ld eat all dey wanted en den when dey would go
to leave, dey been call all de little plantation niggers to come dere en
would give dem what was left. Oh, Lord, us was glad to get dem vitals,
too. Yes, mam, all dey had left, dey would give it to de poor colored
people. Us been so glad, us say dat us wish dey would come back again.
Den after dey had left us plantation, dey would go some other place
where dere was another crowd of little niggers en would left dem a pile
of stuff, too. Old Massa, he been stay in de swamp till he hear dem
Yankees been leave dere en den he come home en would keep sendin to de
colored people houses to get a little bit of his rations to a time.
Uncle Solomon en Sipp en Leve, dey been eat much of boss' rations dey
wanted cause dey been know de Yankees was comin back through to free
dem. But my mammy, she was a widow woman en old man Anthony Ross never
left nothin to her house."

"I tell you, honey, some of de colored people sho been speak praise to
dem Yankees. I don' know how-come, but dey never know no better, I say.
Dey know en dey never know. One old man been ridin one of dese stick
horses en he been so glad, he say, 'Thank God! Thank God!"

=Source:= Ryer Emmanuel colored, age 78, Claussens, S.C.
Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Marion, S.C.
December, 1937.

Code No.
Project, 1885-(1)
Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis
Place, Marion, S.C.
Date, January 7, 1938

MOM RYER EMMANUEL
EX-SLAVE, 78 YEARS

"Good evenin, child. How you is? How Miss Sue gettin along over dere to
Marion? I hope she satisfied, but dere ain' nowhe' can come up to restin
in your own home, I say. No, Lord, people own home don' never stop to
cuss dem no time. Dere Koota's mamma all de time does say, 'Ma, ain' no
need in you en Booker stayin over dere by yourself. Come en live wid
us.' I say, 'No, child. Father may have, sister may have, brother may
have, en chillun may have, but blessed be he dat have he own.' I tell
all my chillun I rather stay here under my own roof cause when I takes a
notion, I can go in en bake me a little hoecake en draw me a pot of
coffee en set down to eat it in satisfaction."

"After you was gone de other day, I thought bout right smart to speak to
you, but when I gets tired, I just get all fray up somehow. My sister,
she come to see me Sunday en I had dem all laughin bout what I say dat I
had tell you. My sister, she make out li