GEORGE BRIGGS AGE 88 SLAVE IN SOUTH CAROLINA  S.C. #61
          "I IS GWINE OVER TO TOSCH TO SEE MARIA. EVERYBODY KNOW MARIA. SHE GO B
Y RICE -- MARIA RICE. SHE SENT FER ME TO CURE HER MISERY. FIRST, I WENT FROM MY
HOME IN LOWER CROSS KEYS, ACROSS DE ENOREE, TO SEE MARIA. WHEN I REACHED DAR WHA
R SHE STAY, DEY TELL ME DAT HER DAUGHTER OVER TO TOSCH  DONE COME AND GOT HER.
          "A KIND FRIEND DAT DE LAWD PUT IN MY PATH FETCHED ME BACK ACROSS DE EN
OREE AND OVER TO TOSCH TO MARIA'S GAL'S HOUSE. I IS GWINE STRAIGHT OVER DAR AND
    LAY MY HAND ON MARIA AND RID HER OF DAT MISERY DAT SHE SONT WORD WAS AILING
HER ALL DIS SPRING. DON'T MAKE NO DIFF'UNS WHAR YOU HURTS -- WOMAN, MAN OR SUCKL
ING BABE -- IF YOU BELIEVES IN DE HOLLER OF MY HAND, IT'L LEASE YOU, ALLUS DO IT
 DE BIBLE SAY SO, DAT'S WHY IT BE TRUE. AIN'T GWINE TO TELL YOU NOTHING BUT DE T
RUTH AND DE WHOLE TRUTH, SO HELP ME JESUS. GONE SIXTY FIVE YEARS, I IS BEEN BORN
 AGIN DAT LONG; RIGHT OVER IN PADGETT'S CREEK CHURCH, DE WHITE FOLKS' CHURCH, DA
T'S WHAR DE LAWD TUCK MY SINS AWAY AND WASHED ME CLEAN AGIN WID HIS BLOOD. DAT'S
 WHY I ALLUS STICKS TO DE TRUTH, I DOES.
          "DEY ALL 'LOWS DAT I IS GWINE ON EIGHTY NINE, AND I HAS FACTS TO BELIE
VE IT AM TRUE. I 'LONGED TO MARSE JESSE BRIGGS. DID YOU KNOW DAT IT WAS TWO JESS
E BRIGGS? YES SIR, SHO WAS TWO JESSE BRIGGSES.
          "WHAT I GWINE TO RELATE TO YOU IS TRUE, BUT IN RESPECT TO MY OLD-MjbE
, AND IN DE CASE DAT DEM WHAT READS DAT BOOK WON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU NEEDS NOT TO
WRITE DIS STATEMENT DOWN. MY MARSTER WAS CALLED 'BLACK JESSE', BUT DE REASON FER
 DAT WAS TO KEEP HIM FROM GITTING MIXED UP WID DE OTHER JESSE. DAT IS DE2SElRET
OF DE THING.NOW DAT'S JES' FER YOUR OWN LIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE, AND NOT TO BE WROTE
 DOWN. HE WAS DE BLACKSMITH FER ALL DE CROSS KEYS SECTION, AND FER DAT VERY THIN
G HE GOT DE NAME BY EVERYBODY, 'BLACK JESSE'. I ALLUS 'LONGED TO DAT MAN AND HE
WAS DE KINDEST MAN WHAT DE COUNTYSIDE HAD KNOWLEDGE OF.
          "IN UNION COUNTY IS WHAR I WAS BORN AND RAISED, AND IT'S WHAR I IS GWI
NE TO BE BURIED. AIN'T NEVER LEFT DE COUNTY BUT ONCE IN MY LIFE, AND IF DE LAWD
SEE FITTEN, I AIN'T GWINE TO LEAVE IT NO MO', 'CEPT TO REACH DE PROMISE LAND. LA
WD] LAWD] DE PROMISED LAND. DAT'S WHAR I IS GWINE WHEN I LEAVES UNION COUNTY. DE
Y CARRIED ME A HUNDRED MILES TO CURE A SICK WOMAN, ONLIEST TIME I EVER LEFT UNIO
N COUNTY I LOVES IT AND I IS FIT THROUGHOUT AND ENDURING DE TIME DEM YANKEES TRI
ED TO GIT DE COUNTY, TO SAVE IT. WHAT IS I GWINE TO LEAVE IT FER? MR. PERRIN AND
ALL DE WHITE FOLKS IS GOOD TO ME SINCE MY MARSE DONE GONE AND LEFT HIS EARTHLY H
OME. AND HE IS WAITING UP DAR WID MISSIE TO SEE ME AGAIN. DAT I IS SHO OF.
          "LISTEN BROTHER, DE LAWD IS SETTING ON HIS TONE rN7p ORY. HE HEjR EV
ERY WORD DAT I GWINE TELL YOU. FOLKS FERGITS DAT WHEN DEY TALKS REAL OFTEN SOMET
IMES, DON'T DEY? I PUT MY HAND ON ANY  FLUX, MAN OR WOMAN AND REMOVES DE PAIN.
F DEY HAVE FAITH IN MY HAND. I DON'T TELL NOTHING BUT DE TRUTH. I WAS BORN ON GI
ST BRIGGS' PLANTATION IN UNION COUNTY, IN DE LOWER SECTION OF CROSS KEYS. MARSE
SEXTON AND ALL DEM GOOD FOLKS IN LOWER KEYS SAYS DAT I SHO IS EIGHTY EIGHT. GIVE
 MY NAME RIGHT FLAT, IT'S GEORGE BRIGGS; GIVING IT ROUND, IT-L KE DS,7G O  EMC
DUFFIE BRIGGS. MY PAPA'S NAME WAS IKE WILBURN  AND MY MOTHER'S NAME WAS MARGARET
 BRIGGS. PA 'LONGED TO MARSE LIGE WILBURN. MAMA 'LONGED TO JESSE (BLACK JESSn)2B
RIGGS. DEY BOTH BORN AND RAISED IN UNION COUNTY. DESE WAS MY BROTHERS AND SISTER
S, COMING IN DE ORDER DEY WAS BORN TO MY PARENTS IN: CHARLIE, AARON, TOM, NOAH,
CHARLOTTE, POLLY FANNIE, MATTIE, HORACE, CASSIE. I'M DE OLDEST, AND CASSIE AND M
E LIVES IN UNION COUNTY. FAMMIE AND MATTIE LIVES IN ASHEVILLE, AND DE REST IS DO
NE JOURNEYED TO DE PROMISED LAND. YES LAWD, TO DE PROMISED LAND.
          "MARSE AND MISSUS WAS GOOD TO US ALL. MISSUS-NjME W SNANCY. SHE DIE E
ARLY AND HER GRAVE IS IN CROSS KEYS AT DE BRIGGS GRAVEYARD. BE STILL] LEMME GIT
 MY MIND TOGETHER SO DAT I DON'T GIT MIXED UP AND CAN GIT YOU DE BRIGGSES TOGETH
ER. HERE 'TIS : CHENEY AND LUCINDY, LUCINDY MARRIED A FLOYD FROM SPARTANBURG, AN
D DE FLOYDS LIVED AT DE BURN'T FACTORY. CHENEY BRIGGS HAD A SON, HENRY BRIGGS.
          "NOT SO FAST, FER I'SE GWINE TO START WAY BACK, DAT TIME6WHEN  S6WAS L
IL' DARKY BOYS WAY BACK IN SLAVERY. WE STARTED TO WORK WID DE MARSTER'S MULES AN
D HOSSES. WHEN US WAS REAL LITTLE, WE PLAYED HOSS. BEFO' CHENEY BRIGGS WENT TO A
RKANSAS HE WAS OUR PLAY HOSS. HIS BROTHER, HENRY, WAS DE WAGONER AND I WAS DE MU
LE. HENRY WAS LITTLE AND HE RIS OUR BACKS SOMETIMES. HENRY RID OLD MAN SAM, SOME
TIMES , AND OLD MAN SAM JES' HOLLER AND HAW HAW AT US CHILLUNS. DIS WAS IN SECH
EARLY CHILDHOOD DAT IT IS NOT SO I CAN 'ZACTKY MAP OUT DE EXACT AGE US WAS DEN;
ANYWAY, FROM DIS WE RID DE GENTLE HOSSES AND MULES AND LARN'T HOW TO FEED DEM. E
VERY WORD DAT I TELLS YOU IS DE TRUTH, AND I IS GOT TO MEET DAT WORD SOMEWHARS E
LSE AND FER DAT REASON, DE TRUTH IS ALL DAT DIS OLD MAN EVER TELLS.
          "IN DAT DAY WE LIVED IN A LOG CABIN OR HOUSE. SOMETIMES US NEVER HAD N
OTHING TO DO. OUR HOUSE HAD ONLY ONE ROOM, BUT SOME OF DE HOUSES HAD TWO ROOMS.O
UR'N HAD A WINDER, A DO', AND A COMMON FIREPLACE. NOW DEY MAKES A FIREPLACE TO S
CARE DE WOOD AWAY. IN DE OLD DAYS DEY MADE FIREPLACES TO TAKE CARE OF DE CHILLUN
S IN DE COLD WEATHER. IT WARM DE WHOLE HOUSE, 'CAUSE IT WAS SO BIG AND DAR WAS P
LENTY WOOD.WOOD WASN'T NO PROBLEM DEN, AND IT AIN'T NO PROBLEM YET OUT IN DE LOW
ER KEYS. IN TOWN IT IS, AND I AIN'T GUESSING. I DONE SEED SO.
          " I SHO CAN HISTRONIZE DE CONFEDERATES. I COME jLONG WID DE2bEC Sb  N
FLAG AND DE MUSTERINGS. I CAREFUL TO LIVE AT HOME AND PLEASE DE MARSE. IN DE WAR
, I'SE MO' DAN CAREFUL AND I STICK CLOSE TO HIM AND PLEASE HIM, AND HE MO' DAN G
OOD. US DID NOT GIT MOBBED UP LIKE LOTS OF DEM DID.
          "WHEN TICE MYERS'  CHILLUNS WAS BORN, HE HAD A HOUSE BUILT WID A UP-ST
AIRS. BUT NEVER NO STAGE COACH STOPPED DAR AS I EVER HEARD TELL ABOUT, AND I DON
E SAW SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AT PADGETT'S CREEK.
          "WAY 'TIS, FROM DE BUNDLE OF DE HEART, DE tONGUE2spE kEcH.BEEN IN SER
VICE REG'LAR SINCE MONDAY. I WENT TO NEAL GREEGE'S HOUSE BUT SHE WASN'T DAR. I I
S SPEAKING 'BOUT RIA (MARIA RICE). SHE DONEGONE TO TOWN. AT DE HIGHWAY, DE LAWD
PREPARED A FRIEND TO CARRY ME TO UNION, AND WHEN I GOT DAR I TAKE AND LAY HANDS
ON RIA RICE. SHE LAYING DOWN AND SUFFERING, AND I SOT DOWN AND LAID MY HANDS ON
HER. WE NEVER SAY NOTHING, JES' PRAY. SHE BE REAL QUIET , AND ATTER WHILE SHE RI
Z UP AND TAKE A BREATH. SHE KEPT ON A SETTING UP FER SO LONG DAT HER HUSBAND MAK
E HER LAY BACK DOWN FER FEAR DAT SHE GIT WORSER. I STAY DAR ALL THROUGH DE NIGHT
 AND SHE SLEEP SOUND AND WAKE UP DIS MORNING FEELING LIKE A NEW WOMAN.
          "BOFO' BREAKFAST, HERE IS DE WORDS-OF PRAISE I-LIFTED tO DE-lAfD,OVER
 DAR ON TOSCH. YOU SET DOWN DE COSER:          "FIRST TO DE pRAVEYjRm; DnN tO DE
 JEDGEMENT BAR]" IS YOU GOT DAT VERSER? DEN GIT DIS: "ALL DE DEACONS GOT TO GO;
ALL DE MEMBERS GOT TO GO; ALL DE SINNERS GOT TO GO.  MO  'LONGS TO IT, BUT DAT'S
 ALL I TAKES WHEN I IS PRAISING HIM FER RELIEVING PAIN THROUGH ME.
           LAWD, HELP ME DIS MORNING] HERE'S ANOTHER FIRST LINE TO ONE OF OUR SO
NGS: "ALL DEM PREACHERS GOT TO GO".
          "NEHEMIAN, WHEN HE WID DE KING, DE KING AXED HIM TO REVEAL DE WALL WHA
R HIS FATHER WAS BURIED. NEHEMIAN DID WHAT DE KING HAD DONE AXED HIM. I 'TENDS G
ALILEE BABTIST CHURCH IN LOWER CROSS KEYS; AND AT SEDALIA,I GOES TO NEW HOPE MET
HODIST CHURCH BUT I DON'T KNOW NOTHING ELSE BUT BAPTIST. WE PEOPLES IS BARRENCE
                             BUT NOT GOD; H(,8HISSE +,9IS  ORN6OF7 O<, AND ALL T
HE HOLY SPIRIT TO BECOME CHILLUNS OF GOD. ROMANS, CHAP. SIX, 'LOWS SOMETHING LIK
E DIS: " HE DAT IS DEAD IN SIN, HOW IS IT DAT HE CAN CONTINUE IN SIN?" DAT TELL
US DAT EVERY MAN, WHITE OR BLACK, IS DE CHILD OF GOD. AND IT IS CHRIST DAT IS BU
RIED IN BAPTISM AND WE SHALL BE BURIED IN LIKE MANNER. IF CHRIST DED NOT RISE, D
EN OUR PREACHING IS IN VAIN. AND IF WE IS NOT BORN AGAIN, WHY DEN WE IS LOST AND
 OUR PREACHING IS IN VAIN.
                    "IN PICKING UP DE NEW TESTAMENT, CONSIDER ALL DAT YOU HEAR M
E ARGUING AND SAYING IS FROM A GIFT AND NOT FROM EDICATION. ROMANS SIX,'LOWS: 'S
PEAK PLAIN WORDS, NOT ROUND WORDS, KAISE ALL DE ROUND WORDS IS FER DEM DAT IS ED
ICATED.  JACOB HAD TWELVE SONS. DEY WENT AND BUNDLED UP DEIR WHEAT, AND ELEVEN B
UNDLES BOWED TO DE ONE. DAT JOSEPH'S BUNDLE WHAT HE DONE UP. OTHER BROTHERS UP A
ND GOT AND SOLD JOSEPH INTO CAPTIVITY TO DE EGYPTIANS. DAT THROW'D JACOB TO SEND
REUBEN TO EGYPT. DEN DEY BOWED TO JACOB AND HIS SONS. IT RUN ON AND ON TILL DEY
ALL HAD TO GO TO EGYPT, AND ALL OF DEM HAD TO LIVE UNDER JOSEPH.
          "WHEN I WAS A LITTLE SHAVER AND COME TO MYSELF, I WAS SLEEPING rN A  O
RDED BED. (HE SCRATCHED HIS HEAD) I JEA' STUDYING FOR A MINUTE; CAN'T 'ZACTLY ID
ENTIFY MY GRANDPA, BUT I CAN IDENTIFY MY GRANDMA. WE ALL RAISED ON DE SAME PLACE
 TOGETHER. SHE NAME CINDY BRIGGS, BUT DEY CALL HER CINA KAISE DAR WAS SO MANY CI
NDYS 'ROUND DAR. ONE THING I DOES 'MEMBER 'BOUT HER, IF SHE TOTE ME, SHE SHO TO
WHIP ME.  I WAS RAISED STRICT.
          "ALL MY LIFE I IS STAYED IN DE FUR (FAR END OF UNION COUNTY WHAR IT BO
RDERS LAURENS, WID DE ENOREE DIVIDING DE TWO COUNTIES. IT IS RIGHT DAR DAT I IS
PLOWED AND HOED AND RAISED MY CRAPS FER DE PAST SEVENTY FIVE YEARS I RECKONS. LA
WD HAVE MERCY] NO, I DOESN'T RECALLS DE NAMES OF NONE OF DEM MULES. DAT'S SO FUR
 BACK DAT I IS JES' DONE FORGOT, DAT'S ALL. BUT I DOES RECALL  FUR BACK  THINGS
DE BEST, SOMETIMES. LISTEN GOOD NOW. WHEN I GOT BIG AND COULDN'T PLAY 'ROUND AT
CHILLUN'S DOINGS, I STARTED TO PLATTING CORNSHUCKS AND THINGS FER MAKING HOSS AN
D MULE COLLARS, AND SCOURING-BROOMS AND SHOULDER-MATS. I CUT HICKORY POLES AND M
AKE HANDLES OUT OF DEM FER DE BROOMS. MARSE HAD HIDES TANNED, AND US MAKE BUGGY
WHIPS , SHOE STRINGS, SADDLE STRINGS AND SECH AS DAT OUT OF OUR HOME-TANNED LEAT
HER. ALL DE GALLUSES DAT WAS WO' IN DEM DAYS WAS MADE BY DE DARKIES.
          "WHITE OAK AND HICKORY WAS SPLIT TO CURE, AND WE MADE FISH BASKETS, FE
ED BASKETS, WOOD BASKETS, SEWING BASKETS AND ALL KINDS OF BASKETS FER DE MISSUS.
ALL DE CHAIR BOTTOMS OF STRAIGHT CHAIRS WAS MADE FROM WHITE OAK SPLITS, AND DE S
TRAIGHT CHAIRS WAS MADE IN DE SHOP. YOU MADE A SCOUTING BRUSH LIKE DIS:
                                                    ) BY SPLITTING A WIDTH OF NA
RROW SPLITS, KEEP ON TILL YOU LAY A ENTIRE LAYER OF SPLITS; TURN DIS WAY; DEN DA
T WAY, AND DEN BIND TOGETHER AND DAT HOLD DEM LIKE YOU WANT DEM TO STAY. LAST, Y
OU WORK IN A POLE AS LONG AS YOU WANT IT FER DE HANDLE, AND BIND IT TIGHT AND TI
E WID DE PURTIEST KNOTS.
          "I GIT MONEY FER PLATTING GALLUSES AND MAKING BOOT STRINGS AND-OTHnR-L
ITTLE THINGS. ALLUS FIRST, I DESIRES TO BE WELL QUALIFIED WID WHAT I DOES. I IS
GWINE TO BE QUALIFIED WID WHAT I DIES. I IS
GWINE TO BE QUALIFIED WID EVERYTING DAT I DOES, IFFEN I DOES IT FER MONEY OR NO.
DAT'S DE REASON WHITE PEOPLE HAS ALLUS GIVE ME WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
          "NOW I GWINE TO SING A SONG FER MISS POLLY, KAISE SHE DE GRAND-DAUGHTE
R OF DE LATE SHERIFF LONG, AND I GOES TO SEE HER GRANDMA AT DE KEYS (CROSS KEYS
HOUSE). DAR SHE COMES NOW.
          "qOW IS yOU DIS MORNING, MISS-POLLY? DELAWD SHO DOES SHOWER YOU, MISS
POLLY,AND DAT'S DE REASON I IS GWINE TO SING FER YOU DIS MORNING. YOU'LL BE ABLE
 TO TELL MR  JIMMIE (HER FATHER) DAT UNCLE GEORGE SING FER YOU, "JESUS LISTENING
&jLL&DAYLONG".
          "JESUS LISTENING ALL DE DAY LONG TO HEAR SOME SINNER PRAY.
          DE WINDING SHEET TO WROP (WRAP) DIS BODY IN,
          DE COFFIN TO HOLD YOU FAST;
          PASS THROUGH DEATH'S IRON DO'.
          COME YE DAT LOVE DE LAWD AND LET YOUR JOY BE KNOW'D;
          DIS IRON GATE YOU MUST PASS THROUGH, IF YOU GWrNE tO BE
          BORN AGAIN."
AIN'T IT
GLORY DAT WE CAN LIVE WHAR DE LAWD CAN USE US? DAT'S POWER.  A STRONG MAN ENTERE
TH IN; A WEAK MAN COMETH OUT. DAT REPRESENT CHRIST GWINE INTO YOUR HEART.
          "SHO I CAN REMEMBER WHEN DEY HAD DE-MUScnRrNG pROuNDS&AT DE-KEYb.&DjR
DEY MUSTERED AND DEN DEY TURN'T IN AND PRACTICED DRILLING DEM SOLDIERS TILL DEY
LARN'T HOW TO MARCH AND TO SHOOT YANKEES. DRILLING, DAT'S DE PROPER WORD, NOT PR
ACTICE. I KNOWS, IF I AIN'T ED'ICATED. DEY SIGNED ME TO GO TO DE 11TH REGIMENT,
BUT I NEVER REACHED DE NORTH. WHEN US GOT TO CHARLESTON US TURN'T AROUND AND DE
BOSSES FETCHED US RIGHT BACK TO UNION THROUGH COLUMBIA. US HEARD DAT SHERMAN WAS
COMING, FETCHING FIRE ALONG 'HIND HIM.
          "DON'T KNOW NOTHING 'BOUT NO MILITIA TO MAKE NO STATEMENT, BUT IT WnNT
 ON AND TURN'T BACK. ANOTHER REGIMENT HAD A BARBECUE SOMEWHARS IN UNION COUNTY B
EFO' IT WENT OFF TO WAR; MIGHT A BEEN DE 18TH REGIMENT, BUT I DOES NOT FEEL DAT
I CAN STATE ON DAT.
          "MY SOUL REACHES FROM GOD'S FOOTSTOOL UP TO HIS HEAVENLY HOME. I CAN H
ISTRONIZE DE POOR WHITE FOLKS WIVES AND CHILLUNS ENDURING DE TIME OF DE CIVIL WA
R FER YOU. WHEN DESE POOR WHITE MEN WENT TO DE WAR, DEY LEFT DEIR LITTLE CHILLIN
 AND DEIR WIVES IN DE HANDS OF DE DARKIES DAT WAS KIND jND DE-RICH WIeES-OFOUR
MARSTERS TO CARE FER.US TOOK DE BEST CARE OF DEM POOR WHITE DAT US COULD UNDER D
E CIRCUMSTANCES DAT PREVAILED.
          "WE WAS sONT tO SuLLIVjN'S IsLjND, BUT BEoO' fEREACHED IT, DE YANKEES
 mONE GOT IT AND WE WON' 'LOWED TO CROSS IN 'OF. BUT JES' DE SjME, WE WAS&rN2bnR
VICE TILL DEY GIVE CAPT. FRANKLIN BAILEY 'MISSION TO FETCH US HOME. DAR WE HAD T
O LEAVE OUR MARSTER'S PLACE AT HOME IN UNION COUNTY. CAPT. BAILEY COME ON BACK T
O CROSS KEYS WID US UNDER HIS PROTECTION, AND WE WAS UNDER IT FER DE LONGEST TIM
E ATTER WE DONE GOT HOME.
          "FER SIXTY FIVE YEARS I BEEN LICENSED AS A PREACHER, AND FnR LONGER DA
N DAT I BEEN A MEMBER OF PADGETT'S CREEK BABTIST CHURCH. MO' WORK I DOES, MO' WO
RK I HAS TO DO. YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY. WELL, YOU DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO MAKE POLISH
 OUT OF PINDERS.
          "I AIN'T ED'ICATED YET, BUT EVnN-LIGE6WHAT TEA.H SSCHOOL OUT TO DE KE
YS (DE BIG BLACK SCHOOL), DAT BIG BLACK BUCK DAT TEACHES DE CHILLUNS DEIR 'RITHM
ETIC; EVEN HE COULDN'T DO DIS HERE ONE.
A HEAP OF ED'ICATED FOLKS CAN'T GIVE IT. HERE IT IS: "WHAT'S DE BIGGEST FIGGER I
N DE FIGGER TEN?"
          WITH HIS OLD BLACK ROUGH AND GNARLED FOREFINGER HE DREW ON THE TABLE T
HE FIGURE ONE. "NOW YOU SEE DAT? DAT'S DE FIGGER ONE. A NAUGHT AIN'T NOTHING BY
ITSELF OR MULTIPLIED BY OTHER NAUGHTS; BUT SET IT DOWN IN FRONT OF DE FIGGER ONE
, AND IT TAKES ON DE VALUE NINE. DAR YOU IS GOT TEN -- ONE AND NINE IS TEN. DAT
NAUGHT BECOMES SOMETHING. I IS OLD, AND I AIN'T HAD NARRY BIT OF SCHOOLING, BUT
I LIKES TO BE CLOSE TO DE ORCHARD, AND I KNOWS IT'S DAR BY DE SMELL OF IT. DAT'S
 DE WAY I IS WHnN I GITS ALONG SIDE ED'ICATED FOLKS--- I-KNOWS DAT DEY IS.
          "IT'S LIKE DAT SUM DEM SCHOLARS COULDN'T GIT; STANDING ALONE DAT NAUGH
T AIN'T WORTH NOTHING, BUT SET IT UP AGAINST DAT WHICH IS OF VALUE AND IT TAKES
ON VALUE. SET A NAUGHT AGAINST DAT WHICH IS ONE AND YOU HAS TEN; SET UP ANOTHER
NAUGHT DAR AND YOU HAS A HUNDRED. NOW IF SOMEBODY WAS TO GIVE ME A NOTE WORTH TE
N DOLLARS, AND I FOUND ROOM TO ADD ANOTHER NAUGHT ALONG SIDE OF DE FIRST; DEN DE
M TWO NAUGHTS WHAT AIN'T WORTH NOTHING BY DEIRSELVES GIVES DE NOTE DE VALUE OF N
INETY NINE DOLLARS IF DEY IS SOT ALONG WID DE ONE. ED'ICATED FOLKS CALLS DAT RAI
SING DE NOTE. I IS IG'NANT AND I CALLS DAT ROBBERY. AND DAT'S LIKE YOU AND ME. W
EIS NAUGHTS AND CHRIST IS DE ONE, AND WE AIN'T NOTHING TILL WE CARRIES DE SPIRIT
  OF DE LAWD ALONG WID US.
          "ON DE PATHWAY OF LIFE, MAY YOU ALLUS KEEP CHRIST IN FRONT OF YOU jND
YOU WILL NEVER GO WRONG. DE LAWD WILL DEN SEE FIT TO GIVE YOU A SOUL DAT WILL RE
ACH FROM HIS FOOT-STOOL HERE ON EARTH TO HIS DWELLING PLACE ON HIGH.
          "SOME WHITE MEN CALLED IN QUESTION TODAY ABOUT DE REIGNING GOVnRNOR nN
DURING TIME OF DE CIVIL WAR. I KNOWED DAT, AND 'CIDES DAT, I KNOWED HIM WELL. IT
 WAS GOVERNOR  BILL  AS US CALLED HIM.
          "WHAT YOU WANT TO GIT, IS HISTORY ABOUT-MUSTnR pROUNDS. Y S, IT W S-ON
 JONES FERRY ROAD, JEST SOUTH OF CROSS KEYS WHAR DEY HAD WHAT DEY ALLUS CALLED D
E MUSTER FIELD. NOW, JONES FERRY ROAD LEADS ACROSS ENOREE RIVER INTO LAURENS COU
NTY. ENOREE RIVER IS DE THING DAT DEVIDES UNION COUNTY FROM LAURENS COUNTY, DAT
IT IS.
          "WELL AS I REMEMBER, MR. BILL WAS IN DE MUSTERING OF DE 18TH REGIMENT.
 BILLY, ROBERT, SAM AND MISS NANCY WAS MR. ALEX'S CHrLLu \. uNDnSTjND-M(,  O)'T
 THINK DAR BOB AND SAM WAS IN DE REGIMENT ... SATISFIED BILLY WAS, KAISE HE USED
 TO PASS OUR HOUSE ON HORSE BACK, COMING FROM DE LAURENS SIDE WHnRE HE-LIVED.
          "SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOYS COME IN DE SAME TIME DAT I DI<.  OuSE I Ar)'T
TOLD ALL DAT I KNOWS, KAISE DAT WOULDN'T BE PROPER. ALL I TELL YOU, I WANTS IT T
O BE RECOGNIZED. DE BETTER IT'S DONE, DE BETTER IT'LL HELP YOU.
          "I GOES FROM HOME AND STAYS FIVE DAYS OR MORE, jND  ON'T- O,HrNG H P E
N TO A THING AT MY HOME. I DOES FER DE SICK AND DE LAWD BLESSES ME. HE LOOKS AFT
ER MY THINGS WHILE I AM AWAY. HE SOON SHOWS HIS PRESENCE ATTER I GITS DAR. HE CA
LLS FER ME AND I FEEDS HIM.
           ONCE HAD TWENTY SIX BILES.         DAT MAKE ME CONSIDER ANY DISOBEDIE
NCE AGAINST DE LAWD. DEN I WENT TO HIM IN PRAYER. HE TOLD ME SATAN DONE GOT AHEA
D OF HIM. DAT SHOW ME DAT I DONE FORGOT TO BE PARTICULAR. I GOT MO' 'TICULAR AND
 PRAY MO' OFTEN, AND IN SIX WEEKS MY BILES HAD DONE ALL GONE.
          "DAR IS TIMES WHEN I GITS LOST FER NOT KNOWING. I CjN'T-KEnP uP,KAISE
 I CANNOT READ. MAN IN SUNDAY SCHOOL READS AND I HEARS. HE READ DE OLD TESTAMENT
; DEN HE READ DE NEW TESTAMENT. DAT MY SCHOOLING. I 'CLAR UNTO YOU, I GOT BY ALL
M MY LIFE BY PRAYING AND THINKING. I SHO DOES THINK A LOT.
          "WHEN GOOD MAN PRAYS FER BAD MAN, DE HOLY GHOST WORKS ON BAD MAN'S CON
SCIOUSNESS, AND AFO' HE KNOWS IT, HE'S A-SAYING "LAWD HAVE MERCY" 'STEAD OF "G'D
AM", LIKE ALL WICKED FOLKS SAYS EVERY DAY. HE ---DAT DE HOLY GHOST DAT I STILL I
S SPEAKING OF-- JEST PENETRATES DE WICKED MAN'S CONSCIOUSNESS WIDOUT HIM A-KNOWI
NG IT. DAT PENETRATING MAKE DE BAD MAN SAY, 'LAWD HAVE MERCY,' I HOES AND I CUTS
 SPROUTS, AND DEN I PLOWS. WHEN YOU PLOWS, MULES IS ALLUS SO AGGRAVATrNG DAT DEY
GITS YOU ALL RUFFLED UP. DAT DE DEVIL A-WORKING AT YOU. DAT'S ALL OLD MULES IS A
NYHOW. I DOES NOT CUSS, NO-HOW, KAISE IT SHO AM WICKED AND I IS HAD DE HOLY SPIR
IT IN MY MY SOUL,  NOW GONE SIXTY-FIVE YEARS, SINCE I JINED PADGETT CREEK CHURCH
. WHEN MY OLD MULE GITS TO DE ROW'S END, AND HE ACT MULISH -- KAISE DAT'S IN HIM
 AND HE DON'T KNOW NOTHING ELSE TO DO -- I MEAN TO SAY EITHER "HA" OR "GEE", AND
OFTEN SINCE I JINED PADGETT CREEK CHURCH I FINDS MYSELF SAYING "LAWD HAVE MERCY"
 'STEAD OF "GEE" OR "HA". SO YOU SEE DAT DE LAWD HAS COMMAND, WHA-SO-EVER IF I W
AS WICKED SATAN WOULD
          !A CHrLD-OF pOD jLLUS WrL ApREE fID&DE wOrDOF GOD. WE MEAN DAT CLAIM
TO BE LEADERS  IN DE KINGDOM, GOT TO STEP UP AND SHO FOLKS WHAT DEY MUST DO. MAN
 LEARNS RIGHT SMART FROM EXODUS 'BOUT HOW TO LEAD. A MALE CHrLD WAS kORN tORULE
 DE WORLD. MOSES STILL DE STRONGEST IMPRESSION DAT WE HAS AS-RuLnRS. pOD GITS HI
S-SELF INTO DE HEADS OF MEN DAT HE WANTS TO RULE AND HE DON'T TELL NOBODY ELSE N
OTHING 'BOUT IT NEITHER.
           MR ROOSEVELT DE PRESIDENT AND HE SHO LOOKS ATTnR DE-PO' oOLKS. HE AI
N'T NO IG'NANT MAN NEITHER, KAISE HE GOT DE LIGHT. FOLKS AIN'T A-GWINE TO DROWN
HIM OUT NEITHER WID DERE WICKED WORDS 'GAINST HIM, KAISE HE STRIVE IN DE LAWD'S
NAME TO DO HIS WILL. MR. ROOSEVELT GOT LEARNING LIKE I IS FROM DE THRONE OF GOD.
 HEMAY HAVE EDUCATION ALSO, BUT IF HE IS, HE SHO KNOWS HOW TO KEEP DEM BOTH JIN
ED TOGETHER. FOLKS READS TO ME HOW HE GOT CRIPPLED AND HOW HE WASHED IN DEM SPRI
NGS BY DESELF, BUT IT'S GOD A DIPPING HIS HAND DOWN DAR FER DE PRESIDENT TO GIT
WELL. OH YES, SUH, I KNOWS DAT HE TWAN'T DE PRESIDENT WHEN HE WAS A-WASHING, BUT
DEM DE PLANS DAT DE LAWD HAD DONE ALREADY PLANNED AND YOU AND ME NEVER KNOW'D NO
THING 'BOUT ALL DAT. YOU AND ME DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS PLANNED UP IN STO' FER US
IN DE FUTURE NEITHER.
          "I IS A BAPTIST, AND AT PADGETT'S CREEK WE DOES NOT BnLIEVE rN-NO2BA K
-SLIDING. "ONCE IN DE SPIRIT, ALLUS IN DE SPIRIT". A CHILD OF YOUR'N IS ALLUS A
CHILD OF YOUR'N. DAT DE WAY DE BAPTIST TEACH -- ONCE A CHILD OF GOD, ALLUS GOD'S
 CHILD. T'AIN'T NO SECH THING AS DRAPPING BACK. IF YOU DRAPS BACK, YOU AIN'T NEV
ER BEEN NO CHILD OF DE LAWD, AND YOU NEVER HAD NO BUSINESS BEING BAPTIZED. CHRIS
T WAS BAPTIZED IN DE WATERS OF JORDAN, WON'T (WERE'T) HE? WELL, HE NEVER DRAPPED
 BACK, DID HE? HE SAY WE MUST FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS, DIDN'T HE? WELL ,DAR yOU
IS, AND DAT'S ALL DAR IS TO IT.
          "GOD GITS IN DE HEADS OF MEN TO HELP DE AGED AND DE- O' j  ;. INEVER
AXES FER NOTHING, BUT WHEN I SETS AROUND DE COURTHOUSE AND INFORMS MEN AS I BEEN
 DOING DIS EVENING, DE LAWD HAS DEM TO DRAP A NICKLE OR A DIME OR A QUARTER IN M
Y HAND BUT HE NEVER GITS DEM TO A HALF OF A DOLLAR."
          "WHAT-SO-EVER I CAN FIND. I TAVELLING DAT6W YOOVnR2SEVnN,y-TqREE8YEjR
S. IF HE AX DE LAWD AND HAVE FAITH, HE KEN DO; AND IFFEN HE DON'T HAVE NO FAITH,
 BY DEN HE CAN'T. WHEN A MAN COMES ALONG DAT WANTS HIS OWN WAY, AND HE WON'T PAY
 ATTENTION TO DE LAWD, BY DEN DE LAWD DON'T PAY HIM NO MIND; AND SO DAT MAN JEST
 KEEPS A-GWINE ON WID HIS WAY AND HE DON'T NEVER REACH DE CROSS, JESUS SAY, "DEN
Y YOURSELF, PICK UP DE CROSS AND FOLLOW ME."
          "I SEE A MAN IN DE COURTHOUSE DIS MORNING, AND HE WAS LIKE NICODEMUS.
WHY DAT MAN WANT TO BE RESTO'D BACK LIKE HE WAS WHEN HE WAS JEST TWENTY-ONE YEAR
S OLD. I SEED HIM SETTING DOWN DAR IN MR. PERRIN'S OFFICE, AND I KNOWED HIS TROU
BLES WHEN HE 'LOW DAT HE DONE BEEN TO EVERY DOCTOR IN TOWN. DE TROUBLE WAS, HE N
EVER HAD NO FAITH IN DE DOCTORS AND NOBODY ELSE. HOW COULD HE HAVE FAITH IN JESU
S WHEN HE NEVER HAD NONE IN NOTHING ELSE? BROTHER, YOU HAS TO HAVE FAITH IN YOUR
 FELLOW MAN BEFO YOU HAS FAITH IN DE LAWD. I DON'T KNOW HOW COME, BUT DAT'S DE W
AY IT IS. MY PLAN IS WORKING BY FAITH. JESUS SAY, "WORK WIDOUT FAITH AIN'T NOTHI
NG; BUT WORK WID FAITH'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS."
          "DAT MAN TOLD ME HE GWrNE GIVE-ME A HuNmRED mOLljS& FI RID HIM OF MI
SERY. DAT SHOW HE NEVER KNOW NOTHING 'BOUT FAITH.
           IF MR. EMSLIE NICHOLSON AX ME TO RID HIM OF A MISERY, I COULDN'T TAKE
 NO MONEY FROM HIM AND HE DE RICHEST MAN IN ALL UNION COUNTY. MR  NICHOLSON WOUL
 KNOW BETTER DAN TO OFFER ME MONEY, KAISE HE HAS FAITH. YOU KNOW HE'S A GOOD  PR
ESMUTARIAN.
          "DEY LOOKS AT DE BACK OF MY HEAD, AND DE HArR-ON IT ArN'TRUBBED AGIAN
ST NO COLLEGE AND FER DAT REASON DESE YOUNG NEGROES DON'T WANT ME TO PREACH. DEY
 WANTS TO HEAR DAT MAN PREACH DAT CAN READ. MAN DAT CAN READ CAN'T uNDnRSTjND-LE
SS'N SOME DIVINE MAN GUIDE HIM. I SPEAK AS MY TEACHER GIVES IT TO ME, DAT'S DE L
AWD. IN SO DOING , I TESTIFY DE WORD DAT NO MAN CAN CONDEMN. DAT IS MY PLAN OF S
ALVATION: TO WORK BY FAITH WIDOUT PRICE OR PURSE, AS DE LAWD, MY TEACHER HAS TAU
GHT ME.
          "DAR WAS NO CHURCH ON OUR PLANTATION WHEN I WAS A kOY. jLL DE BjPTS S
 WENT TO PADGETT'S CREEK, AND ALL DE METHODISTS WENT TO QUAKER CHURCH AND BELMON
T. PADGETT'S CREEK HAD A SECTION IN DE BACK OF DE CHURCH FER DE SLAVES TO SIT. Q
UAKER CHURCH AND BELMONT BOTH HAD SLAVES' GALLERIES. DAR IS A BIG BOOK AT PADGET
T'S WID THREE PAGES OF SLAVES' NAMES THAT WAS MEMBERS. MR. CLAUDE SPARKS READ IT
 TO ME LAST YEAR. ALL DE DjRKY-MnMBnRS DEAD, BUT-ONE  DAT'SME.
          "NOBODY NEVER READ DE BIBLE TO ME WHEN I WAS LITTLE. IT JEST A GIFT-OF
 pOD DAT TEACHED tO-ME TqROUGH DE qOLY Gq ST. IT'S&DESPIRIT OF DE ONE IN THREE
DAT GITS INTO YOU, AND DAT'S DE HOLY GHOST OR DE HOLY SPIRIT DAT GIVES ME ENLIGH
TENMENT.
          "IF I CAN GIT TO DE DO' OF PADGETT'S CREEK CHURCH, I CAN JEST FEEL DE
POWER OF GOD. (UNCLE GEORGE PATS HIS FOOT AND SOFTLY CRIES AT THIS POINT, AND HI
S FACE TAKES ON A CALM AND PEACEFUL EXPRESSION.)
          "IF YOU EATS BEFO' YOU GITS HONGRY, YOU NEVER WrLL FEAST-ON&DEAD&ArR.
I MAKES IT A PRACTICE TO FEED MY SOUL AND BODY BEFO' DEY GITS HONGRY. EVEN I DOE
S EAT BY MYSELF, DIS OLS MAN TAKE OFF HIS HAT AND AX DE LAWD TO BLESS HIS SOUL A
ND BODY IN NOURISHMENT FER DE FUTURE.
          "I AIN'T NEVER SEED MR. LINCOLN, BUT oROM WHAT IKKEjRN'T&DEY2bAID&D T
GOD HAD PLACED IN HIM DE REVELATION TO GIVE DE PLAN DAT HE HAD FER EVERY MAN. DA
T PLAN FER EVERY MAN TO WORSHIP UNDER HIS OWN VINE AND FIG TREE.FROM DAT, WE SHO
ULD OF LIKED MR. LINCOLN.
           DIS HERE  DICK LOOK-UP , NO SIR, I DON'T KNOW HIM, KAISE I CAUGHT HIS
 NAME SINCE I COME ON DIS SIDE OF DE RIVER. MR  PERRIN KNOWS HIM, AND I HEARD HI
M SAY DAT EVERY TIME ANYBODY AX HIM HOW OLD HE IS, HE ADD ON TEN YEARS. DAT'S HO
W COME DEY GOT IN DE PAPER HE A HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD. NOW ME AND MR
. PERRIN DOESN'T SPEAK UNLESS WE IS OBLIGED TO KNOW DAT WHAT WE IS GWINE SAY IS
DW TRUTH. US IS CAREFUL, KAISE US KNOWS DAT DE LAWD AM LOOKING DOWN FROM HIS THR
ONE, AND DAT HE IS CHECKING EVERY WORD DAT WE SAYS. SOME FOLKS DOES NOT RECALL D
AT FACT WHEN DEY SPEAKS, OR DEY WOULD BE CAREFUL.
           I'LL SAY IT SLOW SO DAT YOU CAN CATCH IT; I START IN TIME OF DE CONFE
DERATE WAR. WID DIRT DUG UP OUT OF DE SMOKEHOUSE, WATER WAS RUN THROUGH IT SO US
COULD GET SALT FER BREAD.HICKORY WOOD ASHES WAS USED FER SODA. IF WE DIDN'T HAVE
 NO HICKORY WOOD, WE BURNT RED CORN COBS; AND DE ASHES FROM DnM WAS USED FnR lOO
KING SODA.
           MOLASSES WAS MADE FROM WATERMELONS IN TIME OF DE WAR. DEY WAS ALSO MA
DE FROM MAY-APPLES OR MAY-POPS AS SOME CALL DEM, AND SOMETIMES DEY WAS MADE FROM
 PERSIMMONS AND FROM WHEAT BRAND. IN CONFEDERATE DAYS, IRISH POTATO TOPS WAS COO
KED FER VEGETABLES. BLACKBERRY LEAVES WAS OCASIONALLY  USED FER GREENS OR FOR SE
ASONING LAMB QUARTERS.
          "DIS WAY WATERMELON WAS DONE; SOAK WATnRMnLON TWnNTY jND oOuR qOuS  O
 DE'SELF; STRAIN OFF ALL JUICE AND PUT FIRE TO BILE. WHEN DEY THICKENS DEY BEES
GOOD, YES SIR, GOOD, GOOD.
          ""WID MAY-POPS; PEEL DE OUTSIDE GREEN OFF, DEN BUST 'EM OPEN AND MASH
UP TOGETHER; STRAIN JUICE OFF AND COOK THICK.
          " 'SIMMONS AND WHEAT BRAN ARE MASHED uP tOGETHnR jND2B KED rN fAcn .L
ET SET TWENTY AND FOUR HOURS AND COOK DOWN TO MOLASSES. DAT WINDS UP DAT PART OF
 IT.
          "GIT PLUMS AND BLACKBERRIES AND DELIKE OF DAT AND MAKE UP IN JELLY, O
R CAN FER SCARCE TIMES, DAT'S DE WAY WE DONE DEN AND FOLKS DOES DAT YET. DESE IS
SOME OF DE PARICULAREST THINGS OF DE CONFEDERATE TIMES DAT I COME BACK FROM SEDA
LIA TO GIVE YOU, DAT'S RIGHT. (THIS OLD NEGRO, WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN INTERVIEWED
BY THE WRITER, CAME A LONG WAY AND LOOKED UP THE AUTHOR TO TELL HIM SOME INCIDEN
TS WHICH HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO TELL IN THE FIRST INTERVIEW.) SOME CUSTOMS IS DONE
BY NOW, BUT DEY WAS PRACTICED IN SEDALIA, AND AS TO WHAR DEM WAS DONE FER OFF AS
 SPARTANBURG, I CANNOT SAY.
          "IN CONFEDERATE TIME, ALL WIMMENS STAYED lLOSE qOME jND CjRDED jND sPU
N ALL DAY LONG DEY WOVE ALL DERE OWN CLOTHES. MEN AT HOME, OLD MEN, MADE LEATHER
 SHOES AND SHOE STRINGS AND BELTS AND GALLOSHES.
          ^OuR DjKI S tRIED HjRD tO BE- BEDInNT  OOUR MASTER SO DAT WE MIGHT O
BTAIN      ) OUR PLEASANT HOME. OBEDIENCE MAKES IT BETTER DAN SACRIFICE. I RESTE
S MY MIND DAR.
  X   XXX