in the spring father went to work for a neighboring planter
a couple of weeks in order to get his plows and horses again to plow his
land. A somewhat larger crop was put in this year, but unfortunately for
us when everything was planted father took sick and died shortly after.
This was a stunning loss to us just at a time when we most needed a
father and husband's help, counsel and protection. But we did not lose
courage for long.

[Illustration: Raising Tobacco]

The crop must be looked after and the coming winter provided against. My
sister Sally had been married about three years at this time and was
with her husband and two little girls on a small farm some distance
away, which my brother-in-law rented. That left mother, Jordan and I to
look after things. Although I was the youngest, I was the most
courageous, always leading in mischief, play and work. So I now took the
leadership, and became the head of the family. Things were beginning to
take on a more hopeful look, when my brother-in-law died, leaving my
sister sick with two small children and in about the same circumstances
as ourselves. Everything, indeed, looked hopeless now, as our late
master and his brother had left the old place and gone north. So
remembering I was the only man on the place now, though only fifteen
years old, I said to mother and sister who were weeping bitterly, "brace
up, and don't lose your heads. I will look after you all." I said this
with a bravado I was far from feeling, but I could not see the use of
weeping now there was work to be done, if we were to keep from starving
the coming winter. We all turned in to help one another and in this
manner. The crop was gathered and we were in fairly good condition for
the coming winter, but the work was too much for Sally who lingered
through the winter and early in the spring we laid her beside her father
and husband, and her two little orphans were left to us. It now became
very apparent to me that something must be done, because the crop raised
the year before was barely enough to last us through the winter and we
would soon be in actual need again. We needed clothing, especially the
little girls of my sister, and we had no money to buy seed for this
season's crop or food to last us out. So I concluded to go to work for
some one if I could find anything to do. With that resolve, I put on my
best rags and to mother's inquiry as to where I was going I told her I
did not know myself. It fa