t quick, dat they did, do it now, myself. I's black as a crow but I's
got a white folks heart. Didn't ketch me foolin' 'round wid niggers in
radical times. I's as close to white folks then as peas in a pod. Wore
de red shirt and drunk a heap of brandy in Columbia, dat time us went
down to General Hampton into power. I 'clare I hollered so loud goin'
'long in de procession, dat a nice white lady run out one of de houses
down dere in Columbia, give me two biscuits and a drum stick of chicken,
patted me on de shoulder, and say: 'Thank God for all de big black men
dat can holler for Governor Hampton as loud as dis one does.' Then I
hollers some more for to please dat lady, though I had to take de half
chawed chicken out dis old mouth, and she laugh 'bout dat 'til she
cried. She did!

"Well, I'll be rockin' 'long balance of dese days, a hollerin' for Mr.
Roosevelt, just as loud as I holler then for Hampton.

"My young marsters was: Austin, Tom, and Nicholas; they was all right
'cept they tease you too hard maybe some time, and want to mix in wid de
'fairs of slave 'musements.

"Now what make you ask dat? Did me ever do any courtin'? You knows I
did. Every he thing from a he king down to a bunty rooster gits cited
'bout she things. I's lay wake many nights 'bout sich things. It's de
nature of a he, to take after de she. They do say dat a he angel ain't
got dis to worry 'bout.

"I fust courted Martha Harrison. Us marry and jine de church. Us had
nine chillun; seven of them livin'. A woman can't stand havin' chillun,
lak a man. Carryin', sucklin', and 'tending to them wore her down, dat,
wid de malaria of de Wateree brung her to her grave.

"I sorrow over her for weeks, maybe five months, then I got to thinking
how I'd pair up wid dis one and dat one and de other one. Took to
shavin' again and gwine to Winnsboro every Saturday, and different
churches every Sunday. I hear a voice from de choir, one Sunday, dat
makes me sit up and take notice of de gal on de off side in front. Well
sir! a spasm of fright fust hit me dat I might not git her, dat I was
too old for de likes of her, and dat some no 'count nigger might be in
de way. In a few minutes I come to myself. I rise right up, walked into
dat choir, stand by her side, and wid dis voice of mine, dat always
'tracts 'tention, jined in de hymn and out sung them all. It was easy
from dat time on.

"I marry Kate at de close of dat revival. De day after de weddin', what
you rec