. But de 'omans
what was cooks at de big house tied sacks 'roun' deir waisties under
deir skirts, and all thoo' de day would drap a little of dis, and some
of dat, in de sacks. When day poured it out at night, dare was plenty of
good somepin' t'eat. De mens kept de fire goin' and if dey got hold of a
tallow candle day lit dat to help de 'omans see how to quilt. Most of de
quiltin's was at night and nearly all of 'em was in winter time.

"De best game us had was marbles, and us played wid homemade clay
marbles most of de time. No witches or ghosties never bothered us,
'cause us kept a horseshoe over our cabin door.

"Miss Annie doctored us. In summer, she made us pull up certain roots
and dry special leafs for to make her teas out of. Horehoun', boneset,
and yellow root was de main things she used. She made a sort of sody out
of de white ashes f'um de top of a hick'ry fire and mixed it wid vinegar
for headaches. De black ashes, left on de bottom of de hick'ry fire, was
leached for lye, what was biled wid grease to make our soap.

"I never will forgit de day dey told us de war was over and us was free.
One of de 'omans what was down by de spring a washin' clothes started
shoutin': 'Thank God-a-Moughty I'se free at last!' Marse Tom heared her
and he come and knocked her down. It was 'bout October or November 'fore
he ever told us dat us was free sho' 'nough. Dat same 'oman fainted dead
away den 'cause she wanted to holler so bad and was skeered to make a
soun'. De yankees come thoo' soon atter dat and said us was free and
'vited all de Niggers dat wanted to, to go 'long wid dem. I never will
forgit how bad dem yankees treated Old Miss. Dey stole all her good
hosses, and her chickens and dey broke in de smokehouse and tuk her
meat. Dey went in de big house and tuk her nice quilts and blankets. She
stood all of dat wid a straight face but when dey foun' her gold, she
just broke down and cried and cried. I stayed on and was Miss Annie's
houseboy long as she lasted. I was 21 when she died.

"Dem night riders done plenty of whuppin' on our plantation. Hit was a
long time 'fore Niggers could git 'nough money to buy lan' wid and it
was a good 20 years 'fore no school was sot up for Niggers in our
settlement.

"I thinks Mr. Jefferson Davis and Mr. Lincoln was bofe of 'em doin' deir
best to be all right. Booker Washin'ton, he was all right too, but he
sho' was a 'maybe man.' He mought do right and den he moughtn't.

"Yes Ma'a