and me. We is naughts and Christ is de
_One_, and we ain't nothing till we carries de Spirit of de Lawd along
wid us.

"On de pathway of life, may you allus keep Christ in front of you and
you will never go wrong. De Lawd will den see fit to give you a soul dat
will reach from His foot-stool here on earth to His dwelling place on
high." He ended with a deep sob and good-bye.

Source: George Briggs (88), Union, S. C. RFD 2.
Interviewer: Caldwell Sims, Union, S. C. 6/9/37.

Project 1885-1
FOLKLORE
Spartanburg Dist. 4
July 20, 1937
Edited by:
Elmer Turnage

STORIES FROM EX-SLAVES

"Some white men called in question today about de reigning governor
enduring time of de Civil War. I knowed dat, and 'cides dat, I knowed
him well. It was Governor 'Bill' as us called him.

"What you want to git, is history about muster grounds. Yes, it was on
Jones Ferry Road, jest south of Cross Keys whar dey had what dey allus
called de muster field. Now, Jones Ferry Road leads across Enoree River
into Laurens County. Enoree River is de thing dat devides Union County
from Laurens County, dat it is.

"Well as I remember, Mr. Bill Ray was in de mustering of de 18th
Regiment. Billy, Robert, Sara and Miss Nancy was Mr. Alex's chilluns.
Understand me, don't think dat Bob and Sam was in de Regiment ...
satisfied Billy was, kaise he used to pass our house on horse back,
coming from de Laurens side where he lived.

"Sixteen-year-old boys come in de same time dat I did. Course I ain't
told all dat I knows, kaise dat wouldn't be proper. All I tell you, I
wants it to be recognized. De better it's done, de better it'll help
you.

"I goes from home and stays five days or more, and don't nothing happen
to a thing at my home. I does fer de sick and de Lawd blesses me. He
looks atter my things while I am away. He soon shows his presence atter
I gits dar. He calls fer me and I feeds Him.

"Once had 26 biles (boils). Dat make me consider my disobedience against
de Lawd. Den I went to Him in prayer. He told me Satan done got ahead of
Him. Dat show me dat I done forgot to be particular. I got mo' 'ticular
and pray mo' often, and in six weeks my biles had done all gone.

"Dar is times when I gits lost fer not knowing. I can't keep up, kaise I
cannot read. Man in Sunday school reads and I hears. He read de olden
Testament; den he read de new Testament. Dat my schooling. I 'clar unto
you, I got by all my life by p