one o' de chilluns
at our plantation, Marster Peter Mitchell's sister had taught Aunt
Isabella to read and write, an' durin' de war she would read, an' tell
us how everythin' wus goin'. Tom Mitchell, a slave, sassed marster.
Marster tole him he would not whup him, but he would sell him. Tom's
brother, Henry, tol' him if he wus left he would run away, so marster
sold both. He carried 'em to Richmond to sell 'em. He sold 'em on de
auction block dere way down on Broad Street. When dey put Tom on de
auction block dey found Tom had a broken leg and marster didn't git
much fer him. He wanted to git enough fer these two grown settled men
to buy two young men. Tom wus married. He wus sold from his wife and
chilluns. Marster did not git enough fer 'em to pay for dese two young
boys. He had to pay de difference in money. De boys were 'bout 21 or 22
years ole. When marster got back wid 'em de overseer tole him he had
ruined his plantation. De boys soon become sick wid yeller fever an'
both died. Dey strowed it 'round, an' many died. Marster shore made a
mess o' things dat time.

"Dr. Ben Wilson, of Warren County wus Marster Mitchell's
brother-in-law. He 'tended de sick folks an' he made many trips.
Sometimes as soon as he got home dey sent fer him again.

"We played mumble-peg an' hop-scotch when I wus a child, we played
jumpin' de rope a lot.

"I have never been married. I had only one brother. He has been dead
six years. Since he died I have had a hard time makin' a livin'.
Brother John lived wid me until he died. I had only one sister. She
died many years ago. I think slavery wus mighty hard an' wrong. I
joined de church 'cause I had religion an' de church would help me to
keep it. People should be religious so dey will have a place in de
beyond.

"Abraham Lincoln wus a good man. I have his picture. I think Mr.
Roosevelt is a good God-fearin' man. When he gits sick I prays fer him.
When he is sick I is jist as scared as I kin be. I prays fer him ter
stay well."

LE

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 4: The office of the State Board of Welfare is in the
Agriculture Building.]

N.C. District: No. 2
Worker: T. Pat Matthews
No. Words: 625
Subject: CHARITY McALLISTER
Story teller: Charity McAllister
Editor: Daisy Bailey Waitt

CHARITY McALLISTER
602 South Street

"My name is Charity McAllister. I wus here a long time before de
Yankees come here. I wus 'bout grown whe