|
|
ELLEN BETTS, 118 N. Live Oak St., Houston, Texas, is 84. All of her people and their masters came from
Virginia and settled in Louisiana about 1853. Her grandparents belonged to the Green family and her parents,
Charity and William Green, belonged to Toles Parsons. Ellen lives with friends who support her. Her sole belonging
is an old trunk and she carries the key on a string around her neck.
"I got borned on de Bayou Teche, close to Opelousas. Dat in St. Mary's Parish, in Louisiana, and I belonged to
Toles Parsons, what had 'bout 500 slaves, countin' de big ones and de little ones, and he had God know what else.
When my eyes jes' barely fresh open, Marse Toles die and will de bull lot of us to he brother. William Tolas. And I
tells you dat Marse William am de greates' man what ever walk dis earth. Dat's de truth. I can't lie on him when de
pore man's in he grave.
"When a whuppin' got to be done, old Marse do it heself. He don't 'low no overseer to throw he gals down and pull
up dere dress and whup on dere bottoms like I hear tell some of 'em do. Was he still livin' I 'spect one part of he
hands be with him today. I knows I would.
"When us niggers go down de road folks say, 'Den's Parson's niggers. Don't hit one den niggers for God's sake, or
Parsons sho' eat your jacket up.'
"Aunt Rachel what cook in de big house for Miss Cornelia had four young'uns and dem chillen fat and slick as I
ever seen. All de niggers have to stoop to Aunt Rachel jes' like dey curtsy to Missy. I mind de time her husband,
Uncle Jim, git mad and hit her over de head with de poker. A big knot raise up on Ann Rachel's head and when
Marse 'quire 'bout it, she any she done bump de head. She doesn't tell on Uncle Jim or Marse sho' beat him. Marse
sho' proud dem black, slick chillen of Rachels. You couldn't find a yaller chile on he place. He sho' got no use for
mixin' black and white.
"Marse William have de pretties' place up and down dat bayou, with de fine house and fine trees and sech. From
where we live it's five mile to Centerville one way and five mile to Patterson t'other. Dey hauls de lumber from one
place or t'other to make wood houses for de slaves. Sometime Marse buy de furniture and sometime de carpenter
make it.
"Miss Sidney was Marse's first wife and he had six boys by her. Den he marry de widow Cornelius and she give
him four boys. With ten chillen springin' up quick like dat and all de cullud chillen comin' 'long fast as pig litters. I
don't do nothin' all my days, but nuss, nuss, nuss. I nuss no many chillen it done went and stunted my growth and
dat's why I ain't nothin' but bones to dis day.
"When de cullud women has to cut came all day till midnight come and after. I has to nuss de babies for dem and
tend de white chillen, too. Some dem babies so fat and big I had to tote de feet while 'nother gal tote de head. I was
sech a li'l one. 'bout seven or eight year old. De big folks leave some toddy for colic and cryin' and sech and I done
drink de toddy and let dem chillen have de milk. I don't know no better. Lawsy me, it a wonder I ain't de bigges'
drunker in dis here country, countin' all de toddy I done put in my young belly!
"When late of night come, iffen den babies wake up and bawl, I set up a screech and out-screech dem till dey shut
dere mouth. De louder day bawl de louder I bawl. Sometime when Marse hear de babies cry, he come down and
say. 'Why de chillen cry like dat, Ellen?' I say, 'Marse, I git so hongry and tired I done drink de milk up.' When I
talk sassy like dat, Marse jes' shake he finger at me. 'cause he knowed I's a good one and don't let no little mite
starve.
"Nobody ever hit he a lick. Marse allus say bein' mean to de young'uns make dem mean when dey grows up and
nobody gwineter buy a mean nigger. Marse don't even let de chillen go to de big cane patch. He plant little bitty
patches close to de house and each li'l nigger have a patch and he work it till it got growed. Marse have de house
girls make popcorn for 'em and candy.
"I nuss de sick folks too. Sometime I dose with Blue Mass pills and sometime Dr. Fawcett leave rhubarb and ipicac
and calomel and caster oil and sech. Two year after de war. I git marry and git chillen of my own and den I turn into
de wet nuss. I wet nuss de white chillen and black chillen, like dey all de same color. Sometime I have a white 'un
pullin' de one side and a black one de other.
"I wanted to git de papers for midwifin' but, law. I don't never have no time for larnin' in slave time. If Marse cotch
a paper in you hand he sho' whop you. He don't 'low no bright niggers 'round, he sell 'em quick. He allus, say. 'Book
larnin' don't raise no good sugar cane.' De only larnin' he 'low was when dey larn de cullud chillen de Methodist
catechism. De only writin' a nigger ever git, am when he git born or marry or die, den Marse put de name in de big
book.
"Law, I 'lect de time Marse marry Miss Cornelia. He went on de mail boat and brung her from New Orleans. She de
pretties' woman in as would almost. 'ceptin' she nave de bigges' mouth I nearly ever seen. He brung her up to de
house and all de niggers and boys and girls and cats and dogs and sech come and salute her. Dere she stand on de
gallery, with a purty white dress on with red stripes runnin' up and down. Marse say to her, 'Honey, see all de black
folks, dey 'longs to you now.' She wave to us and smile on us and nex' day she give her weddin' dress to my me. Dat
de fines' dress I ever seen. It was purple and green silk and all de nigger gals wear dat dress when day git marry. My
sister Sidney wore it and Sary and Mary.
"Miss Cornlia was de fines' woman in de world. Come Sunday mornin' she done put a bucket of dimes on de front
gallery and stand dere and throw dimes to de nigger chillen jes' like feedin' chickens. I sho' right here to test'fy.
'cause I's right dere helpin' grab. Sometime she done put de washtub of buttermilk on de back gallery and us chillen
bring us gourds and dip up dat good, old buttermilk till it all git drunk up. Sometime she fetch bread and butter to de
back gallery and pass it out when it don't even come mealtime.
"Miss Cornelia set my ma to cuttin' patterns and sewin' right away. She give all de women a bolt of linsey to make
clothes and ma cut de pattern. Us all have de fine drawers down to de aside, buttoned with pretty white buttons on
de bottom. Lawsy, no sho' cut a mite of drawers. with sewin' for her eleven goals and four boys, too. In de
summertime we all git a bolt of blue cloth and white tape for trimmin', to make Sunday dresses. For de field, 'all de
niggers git homespun what you make jumpers out of. I 'lect how Marse say. 'Don't go into de field dirty Monday
mornin'. Scrub youself and put on de clean jumper.'
"Marse sho' good to dem gals and bucks what cuttin' de cane. When dey git done makin' sugar, he give a drink call
'Peach 'n Honey' to de women folk and whiskey and brandy to de men. And of all de dancin' and caperin' you ever
seen! My pa was fiddler and we'd cut de pigeon wing and cut de buck and every other kind of dance. Sometime pa
git tired and say he ain't gwineter play no more and us gals git busy and pop him corn and make candy, so to 'tice
him to play more.
"Marse sho' turn over in he grave did he know 'bout some dat 'lassas. Dem black boys don't care. I seen 'em pull rats
out de sugar barrel and dey taste de sugar and say, 'Ain't nothin' wrong with dat sugar. It still sweet.' One day apart
one pull a dead scorpion out de syrup kettle and he jes' laugh and say. 'Marse don't want waste none dis syrup.' and
he lick de syrup right off dat scorpion's body and legs.
"Lawsy me, I seen thousands and thousands sugar barrels and kettles of syrup in my day. Lawd knows how much
cane old marse have. To dem cuttin' de cane it don't seen 30 much, but to dem what work hour in, hour out, dem
sugar cane fields sho' stretch from one end de earth to de other. Marse ship hogs and hogs of sugar down de bayou. I
seen de river boats go down with big signs what say, 'Buy dis here 'lasses' on de side. And he raise a world or rice
and 'taters and corn and peanuts, too.
"When de work slight, us black folks sho have de balls and dinners and sech. We git all day to barbecue meat down
on de bayou and de white folks come down and eat long side de cullud.
"When a black gal marry, Marse marry her hisself in de big house. He marry 'em Saturday, so dey git Sunday off,
too. One time de river boat come bearin' de license for niggers to git marry with. Marse chase 'em off end say. 'Don't
you come truckin' no no-count papers roun' my niggers. When I marry 'em, dey marry as good as if de Lawd God
hisself marry 'em and it don't take no paper to bind de tie.' Marse don't stand no messin' 'round, neither. A gal have
to be of age and ask her pa and ma and Marse and Missy, and if dey 'gree, dey go ahead and git marry. Marse have
de marry book to put de name down.
"One time Marse take me 'long to help tote some chillen. He done write up to Virginny for to buy fresh hands. Dey
a old men dat hobbles 'long de road and de chillen start to throw rocks and de old man turn 'round to one prissy one
and say, 'Go on, young'un, you'll be where dogs can't bark at you tomorrow. Nex' mornin' us cookin' in de kitchen
and all a sudden dat li'l boy jes' crumple up dead on de floor. Law, we's scairt. Nobody ever botter dat old men no
more, for he sho' lay de evil finger on you.
"Marse's brother, Conrad, what was a widdyman, come to live on de plantation and he had a li'l gal 'bout eight year
old. One day she in de plum orchard playin' with a rattlesnake and Marse Conrad have de fit. De li'l gal won't let
nobody hurt dat snake and she play with him. He won't bite her. She keeps him 'bout three year, and she'd rub and
grease him. One day he got sick and dey give him some brandy. but he die and old Doc pickle him in de bottle of
brandy. Dat gal git so full of grief dey take her to de infirm'ry in New Orleans and den one day she up and die.
"Dat snake ain't all what Doc Fawcett pickle. A slave woman give birth to a baby gal what have two faces with a
strip of hair runnin' 'tween. Old Doc Fawcett pickle it in de jar of brandy. Old doc start to court Miss
Cornelia when Marse die, but she don't have none of him and he done went straight 'way and kill hisself.
"One day a li'l man come ridin' by on a li'l dun hoss so fast you couldn't see dat hoss tail s-switchin'. He whoopin'
and hollerin'. Us niggers 'gun whoop and holler, too. Den first thing you know de Yanks and de Democrats 'gun to
fight right dere. Dey a high old mountain front Marse's house and de Yanks 'gun pepper cannon ball down from de
top dat hill. De wan met right dere and dem Yanks and Democrats fit for twenty-four hours straight runnin'.
"When de bullets starts rainin' down, Marse call us and slip us way back into de woods, where it so black and deep:
Next day, when de fight over, Marse come out with great big wagons piles full of mess-poke for us to eat. Dat what
us call hog feet. Us sho' glad to 'scape from de Yankees.
"When us driv back to de plantation, seen a sight I never seen. Law, de things I can tell. Den Yanks have kilt men
and women. I seed babies pick up from de road with dere brains bust right out. One old man am drawin' water and a
cannon ball shoots him right in de well. Dey draws him up with de fightin' line. Dey's a old sugar boat out on de
bayou with blood and sugar runnin' long side de busted barrels. Lasses run in de bayou and blood run in de ditches.
Marse have de great big orchard on de road and it wipe clean as de whistle. Bullets wipe up everythin' and bust dat
sugar cane all to pieces. De house sot far back end 'scape de bullets, but, law, de time dey have!
"Dey's awful, awful times after dat. A old cotton dress cost five dollars and a pound of coffee cost five dollars and a
pint cup flour cost six bits.
De Yanks 'round all de time and one day they comes right in de house where Miss Cornelia eatin' her dinner. Dey
march 'round de table. jes' scoopin' up meat and 'taters and grabbin' cornpone right and left. Miss Cornelia don't say
a word. jes' smile sweet as honey-cake. I reckon des sojers sight a took de silver and sech only she charm 'em by
bein' so quiet and ladylike. First thing you know den sojers curtsy to Missy and take dereself right out de door and
don't come back.
"Den it seen like Marse have all de trouble in de world. He boy, Ned, die in de war and William, what name for he
pa, drink bad all de time. And after de war dem Ku Kluxers what wear de false faces try to tinker with Marse's
niggers. One day Uncle Dave start to town and a Kluxer ask him where am he pass. Dat kluxer clout his but Uncle
Dave outrun him in de came. Marse grab de nose and go 'rest dat man and Marse a judge and he make dat man pay
de fine for hittin' Uncle Dave. After day hears of dat, den old pock faces sho' scairt of old Marse and dey git out
from Opelousas and stays out. When me and my husband. John, come to Texas de folks say dat Louisiana masters
de meanes' in de world and I say right beck at 'em dat dey is good and mean in every spot of de earth. What more,
de Louisiana masters free dere niggers a year befo' any Texas nigger git free.
"When 'mancipation come, Marse git on e big block and say. 'You all is as free as I is, standin' right here. Does you
want to stay with me, you can, and I'll pay you for de work.' All de niggers cheer and say dey want to stay, but
Marse die not long after and all us niggers scatter.
"I sho' 'lect dat day old Marse die. He won't die till ma gits there. He keep sayin'. "Where's Charity, tell Charity to
come." Dey fetch ma from de came patch and she hold Marse's hand till he die. Us niggers went to de graveyard and
us sho' cry over old Marse.
"Marse's brother, Goldham, carries all he hands back to de free country to turn 'em loose. He say de free country am
de ones what's yellin' 'bout slave times, so dey could jes' take care of de niggers. Marse Golanam so big dat when he
stand in de door you couldn't git by him, 'though he stand sideways.
"Law, times ain't like dey was in slave days. All my ten chillen is dead and my old man gone, and now I reckon my
time 'bout 'rive. All I got to do now an pray de Lawd to keep me straight, den when de great day come. I can march
de road to glory.
Betts, Ellen -- Additional Interview
Ellen Betts, 118 N. Live Oak, Houston, Tex., is 84 years old. All of her people, including her masters and their
slaves, came from Virginia, settling in Louisiana about 1853. Her grandparents belonged to the Green family in
Virginia, whose name they bore. When Tolas Parsons bought her mother and father, the father's given name was
changed from Major to William, and thus they became known as Charity and William Green. They died at the ages
of 102 and 103 years. Ellen is alone in the world. She lives with friends who support her. Her sole belonging is an
old trunk, the key of which she carries on a string about her neck.
"I got borned on de Bayou Teche close to Opelousas. Dat was in St. Mary's Parish in Louisiana. I belonged to Tolas
Parsons what had 'bout 500 slaves, countin' de little ones, big ones, dogs and cats and Lawd God knows what else.
When my eyes jes' barely fresh open, Marse Tolas die and will de hull lot of us to his brother, William. And I tell
you dat Marse William was de greates' man what ever walk dis earth. Dat's de truth. I can't lie on him when de po'
man's in his grave.
"When a whuppin' got to be done, old Marse do it hisself. He don't 'low no overseer to throw his gals down and pull
up dere dress and whup on dere bottom lak I hear tell dat some of 'em do. When dat have to be done, he do it
hisself. Was he still livin' I s'pec' one part of his hands would be with him to dis day. I know I would.
"When us niggers go down de road folks'd say: 'Dem's Parson's niggers. Don't hit one of dem niggers of Parson's for
God's sake or Parsons sho eat your jacket up'. Aunt Rachel what cook in de big house for Miss Cornelia had four
young uns and dem chillen was fat and slick as I ever seen. All de niggers have to stoop to Aunt Rachel jes' lak dey
curtsy to Missy. I mind de time her husband, Uncle Jim, git mad and hit her over de head with a poker. A big knot
raise up on Aunt Rachel's head and when Marse 'quire 'bout it she say she done bump her head on de door. She
dassn't tell on Uncle Jim or Marse sho beat dat nigger to death. Marse sho' proud of dem black slick chillen of
Rachel's. You couldn't find a yaller chile on Marse's place. He sho got no use fer mixin' black and white.
"Marse William have de pretties' place up and down dat bayou, with a fine house and fine trees and sech. From
whar we live it was five mile to Centerville one way and five mile to Patterson t'other. Dey haul de lumber from one
place or t'other to make wood houses for de slaves. Sometime Marse buy de fu'niture and sometime de carpenter
make it for de slaves.
"Miss Sidney was my Marster's fust wife and he had six boys by her. Den he marry de widder Cornelius and she
give him four boys. With ten chillen springin' up quick lak dat and all de cullud chillen comin' along fast as pig
litters, I don't do nothin' all my days but nuss, nuss, nuss.
"I nuss so many chillen, it done went and stunted my growth, and dat's why I ain't got nothin' but bones to dis day.
When de cullud women have to cut sugar cane all day 'til midnight come and after, I has to nuss de babies for 'em,
and tend to de white chillen, too. Some of dem babies was so big and fat, I had to tote de feet while anudder gal tote
de head. I was sech a little one---'bout seven or eight year old. De big folks would leave some toddy for colic and
cryin' and sech, and I done drink de toddy and let de chillen have de milk. I don't know no better. Lawsy me, it's a
wonder I ain't de bigges' drunker in dis here country countin' all de toddy I done put in my young belly.
"When late of night come, iffen de babies wake up and bawl, I set up a screech and out-screech 'em 'til dey shut dere
mouth. De louder dey bawl de louder I bawl. Next day somebody from de big house say, 'Who dat screechin' to de
top of dere voice last night?' And I say, 'Dat must be a old owl or sumpin'.' Sometime when Marster hear de babies
cry, he come down and say, 'Why de chillen cry lak dat, Ellen?' And I say, 'Marse, I git so hungry and tired I done
drink de milk up 'stid of givin' it to de baby.'
"When I talk sassy, old Marse jes' shake his finger at me, cause he knowed I was a good un and don't let no little
mite starve plumb up. I done drink de milk some from de babies but I was so little I don't know no better.
"One time anudder gal name Hetty what nussed lak I did was mean sho 'nough to de babies. One night a baby howl
lak sumpin' hurtin' sho nuff and dis gal won't move a inch to do nothin' 'bout it. Some of de white folks come along
and raise de blanket offen de baby whar he lay on de floor by de hearth. A big log done bus' open in de fire and a
chip sprung out on dat po' baby's foot and burn de big toe right off. When Marse find out 'bout dat, he run dat gal
off as fast as wind and water could carry her and we don't never hear nothin' more 'bout her.
"Nobody never hit me a lick. Marse don't even let my own pa whup me. Sometime I see him whup a grown un dat
would make a li'l chile tote water. Marse allus say dat bein' mean to de young uns made dem mean when dey grow
up, and nobody gwineter buy a mean nigger. Marse don't even let us chillen go to de big cane patch. He used to
plant little bitty patches close to de house and each little nigger have a patch and he work dat cane 'til it got growed.
And when de chillen work dere cane, and do small chores, Marse used to make de house gals pop co'n for 'em and
make candy.
"I nussed de sick folk, too---white and black. Sometime I dose with 'Blue Mass' pills and den sometime Doc Fatchit
(Fawcett)
come along and leave rhubarb and epicac and calomel and castor oil and sech. Two year after de war, I git marry
and git chillen of my own. Den I turn into a wet nuss. I wet nuss de white chillen and black chillen lak dey all de
same color. Sometime I have a white un pullin' one de one side and a black one on t'other and dat de truth. I wish
my sister was here to testify for me. I knowed as much 'bout mid-wifin' as some of dem touty ones but I git scare de
law git on me do I go ahead and bring de chillen.
"I wanted to git de papers for mid-wifin' or which ever dey make you git, but law, I don't never have no time for
l'arnin' in slave time. No how, if Marse cotch a paper in your hand he sho whup you. Marse don't 'low no bright
niggers 'round. If dey act bright he sho sell 'em quick. He allus say: 'Book l'arnin' don't raise no good sugar cane.' De
only l'arnin' he 'low was in de church when dey l'arn de cullud chillen de Mefodis' catechism, and den we git whup
do we tetch dat l'il blue-back book. De only writin' a nigger ever git was when he git bo'n, or marry or die, den
Marse put de name in de big book.
"Law, I sho recollec' de time Marse marry Miss Cornelia. He went on de mail-boat and brung her from New
Orleans. She was de pretties' woman in de world almost, 'ceptin' she have de bigges' mouth I nearly ever seen. He
brung her up to de house and all de niggers and boys and girls and cats and dogs and sech come and salute her. Dere
she stand on de gallery with a pretty white dress on with red stripes runnin' up and down. Marse say to her, 'Honey,
see all de black folk. Dey belong to you now.' She was so tickle she almost cry and she wave to us and smile on us.
Next day she give her wedding dress to my ma. Dat was de fines' dress I ever seen. It was purple and green silk and
we ain't never seen nothin' lak dat dress. All de nigger gals wear dat dress when dey git marry. My sister Sidney wo'
it, and Sary and Mary. I don't know 'bout Polly and 'Melia.
"Miss Cornelia was de fines' woman in de world. Come Sunday mo'nin', she done put a bucket of dimes on de front
gallery and she stand dere and throw dimes out to de nigger chillen jes' lak feedin' chickens. And if you don't
believe me, honey, I sho right here to testify for myself cause I was right dere helpin' to grab. Sometime she done
put a washtub of buttermilk on de back gallery and us chillen bring our gourds and dip up dat good old buttermilk
until it all git drunk up. Sometime she fetch bread and butter to de back gallery and pass it out when it don't even
come mealtime.
"Miss Cornelia set my ma to cuttin' patterns and sewin' right away. Missy give all de women a bolt of linsey to make
clothes and ma would cut de pattern. We all had fine drawers down to de ankle buttoned with pretty white buttons
on de bottom. Lawsy, ma sho cut a mite of drawers, with sewin' for her 11 gals and four boys, too. Wash and Sonny
and Charlie git drawers cut for 'em,
too. In de summertime, we all git a bolt of blue cloth and white tape for trimmin' to make Sunday dresses. For de
field, all de niggers git homespun what you make jumpers out of. I recollec' how Marse used to say, 'Don't go into
de field dirty Monday morning. Scrub yo'self and put on a clean jumper.'
"Marse was sho good to dem gals and bucks what work cuttin' de cane. When dey git done makin' sugar, Marse give
a drink dey call 'Peach n' Honey' to de women folk and whisky and brandy to de men. And of all de dancin' and
caperin' you ever did see. My pa was fiddler and we would cut de pigeon wing and cut de buck and every other kind
of buck and dance and dance. Sometime pa git so tired he say he ain't goin' play no mo' and us gals git busy and pop
him co'n and make candy so to 'tice him to play mo'.
"Po' Marse sho turn over in his grave did he know 'bout some of dat molasses. Dem black boys don't care. I seen 'em
pull rats out from de sugar barrel and dey would taste de sugar and say, 'Ain't nothin' wrong with dat sugar. It still
sweet.' One day a pert one pull a dead scorpion out from de syrup kettle. He jus' laugh and say, 'Marse don't want
waste none of dis syrup.' And he stuck out his tongue and lick de syrup right off from dat scorpion's body and legs.
"Law me, I seen thousands and thousands of sugar barrels and kettles of syrup in my day. Lawd knows how much
sugar cane my old Marse had. To dem dat work cuttin' de cane, it don't seem lak much, but to dem dat work hour in
hour out dem sugar cane fields sho stretch from one end of de earth to de other. Marse ship hogs (hogsheads) and
hogs of sugar down de bayou. Many a time I seen de ribber boats go down with big signs what say, 'Buy dis here
molasses' on de side. And Marse raise a worl' of rice and taters and co'n and peanuts, too.
"When de work slight, us black folks sho used to have de balls and dinners and suppers and sech. We git all day to
barbecue meat down on de bayou and de white folks come right down and eat long side de cullud. And when a
black gal marry, Marse marry her hisself right in de big house. He let de gal marry on Saturday so dey git Sunday
off, too. One time a ribber boat come bearin' licenses for de niggers to git marry with. Marse chase 'em off and say,
'Don't you come truckin' no no-count papers roun' my niggers. When I marry 'em, dey marry as good as if de Lawd
God hisself marry 'em and it don't take no paper to bind de tie. Marse don't stand no messin' 'round, neither. A gal
have to be of age and she have to ask her Ma and Pa and Marse and Missy and if dey agree, dey go ahead and git
marry. Marse have a marry book to put de name down.
"One time Marster write up to Virginny to buy some fresh hands. When de folks git haul down to Centerville,
Marse take me 'long to help tote de small chillen. Dey was a old man from Virqinny dat hobble long side de road
with us chillen. De chillen start to throw rocks and sech and one little squirt 'bout nine year old sock dat old man
right in de face. Den de dogs start barkin' after him. I keep tellin' de chillen, 'Don't you sock dat old man, he ain't
done nothin' to you.' Den de old man turn 'roun' to dat prissy one and point his finger at him and say, 'Go on, young
un, or you'll be whar de dogs can't bark at you tomorrow!' Dat pointin' finger scare all de other chillen but dat little
boy don't stop. He jes' pester de old man right on in to de plantation.
"When we git home, de sun done gone down and us chillen all crawl off to bed. Next mornin', we was busy in de
kitchen cookin' rice and fryin' up meat when all of a sudden dat lil boy jes' crumple up dead on de floor. Law, we
was scared. Nobody ever bother dat old man after dat, for he sho lay de evil finger on you.
"Dere was a place call Silver Lake 'bout ten or thirty mile from Opelousas whar white and cullud folk go fishin' with
worms and shrimp. Dey ain't never foun' de bottom of dat lake. De sun would rise and set right in dat water. When it
git ready to rise, up it pop right from de water and when it sot, it pop right down into de water. Many a time I see,
and folk come from ever which place to see it. De moon do de same thing when it rise and sot. You could see de
trees way off on de other side of de water and dat sun and moon come right between you and de trees jes' as plain as
day and dat de truth.
"One day two white folks and a nigger by name of Henry Williams went fishin' out on Silver Lake. Henry jes'
cotched him a big old stingaree on de end of his line when 'long come a bolt of lightin' and smite him down. Henry
was jes' laughin' and laughin' when dat lightin' come, and after he was already dead he kept right on laughin'. Dey
brung him back to de house and dere he lay dead jes' a-laughin', for two weeks befo' dey bury him. Dere he lay dead
as a door nail with his bushy hair bobbin' up and down from jes' laughin'.
"One night me and Jenny got us two case knives from de kitchen. She stuck dat nigger on one side and I say, 'Jenny,
ain't you shame to tinker wif de dead?' Den I stick him on de other side to see if he flinch. He don't even flinch, jes'
keep right on laughin'. His skin was jes' white lak flour and you could take his flesh and roll it up lak cotton. De day
dey bury him, his tongue was hangin' out on his chest from laughin' so much and his eyes was popped right out
from his head. He was a good lookin' man, too. But when dey lower Henry into de groun', he was still laughin'.
"And dat ain't all. One time a man live in Opelousas what had been away from his wife 15 years. She was back in
Virginny when he die, and dey kept his body froze up with ice four or five months until she got dere. Us niggers
used to go and feel of his face and beard. We ain't scare. When his wife come from Virginny,
she done kiss dat froze man right on de mouth and dat was a sight to see.
"Marster's brother, Conrad, what was a widdyman come to live on de plantation. He had a little gal about eight year
old what was sho pretty. One day dat li'l gal run off and dey can't fin' her. When dey do fin' her, she was in de plum
orchard playin' with a rattle snake. Marse Conrad 'bout have a fit and call for help to come kill dat old snake. Den de
li'l gal start screamin' and kickin' and cryin' and sayin' she don't want nobody to kill her snake. Dey work all night to
git her away from dat snake, but she won't budge. De snake don't harm de li'l gal, but when Marse Conrad or Marse
William go close dat old snake rear up his tail and say 'Rattle, Rattle, Rattle!'
"Well, den, de li'l gal cry so much dat dey let her take de snake into de house. Law, dat old snake jes' curl up 'roun'
dat li'l gal's neck and don't even bite nor nothin'. She put de snake on de bed and de old snake jes' curl up and go to
sleep. All us niggers go git on de gallery to see and Marse come out and say, 'You niggers git off dat gallery and go
home or I'll flog you to pieces.'
"Well, dat gal kept dat snake for about two or three year and when Marse chain him up in de plum orchard,
sometime he break loose and go back into de house with de li'l gal. Den Marse git a new chain and put him right
back in de orchard. Den Marse git a old man name Uncle Peter to walk roun' de orchard to keep folks out. Law, I
seen de plums rot and fall to de ground and nobody go in to pick 'em up.
"Dat gal'd rub and grease dat snake and think more of dat snake den her own pappy. One day old rattler got sick and
Doc Fatchitt come with a Jimmy-john full of brandy. He pour de brandy in a saucer and dat old snake drunk dat
brandy lak a man. Den he swell up and git drunk and den git so sick, Doc choke him and pickle him in a bottle of
brandy. Dat gal git so full of grief after dat snake, her pappy have to take her to de Infirmary in New Orleans.
Nobody at de Infirmary know what was ail dat li'l gal, and den one day she up and die.
"And dat snake ain't all Doc Fatchitt pickle. Law, he was a sight. A slave woman on de plantation give birth to a
baby gal what had two faces with a strip of hair runnin' between. Old Doc Fatchitt buyed dat baby when it git bo'n
and den he kill it and pickle it in a jar of brandy. Doc Fatchitt start to court Miss Cornelia when Marse die but she
don't have none of him and he done went straight away and kill hisself.
"One day a li'l man come ridin' by on a li'l dun hoss what was runnin' so fast you couldn't see his tail a-switchin'. He
was whoopin' and hollerin'. Us niggers don't know no better and we whoop and holler, too. Den fust thing you know
de Yanks and de Democrats begun to fit right dere. Dey was a high old mountain in front of Marse's house most as
tall as a pole, and de Yanks begun to pepper cannon ball down from de top of dat hill. Yes Ma'am, de War met right
dere and dem Yanks and Democrats fit for 24 hours straight runnin'.
"When de bullets start rainin' down, Marse call us and slip us way back into de woods whar it was so black and
deep we couldn't see each other. Next day, when de fit was over, Marse came out in de woods with great big
wagons. Dem wagons was piled up with barrels of messpoke for de slaves to eat. Dat's what dey call hog-meat. He
was so glad to see us and sho glad we 'scape from de Yanks.
"When we driv back to de plantation, sech a sight as I never seen. Law, chile, de things I can tell. Dem Yanks have
kill single men and women. I seen 'em pick up dead babies from de road with dere brains bus' right out. One old
man was drawin' a bucket of water and a cannon ball shot him right in de well. Dey has to draw him up with a
fishin' line. Dey was a old sugar boat out on de bayou with blood and sugar runnin' long-side de busted barrels.
Molasses run in de bayou and blood run in de ditches. Marse had a great big orchard right on de road and it was
wipe clean as a whistle. Nary a tree. Nary a plum or peach or orange. Bullets wipe up everthing and bus' dat sugar
cane all to pieces. De house sot far back and 'scape de bullets, but law, de time dey had.
"Dey was awful, awful times after dat. Why a old cotton dress like dis here I got on cost five dollars. A pound of
coffee cost five dollars. Cose dey was plenty of sugar, but a pint cup of flour cost six bits.
"When de Yanks come 'roun', dey hide in de sugar cane. Dey would dirty up de patch 'til Marse git so mad he 'bout
die. I'm tellin' you de truth. I sho aint lyin'.
"One day de Yanks come right in de house whar Miss Cornelia was eatin' her dinner. Marse was out in de field
somewhar and de sojers march all 'roun' de table jes' scoopin' up de meat and 'taters and grabbin' co'n pone right and
left. Miss Cornelia don't say a word--- jes' smile sweet as honey-cake. I reckon dem sojers might a took de silver
and sech only Miss Cornelia charm 'em by bein' so quiet and lady-like. Dey 'spec' her to storm out and I reckon it
kinder dumb dem cause she act so sweet. Fust thing you know dem sojers curtsy to missy and take dere self right
out de door and don't come back.
"Seem like Marse have all de trouble in de world. His boy, Ned, die in de War and dere was William who got name'
after his pa. He drink so bad all de time. And den dere was Charlie what we call 'Pigeon' 'cause he used to mock and
act lak a pigeon for us chillen. And den de li'l ones at home to take keer of. Dey was Fayette and Georgie and Henry
and de twins what dey call Tommy and Frankie.
"After de War dem Ku Kluxers what wear de false faces try to tinker with Marster's niggers. One day old Uncle
Dave start to town and one of dem Kluxers meet him on de road and say, 'Whar yore pass?' Uncle Dave don't know
nothin' 'bout no pass and he done keep right on goin'. Dat Kluxer clout him on de back but Uncle Dave out-run him
in de cane and go on back and tell Marse. Marse grab a hoss and go 'rest dat man. Marse was a jedge and he make
dat man pay a fine for hittin' Uncle Dave. After dat, dem old pokey faces sho scared of Marse and dey git out from
Opelousas and dey stay out. Marse tell 'em he don't want none of his black folks beat up and knock up 'cause dey
was taking keer of his chillen. When me and my husband, John, come to Texas, de folks say dat Louisiana Marsters
was de meanes' in de world. And I say right back at 'em dat dey is good and mean in every spot of de earth, and
what mo', de Louisiana marsters free dere niggers a year before any Texas nigger git free.
"When 'mancipation come, Marse git on a big block and say, 'You all is as free as I is standin' right here.' He say,
'Does you want to stay on with me, you can, and I'll pay you for de work'. All de niggers cheer and say dey want to
stay. But Marse die not long after de War and all us niggers scatter.
"I sho recollec' dat day pore old Marse die. He won't die till ma gits thar. All de time he keep sayin' 'Whar's Charity.
Tell Charity to come.' Dey run and fetch Ma from de cane patch and she hold Marse's hand 'til he die. Us niggers
went to de grave yard and we sho cry after old Marse.
"Marse's brother, Goldham, carried all his hands back to de free country to turn 'em loose. He say de free country
was de ones what was yellin' 'bout slave times, so dey could jes' take keer of de niggers. Marse Goldham was so big
dat when he stand in a door you couldn't git by him 'thout he stan' sideways.
"Law, de times ain't like dey was in slave days. All my ten children dead and my old man gone, and now I reckon
my time
All I got to do now is pray de Lawd to keep me straight den when de great day come I can march de road to glory."
Dibble, F. W. Grey, Bernice, P.W. Beaumont, Jefferson, Dist. #3 (September 12, 1937 (Yes))
