0523-ALA/#319                FRANK GILL
     I NOT ONLY LIVED DURIN' SLAVERY TIMES, BUT I WAS HERE BEFORE A GUN WAS FIRE
D, AN' B'FORE LINCOLN WAS ELECTED.  I TELLS YOU, MISS, DE FUST TIME I 'MEMBERS A
NYTHING - A TALE OF ANY KIND.  I WAS LIVIN' IN VICKSBURG, LEE COUNTY, MISSISSIPP
I, AN' MAH MAW AN' PAW'S NAMES WAS AMELIA WILLIAMS AN' HIRAM GILL.  I COULDN'T T
ELLS YOU WHAR DEY WAR FROM, DOUGH.  BUT I DOES KNOW DAT MISTA ARTHUR AN' GEORGE
FOSTER OWNED US, UP 'TIL I WAR A BIG BOY.  DE WAY IT WAS, DERE MOTHER, OL' MISSY
, WAS A WIDOW AN' HER HAD DESE TWO BOYS, AN' SHE HAD MONEY, I TELLS YOU SHE HAD
BARRELS OB MONEY, SO WHEN DE TWO BOYS GOT OLD ENOUGH SHE DIVIDED DE SLAVES, AN'
PROPERTY 'TWEEN 'EM.  ME AN' MAH MAW FELL TO ARTHUR FOSTER, AND SUM OB OUR KINDR
ED FELL TO GEORGE FOSTER.  MISTER GEORGE WAS A CAPTAIN IN DE ARMY AN' WAS KILLED
 NEAR VICKSBURG.
     DE OL' MISSY'S PLACE SHORE WAS BIG, I COULDN'T SAY HOW MANY ACRES DERE WAS,
 BUT HIT RUN FOUR OR FIVE MILES, AN' SHE OWNED HUNDREDS OB SLAVES.  SHE HAD LOTS
 OB LOG CABIN QUARTERS, WHAT HAD DE CRACKS DAUBED WID MUD, AN' DEN CEILED WID BO
ARDS.  I'SE TELLIN' YOU DEY WAS TWICE AS WARM AS DE HOUSES WE LIB IN NOW.  DEY H
AD CHIMBLEYS BUILT OB MUD AN' STICKS, AN' HAD BIG WIDE, FIREPLACES, DAR WE COOKE
D ON, AN' DE BEDS WAS HOMEMADE, BUT LOR' DEY WAS HEAPS STRONGER DAN DEY IS NOW,
IN DESE TIMES.  DEM BEDS WAS MORTICED TOGETHER.
     AS I SAID B'FORE I WAS A BOY BETWEEN FOURTEEN OR FIFTEEN YEARS OLD B'FORE D
E SLAVES WAS DIVIDED, AN' WHEN I WAS DE OL' MISSY'S PLACE, I STAYED AROUN' DE HO
USE, AN' WAIT ON DEM, AN' 'TEND DE HORSES.  ANUDDER THING I HAD TO DO, DEY WOULD
 SEND ME FOR THE MAIL.  I HAD TO GO TWELVE MILES ATTER HITAN' I COULDN'T READ OR
 WRITE, BUT I COULD BRING EVERYBODY'S MAIL TO DEM JES' RIGHT.  I KNOWED I HAD BE
TTER GIT HIT RIGHT.  YOU SEE I COULD KINDER FIGURE, SO I COULD MAKE OUT BY DE NU
MBERS.
     OL' MISSY AN' MISTER ARTHUR BOTH WAS GOOD TO ME AN' ALL DE SLAVES, DEY 'LOW
 DE SLAVES TO MAKE DERE OWN PATCH OB COTTON, AN' RAISE CHICKENS, AN' HE WOULD SE
LL HIT FOR DEM.  COTTON WAS DE MAIN CROP, IN DEM DAYS, HIT WOULD SELL AS HIGH AS
 TWENTY-FIVE CENTS A POUND.  'COURSE DEY RAISES CORN, PEARS, AN' OTHER THINGS ON
 DE PLANTATION, TOO, BUT DEY MADE DE COTTON.  MASTER JESUS, DEY SUMTIMES MADE FR
OM FIFTY TO ONE HUNDRED AN' FIFTY BALES.
     I 'MEMBERS HOW ALL DE WOMEN HAD LOOMS, BOTH BLACK AND WHITE, WEAVIN' CLOTH
FOR DE CLOTHES; AN' DEN DEY RAISED SHEEP TO GIT DE WOOL TO MAKE DEM GRAY UNIFORM
S.  LORD, AT SHEEP SHEARING TIME]  HIT WAS BIG TIMES.  LET ME TELL YOU, MISS, DE
M UNIFORMS WAS MADE OUT OB ALL WOOL, TOO, BUT I CAIN'T 'MEMBER WHUT DEY USED TO
DYE 'EM GRAY, BUT I 'MEMBERS DEY DYED WID RED OAK BARK, WALNUT BARK, AN' ALSO A
BRUSH WHUT GROWED DOWN ON THE BRANCH, ALSO DEY USED DE LAUREL LEAVES TO DYE YELL
OW, AS WELL AS CLAY.  DEY SOT DE DYE WID SALT, AN' HIT REALLY STAYED IN.
     LET ME TELL YOU, DEY REALLY FED US SLAVES GOOD, UP 'TIL SUCH A LENGTH O' TI
ME ATTER DE WAR BROKE OUT, DEN FOOD BEGAN TO GIT SCARCE.
     YOU SEE DE GOVERNMENT TAXED 'EM, AN' DEY HAD TO GIB SO MUCH TO FEED DE SOLD
IERS.  EVEN DEN US HAD A GOOD TIME, I 'MEMBERS HOW DE LI'L CHILLUN PLAYED BALL,
AND MARBLES, 'SPECIALLY MARBLES, HIT WAS OUR BIG GAME.  EVEN ATTER NIGHT, DEY HA
D A BIG LIGHT OUT IN DE BACKYARD, AN' US WOULD PLAY.  SOMETIMES US WOULD HUNT AT
 NIGHT, AND WELL I 'MEMBERS ONE SATURDAY NIGHT I WENT HUNTIN' WID MAH UNCLE, AN'
 DIDN'T GIT IN 'TIL DAYLIGHT NEX' MAWNING, AN' I WAS SLEEPY AN' DIDN'T GIT DE SH
OES ALL CLEANED BEFORE CHURCH TIME.  SO OL' MARSTER CALLED ME AN' TUK ME TO DE C
ARRIAGE HOUSE TO GIB ME A WHIPPIN'.  OL' MARSER'S BOY WAS ABOUT DE SAME AGE AS M
E AN' HE BEG HIS PAW NOT TO WHIP ME, AN' I WAS BEGGIN', TOO, BUT HE CARRIED ME O
N, AN' WHEN WE GOT IN DE CARRIAGE HOUSE, OL' MARSER HAD TO CLIMB UP ON DE SIDE W
ALL TO GIT DE WHIP, AN' HE HAD ON ONE OB DOS LONG TAILED COATS, AN' HIT LEFT DEM
 TAILS HANGIN' DOWN, SO I JES' GRABBED HOLD OB DEM, AN' MADE HIM FALL, AN' DEN I
 RUN TO OL' MISSY'S ROOM, 'CA'SE I KNOWED WHEN I GOT IN DERE, DAT OL' MARSER WOU
LD NEBER HIT ME.
     DE OL' MISSY GOT UP OUT OB DE BED AN' WOULDN'T LET OL' MARSTER WHIP ME, AN'
 SHE GOT SO MAD SHE TOL' HIM DAT SHE WARN'T GOING TO CHURCH WID HIM DAT MORNING,
 AN' DAT LACK TO KILL DE OL' MARSTER, 'CA'SE HE SHORE LOVED AN' WAS PROUD OB OL'
 MISSY.  SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.  DAT ENDED DE WHIPPIN', AN' DATS DE ONLY TIM
E I 'MEMBERS HIM TRYIN' TO WHIP ME.
     OL' MISSY DIDN'T 'LOW DEM TO WHIP DE WOMEN EITHER, AN' DEY WOULDN'T 'LOW DE
 WOMEN TO ROLL LOGS EITHER.  BUT DEY DID WORK DEM IN DE FIEL'S.  'COURSE DEY KEP
T DE YOUNG WOMEN WID BABIES 'ROUN' DE HOUSE, AN' DEY EAT DE SAME GRUB AS DE WHIT
E FOLKS EAT.
     TALKING 'BOUT LOG ROLLIN', DEM WAS GREAT TIMES, 'CA'SA IF SOME OB DE NEIGHB
ORIN' PLANTATIONS WANTED TO GET UP A HOUSE, DEY WOULD INVITE ALL DE SLAVES, MEN
NAD WOMEN, TO COME WID DERE MASTERS.  DE WOMEN WOULD HELP WID DE COOKIN' AN' YOU
 MAY BE SHORE DEY HAD SOMETHING TO COOK.  DEY WOULD KILL A COW, OR THREE OR FOUR
 HOGS, AND DEN HAB PEAS, CABBAGE, AN' EVERYTHING LACK GROWS ON DE FARM.  AN' IF
DERE WAS ANY MEAT OR FOOD LEF' DEY WOULD GIB DAT TO DE SLAVES TO TAKE HOME, AN'
JES' B'FORE DARK DE O'SEER OR OL' MARSTER WOULD GIB DE SLAVES ALL DE WHISKEY DEY
 WANTED TO DRINK.  SOMETIMES ATTER DE DAYS WORK, DEY WOULD HAB A FROLIC, SUCH AS
 DANCIN', AN' OL' TIME GAMES.
     DEY WOULD HAB DESE SAME KIND OB GATHERIN'S AT CORNSHUCKING TIME, AN' COTTON
 PICKIN' TIME, BUT DERE WARN'T SO MUCH FOOLISHNESS AT COTTON PICKIN' TIME, 'CA'S
E DEY DIDN'T CALL ONE ANUDDER DEN, 'CEPTIN' WHEN DE COTTON GOT SO FAR AHEAD OB D
EM, AN' WAS 'BOUT TO SET IN FER A WET SPELL, OR RAINY SEASON.
     YOU AXED ME 'BOUT DE PATTY-ROLLERS?  YOU SEE, DE CITY POLICEMEN WALKIN' HIS
 BEAT?  WELL, DATS DE WAY DE PATTY-ROLLIN' WAS ONLY EACH COUNTY HAD DERE PATTY-R
OLLERS, AN' DEY HAD TO SERVE THREE MONTHS AT A TIME, DEN DEY WAS TURNED LOOSE.
AND IF DEY COTCH YOU OUT WITHOUT A PASS, DEY WOULD GIB YOU THIRTY-NINE LASHES, '
CA'SE DAT WAS DE LAW.  DE PATTY-ROLLERS KNOWED NEARLY ALL DE SLAVES, AN' IT WURN
'T VERY OFTEN DEY EVER BEAT 'EM.
     YOU KNOW FOLKS WAS JES' DE SAME DEN AS DEY IS NOW, BOTH BLACK, AND WHITE.
SOME FOLKS YOU COULD NEIGHBOR WID DEH, JES' LACK YOU CAN NOW, AN' DERE WAS GOOD
FOLKS DEN, JES' DE SAME AS DEY IS NOW.
     CHRISTMAS TIME WAS DE BES' OB ALL, 'CA'SE US ALLUS HAD A BIG DINNER, AN' DE
 OL' MARSTER GIB DE WOMEN CALICO DRESSES AN' SHOES, AN' DE MEN SHOES AN' HATS, A
N' WOULD GIB US FLOUR, AN' SUGAR, MOLASSES, AN' WOULD BUY BEER, WHISKEY, AN' WIN
E.
     DE OL' MARSTER TUK GOOD KEER OB US TOO, WHEN ANY OB US GOT SICK HE SEND FOR
 DE DOCTOR, DEN WHEN DEY ORDER DE MEDICINE TO BE GIBEN AT NIGHT, HE'D SEE DAT US
 GOT IT.  BUT NOWADAYS IF YOU GIT SICK, YOU HAB TO GIT DE DOCTOR, AN' DEN PAY HI
M YO' SE'F.  DEN DE OL' MARSTER HAD TO FIND CLOTHES AN' SHOES FOR US, BUT NOW US
 HAS TO SCUFFLE AN' GIT DEM DE BES' WAY US CAN.
     YOU KNOW, MISS, I'SE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, I EBEN 'MEMBERS JEFFERSON
DAVIS.  I'SE SEEN HIM MANY A TIME.  HE HAD A HOME 'TWEEN HERE AN' NEW ORLEANS, A
N' YOU KNOWS HE FUST TUK HIS SEAT IN MONTGOMERY, AN' DEN MOVED TO RICHMOND, VIRG
INNY.
     I 'MEMBERS, TOO, HOW I USETA THINK DAT DE BAPTIST WAS DE ONLY RELIGION.  YO
U SEE JOHN DE BAPTIST COME HERE BAPTIZING, AN' EVER'BODY HAD TO OFFER UP SACRIFI
CES, A GOAT OR A SHEEP OR SUMPIN', JES' LACK DE MAN WHO WAS GOING TO OFFER UP HI
S SON FOR A SACRIFICE.  BUT YOU KNOWS, JESUS COME AN' CHANGED ALL DAT.  DE FOLKS
 IN DEM TIMES DIDN'T HAB NOBODY TO WORSHIP, AN' DEN ONE COME, WHO SAID, "FATHER,
 HAND ME A BODY, AND I'LL DIE FOR DEM,"  DAT'S CHRIST, AN' HE WAS BAPTIZED, AN'
GOD GIB JESUS DIS WHOLE WORLD.  SO I BELIEVED, DAT WAS DE ONLY RELIGION.
     I 'MEMBERS HOW US WOULD HAB BIG BAPTIZINGS AN' SHOUT.  US ALLUS WENT TO CHU
RCH IN DE WHITE FOLKS CHURCH, DEY HAD CHURCH IN DE MORNINGS, US HAD OURS IN DE A
FTERNOONS.  US WOULD HAB TO HAB A PASS, DOUGH, 'CA'SE DE CHURCH WAS EIGHT MILES
AWAY FROM DE PLANTATION.
     DERE WAS PLENTY OLD SONGS US USETA SING, BUT I CAN'T 'MEMBER 'EM.
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