a house.' Then us
laugh. 'Well,' he say, 'Dis money I has and am continuin' to make, I
wants you and mama to enjoy it.' Then he laugh fit to kill heself. Then
I say, 'I been dreamin' of a tepee all our own, all my lifetime; buy us
a lot over in Sugartown in New Brookland, and make a home of happiness
for your ma, me and you'."

"And dis is de tepee you settin' in today. I feel like he's a young
warrior, loyal and brave, off in de forests workin' for his chief, Mr.
Roosevelt, and dat his dreams are 'bout me maybe some night wid de winds
blowin' over dat three C camp where he is."

Project 1885 -1-
District #4
Spartanburg, S. C.
May 29, 1937

FOLKLORE: EX-SLAVES

"I was a slave of Bill Davis who lived at "Rich Hill", near Indian
Creek, in Newberry County, S. C. I was born about 1856, I reckon. My
daddy was Ivasum Davis and my mammy was Rhody Davis. Marse Bill was a
good master, lived in a big house, give us a good place to live and
plenty to eat. He hardly ever whipped us, and was never cruel to us. He
didn't let his overseer whip us, and never hit a man.

"Aw, we had good eats den. Wish I has some of dem old ash-cakes now
which was cooked in de brick oven or in de ashes in de fireplace. My
mistress had a big garden, and give us something to eat out of it. We
used to go hunting, and killed possums, rabbit, squirrels, and birds.

"We had home-made clothes 'till I was big boy. Dey was made from card
and spin wheels.

"Our work was light; we got up at sun-up at blowing of de horn and
worked till sundown. Sometimes we worked on Saturday afternoons when we
had to. On Saturday nights we had frolics--men and women. Some women
would wash their clothes on Saturday afternoons. Den at night we have
prayer meetings.

"We had no church on our plantation, not till after freedom, but we
learned to read and write and spell.

"De padderrolers didn't bother us; our master always give us a pass when
we go anywhere.

"On Christmas Day master always give big dinners for slaves, and on New
Year we had a holiday.

"I married Lila Davis at de Baptist Church in Newberry.

"When our slaves got sick we sent for de doctor. Some of de old folks in
the neighborhood believed in giving root-herb tea or tea made from
cherry barks or peach leaves.

"When freedom come de master told us we was free and could go but if we
wanted to stay on with him, we could stay. We stayed with him for two
years and worked by day wages.