ng table out in de yard in front de cabins, and have
wild turkey or chicken and plenty good things to eat. When dey all
through eatin', dey has a li'l fire front de main cabins where de
dancin' gwine be. Dey moves everything out de cabin 'cept a few chairs.
Next come de fiddler and banjo-er and when dey starts, de caller call,
'Heads lead off,' and de first couple gits in middle de floor, and all
de couples follow till de cabin full. Next he calls, 'Sashay to de
right, and do-si-do.' Round to de right dey go, den he calls, 'Swing
you partners, and dey swing dem round twice, and so it go till daylight
come, den he sing dis song:

"'Its gittin' mighty late when de Guinea hen squall,
And you better dance now if you gwine dance a-tall--
If you don't watch out, you'll sing 'nother tune,
For de sun rise and cotch you, if you don't go soon,
For de stars gittin' paler and de old gray coon
Is sittin' in de grapevine a-watchin' de moon.'

"Den de dance break up with de Virginny Reel, and it de end a happy
Christmas day. De old marse lets dem frolic all night and have nex' day
to git over it, 'cause its Christmas.

"'Fore freedom de soldiers pass by our house and stop ask mammy to cook
dem something to eat, and when de Yankees stop us chillen hides. Once
two men stays two, three weeks lookin' round, pretends dey gwine buy
land. But when de white folks gits 'spicious, dey leaves right sudden,
and it turn out dey's Yankee spies.

"I marries Bill Jones de year after freedom. It a bright, moonlight
night and all de white folks and niggers come and de preacher stand
under de big elm tree, and I come in with two li'l pickininnies for
flower gals and holdin' my train. I has on one Miss Ellen's dresses and
red stockin's and a pair brand new shoes and a wide brim hat. De
preacher say, 'Bill, does you take dis woman to be you lawful wife?' and
Bill say he will. Den he say, 'Harriet, will you take dis nigger to be
you lawful boss and do jes' what he say?' Den we signs de book and de
preacher say, 'I quotes from de scripture:

"'Dark and stormy may come de weather,
I jines dis man and woman together.
Let none but Him what make de thunder,
Put dis man and woman asunder.'

"Den we goes out in de backyard, where de table sot for supper, a long
table made with two planks and de peg legs. Miss Ellen puts on de white
tablecloth and some red berries, 'cause it am November and dey is ripe.
Den she puts on some red candles