ses 'bout my big pocket, but it ain't in none of deir
dresses, and I'se sho gwine to wear 'em 'til dey is wore out to a gnat's
heel.

"Chillun never had to wuk on our plantation 'til dey was big enough to
go to de fields, and dat was when dey was around 12 to 14 years old. Dey
jus' played 'round de yards and down by de wash-place dat was a little
ways off from de big house on a branch dat run from de big spring. On
wash days dat was a busy place, wid lots of 'omans bending over dem
great big wash pots and de biggest old wooden tubs I ever seed. Dere was
plenty racket 'round de battlin' block whar dey beat de dirt out of de
clothes, and dey would sing long as dey was a-washin'.

"Marster was sho good to his Niggers all de time. Course he made 'em wuk
'less dey was sick. Chillun never had nothin' to do 'cept eat, sleep,
and play. Evvy time Marse Jack come out to his plantation he brung candy
for all de pickaninnies, and, Honey, it warn't in no little sacks
neither; dere was allus plenty for 'em all, and it was a mighty big
crowd of us. Marster loved to come out on Sundays to see us chillun git
our heads combed. Honey, dere sho was hollerin' on dat place when dey
started wukin' on us wid dem jim crow combs what was made lak a curry
comb 'ceppin' dey warn't quite as wide acrost. When dem jim crow combs
got stuck in dat tangled, kinky wool, damn if dem chillun didn't yell,
and Marster would laugh and tell Granny Rose to comb it good.

"Granny Rose larnt me to keep clean and fix myself up nice, and, Honey,
I ain't got too old to primp up now. One thing dis old Nigger ain't
never done is to put hair straightener on her head, 'cause de Blessed
Lord sont me here wid kinky hair, and I'se gwine 'way from here wid dat
same old kinky hair. It's white now, but dat ain't no fault of mine.
Honey, I sho do trust dat Good Lord. Why, I 'member when I used to pull
out my own teeth; I jus' tied a string 'round 'em, laid down on my bed,
and said, 'Lord, I is in your hands,' and den I would give dat string a
hard yank and out come dem damn teeth.

"Yes, mam, I'se seed slaves sold. Dey jus' put dem Niggers up on de
block and bid 'em off. A smart worker brought a big price, and a good
breedin' 'oman sho did fetch de money, 'cause all de white folks did lak
to have plenty chillun 'round. Dem breedin' 'omans never done no wuk a
t'all; dey made other slaves wait on 'em 'til atter deir babies was
borned. Slave 'omans what had babies was sont bac