KATIE ROWE  AGE-     SLAVE IN ARKANSAS
          I CAN SET ON THE GALLERY, WHERE THE SUNLIGHT SHINE BRIGHT, AND SEW A P
OWERFUL FINE SEAM WHEN MY GRANDCHILDREN WANTS A SPECIAL PRETTY DRESS FOR THE SCH
OOL DOINGS, BUT I AIN'T WORTH MUCH FOR NOTHING ELSE, I RECKON.
          THESE SAME OLD EYES SEEN POWERFUL LOT OF TRIBULATIONS IN MY TIME, AND
WHEN I SHUTS 'EM NOW I CAN SEE LOTS OF LITTLE CHILDREN JUST LIKE MY GRANDCHILDRE
N, TOTING HOES BIGGER THAN THEY IS, AND THEY POOR LITTLE BLACK HANDS AND LEGS BL
EEDING WHERE THEY SCRATCHED BY THE BRAMBLEDY WEEDS, AND WHERE THEY GOT WHIPPINGS
 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T GIT OUT ALL THE WORK THE OVERSEER SET OUT FOR 'EM.
          I WAS ONE OF THEM LITTLE SLAVE GALS MY OWN SELF, AND I NEVER SEEN-NOTH
ING BUT WORK AND TRIBULATIONS TILL I WAS A GROWNUP WOMAN, JUST ABOUT.
          THE NIGGERS HAD HARD TRAVELING ON THE PLANTATION WHERE I WAS BORN AND
RAISED, 'CAUSE OLD MASTER LIVE IN TOWN AND JUST HAD THE OVERSEER ON THE PLACE, B
UT IFFEN HE HAD LIVED OUT THERE HISSELF I 'SPECK IT BEEN AS BAD, 'CAUSE HE WAS A
 HARD DRIVER HIS OWN SELF.
          HE GIT BILING MAD WHEN THE YANKEES HAVE THAT BIG BATTLE AT PEA RIDGE A
ND SCATTER THE 'FEDERATES ALL DOWN THROUGH OUR COUNTRY ALL BLEEDING AND TIED UP
AND HUNGRY, AND HE JUST MOUNT ON HIS HOSS AND RIDE OUT TO THE PLANTATION WHERE W
E ALL HOEING CORN.
          HE RIDE UP AND TELL OLD MAN SAUNDERS--THAT THE OVERSEER--TO BUNCH US A
LL UP ROUND THE LEAD ROW MAN--THAT MY UNCLE SANDY--AND THEN HE TELL US THE LAW]
          "YOU NIGGERS BEEN SEEING THE 'FEDERATE SOLDIERS COMING BY HERE LOOKING
 PRETTY RAGGEDY AND WORE OUT," HE SAY, "BUT THAT NO SIGN THEY LICKED]
          "THEM YANKEES AIN'T GWINE GIT THIS FAR, BUT IFFEN THEY DO, YOU jLL ArN
'T GWINE GIT FREE BY 'EM, 'CAUSE I GWINE FREE YOU BEFORE THAT.  WHEN THEY GIT HE
RE THEY GWINE FIND YOU ALREADY FREE, 'CAUSE I GWINE LINE YOU UP ON THE BANK OF B
OIS D'ARC CREEK AND FREE YOU WITH MY SHOTGUN]  ANYBODY MISS JUST ONE LICK WITH T
HE HOE, OR ONE STEP IN THE LINE, OR ONE CLAP OF THAT BELL, OR ONE TOOT OF THE HO
RN, AND HE GWINE BE FREE AND TALKING TO THE DEVIL LONG BEFORE HE EVER SEE A PAIR
 OF BLUE BRITCHES]"
          THAT THE WAY HE TALK TO US, AND THAT THE WAY HE ACT WITH US ALL THE TI
ME.
          WE LIVE IN THE LOG QUARTERS ON THE PLANTATION, NOT FAR FROM WASHINGTON
, ARKANSAS, CLOSE TO BOIS D'ARC CREEK, IN THE EDGE OF THE LITTLE RIVER BOTTOM.
          OLD MASTER'S NAME WAS DOCTOR ISAAC JONES, jND HE-LIVE rN THE tOwN, WHE
RE HE KEEP FOUR-FIVE HOUSE NIGGERS, BUT HE HAVE ABOUT TWO HUNDRED ON THE PLANTAT
ION, BIG AND LITTLE, AND OLD MAN SAUNDERS OVERSEE 'EM AT THE TIME OF THE WAR.  O
LD MISTRESS' MAME WAS BETTY, AND SHE HAD A DAUGHTER NAME BETTY ABOUT GROWN, AND
THEN THEY WAS THREE BOYS, TOM, BRYAN, AND BOB, BUT THEY WAS TOO YOUNG TO GO TO T
HE WAR.  I NEVER SEE 'EM BUT ONCE OR TWICE TILL AFTER THE WAR.
          OLD MASTER DIDN'T GO TO THE WAR, 'CAUSE HE WAS A mOCtOR jND THE-ONLI S
T ONE LEFT IN WASHINGTON, AND PRETTY SOON HE WAS DEAD ANYHOW.
          NEXT FALL AFTER HE RIDE OUT AND TELL US HE GWrNE SqOOT US BEoORE HELE
T US FREE, HE COME OUT TO SEE HOW HIS STEAM GIN DOING.  THE GIN BOX WAS A LITTLE
 OLD THING 'BOUT AS BIG AS A BEDSTEAD, WITH A LONG BELT RUNNING THROUGH THE SIDE
 OF THE GINHOUSE OUT TO THE ENGINE AND BOILER IN THE YARD.  THE BOILER BURN CORD
WOOD, AND IT HAVE A LITTLE CRACK IN IT WHERE THE NIGGER GINNER BEEN TRYING TO FI
X IT.
          OLD MASTER COME OUT, HOPPING MAD 'CAUSE THE GIN SHUT DOWN, jND AST THE
 GINNER, OLD BROWN, WHAT THE MATTER.  OLD BROWN SAY THE BOILER WEAK AND IT LIAkL
E TO BUST, BUT OLD MASTER JUMP DOWN OFFEN HIS HOSS AND GO ROUND TO THE BOILER AN
D SAY, "CUSS FIRE TO YOUR BLACK HEART]  THAT BOILER ALL RIGHT]  THROW ON SOME CO
RDWOOD, CUSS FIRE TO YOUR HEART]"
          OLD BROWN START TO THE WOODPILE, GRUMBLING TO HISSELF, AND OLD MASTER
STOOP DOWN TO LOOK AT THE BOILER AGAIN, AND IT BLOW RIGHT UP AND HIM STANDING RI
GHT THERE]
OLD MASTER WAS BLOWED ALL TO PIECES, AND THEY JUST FIND LITTLE BITSY CHUNKS OF H
IS CLOTHES AND PARTS OF HIM TO BURY.
          THE WOODPILE BLOW DOWN, AND OLD BROWN LAND 'WAY OFF rN THE wOODS, BUT
HE WASN'T KILLED.
          TWO WAGONS OF COTTON BLOWED OVER, AND THE MULES RUN AWAY, AND ALL THE
NIGGERS WAS SCARED NEARLY TO DEATH 'CAUSE WE KNOWED THE OVERSEER GWINE TO BE A L
OT WORSE, NOW THAT OLD MASTER GONE.
          BEFORE THE WAR WHEN MASTER WAS A YOUNG MAN, THE SLAVES DIDN'T HAVE IT
SO HARD, MY MAMMY TELL ME.  HER NAME WAS FANNY AND HER OLD MAMMY'S NAME WAS NANN
Y.  GRANDMA NANNY WAS ALIVE DURING THE WAR YET.
          HOW SHE COME IN THE JONES FAMILY WAS THIS WAY: OLD MISTRESS WAS JUST A
 LITTLE GIRL, AND HER OLDER BROTHER BOUGHT NANNY AND GIVE HER TO HER.  I THINK H
IS NAME WAS LITTLEJOHN.  HE DRAWED UP A PAPER SAY THAT NANNY ALWAYS BELONG TO MI
SS BETTY AND ALL THE CHILDREN NANNY EVER HAVE BELONG TO HER, TOO, AND NOBODY CAN
'T TAKE 'EM FOR A DEBT AND THINS LIKE THAT.  WHEN MISS BETTY MARRY, OLD MASTER
HE CAN'T SELL NANNY OR ANY OF HER CHILDREN NEITHER.
          THAT PAPER HOLD GOOD TOO, AND GRANDMAMMY TELL ME ABOUT ONE TIME IT HOL
D GOOD AND KEEP MY OWN MAMMY ON THE PLACE.
          GRANDMAMMY SAY MAMMY WAS JUST A LITTLE GAL AND WAS PLAYrNG-OUT rN  HE
ROAD WITH THREE-FOUR OTHER LITTLE CHILDREN WHEN A WHITE MAN AND OLD MASTER RID U
P.  THE WHITE MAN HAD A PAPER ABOUT SOME KIND OF A DEBT, AND OLD MASTER SAY TAKE
 HIS PICK OF THE NIGGER CHILDREN AND GIVE HIM BACK THE PAPER.
          JUST AS GRANDMAMMY GO TO THE CABIN DOOR AND HEAR HIM SAY THAT, THE MAN
 GITS OFF HIS HOSS AND PICK UP MY MAMMY AND PUT HER UP IN FRONT OF HIM AND START
 OFF DOWN THE ROAD.
          PRETTY SOON MISTER LITTLEJOHN COME RIDING UP AND SAY SOMETHING TO OLD
MASTER, AND SEE GRANDMAMMY STANDING IN THE YARD SCREAMING AND CRYING.  HE JUST J
OB THE SPURS IN HIS HOSS AND GO KITING OFF DOWN THE ROAD AFTER THAT WHITE MAN.
          MAMMY SAY HE CATCH UP WITH HIM JUST AS HE GIT TO BOIS D'ARC CREEK AND
START TO WADE THE HOSS ACROSS.  MISTER LITTLEJOHN HOLLER TO HIM TO COME BACK WIT
H THAT LITTLE NIGGER 'CAUSE THE PAPER DON'T COVER THAT CHILD, 'CAUSE SHE OLD MIS
TRESS OWN CHILD, AND WHEN THE MAN JUST RIDE ON, MISTER LITTLEJOHN THROW HIS BIG
OLD LONG HOSS-PISTOL DOWN ON HIM AND MAKE HIM COME BACK.
          THE MAN HOPPING MAD, BUT HE HAVE TO GIVE OVER MY MAMMY AND TAKE ONE TH
E OTHER CHILDREN ON THE DEBT PAPER.
          OLD MASTER ALWAYS KIND OF TOUCHY 'BOUT OLD MISTRESS HAVING NIGGERS HE
CAN'T TRADE OR SELL, AND ONE DAY HE HAVE HIS WHOLE FAMILY AND SOME MORE WHITE FO
LKS OUT AT THE PLANTATION.  HE SHOWING 'EM ALL THE QUARTERS WHEN WE ALL COME IN
FROM THE FIELD IN THE EVENING, AND HE CALL ALL THE NIGGERS UP TO LET THE FOLKS S
EE 'EM.
          HE MAKE GRANDMAMMY AND MAMMY AND ME STAND TO ONE SIDE AND THEN HE SAY
TO THE OTHER NIGGERS, "THESE NIGGERS BELONG TO MY WIFE BUT YOU BELONG TO ME, AND
 I'M THE ONLY ONE YOU IS TO CALL MASTER.  THIS IS TOM, AND BRYjN, jNDBk B,&jnDM
ISS BETTY, AND YOU IS TO CALL 'EM THAT, AND DON'T YOU EVER CALL ONE OF 'EM YOUNG
 MASTER OR YOUNG MISTRESS, CUSS FIRE TO YOUR BLACK HEARTS]"  ALL THE OTHER WHITE
 FOLKS LOOK KIND OF FUNNY, AND OLD MISTRESS LOOK 'SHAMED OF OLD MASTER.
          MY OWN PAPPY WAS IN THAT BUNCH, TOO.  HIS NAME WAS FRANK, AND AFTER TH
E WAR HE TOOK THE NAME OF FRANK HENDERSON, 'CAUSE HE WAS BORN UNDER THAT NAME, B
UT I ALWAYS WENT BY JONES, THE NAME I WAS BORN UNDER.
          'LONG ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE WAR, AFTER OLD MASTER WAS KILLED, THE SO
LDIERS BEGIN COMING ROUND THE PLACE AND CAMPING.  THEY WAS SOUTHERN SOLDIERS, AN
D THEY SAY THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE MULES AND MOST OF THE CORN TO GIT ALONG ON.  JU
ST GO IN THE BARNS AND TAKE ANYTHING THEY WANT, AND US NIGGERS DIDN'T HAVE NO SW
EET 'TATERS NOR IRISH 'TATERS TO EAT ON WHEN THEY GONE NEITHER.
          ONE BUNCH COME AND STAY IN THE WOODS ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE OVERSEER
'S HOUSE, AND THEY WAS ALL ON HOSSES.  THEY LEAD THE HOSSES DOWN TO BOIS D'ARC C
REEK EVERY MORNING AT DAYLIGHT AND LATE EVERY EVENING TO GIT WATER.  WHEN WE GOI
NG TO THE FIELD AND WHEN WE COMING IN, WE ALWAYS SEE THEM LEADING BIG BUNCHES OF
 HOSSES.
          THEY BUGLE GO JUST 'BOUT THE TIME OUR OLD HORN BLOW IN THE MORNING, AN
D WHEN WE COME IN THEY EATING SUPPER, AND WE SMELL IT AND SURE GIT HUNGRY]
          BEFORE OLD MASTER DIED HE SOLD OFF A WHOLE LOT OF HOSSES AND CATTLE, A
ND SOME NIGGERS TOO.  HE HAD THE SALES ON THE PLANTATION, AND WHITE MEN FROM ARO
UND THERE COME TO BID, AND SOME TRADERS COME.  HE HAD A BIG STUMP WHERE HE MADE
THE NIGGERS STAND WHILE THEY WAS BEING SOLD, AND THE MEN AND BOYS HAD TO STRIP
OFF TO THE WAIST TO SHOW THEY MUSCLE AND IFFEN THEY HAD ANY SCARS OR HURT PLACES
, BUT THE WOMEN AND GALS DIDN'T HAVE TO STRIP TO THE WAIST.
          THE WHITE MEN COME UP AND LOOK IN THE SLAVE'S MOUTH JUST LIKE HE WAS A
 MULE OR A HOSS.
          AFTER OLD MASTER GO, THE OVERSEER HOLD ONE SALE, BUT MOSTLY HE JUST TR
ADE WITH THE TRADERS WHAT COME BY.  HE MAKE THE NIGGERS GIT ON THE STUMP, THOUGH
.  THE TRADERS ALL HAD BIG BUNCHES OF SLAVES, AND THEY HAVE 'EM ALL STRUNG OUT I
N A LINE GOING DOWN THE ROAD.  SOME HAD WAGONS AND THE CHILDREN COULD RIDE, BUT
NOT MANY.  THEY DIDN'T CHAIN OR TIE 'EM 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE NO PLACE THEY CO
ULD RUN TO ANYWAY.
          I SEEN CHILDREN SOLD OFF AND THE MAMMY NOT SOLD, AND SOMETIMES THE MAM
MY SOLD AND A LITTLE BABY KEPT ON THE PLACE AND GIVE TO ANOTHER WOMAN TO RAISE.
 THEM WHITE FOLKS DIDN'T CARE NOTHING 'BOUT HOW THE SLAVES GRIEVED WHEN THEY TOR
E UP A FAMILY.
          OLD MAN SAUNDERS WAS THE HARDEST OVERSEER OF ANYBODY.  HE WOULD GIT MA
D AND GIVE A WHIPPING SOMETIME, AND THE SLAVE WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS ABO
UT.
          MY UNCLE SANDY WAS THE LEAD ROW NIGGER, AND AND HE WAS A GOOD NIGGER A
ND NEVER WOULD TOUCH A DRAP OF LIQUOR.  ONE NIGHT SOME THE NIGGERS GIT HOLK OF S
OME LIQUOR SOMEHOW, AND THEY LEAVE THE JUG HALF FULL ON THE STEP OF SANDY'S CABI
N.  NEXT MORNING OLD MAN SAUNDERS COME OUT IN THE FIELD SO MAD HE WAS PALE.
          HE JUST GO TO THE LEAD ROW AND TELL SANDY TO GO WITH HIM AND START TOW
ARD THE WOODS ALONG BOIS D'ARC CREEK, WITH SANDY FOLLOWING BEHIND.  THE OVERSEER
 ALWAYS CARRY A BIG HEAVY STICK, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS SO MAD, AND THEY JUST
 WENT OFF IN THE WOODS.
          PRETTY SOOM WE HEAR SANDY HOLLERING, AND WE KNOW OLD OVERSEER POURING
IT ON, THEN THE OVERSEER COME BACK BY HISSELF AND GO ON UP TO THE HOUSE.
          COME LATE EVENrNG HE COME AND SEE WHAT WE DONE IN THE DAY'S WORK, AND
GO BACK TO THE QUARTERS WITH US ALL.  WHEN HE GIT TO MAMMY'S CABIN, WHERE GRANDM
AMMY LIVE TOO, HE SAY TO GRANDMAMMY, "I SENT SANDY DOWN IN THE WOODS TO HUNT A H
OSS, HE GWINE COME IN HUNGRY PRETTY SOON.  YOU BETTER MAKE HIM A EXTRA HOECAKE,"
 AND HE KIND OF LAUGH AND GO ON TO HIS HOUSE.
          JUST SOON AS HE GONE, WE ALL TELL GRANDMAMMY WE THINK HE GOT A WHIPPIN
G, AND SURE 'NOUGH HE DIDN'T COME IN.
          THE NEXT DAY SOME WHITE BOYS FINDS UNCLE SANDY WHERE THAT OVERSEER DON
E KILLED HIM AND THROWED HIM IN A LITTLE POND, AND THEY NEVER DONE NOTHING TO OL
D MAN SAUNDERS AT ALL]
          WHEN HE GO TO WHIP A NIGGER HE MAKE HIM STRIP TO THE WAIST, AND HE TAK
E A CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS AND BRING THE BLISTERS, AND THEN BUST THE BLISTERS WITH A
WIDE STRAP OF LEATHER FASTENED TO A STICK HANDLE.  I SEEN THE BLOOD RUNNING OUTE
N MANY A BACK, ALL THE WAY FROM THE NECK TO THE WAIST]
          MANY THE TIME A NIGGER GIT BLISTERED AND CUT UP SO THAT WE HAVE TO GIT
 A SHEET AND GREASE IT WITH LARD AND WRAP 'EM UP IN IT, AND THEY HAVE TO WEAR A
GREASY CLOTH WRAPPED AROUND THE BODY UNDER THE SHIRT FOR THREE-FOUR DAYS AFTER T
HEY GIT A BIG WHIPPING]
          LATER ON IN THE WAR THE YANKEES COME IN ALL AROUND US AND CAMP, AND TH
E OVERSEER GIT SWEET AS HONEY IN THE COMB]  NOBODY GIT A WHIPPING ALL THE TIME T
HE YANKEES THERE]
          THEY COME AND TOOK ALL THE MEAT AND CORN AND 'TATERS THEY WANT TOO, AN
D THEY TELL US, "WHY DON'T YOU POOR DARKIES TAKE ALL THE MEAT AND MOLASSES YOU W
ANT?  YOU MADE IT AND IT'S YOURS MUCH AS ANYBODY'S]"  BUT WE KNOW THEY SOON BE G
ONE, AND WE GIT A WHIPPING IFFEN WE DO.  SOME NIGGERS RUN OFF AND WENT WITH THE
YANKEES, BUT THEY HAD TO WORK JUST AS HARD FOR THEM, AND THEY DIDN'T EAT  SO GOO
D AND OFTEN WITH THE SOLDIERS.
          I NEVER FORGET THE DAY WE WAS SET FREE]
          THAT MORNING WE ALL GO TO THE COTTON FIELD EARLY, AND THEN A HOUSE-NIG
GER COME OUT FROM OLD MISTRESS ON A HOSS AND SAY SHE WANT THE OVERSEER TO COME I
NTO TOWN, AND HE LEAVE TO GO IN.  AFTER WHILE THE OLD HORN BLOW UP AT THE OVERSE
ER'S HOUSE, AND WE ALL STOP AND LISTEN, 'CAUSE IT THE WRONG TIME OF DAY FOR THE
 HORN.
          WE START CHOPPING AGAIN, AND THERE GO THE HORN AGAIN.
          THE LEAD ROW NIGGER HOLLER, "HOLD UP]"  AND WE ALL STOP AGAIN.  "WE BE
TTER GO ON IN.  THAT OUR HORN," HE HOLLER AT THE HEAD NIGGER, AND THE HEAD NIGGE
R THINK SO TOO, BUT HE SAY HE AFRAID WE CATCH THE DEVIL FROM THE OVERSEER IFFEN
WE QUIT WITHOUT HIM THERE, AND THE LEAD ROW MAN SAY MAYBE HE BACK FROM TOWN AND
BLOWING THE HORN HISSELF, SO WE LINE UP AND GO IN.
          WHEN WE GIT TO THE QUARTERS, WE SEE ALL THE OLD ONES AND THE CHILDREN
UP IN THE OVERSEER'S YARD, SO WE GO ON UP THERE.  THE OVERSEER SETTING ON THE EN
D OF THE GALLERY WITH A PAPER IN HIS HAND, AND WHEN WE ALL COME UP HE SAY COME A
ND STAND CLOSE TO THE GALLERY.  THEN HE CALL OFF EVERYBODY'S NAME AND SEE WE ALL
 THERE.
          SETTING ON THE GALLERY IN A HIDE-BOTTOM CHAIR WAS A MAN WE NEVER SEE B
EFORE.  HE HAD ON A BIG BROAD BLACK HAT LIKE THE YANKEES WORE, BUT IT DIDN'T HAV
E NO YELLOW STRING ON IT LIKE MOST THE YANKEES HAD, AND HE WAS IN STORE CLOTHES
THAT WASN'T HOMESPUN OR JEANS, AND THEY WAS BLACK.  HIS HAIR WAS PLUMB GRAY AND
SO WAS HIS BEARD, AND IT COME 'WAY DOWN HERE ON HIS CHEST, BUT HE DIDN'T LOOK LI
KE HE WAS VERY OLD, 'CAUSE HIS FACE WAS KIND OF FLESHY AND HEALTHY-LOOKING.  I T
HINK WE ALL BEEN SOLD OFF IN A BUNCH, AND I NOTICE SOME KIND OF SMILING, AND I T
HINK THEY SURE GLAD OF IT.
          THE MAN SAY, "YOU DARKIES KNOW WHAT DAY THIS IS?"  HE TALK KIND, AND
SMILE.
          WE ALL DON'T KNOW, OF COURSE, AND WE JUST STAND THERE AND GRIN.  PRETT
Y SOON HE ASK AGAIN AND THE HEAD MAN SAY, "NO, WE DON'T KNOW."
          "WELL, THIS THE FOURTH DAY OF JUNE, AND THIS IS 1865, AND I WANT YOU A
LL TO 'MEMBER THE DATE, 'CAUSE YOU ALWAYS GWINE 'MEMBER THE DAY.  TODAY YOU IS F
REE, JUST LIKE I IS, AND MISTER SAUNDERS AND YOUR MISTRESS AND ALL US WHITE PEOP
LE,"  THE MAN SAY.
          "I COME TO TELL YOU," HE SAY, "AND I WANTS TO BE SURE YOU ALL UNDERSTA
ND, 'CAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIT UP AND GO BY THE HORN NO MORE.  YOU IS YOUR OWN
 BOSSES NOW, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE NO PASSES TO GO AND COME."
          WE NEVER DID HAVE NO PASSES, NOHOW, BUT WE KNOWED LOTS OF OTHER NIGGER
S ON OTHER PLANTATIONS GOT 'EM.
          "I WANTS TO BLESS YOU AND HOPE YOU ALWAYS IS HAPPY AND TELL YOU YOU GO
T ALL THE RIGHT AND LIEF THAT ANY WHITE PEOPLE GOT," THE MAN SAY, AND THEN HE GI
T ON HIS HOSS AND RIDE OFF.
          WE ALL JUST WATCH HIM GO ON DOWN THE ROAD, AND THEN WE GO UP TO MISTER
 SAUNDERS AND ASK HIM WHAT HE WANT US TO DO.  HE JUST GRUNT AND SAY DO LIKE WE D
AMN PLEASE, HE RECKON, BUT GIT OFF THAT PLACE TO DO IT, LESSEN ANY OF US WANTS T
O STAY AND MAKE THE CROP FOR HALF OF WHAT WE MAKE.
          NONE OF US KNOW WHERE TO GO, SO WE ALL STAY, AND HE SPLIT UP THE FIELD
S AND SHOW US WHICH PART WE GOT TO WORK IN, AND WE GO ON LIKE WE WAS, AND MAKE T
HE CROP AND GIT IT IN, BUT THEY AIN'T NO MORE HORN AFTER THAT DAY.  SOME THE NIG
GERS LAZY AND DON'T GIT IN THE FIELD EARLY, AND THEY GIT IT TOOK AWAY FROM 'EM,
BUT THEY PLEAD AROUND AND GIT IT BACK AND WORK BETTER THE REST OF THAT YEAR.
          BUT WE ALL GITS FOOLED ON THAT FIRST GO-OUT]  WHEN THE CROP ALL IN, WE
 DON'T GET HALF]  OLD MISTRESS SICK IN TOWN, AND THE OVERSEER WAS STILL ON THE P
LACE, AND HE CHARGE US HALF THE CROP FOR THE QUARTERS AND THE MULES AND TOOLS AN
D GRUB]
          THEN HE LEAVE, AND WE GITS ANOTHER WHITE MAN, AND HE SETS UP A BOOK, A
ND GIVE US HALF THE NEXT YEAR, AND TAKE OUT FOR WHAT WE USE UP, BUT WE ALL GOT S
OMETHING LEFT OVER AFTER THAT FIRST GO-OUT.
          OLD MISTRESS NEVER GIT WELL AFTER SHE LOSE ALL HER NIGGERS, AND ONE DA
Y THE WHITE BOSS TELL US SHE JUST DROP OVER DEAD SETTING IN HER CHAIR, AND WE KN
OW HER HEART JUST BROKE.
          NEXT YEAR THE CHILDREN SELL OFF MOST THE PLACE AND WE SCATTER OFF, AND
 I  AND MAMMY GO INTO LITTLE ROCK AND DO WORK IN THE TOWN.  GRANDMAMMY DONE DEAD
.
          I GIT MARRIED TO JOHN WHITE IN LITTLE ROCK, BUT HE DIED, AND WE DIDN'T
 HAVE NO CHILDREN.  THEN IN FOUR-FIVE YEARS I MARRY BILLY ROWE.  HE WAS A CHEROK
EE CITIZEN, AND HE HAD BELONGED TO A CHEROKEE NAME DAVE ROWE, AND LIVED EAST OF
TAHLEQUAH BEFORE THE WAR.  WE MARRIED IN LITTLE ROCK, BUT HE HAD LAND IN THE CHE
ROKEE NATION, AND WE COME TO EAST OF TAHLEQUAH AND LIVED TILL HE DIED, AND THEN
I COME TO TULSA TO LIVE WITH MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER.
          BILLY ROWE AND ME HAD THREE CHILDREN--ELLIE, JOHN, AND LULA.  LULA MAR
RIED A THOMAS, AND IT'S HER I LIVES WITH.
          LOTS OF OLD PEOPLE LIKE ME SAY THAT THEY WAS HAPPY IN SLAVERY AND THAT
 THEY HAD THE WORST TRIBULATIONS AFTER FREEDOM, BUT I KNOWS THEY DIDN'T HAVE NO
WHITE MASTER AND OVERSEER LIKE WE ALL HAD ON OUR PLACE.  THEY BOTH DEAD NOW, I R
ECKON, AND THEY NO USE TALKING 'BOUT THE DEAD, BUT I KNOW I BEEN GONE LONG AGO I
FFEN THAT WHITE MAN SAUNDERS DIDN'T LOSE HIS HOLD ON ME.
          IT WAS THE FOURTH DAY OF JUNE IN 1865 I BEGINS TO LIVE, AND I GWINE TA
KE THE PICTURE OF THAT OLD MAN IN THE BIG BLACK HAT AND LONG WHISKERS, SETTING O
N THE GALLERY AND TALKING KIND TO US, CLEAN INTO MY GRAVE WITH ME.
          NO, BLESS GOD, I AIN'T NEVER SEEN NO MORE BLACK BOYS BLEEDING ALL UP A
ND DOWN THE BACK UNDER A CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS, AND I NEVER GO BY NO CABIN AND HEAR
NO POOR NIGGER GROANING, ALL WRAPPED UP IN A LARDY SHEET NO MORE]
          I HEAR MY CHILDREN READ ABOUT GENERAL LEE, AND I KNOW HE WAS A GOOD MA
N.  I DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HIM THEN, BUT I KNOW HE WASN'T FIGHTING FOR THAT
-KrND OF WHITE FOLKS.
         MAYBE THEY TAHT KIND STILL YET, BUT THEY DON'T SHOW IT UP NO MORE, AND
 I GOT LOTS OF WHITE FRIENDS TOO.  ALL MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN BEEN TO SCH
OOL, AND THEY GIT ALONG GOOD, AND I KNOW WE LIVING IN A BETTER WORLD, WHERE THEY
 AIN'T NOBODY CUSSING FIRE TO MY BLACK HEART]
          I SuRE THjNK THE pOOD-LORD I pOT TO SEE IT.
  X   XXX