d make dem so much cheaper.

"What we'uns make? 'Low me to 'collect a li'l. Let's see, we'uns make
shoes, and leather and clothes and cloth and grinds de meal. And we'uns
cures de meat, preserves de fruit and make 'lassas and brown sugar. All
de harness for de mules and de hosses is make and de carts for haulin'.
Am dat all? Oh, yes, massa make peach brandy and him have he own still.

"De work am 'vided 'twixt de cullud folks and us allus have certain
duties to do. I's am de field hand and befo' I's old 'nough for to do
dat, dey has me help with de chores and errands.

"Us have de cabins of logs with one room and one door and one window
hole and bunks for sleepin'. But no cookin' am done dere. It am done in
de cookhouse by de cooks for all us niggers and we'uns eats in de eatin'
shed. De rations am good, plain victuals and dere plenty of it and 'bout
twict a week dere somethin' for treat. Massa sho' am 'ticular 'bout
feedin', 'specially for de young'uns in de nursery. You see, dere am de
nursery for sich what needs care while dere mammies am a-workin'.

"Massa feed plenty and him 'mand plenty work. Dat cause heap of trouble
on dat plantation, 'cause whippin's am given and hard ones, too. Lots of
times at de end of de day I's so tired I's couldn't speak for to stop de
mule, I jus' have to lean back on de lines.

"Dis nigger never gits whupped 'cept for dis, befo' I's a field hand.
Massa use me for huntin' and use me for de gun rest. When him have de
long shot I bends over and puts de hands on de knees and massa puts his
gun on my back for to git de good aim. What him kills I runs and fotches
and carries de game for him. I turns de squirrels for him and dat
disaway: de squirrel allus go to udder side from de hunter and I walks
'round de tree and de squirrel see me and go to massa's side de tree and
he gits de shot.

"All dat not so bad, but when he shoots de duck in de water and I has to
fotch it out, dat give me de worryment. De fust time he tells me to go
in de pond I's skeert, powe'ful skeert. I takes off de shirt and pants
but there I stands. I steps in de water, den back 'gain, and 'gain.
Massa am gittin' mad. He say, 'Swim in dere and git dat duck.' 'Yes,
sar, massa,' I says, but I won't go in dat water till massa hit me some
licks. I couldn't never git use to bein' de water dog for de ducks.

"De worst whuppin' I seed was give to Clarinda. She hits massa with de
hoe 'cause he try 'fere with her and she try st