s gave it to them. They had just as good meals during the
week as on Sunday, any kind of meat out of the smoke house, chickens,
squabs, fresh beef, shoats, sheep, biscuits or cornbread, rice,
potatoes, beans, syrup and any garden vegetables. Sometimes they went
fishing to add to their menu.

The single male slaves lived together in the "boy house" and had just as
much as others. There were a lot of women who did nothing but sew,
making work clothes for the hands. Their Sunday clothes were bought with
the money they made off the little "patches" the master let them work
for themselves.

Mr. Jimmy took Shade to the war with him. Shade had to wait on him as a
body servant then tend to the two horses. Bullets went through Shade's
coat and hat many times but "de Lord was takin' care" of him and he
didn't get hurt. They were in the battle of Appomatox and "at the
surrenderin'," April 8, 1865, but the "evidence warn't sworn out until
May 29, so that's when the niggers celebrate emancipation."

Shade's brother helped lay the R.R. from Atlanta to Macon so the
Confederate soldiers and ammunition could move faster.

In those days a negro wasn't grown until he was 21 regardless of how
large he was. Shade was "near 'bout" grown when the war was over but
worked for Mr. Neal four years. His father and mother rented a patch,
mule and plow from Mr. Neal and the family was together. At first they
gave the niggers only a tenth of what they raised but they couldn't get
along on it and after a "lot of mouthin' about it" they gave them a
third. That wasn't enough to live on either so more "mouthin" about it
until they gave them a half, "and thats what they still gits today."

When the slaves went 'courtin' and the man and woman decided to get
married, they went to the man's master for permission then to the
woman's master. There was no ceremony if both masters said "alright"
they were considered married and it was called "jumpin' the broomstick."

Signs were "more true" in the olden days than now. God lead his people
by dreams then. One night Shade dreamed of a certain road he used to
walk over often and at the fork he found a lead pencil, then a little
farther on he dreamed of a purse with $2.43 in it. Next day he went
farther and just like the dream he found the pocketbook with $2.43 in
it.

Shade now works at the Kincaid Mill No. 2, he makes sacks and takes up
waste. He thinks he's lived so long because he never eats hot food or
t