We worked too and didn't mind it. If we acted like we didn't
want to work, our hands was crossed and tied and we was tied to a tree
or bush and whipped until we bled. They had a whipping post that they
tied us to to whip us.
"We was sold just like hogs and cows and stock is sold today. They built
nigger pens like you see cow pens and hog pens. They drove niggers in
there by the hundred and auctioned them off to the highest bidder. The
white folks kept up with our age so when they got ready to sell us they
could tell how old we were. They had a 'penetenture' for the white folks
when they did wrong. When we done wrong we was tied to that whipping
post and our hide busted open with that cow hide.
"We stayed out in the field in a log house and old master would
allowance our week's rations out to us and Sunday morning we got one
biscuit each. If our week's allowance give out before the week we did
not get any more.
"Cooked on fireplaces, wasn't no stoves. We did not have to worry about
our clothes. Old missus looked after everything. We wore brogan shoes
and homespun clothes. There was a bunch of women that did the spinning
and weaving just like these sewing room women are now.
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