ed, not narry living soul. Marse big white house, wid
dem kallems (columns) still setting dar; but de front all growed up in
pine trees. When I slave time darkey, dat front had flowers and figgers
(statues), setting all along de drive from de road to de big house.
T'aint like dat now.

"Atter Mr. Herndon died, I was sold at de sale at Lockhart, to Dr. Tom
Bates from Santuc. He bought me fer $1800 so as dey allus told me. Marse
Zack had a hund'ed slaves on dat plantation. Stout, healthy ones, brung
from $1,000 on up to $2,000 a head. When I was a young kid, I heard dat
he was offered $800 fer me, but he never tuck it. Dis de onliest time
dat I was ever sold. Marse Zack never bred no slaves, but us heard o'
sech afar off. He let his darkies marry when dey wanted to. He was a
good man and he allus 'lowed de slaves to marry as dey pleased, 'cause
he lowed dat God never intent fer no souls to be bred as if dey was
cattle, and he never practice no sech.

"I is old and I does not realize who Marse Zack's overseer was, kaise
dat been a long while. I was Dr. Bates' house-boy. I allus heard dat
Dr. Bates bought my maw fer $1,500, at de same time he bought me. He
give $2,000 fer my paw. My brother, Jim, was bought fer $1,800.
Adolphus, 'bout fifteen years old, sold fer 'bout $1,400; and my onliest
sister, Matilda, was bought fer a maid gal, but I cannot recollect fer
what price. She was purty good size gal den. All o' dem is dead now but
me, even all my white folks is done gone. I sees a lonely time now, but
my daughter treat me kind. I live wid her now.

"Dr. Bates' brother, Fair, was single man dat live in de house wid Dr.
Bates fer thirteen years. I lived in slavery fer over twenty-one years.
Yas, I's twenty-one when Freedom come; and den Dr. Bates up and marry
Mr. Henry Sartor's daughter, Miss Ma'y. Don't know how long she live,
but she up and tuck and died; den he pop up and marry her sister, Anne.
It was already done Freedom when he marry de furs' time. When he married
de second time, Mr. Fair, up and went over to de Keenan place to live.
He never did marry, hisself, 'though.

"As house-boy dar, I mind de flies from de table and tote dishes to and
fro from de kitchen. Kitchen fer ways off from de house. James Bates,
his cook. Sometime I help wash de dishes. Marse never had no big house,
kaise he was late marrying. Dar wasn't no company in dem days, neither.

"Rations was give out ev'y week from de smokehouse. Twenty-five