ver Ole Miss cried and cried and begged us not to
leave her, but us did. Us went to wuk for a man on halves. I had to wuk
in de field 'til I was a big gal, den I went to wuk for rich white
folks. I ain't never wuked for no pore white folks in my whole life.

"It was a long time 'fore Niggers could buy land for deirselfs 'cause
dey had to make de money to buy it wid. I couldn't rightly say when
schools was set up for de Niggers. It was all such a long time ago, and
I never tuk it in nohow.

"I don't recollect when I married George Huff or what I wore dat day.
Didn't live wid him long nohow. I warn't goin' to live wid no man what
sot 'round and watched me wuk. Mammy had done larnt me how to wuk, and I
didn't know nothin' else but to go ahead and wuk for a livin'. I don't
know whar George is. He might be dead for all I know; if he ain't, he
ought to be. I got three chillun. Two of 'em is gals, Lizzie and Lila,
and one is a boy. My oldest gal, she lives in Atlanta." She ignored the
question as to where her other daughter lives. "My son wuks at de
Georgian Hotel. But understand now, dem ain't George Huff's chillun.
Deir pappy was my sweetheart what got into trouble and runned away. I
ain't gwine to tell his name.

"Honey, I jus' tell you de truth; de reason why I jined de church was
'cause I was a wild gal, and dere warn't nothin' too mean for me to do
for a long time. Mammy and my sisters kept on beggin' me to change my
way of livin', but I didn't 'til four years ago. I got sick and thought
I was goin' to die, and den I begged de good Lord to forgive me and
promised Him if He would let me git well 'nough to git out of dat bed, I
would change and do good de rest of my life. When I was able to git up,
I jined de church. I didn't mean to burn in hell lak de preachers said I
would. I thinks evvybody ought to jine de church and live right.

"Oh-h-h! Lady, I sho' do thank you for dis here dime. I'm gwine to buy
me some meat wid it. I ain't had none dis week. My white folks is mighty
good to me, but Niggers don't pay me no mind.

"Has you axed me all you wants to? I sho' is glad 'cause I ain't had
nothin' t'eat yit." She pulled down her stocking to tie the coin in its
top and revealed an expanse of sores from ankle to knee. A string was
tied above each knee. "A white lady told me dem strings soaked in
kerosene would drive out de misery from my laigs," Alice explained.
"Goodbye Honey, and God bless you."

AN OPINION O