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"I was born back in ole Mississ (Mississippi) in de year of 1848. Ize gwine to be 87 years ole come dis harves' time.
My daddy was Young Wright and mammy was Almira Wright. Mammy jes had us two gals, me an' Sis Emily. Us
had Marse Berry Wright fer our boss an Mistis Lina Wright was his wife an owned us too. I jes don't recall no
granpas but guess I mus a-had 'em case odder folks did. Me an Emily an ma, us worked in de house an us didn't
know nuffin' bout dem quarter niggers. Ole Mistis kep us all starched an clean an learned us, all of us, mammy an
all to read an write an made us read an study de good book. Oh, she raised us right proper. Oh yassum, I hoped
make candles, carded wool, spun cotton an wool into thread an effen I does say it, I was a master hand when it come
to weavin an sewing close fer white an colored. Yassum, I could dye de cloth an strip it all pretty on de loom. An all
of us could cook to a turn. Ole Mistis jes took in de county when it come to preserves an' cake an' sech. An all de
country de use to come to our white folks goings on case dey sot sech a good table.
"Time ob a big ball, us'd cook fer days an hab a great long table dat was sot an fixed all purty eby early mornin de
day ob de festivities an dat table nebber was empty 'til late de next day. Effen it was a Chrismus, er a New Year er a
weddin den dey shore was de cookin an us all worked all day an mos all night fer nigh on a week at a pop. No'm us
was so 'cited an allus laffed so much dat we didn't nebber know we'
was tired. Dey'd build a big log fire in de big fireplaces at each end ob de big room whar dey danced an' all trim de
winders an de walls an doors an jes eberywhar wid red berries an vines an cedar an don't fergit to tell 'em 'bout dat
mistletoe. Ha! Ha! dat shore gwine cause meny a purty gal's face to redden an it cotched meny a weddin bell too.
Dem was shore de good ole times. Us'd run an fotch any carry; shine an polish an cook an sew; but us'd git to see
dem couples swing an hear dat fiddle but an down in de kitchen Marse an Mistis don' keer effen a niggers foot
twitch out a tune er two wid a likely gal. My ole man was house boy an waitin' boy fer Marster an us gwine git a
little toddy an swing er set er two every time dat fiddle gin a tune. De kerridges ud drive up loaded wid pretty girls
an high steppin men an in dey ud come all laughin an ready fer dere egg-nog er wine an den de quadrilles.
"My ole man he done fix ole Marse up gorgeous like fer de big ball. He had a swaller tal coat, shiny leather pumps
an a stiff white shirt an I tells you he looked like he own 'em all.
"Mistis Lina 'ud come down de steps smilin wid her pink dress a-tranin behind her an her little foots a-peepin out so
purty, wid a hankcher like a spider web an a great white fan, all spread out like a peacock tail an her roun white
arms an th'oat an her big dark eyes jes a-lightin up de world. An all de folkses 'ud gather roun' her like bees atter a
flower.
"Den dey'd strike up de dancin tune. Dey 'ud allers wheel de pianner out in de big hall. An dey'd fotch ole Jim Long
from 'cross de ribber to play. He'd come wid he fiddle, grinnin an scrapin' cause he shore was a notable fiddler.
When dat ole him 'ud shake dat bow, you couldn't help you foot a-pattin a leetle, excusin ef you was a member of de
church. In er minute, dey all 'ud be flyin roun de room an' ole Jim, he 'us be a-rockin like a boat on de ribber, an he
face all shiny, he teef a-grinnin like de full moon, an he big foot set way out, er-pattin to keep de time. Come times
when ole Marse 'ud ketch de dancin fever an step out on de flo in he long-tail coat an high collar, an knock 'em off
de "Snow-bud on de Ashbank" an Chicken in de Bread Tray," right natchel. He could jes plank 'em down.
"On Chrismus us niggers had a dance. Hit was down in de washhouse an' de table was set in de carpenter shop jes
by. Oh, hit sutten'ly was beautiful. Mistis had sup'renten' eberything wid her own hands. So, she was down dere wid
an apron up to her chin an dere was de big lamps from de big house, two ob 'em on each table an some of de table
cloths from de big house an ole Marster's bowl full ob egg-nog wif snow drift on top ob hit, an pretty dishes from de
big house an some cheers. Nuttin warn't too good fer niggers dat night. De little yung'uns was runnin roun' almos'
'stracted, squealin an squirmin' an under foots so a-body couldn't walk. An dere was a big fire like at butcherin time.
"De fiddlers got dey dram an tuned up lively. Niggers was as thick as blackbirds in a corn crib an de gals was shakin
dey foots fer some young man an buck an back steppin fer to go 'long. De sleepers ob dat house was a-rockin as de
fiddler called de niggers fer de dance. Den all de white folks wid marster in de lead come in to 'spec de tables an dey
all fill up dey glasses an pledge dey health on all de servants, an wish every body a Merry Chrismus an de white
folks went in de wash house to see de dancin an take a han deyself. De white folks git so much larnin dey kin dance
an fool de debbil too. Dem niggers danced 'twill you couldn' tell which was de clappers an which de back steppers,
but when someboddy say supper dat stop 'em.
Rerence: Interview with Aunt Kate Betters, ex-slave, McLennan County, Texas.
Lois Osburn, PW Houston, Texas District 6 (7-6-37 (Yes))
