y to Granny
Rose's cabin in de big house yard.

"No, mam, I ain't forgot when de Yankees come to our place. Dat was
right atter de end of de war, not long atter us had been told 'bout
freedom. When us heared dey was on deir way us tuk and hid all de stuff
us could, but dey sho tore up dat place. Dey tuk all de meat out of de
smokehouse and give it to de Niggers, but deir bellies was already full
and dey didn't need it, so dey give it back to Marse Jack soon as dem
sojers was gone. 'Fore dey left dem Yankee sojers tuk Marse Jack's mules
and horses slap out of de plows and rid 'em off, and left deir old
wore-out stock right dar.

"Freedom didn't make so many changes on our place right at fust, 'cause
most of de slaves stayed right on dar, and things went on jus' lak dey
had 'fore dere was any war. Marse Jack had done told 'em dey was free,
but dat dem what wanted to stay would be tuk keer of same as 'fore de
war. Dere warn't many what left neither, 'cause Marse Jack had been so
good to evvy one of 'em dey didn't want to go 'way.

"Honey, back in dem good old days us went to church wid our white folks.
Slaves sot in de gallery or in de back of de church. I'se been to dat
old Cherokee Corners Church more times dan I knows how to count, but de
fust baptizin' I ever seed was at de old St. Jean church; dere was jus'
three or four baptized dat day, but Lordy, I never did hear such
prayin', shoutin', and singin', in all my born days. One old 'oman come
up out of dat crick a-shoutin' 'bout she was walkin' through de pearly
gates and wearin' golden slippers, but I looked down at her foots and
what she had on looked more lak brogans to me. I kin still hear our old
songs, but it's jus' now and den dat dey come back to my mind."

For a moment Lina was quiet, then she said, "Honey, I wants to smoke my
old pipe so bad I kin most taste it, but how in hell kin I smoke when I
ain't had no 'baccy in two days? Chile, ain't you got no 'baccy wid you,
jus' a little 'baccy? You done passed de nighest store 'bout 2 miles
back toward town," she said, "but if you will pay for some 'baccy for
Lina, some of dese good-for-nothin' chillun kin sho go git it quick and,
whilst dey's dar, dey might as well git me a little coffee too, if you
kin spare de change." The cash was supplied by the visitor, and Lina
soon started the children off running. "If you stops airy a minute," she
told them, "I'se gwine take de hide offen your backs, sho' as you is
bo