to Pineapple with a big to-do and blowin' the
bugle to git the fresh hosses ready. I got the mail. I was a trusty all
my days and never been 'rested by the law to this day.

"I never had no complaints for my treatment, but some the niggers hated
syrup makin' time, 'cause when they had to work till midnight makin'
syrup, its four o'clock up, jus' the same. Sun-up to sundown was for
fiel' niggers.

"Corn shuckin' was fun. Them days no corn was put in the cribs with
shucks on it. They shucked it in the fiel' and shocked the fodder. They
did it by sides and all hands out. A beef was kilt and they'd have a
reg'lar picnic feastin'. They was plenty whiskey for the niggers, jus'
like Christmas.

"Christmas was the big day at the Carter's. Presents for every body, and
the bakin' and preparin' went on for days. The li'l ones and the big
ones were glad, 'specially the nigger mens, 'count of plenty good
whiskey. Mr. Oll Carter got the bes' whiskey for his niggers.

"We used to have frolics, too. Some niggers had fiddles and played the
reels, and niggers love to dance and sing and eat.

"Course niggers had their ser'ous side, too. They loved to go to church
and had a li'l log chapel for worship. But I went to the white folks
church. In the chapel some nigger mens preached from the Bible, but
couldn't read a line no more than a sheep could. The Carters didn't mind
their niggers prayin' and singin' hymns, but some places wouldn't 'low
them to worship a-tall, and they had to put their heads in pots to sing
or pray.

"Mos' the niggers I know, who had their mar'age put in the book, did it
after the breakin' up, plenty after they had growned chillen. When they
got married on the places, mostly they jus' jumped over a broom and
that made 'em married. Sometimes one the white folks read a li'l out of
the Scriptures to 'em and they felt more married.

"Take me, I was never one for sickness. But the slaves used to git sick.
There was jaundice in them bottoms. First off they'd give some castor
oil, and if that didn't cure they'd give blue mass. Then if he was still
sick they'd git a doctor.

"They used to cry the niggers off jus' like so much cattle, and we
didn't think no diff'rent of it. I seed them put them on the block and
brag on them somethin' big. Everybody liked to hear them cry off
niggers. The cryer was a clown and made funny talk and kep' everybody
laughin'.

"When massa and the other mens on the place went off to war, he