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HARRIET JONES. 93, was born a slave of Martin Fullbright, who owned a large plantation in North Carolina.
When he died his daughter, Ellen, became Harriet's owner, and was so kind to Harriet that she looks back on slave
years as the happiest time in her life.
"My daddy and mammy was Henry and Zilphy Guest and Marse Martin Fullbright brung dem from North Carolina
to Red River County, in Texas, long 'fore freedom, and settled near Clarksville. I was one of dere eight chillen and
borned in 1844 and an 93 years old. My folks stayed with Marse Martin and he Caughter, Kiss Ellen, till dey went
to de reward where dey dies no more.
"De plantation raise corn and oats and wheat and cotton and hawgs and cattle and hosses, and de neares' place to
ship to market am at Jefferson, Texas, ninety miles from Clarksville, den up river to Shreveport and den to Memphis
or New Orleans. Dey send cotton by wagon train to Jefferson but mostly by boat up de bayou.
"When Marse Martin die he 'vide us slaves to he folks and I falls to he daughter, Miss Ellen. Iffen ever dere was a
angel on dis earth the was it. I hopes wherever it is, her spirit am in glory.
"When Miss Ellen marry Marse Johnnie Watson, she have me fix her up. She have do white sat in dress and pink
sash and tight waist and hoop skirt. so she have to go through de door sideways. De long curls I made hang down
her shoulders and a bunch of pink roses in de hand. She look like a sagel.
"All de fine folks in Clarksville at dat weddin' and dey dances in de big room after de weddin' supper. It was de
grand time but it make me cry, 'cause Miss Ellen done growed up. When she was a li'l gel she wore de sweetes' li'l
dresses and panties with de lace ruffles what hung down below her skirt. and de jacket button in de back and shoes
from soft leather de shoeman tan jus' for her. When she li'l bigger she wear de tucked petticoats, two, three at a time
to take place of hoops, but she still wear de white panties with lace ruffles what hang below de sldrt 'bout a foot.
Where dey gone now? I ain't seed any for sich a long time!
"When de white lsdies go to church in den hoop skirts, dey has to pull dem up in de back to set down. After
freedom dey wears de dresses long with de train and has to hold up de train when dey goes in de church, lessen dey
has de li'l nigger to go 'long and hold it up for den.
"All us house woman larned to knit de socks and head sufflers, and many is de time I has sent to town and traded
socks for groceries. I cooked, too, and helped 'fore old Marse died. For everyday cookin' we has corn pone and
potlicker and bacon meat and mustard and turnip greens, and good, old sorghum 'lasses. On Sunday we has chicken
or turkey or roast pig and pies and cakes and hot, saltrisin' bread.
"When folks visit dem days dey do it right and stays several days, maybe a week or two. When de quality folks
comes for dinner. Missie show me how to wait on table. I has to come in when she ring de bell, and hold de waiter
for food jus' right. For de breakfas' we has coffee and hot waffles what my mammy make.
"Dere was a old song we used to sing 'bout de hoecake, when we cookin' dem:
"'If you wants to bake a hoecake,
To bake it good and done,
Slap it on a nigger's heel.
And holl it to de sua.
"'My mammy baked a hoecake,
As big as Alabama.
She throwed it 'gainst a nigger's head.
It ring jus' like a hammer.
"'De way you bake a hoecake.
De old Virginny way,
Wrap it round a nigger's stomach,
And hold it dere all day.'
"Dat de life we lives with old and young marse and missie, for day de quality folks of old Texas.
"'Bout time for de field hands to go to work, it gittin' mighty hot down here, so dey go by daylight when it cooler.
Old Marse have a horm and 'long 'bout four o'clock it Bgin to blow, and you turn over and try take 'nother lsp, den it
goes arguin'. blow, how lound dat old horn do blow, but de sweet smell de air and de early breeze blowin' through
de trees, and de sun peepin' wer de meadow, make you glad to git up in de early morain'.
"'It's a cool and frosty mornin'
And de niggers goes to work.
With hoes upon dey shoulders,
Without a bit of shirt.'
"'When dey hears de born blow for dinner it am de race, and dey sings:
"'I goes up on de meatskins.
I comes down on de pone -
I hits de corn pone fifty licks,
And makes dat butter moan.'
"De timber am near de river and de bayou and when dey not workin' de hosses or no other work, we rides down and
goes huntin' with de boys, for wild turkeys and prairie chickens, but dey like bes' to hunt for coons and possums.
"'Possum up de gum stump,
Raccoon in de hollow -
Git him down and twist him out,
And I'll give you a dollar.'
"Come Christmas, Miss Ellen say, 'Harriet, have de Christmas Tree carry in and de holly and evergreens.' Den she
puts de candles on de tree and hangs de stockin's up for de white chillen and de black chillen. Nex' mornin'.
everybody up 'fore day and somethin' for us all, and for de men a keg of cider or wine on de back porch, so dey all
have a li'l Christmas spirit.
"De nex' thing am de dinner, serve in de big dinin' room, and dat dinner! Do onlies' time what I ever has sich a good
dinner am when I gits married and when Miss Ellen marries Mr. Johnnie. After de white folks eats, dey watches de
servants have dey dinner.
"Den dey has guitars and banjoes and fiddles and plays old Christmas tunes, den dat night marse and missie brung
de chillen to de quarters, to see de niggers have dey dance. 'Fore de dance dey has Christmas supper, on de long
table out in de yard in front de cabins, andhave wild turkey or chicken and plenty good things to eat. When dey all
through eatin'. dey has a li'l fire front de main cabins where de dancin' gwine be, Dey moves everything out de cabin
'capt a few chairs. Next come de fiddler and banjo-er and when dey starts, de caller call, 'Heads lead off,' and de first
couple gits in middle de floor, and all de couples follow till de cabin full. Next he calls, 'Sasbay to de right,
and do - si- do.' Round to de right dey go, den he calls, 'Swing you partners. and dey swing dem round twice, and so
it go till daylight done, den he sing dis song:
"'Its gittin' mighty late when de Guinea hen squall.,
And you better dance now if you gwine dance a-tall -
If you don't watch out, you'll sing 'nother tune.
For de sun rise and cotch you, if you don't go soon.
For de stars gittin' paler and de old gray coon Is sittin' in de grapevine a-watchin' de moon.'
"Den de dance break up with de Virginny Reel, and it de end a happy Christmas day. De old marse lets dem frolic
all night and have nex' day to git over it. 'cause its Christmas.
" 'Fore freedom de soldiers pass by our house and stop ask mammy to cook dea something to eat, and when de
Tankees stop us chillen hides. Once two men stays two, three weeks lookin' round, pretends dey gwine buy land.
But when de white folks gits 'spicious, dey leaves right sudden, and it turn out dey's Yankee spies.
"I marries Bill Jones de year after freedom. It a bright, moonlight night and all de white folks and niggers come and
de preacher stand under de big elm tree, and I come in with two li'l pickininnies for flower gals and holdin' my train.
I has on one Miss Ellen's dresses and red stock n's and a pair brand new shoes and a wide brim hat. De preacher say.
'Bill, does you take dis woman to be you lawful vifal' and Bill say he will. Den he say. 'Harriet, will you take dis
nigger to be you lowful boss and do jes' what he say?' Den we signs de book and de preacher say, 'I quotes from de
scripture:
"'Dark and stormy may come de weather.
I jines dis man and woman together.
Let none but Him what make de thunder.
Put dis man and woman asunder.
"Den we goes out in de backyard, where de table sot for supper, a long table made with two planks and de peg legs.
Kiss Ellen puts on de white tablecloth and sone red berries. 'cause it am November and dey is ripe. Den she puts on
some red candles, and we has barbecue pig and roast sweet 'taters and dumplin's and pies and cake. Dey all eats dis
grand supper till dey full and mammy give me de luck charn for de bride. It am a rabbit toe, and she say:
"'Here, take dis li'l gift,
And place it near you heart;
It keep away dat li'l riff
What causes folks to part.
"'It only jes' a rabbit toe.
But plenty luck it brings.
Its worth a million dimes or more,
More'n all de weddin' rings.'
"Den we goes to Marse Watson's saddleshop to dance and dances all night, and de bride and groon, dat's us, leads
de grand march.
"De Tankees never burned de house or nothin', so Toung Marse and Missie jes' kep' right on livin' in de old home
after freedom, like old Marse done 'fore freedom. He pay de families by de dey for work and let dem work land on
de halves and furnish dem teams and grub and dey does de work.
"But bye'n-bye times slow commence to change, and first one and 'nother de old folks goes on to de Grent Beyon',
one by one dey goes, till all I has left an my great grandchild what I lives with now. My sister was livin' at
Greenville six years ago. She was a hundred and four years old den. I don't know if she's livin' now or not. How
does we live dat long? Way back yonder 'fore I's born was a blessin' handed down from my great, great,
grandfather. It de blessin' of long life, and come with a blessin' of good health from livin' de clean, hones' life. When
nighttime come, we goes to bed and to sleep, and dat's our blessin'.
Jones, Harriet -- Additional Interview
"My daddy an mammy's names was Henry and Zilphy Guest, dey was slaves of Martin Fullbright who brung dem
from Missourri ter de state of Texas befo' freedom an settled in Red River County, near de town of Clarksville. My
great grand-dad an gran-mammy cum from North Carlina ter Missourri wid dar Marster befo' de Civil War.
"I was one of eight chillun born while dey wid Mr. Fullbright I was born in eighteen-hundred and forty-four an I'se
ninety three years ole. My folks stayed wid dar Marster, Mr. Fullbright until dey raised our fambly an den went ter
dar reward whar dey die no mo'.
"Our Marster, Mr. Fullbright raise corn, oats, wheat, potatoes, cowpeas, all kind o'vegatables, and cotton, den he has
stock, hogs, cattle, an' horses, de nearest place ter ship ter de market is at Jefferson Texas, ninety miles from
Clarksville, from Jefferson dey ship up de river ter Shreveport Louisiana, an' from dar ter de market sometime
Memphis Tennessee an some time New Orleans, dey send de cotton by wagon trains ter Jefferson, sometimes, but
mostly by de boat up de Bayou.
Befo' freedom de soljers pass by our house, befo' de Yankees an de rebels, an dey mos' allers stop an ask my mamy
ter cook dem something ter eat. W'en de Yankees stop we chillun would hide.
"Once two men cum's an stay at de Marster's two or three weeks an jes look 'roun, pretend dey is goin' ter buy lan'
but w'en de white folks gits 'spicious den dey leaves right sudden an hit turns out dat dey is Yankee spies, dey never
was heard of no mo'.
"Befo' my Massa Mr. Fullbright died he divided de slaves ter his folks an I fell ter his daughter, Miss Ellen
Fullbright, efn ever dar was an angel on dis yearth she was one. I hopes dat wharever her spirit is dat hit is in glory.
"I married Bill Jones de year after freedom, he lived on a farm across de bayou, I went ter live dar wid him but I
allers go back an work fer my young Mistis as long as she lived.
"We married out in de yard back ob de big house, hit was a bright moonlight night an' all de niggers an white folks
bof' cum ter de weddin' de preacher stood under de big elm tree, den Bill Cum's an stan's by him, den I cum in wid
two little pickininies fer de flower girls a holdin' my train. I has on one of my Mistis dresses wid a long train, hit is a
white dress an I wear a red sash an' a big bow in de back, den I has on red stockings an a pair of bran new shoes, an
a big wide brim hat.
"De preacher say "Bill do yer take dis 'oman ter be yer lawful wife ter hab ab ter hol' an will yer proteck' her in life
an in death? If yer will answer "I will, an Bill say he will. Den he say ter me, "Harriet" will yer take dis nigger ter be
yer lawful boss an will yer obey an do jes what he say? an I answer "I will", den de preacher has us ter sign in de
book, an he say "I quotes from de skripter".
"Dark an stormy may cum de weather; I jines dis man an 'oman tergedder, Let none but His dat make de thunder,
Put dis man an 'oman asunder, I darfo' 'nounces you bof' de same, Be good, go long, an keep up yo' name, De
broomstick jumped, Salute yer bride.
Den we goes out in de yard whar de table is set fer de supper, dey has a long table made wid two planks and de peg
legs, de Mistiss see ter hit herself an she puts a white table cloth on hit an some red berries kaze hit is November an
dey is ripe, den she puts some red candles on de table an den de dinner, we has barbecue pig, roast sweet taters,
dumplins, pies an cake, hit is a gran' supper an' dey all eats 'till dey is full den dey ready fer de dance, but befo' de
dance my mammy cum an bring de luck charm fer de bride, wen she gib me de rabbit toe she tells me dis,
"Hyar take dis littl' gif', An place hit near yo' heart, 'Twill keep erway dat little' rif' What causes folks ter part, Hits
only jes a rabbit-tow, But den de luck hit brings, Is wuf a million dimes an' mo', Den all de weddin rings.
"Den we goes ter Mr. Watson's saddle shop ter dance, an we dances all night, de fiddle an de banjo pickers goes ter
playin fer de dancin de bride an de groom leads wid de gran march, de young nigger's er 'lowed ter salute de bride
wid a kiss, an den we dance de ole time square dance.
"An wen my young Mistis gits Married ter Mr. Johnny Watson, she has ter fis her up. She tells me ter put on her
white satin dress an her pink sash tied wid er bow in de back, an' her tight waist wid de hoop skirt, w'en she goes in
de door she has ter turn sideways de skirt stan' out so wid de hoops. I combed her hair an curled hit wid de long
curls hangin' down her shoulders, she hold er bunch er pink roses in her hand, she look so much like an angel dat I
has ter go off an cry, when I slips back an' peeps in de door Mr. Johnny sayin' "I Well, den she say "Ido" and dey
done married.
"All de fine folks in Clarksville at de weddin so many bridesmaids an grooms an de little flower girls, den de
weddin supper jes like I had only hit was in de big dining room, dey dance in de big house after dey eats dar supper,
dey went ter lib in de ole big house kase de ole Marster wanted her ter, after de young Massa dat we went ter de
war, died wid de fever.
"What did dey wear dem days? Dey wore de hoop skirts, w'en dey goes ter church an sits down dey has ter pull dem
up in de back so dey hang down in de front. After freedom de styles change, dey wear de dresses long wid a train an
leave off de hoop skirts, dey has ter hol' up de trains wen dey goes in de church lessen dey has de nigger ter go 'long
an hol' dem up fer dem.
"De Misses has a seamstress dat sew fer de whole fambly, her name was Aunt Dianah, she had de gals ter help her
spin an weave de cloth ter make dey dresses an de men an boys jean's pants an britches, an coats. De wimmen wore
de poke bonnets fer dey hats, de front ob de hats had ruffles ob lace 'roun de brim.
"W'en Miss Ellen was a littl' gal she wore de sweetes' little dresses an panties wid de lace ruffles dat hung down
below her skirt, an a jacket buttoned in de back, cotton stockins an shoes dat de shoe man make from de soft leather
he had tanned jes fer her. When she is a little bigger den she wear tucked petticoats, dey wear two an three at a time
ter take de place ob de hoops. She still wear de white panties wid de lace ruffles dat hung down below de skirt 'bout
a foot, whar dey gone now? I haint seen any fer sich a long time.
"Den all de house wimmen dat work fer young Mistis learn ter knit, we knitted de socks an de head mufflers fer de
men,
my ole Marster Mr. Fullbright would not wear any socks dat I had'nt knitted, an many is de time dat I has gone ter
town an taken socks an traded fer groceries.
"I 'bout ter fergit ter tell yer how de Marster look w'en he dress up, he has his special nigger boy ter help him wid
his clo's an wait on him, w'en he goes ter church he wear a long coat wid a ruffled shirt front, an high collar an de
britches button up an down de laigs, some had stripes on dem, den he wore a black coat a black boots.
"I cooked fer my young Mistis an helped my mammy befo' de old Marster died, fer de everday cookin' dey had
cawn-pone bred, an pot licker, bacon-meat an gravy, mustard an' turnip greens, good ole sorghum lasses, an on
Sunday we has chicken or turkey, roast pig, pies an cakes an hot salt-risin bread.
"W'en de folks visit in dem days dey visit right, dey stay several days, maybe week or two, sometime dey cum from
back whar de Massa an Misses used ter live in de udder states, w'en de quality folks cum fer dinner, de Mistis has
showed me how ter wait on de table wid- out spillin anything, I has ter cum in w'en she ring de bell an hold de
waiter wid de food jes right, fur breakfus, fust thing I bring in de coffee an de waffles, my mammy makes dem on
de waffle iron, she move de stove lid an sets de waffle iron down on de fire, w'en hit gits hot den she pour in de
dough, brown hit on one side, turn hit over time er two, w'en hit brown, open up de waffle iron an butter dem good,
den pour on de lasses an effen yo' never did eat de ole time waffle dat my mammy used ter make den yo' miss half
yo' life.
"Dar was ole song dat we used ter sing bout de hoe-cake, hit was what we sung when we cookin dem. Hit goes like
dis,
"If yer wants ter bake a hoecake, Ter bake hit good an brown, Slak hit on a niggers heal "My mammy baked a
hoecake, As big as Alabamer, She throwed hit 'gainst a niggers head, Hit ring jes like a hammer, "De way you bake
a hoecake, In de ole Virginy way, Yer wraps hit 'roun a niggers stummack, An hit hol's dat ter stay.
Dat de life we lived wid de ole an de young Massa an Missus fer dey was de quality folks of ole Texas. Jes about de
time fer de fiel han's ter go ter dar work hit gittin mighty hot down here, dey goes ter work by daylight w'en hit's
cool. Ole Massa had a horn he blow fer de niggers ter git up by, long 'bout four o'clock hit begin ter blow, yer be
sleepin so good dat w'en dat horn start blowin yer jes turn ober an tries ter take 'nuther nap, den hit goes argin'
b-l-o-w, how loud dat ole horn do blow' jes as well wake up fer taint no use ter try ter sleep nohow.
"W'en de breakfus ober dey all starts ter de fiel as dey go dey sing ter wake dem up, got ter be in de fiel by time hits
light, so w'en de rooster crow's hit time ter start ter de fiel, de sweet smell of de air an de early breeze a blowin' thro'
de trees, an de sun a peepin ober de meadow makes yer glad dat yer up early in de mawin'.
"Hits a cool frosty mornin, an de niggers goes ter work, Wid dar hoes on dar shoulders, an widout a bit o shirt.
"W'en hits time fer dat dinner horn ter blow dey is hungry enuf ter eat a pig, an after awhile hit blows, an den dey
runs a race ter see who gets ter de table first, sometimes dey sing dis song,
"I grows up on dem meatskins, I cum down on de bond, I hits dat cawn-pone fifty licks I makes dat butter moan.
"Yes'm we has plenty meat, young Johnny Watson raise plenty hogs, sheep, beeves, chicken, turkeys, an den we
goes huntin' fer de wild meat. In de cold weather we kills e'nuf ter last all de winter an summer too, den we had all
de vegetables we could raise, turnip greens, beets, mustard, cabbage, onions, an taters, sides we had all kinds ob
fruit, so dat we way de folks raise de livin in de early days of livin in Texas. My mammy say dat she git homesick
for ole Misourri but she has so much ter do dat she don't have time ter get very homesick.
"I was one ob eight chillun an we lived whar dey had de timber near de ribber er de Bayou, so wen dey not workin
de horses, we ride down ter de bayou an goes huntin wid de boys, dey hunted fer de wild turkeys an de prairie
chickens, but dey liked ter hunt fer de coons an de possum de bes, yer can hear dem wen dey go possum huntin
singin dis song,
"Possum up de gum stump, dat raccoon in de holler,
Twis' him out, an git him down, en I'll gin yer a dollar. Den wen de night cumes after dey goes huntin an workin all
de day, dey so tired dey falls a sleep afore dey hits de bed, de boys sleep on de bed, but de gals mostly slept on de
pallets on de floor, but wen hits cold den we has a fire in de fireplace in de sleepin' room.
"You ask me "efn de nigger's have de halowe'en like de white ones do in dem days?" Yes, Ma'am dey had de
haloween jes like dey do now, only dey tells de ghost stories an de white boys aller's skeerin de little Niggers an'
makin dem believe in ghosts, dar was a ghost song dat we sing ter de white boys wen dey tries ter skeer us.
"Ohe Mr. Ghost wid yer raiment so white, Cum ter skeer me out ob my wits ter night, Wid yer eyes starin' in dar
like two coals ob fire, an yer bref', Would skeer a pore'mortal ter deaf', Wid yer rows ob white teeth grinnin' widely
at me, An'yer loose hangin' robe flappin' under de tree, In de orchard out dar, oh, I know how yer made, An de
youngster dat made yer, so I'm not a skeered.
"An' dem ghostly groans yer is makin at me,
I know whar dey cum from, dat big apple tree, Dat is right behin' yer, I'se heard dem befo', Dey was beggin fer cake,
at de side kichen do', I hear's a boy chucklin up dar in de tree, An dat is de reason, yer cant skeer me.
"After de halloween den we has de Chrismus an' hit hard ter tell which dey has de bez' time, dey bof' meant a lot ter
bof' de niggers an de white chillun, dey so excited, dey say "Chirmus comin" ternight" whilst dey dance all ober de
place,
"Our Mistis Miss Ellen say "Harriet, have de servants carry in de Chrismus tree an' de holly an evergreens, "Den
dey put de candles on de tree, an hangs de stockin up fer de chillun an fer my chillun too. Nex' mawnin' all de
servants an de chillun up before' hit day, an de Massa, Mr. Johnny cum an' let everybody in ter see what ole Santa
brung dem, der is sumpin fer us all, an fer de men sometime a keg ob cider er wine is put out on de back porch fer
dem all ter have a little Chrismus speerit.
"De nex thing dat dey has is de dinner, hit is served in de big dinin' room an dat dinner! de onliest time dat I has
ever had so good a dinner was wen I gits married, an wen Miss Ellen marry Mr. Johnny, de niggers has dar dinner
in de kichen, an de white folks has dar's in de dinin' room, after de Massa an de Misses has dey dinner dey watch de
servants have der dinner.
"Dey had de quitar an de banjo an de fiddler's an dey play de ole Chrismus tunes like "Has Auld Acquaintance Be
Forgot",
an' all de ole time songs, den dat night de Massa an de Missus bring de chillun down ter de quarters ter see de
niggers have dey dance.
"De first thing dey do is ter have dar Chrismus supper, dey has a long table out in de yard in front ob de cabins an
dey have maybe wild turkey or chicken an udder good things ter eat, den w'en dey all thro' eatin dey has a little fire
out in front ob de main cabin whar de dancin' gwine ter be, den dey moves everything out ob de cabin 'ceptin a few
chairs, nex cum de fiddler an de banjo an' guitar players, young folks gittin ready ter dance, de caller begins ter call
de dance sets, w'en de fust tune starts he calls off like dis, "Head's lead off, an de fust two go out in de middle of de
floor, all de couples follow 'til de cabin is full, nex' he calls "Sashay ter de right, an do-ce-do," roun' ter de right dey
go, den "Hans up fore'---dey hold up dey right hand an jine dem, den he calls "Swing yer partners, an dey swing
dem roun twice, an so hit goes 'til daylight cum, den he begins ter sing dis song,
"Hits gittin mighty late wen de Guina hen squalls, En yo' better dance now efn yo' gwine ter dance at all, E'fn yo'
niggers don' watch out yo'll sing anudder tune, Fer de sun'll rise en ketch yer, efn yer don' go mighty soon,
"En de stars er gittin paler, an de ole gray coon, Is sittin in de grapevine a watchin de moon.
Den de dance breaks up wid de Virginny Reel, dey goes ter deir cabin at de end on a happy Chrismus day. De
Marster let dem frolic all night an have de nex day ter git over hit kaze hit's Chrismus. "Dey don' have much ter do,
fer de wood all up an de hogs all killed an de smoke house full o' meat fer de winter, Yes de nigger had an easy time
fer dem days, dey has a good home an a good Marster an Missus, so wen dey free dey jes stay on wid dem.
"No, de Yankees never burn de house or destroyed anything, so de young Massa an Missus jes keep right on livin'
in de ole home after freedom like de ole Marster did befo' freedom. He pay de fambly's by de day fer dey work er he
let dem have some land ter work on de halves, he furnish dem de teams an de grub, an dey do de work.
"Bimeby de times slowly commence ter change an fust one den anudder of de ole folks go on ter de Great Beyon',
fust de young Massa an den young Misses an de chillun, one by one, dey go, 'til all I has lef' is my great gran' chile
dat I lib wid now, an my sister dat was livin at Greenville 'bout six years ago, she was a hundred an four years ole
den, I don' know efn she be livin now er not. I be ninety four years ole dis winter. How does we live dat long yer
ask? Well Miss? I tell yer, way back yonder befo' I was bawn dar was a blessin' handed down from my great, great,
grand-father, hit was de blessin' of long life an' hit cum wid one ob good health from livin a clean, honest life, we
did'nt run 'roun like dey do now an we didn't lib wid fust one den anudder, we lived wid de same husban 'til he died,
our fambly did, an wen night time cum we goes ter bed an' ter sleep. An dat's our blessin'.
"We went ter church wid de white folks an sit on de back seat, we went ter praise de Lawd, an wen dey had baptisin
after de white folks baptize, den our folks was baptized, I don' know one soul on dis yearth dat was livin in de days
I tell yer about 'lessen hit be my sister but I members dis song dat we sung at de big meetin's so de Lawd is wif me,
"Cum ye dat love de Lawd, an let yer joys be known, Jine in er song ob sweet accord, whilst he surroun' de throne."
Reference: Interview with Harriet Jones, R.F.D. Mart, Texas.
Gauthier, Sheldon F. Tarrant Co., Dist. #7 ((Yes))
