t and fetched
in two and three at a time. Don't say nothin' 'bout dem rabbits for dere
warn't no end to 'em. Rabbits stewed, rabbits fried, and rabbits dried,
smoked, and cured lak hog meat! I et so many rabbits when I was young I
can't stand to look at 'em now but I could eat 'possums and gnaw de
bones all day long. Marse Billy let grandpa go fishin' and he was all
time bringin' back a passel of minnows and other fishes. Us rubbed 'em
down wid lard and salt and pepper, den rolled 'em in cornmeal and baked
'em. I never seed no fried meat 'til I was a big strappin' gal. Dere was
one big gyarden whar dey raised 'nough vegetables for all de white folks
and slaves too. All de bilin' was done in pots swung on cranes over
coals in de fireplace.

"Our clothes was made new for us in de fall out of cloth wove in looms
right dar on de plantation. Top clothes was dyed wid hick'ry bark. De
full skirts was gathered to tight fittin' waisties. Underskirts was made
de same way. De dresses had done wore thin 'nough for hot weather by de
time winter was gone so us wore dem same clothes straight on through de
summer, only us left off de underskirts den. Slave chillun didn't never
wear no shoes. Our foots cracked open 'til dey looked lak goose foots.
Us wore de same on Sunday as evvy day, 'cept dat our clothes was clean,
and stiff wid meal starch when us got into 'em on Sunday mornin's.

"Marse Billie Neal was our owner and Miss Peggy was his old 'oman. Dey
was jus' as good to us as dey could be. Deir two chillun was Marse Tom
and Marse Mid. De car'iage driver never had much to do but drive Marse
Billy and Miss Peggy 'round and, course he had to see dat de hosses and
car'iage was kept clean and shiny. I don't 'member if he tuk de chillun
'round. Chillun didn't stand de show dey does now.

"Oh, no Ma'am, I sho' can't tell nothin' t'all 'bout how big dat old
plantation was, but it was one whoppin' big place. Dere was too many
slaves on dat plantation for me to count. De overseer got 'em up by 4:00
o'clock and de mens had to be in de fields by sunrise. De 'omans went
out 'bout 8:00 o'clock. Dey stopped wuk at sundown and by de time dey et
and done de chores for de day it was 10:00 o'clock 'fore dey hit de bed.
De cabins was built in a circle and de overseer went de rounds evvy
night to see if de slaves was in bed.

"Yes Ma'am, dey whupped de Niggers. My Pappy and grandpa was de wust
ones 'bout gittin' licked. Evvy time Pappy runned away Ma