MARY REYNOLDS AGE- SLAVE IN LOUISIANA MY PAW'S NAME WAS TOM VAUGHN, AND HE WAS FROM THE NORTH, BORN FREE MAN AND LIVED AND DIED FREE TO THE END OF HIS DAYS. HE WASN'T NO EDUCATED MAN, BUT HE WAS WHAT HE CALLS HIMSELF A PIANO MAN. HE TOLD ME ONCE HE LIVED IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO AND HE BUILT THE INSIDES OF PIANOS AND KNEW HOW TO MAKE THEM PLAY I N TUNE. HE SAID SOME WHITE FOLKS FROM THE SOUTH TOLD HE IF HE'D COME WITH THEM TO THE SOUTH HE'D FIND A LOT OF WORK TO DO WITH PIANOS IN THEM PARTS, AND HE COM E OFF WITH THEM. HE AND MY MAW ON THE PLACE AND HER MAN WAS DEAD. HE TOLD-MY-MASSA HE' D BUY MY MAW AND HER THREE CHILDREN WITH ALL THE MONEY HE HAD, IFFEN HE'D SELL H ER. BUT MASSA WAS NEVER ONE TO SELL ANY BUT THE OLD NIGGERS WHO WAS PAST WORKIN G IN THE FIELDS AND PAST THEIR BREEDING TIMES. SO MY PAW MARRIED MY MAW AND WOR KS IN THE FIELDS, SAME AS ANY OHTER NIGGER. THEY HAD SIX GALS: MARTHA AND PANEL A AND JOSEPHINE AND ELLEN AND KATHERINE AND ME. I WAS kORN SjME TrME AS-MISS mORA.MASSA'S FIRST WIFE AND MY MAW COME TO THEIR TIME RIGHT TOGETHER. MISS DORA'S MAW DIED, AND THEY BRUNG MISS DORA TO SUCK WITH ME. IT'S A THING WE AIN'T NEVER FORGOT. MY MAW'S NAME WAS SALLIE AN D MISS DORA ALWAYS LOOKED WITH KINDNESS ON MY MAW. WE SUCKED TILL WE WAS A FAIR SIZE jND-PLAYED tOGETHnR, fHICH fAsN'T-NO lOMMON THrNG. -NONE THE-OTHnR-lITtlE NIGGERS PLAYED WITH THE WHITE CHILDREN. BUT MISS DORA LOVED ME SO GOOD. I WAS JUST 'kOUT BIG 'NOUGH TO START PLAYING WITH A kROOM tO pO 'kOUT SWEEPING UP AND NOT EVEN HALF DOING IT WHEN MASSA SOLD ME. THEY WAS A OLD WHITE MAN IN TRINITY, AND HIS WIFE DIED AND HE DIDN'T HAVE CHICK OR CHILD OR SLAVE OR NOTHING. MASSA SOLD ME CHEAP, 'CAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT MISS DORA TO PLAY WITH NO NIGGER YOUNG-UN. THAT OLD MAN BOUGHT ME A BIG DOLL AND WENT OFF AND LEFT ME ALL DAY, WITH THE DOOR OPEN. I JUST SOT ON THE FLOOR AND PLAYED WITH THAT DOLL. I USED TO CRY. HE'D COME HOME AND GIVE ME SOMETHING TO EAT AND THEN GO TO BED, A ND I SLEPT ON THE THE FOOT OF THE BED WITH HIM. I WAS SCARED ALL THE TIME IN TH E DARK. HE NEVER DID CLOSE THE DOOR. MISS DORA PINED AND SICKENED. MASSA DONE WHAT HE COULD, BUT THEY WASN 'T NO PERTNESS IN HER. SHE GOT SICKER AND SICKER, AND MASSA BRUNG 'NOTHER DOCTO R. HE SAY, "YOU LITTLE GAL IS GRIEVING THE LIFE OUT HER BODY, AND SHE SURE GWIN E DIE IFFEN YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING 'BOUT IT." MISS DORA SAYS OVER AND OVER, "I WANTS MARY." MASSA SAY TO THE DOCTOR, "THAT A LITTLE NIGGER YOUNG-UN I DONE SOL D." THE DOCTOR TELLS HIM HE BETTER GIT ME BACK IFFEN HE WANTS TO SAVE THE LIFE OF HIS CHILD. MASSA HAS TO GIVE A BIG PLENTY MORE TO GIT ME BACK THAN WHAT HE SO LD ME FOR, BUT MISS DORA PLUMPS UP RIGHT OFF AND GROWS INTO FINE HEALTH. THEN MASSA MARRIES A RICH LADY FROM MISSISSIPPI, AND THEY HAS CHILDREN FOR COMPANY TO MISS DORA AND SEEM LIKE FOR A TIME SHE FORGITS-ME. MASSA WASN'T NO PIDDLING MAN. HE WAS A MAN OF PLENTY. HE HAD A BIG H OUSE WITH NO MORE STYLE TO IT THAN A CRIB, BUT IT COULD ROOM PLENTY PEOPLE. HE WAS A MEDICINE DOCTOR, AND THEY WAS ROOMS IN THE SECOND STORY FOR SICK FOLKS WHA T COME TO LAY IN. IT WOULD TAKE TWO DAYS TO GO ALL OVER THE LAND HE OWNED. HE OWNED. HE HAD CATTLE AND STOCK AND SHEEP AND MORE'N A HUNDRED SLAVES AND MORE B ESIDES. HE BOUGHT THE BEST OF NIGGERS NEAR EVERY TIME THE SPECULATORS COME THAT WAY. HE'D MAKE A SWAP OF THE OLD ONES AND GIVE MONEY FOR THE YOUNG ONES WHAT C OULD WORK. HE RAISED CORN AND COTTON AND CANE AND 'TATERS AND GOOBERS, 'SIDES THE PEAS AND OTHER FEEDING FOR THE NIGGERS. I 'MEMBER I HELD A HOE HANDLE MIGHTY U NSTEADY WHEN THEY PUT A OLD WOMAN TO LARN ME AND SOME OTHER CHILDREN TO SCRAPE T HE FIELDS. THAT OLD WOMAN WOULD BE IN A FRANTIC. SHE'D SHOW SOME OTHER LITTLE NIGGER, AND I'D HAVE THE YOUNG CORN CUT CLEAN AS THE GRASS. SHE SAY, "FOR THE L OVE OF GOD, YOU BETTER LARN IT RIGHT, OR SOLOMON WILL BEAT THE BREATH OUT YOU BO DY." OLD MAN SOLOMON WAS THE NIGGER DRIVER. SLAVERY WAS THE WORST DAYS WAS EVER SEED IN THE WORLD. THEY WAS THING S PAST TELLING, BUT I GOT THE SCARS ON MY OLD BODY TO SHOW TO THIS DAY. I SEED WORSE THAN WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I SEED THEM PUT THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE STOCK WITH THEY HANDS SCREWED DOWN THROUGH HOLES IN THE BOARD AND THEY FEETS TIED TOGE THER AND THEY NAKED BEHINDS TO THE WORLD. SOLOMON THE OVERSEER BEAT THEM WITH A BIG WHIP AND MASSA LOOK ON. THE NIGGERS BETTER NOT STOP IN THE FIELDS WHEN THE Y HEAR THEM YELLING. THEY CUT THE FLESH 'MOST TO THE BONES, AND SOME THEY WAS W HEN THEY TAKEN THEM OUT OF STOCK AND PUT THEM ON THE BEDS, THEY NEVER GOT UP AGA IN. WHEN A NIGGER DIED, THEY LET HIS FOLKS COME OUT THE FInLDS tO SEE HrM AFORE HE DIED. THEY BURIED HIM THE SAME DAY, TAKE A BIG PLANK AND BUST IT WITH A AX IN THE MIDDLE 'NOUGH TO BEND IT BACK, AND PUT THE DEAD NIGGER BETWIXT IT. THEY'D CART THEM DOWN TO THE GRAVEYARD ON THE PLACE AND NOT BURY THEM DEEP 'NOUG H THAT BUZZARDS WOULDN'T COME CIRCLONG ROUND. NIGGERS MOURNS NOW, BUT IN THEM D AYS THEY WASN'T NO TIME FOR MOURNING. THE CONCH SHELL BLOWED AFORE DAYLIGHT, AND ALL HANDS BETFER GIT OUT FO R ROLL CALL, OR SOLOMON BUST THE DOOR DOWN AND GIT THEM OUT. IT WAS WORK HARD, GIT BEATINGS, AND HALF-FED. THEY BRUNG THE VICTUALS AND WATER RO RHE FIELDS ON A SLIDE PULLED BY A OLD MULE. PLENTY TIMES THEY WAS ONLY A HALF BARREL WATER AN D IT STALE AND HOT, FOR ALL US NIGGERS ON THE HOTTEST DAYS. MOSTLY WE ATE PICKL ED PORK AND CORN BREAD AND PEAS AND BEANS AND 'TATERS. THEY NEVER WAS AS MUCH A S WE NEEDED. THE TIMES I HATED MOST WAS PICKING COTTON WHEN THE FROST WAS ON THE BO LLS. MY HANDS GIT SORE AND CRACK OPEN AND BLEED. WE'D HAVE A LITTLE FIRE IN T HE FIELDS, AND IFFEN THE ONES WITH TENDER HANDS COULDN'T STAND IT NO LONGER, WE' D RUN AND WARM OUR HANDS A LITTLE BIT. WHEN I COULD STEAL A 'TATER, I USED TO S LIP IT IN THE ASHES, AND WHEN I'D RUN TO THE FIRE I'D TAKE IT OUT AND EAT IT ON THE SLY. IN THE CABINS IT WAS NICE AND WARM.. THEY WAS BUILT OF PINE BOARDING, AND THEY WAS ONE LONG ROW OF THEM UP THE HILL BACK OF THE BIG HOUSE. NEAR ONE S IDE OF THE CABINS WAS A FIREPLACE. THEY'D BRING IN TWO-THREE BIG LOGS AND PUT O N THE FIRE, AND THEY'D LAST NEAR A WEEK. THE BEDS WAS MADE OUT OF PUNCHEONS FIT TED IN HOLES BORED IN THE WALL, AND PLANKS LAID 'CROSS THEM POLES. WE HAD TICKI NG MATTRESSES FILLED WITH CORN SHUCKS. SOMETIMES THE MEN BUILD CHAIRS AT NIGHT. WE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH 'BOUT HAVING NOTHING, THOUGH. SOMETIMES MASSA LET NIGGERS HAVE A LITTLE PATCH. THEY'D RAISE 'TATERS OR GOOBERS. THEY LIKED TO HAVE THEM TO HELP FILL OUT ON THE VICTUALS. 'TATERS ROASTED IN THE ASHES WAS THE BEST-TASTING EATING I EVER HAD. I COULD DIE BETTE R SATISFIED TO HAVE JUST ONE MORE 'TATER ROASTED IN HOT ASHES. THE NIGGERS HAD TO WORK THE PATCHES AT NIGHT AND DIG THE 'TATERS AND GOOBERS AT NIGHT. THEN IF THEY WANTED TO SELL ANY IN TOWN, THEY'D HAVE TO GIT A PASS TO GO. THEY HAD TO G O AT NIGHT, 'CAUSE THEY COULDN'T EVER SPARE A HAND FROM THE FIELDS. ONCE IN A WHILE THEY'D GIVE US A LITTLE PIECE OF SATURDAY EVENING TO W ASH OUT CLOTHES IN THE BRANCH. WE HANGED THEM ON THE GROUND IN THE WOODS TO DRY . THEY WAS A PLACE TO WASH CLOTHES FROM THE WELL, BUT THEY WAS SO MANY NIGGERS ALL COULDN'T GIT ROUND TO IT ON SUNDAYS. WHEN THEY'D GIT THROUGH WITH THE CLOTH ES ON SATURDAY EVENINGS, THE NIGGERS WHICH SOLD THEY GOOBERS AND 'TATERS BRUNG F IDDLES AND GUITARS AND COME OUT AND PLAY. THE OTHERS CLAP THEY HANDS AND STOMP THEY FEET AND WE YOUNG-UNS CUT A STEP ROUND. I WAS PLENTY BIGGITY AND LIKED TO CUT A STEP. WE WAS SCARED OF SOLOMON AND HIS WHIP, THOUGH, AND HE DIDN'T LIKE FROL ICKING. HE DIDN'T LIKE FOR US NIGGERS TO PRAY, EITHER. WE NEVER HEARD OF NO CH URCH, BUT US HAVE PRAYING IN THE CABINS. WE'D SET ON THE FLOOR AND PRAY WITH OU R HEADS DOWN LOW AND SING LOW, BUT IF SOLOMON HEARED HE'D COME AND BEAT ON THE W ALL WITH THE STOCK OF HIS WHIP. HE'D SAY, "I'LL COME IN THERE AND TEAR THE HIDE OFF YOU BACKS." BUT SOME THE OLD NIGGERS TELL US WE GOT TO PRAY TO GOD THAT HE DON'T THINK DIFFERENT OF THE BLACKS AND THE WHITES. I KNOW THAT SOLOMON IS BuR NING IN HELL TODAY, AND IT PLEASURES ME TO KNOW IT. ONCE MY MAW AND PAW TAKEN ME AND KATHERINE AFTER NIGHT TO SLIP TO 'NOT HER PLACE TO A PRAYING AND SINGING. A NIGGER MAN WITH WHITE BEARD TOLD US A DAY AM COMING WHEN NIGGERS ONLY BE SLAVES OF GOD. WE PRAYS FOR THE END OF TRIBULAT ION AND THE END OF BEATINGS AND FOR SHOES THAT FIT OUR FEET. WE PRAYED THAT US NIGGERS COULD HAVE ALL WE WANTED TO EAT AND SPECIAL FOR FRESH MEAT. SOME THE OL D ONES SAY WE HAVE TO BEAR ALL, 'CAUSE THAT ALL WE CAN DO. SOME SAY THEY WAS GL AD TO THE TIME THEY'S DEAD, 'CAUSE THEY'D RATHER ROT IN THE GROUND THAN HAVE THE BEATINGS. WHAT I HATED MOST WAS WHEN THEY'D BEAT ME AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY BEAT ME FOR, AND I HATED THEM STRIPPING ME NAKED AS THE DAY I WAS BORN. WHEN WE'S COMING BACK FROM THAT PRAYING, I THUNK I HEARED THE NIGGnR D OGS AND SOMEBODY ON HORSEBACK. I SAY, "MAW, IT'S THEM NIGGER HOUNDS AND THEY'LL EAT US UP." YOU COULD HEAR THEM OLD HOUNDS AND SLUTS A-BAYING. MAW LISTENS AN D SAY, "SURE 'NOUGH, THEM DOGS AM RUNNING AND GOD HELP US]" THEN SHE AND PAW TA LK AND THEY TAKE US TO A FENCE CORNER AND STANDS US UP 'GAINST THE RAILS AND SAY DON'T MOVE jND IF&jNyOnE&lOMES-NEjR, mON'T kREATHE-LOUD. THEY WnNT tO THE wOOD S, SO THE HOUNDS CHASE THEM AND NOT GIT US. ME AND KATHERINE STAND THERE, HOLDI NG HANDS, SHAKING SO WE CAN HARDLY STAND. WE HEARS THE HOUNDS COME NEARER , BUT WE DON'T MOVE. THEY GOES AFTER PAW AND MAW, BUT THEY CIRCLES ROUND TO THE CABI NS AND GITS IN. MAW SAY IT THE POWER OF GOD. IN THEM DAYS I WEARED SHIRTS, LIKE ALL THE YOUNG-UNS. THEY HAD COLLAR S AND COME BELOW THE KNEES AND WAS SPLIT UP THE SIDES. THAT'S ALL WE WEARED IN HOT WEATHER. THE MEN WEARED JEANS AND THE WOMEN GINGHAM. SHOES WAS THE WORSTES T TROUBLE. WE WEARED ROUGH RUSSETS WHEN IT GOT COLD, AND IT SEEM THEY GOT ME A NEW PAIR AND ALL BRASS STUDS IN THE TOES. THEY WAS TOO LITTLE FOR ME, BUT I HAD TO WEAR THEM. THE BRASS TRIMMINGS CUT INTO MY ANKLES AND THEM PLACES GOT MISER ABLE BAD. I RUBS TALLOW IN THEM SORE PLACES AND WROPS RAGS ROUND THEM AND MY SO RES GOT WORSER AND WORSER. THE SCARS ARE THERE TO THIS DAY. I WASN'T SICK MUCH, THOUGH. SOME THE NIGGERS HAD CHILLS AND FEVER A L OT, BUT THEY HADN'T DISCOVERED SO MANY DISEASES THEN AS NOW. MASSA GIVE SICK NI GGERS IPECAC AND ASAFETIDA AND OIL AND TURPENTINE AND BLACK FEVER PILLS. THEY WAS A CABIN CALLED THE SPINNING-HOUSE AND TWO LOOMS AND TWO SPINN ING WHEELS GOING ALL THE TIME, AND TWO NIGGER WOMEN SEWING ALL THE TIME. IT TOO K PLENTY SEWING TO MAKE ALL THE THINGS FOR A PLACE SO BIG. ONCE MASSA GOES TO B ATON ROUGE AND BRUNG BACK A YALLER GAL DRESSED IN FINE STYLE. SHE WAS A SEAMSTR ESS NIGGER. HE BUILDS HER A HOUSE 'WAY FROM THE QUARTERS, AND SHE DONE FINE SEW ING FOR THE WHITES. US NIGGERS KNOWED THE DOCTOR TOOK A BLACK WOMAN QUICK AS HE DID A WHITE jND tOOK jNY-ON HIS-PLACE HE WjNTED,&jnD&HE tO K cHnMOFTEN. BUT M OSTLY THE CHILDREN BORN ON THE PLACE LOOKED LIKE NIGGERS. AUNT CHEYNEY ALWAYS S AY FOUR OF HERS WAS MASSAHS, BUT HE DIDN'T GIVE THEM NO MIND. BUT THIS YALLER G AL BREEDS SO FAST AND GITS A MESS OF WHITE YOUNG-UNS. SHE LARNT THEM FINE MANNE RS AND COMBS OUT THEY HAIR. -ONCET TwO-OF THnM pOES mOwN THE HrLL tO cHE&mOLlqO bE, fHnrEMISSY'S C HILDREN AM PLAYING. THEY WANTS TO GO IN THE DOLLHOUSE AND ONE THE MISSY'S BOYS S AY, "THAT'S FOR WHITE CHILDREN." THEY SAY, "WE AIN'T NO NIGGERS, 'CAUSE WE GOT THE SAME DADDY YOU HAS, AND HE COMES TO SEE US NEAR EVERY DAY AND FOTCHES CLOTHE S AND THINGS FROM TOWN." THEY IS FUSSING, AND MISSY IS LISTENING OUT HER CHAMBE 9 WINDOW. SHE HEARD THEM WHITE NIGGERS SAY, "HE IS OUR DADDY AND WE CALL HIM DA DDY WHEN HE COMES TO OUR HOUSE TO SEE OUR MAMA." WHEN MASSA COME HOME THAT EVENING, HIS WIFE HARDLY SAY NOTHING TO HIM, AND HE ASK HER WHAT THE MATTER, AND SHE TELLS HIM, "SINCE YOU ASKS ME, I'7 STUD YING IN MY MIND 'BOUT THEM WHITE YOUNG-UNS OF THAT YALLER NIGGER WENCH FROM BATO N ROUGE." HE SAY, "NOW, HONEY, I FOTCHES THAT GAL JUST FOR YOU, 'CAUSE SHE A FI NE SEAMSTER." SHE SAY, " IT LOOK KIND OF FUNNY THEY GOT THE SAME KIND OF HAIR A ND EYES AS MY CHILDREN, AND THEY GOT A NOSE LOOK LIKE YOURS." HE SAY, "HONEY, Y OU JUST PAYING 'TENTION TO TALK OF LITTLE CHILDREN THAT AIN'T GOT NO MIND TO WHA T THEY SAY." SHE SAY, "OVER IN MISSISSIPPI I GOT A HOME AND PLENTY WITH MY DADD Y, AND I GOT THAT IN MY MIND." WELL, SHE DIDN'T NEVER LEAVE, AND MASSA BOUGHT HER A FINE, NEW SPAN OF SURREY HOSSES. BUT SHE DON'T NEVER HAVE NO MORE CHILDREN, AND SHE AIN'T SO COR DIAL WITH THE MASSA. THAT YALLER GALS HAS MORE WHITE YOUNG-UNS, BUT THEY DON'T NEVER GO DOWN THE HILL NO MORE TO THE BIG HOUSE. AUNT CHEYNEY WAS JUST OUT OF BED WITH A SUCKLING BABY ONE TIME, AND SH E RUN AWAY. SOME SAY THAT WAS 'NOTHER BABY OF MASSAHS BREEDING. SHE DON'T COME TO THE HOUSE TO NURSE HER BABY, SO THEY MISSES HER AND OLD SOLOMON GITS THE NIG GER HOUNDS AND TAKES HER TRAIL. THEY GITS NEAR HER AND SHE GRABS A LIMB AND TRIE S TO HIST HERSELF IN A TREE, BUT THEM DOGS GRAB HER AND PULL HER DOWN. THE MEN HOLLERS THEM ONTO HER, AND THE DOGS TORE HER NAKED AND ET THE BREASTS PLUMB OFF HER BODY. SHE GOT WELL AND LIVED TO BE A OLD WOMAN, BUT 'NOTHER WOMAN HAS TO SU CK HER BABY, AND SHE AIN'T GOT NO SIGN OF BREASTS NO MORE. THEY GIVE ALL THE NIGGERS FRESH MEAT ON CHRISTMAS AND A PLUG TOBACCO A LL ROUND. THE HIGHEST COTTON-PICKER GITS A SUIT OF CLOTHES, AND ALL THE WOMEN W HAT HAD TWINS THAT YEAR GITS A OUTFITTING OF CLOTHES FOR THE TWINS AND A DOUBLE, WARM BLANKET. SEEMS LIKE AFTER I GOT BIGGER, I 'MEMBER MORE AND MORE NIGGERS RUN AWA Y. THEY'S 'MOST ALWAYS COTCHED. MASSA USED TO HIRE OUT HIS NIGGERS FOR WAGE HA NDS. ONE TIME HE HIRED ME AND A NIGGER BOY, TURNER, TO WORK FOR SOME ORNERY WHI TE TRASH, NAME OF KIDD. ONE DAY TURNER GOES OFF AND DON'T COME BACK. OLD MAN K IDD SAY I KNOWED 'BOUT IT, AND HE TIED MY WRISTS TOGETHER AND STRIPPED ME. HE H ANGED ME BY THE WRISTS FROM A LIMB ON A TREE AND SPRADDLED MY LEGS ROUND THE TRU NK AND TIED MY FEET TOGETHER. THEN HE BEAT ME. HE BEAT ME WORSER THAN I EVER B EEN BEAT BEFORE, AND I FAINTS DEAD AWAY. WHEN I COME TO I'M IN BED. I DIDN'T C ARE SO MUCH IFFEN I DIED. I DIDN'T KNOW 'BOUT THE PASSING OF TIME, BUT MISS DORA COME TO ME. SO ME WHITE FOLKS DONE GIT WORD TO HER. MISTER KIDD TRIES TO TALK HISSELF OUT OF IT , BUT MISS DORA FOTCHES ME HOME WHEN I'M WELL 'NOUGH TO MOVE. SHE TOOK ME IN A CART AND MY MAW TAKES CARE OF ME. MASSA LOOKS ME OVER GOOD AND SAYS I'LL GIT WE LL, BUT I'M RUINT FOR BREEDING CHILDREN. AFTER WHILE I TAKEN A NOTION TO MARRY AND MASSA AND MISSY MARRIES US S AME AS ALL THE NIGGERS. THEY STANDS INSIDE THE HOUSE WITH A BROOM HELD CROSSWIS E OF THE DOOR AND WE STANDS OUTSIDE. MISSY PUTS A LITTLE WREATH ON MY HEAD THEY KEPT THERE, AND WE STEPS OVER THE BROOM INTO THE HOUSE. NOW, THAT'S ALL THEY W AS TO THE MARRYING. AFTER FREEDOM I GITS MARRIED AND HAS IT PUT IN THE BOOK BY A PREACHER. ONE DAY WE WAS WORKING IN THE FIELDS AND HEARS AHE CONCH SHELL BLOW, S O WE ALL GOES TO THE BACK GATE OF THE BIG HOUSE, MASSA AM THERE. HE SAY, "CALL THE ROLL FOR EVERY NIGGER BIG 'NOUGH TO WALK, AND I WANTS THEM TO GO TO THE RIVE R AND WAIT THERE. THEY'S GWINE TO BE A SHOW AND I WANTS YOU TO SEE IT." THEY W AS A BIG BAAT DOWN THERE, DONE BUILT UP ON THE SIDES WITH BOARDS AND HOLES IN TH E BOARDS AND A BIG GUN BARREL STICKING THROUGH EVERY HOLE. WE AIN'T NEVER SEED NOTHING LIKE THAT. MASSA GOES UP THE PLANK ONTO THE BOAT AND COMES OUT ON THE B OAT PORCH. HE SAY, "THIS AM A YANKEE BOAT." HE GOES INSIDE AND THE WATER WHEEL S STARTS MOVING AND THAT BOAT GOES MOVING UP THE RIVER, AND THEY SAYS IT GOES TO NATCHEZ. THE BOAT WASN'T MORE'N OUT OF SIGHT WHEN A BIG DROVE OF SOLDIERS COMES INTO TOWN. THEY SAY THEY'S FEDERALS. MORE'N HALF THE NIGGERS GOES OFF WITH TH EM SOLDIERS, BUT I GOES ON BACK HOME 'CAUSE OF MY OLD MAMMY. NEXT DAY THEM YANKEES SWARMING THE PLACE. SOME THE NIGGERS WANTS TO S HOW THEM SOMETHING. I FOLLOWS TO THE WOODS. THE NIGGERS SHOWS THEM SOLDIERS A BIG PIT IN THE GROUND, BIGGER'N A BIG HOUSE. IT IS GOT WOODEN DOORS THAT LIFTS UP, BUT THE TOP AN SODDED AND GRASS GROWING ON IT, SO YOU COULDN'T TELL IT. IN THAT PIT IS STOCK, HOSSES AND COWS AND MULES AND MONEY AND CHINAWARE AND SILVER AND A MESS OF STUFF THEM SOLDIERS TAKES. WE JUST SOT ON THE PLACE DOING NOTHING TILL THE WHITE FOLKS COMES HOME . MISS DORA COME OUT TO THE CABIN AND SAY SHE WANTS TO READ A LETTER TO MY MAMM Y. IT COMES FROM LOUIS, WHICH IS BROTHER TO MY MAMMY, AND HE DONE FOLLOW THE F EDERALS TO GALVESTON. A WHITE MAN DOWN THERE WRITE THE LETTER FOR HIM. IT AM T ORED IN HALF AND MASSA DONE THAT. THE LETTER SAY LOUIS AM WORKING IN GALVESTON AND WANTS MAMMY TO COME WITH US, AND HE'LL PAY OUR WAY. MISS DORA SAY MASSA SWE AR, "DAMN LOUIS. I AIN'T GWINE TELL SALLIE NOTHING," AND HE STARTS TO TEAR THE LETTER UP. BUT SHE WON'T LET HIM, AND SHE READS IT TO MAMMY. AFTER A TIME MASSA TAKES ALL HIS NIGGERS WHAT WANTS TO TEXAS WITH HIM AND MAMMY GITS TO GALVESTON AND DIES THERE. I GOES WITH MASSA TO THE TENNESSEE COLONY AND THEN TO NAVASOTA. MISS DORA MARRIES AND GOES TO EL PASO. SHE WROTE AND TOLD ME TO COME TO HER, AND I ALWAYS MEANT TO GO. MY HUSBAND AND ME FARMED FOR TIMES, AND THEN I DONE HOUSEWORK AND COOK ING FOR MANY YEARS. I COME TO DALLAS AND COOKED FOR SEVEN YEAR FOR ONE WHITE F AMILY. MY HUSBAND DIED YEARS AGO. I GUESS MISS DORA BEEN DEAD THESE LONG YEARS . I ALWAYS KEPT MY YEARS BY MISS DORA'S YEARS, 'COUNT WE SD BORN SO CLOSE. I BEEN BLIND AND 'MOST HELPLESS FOR FIVE YEAR. I'M GITTING MIGHTY ENF EEBLING, AND I AIN'T WALKED OUTSIDE THE DOOR FOR A LONG TIME BACK. I SETS AND ' MEMBERS THE TIMES IN THE WORLD. I 'MEMBERS NOW CLEAR AS YESTERDAY THINGS I FORG OT FOR A LONG TIME. I 'MEMBERS 'BOUT THE DAYS OF SLVAERY, AND I DON'T 'LIEVE TH EY EVER GWINE HAVE SLAVES NO MORE IN THIS EARTH. I THINK GOD DONE TOOK THAT BUR DEN OFFEN HIS BLACK CHILDREN, AND I'M AIMING TO PRAISE HIM FOR IT TO HIS FACE IN THE DAYS OF GLORY WHAT AIN'T SO FAR OFF. X XXX