decrepit and unable to work.

"I was born a slave of old Marster John Durham, on a plantation 'bout
five miles east of Blackstock, S.C. My mistress name Margaret. Deir
chillun was Miss Cynthia, Marse Johnnie, Marse Willie and Marse Charnel.
I forgits de others. Then, when young Marse Johnnie marry Miss Minnie
Mobley, my mammy, Kizzie, my daddy, Eph, and me was give to them. Daddy
and mammy had four other chillun. They was Eph, Reuben, Winnie and
Jordan. Us live in rows of log houses, a path 'twixt de two rows. Us was
close to de spring, where us got water and mammy did de white folks
washin' every week. I kep' de fires burnin' 'round de pots, so de water
would keep boilin'. Dat's 'bout all de work I 'members doin' in slavery
time. Daddy was a field hand and ploughed a big red mule, name Esau. How
many slaves was dere? More than I could count. In them days I couldn't
count up to a hundred. How, then, I gonna kno' how many dere was? You
have to ask somebody else. I'll just risk sayin' dere was big and little
ones, just a little drove of them dat went to de field in cotton pickin'
time, a hollerin' and a singin' glory hallelujah all day long, and pick
two bales a day.

"Marse Johnnie and Miss Minnie mighty good marster and mistress to deir
slaves. We had good rock chimneys to our houses, plank floors, movable
bedsteads, wid good wheat straw ticks, and cotton pillows. Other folks'
slaves was complainin' 'bout dirt floors in de houses, boards to sleep
on, no ticks, and rags for pillows. Us got flour bread and 'lasses on
Sunday, too, I'm here to tell you.

"They sho' fetch dat catechism 'round on Sunday and telled you who made
you, what Him make you out of, and what Him make you for. And they say
dat from de crown of your head to de top of your big toe, de chief end
of every finger and every toe, even to de ends of your two thumbs, was
made to glorify de Lord! Missus more 'ticular 'bout dat catechism than
de marster. Her grandpa, old Marster John Mobley was a great Baptist.
After de crops was laid by, every August, him visit his granddaughter.
While dere, he take de slaves and dam up de branch, to make a pond for
to pool de water. Then he take to de hill just 'bove, cut down pine
tops, and make a brush arbor to hold de prachin' in. 'Vite white
preachers, Mr. Cartledge, Mr. Mellichamp or Mr. Van, to come hold a
'vival for all de slaves in and 'round and 'bout de country. I's seen 27
go down and come up out dat pool, a splash