SLAVE NARRATIVES - Library of Congress

just twist the cotton and have it about six inches long and put
it in the loom and let it g© around and around* Ton keep putt in r
tlie twisted cotton in the loom and step on the. peddle and no
sooner than done, that was worked in a rope* Kow, if you don't
jjnow *ffk& fc I am talking about it is useless for me to tell you*
"After papa died that left no one to work but mama and X
tell you time brought about a change• A, house full of little
children - we lived from hand to mouth. Sot enough com to feed
one mule. No syrup, no hogs, no cows. Ohi we had a hard time*
I remember hearing my mama many a night ask God to help her
through the struggle with her children. The more my mama prayed
the harder times got with her. Wasn't no churches around so she
had to sing and pray at home, fhe first Sunday School I remember
going to was in 1892. I went to school and got as high as fifth
grade, then I ran away from my mama.
"Just becaise I let old bad man overpower me I got grown
and mannish. Couldn't nobody tell me a thing. I would steal,
1 would fight, I would lie. I remember in 1896 I went to church -
that was about the fourth time I had been to church. The preacher
began preachin 1 and I went outdoors and cut the harness off of his
Hile and broke one of his buggy wheels. I went down in the woods
and cut a cow just for meanness, I stole, a gun, and I would shoot
ar-Ttine and anywhere, and nobody bothered me because they was
awred to. I stole chickens, turkeys and anything.
'! got in trouble more times than a little, so the last time
* got in trouble some white people got me out and I worked for
•*** to pay my fine out. While working for them I made shoes*
9* £83