CHENEY CROSS ENDURIN' DE WAR I HAD DONE LONG PAST MY THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY. BUT IF ANYBOD Y IN DE WORLD KNOWED MY EXACT AGE, IT WAS MY YOUNG MISTIS. HER PAPA WAS CAPTAIN PURIFOY. BACK YONDER HE WAS DE MAGISTRATE OF OUR TOWN. AND HE HAD ALL OF DEM LAWIN' BOOKS. I FIGGERED DAT MY BIRTHRIGHT WOULD BE DOWN IN ONE OF DEM BOOKS. I KNOWED DAT MY MISTIS STILL GOT DEM BOOKS WITH HER, 'CAUSE DEY AIN'T BEEN NO BU RNIN'S DAT I DONE HEARD ABOUT. I 'MEMBERS CAPTAIN PURIFOY JUST LIKE A BOOK. I DOES DAT] NOW, OF COURSE, WHEN HE COME IN FROM DE WAR HE DIDN'T 'ZACKLY FAVOR HISSELF DEN, 'CAUSE WHEN I SEED HIM COMIN' ROUND DE HOUSE HE LOOK SO RAGGED AND ORNERY I TOOK HIM FOR DE OL D BAD MAN HISSELF. I TOOK OUT BEHIND DE SMOKEHOUSE, AND WHEN I GOT A GOOD LOOK AT HIM THROUGH A CRACK IT LOOK LIKE I COULD RACOGNIZE HIS FAVOR, BUT I COULDN'T CALL HIS NAME TO SAVE MY LIFE. LORD, HE'S A SIGHT. ALL GROWED OVER AND BUSHY. YOU COULDN'T TELL IF HE'S MAN OR BEAST. I KEPT ON ALOOKIN' WHILST HE'S COMIN' ROUND DE CORNER, AND DEN I HEARD HIM SAY, CHENEY, DAT YOU? I'SE SO HAPPY, I JU ST MELT DOWN. YOU SEE, IT'S LIKE DIS. MY PARENTS, DEY WAS BOUGHT. MY MISTIS AND MY DADD Y'S MISTIS, TOO, WAS MISS MARY FIELDS, AND MY DADDY WAS HENRY FIELDS. DEN DE CA RTERS BOUGHT MT DADDY FROM MISS MARY FIELDS. WELL, DEY MIX UP AND DOWN LIKE DAT TILL NOW MY YOUNG MISTIS, WHAT USED TO BE LITTLE FRANCES PURIFOY, SHE'S MARRIED TO MR CUNNINGHAM. I WAS BRUNG UP RIGHT IN DE HOUSE WITH MY WHITE FOLKS. I SLEPT ON DE LITTLE TRUNDLER BED WHAT PUSHED UP UNDER DE BIG BED, DURING THE DAY. I WATCHED OVER D EM CHILLEN DAY AND NIGHT. I WASHED 'EM AND FED 'EM AND PLAYED WITH 'EM. ONE OF DE BABIES HAD TO TAKE GOAT'S MILK. WHEN SHE CRY MY MISTIS SAY, CHENEY, GO ON A ND GET DAT GOAT. YES, LORD] AND DAT GOAT SURE DID TALK SWEET TO DAT BABY. JUS T LIKE IT WAS HER OWN. SHE LOOK AT IT AND WAG HER TAIL SO FAST AND SAY: MA-A-A -A-] DEN SHE LAY DOWN ON DE FLOOR WHIL US HOLDS HER FEETS AND LET DE BABY SUC K DE MILK. ALL DE TIME DE GOAT BE'S TALKIN', MA-A-A-A-A, TILL DAT BABY GOT SATI SFIED. WHEN US CHILLEN GOT TOOK WITH ANY KIND OF SICKNESS OR DISEASES, US TOOK ASA FETIDA AND GARLIC. YOU KNOW, GARLIC WHAT SMELL LIKE ONIONS. DEN WE WORE SOME R OUND US NECKS. DESE DAYS IT LOOK LIKE SOMETHIN' TO EAT DON'T TASTE LIKE DAT WE COOKED BACK YONDER. DE COFFEE US USED HAD TO BE FRESH GROUND EVERY DAY. AND WHEN IT COMME NCE TO BOIL, I PUT DESE KNEES DOWN ON DE FLOOR BEFORE DE FIRE AND STIR DAT COFFE E FOR DE LONGEST. DEN MY GRANDMA, SHE HUNG DAT POT UP ON DEM POT HOOKS OVER DE FIRE AND WASHED DE MEAT AND DROP IT IN. TIME SHE DONE PICK AND OVERLOOK DE GRE ENS AND DEN RINSED 'EM IN SPRING WATER, DE MEAT WAS BOILIN'. DEN SHE TAKE A GRE AT BIG MESS OF DEM FRESH TURNIP GREENS AN' SQUASH 'EM DOWN IN DAT POT. DEY MUST MELT DOWN AND GO TO SEASONIN'. NEXT THING I KNOWED, HERE COME MY MISTIS, AND SHE SAY: NOW CHENEY, I WANTS SOME PONE BREAD FOR DINNER. DEM HICKORY COALS IN DAT FIREPLACE WAS ALL TIME RE ADY AND HOT. THEY WOULDN'T BE NO FINGER PRINTS LEFT ON DAT PONE WHEN CHENEY GOT THROUGH PATTIN' IT OUT, NEITHER. BETTER NOT] LOOK LIKE DEM CHILLEN JUST COULD N'T GET 'NOUGH OF DAT HARD CORN BREAD. PLENTY OF FANCY COOGIN' WENT ON ROUND DA T FIREPLACE, BUT SOMEHOW DE POT LICKER AND PONE BREAD 'LONGSIDE WITH DE FRESH BU TTERMILK STIRS MY MEMORY WORSE THAN ANYTHING. ALL DIS GOOD EATIN' I'SE SPEAKIN' ABOUT TOOK PLACE BEFORE DE YANKEES RAIDED US.. IT WAS DEN TOO, DAT MY MISTIS TOOK ME DOWN TO DE SPRING BACK OF DE HOUSE. DOWN DERE IT WAS A HOLLOW TREE STUMP, TALLER'N YOU IS. WHE TELL ME TO CLIMB U P TO DE TOP OF DAT HOLLOWTREE, DEN SHE HAND ME A BIG HEAVY BUNDLE, ALL WRAPPED U P AND TIED TIGHT. IT SURE WAS HEAVY] DEN SHE SAY: DROP IT IN, CHENEY. I DIDN 'T KNOW DEN WHAT SHE'S UP TO, BUT DAT WAS DE SILVER AND JEWELRY SHE WAS HIDIN'. I 'MEMBERS DE YANKEE RAID LIKE IT WAS JUST YESTERDAY. I'SE SETTIN' DERE IN DE LOOM ROOM, AND MR THAD WATTS' LITTLE GAL, LOUISE, SHE'S STANDIN' AT THE WIND OW. SHE SAY: O-O-OH] JUST LOOK DOWN YONDER] BABY, WHAT IS DAT? I SAYS. DEM' S DE YANKEES COMIN'. GOD HELP US] I SAYS, AND BEFORE I CAN CATCH MY BREATH, DE PLACE I COVERED. YOU COULDN'T STIR 'EM UP WITH A STICK. FEETS SOUNDED LIKE MUT TERIN' THUNDER. DEM BAYONETS STICK UP LIKE DEY JUST SETTIN' ON DE MOUTH OF DEY GUNS. DEY SWORDS HANGIN' ON DE SIDES SINGIN' A TUNE WHILE DEY WALK. A CHICKEN BETTER NOT PASS BY. IF HE DO, OFF COMES HIS HEAD. WHEN DEY PASS ON BY ME, DEY PRETTY NIGH SHUCK ME OUTA MY SKIN. WHERE'S DE MEN'S? DEY SAY AND SHAKE ME UP. WHERE'S DE ARMS? DEY SHAKE ME TILL MY EYEBALL S LOOSEN UP. WHERE'S DE SILVER? LORD] WAS MY TEETH DROPPIN' OUT? DEY DIDN'T GIVE ME TIME TO CATCH MY BREATH. ALL DE TIME, MISS MARY JUST LOOK 'EM IN DE EYE AND SAY NOTHIN'. DEY TOOK DEM ENFIELD RIFLES, HALF AS LONG AS DAT DOOR, AND BUST IN DE SMOKE HOUSE WINDOW. DEY JACK ME UP OFF MY FEET AND DRAG ME UP DE LADDER AND SAY: GET DAT MEAT OUT. I KEPT ON THROUWIN' OUT MISS MARY'S HAMS AND SAUSAGES, TILL DEY HOLLER STOP] I COME BACKIN' DOWN DAT LADDER LIKE A SQUIRREL AND I AIN'T STOP BACKIN' TILL I REACH MISS MARY. YES, LORD] DEM YANKEES LOADED UP A WAGON FULL OF MEAT AND OOK DE6> OLE2BA RREL OF 'LASSES. TAKIN' DAT 'LASSES KILT US CHILLEN. OUR MAINEST 'MUSEMENT WAS MAKIN' 'LASSES CANDY. DEN US CAKEWALK 'ROUND IT. NOW DAT WAS ALL GONE. LOOK LIKE DEM SOLDIERS HAD TO SHARPEN DEY SWORDS ON EVERYTHING IN SIGHT. DE BIG CRE PE MULLEIN BUSH BY DE PARLOR WINDER WAS BLOOMIN' SO PINK AND PRETTY, A5D DEY JUS T STOOD DERE AND WHACK OFF DEM BLOOMS LIKE FOLKS' HEADS DROPPIN' ON DE GROUND. I SEED DE SERGEANT WHEN HE RUN HIS BAYONET CLEAN THROUGH MISS MARY'S BEST F EATHERBED AND RIP IT SLAM OPEN] WITH DAT, A WIND BLOWED UP AND TOOK DEM FEATHER S EVERY WHICH WAY FOR SUNDAY. YOU COULDN'T SEE WHERE YOU'S AT. DE SERGEANT, HE JUST THROUWED HIS HEAD BACK AND LAUGHED FIR TO KILL HISSELF. DEN FIRST THING N EXT, HE DONE SUCK A FEATHER DOWN HIS WINDPIPE] LORD, DAT WHITE MAN SURE STRUGGL ED. DEN SOLDIERS THROWED WATER IN HIS FACE. DEY SHOOK HIM AND BEAT HIM AND ROL LED HIM OVER, AND A3L DE TIME HE'S GETTIN' LIMBERER AND BLUERER. DEN DEY JACK H IM UP BY HIS FEETS AND STANDS HIM ON HIS HEAD. DEN DEY PUMP HIM UP AND DOWN. DEN THEY SHOOK HIM TILL HE SPIT. DEN HE COME TO. DEY DIDN'T CUT NO MORE MATTRE SSES. AND DEY DIDN'T CUT NOTHIN' MUCH UP IN DE PARLOR, 'CAUSE DAT'S WHERE DE LI EUTENANT AND DE SERGEANT SLEPT. BUT WHEN DEY LEFT DE NEXT DAY, DE WHOLE PLACE W AS STREWED WITH MUTILATION. I 'MEMBERS WELL BACK DERE DURIN' DE WAR HOW EVERY ONCE A MONTH THAT COME RO UND, A BIG BOX, LONGER'N I IS AND WIDER TOO, WAS TOOK TO OUR SOLDIER BOYS ON DE BATTLEFIELD. YOU NEVER SEED DE LIKE OF SAUSAGES DAT WENT IN DAT BOX] WITH CAKE AND CHICKEN AND PIES, AND, LORD, DE BUTTER ALL ROLLED UP IN CORN SHUCKS TO-KEnP IT FRESH. EVERYBODY FROM EVERYWHERE COME TO FIX DAT BOX AND HELP PILE IN DE ST UFF. DEN YOU HEAR 'EM SAY: POOR SOLDIERS] PUT IT IN HERE] DEN EVERYTHING LOO K SORTA MISTY AND DEY HEADS DROOP OVER LIKE. DEN YOU SEE A MOTHER'S BREAST HEAV E WITH HER SILENT PRAYER. DIRECTLY AFTER DE SURRENDER, DE KU KLUXERS WAS SURE BAD AFTER DE YANKEES. DEY DOO ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO AGGRAVATE 'EM. DEY'S CONTINUALLY TYING GRAPEVINE S ACROSS DE ROAD, TO GET 'EM TANGLED UP AND MAKE 'EM TRIP UP AND BREAK DEY OWN N ECKS. DAT WAS BAD, TOO, 'CAUSE DEM POOR YANKEES NEVER SUSPICIONED NO BETTER'N D AT DEM VINES JUST BLOWED DOWN OR SOMETHIN'. LONG ABOUT DEN, TOO, SEEM LIKE HAUNTS AND SPIRITS WAS RIDIN' EVERYTHING. D EY RAIDED MOSTLY ROUND DE GRAVEYARD. I AIN'T HANKERIN' AFTER PASSIN' BY NO GRAV EYARDS. I 'MEMBERS ONE NIGHT, WAY BACK DERE, WHEN I'SE WALKIN' DOWN DE BIG ROAD WITH BUD AND HE SAY: LOOK] DIDN'T YOU SEE ME GIVE DAT ROAD? DAT HAUNT DONE PU SH ME CLEAN OUT OF MY PLACE. NOW LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHIN' IFFEN YOU AIN'T NEV ER BEEN DAT CLOSE TO A HAUNT, YOU DON'T KNOW NOTHIN'] I ALLOWED HE GWINE FOLLOW ME HOME. WHEN I GOT DERE I SHOOK MUSTARD SEEDS DOWN ON MY FLOOR. WHEN YOU sPR INKLES 'EM LIKE DAT HE CAN'T GET OUT OF DAT ROOM TILL HE DONE COUNT EVERY LAST O NE OF DEM SEEDS. LOOK LIKE HE DONE COUNTED HISSELF TO A PULP. AFTER DAT NIGHT, I PUTS A BIG SIFTER DOWN AT MY DOOR. YOU KNOW HAUNTS HAS TO COUNT EVERY HOLE IN DAT SIFTER BEFORE DEY CAN COME THROUGH. SOME FOLKS PUTS DE BIBLE DOWN DERE, TOO. DEN DE POOR SPIRIT HAS TO READ EVERY WORD OF DAT BOOK BEFORE HE CROSSES OVER. I RECKON ABOUT DE TERRIBLEST THING EVER HAPPEN TO ME WAS DAT BIG LOOKIN' GL ASS. DE LOOKIN' GLASS WAS LAID OUT IN DE TOP OF MY TRUNK, WAITIN' FOR MY WEDDIN DAY. ONE NIGHT I'SE STANDINH BY DE TRUNK WITH IT WIDE OPEN. I SEED SOMTHIN' B LACK BEFORE MY EYES AND DEN A SCREECH OWL LIT IN MY WINDOW AND SCREECH RIGHT IN MY FACE. I'SE SO SCARED I SET RIGHT DOWN IN DE MIDDLE OF DAT LOOKIN' GLASS. IT BUST IN A MILLION PIECES] MAMMA THROWED UP HER HANDS AND HOLLER, GET UP FROM D ERE GAL. TOU GONNA HAVE SEVEN YEARS OF BAD LUCK. SHOO DAT HOOTIN' OWL AWAY BEF ORE YOU DIES IN YOUR TRACKS] DEN I SWOONS OFF. I FEELS DEM HAUNTS GETTIN' READ Y TO RIDE ME CLEAN DOWN IN MY GRAVE. ABOUT DEN SOMETHIN' KEPT SAYIN' TO ME, OVE R AND OVER, THROW DEM PIECES OF LOOKIN' GLASS IN RUNNIN' WATER. DEN IT SAY BURN YOUR MAMMY'S OLD SHOE AND DE SCREECH OWL LEAVE. AFTER I DOES DAT MY MIND WAS A T REST. SOON AS MY DADDY HEAR 'EM FIRIN' OFF FOR DE SURRENDER, HE PUT OUT FOR DE PL ANTATION WHERE HE FIRST BELONG. HE LEFT ME WITH MY MISTIS AT PINE FLAT, BUT IT WASN'T LONG TILL HE COME BACK TO GET ME AND CARRY ME HOME WITH HIM. I HATES TO LEAVE MY MISTIS, AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO PART FROM ME. SHE SAY: STAY HERE WITH ME, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A SCHOOL LEARNIN'. SHE SAY TO CAPTAIN PURIFOY, YOU GO BU Y MY LITTLE NIGGER A BOOK. GET ONE OF DEM BLUE BLACK WEBSTERS, SHE SAY, SO I CA N EDUCATE HER TO SPELL. DEN MY DADDY SAY: HER MAMMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME HOME W ITHOUT HER AND SHE HAS TO GO WITH ME. I NEVER FORGET RIDIN' BEHIND MY DADDY ON DAT MULE WASY IN DE NIGHT. US LEF T IN SUCH A HURRY I DIDN'T GET NONE OF MY CLOTHES HARDLY, AND I AIN'T SEED MY MI STIS FROM DAT DAY TO DIS.