ou, it de
God truth, I has done every kind of work in my life. Me en my three
chillun dere run a farm just like a man. Why, honey, you ain' know I had
three girls? Yes, mam, dem chillun been born en bred right dere in de
country to Centenary."

"I hear people talkin bout dat thing call conjurin, but I don' know what
to say dat is. It somethin I don' believe in. Don' never take up no
time wid dat cause it de devil's work. Dat de olden talk en I don' think
nothin bout dat. Don' want nobody round me dat believes in it neither.
Don' believe in it. Don' believe in it cause dat en God spirit don' go
together. I hear talk dat been belong to de devil, but I was so small, I
couldn' realize much what to think cause dat what you hear in dem days,
you better been hear passin. No, mam, dey knock chillun down in dat day
en time dat dey see standin up lookin in dey eyes to hear. I has heard
people say dat dey could see spirits, but I don' put no mind to dat no
time. I believe dat just a imagination cause when God get ready to take
you out dis world, you is gone en you gone forever, I say. Don' believe
in no hereafter neither cause dey say I been born wid veil over my face
en if anybody could see spirits, I ought to could. I know I has stayed
in houses dat people say was hanted plenty times en I got to see my
first hant yet. Yes, mam, I do believe in de Bible. If I hadn' believed
in de Bible, I wouldn' been saved. Dere obliged to be a hereafter
accordin to de Bible. Dere obliged to be a hereafter, I say. I can'
read, but I talkin what I hear de people say. Dat a infidel what don'
believe dere a hereafter."

"How-come I know all dat, I was raise up wid de old people. Come along
right behind de old race en I would be dere listenin widout no ears en
seein widout no eyes. Yes, mam, I took what I hear in, lady, en I ain'
been just now come here. I been here a time. Dat de reason I done wid de
world. God knows I is done. I is done. I recollects, way back yonder, Pa
would sing:

'Dey ain' had no eyes for to see,
Dey ain' had no teeth for to eat,
En dey had to let de corncake go,
Gwine whe' all de good niggers go.'"

"Dat was my father's piece dat he used to sing in slavery time. Dat
right cause I can remember back more so den I can forward."

_Source_: Julia Woodberry, colored, age--about 70 to 75.,
Marion, S.C.
Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Nov., 1937.

=Project 1885 -1-=
=District #4=
=S