ANUEL
EX-SLAVE, AGE 78

"Well, how you feelin dis mornin, honey? I had tell Miss Sue dat I would
be keepin a eye out dat door dere en when I is see a car stop up to de
house, I would try en make it up dere dis mornin. Yes, mam, Miss Sue
tell me you was comin today en I promise her I would be up dere, but I
ain' been feelin so much to speak bout dis mornin. Den you see, I know I
gwine be obliged to run down to de woods en fetch me up some wood en
kindlin fore night fall. I been 'spect to make Koota break me up some
splinters, but he ain' no count worth nothin. Yes, mam, he my grandson.
Cose I tries to knock bout somewhe' en let me get out in de cotton
patch, I can put in a good sturdy job any day. You see, my eyes does be
pretty good cause dey got on dey second glove, I say. Can see good to my
age. But oh, my Lord, right in my chest here, it does thump sometimes
just like a drum beatin in dere en I can' never stand to hurry en walk
hard no more dese days."

"No, mam, it don' bother me noways to leave dat door open. I keeps it
dat way bout all de time, so as I can look out en see what gwine along
de road dere. What de matter, honey, you don' loves to smell dem chitlin
I got boilin dere on de stove? I hear some people say dey can' stand no
chitlin scent nowhe' bout dem, but I loves dem so much dat it does make
my mouth run water to think bout how me en Koota gwine enjoy dem dis
evenin. No, mam, us don' never eat us heavy meal till dat sun start
gwine down behind dem trees cross de creek yonder. You see, I does keep
some 'tatoes roastin dere in de coals on de hearth en if us belly sets
up a growlin twixt meals, us just rakes a 'tatoe out de ashes en breaks
it open en makes out on dat. My God, child, I think bout how I been
bless dat I ain' never been noways scornful bout eatin chitlins. Yes,
mam, when I helps up dere to de house wid hog killin, Mr. Moses, he does
always say for me to carry de chitlin home to make me en Koota a nice
pot of stew."

"I tellin you, when us been chillun comin up, people sho never live like
dey do dis day en time. Oh, I can remember just as good when I used to
go dat Hopewell Presbyterian Church cross de creek dere. Yes, mam, dat
been de white people slavery church en dat dey slavery graveyard what
settin right dere in front de church, too. Dat sho a old, old slavery
time church, I say. Massa Anthony Ross would make us go dere to preachin
every Sunday en dey was mighty strict bout us gwine