X   XXX
JAMES BOLTON                 0017-GEO/#257
IT NEVER WAS THE SAME ON OUR PLANTATION ATTER WE DONE LAID MISTRESS AWAY.  I AIN
'T NEVER FORGOT WHEN MISTRESS DIED - SHE HAD BEEN SO GOOD TO EVERY NIGGER ON OUR
 PLANTATION.  WHEN WE GOT SICK, MISTRESS ALLUS HAD US TENDED TO.  THE NIGGERS ON
 OUR PLANTATION ALL WALKED TO CHURCH TO HEAR HER FUNERAL SERMON AND THEN WALKED
YO THE GRAVEYARD TO THE BURYIN'.     MY EMPLOYER, I MEANS MY MARSTER, AND MY MIS
TRESS, THEY WAS SHO' ALL RIGHT WHITE FOLKS.  THEY LIVED IN THE BIG 'OUSE.  HIT W
AS ALL PAINTED BROWN.  I HEARD TELL THEY WAS MORE'N 900 ACRES IN OUR PLANTATION
AND LOTS OF FOLKSES LIVED ON IT.  THE BIGGEST PORTION WAS WOODS.  MY PAW, HE WAS
 NAME WHITFIELD BOLTON AND LIZA BOLTON WAS MAW.  CHARLIE, EDMUND, THOMAS AND JOH
N BOLTON WAS MY BROTHERS AND I HAD ONE SISTER, SHE WAS ROSA.  WE BELONGED TO MAR
SE WHITFIELD BOLTON AND WE LIVED ON HIS PLANTATION IN OGLETHORPE COUNTY NEAR LEX
INGTON, NOT FAR FROM THE WILKES COUNTY LINE.     WE STAYED IN A ONE ROOM CABIN W
ITH A DIRT FLOOR.  A FRAME MADE OUTEN PINE POLES WAS FASTENED TO THE WALL TO HOL
D UP THE MATTRESSES.  OUR MATTRESSES WAS MADE OUTEN COTTON BAGGING STUFFED WITH
WHEAT STRAW.  OUR KIVERS WAS QUILTS MADE OUTEN OLD CLOTHES.  SLAVE 'OMANS TOO OL
D TO WORK IN THE FIELDS MADE THE QUILTS.     MAW, SHE WENT UP TO THE BIG HOUSE O
NC'T A WEEK TO GIT THE 'LOWANCE OR VITTLES.  THEY 'LOWANCED US A WEEK'S RATIONS
AT A TIME.  HIT WERE GENERALLY HOG MEAT, CORN MEAL, AND SOMETIMES A LITTLE FLOUR
 .  MAW, SHE DONE OUR COOKIN' ON THE COALS IN THE FIREPLACE AT OUR CABIN.  WE HA
D PLENTY OF 'POSSUM AND RABBITS AND FISHES AND SOMETIMES WE HAD WILD TUKKEYS AND
 PARTIDGES.  SLAVES WARN'T SPOZEN TO GO HUNTIN' AT NIGHT AND EVERYBODY KNOW YOU
CAN'T KETCH NO 'POSSUM 'CEPTIN' AT NIGHT]  JUS' THE SAME, WE HAD PLENTY 'POSSUM
AND NOBODY AX HOW WE COTCH 'EM]  NOW, 'BOUT THEM RABBITS]  SLAVES WARN'T 'LOWED
TO HAVE NO GUNS AND NO DOGS OF THEY OWN.  ALL THE DOGS ON OUR PLANTATION BELONGE
D TO MY EMPLOYER - I MEANS, TO MY MARSTER, AND HE 'LOWED US TO USE HIS DOGS TO R
UN DOWN THE RABBITS.  NIGGER MENS AND BOYS 'UD GO IN CROWDS, SOMETIMES AS MAMY A
S TWELVE AT ONE TIME, AND A RABBIT AIN'T GOT NO CHANCE 'GAINST A LOT OF NIGGERS
AND DOGS WHEN THEY LIGHT OUT FOR TO RUN'IM DOWN]     WHAT WILD CRITTERS WE WANTE
D TO EAT AND COULDN'T RUN DOWN, WE WAS RIGHT SMART 'BOUT KETCHIN' IN TRAPS.  WE
COTCH LOTS OF WILD TUKKEYS AND PARTIDGES IN TRAPS AND NETS.  LONG CRICK RUNNED T
HROUGH OUR PLANTATION AND THE RIVER WARN'T NO FUR PIEC OFF.  WE SHO' DID KETCH F
ISHES, MOSTLY CATS, AND PERCH AND HEAPS AND HEAPS OF SUCKERS.  WE COTCH OUR FISH
ES MOS'N GENERALLY WITH HOOK AND LINE, BUT THE CARPENTERS ON OUR PLANTATION KNOW
ED HOW TO MAKE BASKET TRAPS THAT SHO' NUFF DID LAY IN THE FISHES]  GOD ONLY KNOW
S HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE THIS OLD NIGGER PULLED A BIG SHAD OUT OF THE RIVER.
AIN'T NO SHADS BEEN COTCH IN THE RIVER ROUND HERE IN SO LONG I DISREMEMBERS WHEN
]     WE DIDN'T HAVE NO GARDENS OF OUR OWN ROUND OUR CABINS. MY EMPLOYER - I MEA
NS, MY MARSTER - HAD ONE BIG GYARDEN FOR OUR WHOLE PLANTATION AND ALL HIS NIGGER
S HAD TO WORK IN IT WHENSOMEVER HE WANTED 'EM TO, THEN HE GIVE 'EM ALL PLENTY GO
OD GYARDEN SASS FOR THEYSELFS.  THEY WAS COLLARDS AND CABBAGES AND TURNIPS AND B
EETS AND ENGLISH PEAS AND BEANS AND ONIONS, AND THEY WAS ALLUS SOME GARLIC FOR A
ILMENTS.  GARLIC WAS MOSTLY TO CURE WUMS.  THEY ROASTED THE GARLIC IN THE HOT AS
HES AND SQUEEZE THE JUICE OUTEN IT AND MADE THE CHILLUNS TAKE IT.  SOMETIMES THE
Y MADE POULTICES OUTEN GARLIC FOR THE PNEUMONY.     WE SAVED A HEAP OF BARK FROM
 WILD CHERRY AND POPLAR AND BLACK HAW AND SLIPPERY ELLUM TREES AND WE DRIED OUT
MULLEIN LEAVES.  THEY WAS ALL MIXED AND BREWED TO MAKE BITTERS.  WHENSOMEYER A N
IGGER GOT SICK, THEM BITTERS WAS GOOD FOR - WELL MA'AM, THEY WAS GOOD FOR WHAT A
ILED 'EM]  WE TUK 'EM FOR RHEUMATIZ, FOR FEVER, AND FOR THE MISERY IN THE STUMMI
CK AND FOR MOST ALL SORTS OF SICKNESS.  RED OAK BARK TEA WAS GOOD FOR SORE THROA
T.     I NEVER SEED NO STORE BOUGHT CLOTHES TWEL LONG ATTER FREEDOM DONE COME]
ONE SLAVE 'OMAN DONE ALL THE WEAVIN' IN A SEPARATE ROOM CALLED THE LOOM HOUSE]
THE CLOTH WAS DYED WITH HOME-MADE COLORING.  THEY USED INDIGO FOR BLUE, RED OAK
FOR BROWN, GREEN HUSKS OFFEN WARNICKS FOR BLACK, AND SUMACS FOR RED AND THEY'D L
FOR BROWN, GREEN HUSKS OFFEN WARNICKS FOR BLACK, AND SUMACS FOR RED AND THEY'D M
IXED THESE COLORS TO MAKE OTHER COLORS.  OTHER SLAVE 'OMANS LARNED TO SEW AND TH
EY MADE ALL THE CLOTHES.  ENDURIN' THE SUMMER-TIME WE JUS' WORE SHIRTS AND PANTS
 MADE OUTEN PLAIN COTTON CLOTH.  THEY WOVE WOOL IN WITH THE COTTON TO MAKE THE C
LOTH FOR OUR WINTER CLOTHES.  THE WOOL WAS RAISED RIGHT THAR ON OUR PLANTATION.
 WE HAD OUR OWN SHOEMAKER MAN, HE WAS A SLAVE NAMED BUCK BOLTON AND HE MADE ALL
THE SHOES THE NIGGERS ON OUR PLANTATION WORE.     I WAREN'T NOTHIN' BUT CHILLUN
WHEN FREEDOM COME.  IN SLAVERY-TIME CHILLUNS WAREN'T 'LOWED TO DO NO WUK KAZEN T
HE MARSTER WANTED THEY NIGGERS TO GROW UP BIG AND STRONG AND DIDN'T WANT 'EM STU
NTED NONE.  THA'S HOWCOME I DIDN'T GIT NO MO' BEATIN'S THAN I DID]  MY EMPLOYER-
I MEANS, MY MARSTER, NEVER DID GIVE ME BUT ONE LICKIN'.  HE HAD DONE TOLD ME TO
WATCH THE COWS AND KEEP 'EM IN THE PASTUR'.  I COTCH LOTS OF GRASSHOPPERS AND ST
ARTED FISHIN' IN THE CRICK RUNNIN' THROUGH THE PASTUR' AND FUST THING I KNOWED,
THE OVERSEER WAS ROUNDIN' UP ALL THE OTHER NIGGERS TO GIT THE COWS OUTEN THE COR
NFIELDS]  I KNOWED THEN MY TIME HAD DONE COME]     JAMESWE HAD ONE OVERT A TIME,
 AND HE ALLUS LIVED AT THE BIG 'OUSE.  THE OVERSEERS WARN'T QUALITY WHITE FOLKSE
S LIKE OUR MARSTER AND MISTRESS BUT WE NEVER HEARD NUFFIN' 'BOUT NO POOR WHITE T
RASH IN THEM DAYS, AND EFFEN WE HAD HEARD SUMPIN' LIKE THAT WE'D HAVE KNOWED BET
TER'N TO LET MARSTER HEAR US MAKE SUCH TALK]  MARSTER MADE US CALL HIS OVERSEER
MISTER]  WE HAD ONE OVERSEER NAMED MISTER ANDREW SMITH AND ANOTHER TIME WE HAD A
 OVERSEER NAMED MISTER POPE SHORT.  OVERSEERS WAS JUS' THERE ON THE BUSINESS OF
GETTIN' THE WORK DONE - THEY SEED ATTER EVERYBODY DOIN' HIS WUK 'CORDIN' TO ORDE
R.     MY EMPLOYER-I MEANS, MY MARSTER, NEVER 'LOWED NO OVERSEER TO WHUP NONE OF
 HIS NIGGERS]  MARSTER DONE ALL THE WHUPPIN' ON OUR PLANTATION HISSELF.  HE NEVE
R DID MAKE NO BIG BRUISES AND HE NEVER DRAWED NO BLOOD, BUT HE SHO' COULD BURN '
EM UP WITH THAT LASH]  NIGGERS ON OUR PLANTATION WAS WHUPPED FOR LAZINESS MOSTLY
 .  NEXT TO THAT, WHUPPINGS WAS FOR STEALIN' EGGS ANS CHICKENS .  THEY FED US GO
OD AND PLENTY BUT A NIGGER IS JUS' BOUND TO PICK UP CHICKENS AND EGGS EFFEN HE K
IN, NO MATTER HOW MUCH HE DONE EZT]  HE JUS' CAN'T HELP IT.  EFFEN A NIGGER AIN'
T BUSY HE GWINE TO GIT INTO MISCHIEF.     NOW AND THEN SLAVES 'UD RUN AWAY AND G
O IN THE WOODS AND DIG DENS AND LIVE IN 'EM.  SOMETIMES THEY RUNNED AWAY ON 'COU
NT OF CRUEL TREATMENT, BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY RUNNED AWAY KAZEN THEY JUS' DID
N'T WANT TO WUK, AND WANTED TO LAZE AROUND FOR A SPELL.  THE MARSTER ALLUS PUT T
HE DOGS ATTER 'EM AND GIT 'EM BACK.  THEY HAD BLACK AND BROWN DOGS CALLED NIGGER
 HOUNDS WHAT WAREN'T USED FOR NOTHIN' BUT TO TRACK DOWN NIGGERS.     THEY WAREN'
T NO SUCH PLACE AS A JAIL WHAR WE WAS.  EFFEN A NIGGER DONE SUMPIN' DISORDERLY T
HEY JUS' NATCHERLY TUK A LASH TO 'IM.  I AIN'T NEVER SEED NO NIGGER IN CHAINS TW
EL LONG ATTER FREEDOM DONE COME WHEN I SEED 'EM ON THE CHAIN GANGS.     THE OVER
SEER WOKE US UP AT SUNRISE-LEAS'N THEY CALLED IT SUNRISE]  WE WOULD FINISH OUR V
ITTLES AND BE IN THE FIELDS READY FOR WUK BEFO' WE SEED ANY SUN]  WE LAID OFF WU
K AT SUNSET AND THEY DIDN'T DRIVE US HARD.  LEAS'WISE, THEY DIDN' ON OUR PLANTAT
ION.  I DONE HEARD THEY WAS MOUGHTY HARD ON 'EM ON OTHER PLANTATIONS.  MY MARSTE
R NEVER DID 'LOW HIS NIGGERS TO WUK ATTER SUNDOWN.  MYNEMPLOYER, IMEANS MY MARST
ER, DIDN'T HAVE NO BELL.  HE HAD 'EM BLOW BUGLES TO WAKE UP HIS HANDS AND TO CAL
L 'EM FROM THE FIELDS.  SOMETIMES THE OVERSEER BLOWED IT.  MISTESS DONE LARNED T
HE COOK TO COUNT THE CLOCK, BUT NONE OF THE REST OF OUR NIGGERS COULD COUNT THE
CLOCK.     I NEVER KNOWED MARSTER TO SELL BUT ONE SLAVE AND HE JUS' HAD BOUGHT H
ER FROM THE MARKET AT NEW ORLEANS.  SHE SAY IT LONESOME OFF ON THE PLANTATION AN
D AXED MARSTER FOR TO SELL HER TO FOLKSES LIVIN' IN TOWN.  ATTER HE DONE SOLD HE
R, EVERY TIME HE GOT TO TOWN SHE BEG HIM TO BUY HER BACK]  BUT HE DIDN'T PAY HER
 NO MORE 'TENTION.  WHEN THEY HAD SALES OF SLAVES ON THE PLANTATIONS THEY LET EV
ERYBODY KNOW WHAT TIME THE SALE GWINE TO BE.  WHEN THE CROWD GIT TOGRTHER THEY P
ERYBODY KNOW WHAT TIME THE SALE GWINE TO BE.  WHEN THE CROWD GIT TOGETHER THEY P
UT THE NIGGERS ON THE BLOCK AND SELL'EM.  LEAS'WISE, THEY CALL IT PUTTIN' ON THE
BLOCK-THEY JUS' FOTCH 'EM OUT AND SHOW 'EM AND SELL 'EM.
     THEY WAREN'T NO CHURCH FOR NIGGERS ON OUR PLANTATION AND WE WENT TO WHITE F
OLKSES CHURCH AND LISTENED TO THE WHITE PREACHERS.  WE SET BEHIND A PARTITION.
SOMETIMES ON A PLANTATION A NIGGER CLAIM HE DONE BEEN CALLED TO PREACH AND EFFEN
 HE KIN GIT HIS MARSTER'S CAWN-SENT HE KIN PREACH ROUND UNDER TREES AND IN CABIN
S WHEN T'AIN'T WUK TIME.  THESE NIGGER PREACHERS IN SLAVERY TIME WAS CALLED CHAI
R-BACKERS.  THEY WAREN'T NO CHAIR-BACKERS 'LOWED TO BAPTIZE NONE OF MARSTER'S NI
GGERS.  WHITE PREACHERS DONE OUR BAPTIZIN' IN LONG CRICK.  WHEN WE WENT TO BE BA
PTIZED THEY ALLUS SANG, AMAZING GRACE]  HOW SWEET THE SOUND]
     WE NEVER DONE NO WUK ON SUNDAYS ON OUR PLANTATION.  THE CHURCH WAS 'BOUT NI
NE MILES FROM THE PLANTATION AND WE ALL WALKED THERE.  ANYBODY TOO OLD AND FEEBL
E TO WALK THE NINE MILESJUS' STAYED HOME, KAZEN MARSTER DIDN'T 'LOW HIS MULES US
ED ON SUNDAY.  ALL ALONG THE WAY NIGGERS FROM OTHER PLANTATIONS 'UD JINE US AND
SOMETIMES BEFO' WE GIT TO THE CHURCH HOUSE THEY'D BE FORTY OR FIFTY SLAVES COMIN
' ALONG THE ROAD IN A CROWD]  PREACHING GENERAL LASTED TWEL BOUT THREE
O'CLOCK.  IN SUMMERTIME WE HAD DINNER ON THE GROUND AT THE CHURCH.  HOWSOMEVER W
E DIDN'T HAVE NO BARBECUE LIKE THEY DOES NOW.  EVERYBODY COOKED ENOUGH ON SADDAY
 AND FOTCHED IT IN BASKETS.
     I WAS THIRTY YEARS OLD WHEN I JINED THE CHURCH.  NOBODY OUGHT TO JINE NO CH
URCH TWELS'T HE IS TRULY BORNED OF GOD, AND EFFEN HE IS TRULY BORNED OF GOD HE G
WINE KNOW IT.  EFFEN YOU WANT A RESTIN' PLACE ATTER YOU LEAVES THIS OLD WORLD YO
U OUGHT TO GIT READY FOR IT NOW]
     WHEN FOLKSES ON OUR PLANTATION DIED MARSTER ALLUS LET MANY OF US AS WANTED
TO GO, LAY OFFEN WUK TWEL ATTER THE BURYIN'.  SOMETIMES IT WERE TWO OR THREE MON
THS ATTER THE BURYIN' BEFO' THE FUNERAL SERMON WAS PREACHED.  RIGHT NOW I CAN'T
REKELLECK NO SONG WE SUNG AT FUNERALS CEP'N HARK FROM THE TOMBS A DOLEFUL SOUND.
     SPRING PLOWIN' AND HOEIN' TIMES WE WUKKED ALL DAY SADDAYS, BUT MOS'EN GENER
ALLY WE LAID OFF WUK AT TWELVE O'CLOCK SADDAY.  THAT WAS DINNERTIME.  SADDAY NIG
HTS WE PLAYED AND DANCED.  SOMETIMES IN THE CABINS, SOMETIMES IN THE YARD.  EFFE
N WE DIDN'T HAVE A BIG STACK OF FAT KINDLING WOOD LIT UP TO DANCE BY, SOMETIMES
THE MENS AND 'OMANS WOULD CARRY TORCHES OF KINDLING WOOD WHILS'T THEY DANCED AND
 IT SHO' WAS A SIGHT TO SEE]  WE DANCED THE TURKEY TROT AND BUZZARD LOPE, AND HO
W WE DID LOVE TO DANCE THE MARY JANE]  WE WOULD GIT IN A RING AND WHEN THE MUSIC
 STARTED WE WOULD BEGIN WUKKIN' OUR FOOTSES WHILE WE SANG YOU STEAL MY LOVE AND
I STEAL YOUR'N.
     ATTER SUPPER WE USED TO GATHER ROUND AND KNOCK TIN BUCKETS AND PANS, WE BEA
T 'EM LIKE DRUMS.  SOME USED THEY FINGERS AND SOME USED STICKS FOR TO MAKE THE D
RUM SOUNDS AND SOMEBODY ALLUS BLOWED ON QUILLS.  QUILLS WAS A ROW OF WHISTLES MA
DE OUTEN REEDS, OR SOMETIMES THEY MADE 'EM OUTEN BARK.  EVERY WHISTLE IN THE ROW
 WAS A DIFFERENT TONE AND YOU COULD PLAY ANY KIND OF TUNE YOU WANTS EFFEN YOU HA
D A GOOD ROW OF QUILLS.  THEY SHO' DID SOUND SWEET]
     'BOUT THE MOST FUN WE HAD WAS AT CORN SHUCKIN'S WHAR THEY PUT THE CORN IN L
ONG PILES AND CALLED IN THE FOLKSES FROM THE PLANTATIONS NIGH ROUND TO SHUCK IT.
  SOMETIMES FOUR OR FIVE HUNNERT HEAD OF NIGGERS 'UD BE SHUCKIN' CORN AT ONE TIM
E.  WHEN THE CORN ALL DONE BEEN SHUCKED THEY'D DRINK LIKKER THE MARSTERS GIVE 'E
M AND THEN FROLIC AND DANCE FROM SUNDOWN TO SUNUP.  WE STARTED SHUCKIN' CORN 'BO
UT DINNERTIME AND TRIED TO FINISH BY SUNDOWN SO WE COULD HAVE THE WHOLE NIGHT FO
R FROLIC.  SOME YEARS WE 1D GO TO TEN OR TWELVE CORN SHUCKIN'S IN ONE YEAR]
     WE WOULD SING AND PRAY EASTER SUNDAY AND ON EASTER MONDAY WE FROLICKED AND
DANCED ALL DAY LONG]  CHRISTMAS WE ALLUS HAD PLENTY GOOD SUMPIN' TO EAT AND WE A
L L GOT TOGEDDER AND HAD LOTS OF FUN.  WE RUNNED UP TO THE BIG 'OUSE EARLY CHRIS
TMAS MORNIN' AND HOLLER OUT:  "MORNIN', CHRISTMAS GIF]"  THEN THEY'D GIVE US PLE
NTY OF SANDY CLAUS AND WE WOULD GO BACK TO OUR CABINS TO HAVE FUN TWEL NEW YEAR'
S DAY COME, KAZEN WE GOT BACK TO WUK THAT DAY ATTER FROLICKIN' ALL CHRISTMAS WEE
K.
     WE DIDN'T KNOW NUTTIN' 'BOUT GAMES TO PLAY.  WE PLAYED WITH THE WHITE FOLKS
ES CHILLUNS AND WATCHED ATTER 'EM MOST OF THE TIME WE PLAYED IN THE CRICK WHAT R
UNNED THROUGH THE PASTUR'.  NIGGER CHILLUN WAS ALLUS SKEERED TO GO IN THE WOODS
ATTER DARK.  FOLKSES DONE TOLD US RAW-HEAD-AND-BLOODY BONES LIVED IN THE WOODS A
ND GIT LITTLE CHILLUNS AND EAT 'EM EFFEN THEY GOT IN THE WOODS ATTER DARK]
     ROCKABYE BABY IN THE TREE TROPS WAS THE ONLIEST SONG I HEARED MY MAW SING T
O GIT HER BABIES TO SLEEP.  SLAVE FOLKSES SUNG MOST ALL THE TIME BUT WE DIDN'T T
HINK OF WHAT WE SANG MUCH.  WE JUS' GOT HAPPY AND STARTED SINGIN'.  SOMETIMES WE
 'UD SING EFFEN WE FELT SAD AND LOWDOWN, BUT SOON AS WE COULD, WE 'UD GO OFF WHA
R WE COULD GO TO SLEEP AND FORGIT ALL 'BOUT TROUBLE.  WHEN YOU HEAR A NIGGER SIN
GIN' SAD SONGS HIT'S JUS' KAZEN HE CAN'T STOP WHAT HE IS DOIN' LONG ENOUGH TO GO
 TO SLEEP]
     FOLKSES DIDN' MAKE NO BIG TO-DO OVER WEDDINGS LIKE THEY DO NOW.  WHEN SLAVE
S GOT MARRIED THEY JUS' LAID DOWN THE BROOM ON THE FLOOR AND THE COUPLE JINED HA
NDS AND JUMPED BACK-UDS OVER THE BROOMSTICK.  I DONE SEED 'EM MARRIED THAT WAY M
ANY A TIME.  SOME TIMES MY MARSTER WOULD FETCH MISTESS DOWN TO THE SLAVE QUARTER
S TO SEE A WEDDIN'.  EFFEN THE SLAVES GITTIN' MARRIED WAS HOUSE SERVANTS, SOMETI
MES THEY MARRIED ON THE BACK PORCH OR IN THE YARD AT THE BIG 'OUSE BUT PLANTATIO
N NIGGERS WHAT WAS FIELD HANDS MARRIED IN THEY OWN CABINS.  THE BRIDE AND GROOM
JUS' WORE PLAIN CLOTHES KAZEN THEY DIDN' HAVE NO MORE.
     WHEN THE YOUNG MARSTERS AND MISTESSES AT THE BIG HOUSES GOT MARRIED THEY 'L
OWED THE SLAVES TO GADDER ON THE PORCH AND PEEP THROUGH THE WINDOWS AT THE WEDDI
N'.  MOS'EN GENERALLY THEY 'UD GIVE THE YOUNG COUPLE A SLAVE OR TWO TO TAKE WITH
 THEM TO THEY NEW HOME.  MY MARSTER'S CHILLUNS WAS TOO YOUNG TO GIT MARRIED BEFO
' THE WAR WAS OVER.  THEY WAS SEVEN OF THEM CHILLUNS; FOUR OF 'EM WAS GALS.
     WHAT SORT OF TALES DID THEY TELL 'MONGS'T THE SLAVES 'BOUT THE NORF BEFO' T
HE WAT?  TO TELL THE TROOF, THEY DIDN'T TALK MUCH LIKE THEY DOES NOW 'BOUT THEM
SORT OF THINGS.  NONE OF OUR NIGGERS EVER RUNNED AWAY AND WE DIDN'T KNOW NUTHIN'
 'BOUT NO NORF TWEL LONG ATTER FREEDOM COME.  WE VISITED ROUND EACH OTHER'S CABI
NS AT NIGHT.  I DID HEAR TELL 'BOUT THE PATTEROLLERS.  FOLKSES SAID EFFEN THEY C
OTCHED NIGGERS OUT AT NIGHT THEY 'UD GIVE 'EM 'WHAT PADDY GIVE THE DRUM.
     JUS' BEFO' FREEDOM COMED 'BOUT FIFTY SOJERS COME THROUGH OUR PLANTATION AND
 TOLD US THAT THE BULL-WHIPS AND COWHIDES WAS ALL DEAD AND BURIED.  THEM SOJERS
JUS' PASSED ON IN A HURRY AND DIDN' STOP FOR A MEAL OR VITTLES OR NUFFIN'.  WE D
IDN'T TALK MUCH 'BOUT MISTER ABBIEHAM LINCUM ENDURIN' SLAVERY TIME KAZEN WE WAS
SKEERED OF HIM ATTER THE WAR GOT STARTED.  I DON'T KNOW NOTHIN' 'BOUT MISTER JEF
'SON DAVIS, I DON'T REMEMBER EVER HEARIN' 'OUT HIM.  I IS HEARD ABOUT MISTER BOO
KER WASHIN'TON AND THEY DO SAY HE RUNNED A MOUGHTY GOOD SCHOOL FOR NIGGERS.
     ONE MORNIN' MARSTER BLOWED THE BUGLE HIS OWN SELF AND CALLED US ALL UP TO T
HE BIG 'OUSE YARD.  HE TOLD US:  "YOU ALL JUS' AS FREE AS I IS.  YOU ARE FREE FR
OM UNDER TASKMARSTER BUT YOU AIN'T FREE FROM LABOR.  YOU GOTTER LABOR AND WUK HA
RD EFFEN YOU AIMS TO LIVE AND EAT AND HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.  YOU KIN STAY HERE A
ND WUK FOR ME, OR YOU KIN GO WHARSOMEVER YOU PLEASE."  HE SAID HE 'UD PAY US WHA
T WAS RIGHT, AND LADY, HIT'S THE TROOF, THEY DIDN'T NARY A NIGGER ON OUR PLANTAT
ION LEAVE OUR MARSTER THEN]  I WUKKED ON WITH MARSTER FOR FORTY YEARS ATTER THE
WAR.
     RIGHT SOON ATTER THE WAR WE SAW PLENTY OF KU KLUXERS BUT THEY NEVER BOTHERE
D NOBODY ON OUR PLANTATION.  THEY ALLUS SEEMED TO BE HAVIN' HEAPS OF FUN.  'COUR
SE, THEY DID HAVE TO STRAIGHTEN OUT SOME OF THEM BRASH YOUNG NIGGER BUCKS ON SOM
E OF THE OTHER FARMS ROUND ABOUT.  MOS' OF THE NIGGERS THE KUKLUXERS GOT ATTER W
AS'N ON NO FARM, BUT WAS JUS' ROAMIN' 'ROUND TALKIN' TOO MUCH AND MAKIN'
TROUBLE.  THEY HAD TO TAKE 'EM IN HAND TWO OR THREE TIMES BEFO' SOME OF THEM FOO
L FREE NIGGERS COULD BE LARNED TO BEHAVE THEYSELFS]  BUT THEM KUKLUXERS KEPT ON
ATTER 'EM TWELS'T THEY LARNED THEY JUS GOT TO BE GOOD EFFEN THEY 'SPECTS TO STAY
 ROUND HERE.
     HIT WAS ABOUT FORTY YEARS ATTER THE WAR BEFO' MANY NIGGERS 'GUN TO OWN THEY
 OWN LAN'.  THEY DIDN'T KNOW NOTHIN' 'BOUT TENDIN' TO MONEY BUSINESS WHEN THE WA
R DONE ENDED AND IT TAKE 'EM A LONG TIME TO LARN HOW TO BUY AND SELL AND TAKE CA
RE OF WHAT THEY MAKES.  MA'AM, HEAPS OF NIGGERS AIN'T NEVER LARNED NOTHIN' 'BOUT
 THEM THINGS YIT.
     A LONG TIME ATTER THE WAR I MARRIED LIZY YERBY. I DIDN' GIVE LIZA NO CHANC'
T FOR TO DRESS UP.  JUS' WENT AND TUK HER RIGHT OUTER THE WHITE FOLKSES' KITCHEN
 AND MARRIED HER AT THE CHURCH IN HER WORKIN' CLOTHES.  WE HAD 13 CHILLUNS BUT T
HEY AIN'T BUT TWO OF 'EM LIVIN' NOW.  MOS' OF OUR CHILLUNS DIED BABIES.  ENDURIN
' SLAVERY MISTESS TUK CARE OF ALL THE NIGGER BABIES BORNED ON OUR PLANTATIONS AN
D LOOKED ATTER THEY MAMMIES TOO, BUT ATTER FREEDOM COME HEAP OF NIGGER BABIES DI
ED OUT.
     I MARRIED MY SECOND WIFE 37 YEARS AGO.  TO TELL THE TROOF, I DON'T RIGHTLY
KNOW HOW MANY GRANDCHILLUNS I GOT, KAZEN I AIN'T SEED SOME OF 'EM FOR THIRTY YEA
RS.  MY CHILLUNS IS OFF FUM HERE AND I WOULDN'T KNOW TO SAVE MY LIFE WHAR THEY I
S OR WHAT THEY DOES.  MY SISTER AND BROTHERS THEY IS DONE DEAD OUT WHAT AIN'T GO
NE OFF, I DON'T KNOW FOR SHO' WHAR NONE OF 'EM IS NOW.
     NOW I GWINE TELL YOU TROOF.  NOW THAT IT'S OVER I DON'T FIND LIFE SO GOOD I
N MY OLD AGE, AS IT WAS IN SLAVERY TIME WHEN I WAS CHILLUN DOWN ON MARSTER'S PLA
NTATION.  THEN I DIDN' HAVE TO WORRY 'BOUT WHAR MY CLOTHES AND MY SOMEPIN' TO EA
T WAS COMIN' FROM OR WHAR I WAS GWINE TO SLEEP.  MARSTER TUK KEER OF ALL THAT.
NOW I AIN'T ABLE FOR TO WUK AND MAKE A LIVIN' AND HIT'S SHO' MOUGHTY HARD ON THI
S OLD NIGGER.
  X   XXX