w wha' in it. Jes hadder go in de woods en ge' some
cherry, call dat wild cherry, en cut some uv de wild cherry bark fust
(first) t'ing. A'ter dat yuh hadder find some uv dese long-leaf pine en
ge' de bud outer dat. Den yuh hadder go to whey dere some sweet gum grow
en ge' de top outer dem en ge' some mullen to put wid it. Ain' ne'er no
cough stand aw dat mix up togedder in no day en time. Dey gi'e dat to de
peoples fa dat t'ing wha' dey use'er call de grip cough. Den dey use'er
make uh t'ing dat dey call "bone set" tea. I forge' how dey make it but
dey gi'e it to de peoples when dey hab de fevers. It been so bitter dat
it'ud lift yuh up 'fore yuh is ge' it aw down de t'roat. Ain' see no
fever me'icine lak dat nowadays."

"Yas'um, I 'members when dey hab plenty uv dem cornshucking to one
annuder barn. De peoples'ud come from aw de plantation 'bout dere. Dem
corn-shuckings wuz big times, dat dey wuz. Gi'e eve'body aw de
"hopping-john" dey kin eat. Jes cook it aw in uh big pot dere in de yard
to de big house. Ain' nuthin ne'er eat no better den dat "hopping-john"
is eat."

"Den de peoples use'er come from aw de plantation 'bout en hab big
dancing dere. Dat when I lub to be 'bout. Dey hab uh big fire build up
outer in de yard en dat wha' dey dance 'round 'bout. Call dat uh torch
fire. Dey'ud hab fiddle en dey dance wha' dey call de reel dance den. I
'member I use'er lub to watch dey feet when dat fiddle 'ud ge' to
playing. I jes crawl right down on me knees dere whey I'ud see dey feet
jes uh going."

"I ne'er hab mucha schooling 'fore freedom declare cause I been raise up
on de plantation. Dis child (her daughter) pappy wuz de house boy to de
big house en he ge' more schooling den I is. De Missus larnt he how to
read en write she self. A'ter freedom declare, I go to school to uh
white man up dere to de ole Academy en den I is go to annuder school
down dere to uh blacksmith shop. I go to uh white man dere too. Ne'er
hab no colored teacher den cause dey ain' hab 'nough schooling den. Dese
chillun don' know nuthin 'bout dem times. I tell dese chillun I don'
know wha' dey wanna run 'bout so mucha cause dere plenty t'ing to see
dat pass right dere by us house eve'y day. I t'ink dis uh better day en
time to lib en cause dis uh brighter day now dat we hab."

Source: Mom Louisa Collier, age 78, colored, Marion, S. C
Personal interview, May 1937.

Project #1655
W. W. Dixon
Winnsboro, S. C.

JOH