y hab dese ole l'arnin'
book wha' yuh call Websters."

"My white folks al'ays waz good to me, honey. Ne'er didn't nab to do no
field work in aw me life. When I stay dere wid Miss Leggett, I hadder
pick up little chip 'bout de yard when I fust come home from school en
den I hadder go 'way up in de big field en drib de turkeys up. We didn't
find dat no hard t'ing to do lak de peoples talk lak it sumptin hard to
do dese days. We wuz l'arnt to work en didn't mind it neither. Al'ays
minded to us own business."

"Oh, gourds waz de t'ing in dem days. Dey waz wha' de peoples hab to
drink outer en wash dey hominy en rice in aw de time. Dey was de bestest
kind uv bowl fa we chillun to eat corn bread en clabber outer. Peoples
dis day en time don' hab no sech crockery lak de people use'er hab.
Honey, day hab de prettiest little clay bowls den."

"Annuder t'ing de peoples do den dat yuh ain' ne'er hear 'bout nobody
doing dese days, dey al'ays boil sumptin fa dey cows to eat lak peas en
corn in uh big ole black pot somewhey dere in de back lot. Coase it wuz
jes half cooked, but day sho' done dat. Nobody ne'er t'ought 'bout not
cookin' fa dey cow den."

"Dat was sho' uh different day from dis, honey. De little chillun wus
jes uz foolish den cause de peoples ne'er tell dem 'bout nuthin tall in
dat day en time. Aw dese little chillun 'bout heah dese days don' hab no
shame 'bout em no whey. Dey hab head full uv eve'yt'ing, honey, aw sorta
grown people knowings."

Source: Maggie Black, ex-slave, age 79, Marion, S. C.
Personal interview, June 1937

Spartanburg, S. C.
June 7, 1937

FOLKLORE: EX-SLAVES

"I was born in Laurens County, S. C., at the 'brick house', which is
close to Newberry County line, and my master was Dr. Felix Calmes. The
old brick house is still there. My daddy was Joe Grazier and my mammy,
Nellie Grazier.

"We had a pretty good house to live in in slavery time, and some fair
things to eat, but never was paid any money. We had plenty to eat like
fat meat, turnips, cabbages, cornbread, milk and pot-liquor. Master sent
his corn and apples, and his peaches to old man Scruggs at Helena, near
Newberry, to have him make his whiskey, brandy, and wine for him. Old
man Scruggs was good at that business. The men hunted some, squirrels,
rabbits, possums, and birds.

"In the winter time I didn't have much clothes, and no shoes. At nights
I carded and spinned on the mistress's wheels, helping my