was our sho 'nough Marster. Neither one of
'em ever married. Marse Lordnorth was a good man, but he didn't have no
use for 'omans--he was a sissy. Dere warn't no Marster no whar no better
dan our Marse Alec Stephens, but he never stayed home enough to tend to
things hisself much 'cause he was all de time too busy on de outside. He
was de President or somepin of our side durin' de war.

"Uncle Pierce went wid Marse Alec evvy whar he went. His dog, Rio, had
more sense dan most folkses. Marse Alec, he was all de time havin' big
mens visit him up at de big house. One time, out in de yard, him and one
of dem 'portant mens got in a argyment 'bout somepin. Us chillun snuck
up close to hear what dey was makin' such a rukus 'bout. I heared Marse
Alec say: 'I got more sense in my big toe dan you is got in your whole
body.' And he was right--he did have more sense dan most folkses. Ain't
I been a-tellin' you he was de President or somepin lak dat, dem days?

"Ma, she was Marse Alec's cook and looked atter de house. Atter she died
Marse Lordnorth got Mrs. Mary Berry from Habersham County to keep house
at de big house, but Aunt 'Liza, she done de cookin' atter Miss Mary got
dar. Us little Niggers sho' did love Miss Mary. Us called her "Mammy
Mary" sometimes. Miss Mary had three sons and one of 'em was named Jeff
Davis. I 'members when dey come and got him and tuk him off to war.
Marse Lordnorth built a four-room house on de plantation for Miss Mary
and her boys. Evvybody loved our Miss Mary, 'cause she was so good and
sweet, and dere warn't nothin' us wouldn't have done for her.

"No Lord! Marse Lordnorth never needed no overseer or no carriage driver
neither. Uncle Jim was de head man wat got de Niggers up evvy mornin'
and started 'em off to wuk right. De big house sho was a pretty place,
a-settin' up on a high hill. De squirrels was so tame dar dey jus'
played all 'round de yard. Marse Alec's dog is buried in dat yard.

"No Mam, I never knowed how many acres dere was in de plantation us
lived on, and Marse Alec had other places too. He had land scattered
evvywhar. Lord, dere was a heap of Niggers on dat place, and all of us
was kin to one another. Grandma Becky and Grandpa Stafford was de fust
slaves Marse Alec ever had, and dey sho had a passel of chillun. One
thing sho Marse Lordnorth wouldn't keep no bright colored Nigger on dat
plantation if he could help it. Aunt Mary was a bright colored Nigger
and dey said dat Marse John