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Work Projects Administration

"Arkansas Narratives, Part 2"

In fact,
Mr. Harvey, he really think too dat he done kilt Henry 'cause he called
'Uncle Nat' en said, 'Nat, go git some boards en make er coffin for dis
nigger what I done kilt.'
"But Henry wasn't daid though he was beat up terrible en they put him in
de sick house. For days en days 'Uncle Warner' had to 'tend to him, en
wash he wounds, en pick de maggots outen his sores. Dat was jus' de way
dat Mr. Harvey Brown treated de niggers every time he git a chanct. He
would even lash en beat de wimmens.
"Ole mars had a right good size house in dar 'mongst de quarters where
dey kept all de babies en right young chillun whilst dey mammies workin'
in de fields pickin' en hoein' time. Old 'Aunt Hannah', an old granny
woman, she 'tend to all dem chillun. De chillun's mammies, dey would
come in from de fields about three times er day to let de babies suck.
Dere was er young nigger woman name Jessie what had a young baby. One
day when Jessie come to de house to let dat baby suck, Mr. Harvey think
she gone little too long. He give her a hard lashin'.
"Ole mars had a big cook house on de plantation right back in behind he
own house en twix his house en de nigger's quarters. Dat was where all
de cookin' done for all de niggers on de entire place.


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