th an exaggerated air of
satisfaction for several moments, she indulged in a few more shouts of
"Praise de Lord!" then she said, "Honey, I'se ready to talk some more
now. Damned if I ain't gwine to git right on talkin' for you, 'fore I
starts off singin' again.

"Oh, it's 'bout my marriage you wants to know now, is it? Well, me and
Jeff Hunter got married up whilst I was still stayin' on Marster Jack's
place. Jeff went to de courthouse and got us a license lak de white
folks, and us had a nice weddin'. My dress was mighty pretty; it was
white lawn, made long waisted lak dey wore dresses den. Mrs. Lizzie
Johnson made it, and it had long sleeves, and a long full skirt wid lots
of ruffles. De two petticoats she gimme to wear wid my weddin' dress was
ruffled to beat de band and had trimmin' on evvy ruffle. My weddin'
drawers even had ruffles on 'em; I was really dressed up. Us had a big
fine supper and two dances. Sho, mam, dat ain't no mistake. Us did have
two dances, one was at home, and den us went over to my brother's house
whar he give us another one and served cake and wine to de weddin'
party. Atter us drunk dat wine, it warn't no trouble to dance for de
rest of de night.

"Me and Jeff moved on de Johnson place, and Jeff wuked some for Mrs.
Johnson's daughter, Mrs. Fannie Dean, but for de most part he wuked in
de wagon shop wid Mr. Tom Anthony.

"I'se still got one of my old weddin' petticoats; I wore out four bodies
on it." Lina excused herself and went inside the house for a moment. She
returned to the porch with an old-fashioned suitcase or "grip," as she
called it. "Dis here's older dan old Lina is," she said. "It belonged to
Miss Lizzie's daddy, but I sewed it back together atter dey throwed it
away, and I'se gwine to keep it long as I lives." She opened it and took
out a petticoat that was yellow with age. It was several yards wide and
was encircled by numerous embroidered ruffles. The skirt was sewed on to
a tight, straight body-waist that was much newer than the skirt and this
waist was topped by a rose-colored crocheted yoke. "Mrs. Fannie Dean
made dat for me," declared Lina. "Look at dis old black shawl. See how
big it is? Dat's what I used to wear for a wrop on church days 'fore I
ever had a coat.

"I'se still sleepin' on one of Miss Lizzie's beds. Come inside, I wants
you to see it." A part of the tall headboard had been removed so the bed
could be used in a low-ceiled room. The footboard was low, and