MARTHA COLQUITT
     WHEN I WAS BORN, MY MA BELONGED TO MARSE BILLIE GLEN AND US LIVED ON HIS BI
G PLANTATION WAY DOWN BELOW LEXINGTON.  MY PA WAS ANDERSON MITCHELL.  HE COME FR
OM MILLEDGVILLE AND BELONGED TO MR D SMITH.  THE SMITHIES LIVED CLOSE BY MARSE B
ILLIE'S PLACE.  MY MA WAS HEALON MITCHELL.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT HER LAST NAME WAS
 BEFORE SHE MARRIED.  SHE WAS BORN IN VIRGINNY, AND HER AND MY GRANDMA WAS SOLD
AND BROUGHT TO GEORGIA WHEN MA WAS A BABY.  GRANDMA NEVER DID SEE NONE OF HER OT
HER CHILLEN OR HER HUSBAND NO MORE, AND US NEVER DID HEAR NOTHIN' ABOUT 'EM.
     MA HAD FOUR CHILLEN.  LUCY WAS MY ONLIEST SISTER.  MR DEAVENPORT BOUGHT HER
 AND SHE GROWED UP AT HIS PLACE, WHAT WAS CALLED DE GLADE.  IT WAS A BIG FINE PL
ACE AT POINT PETER, GEORGIA.  LUCY MARRIED A TAYLOR.  MY BROTHER, ISAAC, WAS RAI
SED AT MR HAMILTON'S PLACE AT POINT PETER.  AFTER HE GROWED UP, HE WORKED IN ATL
ANTA AND BOUGHT HIM A HOME DERE.  HE GOT IN A FIGHT WITH A MAN WHAT HAD DONE STA
BBED HIS MULE, AND DE MAN HURT ISAAC SO BAD HE WENT CRAZY AND DIED IN DE ASYLUM
IN MILLEDGVILLE, BUT DEY TOOK HIM BACK AND BURIED HIM IN ATLANTA..
     MY OLDER BROTHER WAS ANDERSON MITCHELL, AND AFTER FREEDOM COME HE GOT WORK
IN ATHENS AT DE COMPRESS.  HIS BOSS MAN MOVED TO AUGUSTA AND TOOK ANDERSON WITH
HIM TO WORK IN DE COMPRESS DERE.  ONE DAY SOMETHIN' BLOWED UP AND HE WAS SCALDED
 SO BAD IT PARALYZED HIM.  DEY BROUGHT HIM BACK HERE, BUT HE SOON DIED.
     MA'S HOUSE WAS RIGHT ON DE EDGE OF MARSE BILLIE'S YARD, 'CAUSE SHE WAS DE C
OOK.  GRANDMA LIVED IN DE SAME HOUSE WITH MA AND US CHILLEN, AND SHE WORKED IN D
E LOOM HOUSE AND WOVE CLOTH ALL DE TIME.  SHE WOVE DE CHECKEDY CLOTH FOR DE SLAV
ES CLOTHES, AND SHE MADE FLANNEL CLOTH TOO, LEASTWAYS, IT WAS PART FLANNEL.  SHE
 MADE HEAPS OF KINDS OF CLOTH.
     OUR BEDS HAD BIG HOMEMADE POSTIES AND FRAMES, AND US USED ROPES FOR
SPRINGS.  GRANDMA BROUGHT HER FEATHERBED WITH HER FROM VIRGINNY, AND SHE USED TO
 PIECE UP A HEAP OF QUILTS OUT OF OUR OLD CLOTHES AND ANY KIND OF SCRAPS SHE COU
LD GET A HOLD OF.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT DE OTHERS HAD IN DEY CABINS 'CAUSE MA DIDN'
T ALLOW HER CHILLEN TO VISIT ROUND DE OTHER FOLKSES NONE.
     MA'S CHILLEN ALL HAD VICTUALS FROM DE WHITE FOLKSES KITCHEN.  AFTER MARSE B
ILLIE'S FAMILY DONE ET AND LEFT DE TABLE, DE COOK WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE WHAT WAS
LEFT TO FEED DE HOUSE NIGGERS AND HER OWN CHILLEN, AND US DID HAVE SURE 'NOUGH G
OOD VICTUALS.  ALL DE OTHER SLAVE FOLKS HAD DEY RATIONS WEIGHED OUT TO 'EM EVERY
 WEEK AND DEY COOKED IN DEY OWN CABINS.  WHEN DE WHEAT WAS GROUND AT DE MILL IT
MADE WHITE FLOUR, AND SHORTS, AND SECONDS.  MOST OF DE SHORTS WAS WEIGHED OUT IN
 RATIONS FOR DE SLAVE FOLKS.  NOW AND DEN AT CHRISTMAS AND SPECIAL TIMES DEY GOT
 A LITTLE WHITE FLOUR.  DEY LIKED CORN BREAD FOR REGULAR EATIN'.  DEY WAS ALWAYS
 LOTS OF HOGS ON MARSE BILLIE'S PLANTATION, AND HIS COLORED FOLKSES HAD PLENTY O
F SIDE MEAT.  SLAVES HEVER HAD NO TIME TO HUNT IN  DE DAYTIME, BUT DEY SURE COUL
D CATCH LOTS OF POSSUMS AT NIGHT, AND DEY KNOWED HOW TO GET CATFISH AT NIGHT
TOO.
     'CROSS DE ROAD FROM DE BIG HOUSE, MARSE BILL HAD AIG GARDEN, AND HE SEED
DAT HIS HELP HAD PLENTY OF SOMETHIN' GOOD TO BOIL.  DEY WEREN'T NO SEPARATE GARD
ENS.  DEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO WORK NO GARDENS OF DEY OWN.
     IN SUMMERTIME US CHILLEN WORE JUST ONE PIECE OF CLOTHES.  IT WAS A SACK APR
ON.  IN WINTER GRANDMA MADE US YARN UNDERSKIRTS AND YARN DRAWERS BUTTONED DOWN O
VER OUR KNEES.  MA MADE OUR HOME KNIT STOCKINGS.  DEY CALLED OUR BRASS TOED SHOE
S BROGANS.  I DON'T 'SPECT YOU EVER SEED A BRASS TOED SHOE]
     OUR BIG HOUSE SURE WAS ONE GRAND FINE PLACE.  WHY, IT MUST HAVE BEEN AS BIG
 AS DE MILL STONE BAPTIST CHURCH.  IT WAS ALL PAINTED WHITE WITH GREEN BLINDS AN
D HAD A BIG OLD HIGH PORCH DAT WENT NIGH ALL 'ROUND DE HOUSE.
     IF I EVER DID HEAR WHAT MARSE BILLIE'S WIFE WAS NAMED, I DONE PLUMB CLEAR F
ORGOT.  US CALLED HER MISTRESS LONG AS SHE LIVED AND I DON'T RECOLLECT HEARIN' H
ER CALLED NOTHIN' ELSE.  MARSTER AND MISTRESS NEVER HAD NO CHILLEN WHILST I WAS
DERE.  MISS LIZZIE WAS DEY YOUNGEST CHILD AND SHE WAS MOST GROWN WHEN I WAS
BORN.
     MARSE BILLIE'S OVERSEER LIVED IN A FOUR ROOM HOUSE UP DE ROAD A PIECE FROM
THE BIG HOUSE.  NOBODY THOUGHT ABOUT NONE OF MARSE BILLIE'S OVER SEERS AS POOR W
HITE FOLKSES.  EVERY OVERSEER HE EVER HAD WAS DECENT AND RESPECTABLE.  'COURSE,
DEY WEREN'T IN DE SAME CLASS WITH MARSE BILLIE'S FAMILY, BUT DEY WAS ALL RIGHT.
 DEY WAS FOUR OR FIVE HOMES NIGH OUR PLANTATION, BUT ALL OF 'EM BELONGED TO RICH
 WHITE FOLKSES.  IF DEY WAS ANY PART WHITE FOLKSES ROUND US CHILLEN NEVER HEARD
NOTHIN' OF 'EM.
     I DON'T KNOW JUST HOW MANY SLAVES MARSE BILLIE HAD, BUT DEY SURE WAS A DROV
E OF 'EM.  SOMETIMES HE HAD 'EM ALL GET TOGETHER IN DE BACK YARD AT DE BIG HOUSE
 AND DEY JUST FILLED UP DE YARD.
     DE OVERSEER BLOWED A HORN TO WAKE 'EM UP JUST BEFORE DAY, SO AS EVERYBODY C
OULD COOK, EAT, AND GET OUT TO DE FIELDS BY SUNRISE.  DEY QUIT NIGH SUNDOWN IN T
IME FOR 'EM TO FEED TO STOCK, DO DE MILKIN', TEND TO BRINGIN' IN DE WOOD, AND AL
L SORTS OF OTHER LITTLE JOBS DAT HAD TO BE DONE BEFORE IT GOT TOO DARK TOO SEE.
DEY NEVER WAS NO WORK DONE AT NIGHT ON OUR PLANTATION.
     IF ANY OF MARSE BILLIE'S HELP WAS WHIPPED, I NEVER KNOWED NOTHIN' ABOUT IT.
  DEY USED TO SAY DAT IF ANY OF 'EM DIDN'T WORK RIGHT DE OVERSEER WOULD TAKE 'EM
 TO DE WORKSHOP.  IT WAS TOO FAR AWAY FOR US TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENED DERE.  DE WOR
KSHOP WAS A BIG LONE SHED OFF TO ITSELF, WHERE DEY HAD DE BLACKSMITH PLACE, AND
WHERE HARNESS WAS MENDED, AND ALL SORTS OF FIXIN' DONE TO DE TOOLS AND THINGS.
     US NEVER HEARD OF NO JAIL.  MARSE BILLIE BOSSES HIS PLACE AND US NEVER KNOW
ED ABOUT NO TROUBLE.  DE WORKSHOP WAS DE NIGHEST THING TO A JAIL OR A COURT DAT
 ANYBODY ON OUR PLANTATION KNOWED ANYTHING ABOUT.  US NEVER SEED NOBODY IN CHAIN
S TILL LONG AFTER DE WAR, WHEN US WAS LIVIN' IN LEXINGTON, AND MR JIM SMITH COME
 THROUGH DERE WITH SOME COLORED FOLKSES ALL CHAINED UP, BUT US NEVER DID KNOW HO
W COME DEY WAS CHAINED.
     NO SLAVE NEVER RUNNED AWAY FROM MARSE BILLIES PLANTATION.  DEY NEVER EVEN
WANTED TO TRY.  DEY WAS ALWAYS AFRAID DEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE AS GOOD CARE
 OF DEYSELVES AS MARSE BILLIE DID FOR 'EM, AND DEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
 TO 'EM OFF DE PLANTATION.
     I HEARED 'EM TALKIN' ABOUT PATTERROLLERS, BUT I NEVER DID SEE ONE.  FOLKSES
 SAID DEY WOULD GET YOU AND BEAT YOU IF DEY CATCH YOU OFF DE PLANTATION WHERE YO
U BELONGED WITHOUT NO PASS.  IF ANY OF MARSE BILLIE'S SLAVES GOT CATCHED BY DE P
ATTERROLLERS, I NEVER KNOWED NOTHIN' ABOUT IT.
.    I NEVER HEARED OF NO TROUBLE 'TWIXT DE WHITE FOLKSES AND DE COLORED
FOLKSES.  BRANDMA AND MA NEVER ALLOWED US TO GO TO NO OTHER CABINS, AND US DIDN'
T HEAR ABOUT WHAT WAS GOIN' ON AMONGST DE OTHERS.  AT NIGHT MA ALWAYS SPINNED AN
D KNIT AND GRANDMA, SHE SEWED  MAKING CLOTHES FOR US CHILLEN.  DEY DONE IT 'CAUS
E DEY WANTED TO.  DEY WAS WORKIN' FOR DEYSELVES DEN.  DEY WEREN'T NO WORK AT NIG
HT.  ON SATURDAY NIGHT, MA BATHED ALL HER CHILLEN.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT DE OTHER F
AMILIES DONE DEN.  SLAVES WAS ALLOWED TO FROLIC SATURDAY NIGHT, IF DEY BEHAVED D
EYSELVES.  ON SUNDAY NIGHTS DEY MOST ALWAYS HAD PRAYER MEETINGS.
     ON CHRISTMAS MORNIN' ALL OF US WOULD COME UP TO DE YARD BACK OF DE BIG HOUS
E AND MARSE BILLIE AND DE OVERSEER HANDED OUT PRESENTS FOR ALL.  DEY WAS A LITTL
E DRAM AND CAKE TOO.  US CHILLEN GOT DOLLS, AND DRESSES, AND APRONS.  THEM STUFF
ED RAG DOLLS WAS DE PRETTIEST THINGS]  ON NEW YEAR'S DAY ALL DE MENS WOULD COME
UP TO DE BIG HOUSE EARLY IN DE MORNING AND WOULD WORK LIVELY AS DEY COULD ACUTTI
N' WOOD AND DOING ALL SORTS OF LITTLE JOBS TILL DE DINNER BELL RUNG.  DEN MARSE
BILLIE WOULD COME OUT AND TELL 'EM DEY WAS STARTIN' DE NEW YEAR RIGHT AWORKIN' L
IVELY AND FAST.  DEY HE WOULD SAY DAT DEY WOULD BE FED GOOD AND LOOKED AFTER GOO
D, LONG AS DEY WORKED GOOD.  HE GIVE 'EM A GOOD TASTE OF DRAM AND CAKE ALL ROUND
 AND LET 'EM GO BACK TO DEY CABINS FOR DINNER, AND DEY COULD HAVE DE REST OF DE
 DAY TO FROLIC.
     DEM CORN SHUCKIN'S US USED TO HAVE SURE WAS A SIGHT.  CORN WOULD BE PILED U
P HIGH AS DIS HOUSE, AND DE FOLKSES WOULD DANCE ROUND  AND HOLLER AND WHOOP.  MA
 ALLOWED US CHILLEN TO WATCH 'EM ABOUT A HALF HOUR;  DEN MADE US COME BACK INSID
E OUR CABIN, 'CAUSE DEY ALWAYS GIVE DE CORN SHUCKIN' FOLKSES SOME DRAM,  AND THI
NGS WOULD GET MIGHTY LIVELY AND ROUGH BY DE TIME ALL DE CORN WAS SHUCKED.
     ON BRIGHT MOONSHINY NIGHTS FOLKSES WOULD INVITE DE NEIGHBORS TO COME FOR CO
TTON PICKIN'S.  AFTER THE COTTON WAS PICKED DEY WOULD EAT BARBECUE, AND DANCE, A
ND HAVE A BIG TIME.
     I NEVER SEED BUT ONE WEDDIN' BEFORE FREEDOM COME, AND DAT WAS WHEN MARSE BI
LLIE'S DAUGHTER, MISS LIZZIE GLENN, MARRIED MR DETWEILER.  DEY HAD EVERYTHING AT
 DAT WEDDIN' JUST EVERYTHING.  MISS LIZZIE HAD ON A WHITE SILK DRESS ATRAILIN' S
O FAR BEHIND HER DAT IT TOOK TWO LADIES TO TOTE HER TRAIN.  HER VEIL WAS FLOATIN
 ALL ABOUT HER, AND SHE WAS JUST DE PRETTIEST THING I EVER DID SEE IN MY WHOLE L
IFE.  A LONG TIME AFTER DAT, MR DETWEILER, HE DIED, AND LEFT MISS LIZZIE WITH TW
O CHILLEN, AND SHE MARRIED MR ROAN.
     I NEVER SEED NO SLAVE MARRIAGE.  MA WENT TO 'EM SOMETIMES, BUT SHE NEVER AL
LOWED US TO GO, 'CAUSE SHE SAID US WAS TOO LITTLE.  MARSE BILLIE SENT AFTER HIS
OWN PREACHER, AND DE COUPLE WOULD COME UP TO DE BIG HOUSE AND STAND IN DE PARLOR
 DOOR TO BE MARRIED BEFORE MARSTER AND MISTESS.  DEN DE COLORED FOLKSES WOULD GO
 BACK DOWN TO DE CABINS AND HAVE A WEDDIN' SUPPER AND FROLIC AND DANCE.  DAT'S W
HAT MA TOLD ME ABOUT 'EM.
      US USED TO PLAY LOTS, BUT US NEVER DID HAVE NO SPECIAL NAME FOR OUR
PLAYIN'.  SWINGIN' IN DE CORNER, WAS WHEN US ALL JOINED HANDS IN A LONG ROW, AND
 DE LEADER WOULD BEGIN TO RUN ROUND IN CIRCLES, AND AT DE OTHER END OF DE LINE D
EY WOULD SOON BE RUNNIN' SO FAST DEY WAS MOST FLYIN'.
     US ALL DE TIME HEARD FOLKSES TALKIN' ABOUT VOODOO, BUT MY GRANDMA WAS POWER
FUL RELIGIOUS, AND HER AND MA TOLD US CHILLEN VOODOO WAS A NO 'COUNT DOIN' OF DE
 DEVIL, AND CHRISTIANS WAS NEVER TO PAY IT NO ATTENTION.  US WAS TO BE HAPPY IN
DE LORD, AND LET VOODOO AND DE DEVIL ALONE.  NONE OF US LIKED TO HEAR SCREECH OW
LS HOLLER, 'CAUSE EVERYBODY THOUGHT IT MEANS SOMEBODY IN DAT HOUSE WAS GOIN' TO
DIE IF A SCREECH OWL LIT ON YOUR CHIMNEY AND HOLLERED, SO US WOULD STIR UP DE FI
RE TO MAKE DE SMOKE DRIVE HIM AWAY.  I ALWAYS RUNNED OUT AND TRIED TO SEE 'EM, B
UT OLD AS I IS, NIGH 86, I AIN'T NEVER SEED NO SCREECH OWL.
     I SURE DOES BELIEVE IN HAUNTS, 'CAUSE I DONE HEARD ONE jND I SEED IT TOO,-L
EASTWISE I SEED ITS LIGHT.  IT WAS ABOUT THIRTY YEARS AGO, AND US HAD JUST MOVED
 IN A HOUSE WHERE A WHITE FAMILY HAD MOVED OUT.  THE MA HAD DIED A FEW DAYS AFTE
R A LITTLE BABY WAS BORN, AND DE BABY HAD DIED TOO.  ONE NIGHT I HEARD A STRANGE
 SOUND LIKE SOMEBODY MOVIN' ROUND IN DE HOUSE, AND PRETTY SOON A DIM LIGHT COME
AMOVIN' INTO MY ROOM REAL SLOW AND AFTER GOIN' ROUND DE ROOM IT WENT OUT OF SIGH
T IN DE CLOSET.
     NEXT DAY I WENT TO SEE DE WHITE FOLKSES WHAT HAD LIVED DERE BEFORE US MOVED
 IN, AND DE HUSBAND TOLD ME NOT TO WORRY, DAT IT WAS HIS WIFE'S HAUNT.  HE SAID
SHE WAS HUNTIN' FOR SOME MONEY SHE HAD HID IN DE HOUSE, 'CAUSE SHE WANTED HER CH
ILLEN WHAT WAS STILL LIVIN' TO HAVE IT.  I WENT BACK HOME AND ALMOST TORE DAT HO
USE DOWN LOOKIN' FOR DAT MONEY.  LONG AS US LIVED DERE, I WOULD SEE DAT LIGHT NO
W AND DEN AT NIGHT, AND I ALWAYS HOPED IT WOULD LEAD ME TO DE MONEY BUT IT NEVER
 DID.
     WHEN FOLKSES GOT SICK, MARSE BILLIE HAD 'EM LOOKED AFTER.  MISTESS WOULD CO
ME EVERY DAY TO SEE ABOUT 'EM, AND IF SHE THOUGHT DEY WAS BAD OFF, SHE SENT AFTE
R DOCTOR DAVENPORT.  DOCTOR DAVENPORT COME DERE SO MUCH TILL HE COURTED AND MARR
IED MARSE BILLIE'S DAUGHTER, MISS MARTHA GLENN.  I WAS NAMED FOR MISS MARTHA.
     DEY SURE DID TAKE SPECIAL GOOD CARE OF THE MAMMIES AND DE BABIES.  DEY HAD
A SEPARATE HOUSE FOR 'EM, AND A GRANNY WOMAN WHO DIDN'T HAVE NOTHIN' ELSE TO DO
BUT LOOK AFTER COLORED BABIES AND MAMMIES.  DE GRANNY WOMAN TOOK DE PLACE OF A D
OCTOR WHEN DE BABIES WAS BORN, BUT IF SHE FOUND A MAMMY IN A BAD FIX SHE WOULD A
SK MISTESS TO SEND FOR DOCTOR DAVENPORT.
     US DIDN'T HAVE NO SEPARATE CHURCH FOR COLORED FOLKSES.  DE WHITE FOLKSES HA
D A BIG BAPTIST CHURCH DEY CALLED MILL STONE CHURCH DOWN AT GOOSEPOND, A GOOD WA
YS DOWN DE ROAD FROM MARSE BILLIE'S PLANTATION.  IT SURE WAS A PRETTY SIGHT TO S
EE DAT CHURCH ALL PAINTED WHITE AND SET IN A BIG OAK GROVE.  COLORED FOLKSES HAD
 DEY PLACE IN DE GALLERY.  DEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO JOIN DE CHURCH ON SUNDAY, BUT
DEY HAD REGULAR SATURDAY AFTERNOONS FOR DE SLAVES TO COME AND CONFESS DEY FAITH,
 AND JOIN DE CHURCH.  US DIDN'T KNOW DEY WAS NO OTHER CHURCH BUT DE BAPTIST.  AL
L DE BAPTIZIN' WAS DONE ON SUNDAY BY DE WHITE PREACHER.  FIRST HE WOULD BAPTIZE
DE WHITE FOLKSES IN DE POOL BACK OF DE CHURCH AND DEN HE WOULD BAPTIZE DE SLAVES
 IN DE SAME POOL.
     MY GRANDMA WAS A POWERFUL CHRISTIAN WOMAN, AND SHE DID LOVE TO SING AND SHO
UT.  DAT'S HOW COME MARSE BILLIE HAD HER LOCKED UP IN DE LOOM ROOM WHEN DE YANKE
E MENS COME TO OUR PLANTATION.  GRANDMA WOULD GET TO SHOUTIN' SO LOUD AND SHE WO
ULD MAKE SO MUCH FUSS NOBODY IN DE CHURCH COULD HEAR DE PREACHER AND SHE WOULD W
ANANDER OFF FROM DE GALLERY AND GO DOWNSTAIRS AND TRY TO GO DOWN TO DE WHITE FOL
KSES AISLES TO GET TO DE ALTAR WHERE DE PREACHER WAS, AND DEY WAS ALWAYS LOCKIN'
 HER UP FOR DISTURBIN' WORSHIP, BUT DEY NEVER COULD BREAK HER FORM DAT SHOUTIN'
AND WANDERIN' 'ROUND DE MEETIN' HOUSE, AFTER SHE GOT OLD.
     DEM YANKEE SOLDIERS RODE UP IN DE BIG HOUSE YARD AND BEGUN TO ASK ME QUESTI
ONS ABOUT WHERE MARSE BILLY WAS, AND WHERE EVERYTHING ON DE PLACE WAS KEPT.  BUT
 I WAS TOO SCARED TO SAY NOTHIN'.  EVERYTHING WAS QUIET AND STILL AS COULD BE, '
CEPT FOR GRANDMA ASINGIN' AND ASHOUTIN' UP IN DE LOOM HOUSE ALL BY HERSELF.  ONE
 OF DEM YANKEES TRIED THE DOOR AND HE ASKED ME HOW COME IT WAS LOCKED.  I TOLD H
IM IT WAS 'CAUSE BRANDMA HAD DISTURBED DE BAPTIST MEETIN' WITH HER SHOUTIN'.  DE
M MENS GRABBED DE AX FROM DE WOODPILE AND BUSTED DE DOOR DOWN.  DEY WENT IN AND
GOT GRANDMA.  DEY ASKED HER AOBUT HOW COME SHE WAS LOCKED UP, AND SHE TOLD 'EM D
E SAME THING I HAD TOLD 'EM.  DEY ASKED HER IF SHE WAS HUNGRY, AND SHE SAID SHE
WAS.  DEN DEY TOOK DAT AX AND BUSTED DOWN DE SMOKEHOUSE DOOR AND TOLD HER SHE WA
S FREE NOW AND TO HELP HERSELF TO ANYTHING SHE WANTED, 'CAUSE EVERYTHING ON DE P
LANTATION WAS TO BELONG TO DE SLAVES DAT HAD WORKED DERE.  DEY TOOK GRANDMA TO D
E KITCHEN AND TOLD MA TO GIVE HER SOME OF DE WHITE FOLKSES DINNER.  MA SAID, BUT
 DE WHITE FOLKSES AIN'T ET YET.  GO RIGHT ON, DE YANKEES SAID, AND GIVE IT TO HE
R, DE BEST IN DE POT, AND IF DEY'S ANYTHING LEFT WHEN SHE GETS THROUGH, MAYBE US
 WILL LET DE WHITE FOLKSES HAVE SOME OF IT.
     DEM BRASH MENS STRUTTED ON THROUGH DE KITCHEN INTO DE HOUSE AND DEY DIDN'T
 SEE NOBODY ELSE DOWNSTAIRS.  UPSTAIRS DEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE DE MANNERS  TO KNOCK
 AT MISTESS DOOR.  DEY JUST WALKED RIGHT ON IN WHERE MY SISTER, LUCY, WAS COMBIN
 MISTESS' LONG PRETTY HAIR.  THEY TOLD LUCY SHE WAS FREE NOW AND NOT TO DO NO MO
RE WORK FOR MISTESS.  DEN ALL OF 'EM WALK DOWNSTAIRS AND OUT IN  DE YARD, AND AL
L DE TIME DEY WAS APULLIN' AND JERKIN' AT HER LONG HAIR, TRYIN' TO MAKE HER POIN
T OUT TO 'EM WHERE MARSE BILLIE HAD DONE HAD HIS HORSES AND CATTLE HID OUT.  US
 CHILLENS WAS ACRYIN' AND TAKIN' ON 'CAUSE WE LOVED MISTESS AND US DIDN'T WANT N
OBODY TO BOTHER HER.  DEY MADE OUT LIKE DEY WAS GOIN' TO KILL HER IF SHE DIDN'T
TELL 'EM WHAT DEY WANTED TO KNOW, BUT AFTER AWHILE DEY LET HER ALONE.
     AFTER DEY HAD TOLD ALL DE SLAVES DEY COULD FIND ON DE PLACE NOT TO DO NO MO
RE WORK, AND TO GO HELP DEYSELVES TO ANYTHING DEY WANTED IN DE SMOKEHOUSE, AND A
BOUT DE BIG HOUSE AND PLANTATION, DEY RODE OFF, AND US NEVER SEED NO MORE OF
'EM.
     AFTER DE YANKEES WAS DONE GONE OFF, GRANDMA BEGUN TO FUSS:  NOW, DEM SOLDIE
RS WAS TELLIN' US WHAT AIN'T SO, 'CAUSE AIN'T NOBODY GOT NO RIGHT TO TAKE WHAT B
ELONGS TO MARSTER AND MISTESS.  AND MA JOINED IN:  SURE IT AIN'T NO TRUTH IN WHA
T DEM YANKEES WAS ASAYIN', AND US WENT RIGHT ON LIVIN' JUST LIKE US ALWAYS DONE
 TILL MARSE BILLIE CALLED US TOGETHER AND TOLD US DE WAR WAS OVER AND US WAS FRE
E TO GO WHERE US WANTED TO GO AND US COULD CHARGE WAGES FOR OUR WORK.
     WHEN FREEDOM COME MY PA WANTED US TO MOVE OFF RIGHT AWAY OVER TO MR SMITHIE
S' PLACE SO OUR FAMILY COULD BE TOGETHER, BUT US STAYED ON WITH MARSE BILLIE DE
 REST OF DE YEAR.  DEN PA AND MA MOVED TO LEXINGTON, WHERE PA DIGGED WELLS AND D
ITCHES AND MADE RIGHT GOOD PAY.  MA TOOK ALL FOUR OF US CHILLEN AND RUN A GOOD F
ARM.  US GOT ALONG FINE.
     BEFORE DE WAR, ALL WORK STOPPED ON DE PLANTATION FOR DE FUNERAL OF A SLAVE.
  GRANDMA DIDN'T THINK CHILLEN OUGHT TO SEE FUNERALS, SO DE FIRST ONE I EVER SEE
D, WAS WHEN MA DIED TWO YEARS AFTER DE WAR WAS DONE OVER.  A JACKLEG COLORED PRE
ACHER TALKED, BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE SENSE 'NOUGH TO PREACH A SURE 'NOUGH SERMON.
     US HEARD A HEAP ABOUT DEM KU KLUXERS, BUT NONE OF MY FOLKS NEVER SEED ANY O
F 'EM.  DEY WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE LOTS OF BEATIN' OF COLORED FOLKS, BUT NOBO
DY KNOWED WHO DEM KU KLUXERS WAS.
     A LONG TIME AFTER DE WAR I GOT MARRIED TO TRAVERSE COLQUITT.  DE WEDDIN' TO
OK PLACE AT MY SISTER'S HOUSE, AND US SURE DID HAVE BIG WEDDIN' AND A FINE DINNE
R AFTERWARDS.  DEN NEXT DAY MY HUSBAND CARRIED ME TO WHERE HE WAS BORN, AND HIS
 MA GIVE US ANOTHER BIG FINE DINNER.  SHE HAD A TABLE LONGER DAN THIS ROOM, AND
 IT WAS JUST LOADED WITH ALL SORTS OF GOOD THINGS.  DE WHITE FOLKSES DAT MY HUSB
AND HAD USED TO WORK FOR SENT SOME FO DE GOOD VICTUALS.
     MOST OF MY LIFE AFTER DE WAR WAS SPENT IN LEXINGTON.
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