ou have to fadge for yourself now.'

"Mass John Williams had four hundred slaves. He was a man had the
colored people. He didn't work all on his own plantation. He'd hire out
his people to work turpentine.----Put 'em out for so much a year. He'd
give 'em blanket, suit, coat, pants. First of the year come, Boss would
collect wages for all he hire out.

"That there my second wife. You know how a man is. How many wife I had?
Two or three. Lemme see! (Looking at present wife) You is one! You the
last one! Fust one been Jinny Lind. Next one been Mary Dickson. And
Caressa Pyatt been one! And there been another one! I forgot that woman
name! Got it in my mouth and can't call it! I'll call the name of them
others I take up with in a little while! One was Caline; one was Tissue;
(Tisha?) I take them a little while and if they didn't do to suit me, I
put 'em out! Some I didn't stay with long nuff to find out they name!
Jinny Lind sister was Tissue. Jinny Lind gone, try her sister. Just a
'make out'. If they didn't do to suit me, I'd give 'em the devil and put
'em out.

"Don't know bout beating woman. Some say that bout,

'Woman, dog, cypress knee
more you beat'em the better they be!'

"But some woman, the more you beat 'em the worse the devil gets in 'em.
Get so they won't 'GEE' nor 'HAW'.

"When I was house boy for old Mass John, waiting on white people, that
was the best and easiest time I ever had. Ever Satdy drive Mass John to
Fayetteville. Ever Satdy they'd think that store belong to me! I'd eat
lumps of brown sugar out the barrel, candy, crackers. Did as I please
then; NOW do as I kin!

"'Ways of woman and ways of snake deeper than the sea!' I take that to
mean----mighty few can tell by the trail of a snake whether its coming
or going----

"I hear story bout the rabbit and the fox--all them old things--Some
times my mind franzy. Been break up too much! Break two ribs to the
lumber mill. Jump out a cart one day and run a ten penny nail through my
foot. That lay me up two months. Some mean people ketch me up by that
tree yonder with a car and that lay me up sixty-five days. They pick me
up for dead that time. All that make my mind get franzy sometimes. Come
and go--Come and go."

SOURCE: Uncle Willis Williams. Age, 89 to 90 years old. Conway, S.C.
(Horry County).

=Project 1885-1=
=FOLKLORE=
=Spartanburg Dist. 4=
=May 25, 1937=

=Edited by:=
=Elmer Turnage=

=STORIES FROM EX-SLAVE