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(Jefferson County, AL. Federal Writers Project. Gertha Couric, Demps A. Oden)
Aunt Lizzie Hill, 94 years of age, moved from the Spurlock plantation, four miles out, to the city of Eufaula about 20 years ago. She was of such vigorous constitution, that until recently, she carried on her regular occupation of laundfess or "wash-'oman," as she calls herself. Too feeble to work regularly, she now is cared for by a niece with whom she lives.
Sitting before the fire in a rocking-chair, smoking a clay pipe - her neat clothing, snow-white heir and wrinkled, kindly face like a pleasing picture of contentment. Her mind is, apparently, impaired, and she readily responds to her recollections of slavery:
"Sho, Missey, I 'members 'bout it! I was most grown when freedom come. My Marster (Richard Dozier) and my Mistis was good to all dey niggers and dey raised me right. I had two little m'stises about as old as me, and I played wid dem all de time and slep' on a pallet in dey room ev'y night. Dey slep' on de big bed. My clothes was jes' as good and clean as deyrn, and I et what dey et."
The little girls, she explained, were about six and eight years old when this association began, and it continued until close of the war, when all were nearly grown.
"Atter freedom come," continued Aunt Lizzie, "Mammy moved to cuthbert and tuk me erway fum Old Mistis; but I runned away and west back to Mistis, and walked all de fourteen miles down de big bed at night - I runned most ob de way. Three times I done dat, but Mammy come and tuk me back to work in de field ev'y time. I started to stay wid Old Mistis. Dey called her 'Miss Everline' and ev'ybody liked her. Bofe my little mistises got mai'ed and den Old Marster and Old Mistis moved off to Texas, and I ain't eber seed none ob 'em no more. I's had a hard time workin' in de field since de war. Fo' freedom come, I nebber worked cep'n in de house - I was a 'house-girl' and didn't do no field work."
(Wash. Copy, R.L.D., 4-23-37)
