on. And
sech music! Music played on harps, saws, and blowin' quills. Ever'body
had a good time; even de "white folks" turned out for de dance which
went 'way into de night.

"Den dere wus de prayer meetin's, once a week, first on one of the
plantations den a nother; when all de niggers would meet and worshup,
singin' praises unto the Lord; I can hear 'em now, dere voices soundin'
fur away. Yes sir! Folks had religun in dem days, the "Old Time
Religun." Our white folks belonged to the First Baptis' Church in
LaGrange, and all de slaves went to de same church. Our services wus in
de basement.

"But t'wasn' long 'fore de war broke out, and den things wuz turrible;
de niggers would huddle 'roun' de "Big House" scared ter death o' de
orful tales that wus told er bout de war! It wusn't but er bout a year
til young Marster Tom, John, and Bee wus called to de war. Albert and
Scott Dix, two young slaves, went with Marster Tom and John and stayed
by them 's close as de could, cookin' and gettin' good for de camp. But
t'wus a sad day when de word come dat Marster Tom wus dyin'. Old Mistus
left right straight, all us slaves goin' down to de train wid her, an'
when she got on, she wave her han' an' said, 'I want all o' you, white
and black, to take keer o' my baby.'

"When she got dere 'twuz a two-story house where they had Marster
Tom--the blood had run down de stairs.

"Ole Mistus had stood so much she couldn't stan' no mo',--the next
mornin' she wus dead in de bed! One o' de slaves, Albert, and her son,
John, carried her on dere shoulders for five miles, but the war bein' so
bad dey couldn't carry her no further, so dey buried her by de road and
after de war wus over, de took her to de fam'ly graveyard.

"Den de word spread lak wild fire: "The Niggers wuz free". That night
all the slaves went up to the "Big House", wurried an' askin' 'Young
Marster Tom, where is we goin'? What is we goin' to do?' Young Marster
Tom said, "Go on back to your cabins and go to bed, dey are your homes
and you can stay on here as long as you want to.""

* * * * *

According to Aunt Easter's statement, life for the slaves on the Dix
plantation changed very little after the war. She later was married to
John Henry Jackson, whose mother also came from Virginia. Aunt Easter
had fourteen children, six of them are now living in Troup County and
have good jobs. She has made her home with her children and has the
respect