mek cotton on, sometimes a whole bale, dat money
yours."

Willis thought the plantation house was still there, "but it badly
wounded," he said. "Dey tell me dere ain't nobody living in it now. It
seven miles from Waynesboro, south."

"When de soldiers come thoo'," continued Willis, "dey didn't burn dat
place, but dey went in dere and took out ev'thing dey want, and give it
to de cullud people. Dey kep' it till dey got free. De soldiers tuk Dr.
Millers horses and carry 'em off. Got in de crib and tuk de corn. Got in
de smoke'ouse and tuk de meat out. Old Marssa bury his money and silver
in a iron chist. Dey tuk it 300 yards away to a clump of trees and bury
it. It tuk fo' men to ca'y it. Dere was money without mention in dat
chist! After de soldiers pass thoo, de went down and got it back."

"What did you do after freedom was declared?"

Willis straightened up.

"I went down to Augusta to de Freedmen's Bureau to see if twas true we
wuz free. I reckon dere was, over a hundred people dere. The man got up
and stated to de people, "you is jus' as free as I am. You ain't got no
mistis and no marster. Work wheh you want." On Sunday morning old
Marster sent de house girl and tell us to all come to de house. He said:

"What I want to send for you all, is to tell you you are free. You hab
de privilege to go anywhere you want, but I don't want none of you to
leave me now. I wants you-all to stay right wid me. If you stay, you you
mus' sign to it' I asked him: "What you want me to sign for?, I is
free." 'Dat will hold me to my word, and hold you to yo' word,' he say.
All my folks sign it, but I wouldn't sign. Marster call me up and say:
'Willis, why wouldn't you sign?' I say: 'If I already is free, I don't
need to sign no paper. If I was working for you, and doing for you befo'
I got free, I can do it still, if you want me to stay wid yo'.' My
father and mother tried to git me to sign, but I wouldn't sign. My
mother said: 'You oughter sign. How you know Marster gwine pay?' I said:
'Den I kin go somewhere else.' Marster pay first class hands $15.00 a
month, other hands $10.00, and den on down to five and six dollars. He
give rations like dey always. When Christmas come, all come up to be
paid off. Den he call me. Ask whar is me? I wus standin' roun' de corner
of de house. 'Come up here,' he say, 'you didn't sign dat paper, but I
reckon I have to pay you too.' He paid me and my wife $180.000. I said:
'Well, you-all thought he w