d wuk, little Niggers done all sorts of
piddlin' jobs. Dey toted water to de big house and to de hands in de
fields, fotched in chips and wood, and watched de cows. Me? I nussed
most of de time. If dere was any money give out for slaves' wuk de grown
folkses got it all, for I never seed none and I never heared 'bout no
Niggers gittin' none in slavery times.

"Us lived in log cabins scattered 'round de plantation. De biggest of
'em had two rooms and evvy cabin had a chimbly made out of sticks and
red mud. Most of de chillun slept on pallets on de floor, but I slept
wid my Pa and Ma 'cause I was so pettish. Most of de beds was made out
of poles, dis a-way: Dey bored two holes in de wall, wide apart as dey
wanted de bed, and in dese holes dey stuck one end of de poles what was
de side pieces. Dey sharpened de ends of two more poles and driv' 'em in
de floor for de foot pieces and fastened de side pieces to 'em. Planks
was put acrost dis frame to hold a coarse cloth tick filled wid wheat
straw. Ma had a ruffle, what was called a foot bouncer, 'round de foot
of her bed. Beds up at de big house was a sight to see. Dey had high
posties and curtains over de top and 'round de bottom of deir beds. Dem
beds at de big house was so high dey had steps to walk up so dey could
git in 'em. Oh, dey was pretty, all kivvered over wid bob' net to keep
flies and skeeters off de white folkses whilst dey slept!

"Warn't nothin' short 'bout de eats. Our white folkses b'lieved in good
eatin's. Dey give us bread and meat wid all de cabbage, colla'd and
turnip greens us wanted, and us had 'matoes, 'tatoes, chickens and
ducks. Yessum, and dere allus was plenty 'possums and rabbits cooked
'bout lak dey is now, only dere warn't no stoves in dem days. Pots for
biling swung on racks dey called cranes, over de coals in big open
fireplaces. Baking was done in ovens and skillets. Dere was allus lots
of fishes in season, but I didn't do none of de fishin', 'cause I was
too skeered of de water when I was a chap.

"All de cloth for our clothes was wove in de loom room up at de big
house. Little gal's dresses was made just lak deir Ma's, wid full skirts
gathered on to plain, close fittin' waisties. Little boys just wore
shirts. Didn't no chillun wear but one piece of clothes in summer.
Winter time us wore de same only dey give us a warm underskirt, and
rough red brogan shoes. Didn't no Niggers wear shoes in warm weather
durin' slavery times.

"Marse Joe S