DIED. LONG AS HE LIVED AFT ER DE WAR, HE WORKED MOST OF HIS HELP ON SHARES, AND SEED DAT US WAS TOOK CARE O F JUS LIKE HE HAD WHEN US ALL BELONGED TO HIM. US NEVER WENT TO SCHOOL MUCH CAUS E MAMMY SAID WHITE FOLKS DIDN'T LIKE FOR NIGGERS TO HAVE NO LEARNING, BUT ATTER DE WAR WAS DONE OVER OUR OLD MISTRESS LET COLORED .HILLUN8HAVE OME LES ONS IN A LITTLE CABIN WHAT WAS BUILT IN DE BACK YARD FOR DE WHITE CHILLUN TO GO TO SCHOOL IN. FT R D(Y B RIED6O R6OLD MRST , US VED O N3 OHANCOCK COUNTY AND FARMED DER, CAUSE DAT WAS ALL US KNOWED HOW TO DO. US GOT TOGETHER AND RAISED MO NEY TO BUY SOME GROUND ENOUGH FOR A CHURHCYARD AND A GRAVEYARD FOR COLORED FOLKS . DAT GRAVEYARD FILLED UP SO FAST DAT DEY HAD TO BUY MORE LAND SEVERAL TIMES. U S HELPED EM BUILD DE FIRST COLORED CHURCH IN HANCOCK COUNTY. SCHOOL FOR COLORED CHILLUN WAS HELD DEN IN OUR CHURCH HOUSE. OUR TEA.HER6WA S A WHITE MAN, MISTER TOM ANDREWS, AND HE WAS A MIGHTY GOOD TEACHER, BUT LORDY, HOW STRICT HE WAS. DESE HERE CHILLUN DON'T KNOW NOTHIN ABOUT SCHOOL. US WENT EAR LY IN DE MORNING, TOOK OUR DINNER IN A BUCKET, AND NEVER LEFT TILL FOUR O'CLOCK, AND SOMETIMES DAT WAS MOST NIGH SUNDOWN. ALL D Y US STU IED DAT2BL E2BA K2 LL ER, AND DAT WHITE TEACHER OF OURS SURE TOOK DE SKIN OFF OUR BACKS IF US DIDN'T NDHIM. DERE WARN'T NO FUSSIN AND FIGHTIN AND FOOLIN ROUND ON DE WAY HOME , CAUSE DAT WHITE TEACHER ALLOWED HE HAD CONTROL OF US TILL US GOT TO OUR MAMMIES' RS AND IF US DIDN'T GIT FOR HOME IN A8HURY, IT WAS JUS OO BADFOR US WHE N HE TOOK IT OUT ON US NEXT DAY WID DAT LONG HICKORY SWITCH. THINGS IS SURE DIFFERENT NOW. FOLKS AIN'T GOOD NOW AS DEY WAS Dn),2BUT DnR E IS GOING TO BE A CHANGE. I MAY NOT BE HERE TO SEE IT, BUT IT IS A COMIN CAUSE DE GOOD LORD IS DONE PROPHESIED IT, AND IT'S GOT TO BE. GOD'S SAYING IS COMIN TO PASS JUS AS SURE AS US IS LIVIN AND SETTIN IN DE SHADE OF DIS HERE TREE. LORDY, MISS] HOW COME YOU ASKS ABOUT COLORED FOLKS WEDDINGS. I WAS COURTrN A LITTLE FOURTEEN YEAR OLD GAL NAMED LOVIE WILLIAM\, BUTHER MAMMY RUNNED ME OFF AND SAID SHE WARN'T GOING TO LET LOVIE GIT MARRIED UP WID NOBODY TILL SHE GO T BIG ENOUGH. I JUS BOUGHT DEM LICENSES AND WATCHED FOR MY CHANCE AND DEN I STOLE DAT GAL RIGHT FROM UNDER HER MAMMY'S EYES. MY MAMMY KNOWED ALL ABOUT IT AND HELPED US GIT AWAY. US DIDN'T HAVE NO TIME FOR NO WEDDIN. DE BEST US COULD D O WAS JUS TO GIT OURSELVES MARRIED UP. LOVIE'S MAMMY RAISED DE OLD NED, BUT US D IDN'T CARE DEN, CAUSE IT WAS TOO LATE FOR HER TO DO NOTHIN TO PART US. LOVIE WAS ONE OF THE BESTEST GALS WHAT EVER LIVED. US RAISED TWELVE CHILLUN AND I-NEVnR8H AD ONE SPECK OF TROUBLE WID HER. LOVIE'S DONE BEEN DEAD FIFTEEN YEARS NOW. YES MISSY, ALL OUR CHILLUN IS DONE DEAD NOW EXCEPT FOUR AND DEY IS AWAY OFF UP NORTH. AIN'T NOBODY LEFT HERE EXCEPT ME AND LULA. LULA IS POWERFUL GOOD TO ME. I DONE GOT TOO OLD TO WORK, AND CAN'T DO NOTHIN NO HOW WID DIS OLD FOOT SO BAD OFF. I AM READY AND EVEN ANXIOUS TO GO WHEN DE GOOD LORD CALLS FOR OLD JASPER TO COME UP TO DE HEAVENLY HOME. I AIN'T HEARD NOTHIN FROM MY ONLY BROTHER IN OVER SEVEN YEARS. I SUPPOSE HE STILL LIVES IN CRAWFORDVILLE. MISSY, I WISHES I COULD GO BACK DOWN TO CRAWFORDV ILLE ONE MORE TIME. I CAN JUS SEE OUR OLD HOMEPLACE ON DE PLANTATION DOWN DERE N OW. LULA WASHING HERE MAKES ME STUDY ABOUT DE OLD WASHPLACE ON MARSE HENRY'S PLA NTATION. DERE WAS A LONG BENCH FULL OF OLD WOOD TUBS, AND A GREAT BIG IRON POT FOR BOILING DE CLOTHES, AND DE BATTEN BLOCK AND STICK. CHILLUN BEAT DE CLOTHES W ID DE BATTEN STICK AND KEPT UP DE FIRE ROUND DE POT WHILST DE WOMANS LEANED OVER DE TUBS WASHING AND SINGING DEM OLD SONGS. YOU COULD HEAR EM MOST A MILE AWAY. NOW AND DEN ONE OF DE WOMANS WOULD STOP SINGING LONG ENOUGH TO YELL AT DE CHILLUN TO GIT MORE WOOD ON DAT FIRE BEFORE I LASH DE SKIN OFFEN8>OuR2BA ]. OH MISSY, DEM WAS GOOD OLD DAYS. US WOULD BE LUCKY TO HAVE EN BACK AGAIN, ESPECIALLY WHEN HARVEST TIME COMES ROUND. YOU COULD HEAR NIGGERS SINGING IN DE FIELDS CAUSE DEY DIDN'T HAVE NO WORRIES LIKE DEY DO NOW. WHEN US GOT DE CORN UP FROM DE FIELDS, NIGGERS COME FROM FAR AND N!H O MASTn'S O N2\HU ). DAT CORN SHUCKIN WORK WAS EASY WID EVERYBODY SINGIN AND HAVIN A GOOD TIME TOGETH ER WHILST DEY MADE DEM SHUCKS FLY. DE CORN SHUCKIN CAPTAIN LED ALL DE SINGIN AND 8HE SET9R!HT P ON T P OF DE8HI!HEST PILE6OF R). DE . ILL NWAS KEPT BUSY PASSIN DE LIQUOR JUG ROUND. AFTER IT STARTED GITTIN DARK, MARSTER HAD2BG BONFIRES BUILT UP AND PLENTY OF TORCHES SET ROUND SO AS DERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF LIGHT. AFTER THEY ATE ALL THEY WANTED OF THEM GOOD THINGS WHAT8HAD BEEN O KE D UP FOR DE BIG SUPPER, DEN DE WRASLIN MATCHES STARTED AND MARSTER ALLUS GIVE PRIZES TO DE BEST WRASTLERS. DERE WARN'T NO FUSSIN AND FIGHTIN ALLOWED ON OUR PL ACE, AND DEM WRASTLIN MATCHES WAS ALL IN GOOD HUMOR AND WAS KEPT ORDERLY. MARSTER WANTED EVERYBODY TO BE FRIENDS ON OUR PLANTATATION AND TO STAY DAT WAY, FOR HE SAYS:"DE BLESSED SAVIOUR DONE SAID FOR US TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES AND TO GIVE AND WHAT US GIVES IS GOING TO COME BACK TO US." MISSY, GOOD LORD'S WORD IS ALWAYS RIGHT. BROTHER PAUL, I WISHT YOU HAD COME SOONER CAUSE MISSY, HERE, AND ME IS ONE HAD DE BEST TIME GOIN BACK OVER DEM OLD TIMES WHEN FOLKS LOVED ONE ANOTHER D AN DEY DOES NOW. GOOD BYE MISSY, YOU DONE BEEN MIGHTY KIND AND PATIENT WID OLD JASPER. COME BACK AGAIN SOME TIME.