The teacher said, 'Betty, Miss Cornelia and Miss Betty say they
want you to be smart and you up an' run off and come in late, and do all
sorts er ways. Ain't you shamed?'
"They had a big entertainment. Miss Betty learned me a piece to
say--poetry. I could lern it from sayin' it over wid Miss Betty. They
bought me and Mary our fust calico dresses. I lack to walked myself to
death. I was so proud. It had two ruffles on the bottom of the skirt and
a shash tied at the waist behind. We had red hats wid streamers hanging
down the back. The dresses was red and black small checks. Mary lernt
her piece at school. We had singing and speeches and a big dinner at the
school closin'.
"Mr. John Moore went to war and was killed at the beginnin' of the first
battle soon as he got there. They had a sayin, 'You won't last as long
as John Moore when he went to war.'
"Mr. Criss Moore was kickin' a nigger boy. Old Miss say, 'Criss, quit
kickin' him, you hurt him.' He say, 'I ain't hurtin' him, I'm playin'
wid him!' White boys played wid nigger boys when they come round the
house. Glad to meet up to get to play.
"Mr. Criss Moore, Jr. (John Moore's grandson) is a doctor way up North
and so is Mr.
Pages:
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99