been gone. Dey ain' got no kind of garden yet, but
dey fixin to plant a fall garden out dere."

"No, child, I done put Miss Betty clothes down. Tell her I ain' able to
wash no more en my Lord, Miss Betty sho hate to hear me say dat. Won'
dat Miss Betty clothes was so hard, but it was de totin dem back en
forth en den dere be so little bit of money in dem, didn' pay to hire
nobody to carry dem. Cose she didn' pay me nothin worth much cause she
didn' never have nothin much, but a little changin of underclothes en
bout one dress. Just had to starch bout one petticoat en one dress, but
I can' hardly wash for myself dese days en I wouldn' never venture to do
hers no more. No, honey, my conscience wouldn' allow me to overpower
Miss Betty for dem little bit of somethin en dey ain' dirty neither. You
see, since Miss Emma been stayin dere, she in charge de house en uses
all her tablecloths en such as dat. Miss Emma, she mighty nice to me.
Every time I go up dere en I ain' been doin nothin for her neither, she
see can she find a cup of fresh milk or somethin another to hand me."

"Reckon I gwine be lonesome right bout dis side next week cause all de
colored schools gwine be open up Monday. You see, dere be so many school
chillun en teacher livin on dis here street. Dat child over dere say she
gwine be home right sharp after she be finish pickin cotton next week. I
say I ain' be obliged to leave dis country cause my white folks wouldn'
never venture to come dere to dat other end of town to see me. All dese
chillun bout here mighty good to me. Don' never let me suffer for
nothin. Dey caution me not to risk to cook nothin over dat fireplace
cause dey say I might tumble over en can' catch myself. No, dey tell me
don' do no cookin, I might fall in en burn up. No, child, I ain' chance
to cook none on dat fireplace since I been sick. Different ones brings
me somethin dis day en dat day. Don' suspicion nothin bout it till I see
dem comin. Celeste over dere brings me breakfast en dinner every day en
I don' never bother wid no supper cause I lays down too early. Den dey
keeps me in plenty bread en rolls en I keeps a little syrup on hand en
eats dat if I gets hungry. Dere Marguerite all de time bringin me
somethin, if it ain' nothin but a pitcher of ice. You see, dey makes dey
ice en it ain' costin her nothin. When I see her turn out dat piazza, I
know she comin here. I ain' see her today, but I lookin for her. Used to
wash for dem too. Hon