RICHARD CARRUTHERS           1591-TEX/#285
     I WANTS tO TnLL THE GOSPEL TRUF.  MY MAMMY'S NAME WAS-MnLIA CARRUTHERS AND
 MY PAPA'S NAME WAS MAX.  MY PAPA'S PAPA'S NAME WAS CARRUTHERS, TOO.  MY BROTHER
S NAMES WAS CHARLIE AND FRANK AND WILLIE AND JOHN AND TOM AND ADAM.
     WHEN I WAS STILL LITTLE MR BILLY COATS BOUGHT MY MAMA AND US AND WITH ABOUT
 500 OF HIS SLAVES WE SET OUT TO COME TO TEXAS.  WE GOES TO BASTROP COUNTY AND S
TARTS TO WORK.  MY OLD MISSY--HER NAME WAS MISSY MYRA--WAS 99 YEAR OLD AND HER H
EAD WAS BALD AS A EGG AND HAD WENS ON IT AS BIG AS EGGS, TOO.
     IN THEM DAYS THE BOSS MEN HAD GOOD HOUSES BUT THE NIGGERS HAD LOG CABINS AN
D THEY BURNED DOWN OFTENTIMES.  THE CHIMNEY WOULD COTCH FIRE, 'CAUSE IT WAS MADE
 OUT OF STICKS AND CLAY AND MOSS.  MANY THE TIME WE HAVE TO GIT UP AT MIDNIGHT A
ND PUSH THE CHIMNEY 'WAY FROM THE HOUSE TO KEEP THE HOUSE FROM BURNIN' UP.
     THE CHAIRS WAS MOSTLY CHUNKS OF CORDWOOD PUT ON END, OR SLABS, JUST ROUGH,
AND THE BEDS WAS BUILT LIKE SCAFFOLDIN'.  WE MADE A SORT OF MATTRESS OUT OF CORN
 SHUCKS OR MOSS.
     MY MISSY, SHE WAS GOOD, BUT THE OVERSEER, HE ROUGH.  HIS TEMPER BORN OF THE
 D BBrL,&HrMSE'F.  HIS NAME WAS TOM HILL, BUT US CjLLED HrM DEBBrL HILL.
OLD DEBBIL HILL, HE USED TO WHUP ME AND THE OTHER NIGGERS IF WE DON'T JUMP QUICK
 ENOUGH WHEN HE HOLLER AND HE STAKE US OUT LIKE YOU STAKE OUT A HIDE AND WHUP TI
LL WE BLEED.  MANY THE TIME I SET DOWN AND MADE A EIGHT PLAIT WHUP SO HE COULD W
HUP FROM THE HEELS TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD 'TIL HE FIGGER HE GET THE PROPER RET'
IBUTION.  SOMETIME HE TAKE SALT AND RUB ON THE NIGGER SO HE SMART AND BURN PROPE
R AND SUFFER MIS'RY.  THEY WAS A CALIBOOSE RIGHT ON THE PLANTATION, WHAT LOOK LI
KE A ICE HOUSE, AND IT WAS SHO' BAD TO GIT LOCKED UP IN IT.
     US GOT PROVISIONS 'LOWANCED TO US EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT.  IF YOU HAD TWO IN
 THE FAMILY, THEY 'LOWANCED YOU ONE HALF GALLON 'LASSES AND 12 TO 15 POUNDS BACO
N AND A PACK OF MEAL.  WE HAVE TO TAKE THE MEAL AND PARCH IT AND MAKE COFFEE OUT
 OF IT.  WE HAD OUR FLOURS.  ONE OF THEM WE CALLED BISCUIT FLOUR AND WE CALLED I
T SHORTS.  WE HAD RYE AND WHEAT AND BUCK GRAIN.
     IF THEY DIDN'T PROVISION YOU 'NOUGH, YOU JUS' HAD TO SLIP 'ROUND AND GIT A
 CHICKEN.  THAT EASY 'NOUGH, BUT GRABBIN' A PIG A SHO' )NOUGH PROBLEM.  YOU HAVE
 TO COTCH HIM BY THE SNOOT SO HE WON'T SQUEAL, AND CLOMP HIM TIGHT WHILE YOU KNI
FE HIM.  THAT AIN'T STEALIN', IS IT?  YOU HAS TO KEEP RIGHT ON WORKIN' IN THE FI
ELD, IF YOU AIN'T 'LOWANCED 'NOUGH, AND NO NIGGER LIKE TO WORK WITH HIS BELLY GR
OANIN'.
    6>HEN ,HE6WHITE PREACHER COME HE PREACH AND PICK UP HIS BIBLE AND CLAIMS HE
 GITTIN THE TEXT RIGHT OUT FROM THE GOOD BOOK AND HE PREACH:  THE LORD SAY, DON'
T YOU NIGGERS STEAL CHICKENS FROM YOUR MISSUS.  DON'T YOU STEAL YOUR MASTER'S HA
WGS.  THAT WOULD BE ALL HE PREACH.
     US NIGGERS USED TO HAVE A PRAYIN' GROUND DOWN IN THE HOLLOW AND SOMETIME WE
 COME OUT OF THE FIELD, BETWEEN 11 AND 12 AT NIGHT,  SCORCHIN' AND BURNIN' UP WI
TH NOTHIN' TO EAT, AND WE WANTS TO ASK THE GOOD LAWD TO HAVE MERCY.  WE PUTS GRE
ASE IN A SNUFF PEN OR BOTTLE AND MAKE A LAMP.  WE TAKES A PINE TORCH, TOO, AND G
OES DOWN IN THE HOLLOW TO PRAY.  SOME GITS SO JOYOUS THEY STARTS TO HOLLER LOUD
AND WE HAS TO STOP UP THEY MOUTH.  I SEE NIGGERS GIT SO FULL OF THE LAWD AND SO
HAPPY THEY DRAPS UNCONSCIOUS.
     I KEP' A EYE ON THE NIGGERS DOWN IN THE COTTON PATCH.  SOMETrME THEY-LAZY '
ROUND AND IF I SEE THE OVERSEER COMIN' FROM THE BIG HOUSE I SINGS A SONG TO WARN
 'EM, SO THEY NOT GIT WHUPPED, AND IT GO LIKE THIS:  HOLD UP, HOLD UP, AMERICAN
 SPrRIt]  HOLD UP, HOLD UP, H O O O O O O]
     WE USED TO GO HUNTIN' AND THEY WAS LOTS OF GAME, BEARS AND PANTHERS AND COO
NS.  WE HAVE BEAR DAWGS, FOX DAWGS AND RABBIT DAWG THAT MOSTLY JUS' GO BY THE NA
ME OF HOUN' DAWG.  THEN THEY HAVE A DAWG TO RUN NIGGERS.
     I NEVER TRIED THE CONJURE, BUT THEY WOULD TAKE HAIR AND BRASS NAILS AND THI
MBLES AND NEEDLES AND MIX THEM UP IN A CONJURE BAG.  BUT I KNOWS ONE THING.  THE
Y WAS A OLD GIN BETWEEN WILBARGER AND COLORADO AND IT WAS HANTED WITH SPIRITS OF
 KILT NIGGERS.  US USED TO HEAR THAT OLD MILL HUMMIN' WHEN DARK COME AND WE SLIP
 UP EASY, BUT IT STOP, THEN WHEN  YOU SLIP AWAY IT START UP.
     I 'MEMBER WHEN THE STARS FELL.  WE RUNS AND PRAYS, 'CAUSE WE THINKS IT JEDG
MENT DAY.  IT SURE DUMB OLD DEBBIL HILL, THEM STARS WAS OVER HIS POWER.
     ON SUNDAYS WE PUT SHOES ON OUR FEET AND THEY WAS BRASS TOED.  THEY WAS SO H
ARD AND STIFF THEY GO TUMP, TUMP TUMP, WHEN WE WALK.  THAT'S THE ONLY DAY WE GOT
 'CEPT CHRISTMAS AND WE JUS' GOT SOMETHIN EXTRY TO EAT.  ALL THEM WOMEN SHO' KNO
WED HOW TO COOK]  I OFTEN TELL MY WIFE HOW GLAD I WAS ONE MORNIN' WHEN MY MISSY
 GIVE ME A HOT BUTTER BISCUIT.  I GOES DOWN AND SHOWS IT TO ALL THE OTHER BOYS.
  WE DIDN'T GIT THEM HOT, BUTTER BISCUITS IN THEM DAYS.
     I USED TO DjNCE THE-PIGEON WING AND SWING MY-PjRtNnS )ROuND.  WAS THnM wOM
ENFOLKS KNOCK KNEES?  YOU SHO' COULDN'T TELL, EVEN WHEN YOU SWUNG 'EM 'ROUND, 'C
AUSE THEY DRESSES WAS SO LONG.
     I'S BEEN ALL 'ROUND THE MOUNTAIN AND UP ON TOP OF IT IN MY DAY.  DURIN' SLA
VE TIME I BEEN SO COLE I MOS' TURN WHITE AND THEY SOT ME 'FORE THE FIRE AND POUL
TICES ME WITH SLICED TURNIPS.  COME A NORTHER AND IT BLOW WITH SNOW AND SLEET AN
D I DIDN'T HAVE 'NOUGH CLOTHES TO KEEP ME WARM.
     WHEN A NIGGER MARRY, HE SLICK UP HIS LOWERS AND PUT ON HIS BRASS TOES SHOES
 THEN THE PREACHER MARRY HIM OUT OF HTE BIBLE.  MY PAPPY HAVE A PASS TO VISIT MY
 MAMMY AND IF HE DON'T HAVE ONE, THE PADDLE ROLLER CONK HIM ON THE HEAD.  MY GRA
NDMA AND GRANDPA COME HERE IN A STEAMBOAT.  THE MAN COME TO AFRICA AND SAY,  MAN
 AND WOMAN, DOES YOU WANT A JOB?  SO THEY GITS ON THE BOAT AND THEN HE HAS THE '
VANTAGE.
     WHEN I WAS 21 AND SOME MORE, I DON'T KNOW JUS' HOW OLD, I WAS A FREE MAN.
 THAT THE DAY I SHOUTED.  WE NIGGERS SCATTERED LIKE PARTRIDGES.  I HAD A FIDDLE
 AND I'D PLAY FOR THE WHITE FOLKS WHEREVER I WENT, WHEN THEY HAS THE BALLS.  I M
ARRIES AFTER 'WHILE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR, 'CAUSE WE NEVER DONE PAID NO 'T
ENTION TO YEARS.  MY FIRST WIFE DIED AFTER A LONG  TIME, I THINK 'BOUT 34 YEAR A
ND I MARRIED ANOTHER AND SHE DIED THIS VERY YEAR.  JUS' THREE MONTHS LATER I MAR
RIES MY HOUSEKEEPER, NAMED LUVENA DIXON, 'CAUSE I ALLUS LIVED A UPRIGHT LIFE AND
 I KNOWED THE LAWD WOULDN'T LIKE IT IF I WENT ON LIVIN' IN THE SAME HOUSE WITH L
UVENA WITHOUT WE WAS MARRIED.  SHE IS 53 YEAR OLD, AND WE IS HAPPY.
   X   XXX