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AGE 97
Jane was found in the sunshine on her piazza, busily occupied, as she always would be. With her full cotton skirt she brushed off the hard-wood bench, and asked the writer to have a seat; this being declined, she said,
"Then I'll sit, because I'm old and get tired.
"Now what you want with old Jane? From old Mausa time you can get my age - you can 'puts it up. (compute) I was 95 June before this last June gone. I got a son 70 what lives in the country he pay my rent. I dunno how many children I had; my son July Ladson lives here with me - he gone out now. One son is gone off somewhere in the world; he's married and has a family - I dunno where he is - somewhere in the world!" - spreading out her arms.
"I come from Eutawville and Belvidere and Bolmont. My master? Charles Sinkler, Belvidere Plantation, (a few miles from Eutawville) Mausa went to Eutaw for Miss - I remember all two place, Belvidere and Eutaw. We live at Belvidere. My master house been beautiful - 'e dey yet! (in her deep feeling and excitement she lapsed into Gullah). That was the plantation where we lived and the beautiful steps went up at the back to the 'pantry and to the side was the smoke house', she jumped up and illustrated 'the smoke come up from here, and the meat was hangin' all here', she showed vital interest in everything she told, and was absorbed in her subject, as when we relate experiences which we have loved.
"You know what 'Daily Gift'? - I was Daily Gift - Mausa give me to Miss Margaret, his daughter, when she was married to Mr. Gaillard - I give to Miss Margaret - I never was sold." She repeated twice, and was very proud of it that she was a "Free Gift". "I never was sold, and my Mama never was sold." (Faithful servants remained for generations in one family, inherited and killed like other valued property)
"What I do? - I milk cows", and she illustrated. "I do outside work wid de hoe - plant corn, potato, peas, rice!" She beamed with pride and pleasure as she told of each thing she could do - "Help fix the hogs, you know, make lard and cracklings to put in bread. When dinner time they blow the big conk and everybody come for dinner. I not the cook. The cook, Delia, stout round, (illustrated) she do cook! We jus' make out now with dese vittles.
"We went to church all de time - an' I sing an' shout in de Heavenly land! De church been on de plantation. Mausa had a white minister for us. His name Mr. Quinbey. I believe in God. Heaven a restin' place - there we is all one spirit - the spirit go about jus' how we go about here."
"Do they come back? Did you ever see one?" she was asked.
"I hear 'bout dat," she frowned, "but I never see um. My mama, Eve, died after freedom. My mama gone - she never come back - my children never come back to me any time. I dont know how many of my children dead. My daughters, dey lookin' to to themselves."
"I come to Charleston long after Freedom. I remember all two place - Belvidere and Eutawville. Belmont I cant forget - de name Gaillard I cant forget, cause I was 'Free Gift.' Dese time aint like de times way back dere.
"I been a mid-wife here 60 years. My name writ right down dere and you can find it. No longer than this mornin' I burn up some papers. I aint have any remembrance any more. Here she went into the house and got some sheets of paper - "I want to be truthful to you, dese was my nursery book."
"I'm too old to sing - I did know spirituals but cant remember them - I tell you dese things, then they go out of my remembering."
"My sister been seamstress in de house - her name Rachel - I do de pointing I can work at anything - after supper, before dark come, do cutting out for next days work."
"I cut out a suit for my master, she said proudly - pants, and a waistcoat - you know? Then she remembered suddenly that she could spin - card the cotton and spin it into yarn - 'I glad I can remember things I do in those days
- .'"
Her farewell benediction was: "I trust de Lord will carry you where ever you want to go!"
Source: Jane Hollins, age 97, the Lane at 50 Ashe St, Charleston, S. C.
(Project #1655, W. W. Dixon, Winnsboro, S. C.)
