lowed him about de place like dogs.
When he went to eat they was always close to him and just as soon as
he finished he would always feed them. When he was gone us boys used
to throw at his cats or set de dogs on 'em. We was always careful dat
no one saw us for if he had known about it he would a-whipped us and
no mistake. I wouldn't a-blamed him either, for I like cats now. I
think they are lots of company.

He was a typical Southern gentleman, medium sized, and wore a Van Dyke
beard. He never whipped his slaves, and he didn't have a one dat
wouldn't a-died for him.

Judge Hillyer had one son, William, dat wouldn't go to college. He
made fun of his brothers for going to school so long, and said that he
would be ashamed to go and stay five or six years. After de War he
settled down and studied law in Judge Akin's office and opened a
office in Athens, Georgia, and he made de best lawyer of them all.

Us boys used to go hunting with Master William. He hunted rabbits,
quails, squirrels, and sometimes he would kill a deer. He hunted
mostly with dogs. He never used a gun but very little. Lead was so
scarce and cost so much dat he couldn't afford to waste a bullet on
rabbits or snakes. He made his own bullets. The dogs would chase a
rabbit into a hollow tree and we'd take a stick and twist him out.
Sometimes we'd have nearly all de hide twisted off him when we'd git
him out.

Old Judge Hillyer smoked a pipe with a long stem. He used to give me
ten cents a day to fill it for him. He told me I had to have $36 at
the end of the year, but I never made it. There was a store right
close to us and I'd go down there and spend my money for lemon stick
candy, ginger cakes, peanuts, and firecrackers. Old Master knowed I
wouldn't save it, and he didn't care if I did spent it for it was mine
to do with just as I pleased.

Every time a circus come to town I'd run off and they wouldn't see me
again all day. Seemed like I just couldn't help it. I wouldn't take
time to git permission to go. One time to punish me for running off he
tied me up by my thumbs, and I had to stay home while de rest went. I
didn't dare try to git loose and run off for I knowed I'd git my
jacket tanned if I did. Old Master never laid his hand on me, but I
knowed he would if I didn't do as he told me. He never told us twice
to do anything either.

Coins had curious names in them days. A dime was called a thrip.
Fourpen was about the same value as three cents or