us have to go to toughen us up. When
us git li'l bigger us tend de cattle and feed hosses and hawgs. By time
us good sprouts us pickin' cotton and pullin' cane. Us ain't never idle.
Sometime us git far out in de field and lay down in de corn row and nap.
But, Lawdy, iffen dey cotch you, dey sho' wore you out! Sunday de
onliest rest day and den de white folks 'low us play.

"Massa never whup Uncle Charley, 'cause he good nigger and work hard. It
make missy mad and one time when massa gone she go down in de field.
Uncle Charley hoein' corn jes' like massa done told him, jes' singin'
and happy. Old missy she say, 'Nigger, I's sho gwineter whup you.' He
say, 'What for you whup me. I doin' every bit what old massa done tell
me.' But missy think he gittin' it too good, 'cause he ain't never been
whupped. She clumb over de fence and start down de row with de cowhide.
Uncle Charley, he ain't even raise he voice, but he cut de las' weed
outen dat corn and commence to wave he hoe in de air, and he say,
'Missy, I ain't 'vise you come any step closeter.' Dat sho' make her
mad, but she 'fraid to do nothin'.

"One time she have 'nother nigger name Charlie. Massa go on de trip and
she tell dis Charley iffen he ain't finish grindin' all de cornmeal by
Monday she gwineter give him a t'ousand lashes. He try, but he ain't
able make dat much meal, so come Monday he runned off in de bayou. Dat
night come de big freeze and he down dere with water up to he knees and
when massa come home and go git him, he so froze he couldn't walk. Dey
brung him in de kitchen and old missy cuss him out. Soon's he thaw out,
he done die right dere on de spot.

"My pore mama! Every washday old missy give her de beatin'. She couldn't
keep de flies from speckin' de clothes overnight. Old missy git up soon
in de mornin', 'fore mama have time git dem specks off. She snort and
say, 'Renee, I's gwineter teach you how to wash.' Den she beat mama with
de cowhide. Look like she cut my mama in two. Many's de time I edges up
and tries take some dem licks off my mama.

"Slavery, one to 'nother, was purty rough. Every plantation have to
answer for itself.

"I used to know lots of songs, but I don't know many now. Spiritual
songs, dey comes through visions. Dat's why cullud folks can make dem
better dan white folks. I knowed one song what start out--

"'De Jews done kill pore Jesus,
And bury him in de sepulchur;
De grave wouldn't hold him,
Dey place guards all 'round