of skeered of Mis' Polly too. When Marse Jordan wuzn' 'roun'
she wuz sweet an' kind, but when he wuz 'roun', she wuz er yes, suh,
yes, suh, woman. Everythin' he tole her to do she done. He made her slap
Marmy one time kaze when she passed his coffee she spilled some in de
saucer. Mis' Sally hit Mammy easy, but Marse Jordan say: 'Hit her,
Sally, hit de black bitch like she 'zerve to be hit.' Den Mis' Sally
draw back her hand an' hit Mammy in de face, pow, den she went back to
her place at de table an' play like she eatin' her breakfas'. Den when
Marse Jordan leave she come in de kitchen an' put her arms 'roun' Mammy
an' cry, an' Mammy pat her on de back an' she cry too. I loved Mis'
Sally when Marse Jordan wuzn' 'roun'.

Marse Jordan's two sons went to de war; dey went all dressed up in dey
fightin' clothes. Young Marse Jordan wuz jus' like Mis' Sally but Marse
Gregory wuz like Marse Jordan, even to de bully way he walk. Young Marse
Jordan never come back from de war, but 'twould take more den er bullet
to kill Marse Gregory; he too mean to die anyhow kaze de debil didn'
want him an' de Lawd wouldn' have him.

One day Marse Gregory come home on er furlo'. He think he look pretty
wid his sword clankin' an' his boots shinin'. He wuz er colonel,
lootenent er somethin'. He wuz struttin' 'roun' de yard showin' off,
when Leonard Allen say under his breath, 'Look at dat God damn sojer. He
fightin' to keep us niggahs from bein' free.'

'Bout dat time Marse Jordan come up. He look at Leonard an' say: 'What
yo' mumblin' 'bout?'

Dat big Leonard wuzn' skeered. He say, I say, 'Look at dat God damn
sojer. He fightin' to keep us niggahs from bein' free.'

Marse Jordan's face begun to swell. It turned so red dat de blood near
'bout bust out. He turned to Pappy an' tole him to go an' bring him dis
shot gun. When Pappy come back Mis' Sally come wid him. De tears wuz
streamin' down her face. She run up to Marse Jordan an' caught his arm.
Ole Marse flung her off an' took de gun from Pappy. He leveled it on
Leonard an' tole him to pull his shirt open. Leonard opened his shirt
an' stood dare big as er black giant sneerin' at Ole Marse.

Den Mis' Sally run up again an' stood 'tween dat gun an' Leonard.

Ole Marse yell to pappy an' tole him to take dat woman out of de way,
but nobody ain't moved to touch Mis' Sally, an' she didn' move neither,
she jus' stood dare facin' Ole Marse. Den Ole Marse let down de gun. He
reached over an' slapp