Every night we camped. I was jest a little tike then but I has
a remembrance of everything. The biggest younguns had to walk till theys
so tired theys couldn't hardly drag they feets; them what had been
a-riding had to get out the ox wagon and walk a far piece; so it like
this we go on.
Dr. Williams always wanted to keep his slaves together. He was sure good
man. He didn't work his slaves hard like some. My pappy was a kind of a
manager for Doctor. Doctor tended his business and pappy runned the
plantation where we lived at. Our good master died before freedom. He
willed us slaves to his chilrun. You know--passeled (parcelled) us out,
some to this child, some to that. I went to his daughter, Miss Emma.
Laws-a-Mercy, how I wishes I could see her face onct more afore I dies.
I heerd she married rich. Unh-unh! I'd shore love to see her onct more.
After old master died, poor old pappy got sent to another plantation of
the fam'ly. It had a overseer. He was a northerner man and the meanest
devil ever put foot on a plantation. My father was a gentleman; yes
ma'am, he was jest that. He had been brung up that-a-way. Old master
teached us to never answer back to no white folks.
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