UNKNOWN TF/#002 I WAS A SLAVE A GOOD MANY YEARS BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR. WHEN THE WAR BROKE O UT I WAS IN BOWERSVILLE, TEXAS. MY MASTER WAS A GOOD MAN. I HAD A YOUNG MISTRE SS AND SHE WAS FROM HAMPTON, VIRGINIA. HER FATHER GIVE ME TO HER FOR A WEDDING PRESENT WHEN SHE MARRIED, YOU KNOW. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A KINDA MAID AND COMPA NION FOR HER. I WAS A VERY DELICATE CHILD, AND OF COURSE WASN'T MUCH USE ON A B IG PLANTATION, SO HE WAS KINDA GLAD TO GIT RID OF ME, HE, HE. IN THAT WAY, YOU SEE, I GOT TO DO A LOT OF TRAVELING. MY OLD MASTER WAS NAMED MISTER GILLUM. I NEVER CALLED HIM MARSTER OR NOTHI NG. WHEN THE WAR BROKE OUT I WAS SENT TO KEY WEST, FLORIDA, ME AND MY OLD MISSU S. YOU SEE HER HUSBAND WAS THE PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES, STANDING ARMY, YO U KNOW, AND OF COURSE THEY MOVED FROM PLACE TO PLACE. THEN AFTER WE WENT TO KEY WEST WE WENT TO NEW YORK, THEN BACK TO LOUISVILLE, AND AFTER THAT TIME OUR HEAD QUARTERS WAS PHILADELPHIA. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER HE COME FROM KEY WEST HE WAS O RDERED HERE TO NASHVILLE, TO TAKE CHARGE AND BE QUARTERMASTER. NOW, DURING THE BATTLE OF NASHVILLE HE WAS IN KNOXVILLE. YES'M, I DID GET TO TRAVEL 'ROUND RIGH T SMART, FOR A NIGGER, IN THEM DAYS. MY MISTRESS AND MASTER WAS NICE TO ME, TOO. WELL, IT WAS A LONG TIME BEFORE I KNEW THAT I WAS A SLAVE, YOU KNOW, AND TH EN ONE DAY OLE MISS GILLUM SAY TO ME, "LUCY, I AM GOING TO SET YOU FREE." WELL, I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THINGS THEN; AND NOW I KNOW THAT THE LORD JUST OPENED THE WAY FOR THE PO' NIGGER. DON'T YOU BELIEVE THAT? YOU SEE, THE REASON I DIDN'T HARDLY KNOW THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SLAVE, WAS 'CAUSE I WAS REALLY OLD MIS' HOUSEKEEPER; KEPT HOUSE, TOOK CARE OF HER MONEY AND EVERYTHING; SHE WAS ONE O' T HESE KINDA WOMEN THAT COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH NOTHING, KINDA HELPLESS, YOU KNOW, A ND I JUST HANDLED HER MONEY LIKE IT WAS MINE ALMOST. NOW, IN DEM DAYS WE HAD TO TRAVEL IN BOATS. I REMEMBER ONCE WHEN WE WAS TR AVELING ON THE BOATS WE MET A BOAT FULL OF SLAVES GOING DOWN SOUTH TO BE SOLD. I JEST THOUGHT IT WAS TERRIBLE THEN, ALTHOUGH I WAS A LITTLE TIKE. YES, WE WAS TRAVELING, AND WE COME TO A FARM ONE SUNDAY, AND DECIDED TO REST AND WASH UP FOR THE REST OF OUR JOURNEY. NOW, I AND OLE MISS GILLUM, TOO, FAR AS THAT GOES, HA D BEEN RAISED IN A CHRISTIAN HOME AND, AND CHILD, WHEN WE SAW THEM SLAVES WORKIN G OUT IN THE FIELDS AND AROUND ON THE PLANTATION JUST LIKE IT WAS MONDAY, OR ANY OTHER DAY, WELL, ME AND OLE MISSUS WAS JUST SHOCKED; AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS SOME THING SCANDALOUS. YOU SEE, I WAS YOUNG AND I DIDN'T KNOW AND UNDERSTAND CONDITI ONS AS THEY WAS THEN, LIKE I CAN SEE THINGS NOW. I REMEMBER I SAYS TO OLD MISSY , "LAWD, THEY WOULDN'T WORK ME LIKE THAT, JUST LIKE IT WAS MONDAY MORNING, NO SI RREE." OH, CHILD, I WAS ONE SASSY CHILE] SHE SAID, "WELL, I SHO' WOULDN'T WORK ON SUNDAY FOR NOBODY." NOW WASN'T THAT SILLY? HE, HE, HE. YOU SEE, I DIDN'T KNOW, THAT WAS ALL. WELL, THEN WE WAS ON OUR WAY TO TEXAS. WE STAYED AT GALVES TON ALL NIGHT, I REMEMBER, AND WE WAS COMING ON TOWARD SAN ANTONIO THAT NEXT MOR NING, AND WE SAW A LARGE WHITE HOUSE, AND WE STOPPED THERE, AND CHILE, THERE SHO ' WAS A MEAN OLE WOMAN STAYED THERE. WHY SHE JUST WORKED HER POOR OLE NIGGER SL AVES SOMETHING AWFUL. SHE WORKED 'EM UNTIL WAY IN THE NIGHT. I DON'T BELIEVE T HEY GOT ANY SLEEP. WELL, WE HAD TO STAY IN THAT HOUSE THAT NIGHT AND YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE I TOL E YOU, MY OLE MISSY WAS FUNNY, YOU KNOW; SHE HAD DONE BEEN USED TO THINGS. WELL , THE SHEETS THERE AT THAT HOUSE I WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS MADE OUT OF SOME KINDA BLUE STUFF, AND MY OLE MISSY DIDN'T WANT TO SLEEP ON IT, AND ME, MISS SMART ALEC K, OF COURSE, I UP AND TELL OLE MISSY TO TAKE HER PETTICOAT AND SPREAD IT OUT ON THE BED TO SLEEP ON - YOU KNOW IN THEM DAYS THE SKIRTS WAS TERRIBLE WIDE, - WID E ENOUGH FOR TWO OR THREE OF THE KIND YOU GIRLS WEAR NOW, HE, HE, HE. HONEY, THAT SHO' WAS A MEAN OLE WOMAN THERE, I REMEMBER WHEN I WENT TO BED THAT NIGHT THE OLE WOMAN SLAVE, THE COOK WOU KNOW, WAS PIDDLING 'ROUND IN THE KI TCHEN , AND THAT OLE WOMAN WAS JUST ACTUALLY DRIVING HER. I KNOW THAT PO' THING NEVER WENT TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT. WELL, THAT OLE WOMAN HAD A PARROT, ONE OF THES E OLE TALKING KIND, AND HE WAS SMART AND TALKATIVE LIKE ME. THE NEXT MORNING TH E PO' SLVE COME OUT AND SAY BREAKFAST WAS READY; IT WAS BEFORE SIX O'CLOCK THEN. THEN THE CRAZY OLE PARROT SAY RIGHT LOUD, "LISTEN AT THAT DAMN NIGGER TALKING ABOUT BREAKFAST READY, AND THE COFFEE AIN'T EVEN MADE." WELL, I TURNED 'ROUND A ND SPOKE THAT PARROT OUT. I SAY,"SHUT YO' MOUTH, DRAT YOU," AND I SAID A WHOLE LOTS MORE, TOO; AND THAT OLE WHITE WOMAN HEARD ME, AND SHE WENT IN AND TOLE MIS SUS GILLUM. WELL, YOU KNOW, COURSE OLE MISSY DIDN'T GIT AFTER ME OR NOTHIN', BUT SHE TO LE ME AFTER A WHILE, "LUCY, DON'T SAY NOTHIN' TO THAT WOMAN; YOU WILL MAKE HER W HIP THAT POOR OLD SLAVE; SHE IS TERRIBLE MEAN." I WAS AWFUL AIRISH AND SMART, Y OU KNOW, AND I LAUGHS AND SAYS, "HUH, IF SHE TRIED TO WHIP ME, I WOULD HIT HER B ACK." OLE MISSY SHE JUST SMILE AND SAY, "OH, LUCY, YOU REALLY JUST DON'T KNOW." SO YOU SEE NOW THAT I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW. OLE MISSY TOLE MISTER GILLUM 'BOUT WHAT I SAID TO THAT OLE PARROT, WHEN SHE THOUGHT I WASN'T LISTENING, AND HE JUST LAUGHED FIT TO KISS HISSELF, HE, HE, HE. I WAS ONE SASSY CHILE WHEN I WAS LITT LE, I TELL YOU. WELL, IT WENT ON LIKE THAT WHILE WE WAS THERE; THAT WOMAN WAS SHO' MEAN TO THE PO' OLE COOK, AND ALL THE REST OF DEM SLAVES, TOO, I RECKON; AND 'FORE WE LE FT OLE MISSY SAYS TO ME THAT SHE WANTED TO GIVE THAT PO' OLE SOUL SOMETHING BUT SHE DIDN'T WANT THE MEAN OLE WOMAN TO KNOW IT. OLE MISSY WAS SORRY FOR HER, TOO , YOU KNOW. WELL, SHE GIMME A DOLLAR AND TOLE ME NOT TO LET THE OLE WHITE WOMAN SEE ME GIVE IT TO HER, 'CAUSE SHE WOULDN'T HAVE LET HER KEEP IT, YOU KNOW, AND WOULDDA BEAT HER BESIDES. I WENT OUT IN THE KITCHEN WITH THE DOLLAR, AND I ASKED HER, "WILL YOU PLEAS E GIVE ME SOME WARM WATER?" PO' THING, SHE WAS HUMBLE; SHE HUSTLED 'ROUND AND F ETCHED IT TO ME, AND WHEN SHE HANDED ME THE KETTLE I JUST SLIPPED THE MONEY IN H ER HAND. PO' THING, SHE WAS SO THANKFUL THAT HER EYES JUST FILLED WITH TEARS, A ND SHE JUST NODDED HER HEAD AND NEVER SAID A WORD. YES, HONEY, SOMETIMES I GIT TO THINKING ABOUT IT NOW. I REMEMBER MY OLE MI SSY USED TO HAVE A LITTLE RED FLANNEL BAG, HAD PAINT ON IT LIKE THEY HAVE NOWADA YS, - ROUGE, YOU KNOW, AND SHE USED TO RUB WITH THAT LITTLE FLANNEL AND MAKE HER CHEEKS REAL NICE AND ROSY; AND 'COURSE ME, SMART, WOULD GO RIGHT BEHIND HER AND RUB MY CHEEKS, TOO; AND 'COURSE I WASN'T THE RIGHT COLOR. I WOULD SAY, "MY CHE EKS DON'T GIT RED AS YOUR'N," AND SHE WOULD SAY, "LUCY, YOU HAVE TO RUB 'EM HARD ER," HE, HE, HE. I DIDN'T KNOW, I WAS SO SILLY AND YOUNG, BUT SMART. CHILE, I WAS SHARP AS A TACK. YES, I GIVE THAT PO' WOMAN THE DOLLAR; THE PO' THING COULDN'T EVEN SAY THAN K YOU. I WENT BACK AND TOLE OLE MISSY, 'I SHO' WOULD KILL THAT OLE WHITE WOMAN IF SHE COME FOOLIN' WITH ME LIKE THAT." THAT'S THE ONLY KINDA REVENGE I EVER TH OUGHT ABOUT THEN. I WAS ALWAYS GONNA KILL SOMEBODY FOR SOMETHING THEY DID; DIDN 'T KNOW NO BETTER, THAT'S ALL. I REALLY DON'T SEE HOW THAT PO' OLE SALVE HAD TI ME TO REST THOUGH, HONEST; 'CAUSE SHE WAS AT IT WHEN I WENT TO BED AND STILL AT IT WHEN I WOULD GIT UP OF MORNINGS. WELL, WE WENT ON TO SAN ANTONIO, AND THERE WE HEARD ABOUT A WORSE ONE THAN THAT ONE. THERE WAS A WOMAN THERE WHAT BEAT HER OLE SLAVE SO THAT THE POOR WOMA N DIED. YESSIREE, JUST BEAT HER TO DEATH. THEY SAY WHEN THE WOMAN WAS BEATING HER, UP UP TILL THE TIME SHE DIED, SHE JUST SAY IN A PO', MOANFUL VOICE, "OH, PR AY, MISS MARY." NOW WASN'T THAT AWFUL? I ASKED SOME OF THE FOLKS WHAT TOLE ME 'BOUT IT, "WHY'N THAT WOMAN HIT HER BACK," AND THEY LOOKED AT ME RIGHT FUNNY, HE , HE, HE. WELL, HONEY, IN A WAY I WAS GLAD THAT PO' OLE WOMAN WAS DEAD, 'CAUSE IF SHE WAS TREATED BAD AS THAT OLE SLAVE WE KNOWED, IT WAS BETTER TO HAVE DEATH, I TELL YOU. YOU THINK OF BEATING PEOPLE TO DEATH, IT'S TERRIBLE. MY OLE MASTER OWNED OVER ONE HUNDRED HEAD OF SLAVES, AND HE DIDN'T 'LOW NOB ODY, I MEAN NOBODY, TO HIT ONE OF HIS NIGGERS. HE DIDN'T EVEN 'LOW US TO LET WH ITE CHILLEN HIT US WITHOUT US HITTING 'EM BACK. WE WAS ALWAYS CALLED JONES' FRE E NIGGERS. YES, BUT I WAS BORN IN VIRGINIA. WELL, THEY HAD SO MANY SLAVES ON THE FARM WORKING, AND THEN A GOOD MANY IN THE HOUSE, TOO, AND THEN SOMETIMES IN THE RUSH SEASON, YOU KNOW, THEY HIRED SOME OF THEM OUT TO OTHER FARMS. I REMEMBER ONCE THEY HAD A OVERSEER, AND HE STRUCK ONE OF MY OLE MASTER'S NIGGERS, AND DO YOU KNOW, OLE MASTER MADE HIM LEAVE THE FARM RIGHT ON OFF. THEN HE GOT ANOTHER OVERSEER, AND HE WAS REAL NICE, AND WE A LL CALLED HIM COUSIN JIMMY. THEY DIDN'T 'LOW US TO EVEN LOOK AT THE PO' WHITE C HILLEN. I 'MEMBER WE USED TO SLIP AND PLAY WITH 'EM ANYWAY. ABOUT A MILE FROM THE HOUSE THERE WAS A LANE, AND WE WOULD GIT ALL THE CHIL LEN TOGETHER AND PLAY WITH THEM DOWN IN THAT LANE, WHERE OUR WHITE FOLKS COULDN' T SEE US; THEN WE WOULD MAKE 'EM SKIT HOME] WE SAY, "YA'LL GWAN NOW, HERE COME THE WHITE FOLKS," HE, HE, HE. WE WOULD DRIVE 'EM HOME AND TELL 'EM OLE MASTER W OULD WHIP THEM IF THEY SAW US WITH 'EM. WE'D SAY, "COME ON, GIT OUT OF HERE, HE RE COME THE OLE MASTER," HE, HE. NEXT MORNING WE WOULD GO AND GET 'EM AND PLAY WITH 'EM AGAIN. WE WOULD TELL 'EM WE WAS BETTER'N THEY WAS, HE, HE, HE. YES, MAM, RIGHT NOW I THINK I'M BETTER'N A CERTAIN CLASS OF WHITE FOLKS; AN D I DON'T MIND TELL'EM SO, NEITHER. I KNOWS 'EM, I KNOWS WHITE FOLKS FROM THEIR BIRTH; ONLY DIFFERENCE IS I AIN'T BIRTHED ONE, THAT'S THE ONLY DIFFERENCE. THE SIGHT OF 'EM DON'T EXCITE ME ONE BIT, I TELL YOU, 'CAUSE I KNOW WHITE FOLKS FRO M THE CRADLE UP. WHY ONE TIME I HAD SEVEN CHILLEN IN SCHOOL; THREE OF 'EM LIVES RIGHT HERE I N NASHVILLE; THE OTHER ONE IS MARRIED AND LIVES IN HOT SPRINGS; BUT THE REST IS DEAD. I AM A MOTHER OF FOURTEEN CHILLEN. NO'M, YOU SHO' WOULD NEVER BELIEVE IT BY LOOKING AT ME, WOULD YOU? TWO OF 'EM WENT TO FISK. YES, I ALWAYS HAD A HAND FOR KILLING EVERYBODY WHAT BOTHERS ME, BUT OF COUR SE I NEVER DID NOTHING OF THE KIND. YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS SAID. I REME MBER ONCE, REAL EARLY IN THE MORNING, THE LAST TIME I WAS AT HOME BEFORE THE WAR , I GOT UP AND WENT TO THE TOILET. NOW, YOU KNOW IN THEM DAYS THE HOUSES LIKE T HAT WAS OUTSIDE THE BIG HOUSE, OF COURSE. WE HAD A BIG TURKEY GOBBLER, AND THAT OLD THING GOT UP AND RUN AT ME WHEN I COME OUT IN THE YARD; AND YOU KNOW I WAS SO LITTLE, WHY HE COME NEAR KNOCKING ME DOWN. I REACHED DOWN AND PICKED UP A LI TTLE BIT OF STICK, ADNJUST KINDA PECKED AT HIM WITH IT, AND LO AND BEHOLD, THAT BIG OLD GOBBLER JUST FELL OVER DEAD. WELL, I JUST LOOKED AT HIM AND WENT ON DO WN TO THE TOILET AND COME BACK AND WENT TO SLEEP. LONG UP IN THE DAY I HEARD MA STER SAY, "I KNOW LUCY KILLED THAT TURKEY," AND I NEVER SAID A WORD. EVERYBODY 'ROUND THE FARM BELIEVED I DONE IT, BUT OLE MISSY AND SHE DIDN'T, BUT I NEVER SA ID NOTHIN'. WELL, A LONG TIME AFTER THAT I UP AND TOLE HER ABOUT IT, AND SHE SA ID, "WHY, LUCY, AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHAT SAID YOU DIDN'T KILL HIM." HER MAIDEN NAME, HER FIRST NAME YOU KNOW, WAS MARGARET ANN, AND ALL OF US ' ROUND THE BIG HOUSE CALLED HER THAT - BEHIND HER BACK, HE, HE. ONE OF THE BOYS, ALVIN C GILLUM, IS STILL IN THE ARMY. WHEN HE COME TO TOWN HE ALWAYS COMES OUT HERE TO SEE ME. THEY WAS A FINE FAMILY, I TELL YOU. WELL, ON THE FARM THEY WORKED HALF-DAY ON SATURDAY, BUT SOMETIMES IT WAS AC CORDING TO THE CROP; YOU SEE THEY WORKED ALL DAY LONG IN THE NIGHT. YOU KNOW, OUR FOLKS JUST WON'T HANG TOGETHER; THEY WON'T BE IN NO UNION OR NOTHIN'. IT'S A SHAME. YET, 'COURSE, I'M PROUD OF MY RACE, ALL OF 'EM, 'CAUSE IT TIS MY RACE, I GUESS. I REMEMBER OLE MISSY USED TO QUITE OFTEN TELL ME THIS, AND I KNOW IT'S SO NOW. SHE SAY, "LUCY, YOUR RACE IS AGAINST EACH OTHER; YOU'L L SEE IT A LONG TIME FROM NOW; YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND NOW," SHE USED TO SAY. WELL , I WOULD GIT SO MAD, AND I WOULD BAWL HER OUT; TOO, SASS HER SOMETHING AWFUL; A ND SHE WOULD JUST CRY; THEN MISTER GILLUM NEVER WOULD TAKE HER PART, AND THAT MA DE HER FEEL WORSE, HE, HE. OLE MISTER GILLUM WAS A WONDERFUL MAN; AND HE WAS A EAST TENNISSEAN, TOO. HE SHO' LOST A LOT OF MONEY WHEN THE WAR BROKE OUT; BUT H E SAID HE DIDN'T MIND LOSING ALL HE HAD IN SUCH A WORTHY CAUSE; FUNNY TO HEAR A SOUTHERN MAN TALK FOR THE UNION, AIN'T IT? WELL, YES, THEY USED TO HAVE LOTS OF NICE PARTIES. WE WOULD HAVE QUILTING PARTIES, AND WE'D PUT THREE OF FOUR QUILTS IN THE FRAME ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER; A ND THEN THEY WOULD PUT THE FRAME WAY UP HIGH; THEN WHILE THEY WERE QUILTING EACH QUILT THEY WOULD SING AND HAVE LOTS OF FUN. I REMEMBER THEY USED TO HAVE A LIT TLE SONG, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER BUT ONE LINE OF IT TO SAVE MY LIFE, - WENT SOMETH ING LIKE THIS - LES SEE, JIM CRACK CORN AND I DON'T CARE . . . THEY WAS A GOOD HAND FOR SINGING IN THEM DAYS, YOU KNOW, BUT I DON'T REMEMB ER MANY OF THE SONGS. IT BEEN SO LONG, AND I NEVER STAYED ON THE FARM AFTER I W AS EIGHT YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW. I REMEMBER THERE USED TO BE A LADY COME TO STAY W ITH US, A WHITE WOMAN, AND SHE WOULD SIT OUT ON THE PORCH AFTER THE DARKIES QUIT WORK AND WRITE DOWN ALL THE SONGS THEY WOULD SING. 'COURSE, I GUESS SHE'S DEAD LONG AGO. THE NIGGERS USED TO SING - JESUS HAVE GONE TO GALILEE. I USED TO LI KE THAT SONG, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER IT NOW. THEY'D SING. I WAS REAL YOUNG WHEN I LEARNED THAT SONG; THERE'S LOTS MORE VERSES; YES, WASN'T MORE'N 15 YEARS OLD, I KNOW. THEY USED TO HAVE PRAYER MEETINGS. IN SOME PLACES THAT THEY HAVE PRAYER ME ETINGS THEY WOULD TURN POTS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR TO KEEP THE WHITE FO LKS FROM HEARING THEM SING AND PRAY AND TESTIFY, YOU KNOW. WELL, I DON'T KNOW W HERE THEY LEARNED TO DO THAT. I KINDA THINK THE LORD PUT THEM THINGS IN THEIR M INDS TO DO FOR THEMSELVES, JUST LIKE HE HELPS US CHRISTIANS IN OTHER WAYS. DON' T YOU THINK SO? IN THEM DAYS THE PEOPLE PROFESSED RELIGION JUST LIKE THEY DO NOW, BUT THEY WAS MORE IGNORANT, AND YET I SOMETIMES THINK THEY WAS MORE HONEST AND SINCERE TH AN THEY ARE NOW. I BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT RELIGION RIGHT EARLY; BUT I NEVER PROFE SSED TILL I COME HERE AND HAD CHILLEN, TOO. I WANTED TO JOIN ST PAUL, AND I BEG IN TO THINK ABOUT IT A LOT. I PRAYED AND THOUGHT, AND THOUGHT AND PRAYED; I WEN T TO CHURCH AND PRAYED, AND COME HOME AND I GOT ON MY KNEES AND I ASKED THE LORD TO TELL ME WHAT CHURCH TO JOIN. WELL, SEEM LIKE HE SHOWED ME THE WAY. SEEM LI KE SOMETHING KEPT TELLING ME OVER MY SHOULDER, "GO DOWN YONDER ON PEARL STREET A ND JOIN MURRAY'S CHURCH." THE LORD SHO' TOLE ME THAT. I HADN'T NEVER BEEN IN T HAT CHURCH THEN. IT SOUNDED LIKE A NATURAL MAN TALKING TO ME. I KEPT THINKING ABOUT IT. I SAID, "LORD, THAT'S THE BAPTISTS WHAT'S ALWAYS HAVING A LOT OF FUSS ES AND ROWS IN THE CHURCH," BUT SOMETHING JUST ANSWERED LIKE A NATURAL MAN, "DON 'T MAKE NO DIFFERENCE; YOU GO DOWN ON PEARL STREET AND JOIN MURRAY'S CHURCH." W ELL, FOR A WHILE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I WAS A WILD THING WHEN I WAS YOUNG. WHY I WAS MORE ON DANCING THAN MY OLE MISSY, AND SHE TAUGHT ME TO DANCE, TOO. WELL, AFTER I JOINED THE CHURCH, I DID N'T HAVE NO DESIRE TO DANCE NO MORE. YOU KNOW, I REALLY OBJECT TO CHRISTIANS DA NCING. NOW DANCING DON'T BOTHER ME ONE BIT, AND IT NEVER DID AFTER I MARRIED. I SEE SIN IN DANCING. I PRAYED TO THE LORD TO TAKE THAT OFF ME, AND HE SHO' DID. FOR A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, I COULD NOT GIT RELIGION 'CAUSE I WANTED TO DAN CE, YESSIREE, I KNOW WHAT MY RELIGION DONE FOR ME; IT CLEARED MY SOUL FOR ALL ET ERNITY. DANCING WAS AN INJURY TO ME, I SEE IT NOW. WE HAD A MAN NAMED WILLIAM - I CAN'T THINK OF THAT MAN'S NAME TO SAVE MY LI FE. ANYWAY, HE BAPTIZED MY SISTER. I DON'T SEE HOW I FORGOT HIS NAME. BROTHER WILLIAM - I DON'T SEE WHY I CAN'T THINK OF IT; BUT MY SISTER WAS BAPTIZED ON TH E VERY SAME GROUND SHE WAS BURIED ON. I WENT BACK THERE ABOUT TWENTY YEARS AGO; AND ALL THE FOLKS WHAT LIVED 'ROUND THERE AND KNOWED MY SISTER AND ME WAS SHO' NICE TO ME. I STAYED ALMOST SIX WEEKS. ALL THE WHITE FOLKS WAS SO NICE TO ME. 'COURSE, ALL MY OWN OLD WHITE PEOPLE WAS DEAD 'CEPT JUST ONE FAMILY. HE IS A L AWYER. HIS NAME WAS HOWARD. ME AND HIM USED TO FUSS AND FIGHT SOMETHING AWFUL WHEN WE WAS KIDS. WHEN I WENT BACK THERE HE SAID, "LUCY, I REMEMBER GRANDPA GIV E ME A GOOD BEATING ABOUT YOU, DIDN'T HE?" I HADN'T FORGOT IT EITHER, AND WE LA UGHED ABOUT IT A LOT. 6WEL$, ,H(Y USED TO SAY WHEN YOUR RIGHT EYE JUMP YOU WAS GOING TO HAVE GOOD LUCK, AND WHEN YOUR LEFT EYE JUMP, YOU GOING TO CRY. THEN WHEN THE RAINCROW HOL LER, IT SHO' GOING TO RAIN. WHY IT HOLLERED RIGHT OUT HERE IN THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE YESTERDAY, AND IT SHO' RAINED BEFORE THE DAY WAS OVER, DIDN'T IT? IT USED TO BE 'ROUND HERE THAT IT WOULD BE SO DRY; BE SIX MONTHS BEFORE WE HAVE RAIN SO METIMES. ANOTHER THING, JUST AS SHO' AS YOU BORN, WHEN A BIRD COMES IN THE HOUS E, IT SHO' GOING TO BE DEATH RIGHT THERE IN THE FAMILY. WHY A BIRD COME IN THIS HERE HOUSE, AND FLEW RIGHT ON MY DAUGHTER'S SHOULDER BEFORE SHE DIED. SHE WAS SIXTEEN YEARS OLD. I WAS SO NERVOUS FROM IT. THE BIRD HAD BEEN EATING POLK BER RIES AND HE LEFT SOME ON HER DRESS. WELL, SHE WENT TO CHURCH, AND COMING BACK S HE FELL DOWN, AND SHE COME ON HOME TO ME, JUST ABOUT HALF CRYING, YOU KNOW. SHE ALWAYS IN POOR HEALTH. SHE COME ON HOME AND WENT TO SCHOOL MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY; AND I HAD JUST WENT TO SEE A LADY ABOUT GIVING HER FANCY WORK LESSON S. WELL, SHE WENT TO SCHOOL ON WEDNESDAY MORNING; AND IN A LITTLE WHILE MARTHA COME IN. MARTHA WAS THE YOUNGEST. I SAID, "LORD, DON'T LET MY CHILD DIE IN SCH OOL, PLEASE." I TOLD MISTER KING TO GO GET A HORSE AND BUGGY AND GO GET HER; AN D HE WAS SO NERVOUS HE COULDN'T HARDLY GO; AND SO I SENT FOR DOCTOR HADLEY AND R EVEREND TAYLOR, AND THEY HAD DONE SENT HER HOME IN A CARRIAGE. THEY DIDN'T TELL ME FOR A LONG TIME THAT SHE DONE HAD A REAL HEAVY HEMORRHAGE AT SCHOOL. SHE LI VED JUST THREE WEEKS, RIGHT TO A DAY, POOR CHILD. AND SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE NAME D FOR ME; HER PA NAMED HER FOR ME, AND EVERYBODY SAID SHE LOOKED LIKE ME, TOO. SHE HAD THE PRETTIEST HAIR; WHEN SHE DIED SHE HAD A SICK SPELL, AND WAS GONE THA T QUICK. NO, I DON'T DO MUCH DREAMING NOW. I'M TOO OLD; IF I LIVE TO SEE THE 27TH D AY OF NEXT MONTH I WILL BE SEVENTY-NINE YEARS OLD. I PROFESSED RELIGION IN 1866 , AND THE LORD HAVE TAKEN GOOD RE OF ME, I THINK. THE ONLY REAL SIN I COMMITT ED, I WAS A DANCER, THAT'S ALL. YES, I WAS HERE IN NASHVILLE WHEN THEY KILLED GRIZZARD. I REMEMBER THOSE W HITE PEOPLE. THEY BROUGHT HIM AND HUNG HIM OVER THE BRIDGE. THE WHITE PEOPLE O UGHTA BEEN STONED TO DEATH FOR A TRICK LIKE THAT. THEY BROUGHT THAT POOR NIGGER UP HERE FROM DOWN IN TENNESSEE, WELL, AFTER IT HAPPENED THE PEOPLE SAID THE GI RL'S FATHER GIVE THAT OLD WHITE GIRL TO THAT MAN HISSELF. I REMEMBER THERE WAS A GIRL WORKING AT THE HOTEL SOON AFTER THAT BY THE SAME NAME, AND THEM OLD WHITE FOLKS AND THE STEWARD ASKED HER IF SHE WAS ANY RELATION TO THEM, AND SHE SAID Y ES SHE WAS A SISTER; AND THE FIRED HER AT THE HOTEL. YESSIREE, THEY GOT FID OF HER RIGHT AWAY; AND THAT WAS THE MOST DISGRACEFUL THING WHAT EVER HAPPENED IN NA SHVILLE; AND I TELL YOU THE REAL SHO' NUFF WHITE FOLKS WAS SICK OF IT. YOU KNOW UP THERE WHERE JUBILEE HALL IS BUILT; WELL, IT'S BUILT RIGHT ON CO LONEL GILLUM'S FORT. THERE'S A PLATE ON THAT CONCRETE WALL RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE WITH HIS NAME ON IT. YES, I RUN WITH A BUNCH OF CHILDREN WHAT LIVED ON THE NEIGHBORING PLANTATIO NS LIKE OUR'N; AND ONE THING WE USED TO DO. I ALWAYS DID HAVE A LOT OF NERVE, A ND 'COURSE I WAS THE LEADER IN THE GANG. WE HAD TO BE ALWAYS NICE AND CLEAN AND EVERYTHING, AND SOMETIME WE WOULD BE OUT PLAYING, AND WOULD TAKE A NOTION THAT WE WANTED SOMETHING TO EAT. I WAS THE PET OF THE FARM, YOU SEE, AND THEY ALWAYS HAD ME TO GO AND ASK OLE MISSY FOR SOMETHING. WELL, I'D GO IN AND TELL OLE MIS SY WE WAS HUNGRY, AND SHE WOULD SAY, "WELL, LUCY, YOU GO AND TELL CARRIE TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING." CARRIE KNEW SHE BETTER GIVE IT TO US, TOO. THEN WE WOULD ALL GO IN AND SIT 'ROUND THE OLE MISSY AND EAT. THEN, SOMETIME THE BUNCH WOULD TELL ME, "LUCY, YOU GO ASK OLE MISSY KIN WE HAVE SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT," AND I WOULD 7GO9IN AND SAY, "GOOD MORNING, MISS MARGARET ANN, HOW ARE YOU THIS MORNING?" TH EN I WOULD SAY WE WAS HUNGRY, AND SHE WOULD CALL, "CARRIE, GIVE ME THE STORE ROO M KEYS," AND SHE WOULD GIVE ANYTHING WE ASKED FOR IN THE CELLAR. 'COURSE, THAT WAS 'FORE I LEFT WITH YOUNG MISS MARGARET, YOU SEE. ONE THING, MY OLD MASTER SH O' HATED TO SEE NIGGERS GOIN' 'ROUND WITH THEIR HEADS DOWN. WHEN I WAS KINDA SMALL I USED TO PUT SAND STUFF IN MY DINNER, TO KEEP FROM EATING IT, AND THEN SIT UP AND LAUGH. WHITE FOLKS NEVER DONE NOTHIN' TO ME NEIT HER. OLE MISSY USED TO TELL ME, "LUCY, IF I HADN'T LOVED YOUR MOTHER SO, I SHO' WOULD WHIP YOU," BUT SHE NEVER DID. I WAS FOREVER INTO SOMETHING OR OTHER. WHY, IF IT WAS IN THIS DAY AND TIME, AND I ACTED LIKE I DONE THEN, FOLKS WO ULD KILL ME, AND I KNOW. WHY, MANY MORNING, I'VE GONE DOWN IN THE KITCHEN AND G OT MY COFFEE AND CREAM BEFORE THE WHITE FOLKS GOT THEIRS. USED TO MAKE THE OLD COOK SO MAD, AND SHE WOULD TELL OLE MISSY, TOO. I DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT FOR BREAK FAST, AND I JUST DIDN'T. OLE MISTER GILLUM JUST SAY, "SURE, LET LUCY HAVE HER C OFFEE; SHE WANTS IT, DON'T SHE?" I SHO' NUFF WAS SASSY. I DIDN'T PICK NOBODY TO SASS NEITHER. I SASSED EVE RYBODY. MISTER GILLUM WAS OFFERED $1000 FOR ME WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OLD, 'CAUSE I SASSED A NIGGER TRADER. YES, I SHO' SASSED HIM. HE SHOOK HIS FIST IN MY FACE , AND I JUST SASSED HIM SOMETHING AWFUL. THEN HE STARTD AFTER ME, AD I KEPT LO OKING BACK AND KINDA RUNNING, AND I YELLED, "MISTER GILLUM WILL KILL YOU IF YOU TECH ME." HE COME UP TO ME AND ASKED WHERE I LIVED, AND HE TOLD ME TO GET THERE QUICK. I SHO' TOLD HIM WHERE I LIVED AND JUST FLEW HOME. WELL, THAT OLD NIGGER TRADER COME ON DOWN TO THE HOUSE AND I WENT TO THE DO OR AND LET HIM AND WENT AND TOLD MISTER GILLUM THERE WAS A MAN TO SEE HIM - I DI DN'T SAY GENTLEMAN, I JUST SAID MAN. THEN THEY WENT TO TALKING, AND I PEEKED TH ROUGH THE KEYHOLE AND LISTENED, TOO, AND MISTER GILLUM SAY, "WHY, HER WEIGHT IN GOLD CAN'T BUY HER, THAT'S ALL." YES, MY WHITE FOLKS WAS GOOD TO ME.