belonged to her
grandfather Stephen Manning and was her mother's nurse. Jane was grown
when Mrs. Taunton's mother was born.

We were told about _old Bill_ who lives in Barton Quarters and went to
find her. She was sitting out on the porch of her cabin and we sat on
the edge of the porch much to the dismay of Bill who could not walk
because of a sore foot which she told us was caused by the bite of a
rattlesnake years ago in slavery time.

"Ah don' want mah white folks to sit on the floo'. Honey go in dah and
git dat sheet and spred hit on the floo'. Ole Bill would go herself efn
she could walk. Honey you all is gwianter git blistered out in de sun
like you is widout no hats on. Don you all know you had orter take keer
of thet purty white skin of yourn? My ole missus never would git
out in the sun widout somethin on her haid. Ole Mawster thought she was
purty and she aimed to stay purty.

"You all says you wants ter heah ole Bill tell about slavery days, lawsy
chillun Ah pray ter God ah'll be with mah white chillun agin and play
mah harp with em. We'll have plenty to eat and plenty to wear jes as we
did when we had our good mawster in slavery days. Marster's grown son
used to say: 'Bill she's ruint to death.' Why I used ter git my young
mistesses dresses and put em on and git out in the yard and flounce and
flip. The young mistess would scole me but young marster would say
'Leave Bill erlone, ah lack to see her dance. Dance some moah Bill.' Mah
white folks use ter teach me. Now when white folks taugh me ahm a nigger
done taughted.

"Honey ah jes don' like ter see mah white folks sit on the floo' ah
wishes ole Bill cud foch some cheers fer yo all ter set on.

"How ole is ah? Ah jes don' member but ah's powerful ole.

"Yas'm ah' wuz nurse girl for marsters chillun. I nevah had ter wuk hard
a tall, all ah had ter do was play wid the chillun and take keer of em.
Oncet a circus show comed thru and mawster bought a rattle snake fum em
fer a pet. Hit nevah did have hits teeth pulled (fangs). Hit wuz a plum
pet too, allus followin us about. We would have to knock hit back outn
de way sometimes. One time ah wuz comin down de stairs wid a chile in
each arm and de snake wuz crawlin erlong sides me. Jest as we got ter
the bottom hit crawled roun front of me and ah didn see hit cause of
havin the chillun in mah arms and ah stepped slambang on that snake an
hit turnt aroun and bit mah foot. Ah nevah drapped them chillun though.