CALLIE ALDER                 0643-GEO/#353
     LORDY]  MISS, WHAT IS DE GOVERNMENT GWINE DO NEXT?  FOR DE GOD'S TRUTH, I N
EVER KNOWED I WOULD HAVE TO TELL NOBODY WHAT HAPPENED BACK IN DEM DAYS, SO ITS J
US' DONE SPIPPED OUT OF MY MIND.
     ANYHOW, I WARN'T EVEN BORN IN CLARKE COUNTY.  I WAS BORN IN FLOYT COUNTY, U
P NIGH ROME, GEORGIA, ON MARSE BILLY NEAL'S PLANTATION.  ANN AND WASHIN'TON NEAL
 WAS MY MAMMY AND PAPPY.  NO MA'AM, NO PREACHER NEVER MARRIED 'EM.  MARSE BILLY
NEAL, HE OWNED BOFE OF 'EM AND ATTER MY PAPPY AXED HIM COULD HE MARRY MAMMY, MAR
SE BILLY MADE 'EM GO UP TO DE HALL OF DE BIG HOUSE AND JUMP BACKWARDS OVER A BRO
OM.
     DERE WAS SIX OF US CHILLUN:  ME AND FRANCES, BEULAH, THOMAS, FELIX, AND SCO
TT.  DERE WAS MIGHTY LITTLE WUK DONE BY CHILLUN IN SLAV'RY DAYS.  I JUS' PLAYED
'ROUND AND KICHED UP MY HEELS WID DE REST OF DE CHILLUN.  WHEN US PLAYED OUR HID
IN' GAME, US SUNG SONGS.
     SOMETIMES US PLAYED WHAT WE CALLED DE CROW GAME.  US SPREAD OUR FINGERS OUT
, SIDE BY SIDE AND COUNTED 'EM OUT WID A FHYME.  DE ONE DE LAST WORD OF DE RHYME
 FELL ON HAD TO BE DE CROW.  I DIDN'T LOVE TO BE COUNTED OUT AND MADE DE CROW, B
UT IT WAS A HEAP OF FUN TO COUNT DE OTHERS OUT.  SINCE I BEEN KNEE HIGH TO A GRA
SSHOPPER, I AIN'T NEVER DONE NOTHIN' BUT WUK 'ROUND WHITE FOLKS' HOUSES.
     OUR LOG CABINS WHAT US LIVED IN WAS DAUBED INSIDE AND OUT WID MUD TO KEEP O
UT BAD WEATHER.  OUR BEDS WAS HELD TOGETHER BE CORDS WHAT WAS TWISTED EVVY WHICH
 WAY.  YOU HAD TO BE MIGHTY CAREFUL TIGHTENIN' DEM CORDS OR DE BEDS WAS LIABLE T
O FALL DOWN.  US SLEPT ON WHEAT STRAW MATTRESSES AND HAD PLENTY OF GOOD WARM QUI
LTS FOR KIVER.
     GROWN FOLKS WAS FED CORNBREAD AND MEAT WID PLENTY OF VEGETABLES INNDE WEEK
     GROWN FOLKS WAS FED CORNBREAD AND MEAT WID PLENTY OF VEGETABLES IN DE WEEK
DAYS AND ON SUNDAY MORNIN'S DEY GIVE 'EM WHEAT BREAD, WHAT WAS SOMETHIN' SLAVES
DIDN'T SEE NO MORE 'TILL DE NEXT SUNDAY MORNIN.  'BOUT FOUR O'CLOCK ON SUMMER ST
DIDN'T SEE NO MORE 'TILL DE NEXT SUNDAY MORNIN.  'BOUT FOUR O'CLOCK ON SUMMER AT
TERNOONS, DEY SOT A BIG OLD WOODEN BOWL FULL OF CORNBREAD CRUMBS OUT IN DE YARD
AND POURED IN BUTTERMILK OR POTLIQUOR 'TILL DE CRUMBS WAS KIVERED.  DEN DEY LET
DE CHILLUN GATHER 'ROUND IT AND EAT 'TILL DE BOWL WAS EMPTY.  IN WINTER CHILLUN
WAS FED INSIDE DE HOUSE.
     POSSUMS, OH, MUSSY ME]  MY GRANDPA HUNTED 'POSSUMS AT NIGHT AND FETCHED IN
TWO AND THREE AT A TIME.  DON'T SAY NOTHIN' 'BOUT DEM RABBITS FOR DERE WARN'T NO
 END TO 'EM.  RABBITS STEWED, RABBITS FRIED, AND RABBITS DRIED, SMOKED, AND CURE
D LAK HOG MEAT]  I ET SO MANY RABBITS WHEN I WAS YOUNG I CAN'T STAND TO LOOK AT
'EM NOW BUT I COULD EAT 'POSSUMS AND GNAW DE BONES ALL DAY LONG.  MARSE BILLY LE
T GRANDPA GO FISHIN' AND HE WAS ALL TIME BRINGIN' BACK A PASSEL OF MINNOWS AND O
THER FISHES.  US RUBBED 'EM DOWN WID LARD AND SALT AND PEPPER, DEN ROLLED 'EM IN
 CORNMEAL AND BAKED 'EM.  I NEVER SEED NO FRIED MEAT 'TIL I WAS A BIG STRAPPIN'
GAL.  DERE WAS ONE BIG GYARDEN WHAR DEY RAISED 'NOUGH VEGETABLES FOR ALL DE WHIT
E FOLKS AND SLAEVES TOO.  ALL DE BILIN' WAS DONE IN POTS SWUNG ON CRANES OVER CO
ALS IN DE FIREPLACE.
     OUR CLOTHES WAS MADE NEW FOR US IN DE FALL OUT OF CLOTH WOVE IN LOOMS RIGHT
 DAR ON DE PLANTATION.  TOP CLOTHES WAS DYED WID HICK'RY BARK.  DE FULL SKIRTS W
AS GATHERED TO TIGHT FITTIN' WAISTIES.  UNDERSKIRTS WAS MADE DE SAME WAY.  DE DR
ESSES HAD DONE WORE THIN 'NOUGH FOR HOT WEATHER BY DE TIME WINTER WAS GONE SO US
 WORE DEM SAME CLOTHES STRAIGHT ON THROUGH DE SUMMER, ONLY US LEFT OFF DE UNDERS
KIRTS DEN.  SLAVE CHILLUN DIDN'T NEVER WEAR NO SHOES.  OUR FOOTS CRACKED OPEN 'T
IL DEY LOOKED LAK GOOSE FOOTS.  US WORE DE SAME ON SUNDAY AS EVVY DAY, 'CEPT DAT
 OUR CLOTHES WAS CLEAN, AND STIFF WID MEAL STARCH WHEN US GOT INTO 'EM SUNDAY MO
RNIN'S.
     MARSE BILLIE NEAL WAS OUR OWNER AND MISS PEGGY WAS HIS OLD 'OMAN.  DEY WAS
JUS' AS GOOD TO US AS DEY COULD BE.  DEIR TWO CHILLUN WAS MARSE TOM AND MARSE MI
D.  DE CAR'IAGE DRIVER NEVER HAD MUCH TO DO BUT DRIVE MARSE BILLY AND MISS PEGGY
 'ROUND AND, COURSE HE HAD TO SEE DAT DE HOSSES AND CAR'IAGE WAS KEPT CLEAN AND
SHINY.  I DON'T 'MEMBER IF HE TUK DE CHILLUN 'ROUND.  CHILLUN DIDN'T STAND DE SH
OW DEY DOES NOW.
     OH, NO MA'AM, I SHO' CAN'T TELL NOTHIN' T'ALL 'BOUT HOW BIG DAT OLD PLANTAT
ION WAS, BUT IT WAS ONE WHOPPIN' BIG PLACE.  DERE WAS TOO MANY SLAVES ON DAT PLA
NTATION FOR ME TO COUNT.  DE OVERSEER GOT 'EM UP BY 4:00 O'CLOCK AND DE MENS HAD
 TO BE IN DE FIELDS BY SUNRISE.  DE 'OMANS WENT OUT 'BOUT 8:00 O'CLOCK.  DEY STO
PPED WUK AT SUNDOWN AND BY DE TIME DEY ET AND DONW DE CHORES FOR DE DAY IT WAS 1
0:00 O'CLOCK 'FORE DEY HIT DE BED.  DE CABINS WAS BUILT IN A CIRCLE AND DE OVERS
EER WENT DE ROUNDS EVVY NIGHT TO SEE IF DE SLAVES WAS IN BED.
     YES MA'AM, DEY WHUPPED DE NIGGERS.  MY PAPPY AND GRANDPA WAS DE WUST ONES '
BOUT GITTIN' LICKED.  EVVY TIME PAPPY RUNNED AWAY MARSE BILLY SICKED DEM HOUNDS
ON HIS HEELS AND DEY WAS SHO' TO KETCH HIM AND FETCH HIM BACK.  DEY HAD TO KEEP
KNIVES FROM PAPPY OR WHEN DEM DOGS COTCH HIM HE WOULD JUS' CUT 'EM SO DEY WOULD
DIE.  WHEN DEY GOT HIM BACK TO DE HOUSE, DEY WOULD BUCKLE HIM DOWN OVER A BARREL
 AND LARRUP HIM WID A PLAITED WHIUP.  'OMANS WARN'T WHUPPED MUCH.  MY GRANDPA YO
RK WAS SO BAD 'BOUT RUNNIN' 'WAY MARSE BILLY MADE HIM WEAR LONG OLD HORNS.  ONE
SUNDAY MARSE BILLY WENT BY OUR CHURCH TO SEE IF ALL HIS NIGGERS WAS DAR WHAT WAS
 SPOSEN TO BE DAR.  AND DERE GRANDPA WAS ASSOTTIN' WID DEM HORNS ON HIS HEAD.  M
ARSE BILLY TOLD HIM HE COULD TAKE DE HORNS OFF HIS HEAD WHILST HE WAS IN DE MEET
IN' HOUSE.  AT DAT GRANDPA DROPPED DEM HORNS, AND LIT A RAG TO DE WOODS AND IT T
UK DE DOGS DAYS TO FIND HIM.
     IF ONE SLAVE KILT ANOTHER, MARSE BILLY MADE DE OVERSEER TIE DAT DEAD NIGGER
 TO DE ONE WHAT KILT HIM, AND DE KILLER HAD TO DRAG DE CORPSE 'ROUND 'TIL HE DIE
D TOO.  DE MURDERERS NEVER LIVED LONG DRAGGIN' DEM DAID ONES 'ROUND.  DAT JUS' P
YORELY SKEERED 'EM TO DEATH.  DERE WAS A GUARD HOUSE ON DE FARM, WHAR DE WUST NI
GGERS WAS KEPT, AND WHILE DEY WAS IN DAT GUARD HOUSE, DEY WARN'T FED BUT ONCE A
DAY.  IT WARN'T NOTHIN' UNUSUAL FOR MARSE BILLY TO SELL SLAVES, BUT HE NEVER SOL
D HIS BEST NIGGERS.  DE ONES HE SOLD WAS ALLUS DEM HE COULDN' GIT NO WUK OUT OF.
     NOT A NIGGER COULD READ OR WRITE ON MARSE BILLY'S PLANTATION.  DEY WAS ALL
TOO DUMB TO LARN.  DERE WAS A SHACKLY SORT OF CHURCH HOUSE ON OUR PLANTATION AND
 ON SUNDAYS ATTER DE NIGGERS HAD CLEANED DEYSELFS UP, IF DEY TOLD MARSE BILLY DE
Y WANTED TO GO TO CHURCH, HE SONT 'EM ON.  ALL I KNOWS 'BOUT BAPTIZIN'S IS DEY J
US' TUK 'EM TO DE RIVER AND PLUNGED 'EM IN.  DEY SUNG SOMEPIN' 'BOUT:  GWINE TO
DE RIVER FOR TO BE BAPTIZED.  US HAD PRAYER MEETIN'S ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS SOMETIM
ES.
     OH, MUSSY]  DON'T AX ME 'BOUT FUN'RALS.  I GOT DE MISERY IN MY LAIGS AND I
FEELS TOO BAD DIS MORNIN' TO LET MYSELF EVEN THINK 'BOUT FUN'RALS.  BACK DEN WHE
N SLAVES FOLKS DIED DEY JUS' PUT 'EM IN HOME-MADE PINE COFFINS WHAT DEY THROWED
IN A WAGON AND TUK 'EM TO DE GRAVEYARD.  AT DEM BURYIN'S, DEY USED TO SING.
     NONE OF OUR NIGGERS EVER RUNNED AWAY TO DE NORTH.  DEY WAS TOO BUSY RUNNIN'
 OFF TO DE WOODS.  JUS' TO TELL DE TRUTH DEM NIGGERS ON OUR PLACE WAS SO DUMB DE
Y DIDN'T EVEN TAKE IN 'BOUT DE NORTH.  DEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT DE WAR WAS 'BOU
T 'TIL IT WAS ALL OVER.  I DON'T KNOW WHAR TO START 'BOUT DEM PATTEROLLERS.  DEY
 WAS DE DEVIL TURNED ALOOSE.  DERE WAS A SONG 'BOUT RUN NIGGER RUN, DE PATTEROLL
ER GIT YOU]  AND DEY SHO' WOULD TOO, I WANT TO TELL YOU.
     WHAT DE SLAVES DONE ON SADDY NIGHT?  DEY DONE ANYTHING DEY WAS BIG 'NOUGH T
O DO.  DERE WARN'T NO FROLICKIN' 'CEPT ON SADDAY NIGHT.  NIGGERS ON OUR PLACE WU
KKED ALL SADDAY 'CEPT ONCE A MONTH.  SOME OF DE SLAVES WOULD SLIP OFF AND STAY H
ALF A DAY AND DE OVERSEER WOULDN'T MISS 'EM 'CAUSE DERE WAS SO MANY IN DE FIELD.
  IT WAS JUS' TOO BAD FOR ANY NIGGER WHAT DAT COTCHED AT DAT TRICK.  SADDAY NIGH
T, SLAVES WAS 'LOWED TO GIT TOGETHER AND FROLIC AND CUT DE BUCK.
     CHRISTMAS DAY MARSE BILLY CALLED US TO DE BIG HOUSE AND GIVE US A LITTLE FR
ESH MEAT AND SWEET BREAD, DAT WAS CAKE.  CHRISTMAS WARN'T MUCH DIFF'UNT F'UM OTH
ER TIMES.  JUS' MORE T'EAT.  US JUS' HAD DAT ONE DAY OFF, AND NEW YEAR'S DAY WAS
 USED AS A HOLIDAY TOO.
     OH, DEM CORNSHUCKIN'S]  ALL DAY 'FORE A CORNSHUCKIN' DEY HAULED CORN AND PU
T IT IN GREAT PILES AS HIGH AS DIS HERE HOUSE.  US SUNG ALL DE TIME US WAS SHUCK
IN' CORN.  DERE WAS A LOT OF DEM OLD SHUCKIN' SONGS.  DE ONE SUNG MOST WAS:  WHO
OPER JOHN AND CALLINE ALL NIGHT.  MARSE BILLY, HE GIVE 'EM COFFEE AND WHISKEY AL
L NIGHT AND DAT MADE 'EM GIT ROUGH AND ROWDY.  DEN DE SHUCKS DID FLY.  US HAD ON
E MORE GRAND FEAST WHEN DE LAST EAR OF CORN HAD DONE BEEN SHUCKED.  DERE WARN'T
NOTHIN' LACKIN'.
     COTTON PICKIN'S PLANNED FOR FUN AND FROLIC LAK CORNSHUCKIN'S.  IF MARSE BIL
LY GOT BEHIND IN HIS CROPS, HE JUS' SONT US BACK TO DE FIELDS AT NIGHT WHEN DE M
OON WAS BRIGHT AND SOMETIMES US PICKED COTTON ALL NIGHT LONG.  MARSTER GIVE DE '
OMAN WHAT PICKED DE MOST COTTON A DAY OFF, AND DE MAN WHAT PICKED DE MOST HAD DE
 SAME PRIVILEGE.
     OLD AUNT MARTHA WHAT NUSSED DE CHILLUN WHILE DEIR MAMMIES WUKKED IN DE FIEL
D WAS DE QUILTIN' MANAGER.  IT WARN'T NOTHIN' FOR 'OMANS TO QUILT THREE QUILTS I
N ONE NIGHT.  DEM QUILTS HAD TO BE FINISHED 'FORE DEY STOPPED T'EAT A BIT OF DE
QUILTIN' FEAST.  MARSE BILLY 'VIDED DEM QUILTS OUT 'MONGST DE NIGGERS WHAT NEEDE
D 'EM MOST.
     DEM BLUE AND WHITE BEADS WHAT DE GROWN 'OMANS WORE WAS JUS' TO LOOK PRETTY.
  DEY NEVER MEANT NOTHIN' ELSE.  MAMMY WOULD SKEER US DOWN 'BOUT RAWHEAD AND BLO
ODY BONES.  US WAS ALL TIME ALOOKIN' FOR HIM, BUT HE NEVER GOT DERE.  WHAT SKEER
ED US MOST WAS PAINTERS AHOWLIN' CLOSE TO OUR CABINS AT NIGHT.  YOU COULD HEAR '
EM MOST ANY NIGHT.  WHEN MAMMY WANTED TO MAKE US BEHAVE ALL SHE HAD TO SAY WAS:
 "I HEARS DEM PAINTERS COMIN']"  DAT MADE US JUS' SHAKE ALL OVER AND GIT MIGHTY
STILL AND QUIET.  DE MENS TRIED TO RUN DEM PAINTERS DOWN, BUT DEY NEVER DID KETC
H ONE.
     ONE OF DE CABINS WAS ALLUS HA'NTED ATTER SOME OF DE SLAVES GOT KILT IN IT W
HILST DEY WAS FIGHTIN'.  NOBODY NEVER COULD LIVE IN DAT CABIN NO MORE ATTER DAT
WIDOUT HANTS GITTIN' ATTER 'EM.  DE WUST OF 'EM WAS A 'OMAN HA'NT WHAT YOU COULD
 HEAR SWEEPIN' UP LEAVES IN DE YARD AND ALL DAT TIME YOU MIGHT BE LOOKIN' HARD A
ND NOT SEE A LEAF MOVE.  IN DAT CABIN YOU COULD ALL TIME HEAR HA'NTS MOVIN' CHEE
RS AND KNOCKIN' ON DE WALL.  SOME OF DEM HA'NTS WOULD P'INT A GUN IN YOUR FACE I
F YOU MET 'EM IN DE DARK.  DEM HA'NTS WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME.
     OUR WHITE FOLKS WAS GOOD AS DEY KNOWED HOW TO BE WHEN US GOT SICK.  I DON'T
 'MEMBER DAT DEY EVER HAD A DOCTOR FOR DE SLAVES, BUT DEY GIVE US ALL KINDS OF H
OME-BREWED TEAS.  PINETOPS, MULLEIN AND FAT LIGHT'OOD SPLINTERS WAS BILED TOGETH
ER AND DE TEA WAS OUR CURE FOR DIFF'UNT AILMENTS.  SCURVY GRASS TEA MIXED WID HO
NEY WAS GOOD FOR STOMACH TROUBLES, BUT YOU SHO' COULDN'T TAKE MUCH OF IT AT A TI
ME.  IT WAS DE MOVIN'EST MEDICINE]  'ROUND OUR NECKS US WORE ASAFETIDA SACKS TIE
D ON STRINGS SOAKED IN TURPENTINE.  DAT WAS TO KEEP DISEASES OFF OF US.
     WHAT DOES I 'MEMBER 'BOUT DE WAR?  WELL, IT WAS FIT TO FETCH FREEDOM.  MARS
E BILLY HAD A FINE STALLION.  WHEN DE SOJERS WAS COMIN', HE SENT PAPPY TO DE WOO
DS WID DAT STALLION AND SOME GOLD AND TOLD HIM NOT TO LET DEM YANKEES FIND 'EM.
 DAT STALLION KEPT SQUEALIN' 'TIL DE YANKEES FOUND HIM, AND DEY TUK HIM AND DE G
OLD TOO.  GRANDMA WAS A CHURNIN' AWAY OUT ON DE BACK PORCH AND SHE HAD A TEN DOL
LAR GOLD PIECE WHAT SHE DIDN'T WANT DEM SOJERS TO STEAL, SO SHE DRAPPED IT IN DE
 CHURN.  DEM YANKEES POURED DAT BUTTERMILK OUT RIGHT DAR ON DE PORCH FLOOR AND G
OT GRANDMA'S MONEY.  MARSE BILLY HID HISSELF IN A DEN WID SOME MORE MONEY AND OT
HER THINGS AND DEY DIDN'T FIND HIM.  DEY TUK WHAT DEY WANTED OF WHAT DEY FOUND A
ND GIVE DE REST TO DE SLAVES.  ATTER DE SOJERS LEFT, DE NIGGERS GIVE IT ALL BACK
 TO MARSTER 'CAUSE HE HAD ALLUS BEEN SO GOOD TO 'EM.
     US STAYED ON WID MARSE BILLY FOR SEV'RAL YEARS ATTER DE WAR.  HE PAID US 10
 DOLLARS A MONTH AND HE 'LOWANCED OUT DE RATIONS TO US EVVY WEEK; MOST ALLUS ON
 MONDAY 'CAUSE SUNDAYS US HAD 'NOUGH COMPANY TO EAT IT ALL AT ONE TIME.  HE GIVE
 US THREE POUNDS OF FAT MEAT, A PECK OF MEAL, A PECK OF FLOUR, 25 CENTS WORTH OF
 SUGAR, AND A POUND OF COFFEE.  DAT HAD TO LAST A WHOLE WEEK.
     I DIDN'T TAKE IN NOTHIN' 'BOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN, JEFFERSON DAVIS AND DAT DAR
 BOOKER T WASHINGTON MAN, BUT I HEARED FOLKS SAY DEY WAS ALL RIGHT.
     WHAT IS YOU TALKIN' 'BOUT MISS?  I DIDN'T NEED TO HAVE NO BIG WEDDIN' WHEN
I MARRIED LIGE ELDER.  IT WAS A BIG 'NOUGH THING TO GIT A MAN LAK WHAT I GOT.  W
HAT DID I WANT TO HAVE A BIG WEDDIN' FOR WHEN ALL I WAS ATTER WAS MY MAN?  US HA
D DONE BEEN MARRIED 25 YEARS 'FORE US HAD NO CHILLUN.  DIS HERE CORNELIA WHAT I
LIVES WID WAS OUR FIRST CHILE.  SHE AIN' GOT NO CHILLUN.  ISAAC, MY BOY, HAS GOT
 FOUR CHILLUN.  MY OLD MAN DIED 'BOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
     I J'INED DE CHURCH 'CAUSE I WAS HAPPY AND WANTED DE WORLD TO KNOW I HAD DON
E GOT 'LIGION.  I THINK EVVYBODY OUGHT TO GIT 'LIGION.  GOD SAYS IF US DO RIGHT
HE WILL GIVE US ALL A HOME IN HIS HEAVEN.
     I'D RUTHER HAVE DE DAYS AS DEY IS NOW IN SOME WAYS.  BUT ONE THING I DOES L
AK TO DO IS EAT AND US HAD PLENTY OF GOOD EATIN' DEN AND NEVER HAD TO WORRY NONE
 'BOUT WHAR IT WAS ACOMIN' F'UM.  MISS,IN'T YOU THROUGH AXIN' ME QUESTIONS
YET?  I'M TIRED OF TALKIN'.  I DONE LET DE FIRE GO OUT UNDER MY WASHPOT TWICE.
DEM WHITE FOLKS AIN'T GWINE TO LAK IT IF DEY HAS TO WAIT FOR DEIR CLOTHES, AND D
IS MISERY IN MY LAIGS, IT SHO' DOES HURT ME BAD DIS MORNIN'.
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