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"I's born on March 6,1855; on Wolf Crick, in St. Francois County. My muthuh, Clausa McFarland Bridges, was borned on Wolf Crick too, but mah fauthar, Jerry Bridges, kum from Californie. William McFerland was our boss, and he had a lotta' slaves. Us liv'd in a log cabin, wis two rooms. Yep, there was a floor an' wo had a bed, but hit hadn't no mattress; jue' roped an' cord'd. Holes was in de side ob de bed, soods de ropos cud go thru'. We all wore 'jeans' an' wsap'd an' ole' sack 'round our legs; most time we wont barofoot, We-all's used set-nip tea ta cure mos' ever'thing. Our bosa was purty good ta us, but we larned dat ole' M.P.Cayce, he was a slave-holder, wud beat 'Hunter' Cayce, an' ole' 'nigger' man, every Monday marnin' 'til his back bled. Den he tuk nalt an' put hit in de gashos. My bruddors war, Alvin, Jerry, Rubin, Louis, an' Nat. Ma sista' Mary, she went to Rolla an' married. Me an' ma bruvvor Jerry air de only ones a-livin'.
"I married Overdie Southerland wen I was 26 years ols'. Abe Koon married us, but we are not a-livin' togeth'r now. I never had no childr'n by him. Ma furst job was with Dr. Jim Braham fur one year, an' nine months. I got $2.50 a week. I did all de housework thar.
"After de war was over my muthuh went to Pilot Knob to wurk in a hotel. Me, an' my muthuh went hup on Pilot Knob berry huntin' one day, an' ws seen de leg ob a man an' his ankle-bone was stickin' in his shoe. Thar warn't any flesh on de leg. Hit was near de ole' Fort; (Fort Davidson)." (Note: This must have been a portion of a soldier, from the 'Battle of Pilot Knob!)
"Ma muthuh tole' me dat dey used ta sell de little childr'n away fum de breast'a ob der muthuh's. Ma muthuh plow'd in de fiel' an' wud leave her baby layin' at one end os de fiel', while she plow'd slear ta de edder and an' kum back. She know'd a white man who had a child by one ob his slaves an' den sole de chil' as a slave.
Was'nt dat turrible, sellin' his own son?
"De young folks calls us 'ole' fogies', but we knew how ta act, an' lott ob de young-un's don't know dat now. When I was growin' hup we had company an' would hav' ta wait 'til de ol' folks was thru' eatin' 'fore we cud eat. Sum' ob my muthuh's friens' kum one day with their 'redique'; (gags which held knitting and sewing, and were tied with a draw-string, at the top.) "They war eatin' an' I was sittin! on a ladder dat led hup to de attic. I come down de ladder and was sittin' near de bottom an' dese grown people's was eatin', den dey lean back ta rest a-while, den eat a little more, an' res' a-while. I had ta sit dare an' watch dem. After a-while I says: 'My time now'. Well, jus' for dat, my muthuh give me one ob de worse whippin's dat I ever had. Sometines I had ta stan' in de closet, or stan' on de floir an' hol' one foot, when I was punished.
"Ma muthuh's stepfarher was poisen'd in whiskey. His name was 'Charlie Gipson'. Onc't a man held hup a bottle an' said: 'I'm drinkin' de poisen off'. But he was puttin' de pois'n in. After dat, Charlie Gipson drank de whiskey out ob de bottle an' in nine months he was daid.
"Simon cud call de snakes an' day wud kum frum all directions. He wud tak' de skins ob dese snakes an' put dem on de roof ob de shed, an' den when dey was dry, he vud mak' powder out ob dem an' 'hoodoo' people. "We all went tuh a pahty one time an' Scot Cole's sistah et a big apple thar. lfter a little while, she died. So's ma
muthuh tole us to not eat anythin' dat people give you; hit might be poisen'd.
"I'se been tole dat if people dies satisfied, dey don' kum bak, but if dey don' dies satisfied, dey kum back. But I
never seed nothin'.
(One of the religious songs used to be):
"Jesus in his chariot rides
He had three white horses side by side
Whon Jesus reached the mountain top
He spake one word, the chariot stop
He's the lily of the valley, 'O my Lord."
(Folhowing, is a "Love Song" she sang; which-she learnod as a girl when attonding play-parties):
"I'm wandering down to Graybrook Town,
Where the drums and fifes are boating
The Amoricans have gained the day
And the bridgen are retreating.
My pretty little pink,
I used to think that you and I would marry,
But since you told me so many faults care nothing about you.
I'll take my knapsack on my back
My rifle on my shoulder I'll open up a ring and choose a couple in
To relieve the broken hearted."
(Fallewing is a song she learned as a child):
"I'll tune up my fiddle I'll rosia my bow I'll make myself weloome
Wherever I ge
Rye whiskey, rye whiskey,
Ain't no friend of mine,
He killed my old daddy,
And he injured my mind.
(Following is a wong she learned as a child) "Rnin, rain, rain all around Ain't goin' rain no more And what did the blackbird say to the crow? You bring rain, and I'll bring snow Rain, rain, rain all around Ain't goin' a-rain no more Old Hawk and buzzard went to roost The hewk came back with a loosened tooth. Hain, rain, rain all around Ain't goin' a-rain no more I had an old hat and it had a crown Look like a duck's nest sittin' on the ground, Rain, rain, rain all around, Ain't goin' a-rain no more. (Following is a speech she gave as a small child): "I love the cheerful summertime, With all the birds and flowers. I love the gentle flowing streann, I love the evening breesse, I love to go to school. To read, write and spell I love my teacher's smile again And get my lessons well not ex-slave white ?? (Follouing is a speach given as a child) "Hear the children gayly shout Half past four, school is out Merry, morry, playful girls and boys Thinking of games and toya Slates, sleds, dolls and books O! how happy each one looks "Now for snowballs", Harry cried And to hit his sister tried Sister Flora full of fun With her little hand making one At her brother Harry threw Swift it flew and his his nose "Have I hurt you brother dear?" Agked his sister running near "He indeed", said he "This is only sport for me". not ex-slave (Following is a familiar prayer when she was a child) "Savior, tender shepherd hear me Blees the little lambs tonight Through the darkness be they nearest Watch my sleep 'til morning-light Bless the frirnds I love so well Take me when I die to heaven Happy there with thee to dwell (Following is a very familiar song): "'Dear mother', said a little fieh
'Pray, is this naughty fly I am very hungry and I wish
You would let me go and try."
'Sweet innocence', the mother cried,
And started from her nook,
'The hurried fly is but to hide
The sharpness of the hook'.
So he thought he'd venture out
To see if it was true
Agound about the hook he played
With many a long look.
'Dear ma', to himself he said "I'm sure its not a hook" So as he fainter, fainter grew With hallowed voice, he cried, 'If I had minded you I would not then have died'. Fellowing are some old riddles, they may be of no y Riddle-I rode ever the bridge, and yet I walked. Riddle--'Big at the bottom Little at the top, Something in the middle Goes flippity flop Answer--Chare Riddle--'Way down yonder in the meadow is a little red heifer. Give'r her some hay she will eat it. Give'r her some
water she will die. Answer--Fire. Riddle--'I went over Hefil Steeple Then I met a heap of people Some were kenick Some were k-nack Some were the color of brown tobasco They were neither men, women, nor children Answer--Bees (Note:--Annie Bridges is quite a character. When giving her speeches and singing her songs she dramstizes them
while walking across the room. She is hard of hearing and can be heard for quite a distance. She receives an old-age
peanaion. She is considered by many, a sort of nuisance around town, since she as always begging for something.
Some are afraid of her.)
(Following is a song of Abraham Lincoln, she sang):
"If it hadn't been for Uncle Abraham
What would we a'done?
'Beon down in de cotton field,
Pickin' in de sun.
