she
always would be. With her full cotton skirt she brushed off the
hard-wood bench, and asked the writer to have a seat; this being
declined, she said,

"Then I'll sit, because I'm old and get tired.

"Now what you want with old Jane? From old Mausa time you can get my
age--you can 'pute it up. (compute) I was 95 June before this last June
gone. I got a son 70 what lives in the country--he pay my rent. I dunno
how many children I had; my son July Ladson lives here with me--he gone
out now. One son is gone off somewhere in the world; he's married and
has a family--I dunno where he is--somewhere in the world!"--spreading,
out her arms.

"I come from Eutawville and Belvidere and Belmont. My Master?--Charles
Sinkler, Belvidere Plantation, (a few miles from Eutawville) Mausa went
to Eutaw for Miss--I remember all two place, Belvidere and Eutaw. We
live at Belvidere. My master house been beautiful--'e dey yet! (in her
deep feeling and excitement she lapsed into Gullah). That was the
plantation where we lived--and, the beautiful steps went up at the back
to the 'pantry and to the side was the smoke house', she jumped up and
illustrated--'the smoke come up from here, and the meat was hangin' all
here', she showed vital interest in everything she told, and was
absorbed in her subject, as when we relate experiences which we have
loved.

"You know what 'Daily Gift'?--I was Daily Gift--Mausa give me to Miss
Margaret, his daughter, when she was married to Mr. Gaillard--I give to
Miss Margaret--=I never was sold=." She repeated twice, and was very proud
of it that she was a "Free Gift". "I never was sold, =and my Mama never
was sold=." (Faithful servants remained for generations in one family,
inherited and willed like other valued property)

"What I do?--I milk cows", and she illustrated. "I do outside work wid
de hoe--plant corn, potato, peas, rice!" She beamed with pride and
pleasure as she told of each thing she could do--"Help fix the hogs, you
know, make lard and cracklings to put in bread. When dinner time they
blow the big conk and everybody come for dinner. I not the cook. The
cook, Delia, stout round, (illustrated) she do cook! We jus' make out
now with dese vittles.

"We went to church all de time--an' I sing an' shout in de Heavenly
land! De church been on de plantation. Mausa had a white minister for
us. His name Mr. Quinbey. I believe in God. Heaven a restin'
place--there we is all one spirit--the spirit go ab