nder a big horse apple tree at 'Applemattox'.

"Miss Sallie, one of de chillun, marry Mr. Chris Elder, of Blackstock.
Miss Hepzibah, they call her Heppie, marry a man named Boyd, in Chester
County. Miss Mary Izabella, they call her Bell, marry Marse John
Douglas; they are de 'cestors of dat very angel whose house us is
settin' in right dis minute. Her name is Martha but when grown-up, they
sublet (meaning change) dat name to Mattie, and when her marry, her
become Mrs. Thomas P. Bryson. Her is a widow, just lak I is a widow. De
only difference is, I's black and her is white. Her can see well enough
to run after and ketch another man, but I's blind and can't see a man,
much less chase after him. So dere it is! What for you laughin' 'bout?
No laughin' business wid me.

"My pappy no b'long to Marse John Sterling: him slave of de Stinsons.
Have to git a pass to come to see my mammy, Mary. Him name Aleck. After
de war him take de name of Alexander Roseboro. Him lak a big long name
dat would make folks set up and take notice of him.

"Us live in a little log-house wid a dirt floor. Us had mighty poor
beds, I tell you. Us just had planks to lay de wheat straw mattress on.
Pillows? De pillows was just anything you could snatch and put under
your head. Yes sir, us had plenty to eat.

"They 'struct us in de short catechism, make us go to church, and sit up
in de gallery and jine in de singin' on Sundays. Us was well 'tended to
when sick. Marster didn't have many slaves. 'Members only two they have,
'sides us; they was Uncle Ned and Cindy. Seem lak dere was another. Oh
yes! It was Fred, a all 'round de creation boy, to do anything and
everything. He was a sorta shirt-tail boy dat pestered me sometime wid
goo-goo eyes, a standin' in de kitchen door, drappin' his weight from
one foot to de other, a lookin' at me while I was a churnin' or washin'
de dishes. Dat boy both box-ankle and knock-kneed. When you hear him
comin' from de horse lot to de house, his legs talk to one another, just
lak sayin': 'You let me pass dis time, I let you pass nex' time.' I let
you know I had no time for dat ape! When I did git ready to marry, I fly
high as a eagle and ketch a preacher of de Word! Who it was? Him was a
Baptis' preacher, name Solomon Dixon. 'Spect you hear tell of him. No?
Well, him b'long, in slavery time, to your Aunt Roxie's people in
Liberty Hill, Kershaw County. You 'members your Aunt Roxie dat marry
Marse Ed D. Mobley, her fust cou