Her
name Catherine, dat just fit her. Us have ten chillun and her and all
them 'cept me and three chillun done gone over to Jordan. Dere was just
one thing 'bout Catherine dat I's dubious 'bout. She lak to dance, and I
was too clumsy for to ever cut a double shuffle. I 'spect I cut a poor
figure at de frolics us went to. Does you think burnin' a candle for her
would do any good at dis late day? Why I ask you dat? Well, I has heard
them say dat white folks does dat sometimes for deir gone-on ones. My
daughter, Edna say: 'It might do you good and it could do mama no harm.'
I b'longs to Mount Moriah Church in dis very town of Chester. De
preacher am Rev. Alexander. He 'low it was superstition to burn dat
candle but if I live I's gwine to light one nex' Christmas.

"Us had a good marster and mistress. They was big buckra, never 'sociate
wid poor white trash. They wore de red shirt. De time come 'round when
they send me to Marse Will Harden and he pass me on to go see Marse
Judge Mackey, who live here then. Did I know Judge Mackey? Sho' I did!
While he was a settin' up dere on de bench in de court house, he have
all de people laughin'. One time de father of Marse W.B. Lindsey beat up
a Radical nigger and de case come up befo' him for trial. Great
'citement 'bout it, over de whole county. Court house packed dat day.
Solicitor rise and say: 'Please your honor, de 'fendant, Lindsey, put in
a plea of guilty.' You might have heard a breast feather of a chicken
fall, so very still was de people in dere, though de niggers and
'publicans was a grinning wid joy. Then Judge Mackey 'low: 'Let de
'fendant stand up.' Wid a solemn face and a solemn talk, him wound up
wid: 'Derefore, de court sentence you to de State Penitentiary at hard
labor for a period of ten years (Then him face light up, as he
conclude), or pay a fine of one dollar!' De white folks holler: 'Three
cheers for Judge Mackey!' De judge git up and bow, and say: 'Order in de
court.' As dere was no quiet to be got, clerk 'journed de court. De
judge take his silk beaver hat and gold headed cane and march out, while
de baliffs holler: 'Make way! Make way for de honorable judge!'
Everybody took up dat cry and keep it up long as de judge was on de
streets. Oh, how dat judge twirl his cane, smile, and strut.

"Did I ever see a spirit? 'Spect I has and I sho' have felt one more
than once. 'Spect I was born wid a caul over my eyes. When de last
quarter of de moon come in de sevent