ver dey wanted to go places so as dey could come and go when dey
got good and ready. Thursday and Sadday nights was de main nights dey
went off. Uncle Stafford's wife was Miss Mary Stephen's cook, Uncle
Jim's wife lived on de Finley place, and Uncle Isom's belonged to de
Hollises, so dey had regular passes all de time and no patterollers
never bothered 'em none.

"Whenever Marse Alec or Marse Lordnorth wanted to send a message dey
jus' put George or Mack on a horse and sont 'em on but one thing sho,
dere warn't no slave knowed what was in dem letters.

"Marse Alec sho had plenty of mules. Some of 'em was named: Pete, Clay,
Rollin, Jack, and Sal. Sal was Allen's slow mule, and he set a heap of
store by her. Dere was a heap more mules on dat place, but I can't call
back dere names right now.

"Most times when slaves went to deir quarters at night, mens rested, but
sometimes dey holped de 'omans cyard de cotton and wool. Young folkses
frolicked, sung songs, and visited from cabin to cabin. When dey got
behind wid de field wuk, sometimes slaves wuked atter dinner Saddays,
but dat warn't often. But, Oh, dem Sadday nights! Dat was when slaves
got together and danced. George, he blowed de quills, and he sho could
blow grand dance music on 'em. Dem Niggers would jus' dance down. Dere
warn't no foolishment 'lowed atter 10:00 o'clock no night. Sundays dey
went to church and visited 'round, but folks didn't spend as much time
gaddin' 'bout lak dey does now days.

"Christmas Day! Oh, what a time us Niggers did have dat day! Marse
Lordnorth and Marse Alec give us evvything you could name to eat: cake
of all kinds, fresh meat, lightbread, turkeys, chickens, ducks, geese,
and all kinds of wild game. Dere was allus plenty of pecans, apples, and
dried peaches too at Christmas. Marse Alec had some trees what had fruit
dat looked lak bananas on 'em, but I done forgot what was de name of dem
trees. Marse Alec would call de grown folkses to de big house early in
de mornin' and pass 'round a big pewter pitcher full of whiskey, den he
would put a little whiskey in dat same pitcher and fill it wid sweetened
water and give dat to us chillun. Us called dat 'toddy' or 'dram'. Marse
Alex allus had plenty of good whiskey, 'cause Uncle Willis made it up
for him and it was made jus' right. De night atter Christmas Day us
pulled syrup candy, drunk more liquor, and danced. Us had a big time for
a whole week and den on New Year's Day us done a little