n Lawson. He 'long to Jedge Lawson, what live
near us. When freedom come, he done take de name Sol Franklin, what he
say am he pappy's name.

"Jedge Looney have de ord'nary frame house. Dey 'bout six, seven rooms
in it, all under one roof. De dinin' room and cook room wasn't built off
to deyself, like mos' big houses. It was a raise house, raise up on high
pillars and dey could drive a hoss and buggy under it. He live on de
Fairview Road.

"Us slaves all live in one big slave cabin, built out of plank. It built
sort-a like de 'partment house. Dey four rooms and each fam'ly have one
room. Dey have a lamp and a candle for our comfort. It jes' a li'l,
ord'nary brass lamp. Dey used to make 'em out of wax and tallow. Dey
raise dere own bees and when dey rob de bee gums dey strain de honey and
melt de wax with tallow to make it firmer. Dey tie one end de wick on
de stick 'cross de mold and put in de melted wax and tallow.

"Dey have a table and benches, too. But a chair de rare thing in a
cabin. Dey make some with de split hick'ry or rawhide bottom. Dey have
hay mattress. De tickin' am rice sacks. Us have mud chimney. Dey fix
sticks like de ladder and mix mud and moss and grass in what dey calls
'cats'. Dey have rock backs, and, man, us have a sho' 'nough fire in
'em. Put a stick long as me and big as a porch post in dat fireplace. In
cold weather dat last all day and all night.

"When de parents workin' in de field, somebody look after de chillen. De
nannies come in and nuss dem when time come. De white folks never put on
'strictions on de chillen till dey twelve, fourteen years old. Dey all
wear de straight-cut slip. Dey give de li'l gals de slip dress and li'l
panties. In wintertime dey give de boy's de li'l coat and pants and
shoes, but no drawers or unnerwear. Dey give dem hard russet shoes in
wintertime. Dey have brass toes. Dey plenty dur'ble. In summertime us
didn't see no shoe.

"Massa Looney jes' as fine de man as ever make tracks. Christmas time
come, he give 'em a few dollars and say go to the store and buy what us
want. He give all de li'l nigger chillen gif's, jes' like he own. He git
de jug of whiskey and plenty eggs and make de big eggnog for everybody.
He treat us cullud folks jes' like he treat he own fam'ly. He never take
no liquor 'cept at Christmas. He give us lots to eat at Christmas, too.

"Sometime old missy come out and call all de li'l niggers in de house to
play with her chillen. When us eat u