TILLIE                           - NC/#406
     "LA, MISS FANNIE, WHAT YOU MEAN ASKIN' ME WHAT I KNOWS ABOUT SLAVERY]  WHY
I WAS BAWN YEAH'S AFTER FREEDOM]"

     "MY MOTHER BELONGED TO THE BELLAMYS, AN' LIVED ON THEIR PLANTATION ACROSS T
HE RIVER IN BRUNSWICK.  IT WAS THE BEGGES' PLACE ANYWHERE HEREABOUTS.  I WAS RAI
SED ON IT TOO.  OF CO'SE IT WAS IN THE COUNTRY, BUT IT WAS SO BIG  WE WAS A TOWN
 ALL TO OURSELVES.

     "DID ANY OF THE COLORED PEOPLE LEAVE AFTER FREEDOM?  OF CO'SE THEY DID'N'.
 WERE'NT NO PLACE TO GO TO.  NONE OF US WAS 'CUSTOMED TO ANYBODY BUT RICH FOLKS,
 AN' OF CO'SE THEIR MONEY WAS GONE.  I'VE HEARD MIS' BELLAMY TELL HOW HER CHILD'
EN MADE ENOUGH OUT OF POTATOES TO BUY THEIR CLO'ES RIGHT ON THAT PLANTATION.  SO
 WE ALL STAYED RIGHT THERE.  MY MOTHER BROUGHT US ALL UP RIGHT THERE ON THE PLOT
 SH'D BEEN LIVIN' ON ALL THE TIME.  WHEN I COME ALONG WE HAD PLENTY TO EAT.  SHE
 HAD A WHOLE PA'CEL OF US, AND WE ALWAYS HAD PLENTY OF COLLARDS, AN' PO'K AN' CO
RN BREAD.  PLENTY OF FISH.

     "O, YES, STUFF WAS SOLD.  I CAN REMEMBER TIMBER BEIN' CUT, AN' OUR FOLKS GO
T SOME WAGES TO BUY CLO'ES.  WE DID'N HAVE NO SCHOOL, BUT WE HAD A CHURCH.  SOON
 AS I WAS BIG ENOUGH I CAME TO WILMIN'TON TO WORK.  I NEVER HAS LIVED WITH NONE
BUT THE BES'.  MY MOTHER ALWAYS SAID 'TILLIE, ALWAYS TIE TO THE BES' WHITE
FOLKS.  THEM THAT HAS INFLOOENCE, 'CAUSE IF YOU GITS INTO TROUBLE THEY CAN GIT Y
OU OUT'.  I'VE STUCK TO THAT.  I'VE NEVER HAD ANY TRAFFIC WID ANY BUT THE BLUE B
LUE BLOODS, AN' NOW LOOK AT ME.  I'M NOT ABLE TO WORK, BUT I GOT A HOME AN' PLEN
TY TO EAT.  AN' I AIN'T ON NO RELIEF, AN' TILLIE CAN SHO' HOLD HER HEAD UP."