DELIA GARLIC 519-ALA/#036 023 I WUZ GROWED uP WHnN DE WjR lOME jN'&I WUZ&AMOTHER BEFO' IT CLOSED. BA BIES WAS SNATCHED FROM DERE MOTHER'S BREAS' AN' SOLD TO SPECULATORS. CHILLUNS WA S SEPARATED FROM SISTERS AN' BROTHERS AN' NEVER SAW EACH OTHER AG'IN. COURSE DEY CRY; YOU THINK DEY NOT CRY WHEN DEY WAS sOLD-LjK CATtLE?&I&C OULD TELL YOU 'BOUT IT ALL DAY, BUT EVEN DEN YOU COULD N'T GUESS DE AWFULNESS OF IT. IT'S BAD TO BELONG TO FOLKS DAT OWN YOU SOUL AN' BODY; DAT CjN TIE OU UP TO A TREE, WID YO' FACE TO DE TREE AN' YO' ARMS FASTENED TIGHT AROUN' IT; WHO TAKE A LONG CURLIN' WHIP AN' CUT DE BLOOD EVER' LICK. FOLKS A MILE AWAY COULD HEAR DEM AWFUL WHIPPINGS. DEY WAS A TURRIBLE PA RT OF LIVIN'. I NEVER SEED NONE OF MY BROTHERS AN' SISTERS 'CEPT BROTHER WILLIAM. HIM AN' MY MOTHER AN' ME WAS BROUGHT IN A SPECULATOR'S DROVE TO RICHMON' AN' PUT IN A WAREHOUSE WID A DROVE OF OTHER NIGGERS. DEN WE WAS ALL PUT ON A BLOCK AN' SOL' TO DE HIGHES' BIDDER. I NEVER SEED BROTHER WILLIAM AG'IN. MAMMY jN'-ME6W S2 OLD O AMAN BY D E NAME OF CARTER, WHO WAS DE SHERIFF OF DE COUNTY. NO'M, DEY WARN'T NO GOOD TIMES AT HIS HOUSE. HE WAS A WIDOWER AN' HIS D AUGHTER KEPT HOUSE FOR HIM. I NURSED FOR HER, AN' ONE DAY I WAS PLAYIN' WID DE B ABY. IT HURT ITS LI'L HAN' AN' COMMENCED TO CRY, AN' SHE WHIRL ON ME, PICK UP A HOT IRON AN' RUN IT ALL DOWN MY ARM AN' HAN'. IT TOOK OFF DE FLESH WHEN SHE DONE IT. ATTER AWHILE, MARSTER MARRIED AG'IN; BUT THINGS WARN'T- O2BETTn .9ISEE D HIS WIFE BLACKIN' HER EYEBROWS WID SMUT ONE DAY, SO I THOUGHT I'D BLACK MINE J ES' FOR FUN. I RUBBED SOME SMUT ON MY EYEBROWS AN' FORGOT TO RUB IT OFF, AN' SHE KOTCHED ME. SHE WAS POWERFUL MAD AN' YELLED: "YOU BLACK DEVI$,9 'LL \+OWYOU HO W TO MOCK YOUR BETTERS." DEN SHE PICK UP A STICK OF STOVEWOOD AN' FLAILS IT AG'IN MY HEAD. I DID N'T KNOW NOTHIN' MORE 'TILL I COME TO, LYIN' ON DE FLOOR. I HEARD DE MISTUS SAY O ONE OF DE GIRLS: "I THOUGHT HER THICK SKULL AND CAP OF WOOL COULD TAKE IT BETT ER THAN THAT." I KEPT ON STAYIN' DERE, AN' ONE NIGHT DE MARSTER COME IN DRUNK AN' SET AT DE TABLE WID HIS HEAD LOLLIN' AROUN'. I WAS WAITIN' ON DE TABLE, AN' HE LOOK UP AN' SEE ME. I WAS SKEERED, AN' DAT MADE HIM AWFUL MAD. HE CALLED AN OVERSEER AN' TOL' HIM: "TAKE HER OUT AN' BEAT SOME SENSE IN HER." I BEGIN TO CRY AN' RUN AN' RUN IN DE NIGHT; BUT FINALLY I RUN BACK BY D E QUARTERS AN' HEARD MAMMY CALLIN' ME. I WENT IN, AN' RAGHT AWAY DEY COME FOR ME . A HORSE WAS STANDIN' IN FRONT OF DE HOUSE, AN' I WAS TOOK DAT VERY NIGHT TO RI CHMON' AN' SOLD TO A SPECULATOR AG'IN. I NEVER SEED MY MAMMY ANYMORE. I HAS THOUGHT MANY TIMES THROUGH ALL DESE YEARS HOW MAMMY OOKED DAT NI GHT. SHE PRESSED MY HAN' IN BOFE OF HERS AN' SAID: "BE GOOD AN' TRUS' IN DE LAWD ." TRUSTIN' WAS DE ONLY HOPE OF DE PORE BLACK CRITTERS IN DEM DAYS. US JES T PRAYED FER STRENGTH TO ENDURE IT TO DE END. WE DIDN'T 'SPECT NOTHIN' BUT TO ST AY IN BONDAGE 'TILL WE DIED. I WAS SOL' BY DE SPECULATOR TO A MAN IN MCDONOU!H,7G I .9I )'TRIC OLLECT HIS NAME, BUT HE WAS OPENIN' A BIG HOTEL AT MCDONOUGH AN' BOUGHT ME TO WA IT ON TABLES. BUT WHEN DE TIME COME AROUN' TO PAY FOR ME, HIS HOTEL DONE FAIL. D EN DE ATLANTA MAN DAT BOUGHT DE HOTEL BOUGHT ME, TOO. 'FO' LONG, DOUGH, I WAS SO L' TO A MAN BY DE NAME OF GARLIC, DOWN IN LOUISIANA, AN' I STAYED WID HIM 'TILL I WAS FREED. I WAS A REGULAR HIEL' HAN', PLOWIN' AN' HOEIN' AN' CHOPPIN' COTTON. US HEARD TALK 'BOUT DE WAR, BUT US DIDN'T PAY NO 'TENTION. US NEVER DRE AMED DAT FREEDOM WOULD EVER COME. NO'M, US DIDN'T HAVE NO PARTIES; NOTHIN' LjK DAT. US DImN'T HAeENO CLO THES FOR GOIN ' 'ROUN. I NEVER HAD A UNDERSHIRT UNTIL JEST BEFO' MY FIRST CHIL' WAS BORNED. I NEVER HAD NOTHIN' BUT A SHIMMY AN' A SLIP FOR A DRESS, AN' IT WAS MADE OUT'EN DE CHEAPES' CLOTH DAT COULD BE BOUGHT; UNBLEACHED CLOTH, COARSE, BUT MADE TO LAS'. US DIDN'T KNOW NOTHIN' 'CEPT TO WORK. US WAS uP BY TqREEOR FOUR IN DE MORNIN' AN' EVERYBODY GOT DEY SOMETHIN' TO EAT IN DE KITCHEN. DEY DIDN'T GIVE US NO WAY TO COOK, NOR NOTHIN' TO COOK IN OUR CABINS. SOON AS US DRESSED US WENT B Y DE KITCHEN AN' GOT OUR PIECE OF CORNBREAD. DEY WAN'T EVEN NO SALT IN DEM LAS' YEARS. DAT PIECE OF CORNBREAD WAS ALL US HAD FOR BREAKFUS', AN' FOR SUPPER, US HAD DE S AME. FOR DINNER US HAD BOILED VITTLES; GREENS, PEAS AN' SOMETIMES BEANS. COF FEE? NO'M, US NEVER KNOWED NOTHIN' 'BOUT COFFEE. ONE NORNIN' I 'MEMBERS I HAD STARTED TO DE FIEL' AN' ON DE WAY&ILOS' M Y PIECE OF BREAD. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I STARTED BACK TO TRY TO FIN' IT, AN ' IT WAS TOO DARK TO SEE. BUT I WALK BACK RAGHT SLOW, AN' HAD A DOG DAT WALKED W ID ME. HE WENT ON AHEAD, AN' ATTER AWHILE I COME ON HIM LYIN' DERE GUARDIN' DAT PIECE OF BREAD. HE NEVER TOUCHED IT, SO I GIVED HIM SOME OF IT. JUS' BEFO' DE WAR I MARRIED A MAN NAMED CHATFIELD FROM ANOTHER PLANTATI ON ; BUT HE WAS TOOK OFF TO WAR AN' I NEVER SEED HIM AG'IN. ATTER AWHILE I MARRI ED A BOY ON DE PLANTATION NAMED MILES GARLIC. YAS'M, MASSA GARLIC HAD TWO BOYS IN DE WAR. WHEN DEY WENT-OFF DE-m SbA AN' MISSIS CRIED, BUT IT MADE US GLAD TO SEE DEM CRY. DEY MADE US CRY SO MUCH. WHEN WE KNOWED WE WAS FREE, EVERYBODY WANTED TO GIT OUT. DE RULE WAS DA T IF YOU STAYED IN YO' CABIN YOU COULD KEEP IT, BUT IF YOU LEF', YOU LOS' IT. MI LES WAS WORKIN' AT WETUMPKA, AN' HE SLIPPED IN AN' OUT SO US COULD KEEP ON LIVIN ' IN DE CABIN. MY SECON' BABY SOON COME, AN' RAGHT DEN I MADE UP MY MIND' TO GO tO WET UMPKA WHERE MILES WAS WORKIN' FOR DE RAILROAD. I WENT ON DOWN DERE AN' US SETTLE D DOWN. ATTER MILES DIED, I LIVED DERE LONG AS I COULD AN' DEN COME TO MONTpOmE RY TO LIVE WID MY SON. I'SE EATIN' WHITE BREAD NOW AN' HAVIN' DE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE. BUT WHEN DE LAWD SAY, "DELIA, WELL DONE; COME UP HIGHER," I'LL BE pLAD tO GO. X XXX STP ` DELIA GARLIC 519-ALA/#036 02 3 I WUZ GROWED UP WHEN DE WAR COME AN' I WUZ A MOTHER BEFO' IT CLOSED. BA BIES WAS SNATCHED FROM DERE MOTHER'S BREAS' AN' SOLD TO SPECULATORS. CHILLUNS WA S SEPARATED FROM SISTERS AN' BROTHERS AN' NEVER SAW EACH OTHER AG'IN. COURSE DEY CRY; YOU THINK DEY NOT CRY WHEN DEY WAS SOLD LAK CATTLE? I C OULD TELL YOU 'BOUT IT ALL DAY, BUT EVEN DEN YOU COULD N'T GUESS DE AWFULNESS OF IT. IT'S BAD TO BELONG TO FOLKS DAT OWN YOU SOUL AN' BODY; DAT CAN TIE YOU UP TO A TREE, WID YO' FACE TO DE TREE AN' YO' ARMS FASTENED TIGHT AROUN' IT; WHO TAKE A LONG CURLIN' WHIP AN' CUT DE BLOOD EVER' LICK. FOLKS A MILE AWAY COULD HEAR DEM AWFUL WHIPPINGS. DEY WAS A TURRIBLE PA RT OF LIVIN'. I NEVER SEED NONE OF MY BROTHERS AN' SISTERS 'CEPT BROTHER WILLIAM. HIM AN' MY MOTHER AN' ME WAS BROUGHT IN A SPECULATOR'S DROVE TO RICHMON' AN' PUT IN A WAREHOUSE WID A DROVE OF OTHER NIGGERS. DEN WE WAS ALL PUT ON A BLOCK AN' SOL' TO DE HIGHES' BIDDER. I NEVER SEED BROTHER WILLIAM AG'IN. MAMMY AN' ME WAS SOLD TO A MAN BY D E NAME OF CARTER, WHO WAS DE SHERIFF OF DE COUNTY. NO'M, DEY WARN'T NO GOOD TIMES AT HIS HOUSE. HE WAS A WIDOWER AN' HIS D AUGHTER KEPT HOUSE FOR HIM. I NURSED FOR HER, AN' ONE DAY I WAS PLAYIN' WID DE B ABY. IT HURT ITS LI'L HAN' AN' COMMENCED TO CRY, AN' SHE WHIRL ON ME, PICK UP A HOT IRON AN' RUN IT ALL DOWN MY ARM AN' HAN'. IT TOOK OFF DE FLESH WHEN SHE DONE IT. ATTER AWHILE, MARSTER MARRIED AG'IN; BUT THINGS WARN'T NO BETTER. I SEE D HIS WIFE BLACKIN' HER EYEBROWS WID SMUT ONE DAY, SO I THOUGHT I'D BLACK MINE J ES' FOR FUN. I RUBBED SOME SMUT ON MY EYEBROWS AN' FORGOT TO RUB IT OFF, AN' SHE KOTCHED ME. SHE WAS POWERFUL MAD AN' YELLED: "YOU BLACK DEVIL, I'LL SHOW YOU HO W TO MOCK YOUR BETTERS." DEN SHE PICK UP A STICK OF STOVEWOOD AN' FLAILS IT AG'IN MY HEAD. I DID N'T KNOW NOTHIN' MORE 'TILL I COME TO, LYIN' ON DE FLOOR. I HEARD DE MISTUS SAY O ONE OF DE GIRLS: "I THOUGHT HER THICK SKULL AND CAP OF WOOL COULD TAKE IT BETT ER THAN THAT." I KEPT ON STAYIN' DERE, AN' ONE NIGHT DE MARSTER COME IN DRUNK AN' SET AT DE TABLE WID HIS HEAD LOLLIN' AROUN'. I WAS WAITIN' ON DE TABLE, AN' HE LOOK UP AN' SEE ME. I WAS SKEERED, AN' DAT MADE HIM AWFUL MAD. HE CALLED AN OVERSEER AN' TOL' HIM: "TAKE HER OUT AN' BEAT SOME SENSE IN HER." I BEGIN TO CRY AN' RUN AN' RUN IN DE NIGHT; BUT FINALLY I RUN BACK BY D E QUARTERS AN' HEARD MAMMY CALLIN' ME. I WENT IN, AN' RAGHT AWAY DEY COME FOR ME . A HORSE WAS STANDIN' IN FRONT OF DE HOUSE, AN' I WAS TOOK DAT VERY NIGHT TO RI CHMON' AN' SOLD TO A SPECULATOR AG'IN. I NEVER SEED MY MAMMY ANYMORE. I HAS THOUGHT MANY TIMES THROUGH ALL DESE YEARS HOW MAMMY LOOKED DAT NI GHT. SHE PRESSED MY HAN' IN BOFE OF HERS AN' SAID: "BE GOOD AN' TRUS' IN DE LAWD ." TRUSTIN' WAS DE ONLY HOPE OF DE PORE BLACK CRITTERS IN DEM DAYS. US JES T PRAYED FER STRENGTH TO ENDURE IT TO DE END. WE DIDN'T 'SPECT NOTHIN' BUT TO ST AY IN BONDAGE 'TILL WE DIED. I WAS SOL' BY DE SPECULATOR TO A MAN IN MCDONOUGH, GEORGIA. I DON'T RIC OLLECT HIS NAME, BUT HE WAS OPENIN' A BIG HOTEL AT MCDONOUGH AN' BOUGHT ME TO WA IT ON TABLES. BUT WHEN DE TIME COME AROUN' TO PAY FOR ME, HIS HOTEL DONE FAIL. D EN DE ATLANTA MAN DAT BOUGHT DE HOTEL BOUGHT ME, TOO. 'FO' LONG, DOUGH, I WAS SO L' TO A MAN BY DE NAME OF GARLIC, DOWN IN LOUISIANA, AN' I STAYED WID HIM 'TILL I WAS FREED. I WAS A REGULAR HIEL' HAN', PLOWIN' AN' HOEIN' AN' CHOPPIN' COTTON. US HEARD TALK 'BOUT DE WAR, BUT US DIDN'T PAY NO 'TENTION. US NEVER DRE AMED DAT FREEDOM WOULD EVER COME. NO'M, US DIDN'T HAVE NO PARTIES; NOTHIN' LAK DAT. US DIDN'T HAVE NO CLO THES FOR GOIN ' 'ROUN. I NEVER HAD A UNDERSHIRT UNTIL JEST BEFO' MY FIRST CHIL' WAS BORNED. I NEVER HAD NOTHIN' BUT A SHIMMY AN' A SLIP FOR A DRESS, AN' IT WAS MADE OUT'EN DE CHEAPES' CLOTH DAT COULD BE BOUGHT; UNBLEACHED CLOTH, COARSE, BUT MADE TO LAS'. US DIDN'T KNOW NOTHIN' 'CEPT TO WORK. US WAS UP BY THREE OR FOUR IN DE MORNIN' AN' EVERYBODY GOT DEY SOMETHIN' TO EAT IN DE KITCHEN. DEY DIDN'T GIVE US NO WAY TO COOK, NOR NOTHIN' TO COOK IN OUR CABINS. SOON AS US DRESSED US WENT B Y DE KITCHEN AN' GOT OUR PIECE OF CORNBREAD. DEY WAN'T EVEN NO SALT IN DEM LAS' YEARS. DAT PIECE OF CORNBREAD WAS ALL US HAD FOR BREAKFUS', AN' FOR SUPPER, US HAD DE S AME. FOR DINNER US HAD BOILED VITTLES; GREENS, PEAS AN' SOMETIMES BEANS. COF FEE? NO'M, US NEVER KNOWED NOTHIN' 'BOUT COFFEE. ONE NORNIN' I 'MEMBERS I HAD STARTED TO DE FIEL' AN' ON DE WAY I LOS' M Y PIECE OF BREAD. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I STARTED BACK TO TRY TO FIN' IT, AN ' IT WAS TOO DARK TO SEE. BUT I WALK BACK RAGHT SLOW, AN' HAD A DOG DAT WALKED W ID ME. HE WENT ON AHEAD, AN' ATTER AWHILE I COME ON HIM LYIN' DERE GUARDIN' DAT PIECE OF BREAD. HE NEVER TOUCHED IT, SO I GIVED HIM SOME OF IT. JUS' BEFO' DE WAR I MARRIED A MAN NAMED CHATFIELD FROM ANOTHER PLANTATI ON ; BUT HE WAS TOOK OFF TO WAR AN' I NEVER SEED HIM AG'IN. ATTER AWHILE I MARRI ED A BOY ON DE PLANTATION NAMED MILES GARLIC. YAS'M, MASSA GARLIC HAD TWO BOYS IN DE WAR. WHEN DEY WENT OFF DE MASSA AN' MISSIS CRIED, BUT IT MADE US GLAD TO SEE DEM CRY. DEY MADE US CRY SO MUCH. WHEN WE KNOWED WE WAS FREE, EVERYBODY WANTED TO GIT OUT. DE RULE WAS DA T IF YOU STAYED IN YO' CABIN YOU COULD KEEP IT, BUT IF YOU LEF', YOU LOS' IT. MI LES WAS WORKIN' AT WETUMPKA, AN' HE SLIPPED IN AN' OUT SO US COULD KEEP ON LIVIN ' IN DE CABIN. MY SECON' BABY SOON COME, AN' RAGHT DEN I MADE UP MY MIND' TO GO TO WET UMPKA WHERE MILES WAS WORKIN' FOR DE RAILROAD. I WENT ON DOWN DERE AN' US SETTLE D DOWN. ATTER MILES DIED, I LIVED DERE LONG AS I COULD AN' DEN COME TO MONTGOME RY TO LIVE WID MY SON. I'SE EATIN' WHITE BREAD NOW AN' HAVIN' DE BEST TIME OF MY LIF(. BUT WHEN DE LAWD SAY,8"DELIA, WELL DONE; COME UP HIGHER," 'LL BE GLAD TO GO. X XXX ` DELIA GARLIC 519-ALA/#036 02 3 I WUZ GROWED UP WHEN DE WAR COME AN' I WUZ A MOTHER BEFO' IT CLOSED. BA BIES WAS SNATCHED FROM DERE MOTHER'S BREAS' AN' SOLD TO SPECULATORS. CHILLUNS WA S SEPARATED FROM SISTERS AN' BROTHERS AN' NEVER SAW EACH OTHER AG'IN. COURSE DEY CRY; YOU THINK DEY NOT CRY WHEN DEY WAS SOLD LAK CATTLE? I C OULD TELL YOU 'BOUT IT ALL DAY, BUT EVEN DEN YOU COULD N'T GUESS DE AWFULNESS OF IT. IT'S BAD TO BELONG TO FOLKS DAT OWN YOU SOUL AN' BODY; DAT CAN TIE YOU UP TO A TREE, WID YO' FACE TO DE TREE AN' YO' ARMS FASTENED TIGHT AROUN' IT; WHO TAKE A LONG CURLIN' WHIP AN' CUT DE BLOOD EVER' LICK. FOLKS A MILE AWAY COULD HEAR DEM AWFUL WHIPPINGS. DEY WAS A TURRIBLE PA RT OF LIVIN'. I NEVER SEED NONE OF MY BROTHERS AN' SISTERS 'CEPT BROTHER WILLIAM. HIM AN' MY MOTHER AN' ME WAS BROUGHT IN A SPECULATOR'S DROVE TO RICHMON' AN' PUT IN A WAREHOUSE WID A DROVE OF OTHER NIGGERS. DEN WE WAS ALL PUT ON A BLOCK AN' SOL' TO DE HIGHES' BIDDER. I NEVER SEED BROTHER WILLIAM AG'IN. MAMMY AN' ME WAS SOLD TO A MAN BY D E NAME OF CARTER, WHO WAS DE SHERIFF OF DE COUNTY. NO'M, DEY WARN'T NO GOOD TIMES AT HIS HOUSE. HE WAS A WIDOWER AN' HIS D AUGHTER KEPT HOUSE FOR HIM. I NURSED FOR HER, AN' ONE DAY I WAS PLAYIN' WID DE B ABY. IT HURT ITS LI'L HAN' AN' COMMENCED TO CRY, AN' SHE WHIRL ON ME, PICK UP A HOT IRON AN' RUN IT ALL DOWN MY ARM AN' HAN'. IT TOOK OFF DE FLESH WHEN SHE DONE IT. ATTER AWHILE, MARSTER MARRIED AG'IN; BUT THINGS WARN'T NO BETTER. I SEE D HIS WIFE BLACKIN' HER EYEBROWS WID SMUT ONE DAY, SO I THOUGHT I'D BLACK MINE J ES' FOR FUN. I RUBBED SOME SMUT ON MY EYEBROWS AN' FORGOT TO RUB IT OFF, AN' SHE KOTCHED ME. SHE WAS POWERFUL MAD AN' YELLED: "YOU BLACK DEVIL, I'LL SHOW YOU HO W TO MOCK YOUR BETTERS." DEN SHE PICK UP A STICK OF STOVEWOOD AN' FLAILS IT AG'IN MY HEAD. I DID N'T KNOW NOTHIN' MORE 'TILL I COME TO, LYIN' ON DE FLOOR. I HEARD DE MISTUS SAY O ONE OF DE GIRLS: "I THOUGHT HER THICK SKULL AND CAP OF WOOL COULD TAKE IT BETT ER THAN THAT." I KEPT ON STAYIN' DERE, AN' ONE NIGHT DE MARSTER COME IN DRUNK AN' SET AT DE TABLE WID HIS HEAD LOLLIN' AROUN'. I WAS WAITIN' ON DE TABLE, AN' HE LOOK UP AN' SEE ME. I WAS SKEERED, AN' DAT MADE HIM AWFUL MAD. HE CALLED AN OVERSEER AN' TOL' HIM: "TAKE HER OUT AN' BEAT SOME SENSE IN HER." I BEGIN TO CRY AN' RUN AN' RUN IN DE NIGHT; BUT FINALLY I RUN BACK BY D E QUARTERS AN' HEARD MAMMY CALLIN' ME. I WENT IN, AN' RAGHT AWAY DEY COME FOR ME . A HORSE WAS STANDIN' IN FRONT OF DE HOUSE, AN' I WAS TOOK DAT VERY NIGHT TO RI CHMON' AN' SOLD TO A SPECULATOR AG'IN. I NEVER SEED MY MAMMY ANYMORE. I HAS THOUGHT MANY TIMES THROUGH ALL DESE YEARS HOW MAMMY LOOKED DAT NI GHT. SHE PRESSED MY HAN' IN BOFE OF HERS AN' SAID: "BE GOOD AN' TRUS' IN DE LAWD ." TRUSTIN' WAS DE ONLY HOPE OF DE PORE BLACK CRITTERS IN DEM DAYS. US JES T PRAYED FER STRENGTH TO ENDURE IT TO DE END. WE DIDN'T 'SPECT NOTHIN' BUT TO ST AY IN BONDAGE 'TILL WE DIED. I WAS SOL' BY DE SPECULATOR TO A MAN IN MCDONOUGH, GEORGIA. I DON'T RIC OLLECT HIS NAME, BUT HE WAS OPENIN' A BIG HOTEL AT MCDONOUGH AN' BOUGHT ME TO WA IT ON TABLES. BUT WHEN DE TIME COME AROUN' TO PAY FOR ME, HIS HOTEL DONE FAIL. D EN DE ATLANTA MAN DAT BOUGHT DE HOTEL BOUGHT ME, TOO. 'FO' LONG, DOUGH, I WAS SO L' TO A MAN BY DE NAME OF GARLIC, DOWN IN LOUISIANA, AN' I STAYED WID HIM 'TILL I WAS FREED. I WAS A REGULAR HIEL' HAN', PLOWIN' AN' HOEIN' AN' CHOPPIN' COTTON. US HEARD TALK 'BOUT DE WAR, BUT US DIDN'T PAY NO 'TENTION. US NEVER DRE AMED DAT FREEDOM WOULD EVER COME. NO'M, US DIDN'T HAVE NO PARTIES; NOTHIN' LAK DAT. US DIDN'T HAVE NO CLO THES FOR GOIN ' 'ROUN. I NEVER HAD A UNDERSHIRT UNTIL JEST BEFO' MY FIRST CHIL' WAS BORNED. I NEVER HAD NOTHIN' BUT A SHIMMY AN' A SLIP FOR A DRESS, AN' IT WAS MADE OUT'EN DE CHEAPES' CLOTH DAT COULD BE BOUGHT; UNBLEACHED CLOTH, COARSE, BUT MADE TO LAS'. US DIDN'T KNOW NOTHIN' 'CEPT TO WORK. US WAS UP BY THREE OR FOUR IN DE MORNIN' AN' EVERYBODY GOT DEY SOMETHIN' TO EAT IN DE KITCHEN. DEY DIDN'T GIVE US NO WAY TO COOK, NOR NOTHIN' TO COOK IN OUR CABINS. SOON AS US DRESSED US WENT B Y DE KITCHEN AN' GOT OUR PIECE OF CORNBREAD. DEY WAN'T EVEN NO SALT IN DEM LAS' YEARS. DAT PIECE OF CORNBREAD WAS ALL US HAD FOR BREAKFUS', AN' FOR SUPPER, US HAD DE S AME. FOR DINNER US HAD BOILED VITTLES; GREENS, PEAS AN' SOMETIMES BEANS. COF FEE? NO'M, US NEVER KNOWED NOTHIN' 'BOUT COFFEE. ONE NORNIN' I 'MEMBERS I HAD STARTED TO DE FIEL' AN' ON DE WAY I LOS' M Y PIECE OF BREAD. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I STARTED BACK TO TRY TO FIN' IT, AN ' IT WAS TOO DARK TO SEE. BUT I WALK BACK RAGHT SLOW, AN' HAD A DOG DAT WALKED W ID ME. HE WENT ON AHEAD, AN' ATTER AWHILE I COME ON HIM LYIN' DERE GUARDIN' DAT PIECE OF BREAD. HE NEVER TOUCHED IT, SO I GIVED HIM SOME OF IT. JUS' BEFO' DE WAR I MARRIED A MAN NAMED CHATFIELD FROM ANOTHER PLANTATI ON ; BUT HE WAS TOOK OFF TO WAR AN' I NEVER SEED HIM AG'IN. ATTER AWHILE I MARRI ED A BOY ON DE PLANTATION NAMED MILES GARLIC. YAS'M, MASSA GARLIC HAD TWO BOYS IN DE WAR. WHEN DEY WENT OFF DE MASSA AN' MISSIS CRIED, BUT IT MADE US GLAD TO SEE DEM CRY. DEY MADE US CRY SO MUCH. WHEN WE KNOWED WE WAS FREE, EVERYBODY WANTED TO GIT OUT. DE RULE WAS DA T IF YOU STAYED IN YO' CABIN YOU COULD KEEP IT, BUT IF YOU LEF', YOU LOS' IT. MI LES WAS WORKIN' AT WETUMPKA, AN' HE SLIPPED IN AN' OUT SO US COULD KEEP ON LIVIN ' IN DE CABIN. MY SECON' BABY SOON COME, AN' RAGHT DEN I MADE UP MY MIND' TO GO TO WET UMPKA WHERE MILES WAS WORKIN' FOR DE RAILROAD. I WENT ON DOWN DERE AN' US SETTLE D DOWN. ATTER MILES DIED, I LIVED DERE LONG AS I COULD AN' DEN COME TO MONTGOME RY TO LIVE WID MY SON. I'SE EATIN' WHITE BREAD NOW AN' HAVIN' DE BEST TIME OF MY LIF(. BUT WHEN DE LAWD SAY,8"DELIA, WELL DONE; COME UP HIGHER," 'LL BE GLAD TO GO. X XXX STP