The white folks said we did
not need to learn, if we needed to learn anything they could learn us
with that cow hide whip.
"We went to the white folks' church, so we sit in the back on the floor.
They allowed us to join their church whenever one got ready to join or
felt that the Lord had forgiven them of their sins. We told our
determination; this is what we said: 'I feel that the Lord have forgiven
me for my sins. I have prayed and I feel that I am a better girl. I
belong to master so and so and I am so old.' The white preacher would
then ask our miss and master what they thought about it and if they
could see any change. They would get up and say: 'I notice she don't
steal and I notice she don't lie as much and I notice she works better.'
Then they let us join. We served our mistress and master in slavery-time
and not God.
"I recollect miss died just after the War. Old miss was very strict on
us and after she died we was so glad we had a big dance in miss's
kitchen and old miss came back and slapped one of the slaves and left
the print of her hand on her face. That white hand never did go away and
that place was forever haunted after that.
"Now I don't know how to tell you to get after my age but I was twelve
years old two years after surrender.
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