orn two weeks after
freedom. He Ma gone Georgetown. Granny git 'em there. Melia Holmes!
Ain't no more dan chillun to me!" (Aunt Melia is eighty-eight or
nine--bony and cripple) "She have two twin sister Laura and Serena. When
the Freedom I wuz twenty-three years old.--over the twenty-five. Great
God hab a mercy! Couldn't do dat! Colonel Ward keep a nice place. Doctor
McGill people hab to steal for someting to eat. Gie 'em rice--peas. Four
cook for chillun. One nurse". (Aunt Ellen said 'Nuss') "Make the boy go
get 'em clam. That same Dr. Ward GrandPa. Great big sack 'o clam! Give
you cow clabber. Shay'm". (Share them--the clabber) "and put on bittle
for eat.

"Hagar Brown! She darter (daughter) got a abscess in her stomach. Save
Rutledge! I nuss (nurse) Sabe. I nuss 'em. Her pappy my cousin. I been
big young women, I nuss Sabe.

"Albert Calina a christian-hearted people. Christian hearted boy. Relief
come. I gie 'em my age. My birthday over, I wanter go right home to
Heaven. Great Dow! 'Looker Aunt Ellen!' (That is what Dr. Wardie say
when I gone see 'um.) 'In you ninety-five! What make you good, you take
care of you husband! 'Harry Godfrey waiting man! Marry twice time. He
duh last----

"Andrew Johnson? Dropsy? I have wid every chillun--Oh, I buss (burst)
one time. Buss here." (Illustrating by drawing line across stomach.)
"Till it get to my groin it stop! Every time I get family I swell. Never
have a doctor 'Granny' for me yet. My Mary good old Granny. Catch two
set 'o twin for me. Isaac and Rebecca; David and Caneezer.

"Sell all my fowl and ting--five dollars--me and old man two come to
town to we chillun.

"Been Marlboro four year. Yankee foot where they put on stirrup red. Most
stand lak a Mr. Smoak--Big tall--Abraham Lincoln own son Johnny! 'You
jess as free as ribbon on my hat!' That what he say. I been weave.
Sheckle!" (Aunt Ellen worked foot and hand and mouth in illustrating how
the shuttle worked back and forth--and the music it made).

"Conch? Eat 'm many time! Take 'em bile! Grind 'em up!

"Welcome Beas? She son get kill in Charston, Welcome Beas son courting
my gal.

"Tom Duncan? He child to me. He wife Susannah. I know duh fambly. I gone
knock to duh door.

"Come in! Come in! Come in! 'Here duh beard!" (And Aunt Ellen measured
on her chest to show how long Dr. Flagg's beard was).

<tb>

"Old Daddy Rodgers and merry wuz she!
The old man wuz cripple
And Mary wuz blind.
Keep you ha