no frolics, but us would
listen from de house en catch what us could. I used to could turn a heap
of dem reels, too, but he was so tight on us till everything bout left
me. Lord, Heddie, give me a thought. You is de jiggin hoss. Hope me out,
Heddie, hope me out.

(Heddie begins song and Lizzie joins in and finishes it).

"The blackest nigger I ever did see,
He come a runnin down from Tennessee,
His eye was red en his gum was blue,
En God a mighty struck him,
En his shirt tail flew.
Meet me at de crossroads,
For I'm gwine join de band.
Um-huh! Um-huh! Um-huh!"

Lizzie--Great Lord a mercy, Miss Davis, dem kind of tune, dem sinful en
wicked songs, dey what I used to turn fore I been big enough to know
what been in dem. No, honey, I thank de good Lord to point me way from
all dat foolishness en wickedness en I ain' gwine back to it neither.

"Lord, I know dat my time ain' long,
Oh, de bells keep a ringin,
Somebody is a dying,
Lord, I know dat my time ain' long.
(Repeat three times)
Lord, I know dat my time ain' long,
Oh, de hammer keep a knockin,
Keep a knockin on somebody coffin,
Lord, I know dat my time ain' long."
(Repeat three times).

Lizzie--Lord, I sho know my time ain' long. De Lord say de way of de
righteous prevaileth to eternal life en I know I right, people. Lord, I
know I right. 'Sponsibility or no 'sponsibility, Lord, I seekin de
Kingdom.

Source: Lizzie Davis, colored, 70-80 years, Marion, S. C.
Personal interview by Annie Ruth Davis, Marion, S. C.

Code No.
Project, 1885-(1)
Prepared by Annie Ruth Davis
Place, Marion, S. C.
Date, December 13, 1937
No. Words ----
Reduced from ---- words
Rewritten by ----

LIZZIE DAVIS
Ex-Slave, Age 70 to 80

"No, mam, I couldn' exactly tell you how old I is cause my father, he
been dead over 20 years en when us had a burnin out dere to Georgetown,
Pa's Bible was destroyed den. Cose I don' remember myself, say, slavery
time, but I can tell dat what I is hear de olden people talk bout been
gwine on in dat day en time. No, mam, I want to suggest to you de best I
can cause I might have to go back up yonder en tell it to be justified
some of dese days."

"Oh, I been know your father en your grandfather en all of dem. Bless
mercy, child, I don' want to tell you nothin, but what to please you.
Lord, I glad to see your face. It look so lovin en pleasin, just so as I
is always kn