so much now days, dar wouldn't be
so much devilment done.

"Some of de slaves jus' had to be whupped 'cause dey wouldn't behave. On
our plantation, de overseer done de whuppin'; Marse Jabe never totched
'em. Mammy told us 'bout seein' slaves put on de block in Virginny and
sold off in droves lak hosses.

"Didn't none of Marse Jabe's Niggers run off to de North dat I knowed
'bout. One Nigger named Barlow what was too lazy to wuk in de field
slipped off to de woods and made hisself a den to live in. He made
baskets, footmats, and brooms, and used to come out at night and sell
'em. Dey said he would steal de white folkses' hogs, chickens, and jus'
anythin' he could put his hands on. If dey ever cotched him, I don't
know nothin' 'bout it. Mammy used to skeer us pretty nigh to death at
night when she wanted us to go on to bed. She said if us didn't go to
sleep Barlow sho' would git us.

"Oh! us did have a time at Chris'mas. Dey would have plenty to eat;
eggnog and all sorts of good things, and sometimes mens and 'omans got
drunk and cut up. Marse Jabe allus give us a little cheese to eat
Christmas time. On New Year's Day all de slaves went to de big house for
a council. Marse Jabe would talk to 'em and counsel 'em for de New Year
and tell 'em how to live.

"Cornshuckin's! Yassum, I ricollects cornshuckin's. De folkses comed
f'um all de plantations close 'round. Atter dey was thoo' wid shuckin'
de corn, dey gathered 'round a long table in de yard. Marse Jabe had de
prettiest level yard you ever seed; it was swept so nice and clean. De
victuals was piled on dat table, and dey give us great kegs of apple and
peach brandy.

"Mammy used to tell us 'bout Raw-head an' Bloody-bones if us didn't go
to bed when she wanted to go out. Us sho' would pile in in a hurry den,
and duck under dat kivver and most nigh die 'cause us was skeered to
look out lessen he mought be dar atter us.

"Marse Jabe was mighty good to his slaves when dey got sick. I seed
Mammy sick once. Dr. Lumpkin Landon was sont atter. De slaves would git
fever weeds and sweetgum bark, bile 'em together, and take de tea for
colds, coughs, and fever. Dey wore little sacks of assfidity
(assafoetida) 'round dey necks to keep off disease, and strung hollow
treadsass (treadsalve) roots on strings lak necklaces and hung 'em
'round de babies' necks to make 'em teethe easy.

"Soon atter de surrender, Marse Jabe told his Niggers dey was free as he
was, but dat he didn't