o go on.

"Well, I helped de best way I could, for I was a little shaver then, and
Jim, he was next to me, he did little jobs for de white folks around.
But father he got worse, and wouldn't work no how, and he was always
gettin' took up, and then when they let him out of jail he was furiouser
than ever. One night, O laws! I most wish I'd never gone and been born
when I think of that, mother and all us children was asleep. Father had
been took up, and so we wasn't afeard of nothin'. It was a snowin' and a
blowin' sky high, and nobody could hear nothin' for the wind. All at
once I felt somethin' a movin' over my face, soft like, and then it made
for my throat. Then I ups and gives a spring, and run into mother's
room, but somethin' tripped me, and I fell down right on top of it. Then
it moaned out like, and--and I knowed it was mother a lying there, and
that somebody had killed her.

"I began to call 'murder' as hard as I could, but father, it was him did
it, got a hold of me again, and told me he'd soon shut up my fly trap. I
know'd he was goin' to do it, so I give an awful leap and sprung clear
over his head and right out in de snow. I know'd he wouldn't go far to
katch me, for he'd have enough to do to clear hisself, so I waded along
till I come to de man's house that Jim worked for.

"He had two awful fierce dogs, and one of them made a spring at my
throat while de other caught hold of my leg and took a bite out. De man,
hearin' de dogs, put his head out of de window and asked what was de
matter. So, as I couldn't speak, I just groaned, and he told de dogs to
lay down. Well, he came down and took me in de house, and all I could
say was 'Father,' and 'Murder.' So he called up de rest of de men folks
and took them over, but when they got there father was gone, and mother
and de baby was dead. Poor mother, she was holding de baby tight to her
bosom. De other childerns was screechin' and cryin', and de door was
wide open, and they was nearly frozen. Well, de poor house buried mother
and de baby, and took all de children but Jim and me, and de man Jim
worked for said he could stay thar as long as he wanted help. I hadn't
no place to go to, so I worked where I could, and that wasn't much
because it weren't de time of year for work, and I slept in sheds and
barns, wherever de folks would let me.

"Mother she was a good woman, and made us say our prayers every night,
but I didn't say 'em any more after that night, because