umbia and come back wid a 'mission in his pocket
from de 'Publican Governor, to be Justice of de Peace.
"Marse Henry ladle out some 'golliwhopshus' names dat day. Such as:
Caesar Harrison, Edward Cades and Louis Brevard. He say, 'Louis, I give
you de name of a judge. Dan, I give you a Roman name, Pompey.' Pompey
turned out to be a preacher and I see your grandpa, Marse William
Woodward, in de graveyard when Uncle Pompey preached de funeral of old
Uncle Wash Moore. Tell you 'bout dat if I has time.
"Well, he give Uncle Sam de name of Shadrock. When he reach Uncle Aleck,
he 'low: 'I adds to your name Aleck, two fine names, a preacher's and a
scholar's, Porter Ramsey.' 'Bout dat time a little runt elbow and butt
his way right up to de front and say: 'Marse Henry, Marse Henry! I wants
a big bulldozin' name.' Marse Henry look at him and say: 'You little
shrimp, take dis then.' And Marse Henry write on de slip of paper:
Mendoza J. Fernandez, and read it out loud. De little runt laugh mighty
pleased and some of them Fernandezes 'round here to dis day.
"My mammy name Bess, my granddaddy name June, grandmamny, Renah, but all
my brothers dead. My sisters Clerissie and Phibbie am still livin'. Us
was born in a two-story frame house, chimney in de middle, four rooms
down stairs and four up stairs. Dere was four families livin' in it.
Dese was de town domestics of master. Him have another residence on de
plantation and a set of domestics, but my daddy was de coachman for both
places.
"De Gaillard quarters was a little town laid out wid streets wide 'nough
for a wagon to pass thru. Houses was on each side of de street. A well
and church was in de center of de town. Dere was a gin-house, barns,
stables, cowpen and a big bell on top of a high pole at de barn gate.
Dere was a big trough at de well, kept full of water day and night, in
case of fire and to water de stock. Us had peg beds, wheat straw
mattress and rag pillows. Cotton was too valuable.
"Master didn't 'low de chillun to be worked. He feed slaves on 'tatoes,
rice, corn pone, hominy, fried meat, 'lasses, shorts, turnips, collards,
and string beans. Us had pumpkin pie on Sunday. No butter, no sweet milk
but us got blabber and buttermilk.
"Oh, then, I 'bout to forgit. Dere was a big hall wid spinnin' wheels
in it, where thread was spin. Dat thread was hauled to Winnsboro and
brought to de Clifton place in Winnsboro, to de weave house. Dat house
set 'bout where de Win
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